In the early 1900's, a new and lucrative tradition of gelato-making was imported into the Vallesina, an area in the central part of the Marche region in Italy which includes the city of Jesi.

In 1952 in Jesi, two young bartenders, Ciro and Pio Porcarelli, were inspired by the local gelato-makers and decided to open their own ice cream parlor. They immediately fell in love with their work, and their customers recognized and rewarded their dedication with faithful patronage. As time passed, they expanded their business to a degree that permitted them to supply Ciro & Pio products to bars and restaurants throughout the region.

Today, the children of Ciro and Pio make their fathers proud: they are not only outstanding ice cream artisans, but exceptional chocolate artisans as well. They pride themselves on the cleanliness of their laboratories, their use of all-natural high-quality ingredients, and the style and professionalism evident in the production of their goods.

In a nutshell, attention to detail is the most fundamental ingredient in the artisanal creations of Ciro & Pio.


Wild Berry Chocolate		Hazelnut Chocolate
Format: 35 gram pocket-sized bar Description: ivory white chocolate with the addition of blackberries, raspberries, currants, blueberries and wild strawberries. Suggested Wine Pairings: the sweet richness of white chocolate paired with wild berries goes best with “persistent,” complex wines that have hints of berry flavors in them. Examples: Sagrantino di Montefalco passito; Recioto della Valpollicella.		Format: 35 gram pocket-sized bar Description: a blend of ivory and Caribbean chocolate with the addition of the paste and bits of hazelnuts from the Piemonte region of Italy. Cocoa minimum 70%. Suggested Wine Pairing: The fragrance of chocolate united with the characteristic toasted and slightly bitter taste of hazelnut goes best with fresh-tasting dessert wines that are not excessively sweet. Examples: Verdicchio passito; Caluso passito; Recioto di soave; Recioto di Gambellara.



Green Tea Chocolate		Dark Chocolate
Format: 35 gram pocket-sized bar Description: a blend of a Caribbean and Equatorial chocolate with green tea leaves. Cocoa minimum 70%. Suggested Wine Pairings: The strong fragrance of cocoa beans and spicy tea in this chocolate goes best with a complex wine of slightly higher alcoholic content. Example: Porto Tawny-Xeres.		Format: 35 gram pocket-sized bar Description: a blend of Caribbean, Manjari, Guanaja, and Araguani chocolates. Cocoa minimum 70%. Suggested Wine Pairings: The aromatic intensity and the slightly bitter tendency of this chocolate blend lends itself to extremely “soft” wines. Examples: Marsala Vergine; Marsala Superiore.



Milk Chocolate		Szechuan Pepper Choccolate
Format: 35 gram pocket-sized bar Description: chocolate made with “Jivara” milk. Cocoa minimum 40%. Suggested Wine Pairings: This chocolate’s sweetness lends itself well to full-bodied, sweet dessert wines such as Vin Santo, Schiacchetrà, Moscato di Scanzo, Moscato di Pantelleria, Malvasia delle Lipari.		Format: 35 gram pocket-sized bar Description: a blend of Caribbean, Equatorial, and Manjari chocolates with the aroma of Szechuan pepper. Cocoa minimum 70%. Suggested Wine Pairings: The assertive fragrance of cocoa and cocoa beans, strengthened by the spiciness of the pepper, goes best with a “soft”, complex liquor of slightly higher alcoholic content. Examples: Cognac; aged grappa.



Bacchus & Tobacco Chocolate		Orange Chocolate
Format: 35 gram pocket-sized bar Description: a blend of Caribbean and Manjari chocolates with the aromas of rum and tobacco. Cocoa minimum 70%. Suggested Wine Pairings: The robust flavors of rum and tobacco, united with the chocolate, go best with liquors such as Rum Doorly’s x.d. Reserved 40° (Barbados), or Porto Pedro Ximenez.		Format: 35 gram pocket-sized bar Description: a blend of Caribbean, Araguani, and Manjari chocolates with added bits of orange peel. Suggested Wine Pairings: The presence of fruit with the chocolate's aromatic intensity can be paired nicely with complex, evolved wines such as Barolo chinato and Porto Quinta do Vale D. Maria Reserve.



Pistachio Chocolate		Artisanal Hazelnut Chocolate
Format: 35 gram pocket-sized bar Description: a blend of Caribbean and Manjari chocolates with the addition of the paste and bits of Sicilian Bronte pistachios. Cocoa minimum 70% Suggested Wine Pairings: the gentle flavor of pistachios, together with the chocolate, naturally goes best with sweet and delicate wines. Examples: Moscato d’Asti; Moscato passito di Pantelleria.		Format: 235 gram long bar Description: Dark chocolate, gianduia and whole hazelnuts from the Piemonte region of Italy.



Large Display Case
Format: the case holds 80 pocket-sized bars, which come in nine different flavors. Description: the display case in birch wood with the “Ciro&Pio” logo at the top is an impressive looking container from which to sell the chocolates. The chocolates are wrapped in elegant and colourful miniboxes; all chocolates have of course been painstakingly created with the best blends of cocoa and other delicious ingredients.