There is chocolate and then there is CHOCOLATE.
There are the everyday variety to the more exotic Godiva and Ghirardelli-style that can be found in many coffee houses and specialty. Then there is Belgian, seen by many the best that can be had in chocolate. Belgian chocolates are considered the gourmet standard in which other chocolates are measured. Even by the Swiss, who are known for their own high standards of quality. The Swiss, who had imported the basic recipe from the French and the Belgian.
When chocolate first started to take off during the 1880’s it was supported by the Belgian Congo. There was about 10 million Africians that were killed under the Belgian ruler Leopold II to obtain the cocoa. In spite of the war going on, the Belgians were able to continue with the cocoa importing. But it was only when in 1857 that Jean Neuhaus used Couverteur a special version of chocolate. It was one hundred and fifty years later his grandson started to use Couverteur, he called to create what he called ‘pralines’. Which is not to be confused with the sugary treat that can be found in American candy stores these days. These pralines can be filled with a variety of flavored creams known as nougats: like coffee, hazelnut, fruit or more chocolate. It was in 1912 that Belgium chocolates were first used as a gift. These gifts were even wrapped in a special wrapper designed just for Belgian chocolates, this wrapper is called Ballotin.