According to Forest Gump, "Life is like a box of chocolates." After this weekend, I can confirm that to be true. Bruges and Brussels are where chocolate as we know it made it's debut. In this post, I'll take you behind the scenes of the chocolate industry, and how Europe is preparing for Christmas (since they don't have Thanksgiving).
Song of the Week: Sweater Weather by The Neighbourhood (the Pentatonix version)
Bruges and Brussels are sort of a Mecca for chocolate lovers around the world. Back in the late 1800s, a pharmacist named Neuhaus began coating his pills in chocolate to make them taste better. People loved it so much that they came back for more pills even though they didn't need them. So instead of causing a mass drug addiction, Neuhaus decided to quit the pharmacy business and start selling chocolates. His creations are what we know today as the famous praline. Other people started to start up their own chocolate shops and soon Belgium was full of them. The rest of Europe tried their own recipes, but Belgium was where it all began. Last Friday, I had the pleasure of touring some of Brussels' top chocolate shops and taste chocolate (that can be as expensive as 117€/kg) for free.
Our tour guide Cesar was a self-proclaimed foodie with a passion for chocolate. He held the group's attention with an intensity only a chocolate connoisseur can muster. We started in the city center and made our way slowly outward, with each flavor becoming more complex, and the presentation becoming simpler. Cesar explained the steps of chocolate making and how higher quality chocolate has more coco mass and less sugar and coco butter. The source of the bean also matters greatly in terms of flavor and processing. In recent years, however, the question of ethically produced chocolate has arisen. This article exposes the darker side of the chocolate industry. Cesar urged us not to buy chocolate from the Ivory Coast, which is where most of these injustices occur. Instead, he said to buy Fairtrade label chocolate, or chocolate that is labeled as being from a specific country. My favorite chocolate of the evening was a truffle with basil-lime ganache, which sounds strange, but in fact gives you an out-of-body experience. The slight acidity of the lime and the mellow undertones of the basil blended perfectly with the smooth, robust chocolate. The chocolate tour made the fact that I was back in Brussels (see my "Around the World in 14 Days" post) somewhat more bearable. I was able to see another side of Brussels that allowed me to appreciate what the city has to offer.
Bruges (or Brugge) was probably one of my favorite cities that I have visited on this trip. While I only spent a day there, I was charmed by the Dutch-style houses, the adorable shops and the delicious food. Bruges is one of the larger cities in the Flanders region of Belgium with just over 117,000 people. Almost everything in Bruges is in Flemish (a regional dialect of Dutch) so I was slightly lost as to what most of the buildings housed. We decided to spend our limited time in Bruges on a free food tour, because who can say no to free food? Hosted by a free walking tour company, the tour took us to several restaurants around the city that best exemplified Belgian cuisine, including fries, waffles and of course, chocolate. I was very glad that we had a tour to show us theses places, because most of the buildings that seem residential are actually shops or restaurants.
The City of Bruges has regulations that prevent changing the buildings' facades, so most of them remain as they had been since the late 1700s. It's wonderful for aesthetic purposes, but sort of frustrating when you are trying to find a good place to eat. Our guide led us expertly through the maze of streets, and handed out samples along the way. The most surprising moment was when our guide stopped inside a torture museum (common throughout the Lowlands) and came back out with steaming Liege waffles. He explained that the torture museum was actually below the waffle shop, which is known for its innovative waffle "sandwiches." The tour ended at the "only" brewery in Bruges, which is a bit of a misnomer, because there are actually three. After eating a quick lunch at the oldest restaurant/bar in the city (est. 1515!), we headed back to Luxembourg by train as the sun set behind us.
"The color of springtime is flowers; the color of winter is in our imagination." -- Terri Guillemets
Since Europe doesn't really celebrate Thanksgiving, most shops and business start spreading the Christmas Spirit mid-November. Giant displays featuring 10-foot tall polar bears, arches with sparkling lights and Christmas trees are common sights in many towns across Europe. Most towns also have their own Christmas markets, which are a collection of artisan, street vendors and other entrepreneurs who set up shop in the main square for a month as you can see in the picture below.
The markets are usually open for four days a week, and are extremely crowded on the weekends. During our last week here, we will have the have the chance to visit one of these markets, and I am pretty excited to see what they have to offer. Some of the larger markets have a carnival type atmosphere and even include amusement rides. I am personally looking forward to getting some roasted chestnuts and some pastries, which are guaranteed to have a ton of sugar.
This weekend I will be in Portugal chasing some warmer temperatures. I am excited to see the sights of Lisbon, and try some authentic Portuguese food.
Have any suggestions for what I should see in Lisbon? Any requests for gifts from the Christmas markets? Let me know in the comments!
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the States!
Until then, I'll keep wandering.
Happy Thanksgiving Ashley! I am so glad you got to have this wonderful adventure. I would always bring home some chocolate from Brussels. The truffles were my favorite.
Happy Thanksgiving! Miss having you here, but I know you will have a great time in Lisbon and all it has to offer. I enjoy reading about your adventures.