Page 297 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Belgium & Luxembourg

WHERE T O EA T AND DRINK  295

Chocolate and Chocolatiers

High-quality Belgian chocolate is famous all over the world for three reasons. Firstly,
Belgian chocolatiers insist on top-quality ingredients, starting with the chocolate itself.
This has a high density of cocoa-solids and cocoa-butter, which evaporates on the tongue,
giving the flavour a cool and silky lift. Secondly, the Belgians (Jean Neuhaus, in 1912,
to be precise) pioneered filled choc olates or pralines. These are made with a variety
of fillings including hazel nut cream, fresh cream, marzipan, liqueur and assorted fruit
pastes. Lastly, Belgian chocolatiers invented the famous white chocolate, a luxury
confection of cocoa-butter and milk.
Chocolate Manufacturers
The best-known brands are
Corné Port-Royal, Neuhaus,
Leonidas and Godiva. They have
numerous outlets and sell slabs of
chocolates as well as pre-packed
boxes of pralines. In Belgium,
such boxes are remark ably good
value, given their very high
quality. A large 750-g (26-oz)
Large-scale manufacturers Filled chocolates or box will typically cost about
for leading brands strictly pralines were originally 25–50 euros. Cream-filled
maintain high standards, named for their combination chocolates have a limited
and their products are of chocolate and hazelnut shelf-life, but will keep fresh for
exported all over the world. cream known as praline. three weeks in cool conditions.
Specialist Chocolatiers
There are many small, specialist chocolatiers
creating their own products, especially in the
cities and popular towns. A number of pâtissiers
run a sideline in handmade chocolates as well.
There are also some other good, large-scale
manufacturers, whose products reach the
supermarkets. These include Guylian, who
make pralines in the shape of sea creatures; and
Galler, famous for their Langues de Chat brand A shop displaying assorted Belgian chocolates
with artwork by the comic-strip artist Philippe
Geluck. Côte d’Or is a brand that produces
delicious mini-bars called Mignonnette.

Customers can make their selection
from the cabinet, and individual
chocolates are picked out by the
white-gloved shop assistants, placed
in a box, weighed and beautifully
wrapped in paper and ribbon.
Displays of chocolate in shops radiate
an atmosphere of opulence. They are
also incomparable for the sheer variety
of shapes and choice of flavours.

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