Come visit us!
Find us at this week’s markets around Naples and Marco Island.
Market Stands This Week:
Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Saturday:
A market stand with the highest quality chocolate: Couverture
What is Couverture Chocolate?
Couverture (koo-ver-tyoor) chocolate isn’t your everyday candy bar—it’s the premium choice for true chocolate indulgence. Derived from the French word couvrir (to cover), it’s engineered to coat, enrobe, and gleam.
What makes it special? Compared with standard chocolates, couverture contains more cocoa butter – typically 32-39%. Wikipedia. That extra butter means smoother melts, a glossier finish, and that satisfying snap when you bite into a chocolate-covered strawberry. The Spruce Eats Because of these features, it’s a favourite with chefs and chocolatiers for dipping fruit, coating truffles, or creating elegant plates.
A Brief History of Couverture Chocolate
The story of couverture starts in Europe. A mid-19th-century French text already mentions a “sauce” or “couverture” chocolate used for pralines. Wikipedia. The modern chapter of couverture is commonly attributed to Belgian company Callebaut, which, in the early 20th century, perfected a high-cocoa-butter chocolate aimed at professionals. barry-callebaut.c
Over time, as chocolate evolved from drink to bar to artisan confection, couverture became the gold standard for coating and finishing. By mid-20th century tempering techniques matured, ensuring that glossy snap we love today.
Why It Matters
At Naples Chocolate Factory, when we dip fresh, juicy strawberries in molten couverture chocolate, we’re leaning into that luxury tradition. The extra cocoa butter not only gives our strawberries the gorgeous sheen and snap—they melt perfectly, flow beautifully over the fruit, and set into a delicious shell that highlights flavor.
The difference is visible: the chocolate drapes like a silky cloak, not just a dull shell. It’s part of the reason our market stand becomes a little theatrical—because quality shows.
From Bean to Bay
While Florida doesn’t grow cacao commercially (the climate isn’t ideal for large-scale cocoa farming), we are in a region rich with fruit-growing heritage and farm-to-table mentality. When we coat bright red strawberries at our markets around Naples and Marco Island, we’re bringing tropical sunshine to something luxurious and global. Couverture chocolate’s European roots meet Florida’s fresh-picked bounty.
Next time you bite into our chocolate-dipped strawberries, you’re not just enjoying dessert—you’re experiencing a piece of chocolate craftsmanship that spans centuries and continents, right here in the sunshine state.