Chocolate Experiences in FLANDERS & BRUSSELS

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Chocolate Experiences in FLANDERS & BRUSSELS Chocolate Experiences IN FLANDERS & BRUSSELS 1 ‘It’s easy to love a country known for beer and chocolate.’ Barack Obama INTRODUCTION Belgian chocolate is famous and appreciated the world over for its excellent quality. What makes Belgian chocolate so special, so different from other chocolate? Where can visitors who love chocolate go for a tasting or a workshop? Where can they buy a box of genuine Belgian pralines to delight their friends and family when they go back home? Every day, people ask VISITFLANDERS in Belgium and abroad these questions and many more. To answer the most fre- quently asked questions, we have produced this brochure. It covers all the main aspects of chocolate and chocolate experiences in Flanders and Brussels. 2 4 6 18 How is chocolate made? ....................................... 4 A brief history of Belgian chocolate .................... 6 What makes Belgian chocolate so unique? ............................................................. 8 Overview of brands, chocolatiers and shops: > Brands ...........................................................14 > Chocolatiers ................................................18 > Chocolate Shops ......................................... 40 Chocolate museums and events ........................ 42 Demos (with tastings) and workshops .............. 49 Cafes and tea rooms specialising in chocolate .................................... 60 Guided chocolate walks ..................................... 68 42 Facts & figures about chocolate .........................78 49 60 68 783 HOW IS CHOCOLATE MADE? 1 FERMENTATION 2 WASHING 3 DRYING Cocoa beans are harvested twice a The beans are then washed to get rid After fermentation, the beans are year, in April and October. The seeds of the pulp and other substances. spread out on large banana leaves, and pulp from the pods are then wooden floors or woven bamboo placed in a wooden fermentation bin. mats to dry. 4 STORAGE 5 ROASTING 6 CRUSHING AND GRINDING The cocoa beans are then packed in The cocoa beans are poured into a After the beans have cooled down, packed in 60 kg (132 lb) strong jute roaster and roasted while continu- they are crushed in a mill between sacks or stored in containers in bulk. ously moving at a temperature of no two grinding cylinders. The crushed higher than 140°C (284°F). beans or nibs are then sieved. 4 3 4 6 8 10 7 MILLING 9 CONCHING The cocoa nibs are ground even finer The next step is conching which in cocoa mills. The frictional heat cre- converts the unprocessed mixture ates a liquid paste containing about into the sought-after fine, elastic 55% cocoa butter. This forms the and sublime texture. basis for two products: cocoa butter and cocoa powder. 8 BLENDING AND MILLING 10 TEMPERING In order to create chocolate, other In order to ensure that the chocolate ingredients have to be added to the hardens, melts in the mouth and cocoa mass such as sugar, milk powder, is shiny, it needs to be tempered. cocoa butter, lecithin (soya oil), vanilla So you end up with a homogenous and other flavourings as desired. The chocolate mixture with good melting mixture is then finely ground between properties and a glossy shine. steel cylinders which process the mass This is true Belgian chocolate. into a homogeneous, fluid mixture. 5 A BRIEF HISTORY OF BELGIAN CHOCOLATE 17TH CENTURY 19TH CENTURY We find the first signs of In 1840, Belgian chocolate maker Berwaerts chocolate trading in Belgium sold the first pressed chocolate tablets, in 1635 in Ghent when the pastilles and figurines. It was around this abbot of Baudeloo Abbey time that several chocolate makers were bought chocolate. Chocolate founded that grew into large companies making was then mostly a such as Neuhaus (1857), Côte d’Or (1883), sideline of pharmacists who Jacques (1896) and Callebaut (1911). sold it as a tonic. 6 20TH CENTURY THE CENTURY OF BELGIAN INVENTIONS Four important inventions mark the history of Belgian chocolate: the invention of the praline and the ballotin, the introduction of the chocolate spread and the development of the transport of liquid chocolate. In 1912, Jean Neuhaus Jr, invented the praline, the first chocolate with a soft filling. In 1915, Louise Agostini, wife of Jean Neuhaus Jr, developed the first ‘ballotin’, a box in which pralines were packed. In 1925 Charles Callebaut made one of the most important inventions: the transport of liquid chocolate. In 1935 Basile Kestekidès, the nephew of the founder of Leonidas, invented the ‘Manon’, a large praline coated in white chocolate. In 1936 Jacques launched the first filled chocolate bar. With praline. Chocolate spread is also a Belgian invention: first launched by Côte d’Or in 1952. Côte d’Or also boosted the reputation of Belgian chocolate internationally through a major campaign at the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair. 21TH CENTURY Belgian chocolate in Flanders and Brussels is world-wide appreciated for its quality. Belgian chocolate sellers in Flanders and Brussels are praised all over the world for their creativity and innovation. 