Schokoladenmuseum: The Chocolate Museum of Cologne – Part 2

My visit to the Schokoladenmuseum – Chocolate Museum – of Cologne continued with a look at the earliest known peoples who processed and enjoyed this rich treat.

Food of the Gods

The Aztecs and Mayans of Mesoamerica didn’t just use cacahuatl or kakaw, as they each respectively called it, as food. For them, it also became a currency and a sacrifice to the gods. So great was its use that they developed their own stone cacao grinders. And, as I shared in Schocoladenmuseum – Part 1, these would be mimicked in the industrial age by huge, automated machines.

Luxury Item

In the 17th-century, Spanish invaders of South America introduced hot cocoa to Europe. The rich drink quickly became a luxurious morning treat among royalty and clergy. And the well-to-do soon began to employ chocolate maids.  Their role was to expertly prepare and serve this beverage. The popularity of cocoa among the wealthy inspired some of Europe’s finest porcelain makers and silversmiths. Soon they were creating delicate and intricate serving dishes specifically for chocolate. I especially liked this satinwood-veneered travelling case containing a chocolate service for one by France’s Sèvres.

Intricate Negatives

My visit to the Schokoladenmuseum happened to coincide with their special exhibit of chocolate moulds. I found these to be fascinating and beautiful in their own right. Some of the earliest pieces were made of ceramic. Their negative spaces provide a glimpse of what the finished product would have looked like.

Chocolate Ménagerie

Over time, ceramic gave way to metal, which made it easier to produce three-dimensional figures. Some of the most popular among these were animals. The level of detail in these is amazing. The little fish moulds below reminded me of a box of sardine-shaped chocolates I had bought as a souvenir for my father on Île Saint-Louis, just behind Notre Dame Cathedral, during my first trip to Paris a number of years ago.

Holiday Classics

Of course, a perennial favourite is Santa Clause, better known as Father Christmas in Germany. Loosely based on Saint Nicholas, his long white beard and pointed cap replaced the mitre and staff of the saintly bishop since his first appearance in 1850.  And, just as his form has changed, so has the material his chocolate moulds are made of. Plastic is now the preferred option.

But, as popular as Father Christmas is, the most beloved chocolate figurine in Germany is the Easter Bunny. Chocolatemakers now produce over 200 million copies of him each year. And, just like Father Christmas, his appearance has changed over time as well. Where once he was represented in a very naturalistic way, today his shape is quite abstract.

And here is a mesmerizing glimpse of how chocolate moulds are used in the manufacturing process today.

That’s a Wrap!

One of the things I found most intriguing about this exhibit was the section highlighting chocolate wrapper design. It was fascinating to see how the colourful, wrapping went from inception to completion. A successful design transforms a flat piece of foil into a three-dimensional image that perfectly covers a chocolate treat.

Fountain of Life

However, amidst all of these treasures of the chocolate world, the ‘pièce de resistance‘ of the Schokoladenmuseum has to be its fantastic, three-metre tall, chocolate fountain. Continuously filled with 200 kilograms of fresh Lindt chocolate, its delicious scent wafts through the air, gently guiding you to it. And your reward for reaching it: a sample of its chocolate goodness served to you by a Maître Chocolatier – Master Chocolatier – on a waffle cookie!

In case you missed it, you can see the rest of my tour of this wonderful museum in my post Schokoladenmuseum: The Chocolate Museum of Cologne – Part 1.

Schokoladenmuseum  Am Schokoladenmuseum 1a, 50678 Cologne, Germany