On Friday 26 April, Year 9 students were taken on an interactive, immersive and educational experience, in which they were able to take an A – Z look at chocolate production, taking them from bean to bar!
Das Zotter Theater
The first part of the tour offered a personal insight into the background of this Austrian factory, its origins and its links with Shanghai. We were taken into a small cosy auditorium where we were shown a video from which we learnt about the different members of the Zotter family from Austria as well as their individual chocolate flavour preferences, and their commitment to sustainability. After viewing this, the students asked questions for some clarifications about the different stages of production before starting the eagerly awaited tasting tour!
The Tasting
Highlighting the journey from bean to bar, the factory tour provided an enriching backdrop, setting the stage for the day's main events: tasting and designing. We walked the periphery of the factory and followed the stages of production, tasting the chocolate first without salt, sugar, or any other additives, and then, this led to a chamber which showed the students the possible ingredients that can be added to give very different flavours while keeping the high quality of the chocolate at its best. Such flavours included the adding of chilli, salt, and peppermint to more unusual flavours such as fennel and clove.
The Design
Inspired by the diversity of flavours, the students progressed to the next phase of their visit: designing their own chocolate, where they were encouraged to choose their favourite chocolate from the tasting stage of the tour and some very unique toppings ranging from coconut to mint, camomile to rose petal. They used these to fill their moulds and personalise their chosen shapes, which included a variety of animals found on the Austrian hillsides such as cows and goats to Edelweiss, the national flower.
The Shop
The shop was tempting indeed, but the students did not need to purchase much in the way of chocolate as they had spent the morning tasting every flavour of quality chocolate under the sun! They did enjoy spotting all the traditional representations of Austrian culture however!
The Take-away
As their day at the factory drew to a close, the students left with their bespoke chocolates in hand, a deeper appreciation of chocolate's journey from bean to bar, and insights into how sustainable practices are integrated into its production. This visit was not just about indulging in chocolate; it was an educative odyssey into making and understanding it, with taste and creativity at its heart. On their return to school, the students enjoyed a German class, in which they reported on their thoughts from the day and practised what they had learnt by working out the English meanings, from their knowledge of cognates, of the German words on their information sheets.
