Horm Stories #48
“Chocolate is the medicine of the gods,” the ancients used to say. And perhaps they weren’t entirely wrong. There’s something deeply evocative about chocolate: a single bite, and the world seems to slow down.
But few know that this sweetness has roots far older and more mysterious than we imagine. Already three thousand years ago, Mesoamerican civilizations such as the Maya and the Aztecs used cacao beans as currency and considered them a gift from the gods. The bitter drink they made—called xocolatl—was consumed in religious rituals and reserved for kings and warriors.
When cocoa arrived in Europe in the 16th century, thanks to Spanish explorers, it immediately became a symbol of luxury and refinement.
In the 16th century, the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus honored its value by naming it Theobroma cacao – which in Greek literally means “food of the gods.” Even today, modern science confirms its virtues: antioxidants, flavonoids, anandamide, and serotonin… a small miracle that awakens the senses and soothes the spirit.
Imagine then a place where this ancient alchemy comes to life every day.
A place where time softens, thoughts lighten, and cocoa becomes the absolute protagonist once again, just like in the sacred rituals of the past. In the bustling heart of Madinat Al-Kuwait, such a place truly exists: The Chocolate Bar, a vibrant corner of tranquility where every dessert pays homage to chocolate in all its forms.
It is here that La Dina takes the stage, the chair designed by Luca Nichetto for Casamania.
With its archetypal shapes and the perforated detail in the backrest, reminiscent of traditional Alpine seating, La Dina evokes a collective memory of wooden refuges, warm stoves, and genuine conviviality. A design that doesn’t shout, but welcomes. In a place where every table becomes an altar to taste, this chair embodies the perfect balance between functionality and warmth. Its solid wood structure, available in various natural finishes, adds both visual and tactile comfort, harmoniously blending with the identity of the space.
In the end, perhaps it’s true: there’s no problem in the world that can’t be solved with a bit of chocolate—or with a chair that simply makes you feel in the right place.
