There's chocolate, and then there's gianduiotto chocolate. An ancestor of Nutella, the melt-in-the-mouth treat is as rare as it is delicious. Like most renowned Italian artisan chocolate, gianduiotto originates from Piedmont, Italy, where it's considered the "king of Italian chocolate."

Made of a rich paste consisting of fine cocoa mixed with the premium hazelnuts that grow in Piedmont's Langhe region, it's hugely popular with locals. Some have it with an espresso for breakfast, and/or after a meal, along with snacks and aperitifs.