Antica Dolceria Bonajuto facts for kids
| Pastry, chocolate shop | |
| Founded | 1880 |
| Headquarters | Corso Umberto, I Modica Sicily |
The Antica Dolceria Bonajuto is a very old chocolate factory in Modica, Sicily. It started way back in 1880! It's known as the oldest chocolate factory in Sicily and one of the oldest in all of Italy. Many famous people from around the world have visited this special place.
Contents
A Sweet History of Chocolate
The Bonajuto family has a long history. In the early 1800s, they used to sell ice in the Hyblaean Mountains. Over time, they decided to focus on making delicious pastries, especially chocolate.
How the Chocolate Factory Began
Federico Bonajuto, a member of the family, bought a special machine in 1853. This machine was used to crush cocoa beans. He made a bitter chocolate paste in his workshop, which he called "fattojo del ciccolatte."
Later, in 1880, Francesco Bonajuto opened the shop we know today. It was first called Caffè Roma. This cafe was a popular meeting spot. In 1992, it officially became the Antica Dolceria Bonajuto.
Bringing Modica Chocolate Back
Since the early 1990s, the company has worked hard to make Modica chocolate famous again. They helped bring visitors to Modica for food and culture. This helped the old chocolate tradition of Modica become popular once more.
Franco Ruta, who owned the chocolate shop at that time, played a big part. He made Modica chocolate well-known around the world. He even appeared on TV shows in 1999 and 2002.
Famous Visitors to the Shop
Many important people have visited the Antica Dolceria Bonajuto. These include famous writers like Leonardo Sciascia and his friend Gesualdo Bufalino. Gesualdo Bufalino won big literary awards in 1981 and 1988.
Other visitors include writer Raffaele Poidomani and actor Alessandro Quasimodo. Alessandro is the son of Salvatore Quasimodo, a Nobel Prize winner from Modica. Historian Giuseppe Barone also visited.
Journalists from famous newspapers have also stopped by. New York Times reporter Raymond Walter Apple Jr. visited in 1999. Frederika Randall from the Wall Street Journal interviewed Franco Ruta in 2002. Lucinda Hawksley also wrote an article about the shop for BBC News.
Awards and Special Recognitions
The Antica Dolceria Bonajuto has won several awards for its amazing chocolate.
Early Achievements
In 1911, Francesco Bonajuto's chocolates won a gold medal. This was at a big international exhibition in Turin. They also received an award at an exhibition in Rome.
Modern Recognition
In 2014, a major Italian newspaper, Il Sole 24 Ore, recognized the company. They listed Antica Dolceria Bonajuto as one of 10 century-old Italian companies. These companies were praised for helping Italy's economy around the world.
In 2017, the "Associazione Franco Ruta" was created. This group honors Franco Ruta for his work in making Modica chocolate famous.
See also
In Spanish: Antica Dolceria Bonajuto para niños
