The Cacao Project

Dive into a cabinet of curiosities with the new praline from The Cacao Project

Imagine: a praline that lets you travel around Mexico, teleports you to the exotic curiosity cabinet of Margaret of Austria and also lets you sample medicinal herbs from the 16th century. Impossible? Not at The Cacao Project. Step into the world of chocolate makers Pieter Vaes and Mariagiulia Vigilante.

Chocolate with a story

Pieter Vaes learned the trade from Dominique Persoone in The Chocolate Line. Now, together with Mariagiulia Vigilante, he is putting his own twist on the art of chocolate making. Mission of the creative duo? To blow you away, surprise you and let you daydream. The Cacao Project does that with classic chocolate and pralines, but even more so with unique flavours. A praline that tastes like the tingle of the first ray of sunshine on your skin on an ice-cold winter’s day. Or chocolate that tastes like love’s first kiss. 

Beetle Praline

When reading the stories of Margaret of Austria, Pieter Vaes was particularly fascinated by her cabinet of curiosities. The chocolatier has made a praline for Mmm ... Mechelen in the form of a shiny beetle with a praline of malt and toasted bread and a jelly of malva, cornflower and heather. Mechelen illustrator Eva Vaes designed the packaging. Pieter Vaes: ‘The praline symbolises the contrast between the super-rich and the common people at that time. The exterior represents the exclusivity that only the richest had access to. Inside, I used flowers that were grown in all gardens. The herbs were used as medicine.’

On an expedition

‘Nothing is impossible, that’s our motto. Ideally I would be an explorer, but without all the plundering! On an expedition to find new products, flavours and techniques in all corners of the world. For example, we are now experimenting with the skin of the coffee beans. In principle, it’s not used, yet it’s full of flavours similar to hibiscus and cranberries. And the farming community in Ecuador where we get our cocoa beans from, is going back into the jungle to search for new fruits. There are so many things we don’t know.’

‘Margaret of Austria was given stuffed animals, exotic plants and jewellery from the New World as a gift. She kept them in her Mechelen city palace. The most extraordinary curiosities were displayed in a salon, her renowned library and her private room, to which only the most important guests had access. She was probably also the first in our region to have a cocoa bean in her possession, although people hadn’t a clue what to do with it at the time.’ 
Jeroen Van Vaerenbergh, The Food Archaeologist

Hidden gem in the city

Pieter Vaes: ‘Mariagiulia and I used to do our regular walk through Mechelen: from the Groot Begijnhof along the Dyle to the Botanical Garden. Another must-see is the quiet garden of the archbishop’s palace. This is open a few days a week. A pearl to discover in the city.’

Den Drake House and Hof van Cortenbach

You will find Pieter Vaes’ chocolate shop at Korenmarkt 23, better known as Den Drake house around 1500. At that time, Ywein Van Cortenbach had it converted into an impressive townhouse. His son Jan IV, alderman and mayor of Mechelen, built his own city palace in the courtyard, the Hof van Cortenbach, around 1520-1530. Would you like to take a quick journey back in time? Then step inside the entrance gate next to the store and imagine yourself in the fashionable Mechelen of 500 years ago. Pieter’s chocolate curiosity will taste even more wonderful.