Chocolate

Judy. It's hard for a chocoholic like me to admit, but I had completely forgotten that Belgium is famous for its chocolates! I guess I got so used to Mexican chocolate that it slipped my mind--till I got here. In Brussels, there's no escaping it.

Chocolate may have been discovered and cultured in Mexico by the Olmec peoples, but it was for centuries only a drink for the gods. Of course we can all enjoy drinking it now, as well as eating bars of chocolate, and even cooking with it. The Mexican version is typically grainy, especially the candy, as sugar is added to it.

Yes, I do still have Mexican chocolate

But in the 17th century the Abbot of Baudeloo Abbey in Ghent (at least according to legend) bought some chocolate, which had been brought to Flanders from Mesoamerica (the area was under Spanish occupation). It was, at that time, a drink only used as a tonic. Obviously, it caught on.

By the late 19th century, a method of making it smooth and creamy and able to surround tasty fillings was developed. The story goes that the chocolatier Côte d'Or was the first to make the popular confection popular today. In the 20th century, four other great chocolate manufacturers followed: Leonidas, Chocolaterie Mary, Neuhaus, and Godiva. Of course there are more, but these remain the "Big Five."

Named for the Gold Coast, or Ghana, where the chocolate came from

You can even find Leonidas shops in Metro stations

The only Mary shop I found

But they have cute boxes

Lots of Neuhaus shops

Nice Neuhaus selections, too

The factory around the corner

And a shop far too close to our place

So what makes Belgian chocolate so good? The "Visit Flanders" website says it comes down to the quality of the beans, the high cocoa and cocoa butter content, and the fineness of the powder. Unlike Swiss chocolate (also pretty darned delicious) Belgian chocolates are dark chocolate. Swiss, which uses the same fine powder, uses less cocoa and more sugar to make milk chocolate.

Leonidas is arguably the best seller, followed by Godiva. Godiva is now owned by a Turkish conglomerate, and Côte d'Or, by Kraft. While all have to be made in the country to be called "Belgian" chocolates, Leonidas, Mary, and Neuhaus are still actually owned by Belgian companies.

I first met this candy through Felix, a dear friend who immigrated from Belgium to the US in the 60's, and became a major part of our lives in the 70's and 80's. He died in the 90's, but the legacy of the Godiva chocolates he used to give us lives on. It's been a special treat for our family for years. AND there's a Godiva factory and outlet store near our apartment!

Proof I did a taste test

There are dozens of other chocolatiers around town, especially in tourist areas.

Even a Manneken Pis shop

BUT--a few blocks away is a small chocolate factory called Blondeel (see Blondeel). Our VRBO hostess told us about it, so we wandered down there one day a few weeks ago, and now we are hooked! They not only roast and blend their own chocolates, but also make pralines (candy with fillings like ginger, tarragon, or raspberry with basalmic), truffles, and spreadable chocolate. They also make a killer hot chocolate and very tasty ice creams.

Paradise 6 blocks away

Buy a coffee or chocolate chaud, and you're treated to a couple of the candies. Ice cream cones are dipped in chocolate and topped with a chocolate spear. The shop is family-friendly, and there's even a yard where children can play. It is my new favorite place.

Godiva will always hold a place in my heart, and I do frequent the shop across the street. I've not tried Neuhaus or Mary, and Côte d'Or is mostly found in grocery stores. Leonidas is delicious, too. 

But Blondeel. Oh, my heart. Blondeel.