Tutu's Sweet Tooth Tour a.k.a. Culinary Tour: Belgium Chocolate Tour

Munching chocolate without worrying~




There are adventure vacations where you climb a mountain or sail the sea. There are restful getaways where you burrow into a white sand beach with a good book, but I would choose for culinary trip which made up my life.

This is my master plan after I become rich =) I would go to the world-renowned chocolate kingdom-Belgium and taste all the chocolates there. A little healthy facts about chocolate:

• Cocoa or dark chocolate may positively affect the circulatory system.
• Several studies have suggested that eating chocolate can help reduce the risk of certain cardiovascular problems and also reduce blood pressure in both overweight and normal adults.
• Chocolate may boost cognitive abilities.
• Dark chocolate may lower cholesterol levels in adults. Although basic research has provided preliminary evidence that polyphenols in chocolate might inhibit oxidation of LDL cholesterol,  few results from clinical trials are conclusive about such an effect in humans.
• According to one study, chocolate consumption correlates with lower body mass index.
• Other possible effects under basic research include anticancer, brain stimulator, cough preventor and antidiarrhoeal activities.
• Cocoa beans contain a large amount of chemicals called flavonoids. Some scientists believe that these flavonoids can be used to create natural supplements to ease diarrhea symptoms. 
• Dark chocolate contains high concentrations of cocoa and may offer mild relief.

Drooling~~ Can i have them all without getting fat?

      

      

    

 Leonidas is an example of a Belgian chocolatier gone global: Leonidas chocolates are sold in 40 countries worldwide, including the United States, through more than 1,400 retailers. In Belgium alone, there are 356 shops, and three additional locations in the small city of Bruges. Although Leonidas is well known as a Belgian chocolate company, Leonidas Kestekides was actually Greek. He started making his candies and confections in New York in the early 1900s, and after attending the World Fair in Brussels in 1910, and Ghent in 1913, decided to stay in Belgium. His first tea rooms were opened in Brussels, Ghent and Blankenberge.

      

     

Chocolaterie t' Begijntje is a small shop in a traditional Bruges building. It's a distributor for Café-Tasse, an international chocolate company which is headquartered near Brussels.

Galler is another of Belgium's international chocolatiers, although perhaps less well-known than the others. Jean Galler started his chocolate company in 1976, and today, Galler chocolates are found throughout Belgium, in addition to retailers in the United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emeriates, and more. Touist can visit Galler boutiques, such as this one in Bruges – they can also often find Galler products in the supermarket.

Personally I prefer dark chocolate as I also do not know why, just get addicted to the bitterness of it. Basically these are the three most recommended chocolate culinary places recommended by About.com. I would like to plan an 4 days 3 nights itinerary for my chocolaty trip as i worry I might get too full if I visited all these three in 1 day =)

 chocolate-licious~~~~

P