Maciamo
09-09-06, 14:39
Belgium is one of the biggest producer of chocolate in the world. It is especially famous for its pralines, i.e. chocolate filled with a paste made from hazelnuts or other nuts. Nowadays pralines are filled with all kind of things, especially liquors, coffee, moka, cream, and flavoured pastes (vanilla, orange, lemon, raspberry...).
Pralines were invented by Jean Neuhaus in Brussels in 1857. Belgian praline makers have become very numerous in the 20th century, taking most of the world's pralines and chocolate market. Famous Belgian chocolate brands, such as Godiva, Leonidas, Neuhaus, Galler or Côte d'Or, can now be found all over the world, in airport shops, expensive shopping centers or just anywhere, depending on where you live.
There are hundreds of small praline makers in Belgium who only have one shop. Some have acquired enough notoriety to attract famous foreign visitors, like G.W. Bush who bought in Belgian chocolate at Mary's in Brussels (only one shop).
Others have expanded so much as to open shops on all 5 continents. For instance, Leonidas (http://www.leonidas.com/) has branches in over 50 countries, including the Middle East, India and sub-saharan Africa ! It has 350 branches in Belgium alone, and 311 in France.
The Japanese are fervent consumers of Belgian pralines too. In fact several famous companies have branches almost only in Belgium and Japan (e.g. Wittamer, Pierre Marcolini, Debailleuil...)
Pralines were invented by Jean Neuhaus in Brussels in 1857. Belgian praline makers have become very numerous in the 20th century, taking most of the world's pralines and chocolate market. Famous Belgian chocolate brands, such as Godiva, Leonidas, Neuhaus, Galler or Côte d'Or, can now be found all over the world, in airport shops, expensive shopping centers or just anywhere, depending on where you live.
There are hundreds of small praline makers in Belgium who only have one shop. Some have acquired enough notoriety to attract famous foreign visitors, like G.W. Bush who bought in Belgian chocolate at Mary's in Brussels (only one shop).
Others have expanded so much as to open shops on all 5 continents. For instance, Leonidas (http://www.leonidas.com/) has branches in over 50 countries, including the Middle East, India and sub-saharan Africa ! It has 350 branches in Belgium alone, and 311 in France.
The Japanese are fervent consumers of Belgian pralines too. In fact several famous companies have branches almost only in Belgium and Japan (e.g. Wittamer, Pierre Marcolini, Debailleuil...)