Belgian Chocolate

I%26#39;ll be visiting Brussels/Bruges for 5 days and would like to bring some chocolate gifts back to the United States. Prefer the truffle type, but open to suggestions. Not sure what is best way to go about it. I%26#39;ve read that its better to buy at airport on way out, but not sure what brands/styles would be best. Prefer something unusual that I wouldn%26#39;t be able to easily find back home. Plan to spend $20-30 for each gift. Also, if there is something similar to truffles - would pralines fit this category? - I%26#39;m open to suggestions. Thanks.

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I don%26#39;t know what brands are available in Dallas, so it is hard to say what would be unusual there, but I believe Godiva has outlets in the States. The specialist chocolate shops at the airport stock Godiva, Neuhaus and Corné Port Royal. Neuhaus certainly do truffles, you can check out their offerings on here: www.neuhaus-online-store.com/index_en.htm…

Corné Port Royal is one of my favourite brands, you can see what they do on here: http://www.corne-port-royal.be/homeen.php

%26quot;Praline%26quot; is the general Belgian word for filled chocolates, which includes truffles. I%26#39;m not sure what you mean by %26quot;similar%26quot;, but if it%26#39;s anything with a soft filling, you will be spoiled for choice.

If you have the time, in Brussels you can check out the fine %26quot;chocolatiers%26quot; Pierre Marcolini and Wittamer, both in the Sablon (where you will also find branches of Godiva, Neuhaus and, in the Petit Sablon, Côte d%26#39;Or), and another of my favourites, Frédéric Blondeel next to St. Catherine metro station opposite the Welcome Hotel. You can have a cup of coffee there with a selection of chocolates which you get to choose from the display, see frederic-blondeel.com/en/…index.html.

Really I don%26#39;t think you need suggestions, just see what appeals when you get here. The Belgians%26#39; own favourite (but industrially produced) is Léonidas, they have shops all over the place and also the Chocolates Café in rue des Tongres (Mérode metro, not far from the Cinquantenaire museums), where you get a free %26quot;praline%26quot; with any coffee, from a choice of 3 (plain, milk, white).

Reasons for buying at the airport are: BRU has the highest turnover of Belgian chocolates in the world, and a fast turnover is a good guarantee of freshness; if you are buying the ones with fresh cream fillings you need to buy as late as possible; and since chocolates are semi-liquids, you could run into trouble if you have them in your hand luggage before security (not a problem if you buy them on the %26quot;airside%26quot; of the airport - or, of course if you put them in your hold baggage). On the other hand, the selection can be limited (although the duty-free shop has other brands than the ones that run the shops that only sell chocolates) and you may see - or taste - something you have to have when you are in town. Don%26#39;t expect free samples, btw.

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Wow. Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge. I won%26#39;t lack for a proper chocolate experience in Belgium now. As for the chocolate gifts, it sounds like the best choice is to make BRU purchase on the airside and carry them on the plane with me.

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I love Wittamer on the Sablon mentioned above. They always made for great gifts when I lived in Brussels and was going back to The States. They were always my favorite and are not available in the US.

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There is so much wonderful chocolate in Brussels that it%26#39;s hard to say which brand is a can%26#39;t miss personally I liked just exploring the different little chocolatiers picking out which ones that look really appealing.

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For very good friends/relatives you could visit Marcolini%26#39;s or Mary%26#39;s - they are fantastic.