Text Sheridan Becker
Image Getty Images
Belgian chocolatiers are renowned for
producing the finest chocolates in the world,
and Brussels is the place to find them
Life is sweet in Belgium. For such a tiny country, it can lay claim to more world-class chocolatiers – Côte d’Or, Godiva, Leonidas, Marcolini, Mary, Neuhaus and Wittamer to name a few – than any other country in the world. Belgium produces over 172,000 tons of chocolate per year.
In addition, there are over 2,000 chocolate shops in Belgium, so the average chocolate lover is spoiled for choice. Many top brands offer hand-made chocolates, which is reason enough to indulge your sweet tooth by visiting Brussels, billed as the world’s chocolate capital. The French have their wine, the Russians their caviar and Belgians their chocolate.
The origins of chocolate trace back to the Mayas and Aztecs, who (very wisely) believed that the greatest treasure on earth was chocolate. However, its fame didn’t spread to Europe until the 16th century, when Christopher Columbus and the Spanish aristocracy jealously guarded the source of the drink – cocoa beans – and kept trade in this precious commodity to themselves for years.
In 1857, Jean Neuhaus, founder of the famous Neuhaus brand (www.neuhaus.be), came from Switzerland to open his first chocolate shop in Brussels. His grandson was the inventor of the shell-shaped chocolates filled with caramels, creams and pastes called pralines. His wife is credited with having the brilliant idea of protecting the chocolates by packing them in the folding, square boxes called ballotins that we know today. The invention of the chocolate bar and chocolate spread soon followed – two more examples of Belgian innovation.
The current reigning monarch in the chocolate world is Pierre Marcolini. He has re-introduced chocolate aficionados to the real origins of chocolate, the cocoa bean, by offering chocolates made from beans grown in particular regions of the world, such as Ecuador, Madagascar and Venezuela.
Marcolini chocolates (www.marcolinichocolatier.com) also tantalise the palate because he experiments with exotic flavours such as thyme and white truffle.
A big box of these confections may cost you as much as a three-course dinner in a good restaurant. His first book, Eclats, is just like his chocolates: a work of art. It boasts over 200 stunning black and white photos that are as delicious as his creations.
Of course, there’s always something about Mary – her chocolates, that is. Historically, Mary Chocolatier (www.marychoc.com) has supplied chocolates to members of the Belgian royal family as well as past US presidents. The store on Rue Royale has been around since 1919 and certainly lives up its princely location.
However, Mary’s has some stiff competition. Côte d’Or (www.cotedor.be) opened its first-ever store on Place du Petit Sablon in January, and there are many top-quality chocolatiers in the area. Tourists who are familiar with big names like Côte d’Or will gladly scoop up several chocolate bars instead of trying to pick and choose among the thousands of varieties on display in the specialist shops.
Sometimes too much choice can be overwhelming.
But if you truly want to indulge your chocolate fantasies, head on over to the Chocolate Market in Bruges, on 9–10 February at the Stadshallen. Or visit Choco-Story, the Chocolate Museum (www.choco-story.be), where you can learn about the history of chocolate, admire a room full of edible sculptures, see a demonstration of how it’s made and have a tasting. It’s an ideal place for chocolate lovers to unite and maybe form a support group.
Chocoholics Anonymous, anyone? I doubt you’ll want to quit.
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