Dark, bitter and gritty: it might not be everyone’s cup of cocoa, but Sicilian chocolate is certainly unique. Now Italian artisans are seeking European protection for the distinctive chocolate made in the town of Modica, near the southern tip of Sicily. One of the region’s representatives in the national Chamber of Deputies, Nino Minardo, has appealed to the European Parliament to help get Modica’s chocolate the EU's Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) that certifies the authenticity of products unique to a particular area.

“This prestigious product is a true treasure for our region and must therefore be protected and safeguarded from imitation at all costs,” Minardo said. Modica chocolate is produced according to a technique passed down from the Aztecs, making it one of the closest things we have to the “original” chocolate first consumed by the ancient people of the Americas.