I realize this is a travel forum, and the trip is over. However, I%26#39;d like some opinions from the Brussels experts on some gifts that were purchased there.
Lucky me! My husband brought home several packages of chocolates from Brussels and I get to decide which is for me and which will go to his assistant for %26quot;secretary%26#39;s day%26quot;.
Please weigh in! Dont%26#39;let the fact that I just enjoyed two packages of Swiss truffles from a trip he took a week before sway your decision! I don%26#39;t expect him to travel again to these places, so it%26#39;s not like we can pickup another box without serious shipping costs!
Leonidas: Misc Pralinesapprox 1 1/4 pounds (650g?)
Neuhaus Truffles 450 g
Neuhaus: 50 Napolitains (Chocolate squares) 225 g
Corne Port-Royal Chocolatier (a mystery box) approx 200g
Love to hear your opinions!
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If you have looked at the question about chocolate shops in Brussels it won%26#39;t surprise you to know that I would recommend the Corné Port Royal box (%26quot;ballotin%26quot;), which will also be %26quot;miscellaneous pralines%26quot;. However, that is largely because I prefer the classic %26quot;praline%26quot; to Léonidas%26#39; flavourings, if you want to know what sort of flavours these come in I%26#39;m sure you can find the information by googling.
At any rate, for a true taste of Belgium I would recommend either of the pralines boxes over the truffles or napolitains.
tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g188644-i205-k1141…
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Happily, I only have to give one package away, so that will be the Neuhaus napolitans. I hope they are a good quality. Before his trip, I looked on trip advisor to see if anyone mentioned chocolates and Neuhaus is the brand that came up so that%26#39;s what I told him to get. Funnily enough, after looking at the company%26#39;s website, I e-mailed him to only buy me 4 pieces, and preferable not truffles or the napolitans, but he had already shopped and that%26#39;s exactly what he bought!
Now I have three pounds of chocolates and I wonder which are the most perishable. Normally I would think the truffles, but they weren%26#39;t sold under refrigeration, so I don%26#39;t know. Since you are clearly an expert, what should I eat first?
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The truffles should have a longer shelf-life than the pralines, even if your husband specifically asked for these to exclude any made with fresh cream. And it would make sense to open the smaller box (Corné) first, or even alongside the Léonidas so that you can make your own comparison. I do not believe there is any such thing as expertise in this area, merely personal taste.
Neuhaus is excellent quality, and this is the oldest Belgian chocolate house. If the chocolates themselves had been pralines rather than the more industrial neapolitans and truffles, I would have put them after Corné and most experts would have put them first. And I would have put them first myself if they had been the chocolate hearts (although I think Godiva%26#39;s are even better....).
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Lots of the fillings of the Leonidas pralines are made with fresh cream, so it%26#39;s better not to keep them too long. If they%26#39;re packed in an original Leonidas box, it is printed on the inside of the box how long you can keep them.
Anyway, in our house they never last long, no matter what brand they are! ;-)
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As qaminari says, it%26#39;s all a matter of personal taste.
I don%26#39;t care much for Godiva nor for Neuhaus. They%26#39;re mostly made from black chocolate which I find too bitter. I really prefer the cheaper Leonidas praline which come in so many varieties that there%26#39;s always something for anyone.
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Naturally, I could not wait for your responses, so I opened the Corne Port-Royal first and I must say that a couple of the pieces absolutely wowed me. The one that looked like a walnut shell and the red foil-wrapped chocolate covered cherry were out of this world!
I expect that I will really enjoy the Leonidas most. I expect they might be along the lines of Fannie May here in Chicago, our local candy maker.
I found it interesting how much more we would have to pay for the candies in the US. There is a Leonidas store in New York City on Madison Ave and the price for the 1.5 lb box is $48 and my husband paid about $18 in Brussels. And that wasn%26#39;t even duty free! By comparison, Fannie May costs $20 per pound.
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It may make sense for Belgian chocolates to be more expensive in the U.S.A, as there are transport costs (possibly refrigerated) to get them there and then American customs duties and possibly States%26#39; sales taxes apply on top of the basic Belgian price. On top of that, there may be less competition in the quality chocolate market in America than there is here, I don%26#39;t know.
Buying duty-free in Belgium would save nothing on products made in Belgium, as there is no customs duty on them here anyway - it would only apply to products imported into Belgium from outside the EU (and even the cocoa beans used to make them will have been imported free of duty as they come from developing countries). It is true that the duty-free shops would not be charging the 6% Value Added Tax that apply on food items purchased in normal shops, but this does not mean the savings are reflected in the prices at the airport: many products (electronics, cosmetics) are cheaper in the city because the airport shops add a whacking great profit margin.
Anyway, you should see what we have to pay in Europe for Levi%26#39;s etc., compared with what you would pay in America! It%26#39;s all swings and roundabouts.
Next time your husband visits Belgium, send him to Mary%26#39;s then you can have chocolates with your name on them.
Bon appétit!
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I have a story I%26#39;d like to share about my father returning from a trip to Belgium about 20 years ago with some chocolates. Thrilled with his find, he praised them above all others he had tasted. I couldn%26#39;t remember the brand, of course, but I asked one of my sisters and it was Leonidas! It is nice to have this connection with him (he died in 2002) after all these years.
I opened the box of Leonidas and since they were had packed, there is no instruction card as to storage recommendations. I told my husband that his idea of only eating one per day would result in a spoiled box of chocolates. Do you think I should refrigerate them? The one piece I ate was wonderful!
FWIW, we can purchase Neuhaus chocolates via the internet and the small box of truffles I have sells for over $70 not including shipping! These had better be good!
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See instructions on leonidasbelgianchocolates.co.uk/about.html
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Thanks for the link. It appears that I may as well refrigerate them to avoid having to stuff myself!
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