If you have seen the “Chocolate” section of my blog, you know chocolate is my thing.  I haven’t updated my chocolate label collection on the blog since 2023, but it is currently at 348 brands from 61 countries. Everywhere I go, I’m on the lookout for something new to me, and I always manage to bring home chocolate from each trip we take.

Sicilian chocolate was new to me and I enjoyed learning how it was made at Antica Dolceria Rizza dal 1935 .  The gal who explained the process to us was our Ragusa tour guide the previous day.  We visited the shop following our Fiat 500 ride in Modica, and it was a nice treat to sample their offerings!

The process of making Modica chocolate is different from other chocolates, because it is made with cocoa and sugar mixed in a cold-working process.  It has no added fats and contains only the cocoa butter that is naturally present in cocoa beans.  The ingredients are never heated above 113 degrees Fahrenheit, so the sugar crystals stay whole in the chocolate bar, giving it a grainy texture.  This gives a very different mouth feel from conched chocolate, which is smooth and creamy. The advantage of eating Sicilian chocolate is that the beneficial properties of cocoa are kept intact in this process.

Modica chocolatiers have had a lot of practice honing their craft. It was first made by the Spanish when they ruled Sicily between 1500 and 1700.  Now, it is the first and only PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) chocolate, a similar protection given to other European food and wine products. 

(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)

In Ragusa Choco House is making chocolate using the exact same process; however, it doesn’t have the PGI designation, since it is not made in Modica.  Bruce and I visited their new shop on a side street in the town center.  They also have their original location up the hill where their chocolate is made.  It’s next door to their bed-and-breakfast, which I found to be an interesting combination of businesses!

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit, learning about the Choco House way of making chocolate and tasting the samples.  Of course, I also bought chocolate bars there as I did in Modica!

Coming up next: SICILY & AMALFI COAST #16: MEMORABLE MONTALTO FARM & MORE