Thousands of couples from all over the world flocked to Terni (Umbria) to take part in the five days of celebrations (12-16^th February 2014), dedicated to San Valentino, the patron saint of lovers, as well as the protector of the city. This year, as in the past editions, the major attraction was the chocolate fair, “Cioccolentino”, held in collaboration with the local Chamber of Commerce.

To mark the event, the confectioners of Terni had created twin heart-shaped chocolates � one with a red centre and the other with a green centre - to symbolize this year’s message: “Passion is in our Nature”, a pun that paid homage to event partners, the Italian Society of Natural Therapy and the University of Siena. A series of lectures and conferences, in fact, were centred on the theme of healthy eating and natural foods and the benefits deriving from the cocoa bean.

The streets around the city centre were enlivened with the stands of the chocolate fair, displaying all the art and ingenuity of the local chocolate-makers, who had produced chocolate souvenirs in all kinds of forms, from ladies’ slippers to spanners and cogs, figurines, animals and even the Italian symbol par excellence � the espresso coffee pot.

The rooms of the Chamber of Commerce hosted the local Universitďż˝ dei Sapori, where the young students participated in demonstrations of various culinary arts. The public was involved in experimental tastings of chocolate combined with various other flavours. Sessions were also dedicated to the growing problem of food allergies and the creation of glutine-free recipes.

The romantic aspect was, however, uppermost. In addition to the obligatory pilgrimage to St. Valentine’s tomb in the church that bears his name, couples could wax sentimental over the specially created “Lovers’ Cocktail” � a heady mix of prosecco, vermouth and martini rosso, accompanied, of course, with a couple of heart-shaped Terni chocolates. (M. Stenhouse)

 

Info: www.cioccolentino.com