The Original Kiss Was Italian

Baci  is Italy’s word for “kisses”  and who other than the Italians would invent the first kiss in chocolate?   While Baci’s have been produced by the esteemed Perugina chocolate company since the early 1900’s, the legend of the first chocolate kiss goes back to the Renaissance. 

As the story goes, Romeo was banned from seeing Juliet by her parents for fear that these teenagers were too young to be in love.  But, Romeo was not about to take no for an answer.   He knew Juliet’s maid and he asked the maid if she would sneak in some small pieces of chocolate for Juliet.  The maid did so and the rest is history.

What the maid did not know is that Romeo had written love notes inside each piece of chocolate that was covered in a beautiful metal wrapper.  Perugina reinvented the story nearly 500 years later by including a love note in each of their covered chocolates and named them Baci and to this day love notes are included inside each foil wrapped piece.

Many of you have had a Baci, a gorgeous little piece of paradise composed of chocolate and hazelnuts.  Now a ubiquitous item in every gourmet emporium in the USA and in every country of Europe, they’re exported around the globe.  If you’re coming with us on the 2015 private villa tour to Italy, however, you’ll have the grand opportunity to actually visit Perugina’s factory where the Baci are made and have all of the kisses you wish---chocolate, that is.

To learn more about the 2015 trip of staying in 2 luxurious private villas (1 week in Tuscany, the other week in Umbria...home of Perugina chocolate), check out the tour:  http://www.wineknowstravel.com