Sidetracked by Chocolate in Kromeriz

By Daniela Perez

Recently, I traveled to Kromeriz in the Czech Republic, eager to visit the Unesco World Heritage Site, The Flower Garden, also known as “Libosand”.  I had high expectations of the beauty of this garden since I had seen beautiful photos online.   Their website description also enchanted me: “The garden represents a transition between late renaissance Italian gardens and classical baroque gardens of the French type, such as the one in Versailles. The Flower Garden of Kroměříž is nowadays practically the only example of such designed complex in Europe.”  As I walked toward my destination, I come across Yestera, which made my day even sweeter than I had anticipated. 

Chocolate is one of the most popular flavors in the world.  In the Mesoamerican world, cocoa beans were ground and mixed with water to produce a bitter beverage which was reserved for only their highest noblemen and clerics.  The writer, Ursula Kohaupt, describes chocolate as “happiness that you can eat”.  So, it is no surprise that in June 2015, Tereza Zubíková opened chocolate shop Yestera in the heart of the town in Kromeriz. 

Tereza is committed to providing customers with the highest quality of products, using fresh ingredients without chemical additives and emulsifiers.  She uses pure chocolate from one of the world’s smallest chocolate manufacturers, Callebaut, located in Belgium.   She chooses them for their high-quality chocolate, as Callebaut is considered one of the best Belgian chocolate manufacturers. They have been in operation since 1911.  It is interesting how the world of chocolate has evolved since the first cocoa beans were brought to Europe by Spanish explorers from Mexico in the late sixteenth century.

Tereza and staff make the chocolates, or pralines as they call them in the Czech Republic.  They are made manually and with love, she mentions, as I am given a tour of her chocolate shop.  At that moment she was making chocolate heart shells to be filled with a secret ingredient.  She uses pure cocoa butter and a little vanilla to complete the taste and consistency of her chocolates.  The sweet smell of chocolate all over her shop is noticeable even from the main street.  That makes it very easy to get sidetracked.

Their more popular kinds of chocolates are divided into several categories. The first is white chocolate praline filled with flavored vanilla bourbon, walnut, and green tea. Second is milk chocolate praline filled with cocoa flavored cardamom, fairtrade coffee and amaretto, cocoa flavored with raspberries, cocoa with walnut, and candy with liquid caramel. Last is dark chocolate filled with raisins soaked in rum, and cocoa with plums and plum cocoa powder.  Plums are a very typical flavor of the Czech Republic. Tereza is aware that every customer will have a different taste for chocolate. She focuses on customizing them to the flavors of her country.

The shop is open Monday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m..  It will be most likely that you will be attended by Tereza.  She is very passionate about chocolates and her business, making sure every customer receives good service, and has the opportunity to find the perfect chocolate. Having the privilege to taste the pralines and see the delicate process walked through step by step was a delightful experience. I am so glad I allowed myself the time to explore and discover that wonderful business.  When I moved on to visit the gardens, I found them right outside the city walls.  I spent the rest of the day admiring the colorful flowers, along with the numerous architectural and artistic structures.  While wandering through the gardens, I continued to think about my unexpected visit to the chocolate shop. It was a sweet day of discovery in Kromeriz, and I am so glad that I was so easily sidetracked by chocolate.

All Photos By Daniela Perez