The simple pleasure of chocolate

Chocolate honestly cannot get any better than here at Chocolateria Valor, a cosy little cafe off Salamanca’s Rua Mayor. As you walk in the door, the warm aroma of freshly made chocolate wraps itself around you so hard it practically gives you a welcoming hug. From that moment on, there’s really no turning back- I am no avid chocolate lover, but even I was instantly seduced (the giant chocolate pictures plastered across the walls certainly didn’t help). We came here with one goal in mind: chocolate con churros (a lucky decision- taking a peek at the delicious menu would probably have been disastrous for both purse and waistline). Churros- sort of like an unfurled Spanish doughnut- are traditionally eaten for breakfast dipped in hot chocolate (or sometimes sprinkled with sugar, another recommended option). Valor’s reputation for churros precedes it- and it certainly did not disappoint. The chocolate was beautifully rich, so velvety we didn’t so much dip our churros but rather completely immersed them. I would have plunged my head in there if the cup hadn’t been so damn small. Master chocolatiers since 1881, this is one company that has gracefully perfected the art of making chocolate- perfect as Valor has cafes in most Spanish cities, spreading the chocolate love. Two churros and a cup of pure chocolate later, we were feeling extremely guilty. Yet just when we thought we couldn’t possibly eat anymore, they had cleverly placed the chocolate shop by the entrance- making it almost impossible to leave without perusing the delicately crafted chocolate selection. It’s a stroke of genius really, given that those who walk in here are unlikely to possess so much as an inch of willpower. This is not a cafe for those watching their waistline- the tempting menu offers chocolate delicacies from the widely-popular brownie and a ridiculous variation on chocolate icecream, to Yumbé specialities for those finer connoisseurs (chocolate maya and chocolate Aztec drinks crafted from truly exquisite cocoa looked the most appealing). Visit Valor and just surrender- there’s a reason why chocolate’s scientific name, Theobroma cacao, means food of the gods.  

http://www.chocolateriasvalor.es/