7 WHAT MAKES BELGIAN CHOCOLATE SO UNIQUE? 1 4 THE FINE STRUCTURE Belgian chocolate is ground so fine that it has a structure of just 15 to 18 microns. HIGH COCOA CONTENT Belgian THE SELECTION OF THE BEANS chocolate has a higher cocoa content Traditionally, Belgian chocolate makers have always 2 than most foreign products. used high-quality cocoa beans. 100% COCOA BUTTER 5 THE BELGIAN CHOCOLATE SECTOR IS VERY DIVERSE Besides major players such as Callebaut and Belcolade, we also find medium-sized companies such as Godiva PURE COCOA BUTTER and Leonidas as well as lots of small chocolatiers and Belgian chocolate contains 100% cocoa butter. praline makers who spread the fame of Belgian chocolate. 8 CHOCAHOLIC 6 7 FROM FLANDERS BELGIAN CHOCOLATIERS ARE CHOCOLATE IS AN ALL-ROUND PARTICULARLY CREATIVE EXPERIENCE IN BELGIUM Nowhere else in the world will you find such a great va- It’s not just about buying chocolate. It’s about a whole se- riety of new and above all delicious flavours and combi- ries of different, diverse experiences; from visiting chocolate nations. From classic pralines to bold and sophisticated museums, actual chocolate routes and walks to tastings interpretations with exotic flavours. Our chocolatiers are with chocolatiers who are passionate about their craft and also true trendsetters in chocolate design. workshops where visitors can design their own chocolate. IN 2007, THE ‘BELGIAN CHOCOLATE CODE’ WAS DEVELOPED. 8 This code ensures the Belgian chocolate actually comes from Belgium. 2/3 10 EXPORT ABROAD THE LARGEST CHOCOLATE FACTORY 9 IN THE WORLD. The largest chocolate factory in the world is in Wieze, Bel- gium. Barry Callebaut produces around 270,000 tonnes from THE BELGIAN CHOCOLATE SECTOR bean to chocolate every year, making him virtually the larg- EXPORTS ITS HIGH-QUALITY CHOCOLATE est supplier of chocolate in the world. In Wieze you will also ALL OVER THE WORLD find the first of the 17 Chocolate Academies that have spread Two thirds of both industrial chocolate and finished all over the world. It was recently fully rebuilt and is now the products are sent abroad. largest Chocolate Academy centre in the world. 9 MAP OF CHOCOLATE EXPERIENCES IN FLANDERS AND BRUSSELS ANTWERP PROVINCE OF ANTWERP BRUGES MECHELEN GHENT HASSELT PROVINCE OF WEST FLANDERS BRUSSELS PROVINCE OF LIMBURG LEUVEN PROVINCE OF EAST FLANDERS PROVINCE OF FLEMISH BRABANT The following is a summary of all kind of chocolate experiences in Flanders and Brussels. For more information about these and other chocolate experiences, please consult our website www.visitflanders.com/en/themes/belgian_chocolate/index.jsp OVERVIEW OF BRANDS, CHOCOLATIERS AND SHOPS BRANDS Belvas Côte d’Or Godiva Neuhaus Bruyerre Daskalides Leonidas Zaabär Corné Port Royal Jean Galler Mary CHOCOLATIERS BBYB ANTWERP SPEGELAERE CHOCOLATERIE BRUGES YUZU GHENT BURIE ANTWERP CHOCOLATERIE SUKERBUYC BRUGES BITTERSWEET LEUVEN THE CHOCOLATE LINE ANTWERP SWEERTVAEGHER BRUGES RAETS-PUTSEYS LEUVEN DEL REY ANTWERP BLONDEEL BRUSSELS TARTUFO LEUVEN ELISA PRALINES ANTWERP JEAN PHILIPPE DARCIS BRUSSELS GAUTHIER MECHELEN ERIK GOOSSENS ANTWERP DEBAILLEUL BRUSSELS SJOLAA MECHELEN PIERRE MARCOLINI ANTWERP LAURENT GERBAUD BRUSSELS BOON. THE CHOCOLATE EXPERIENCE HASSELT SWEERTVAEGHER ANTWERP PIERRE LEDENT BRUSSELS JAN ANDRIES PROVINCE OF EAST FLANDERS GÜNTHER WATTÉ ANTWERP MANON BRUSSELS BART VAN CAUWENBERGHE PROVINCE OF EAST FLANDERS BBYB BRUGES PIERRE MARCOLINI BRUSSELS CHOCOLADE-ATELIER VYVERMAN PROVINCE OF EAST FLANDERS THE CHOCOLATE LINE BRUGES PLANÈTE CHOCOLAT BRUSSELS CENTHO CHOCOLATES PROVINCE OF FLEMISH BRABANT DEPLA CHOCOLATERIE BRUGES VAN DENDER BRUSSELS CHOCOLATIER DUMON PROVINCE OF WEST FLANDERS CHOCOLATIER DUMON BRUGES WITTAMER BRUSSELS CHOCOLATIER M PROVINCE OF WEST FLANDERS PIERRE MARCOLINI BRUGES JOOST ARIJS GHENT PIERRE MARCOLINI PROVINCE OF WEST FLANDERS THE OLD CHOCOLATE HOUSE BRUGES HD GHENT GHENT SWEERTVAEGHER PROVINCE OF WEST FLANDERS PRALINETTE BRUGES VAN HECKE F EN ZOON GHENT VAN PARIJS PROVINCE OF WEST FLANDERS ROOSE CHOCOLATERIE BRUGES VAN HOOREBEKE GHENT VERCRUYSSE PROVINCE OF WEST FLANDERS 10 SHOPS CHOCOLATE STORE ANTWERP ELISABETH BRUSSELS FACTORY SHOP GODIVA BRUSSELS CHOCOPOLIS BRUSSELS PASSION CHOCOLAT BRUSSELS FACTORY SHOP NEUHAUS BRUSSELS CHOCOLATE MUSEUMS AND EVENTS CHOCOLATE MUSEUMS CHOCO STORY BRUGES BELGIAN CHOCOLATE VILLAGE BRUSSELS CHOCO STORY BRUSSELS BRUSSELS CHOCOLATE EVENTS SALON DU CHOCOLAT BRUSSELS ANTWERP CHOCOLATE WEEK ANTWERP DEMOS (WITH TASTINGS) AND WORKSHOPS DEMOS
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