The Belgian Chocolate Connoisseur

Belgium, a culinary masterpiece where food is at it's finest in Central Europe. Belgium where the land is fertile and the sea beckons, a country filled with mesmerizing cities and villages, lovely architecture, and cultural stimulation. And it's in Belgium where citizens and tourists alike flock to eating establishments to please their palates with beer, beef stew, fresh seafood, pommes frites, waffles and famous Belgium chocolate.

Chocolate is synonymous with BELGIUM and for good reason because it tastes divine. One of the reasons why Belgium chocolate is the best in the world is because many of the chocolatiers are run by families who make it by hand using simple equipment and mixing the cocoa beans thinly for a smooth texture. A famous chocolatier name is Neuhaus. In 1857 Jean Neuhaus arrived in Brussels from Switzerland and opened a pharmacy at Galerie De la Reine. He covered his medicines with a layer of chocolate to make it easier to handle. Years later (1912) Jean's grandson created a chocolate with cream ganache in the center which he named "praline" and it became Belgium's first filled chocolate.

The Belgium's love chocolate and 172,000 tons of chocolates are produced per year in Belgium. With more than 2,000 chocolate shops scattered across the country it's hard for Belgium's to resist eating chocolate. What better time to eat chocolate than in the month of December. Chocolate is the perfect Christmas gift and if you happen to be in Belgium during the Christmas season you can visit:

Chocolate Cedric Van Horebeke, Breydelstraat 1,
9000 Gent

Chocolatier Dumon, Eiermarkt 6,
8000 Brudges

Neuhaus, 25=27 Galerie de la Reine,

1000 Brussels

Mary, 73 rue Royale 

1000 Brussels

Pierre Marcolini, Rue des Minimes 1,

1000 Brussels

Leonidas, Rue de L'Etuve 43-45,

1000 Brussels

MUSEUM OF COCOA AND CHOCOLATE:
Rue de la Tete d'Or
1000 Brussels

Open, Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 4:30
Ouvert du Mardi au dimanche de 10 h a 16 h 30

This is the museum for chocolate connoisseurs. Watch a chocolate demonstration, enjoy free taste of chocolate and learn cocoa and chocolate facts.

Reward yourself this Christmas season with BELGIAN CHOCOLATES!

                                                   
VROLIJK KERSTFEEST!