Tag Archives: Slovenian chocolate

It’s Chocolate Time (Again and Always!) in Radovljica!

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, Festivals in Slovenia, ifeelsLOVEnia, Okusi Radol'ce, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Radovljica Chocolate Festival, Slovenia blog, Slovenian chocolate, Taste Radol'ca, Tourism Radol'ca by

It’s just 11 days until the 10th Radovljica Chocolate Festival – how time flies! I remember the first festival, which was just one day and which led to the start of something much bigger.

Over the years we’ve had three-day festivals, two years with virtual festivals due to COVID-19, sunny festivals, rainy festivals, mega festivals with all-things chocolate, and, in the last couple of years, a two-day festival with a focus on the finest chocolate(s) and an entertainment programme for the entire family.

Thanks to the Radolška čokolada chocolatier, you can now enjoy excellent handmade chocolates throughout the year in Radovljica, but, of course, the Radovljica Chocolate Festival, which this year takes place on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th April, is the event of the year for chocoholics far and wide.

Photo: Mankica Kranjec

Over the past few years, a competition has taken place prior to the festival to find the ‘Best Chocolate‘ among the entries from the chocolatiers taking part in the festival.  This year, 14 chocolates from seven Slovenian chocolatiers entered the competition.

The judges of the competition are the owners of the famous Austrian Zotter chocolate manufacturer.

This year, 1st place went to the Snickers chocolate made by the Hiša čokolade Molinet chocolatier from Kropa, 2nd place was taken by the Goat’s choice good choice chocolate, made by the Radolška čokolada chocolatier, and 3rd place was awarded to the Yuzu and pepper chocolate from the Aska chocolatier.

Visitors to the 10th Radovljica Chocolate Festival, will have a chance to try all three of the winning chocolates, which will occupy a special place in Radovljica Manor. An additional competition will take place to find the ‘Best Chocolate Chosen by Visitors‘ as well as a prize game.

In addition to the chocolate itself, among the highlights of this year’s entertainment programme are:

  • Lego sculptures
  • Chocolate treasure hunt
  • Face painting
  • Cookery workshops
  • Live music (Maraaya, WildArt, Suho cvetje…)
  • Circus workshops
  • Stilt walkers
  • Impro show and other live shows and entertainment

As in previous years, tasting of chocolates takes place via the purchase of tasting coupons.

Of course, there will be non-chocolate food and drink available too, courtesy of Taste Radol’ca restaurants, and, as has also become the tradition, the opening event of the festival will take place with a special gourmet dinner at the Michelin-starred restaurant Hiša Linhart.

Hiša Linhart

The 6-course dinner is produced by 3 young chefs and their mentors – Tomaz Bratovž, Restavracija JB (mentor: Janez Bratovž), Martin Zupan, Hisa Linhart (mentor: Uroš Štefelin) and Darko Krstev, Restavracija Strelec (mentor: Igor Jagodic).

11. Festival čokolade - Premierna večerja treh mladih chefov

The three mentors

Some of the dishes will be subtly flavoured with chocolate, while others will be unashamedly full of it.

Those that know me and regular readers of my blog will know I’m a huge chocoholic, and that I have coeliac disease. The good news is that a few of the stands at the festival will also feature gluten-free chocolate, and, even if you aren’t as big a chocoholic as me, there’ll be plenty of entertainment to keep you amused too!

© Adele in Slovenia

 

 

The 7th Radovljica Chocolate Festival: the Most ‘Chocolate’ Weekend of the Year – ON NOW!

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, Festivals in Slovenia, ifeelsLOVEnia, Okusi Radol'ce, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Radovljica Chocolate Festival, Restaurants, Slovenia, Slovenia blog, Taste Radol'ca, Tourism Radol'ca, Visit Radol'ca by

The 7th Radovljica Chocolate Festival has just begun, and, being the chocoholic that I am, I’m not known for having a modicum of restraint when it comes to chocolate. Since I’m lucky enough to live on the doorstep, I headed straight down to the opening to check it out for you (ahem!).

This year there are almost 50 chocolatiers showcasing their chocolates and other chocolate-based creations.

 

The festival takes place in Radovljica’s historic old town centre, as well as in the town park, and in Vurnik Square (Vurnikov trg).

As in previous years, there is a jam-packed entertainment programme, which has something for all the family.

Entrance to the festival, as well as (the majority of) the entertainment programme, is FREE. Tasting of chocolates takes place through the purchase of tasting coupons, which cost 0.50 cents, and come in strips of four.

I also like to check out any new and original flavours of chocolates – there are SO many, it’s mind boggling. However, one can always rely on Čokohram to come up trumps. Last year, among the unusual flavour combinations it offered chocolate with mohant cheese (a particularly smelly cheese, available this year too!), new for this year it’s chocolate with nettle. Throughout the festival, at the 50+ stalls, you can try literally hundreds of different flavour combinations.

Below are just some of the highlights of the weekend ahead.

Events taking place throughout the 3-day festival include:

  • House of Experiments – make your own bar of chocolate; From Bean to Bar (Saturday from 10am-6pm and Sunday from 10am-5pm)
  • Cookery workshops with Radovljica College of Catering and Tourism
  • Pumptrack course for bikes and scooters
  • Archery, handball and minigolf corner
  • Chocolate journey with adventures through Radovljica
  • Chocolate face painting
  • Chocolate roulette

Throughout the festival there are also numerous FREE concerts, workshops, cookery shows and other events, including:

SATURDAY

  • Creative dance day with the Waldorf School and Nursery (9am-5pm)
  • Uroš Štefelin, Igor Jagodic and Marko Pavčnik, Three Chefs’ Cookery Show (10am)
  • Beer Belly, Irish band (10am-1pm)
  • A meeting of two clowns and circus workshops with clown Eva Škofič Maurer
  • Veseli Begunjčani ensemble, concert (1pm)
  • Abba Mia, concert (4pm)
  • Small Tokk, concert (6pm)

The Three Chefs’ Cookery Show – Photo: Visit Radol’ca

SUNDAY

  • Napoli Tango, music (10am-1pm)
  • Dixie Flash Mob with the Lesce Wind Orchestra and dancers (12noon)
  • Maček Muri and Muca Maca with Neca Falk, concert (2pm)
  • Uroš Perič, concert (4pm)

And don’t miss the arrival of the vintage steam train on Sunday, which is always a sight to behold. The train leaves Ljubljana at 10.40am, arriving in Radovljica at 12noon. Click here for more information.

And if you are craving something other than chocolate (why would you?!), then visit the food marquee where some of Taste Radol’ca’s restaurants  – Gostišče Draga, Gostilna Tavčar and Joštov hram – are cooking up some treats, too!

Gostišče Draga – something for those who prefer savoury treats!

Try ‘šmorn’, a kind of shredded pancake served with jam, at Gostišče Draga

And there’s even craft beer too, which will no doubt go down a storm in this heat, yes, heat, in April, when just a few weeks ago I was (still!) moaning about the snow!

But that’s far from all. There’s plenty more! Click here for more information and the full programme (in Slovene) and here for the English version.

So, don’t miss out, come on down. A ‘hot’ chocolate weekend awaits indeed, as the weather is, and promises to be, fab, too!

© Adele in Slovenia