York, The Chocolate City

When you hear the words "chocolate city", you instantly think about Hershey, Pennsylvania, Brussels in Belgium, and maybe even Cologne, Germany.  While there's not doubt that these cities played a big role in the evolution of chocolate as a confectionery, York in northern England is often overlooked.  I can tell you myself that I didn't even think about York that much when I planned my trip through northern England and Scotland, but that quickly changed.

The main company that really made its mark in York is Rowntree; outside of the UK (with the exception of Australia and Canada) most people may not be aware of this company.  Started around 1862 in York, Rowntree was once one of the most powerful and creative candy companies in the western world.  To this day their legacy lives on, Kit Kat, Aero, and Yorkies are but a few examples of their creative genius.  The candy bar, and chocolate world would not be the same without the Rowntree family.  While many of these treats have now been sold to different companies, the Rowntree name is still very important to any candy historian.

Not only did the Rowntree family create some of the most famous candies in the world, they also helped train some of the legends of the industry.  John Cadbury and Joseph Fry, two very fmaous candy makers were apprenticed under the Rowntrees.  These two men went from working with the Rowntree family in York, to go on to creating candy history themselves.  We also can't forget that the Terry's family got their start in York, makers of the Terry's Chocolate Orange (originally an apple).

Today York has a great deal of competing history, from their Roman past, their latest Viking discoveries, and of course their medieval wall.  There's only so much room left to celebrate this glorious chocolate past.  Rowntree and Terry's still manufacture treats in York, including the UK Kit Kat bar (the best Kit Kat bar that there is by the way).  There is also a great deal of evidence left from the Rowntree family; many parks, walkways, and buildings still bear the name Rowntree.  These places were donated to the city from this wealthy family because of their beliefs about giving back to the community.

Unfortunately if you plan a trip to York, two of the most important buildings in Rowntree history are no longer what they used to be.  The original chocolate shop on Pavement has been turned into a Pizza Hut, and their original factory along the River Ouse is gone.  While there is no hope of getting the factory back, there is still a little history left of their Pavement Street location.

The downstairs has been totally remodeled into the modern Pizza Hut, but upstairs (on the way to the bathroom) you'll find a few of the original windows.  Also, when I asked my waiter about the history of the building, he informed me that the upstairs hasn't been touched at all.  He asked me if I wanted to run up there and take a look, and I couldn't say no.  The upstairs literally hasn't been touched at all, and it's totally falling apart.  But there's still evidence of what was once a beautiful building, and in these rooms the greats, Fry, Cadbury, and Rowntrees learned their craft.

While some of the history is gone from this great chocolate town, there have been some new additions.  Most notably is the York's Chocolate Story attraction.  While many might look at this as a cheesy attraction, it's actually one of the best chocolate information centres I've ever visited.

They don't have much in the way of actual museum pieces, a few packages and a few advertising props are all.  But what they offer is a really great look into the history of chocolate in the Western world, and in particular in York.

Best of all, this museum offers samples, and I'm not just talking about a piece of chocolate here or there.  As you learn about how chocolate has evolved around the world, you get to sample chocolate.  Each sample is made in the way described at each stage of history, from early French chocolate, to the chocolate drink consumed by the Mayans.  The last part of the tour looks at modern chocolate manufacturing techniques, and samples here abound.

You can't even leave without a great chocolate treat, during the tour you're asked to design a chocolate treat, and when it's ready to go, you get to take it home.  I was so full of chocolate by this point I was able to save it for later.

These are just a few examples of why York, might be one of the best chocolate cities in the world.  Don't forget that there are many candy companies still in operation here.  Rowntree, and Terry's are the big ones, but there are other smaller companies still making sweets.  Someday one of these smaller companies may join the Rowntree's as future legends to come out of this chocolate city.

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