Best candy places worldwide

Forget flowers and chocolates, according to the team from Cheapflights, there are sweeter ways to feel the love on Valentine's Day. Here's their guide to the world's best candy kingdoms.

Dublin, Ireland: The shrine to St Valentine is an appropriate, if macabre, place to start Cheapflight's hunt for sweets for your sweet for lovers’ favourite saint day. Ireland has some sweet treats ranging from sinful Bailey's and Guiness flavoured chocolates to sweetie shamrocks.

Amsterdam, Netherlands: The capital of The Netherlands has longstanding associations with candy as a major cocoa and sugar importer – and home of the cocoa press. But if you’re looking for some particularly Dutch tastes, head for the Albert Cuyp Market for StroopWafels to balance on your coffee; or Zout, ‘salty’, Licorice.

Brussels, Belgium: Leonidas, Neuhaus and Godiva are the big names of Belgian chocolate. Pierre Marcolini and Royal Warrant-holder, Mary are rated amongst the best chocolatiers in Belgium. Fancy something educational and tasty? Try the Museum of Cocoa and Chocolate.

Paris, France: Home to Nougat, Marrons Glaces (glazed chestnuts), Valrhona Chocolate and, more recently, the acquired taste that is chocolate ‘olives’. For an iconic sugar hit in romantic surrounds try French Macarons at Laduree, Paris.

London, England: A must-see is this cocoa-themed restaurant, Rabot 1745. Rabbit and white chocolate mash with a chocolate cocktail on the side, anyone?

Switzerland: Producer of the first milk chocolate, it’s home to a host of popular brands including Nestle, Lindt, Ricola and Toblerone. A trip on the Swiss Chocolate Train. With a stop in Gruyeres (home of the famous cheese) your ultimate destination is Broc for the Maison Cailler chocolate factory.??

Oaxaca, Mexico: The Mayan and Aztec peoples gave chocolate near-religious significance. Visit the chocolate producers of the famed street 20 de Noviembre where you can choose the ingredients (or even bring your own) for a customised chocolate hit.

Tokyo, Japan: Japan has a sometime reputation for adapting inventions to the next level. The humble Kit Kat appears in Tokyo’s Seibu Department store in its specialist outlet selling seasonal gourmet editions of the iconic four-fingered wafer. Try the the garishly-green two-fingered Matcha Green Tea; a sweet hit with a bitter tea after taste.

Los Angeles, USA: The tinsel town of Candy Stores – Sweet! of Hollywood (or is that Lollywood?) Boulevard, described as ‘the sweet spot for sweeties’ or ’30,000 square foot of candy craziness’ with 300 types of chocolate bar and 250 types of lollipops.

Canada: A Canadian sugar hit fix means Maple Taffy or ‘Sugar on Snow’ Eaten from Eastern Ontario to Quebec (where it’s called Tire d’erable) it’s produced by boiling maple sap to a thick liquid which is then poured directly on to snow where it thickens.

India: Indian sweets (Mithai) covered in thin layer of edible silver or gold leaf – Varakh – are glitzy and romantic. Edible silver is considered an astringent and the gold an aphrodisiac in some parts.

New Zealand: Perky Nanas, Pineapple Lumps and chocolate ‘fush’, as well as ‘Sheep Droppings’ and ‘Kiwi Poo’ (or chocolate-covered peanuts and raisins) proving to be best sellers in souvenir shops all over the country.

(these hints from Cheapflights)

Add comment

Www.Foodandtravel.Com.Au - Australia

Best Food Travel Website 2021

foodandtravel.com.au has been awarded

Best Antipodean Culinary Travel Expert, 2019

by the prestigious UK-based magazine...

Ready for a taste treat?

Embark on an unforgettable culinary adventure through the vibrant tapestry of Malaysia.

Led by the charismatic Malaysian ex-pat Chef Wanitha Tanasingam, this intimate journey promises to tantalize your taste buds and ignite your senses, sending you home with memories to last a lifetime.

Find out more....

The flipside of travel...

How not all of it is joyous.