I should cocoa

I FEEL like a wine connoisseur. As flavours swirl on my tongue, I’m asked “What am I getting here? Smoke, berries, cinnamon?” I’m tempted mischievously to suggest hot tar and old socks, but this is no cheeky Merlot or Rioja I’m tasting, this is a piece of slowly melting chocolate.

At last, I’m finally allowed to eat it – and that’s after I’ve listened (yes, listened) to it and sniffed it.

Here, at the new tourist attraction in York telling the story of the city’s history of confectionery, chocoholism takes on a whole new meaning. And while the tasting and sniffing may be obvious tests, listening takes a little more explaining.

Our guide tells us that the sharper the snap you hear when you break a piece of chocolate, the better the quality.

So, having sniffed, snapped and swallowed, we embark on the tour of York’s Chocolate Story that takes us from the rainforests of South America, where the Inca tribes first brewed a bitter chocolate drink, through the trade routes that brought the cocoa bean to Yorkshire, where the canny Quakers of the 18th Century saw a way to wean the workers off the demon drink and, more importantly, a promising business opportunity.

York’s chocolate foundations were laid by Mary Tuke, a plain-speaking Yorkshirewoman who opened the city’s first cocoa house. Her character comes to life on the tour, together with members of the Rowntree and Terry families, who tell their stories of building the confectionery heritage of the city.

Henry Rowntree bought Mary Tuke’s cocoa drink recipe 150 years ago and his brother Joseph became York’s first chocolate pioneer, producing classics such as Kit Kat and Aero in his factory, which is now owned by Nestle.

Later, Joseph Terry set up a factory in Bishopthorpe Road – now closed and awaiting the developers – where 700 people were once employed to create favourites such as Terry’s All Gold and the Chocolate Orange – which was preceded by the not-so-successful Chocolate Apple.

At its height, more than 14,000 people were employed in the chocolate industry in York and, while takeovers and closures have seen the number falling to just over 2,000, the city still produces 80,000 tonnes of confectionery a year. Kit Kat is officially the world’s most successful chocolate bar, with six million produced in York every day and 45 flavours produced for Japan, including green tea and sushi.

The city is also home to many chocolatiers.

The visitor attraction takes a nostalgic look at long-lost favourites, such as Toffo, and others possibly not so well-remembered (who can recall Terry’s Motoring Chocolate?). And there is a fascinating collection of photographs from Terry’s and Rowntree’s factories, archive film women hand piping the swirly bits on Black Magic chocs and memories of past times – such as the student who fell asleep on the Smartie Easter egg production line, which meant hundreds of children that year got empty eggs.

THE advertising archive is sure to stir memories, including those of local people who recall Mr York, a spooky, smiley automaton who was once the face of Rowntree and who was rescued from a store cupboard to take pride of place in the Chocolate Story.

The tour ends on a high, with the chance to watch a chocolatier at work and eat the results.

And if you still need a chocolate fix, there’s a cafe and shop in which to round off your visit.

Then it might be a good idea to walk off some calories by attempting the Chocolate Trail around the city, taking in landmarks including the original Terry’s Chocolate Shop and the grocer’s shop established by Joseph Rowntree, where both George Cadbury and Lewis Fry were apprentices.

One of the highlights is York’s Cocoa House in Blake Street. Founded by Sophie Jewett, who also organised the city’s first Chocolate Festival in the spring, the shop is modelled on an early cocoa house. It specialises in selling amazing chocolates – there’s a version of Rocky Road called, in deference to York, Cobbled Gate – and in running tastings and classes. In the cafe, Sophie has devised dishes including Yorkshire blue cheese and chocolate tart and a tortilla wrap with chicken and chocolate and chilli jam.

Another stop on the trail is the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall where Mary Tuke took on the establishment to set up her business. The guildhall, in Fossgate, was home to the Company of Merchant Adventurers who controlled trade in York. As a woman, Mary could only join the guild as a daughter or widow of a member and, by continuing to run her business, was threatened with fines and imprisonment. But Mary stood her ground and became one of the city’s most successful entrepreneurs.

The hall is one of the best preserved medieval guildhalls in Europe, with a remarkable collection of silver, paintings and furniture.

At the Castle Museum, the street scenes have been expanded this year to include York businesses including Victorian Cocoa Rooms.

There’s too much to see in one visit, but if you gift aid your admission fee you can use your ticket as many times as you like over 12 months.

We stayed at York’s first five-star hotel, the Cedar Court Grand, within sight of the Minster and a few minutes’ walk from the city’s main attractions. It was built in 1906 as the headquarters of the North Eastern Railway and, at the time, was described as “a huge palace of business”. The building’s weathervane, which survives to this day, is a representation of a North Eastern Railway locomotive.

The massive boardroom, which contained the biggest boardroom table in Britain, is now a conference venue and the hotel’s spa is housed in the vaults where the railway company once stored its vast reserves of cash.

Now the building has been transformed into “a huge palace of leisure”, with stately bedrooms, sumptuous bathrooms and all the trimmings of five-star service, including your own butler if you want to be really posh.

FACTFILE

Merchant Adventurers’ Hall info@visityork.org 01904-654818

York Castle Museum yorkcastlemuseum.org.uk 01904-687687

Cedar Court Grand cedarcourtgrand.co.uk 01904-380038

The York Pass The York Pass gives you free entry to more than 25 York attractions and tours as well as restaurant and shopping offers.

You can buy a one, two or threeday pass. Contact York Visitor Information Centre on 01904- 550099 or visit yorkpass.com

CHOCS AWAY

YORK’S Chocolate Story is hosting a range of events for National Chocolate Week, from October 6 to 14, including tasting evenings, sculpture demonstrations and make-your-own workshops.

At the Chocolate Bar, try locally-made cakes, Yummy Yorkshire ice creams and an extra special version of chocolate fondue.

Saturday and Sunday, October 6-7 11am to 3pm, lolly making workshops.

Monday. October 8 6.30pm at City Screen, showing of the film Romantics Anonymous, a French comedy, where love blossoms in a chocolate factory. It is preceded by a chocolate tasting hosted by York’s Chocolate Story. To book, visit picturehouses.co.uk/york or call 0871-902- 5726.

Tuesday, October 9 10am-5pm, dessert making demonstrations.

6.30pm-7.30pm, chocolate tasting evening.

£12 per person, complimentary drink on arrival. Call 0845-498-9411 to book.

Wednesday, October 10 10am-5pm, chocolate sculpture making demonstration.

6.30pm-8pm, Choccie Frolics chocolate making workshop. £20 discounted rate.

Complimentary drink on arrival. Call 0845- 498-9411 to book.

Thursday October 11 6.30pm-8pm, Bright ideas: the invention of favourite chocolates and sweets, a talk by Alex Hutchinson of Nestle. Call 0845-498- 9411 to book.

Friday, October 12 11am-5pm, visit the National Trust’s Goddards House, in Tadcaster Road, the former home of chocolate maker Noel Goddard Terry. See nationaltrust.org.uk/goddards Saturday, October 13 11am-3pm, lolly making workshops.

7pm, cupcake contest for bakers and tasters.

Complimentary drink on arrival and plenty of cake on offer. To book and for details, call 0845-498-9411.

Sunday, October 14 11am-3pm, lolly making workshops.

• Admission to York Chocolate Story is £9.50 for adults, £8.50 concessions, £7.50 child and £28 for a family of two adults and two children. Call 0845-498-9411 or visit yorkschocolatestory.com