Gianduja is one of the masked characters of the Italian Commedia dell’Arte. He represents Turin and, in the carnival tradition, stands alongside the masked characters of Balanzone for Bologna, Pantalone for Venice, Pulcinella for Naples and others. The name is believed to come from “Gioan dla doja” or “Giovanni del boccale”, or from the French “Jean Andouille“. The character came into being at the end of the 18th century, created by the two puppet-masters Giacchino Bellone of Oja, near Racconigi, and Giovan Battista Sales of Turin. Gianduja represents shrewdness, light-heartedness and patriotic spirit. He is the embodiment of the rough and ready peasant with a sharp tongue and generous heart. His costume is classic 17th century style – brown cloth jacket, green trousers, yellow jerkin and red socks. He wears a tricorn hat and a queued wig. In Piazza Castello, Turin, during the annual festivities to celebrate the patron saint of the city, Gianduja still parades with the people. The character gives its name to a type of chocolate and to the famous chocolates – the gianduiotti. The paste was first created by substituting part of the cacao with the cheaper Tonda Gentile Hazelnut of Langhe. Cacao had become extremely expensive due to the blockade imposed by Napoleon on goods coming from the British colonies. Legend has it that the soft paste being dealt “a swift flourish with a spoon” gave rise to the typical shape of the gianduiotto. This was the first wrapped chocolate to be presented at the 1865 Carnival and it was distributed by Gianduja. We wished to dedicate our Gianduja Extra Dark Chocolate bar to this very particular Italian tradition: to take a journey into the past and relive the early days of Italian tradition par excellence, reproducing the original recipe of just cacao, hazelnut and sugar.

40% min. Cacao. Organic cacao mass, organic PGI Hazelnut Piemonte paste (32,5%), organic cane sugar, organic coconut blossom sugar, organic raw cacao butter. May contain traces of milk and other nuts.

The marked creaminess, and the intense characteristic notes of hazelnut masterfully roasted and dark chocolate, with hints of flowers and exotic fruits, will enchant your palate.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE FOR 100 g

Organic

Country of origin: Ecuador
Region: Los Rios
Genetics: Arriba Nacional
Fermentation: wooden boxes
Produced by: APOVINCES

50 g

Italian Carnival tradition. The tradition has ancient origins, some even dating it back to the Roman Saturnalia festival, when people put their duties to one side and dedicated themselves to fun and games. Given that this delicacy was created in conjunction with a carnival celebration, we decided to portray one of the world’s most famous carnivals: the Carnival of Venice. 
Photo Lorena Laurenti ©

Gianduja Dark Chocolate