Exploring the Overberg: South Africa’s Coas...
Stretching from the dramatic peaks of the Kogelberg to the windswept shores of Walker Bay Nature Reserve.
Gaspard Bossut loves talking chocolate. He's quick to come to the earth's defence because it is the only planet with chocolate and he knows just about everything there is to know about the widely-loved treat. Gaspard is from Belgium and has been residing in this quiet coastal corner of the Overberg for about 20 years.
Gaspard busy in the kitchen
Every piece of chocolate is lovingly hand-made right out of Gaspard and his wife's kitchen. Curious chocolate-making devices line the kitchen shelves and the counter is decorated with wayward drops of molten chocolate and home-made ganache.
The Master Chocolatier is quick to inform visitors that his role as chocolatier is to melt, temper and mould chocolate into something of a work of art. There is variation of chocolate consists of truffles, pralines, slabs, hot stixx, chocky glazed fruits and more.
The beautiful Belgian Chocolate creations of GaBoli
The beautiful Belgian Chocolate creations of GaBoli
The only thing more impressive than the varying forms are the different flavours that Gaspard has toyed with. There are the classic flavours that include chilli, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, amarulla, brandy, whisky, cinnamon, hazelnut, cafe latte, coffee liqueur and vanilla to name but a few. Then there are some strange yet wonderful concoctions such as blue cheese, blue cheese and biltong, grappa, limoncello, Namibian urbock beer, Maldon caramel salt, fynbos and more. One of Gaspard's favourites is the chilli-chocolate ball that will apparently have you doing handstands in the shower!
Gaspard believes in complete transparency so none of his chocolates hide behind foil but are all proudly on display. The slabs range between 100g and 120g depending if there are nuts included and generally range between R35 to R70 a chocolate. There is delicious diabetic chocolate, dark chocolate with an honest 70% cocoa mass and even genuine marzipan. GaBoli only exports a small amount of chocolate while majority of them are sold amongst locals and tourists.
Beautiful treats from GaBoli Chocolate
Beautiful treats from GaBoli Chocolate
Besides the sheer chocolate decadence that people keep greedily returning for, Gaspard's relentless passion and complete ardour for chocolate and its story is really what makes the experience exceptional. The tour is in his house, which sits on the Western side of Betty's Bay, so it is small and intimate with a glimpse into the life of an enthused chocolatier.
