K&K Chocolade-atelier : World's smallest chocolate factory

A drawer in a low white kitchen cabinet containing several round Pu-erh cakes, all already opened and kept in their original paper or wrapped in kraft paper. On the cabinet are a small dish and a Pu-erh knife, and part of a tea machine can also be seen.

Our Pu-erh drawer, where cakes quietly mature.
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#WorldsSmallestChocolateFactory #Chocolate #Chocolade #Wine #Wijn #Tea #Thee #ChocolateAndWine #ChocolateAndTea #Workshops #Maastricht #MaastrichtWorkshop #WorkshopMaastricht #MaastrichtChocolateWorkshop #HandMade #FairTrade #ClimateNeutral

A view of Wijngaard Slavante. Rows of vines can be seen, with in the background a wall built from marl that was once extracted from this hill.

A view of Wijngaard Slavante with the vineyard’s sign in the foreground. In the background, the River Meuse and the opposite bank are visible

Wijngaard Slavante, in my home city of Maastricht, is one of the oldest vineyards in the Netherlands (1967) and at the same time one of the smallest: 200 vines are planted on a natural terrace with a magnificent view over the River Meuse.
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#Chocolate #Wine #ChocolateAndWine #Maastricht

The book of tea / Kakuzo Okakura Tea : History, terroirs varieties / Kevin Gascoyne [et al.] Tea is for everyone / Chan Sin Yan The classic of tea / Lu Yu

Tea Sommelier Handbook / Australian Tea Masters Culinary tea / Cynthia Gold, Lise Stern Tee Sommelier / Gabriella Lombardi Les feuilles de thé / Joelle Danies, Lydia Gautier

Tea Sommelier : a step by step guide / Francois-Xavier Delmas, Mathias Minet Geography of Chinese tea / Sergey Shevelev Tea sommelier handbook / Victoria Bisogno, Jane Pettigrew Grow you own tea / Christine Parks, Susan M. Walcott

This is an anthology of the tea books we love and use a lot; including the earliest known book on tea (8th century) and a book on cooking with tea leaves.
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#worldssmallestchocolatefactory #chocolate #chocolade #tea #thee #chocolateandtea #workshop #teabook #teasommelier #maastricht

A wooden table with 12 small wine tasting bottles. In the background, large plants on the left and right, and in the middle a TV screen showing a floral still life.

Tasting night: 12 bottles of wine, but it’s more appearance than reality… 24 cl in total 😉
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#WorldsSmallestChocolateFactory #Chocolate #Chocolade #Wine #Wijn #Tea #Thee #ChocolateAndWine #ChocolateAndTea #Workshops #Maastricht #HandMade #FairTrade

Four tea tasting sets, with the cups filled with Assam tea. On the left, a blue saucer sits on a precision scale on which the tea has been weighed out. On the right, two corners of tea bags are visible.

Four Assam teas tasted side by side: Mangalam, Tonganagaon, Rembeng and Mokalbari (FTGFOP1).
Each tea has its own character, but what stands out is just how broadly Assam proves to be suited to chocolate pairings.
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#WorldsSmallestChocolateFactory #Chocolate #Workshops #Tea #ChocolateAndTea

The Spotify code for our playlist (with more than a hundred spot-on, catchy Christmas songs) in an orange frame. Above it, a glimpse into our conservatory room with candles, a Christmas tree, and a streetlight outside.

This is the music we’re playing at our World’s Smallest Chocolate Factory these days.
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We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and may 2026 bring you joy, health, and plenty of sweet moments.
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open.spotify.com/playlist/6au...

Two white tea cupping sets with two metal tea storage tins above them. At the bottom are two white cupping cups, both filled with orange-brown Da Hong Pao tea, the one on the right slightly darker than the one on the left.

Da Hong Pao battle. One from a supplier in Berlin, the other from Milan. They’re both perfect: one a bit spicier, the other with a buttery nuance. But the question is: which one pairs best with our chocolates?
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#WorldsSmallestChocolateFactory #Chocolate #Workshop #Tea #ChocolateAndTea

On the stainless-steel table stands a melting pot filled with melted milk chocolate. A mould has been filled and rests on the edge of the melting pot. On the wall at the end of the table hangs a screen displaying a photo of a carré. To the left of the table stands a white refrigerator.

Atelier, working day.
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#WorldsSmallestChocolateFactory #Chocolate #Chocolade #Wine #Wijn #Tea #Thee #ChocolateAndWine #ChocolateAndTea #Workshops #Maastricht #HandMade #FairTrade #ClimateNeutral

View of K&K Chocolade-atelier: World’s Smallest Chocolate Factory over the roof of a white car covered with yellow autumn leaves from an ash tree on Bemelerweg in Maastricht. It’s a grey day and the leaves bring colour to the scene. The fluorescent lights inside the atelier are on. To the right of the atelier stands a small acacia tree, and across Keerderstraat the white neighbour’s house is visible. On the left, our own home can be seen, attached to the atelier.

