You may recall my blog entry from Astorga, Spain - http://squixtography.blogspot.com/2014/09/around-astorga.html - where I mention this as the birthplace of European chocolate? Well the Spanish kept a tight hold on their chocolate for quite awhile but eventually it leaked out to Europe.
In 1012 a Belgian revolutionized chocolate by creating the praline - a chocolate layer covering a soft fondant centre. Do not confuse this with a French praline which is a sugar candy made with nuts on a chocolate cookie.
I do not like nuts so my whole life I've known to avoid the praline. Then I got to Belgium and my world was turned upside down. The creamy delicious center can be any flavor chocolate, fruit, alcohol, etc and the hard fondant outer shell can be dark, white, or milk chocolate. This mix and match is near endless and the results each time (when done well) is an explosion in the mouth.
So why are they the vest? Their answer "because we are Belgium" and have strict regulations on what you can call chocolate. My answer - they aren't but they are the birthplace of the best chocolate type!
They also had a display of decorated chocolate cats?
The tour is called Choco - story and here is their mascots!
So much good chocolate at every turn!
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