Belgian Chocolates: Gourmet, Truffles And Gifts

In the world of delicacy sweets, Willy Wonka could not hold a candle to the renowned splendor of Belgian Chocolates. Every country seems to have its own specialty; the Italians have lasagna, the French are known for their wine, and the Belgians have their gourmet Belgian chocolates. Belgian chocolates are sought after worldwide for their succulent scents and tantalizing taste.  Neighboring country Switzerland has a stake in the claim to world's finest chocolates, but the truth is that they are a far and distant second to the regal and gourmet Belgian chocolate. There are a handful of Belgian chocolatiers that stand out amongst the many, companies who are globally notorious for lip quivering quality and teratoid tannin taste. Respectively, they are Godiva and Cote d'Or.

Godiva gourmet Belgian chocolates is so utterly scrumptious, it borderlines on sinful. With a spectrum ranging from pralines to Belgian chocolate truffles, Godiva has solidified itself as one of the most recognizable Belgian chocolate brands around the world. Godiva began making its gourmet Belgian chocolate in Brussels in 1926 by Joseph Draps. Since its inception the company has grown to over 270 specialty shops around the world, as well as over 1,000 distributors in department stores across the United States and Europe. Godiva Belgian chocolates have grown in notoriety not only due to their wondrous quality, but also to effective marketing. By placing their gourmet Belgian chocolate in department stores such as Macy's or Nordstrom's, Godiva has had the potential to attract consumers who are outside their usual target market.

The undisputed royalty of Belgian Chocolates is Cote d'Or, official chocolatier to the Belgian Royal Family in 1965. This Belgian Chocolates company derives their name from the area of Africa, the Gold Coast in Ghana. Cote d'Or is committed to harvesting the richest cocoa beans to cultivate their famous Belgian Chocolate gifts. Famous for their Belgian chocolate truffles, Cote d'Or offers a myriad of tasty chocolate delicacies through their owner Kraft Foods, Inc. Surprising as it may be to see gourmet Belgian chocolate associated with such a lowbrow food company as Kraft, these chocolatiers are able to reach a greater audience of chocophiles with Kraft's global reach. Regardless of their ownership Cote d'Or is committed to producing premier Belgian chocolates and have earned their prestigious title of Fournisseur Breveté de la Cour de Belgique (Official Supplier to the Belgian Royal Family).

Belgian chocolates are the Holy Grail of sweets for chocoholics worldwide. With their rich history of dedication to researching, experimenting with recipes, and combing the globe for the most robust cocoa beans, Belgium's passion for chocolate has made them masters of the trade. Belgian chocolates represent the refinement and luxury in a world full of sub-par candy bars. Their truffles explode flavor as they touch the tongue, and their chocolates produce moans of ecstasy and spine-tingling titillation. Belgian chocolates reign supreme in a world full of tasteless imitators.


Sources:
Belgium for Chocolate Lovers. VisitBelgium.com. 2005. Official Site of the Belgian Tourist Office in the Americas and GlobeScope, Inc.  28 June 2007. http://www.visitbelgium.com/chocolate.htm
History of Godiva. Godiva.com. 2007. Godiva Choclatier Inc.28 June 2007.
http://www.godiva.com/about/faq.aspx.
Our Heritage. Cote d'Or. 2007. Kraft Foods, Inc. 28 June 2007.
http://www.cotedorus.com/cotedor/page?siteid=cot edor-prd&locale=usen1&PagecRef=829