Autumn in Maastricht.
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#WorldsSmallestChocolateFactory #Chocolate #Chocolade #Wine #Wijn #Tea #Thee #ChocolateAndWine #ChocolateAndTea #Workshops #Maastricht #HandMade #FairTrade #ClimateNeutral

A signpost of and on the GRP de la Côte des Blancs.

Vineyards in full autumn colours with views over the Côte des Blancs.

Pinot Meunier leaves in their autumn splendour along the GRP de la Côte des Blancs.

Alba, our dog, in front of a golden-hued vineyard along the GRP de la Côte des Blancs.

A perfect day to walk a section of the GRP de la Côte des Blancs, a sublime trail south of Épernay that winds over hills, through forests and vineyards at their autumn best.
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#WorldsSmallestChocolateFactory #Chocolate #Chocolade #Wine #Wijn #Tea #Thee #ChocolateAndWine #Workshops

The courtyard of Champagne Vollereaux in Pierry, with a large wooden barrel next to a gate. Above the gate, the name and the inscription “caves – cellars” can be seen.

The tasting room of Champagne Vollereaux in Pierry, where we were warmly welcomed.

The courtyard of Champagne Vollereaux in Pierry, with the terrace in front of the tasting room and parking spaces for visitors.

A bag from Champagne Vollereaux in Pierry, containing three items to be studied with care.

Champagne houses that also offer chocolate pairing tips are, of course, the most delightful ones. This is one in Pierry, where we stopped by and picked up a few study objects.
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#WorldsSmallestChocolateFactory #Chocolate #Chocolade #Wine #Wijn #Tea #Thee #ChocolateAndWine #Chocolate #Workshops

A Champagne vineyard in autumn near Vinay, close to Épernay in the Champagne region. The vines are at their most beautiful, dressed in shades of yellow and orange. The sky is blue on this glorious autumn day. A vine branch appears in the foreground, with more rows of vines visible in the distance.

A Champagne vineyard in autumn near Vinay, close to Épernay in the Champagne region. The vineyard rows rise gently across the slope, showing every shade of yellow, green and orange. On this beautiful autumn day, the sky is blue with a few white clouds adding contrast.

Our Maremma–Segugio dog loves to pose in front of an autumn Champagne vineyard.

Our champagne-colored dog feels perfectly at home in… Champagne.
Vinay (Marne)
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#WorldsSmallestChocolateFactory #Chocolate #Chocolade #Wine #Wijn #Tea #Thee #ChocolateAndWine #ChocolateAndTea #Workshops #Maastricht #HandMade #FairTrade #ClimateNeutral

The sign of our company, K&K Chocoladeatelier – World’s Smallest Chocolate Factory in Maastricht, at night, illuminated from above by an outdoor light. A branch of a Pinot Noir vine in the side garden meanders along the sign, which is mounted on a brick wall.

By night, our logo sign seems to mysteriously transform into chocolate…
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#WorldsSmallestChocolateFactory #Chocolate #Chocolade #Wine #Wijn #Tea #Thee #ChocolateAndWine #ChocolateAndTea #Workshops #Maastricht #HandMade #FairTrade #ClimateNeutral

TU SERAS MON FILS - Bande annonce YouTube video by Universal Pictures France

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxb3...

“Tu seras mon fils” is a French wine film I saw yesterday, a noir-tinged family thriller with a masterfully layered plot and stunning shots of Saint-Émilion’s Château Clos Fourtet. Highly recommended!

Available to watch on YouTube:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN21...

The front of K&K Chocolade-atelier on Bemelerweg in Maastricht. The logo sign is visible with the lamp above it turned off. Above the sign hangs a branch of Pinot Noir grapes, and below it a branch of a rose. To the right is the wooden front door with a small holder containing business cards for passers-by. On the glass of the door there is a “Recommended by TripAdvisor” sticker.

K&K Chocolade-atelier
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#WorldsSmallestChocolateFactory #Chocolate #Chocolade #Wine #Wijn #Tea #Thee #ChocolateAndWine #ChocolateAndTea #Workshops #Maastricht #HandMade #FairTrade #ClimateNeutral

Two print proofs of wraparound bands for our chocolate carrés, in ten earthy colours. The paper is sustainable (unbleached and uncoated) made from elephant grass (Miscanthus) and certified pulp.

Exploring a new design for our chocolate carrés.

