Hidden chocolate heaven in Őrség

György Erős, a chocolatier, or as he likes to call it, and his wife, a taste restorer, have been making their visitors’ day sweeter for years with their handmade chocolates with a unique taste. With 25 years of experience in the confectionery industry, György jumped into the world of handmade chocolate, but he would not have thought how different it would be to dream of chocolates following traditional methods. The emphasis has shifted from quantity to quality, from flawless to uniqueness, and work has become a passion. But why does the chocolate workshop find home in Őrség, since this area is not particularly famous for its chocolate? Moreover we could even say that these small, delicious, elegant sweets have a strange effect in the sometimes harsh, cool area. But the couple were looking for a close-to-nature, quiet neighbourhood where their son, Ákos, with autism, was exposed to as few negative stimuli as possible. During a walk in Őrség, they liked the name of the settlement and fell in love with the peaceful atmosphere of Ispánk: they decided that their story would continue here.

A gift of handmade chocolate kicked off the avalanche, which has now swelled into a nationwide chocolate workshop. The chocolate workshop also functions as a visual workshop. During the design, great energy was put into displaying the traditions and atmosphere of Őrség, the wood paneling, the polka dot tablecloth and the devices hanging everywhere create a truly inviting effect. Only high quality products are used in the chocolate workshop, the chocolate must have a minimum cocoa content of 65-75%, but that is not all. Many people think that the issue of good quality chocolate has already been decided here, but there are many more factors involved. As György admits, the pálinka with higher alcohol content is not definitely the best, it depends on the aroma and proper preparation of the fruit, just as good quality chocolate reflects the conditions of the soil and climate of the place of production, the fruit-like flavour of the bean.

The flavours of Őrség also appear in chocolates. Spices and herbs come straight from their own gardens: here you can find mint, basil, lavender, calendula and coriander, but there are also plums, sour cherries and pears among the fruits of the trees. Of course, we must also mention the first-class Pálinka of Őrség. Alcohol plays a key role in their recipes, as György does not use any preservatives, but rather achieves a longer guaranteed life with a small amount of alcohol. At the flavour restorers’, the art of making chocolate is done with chemical precision, everything has the exact proportions and order, and by now they have developed more than 300 well-established recipes with more and more special flavour combinations. The work is going on all the time, they always dream of newer and newer combinations and forms of flavours. New flavour combinations are always the outcome of long experimentation which is tested by the very happy family members and sometimes the clients as well. For example, the crispy pumpkin seed praline or passion fruit with mint were born by this kind of tasting. We love combining textures: the fluid filling and the crunchy exterior are always a hit. The chocolates are not moulded, but in a shape similar to French-style cut pralines, and their special feature is that each piece is unique: it bears the imprint of a human hand, it is imperfectly perfect. At least 30 types of chocolate can almost always be tasted in the chocolate factory, for tourists with sweet tooth it is a must-stop during the tour of Őrség, but I dare to say that it is worth visiting the chocolate heaven of Őrség only for these chocolate specialties!