Turin was declared capital city of Italian chocolate right after the Cateau-Cambrésis peace treaty was signed in 1559: Duke Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy, who had served as governor of the Habsburg Netherlands until that year, returned from Spain with some cocoa seeds – one of the American novelties Hernán Cortés had introduced in Europe after conquering Mexico.
After winning over the Spanish aristocrats, the gift from overseas became a treasure at the Savoy court – and was a favorite of Catherine Michelle of Spain, wife of Charles Emmanuel I. Soon, it escaped from noble circles and was sought after in all of Turin.