#WorldsSmallestChocolateFactory #Chocolate #Chocolade #Wine #Wijn #Tea #Thee #ChocolateAndWine #ChocolateAndTea #Workshops #Maastricht #HandMade #FairTrade #ClimateNeutral

The front of World’s Smallest Chocolate Factory on Bemelerweg in Maastricht. Next to the façade stone is a branch of a Pinot Noir vine growing in the garden beside the building. Above the stone, part of the second-floor window is visible; below it, a section of the door with glass panels. Reflected in the glass are the trees on the opposite side of Bemelerweg.

This is the façade stone at the rear of World’s Smallest Chocolate Factory. The back door opens into the interior of our home. Surrounding the stone are the traditional field kiln-fired bricks which help define the character of our house, both inside and out.

The façade stone at the front and at the rear (inside) of K&K Chocolade-atelier - World’s smallest chocolate factory.
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#chocolate #chocolade #wine #wijn #tea #thee #handmade #fairtrade #chocolateandwine #chocolateandtea #workshops #maastricht

The tempered white chocolate is ready. All accessories for making a tasting sample are set out: the tempering plate, a spatula, and an offset palette knife. The bowl of tempered chocolate sits nearby, smooth and glossy. A blowtorch is ready to gently reheat the chocolate if needed. Small bowls hold the ingredients: roasted unhulled sesame and freeze-dried lemon powder.

The tempered chocolate has been mixed with the ingredients and is now beginning to set.

Tasting Sample – White Chocolate | Roasted Unhulled Sesame | Freeze-Dried Lemon Powder

#chocolate #chocolade #whitechocolate #wittechocolade #sesame #sesam #lemon #citroen

The St. Martinus logo sign at the entrance of the winery near Vijlen (about 25 kilometers east of Maastricht). The name is written in a rising italic script, and the lion, the symbol of St. Martinus, is cut out of the metal sign.

One of the many rose bushes that can be seen throughout the vineyard in all colors. This pink rose is doing exceptionally well.

The cozy terrace of St. Martinus features wooden tables and wicker chairs, adorned with strings of lights. In the background, part of the view can be seen: the rolling Limburg hills and meadows with Dutch cows.

A bottle of St. Martinus Zusje, a dessert wine made from Solaris and Muscaris.

St. Martinus in Vijlen is one of the largest and most important wineries in The Netherlands. The owner, Stan Beurskens, studied at the University of Stellenbosch and the University of Geisenheim. Both well-known and lesser-known varieties such as Cabernet Cantor and Pinotin, have been planted.
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The vineyard of Wijndomein de Wijngaardsberg, facing southeast. It's a beautiful, partly cloudy spring day. In the background, the rolling hills of South Limburg and the forests surrounding the hamlet of Waterval.

The Wijngaardsberg is located about ten kilometers north of Maastricht. The name means “the mountain of the vineyard.” In 968, the Frankish queen Gerberga donated vineyards on the hill to the Abbey of Reims. Since 2002 Wijndomein de Wijngaardsberg has been cultivating various grape varieties.
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Two glasses of Dolcetto di Dogliani on a standing table, with the Vinum stands in the background at Piazza Medford.

One of the Vinum stands: two sommeliers are standing behind a wide table with wine bottles, assisting visitors with their selection from the extensive range. Behind the sommeliers, shelves with additional wine bottles are visible.

The main entrance of the Palazzo Mostre e Congressi G. Morra, where visitors can sample Piedmont wines across multiple floors. Along the pathway leading to the entrance, attendees are seen walking, while others are seated on the grass to the left. In the foreground stands a large sign for the Tour di Vinum—organized excursions centered around themes related to the Piedmontese wine world.

A fence surrounding Piazza Medford is adorned with white panels displaying the coat of arms of Alba, accompanied by the inscription “Città di Alba”. The coat of arms features a red cross on a silver background, with the black capital letters A, L, B, and A in each quadrant. Above the shield is a count’s crown, and below it are green laurel and oak branches tied with a tricolor ribbon in the national colors. 

Vinum Alba, International Fair of the Wines of Piedmont.
Location Piazza Medford.

#Wine #WineSky #WineFeed #Wijn #Vinum #Alba #VinumAlba #Barolo #Barbaresco #Nebbiolo #Dolcetto #Barbera #Moscato #Arneis #Gavi #Langhe #Roero
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The Cortile della Maddalena is a historic courtyard in the center of Alba (Piedmont). In the courtyard, stands are set up, each offering a wide selection of wines centered around a specific grape variety or a range of different grape varieties for visitors to taste. The stands on the north side can be seen with clusters of visitors sipping their chosen wines.

A wooden standing table with a section of the Vinum guide and our glasses filled with Roero Arneis.

