During the recent London 2012 Olympics, a couple of Belgian athletes came back to the Olympic village somewhat the worse for wear after sampling some of the liquid delights on offer here in the UK. And it's easy to do - sometimes when it comes to sampling Belgian beers, it can be quite difficult to know when to stop. So to avoid the temptation of overindulging in anything that could get us sent home early, let's look at something else Belgium is famous for.
You can't get a hangover with it, and you certainly won't get sent home after a spot of over-indulgence - even if fermentation does make up a major part of the preparation process. We're talking here about Belgian chocolate. Perhaps up to now, you might have been more familiar with Swiss chocolate. But what you might not have known is that the Swiss "borrowed" the original Belgian recipe all those years ago. They tend to add more sugar to their version, though.
Belgian chocolate making tradition relies very much on the process of "conching", where ingredients are mixed with the basic chocolate paste while being stirred at a constant heat for a specified amount of time, all depending on what form the finished product is going to take.
There's also the choice of the cocoa beans themselves - the closer they grow to the equator, the better - as well as the high quality of other ingredients added to the chocolate, many of which are regulated by law. And with over two thousand chocolate shops for a population of roughly ten million people, chocolate makers in Belgium are obviously doing something right - whether they're major factories or, as is much more often the case, small independent chocolate shops.
Belgians are mad for their chocolate - and rightly so. And as for exports, 80% of them are enjoyed throughout the EC, while the rest are snapped up by chocolate lovers around the world - all the way to Japan and back. So now the 2012 Olympics are over and the excellent Belgian competitors are safely back home, it's always good to know that we still have some Belgian excellence to enjoy here in the UK any time we like - Belgian chocolate!
You can't get a hangover with it, and you certainly won't get sent home after a spot of over-indulgence - even if fermentation does make up a major part of the preparation process. We're talking here about Belgian chocolate. Perhaps up to now, you might have been more familiar with Swiss chocolate. But what you might not have known is that the Swiss "borrowed" the original Belgian recipe all those years ago. They tend to add more sugar to their version, though.
Belgian chocolate making tradition relies very much on the process of "conching", where ingredients are mixed with the basic chocolate paste while being stirred at a constant heat for a specified amount of time, all depending on what form the finished product is going to take.
There's also the choice of the cocoa beans themselves - the closer they grow to the equator, the better - as well as the high quality of other ingredients added to the chocolate, many of which are regulated by law. And with over two thousand chocolate shops for a population of roughly ten million people, chocolate makers in Belgium are obviously doing something right - whether they're major factories or, as is much more often the case, small independent chocolate shops.
Belgians are mad for their chocolate - and rightly so. And as for exports, 80% of them are enjoyed throughout the EC, while the rest are snapped up by chocolate lovers around the world - all the way to Japan and back. So now the 2012 Olympics are over and the excellent Belgian competitors are safely back home, it's always good to know that we still have some Belgian excellence to enjoy here in the UK any time we like - Belgian chocolate!
About the Author:
Great food does not always have to be complicated. Belgique's Continental Cafes exemplify that belief, serving Belgian celebration cakes in a warm and welcoming environment. Belgique online delivers this experience, plus Jules Destrooper products and much more for you to enjoy in your own home.