The Ferrero Rocher is part of a long and varied history of the Ferrero company, started by Pietro Ferrero in 1946 in Alba, a small town in Italy. Dear old Pietro had no idea that his confectionery would end up being eaten by chocolate lovers all over the world, although if you believe the marketing blurb, that was his plan all along.
It was news to me that the Ferrero company is also behind such classics as Nutella spread, Tic Tacs and the Kinder chocolates! Really, that just makes me like them all the more. The Ferrero company is one of the largest confectionery companies in the world, and to this day remains a family business run by the Ferrero sons. Officially launched in 1982, Ferrero Rocher as a product is sold in over 100 countries around the globe – although it took until 1985 for Rocher to be distributed in the US.
A good look around the official Ferrero Rocher site brings up some fun facts – that the Ferrero company purchases approximately 25% of the world’s supply of hazelnuts, and that one weeks’ Rocher production would cover the area of 16 football fields.
Other than the classic combination of roasted hazelnuts and chocolate, Ferrero Rocher appeals to me because it allows my control freak self to self-indulge in a bit of OCD candy eating. Rochers are not just about the taste (although frankly, they totally rock) – it’s also about the whole procedure of eating them. First, you have to remove the golden nugget from the paper patty case – without ripping the gold wrapper. Then as you slowly, carefully unwrap the golden orb you need to decide if it’s a throw it in, chomp it down sort of day, or a indulge in every bite sort of day.
On chomp days you don’t worry about the unwrapping procedure, you just go for maximum number of Rochers eaten in one sitting (these are also known as exam days, “work is stressful” days, “the kids are annoying me” days, or really any day you feel like). On indulge days you need to carefully, carefully eat the chocolate outer shell bit by bit, revealing the perfect biscuity center sphere. Then you need to bite off only one half of the sphere, exposing the gianduja cream inside. Then lick off the cream to reveal the hazelnut. Eat the hazelnut, and then come to the realization that this is a ridiculous and painful process, so just eat the rest of it in one bite. Next, try not to eat the entire package – with the exception being a supermarket 3-pack, in which case go right ahead.
Then, sigh with pleasure – and remind yourself that you can always have some “more-cher” of that “ro-cher”… because it can be found at local supermarkets, gas stations, department stores, my pantry….
Buy Ferrero Rocher online:
- at Amazon.com
- in bulk at Candy Direct
Someone gave my daughter 2 of these Easter Sunday when she was 3, she didn’t like them at the time and basically let them liquify in her mouth causing a horrible choclate mess on her lovely dress and Mrs. Walkers sofa.. Sorry Mrs. Walker, but I warned ya!
September 3rd, 2007 at 7:30 am