Chocolate Funk - Belgian Chocolate

Belgian Chocolate

What do you know about Belgium, other than waffles and action stars? Nothing? Well, believe it or not, Belgium is at the forefront of the chocolate industry.

Gifts of Belgian Chocolate

Belgian chocolate has always been considered a gift. But pralines are usually what's most associated with Belgian chocolate. Created by Jean Neuhaus, a praline is a chocolate, typically a Belgian chocolate, in fact, that's got a soft filling. That's the traditional definition of a praline in Belgium. But in 1912, Jean Neuhaus Jr. invented pralines with cold filling, and a few years after that, he sold these in pretty packaging in his pharmacy.

The smooth, velvety texture of Belgian chocolate is what makes it such a luxurious gift, and you can find it in different kinds of gift baskets. The most common gift of Belgian chocolate maker is Godiva. If someone gives you a gift of Godiva chocolates, they've really given you something. And if you want to impress a chocolate lover, giving the gift of Godiva chocolates is your best bet. Godiva makes "gift towers," which are typically their trademark gold foil boxes of chocolates all stacked together and tied with a bow. As you can imagine, that can get pricey. But you can find gifts of Godiva that are reasonably priced. For instance, even a simple Godiva chocolate bar can mean a lot to a person with an understanding of fine gourmet chocolate.

But we can't forget that pralines are not the only kind of Belgian chocolate. It comes in many varieties, including dark and milk, truffles, bars and even fondue for chocolate fountains! It also comes in sprinkles, also known as granules. It seems that Belgians have a tradition of putting this on buttered bread. It might sound a little odd to you, but in Belgium it's quite commonplace. Give it a try and decide for yourself! Or, just eat a praline instead.