In the foreground on the left, a large sign shaped like a wine glass is visible, featuring arrows pointing to the other Novum locations. In the background, the Gruppo Sbandieratori e Musici del Borgo Patin e Tesor enters the square—musicians (including rousing drummers) and flag throwers from a district of Alba who uphold medieval traditions. Their costumes are in red, blue, and gold.

One of the stands in the square, featuring a bar lined with wine bottles, is staffed by an exceptionally helpful sommelier who pours us two different Gavi wines. The sommelier is dressed in a white shirt, a black bow tie, and a black bib apron. Behind him, long rows of wine bottles are displayed on shelves.

Vinum Alba, International Fair of the Wines of Piedmont.
Location Cortile della Maddalena.

#wine #winesky #winefeed #wijn #vinum #alba #vinumalba #barolo #barbaresco #nebbiolo #dolcetto #barbera #moscato #arneis #gavi #langhe #roero
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The trunk of a willow tree in the foreground on the left, with vineyards in the background east of Novello.

Vineyards east of Novello with the winding SP163 road running south from Barolo.

East of Novello, one of the eleven municipalities that make up the Barolo region in the Piedmont area.
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#wine #winesky #wijn #barolo #piemonte #novello #italy #nebbiolo

A stone statue of a saint stands in a niche at a corner of a road that leads through the vineyards. In front of the niche is a metal lattice.

A row of budding grapevines and yellow woad. In the background, Soultzmatt is visible.

Budding Alsatian grapevines. In the foreground, wild strawberries.

A white sign on a metal gate that gives access to a vineyard. The sign reads (in French): Clos St. Landelin. Private property. No entry.

The vineyards near Soultzmatt in Alsace. The Vosges mountains block the rain, and here the sun breaks through.
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#winesky #wine #alsace #riesling #gewurztraminer #pinotgris #muscat #pinotblanc #silvaner #pinotnoir

A large rectangular melting pot filled with white chocolate, biscuit, and Italian coffee, ready to be mixed and tempered. In the corner of the pot, a large spoon rests.

White chocolate - biscuit - Italian coffee.

#chocolate #chocolade #wine #wineandchocolate #chocolateandwine #wijn #winesky
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A long white dish with two rows of white, milk, and dark chocolate pieces, two empty glasses ready for sparkling wine, and a bottle hidden in an opaque wine bag for a true blind tasting.

Time for another blind sparkling and chocolate tasting-white, milk, and dark varieties on the lineup. Let’s see which ones are a match made in heaven… and which are less of a match.
#chocolate #wine #chocolateandwine #sparklingwine
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The entrance features a striking rust-colored metal sign with the name Apostelhoeve and the star from Maastricht engraved into it. Behind it to the left stands an outbuilding made of marlstone and to the right a field dotted with dandelions. Further in the distance, part of the Jeker Valley can be seen.

The vineyards of the Apostelhoeve on the left bank of the Jeker. The rows of vines are planted in straight lines with strips of grass in between. In the background, the Jeker Valley is visible.

A bottle of Apostelhoeve Müller-Thurgau 2023.

The courtyard of the Apostelhoeve, with the marlstone buildings on the right that are used for hosting groups during tastings.

The Apostelhoeve is the oldest (1970) and most renowned winery in the Netherlands. The vineyards are located on the left bank of the Jeker River, just outside Maastricht. Most of the plots face southeast, and the soil is rich in limestone and loess.
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A row of small white serving plates on a dark countertop, each holding a white, milk, or dark chocolate variety.

Chocolate and wine, or chocolate and tea… so many possibilities, so many perfect pairings!

#chocolate #wine #tea #chocolateandwine #chocolateandtea
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The sculpture garden of Château St. Gerlach. In the foreground, a statue of an elephant in various colours, with the castle and the church in the background.

The vineyard of Château St. Gerlach, located between the train station and the castle. Long stems form a pattern, and it seems that pruning is still needed.

The Route des Vins Berg – St. Gerlach is highly recommended. It is one of the 8 described walks featuring vineyards close to Maastricht. This route also passes Château St. Gerlach, a hotel with a sculpture garden and a 3-hectare vineyard featuring both classic and new grape varieties.
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The oldest part of Vineyard Sjtejneberg, near Mesch. The vineyard dates back to the 1980s.

Lesser celandine.

A metal sheet, a kind of artwork, is attached to a fence along with hazel catkins in the photo.

The new part of Vineyard Sjtejneberg, near Mesch. The vineyard is located on the south bank of the Voer Valley, offering a wide view into Belgium.

Vineyard Sjtejneberg is located south of Maastricht. The name means Stone Mountain, and the soil consists of pebbles carried by the Meuse millions of years ago, mixed with loess. The vineyard faces south. It is no coincidence that this is where I spot the first lesser celandine of the year.