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The Proud Leonidas Belgian Chocolates

Leonidas Kesdekidis, an ordinary Greek citizen was the founder of Leonidas Belgian Chocolates. His company bears his name as the founder of the company who makes wonderful delights like pralines, truffles and other heavenly chocolate assortments. Mr. Kesdekidis arrived at Brussels in the year 1910 and a bit later on marrying one of the locals making him decide to get settled in the said place. He made a large array of pralines in his place situated close to Rempart de Moines for a living.

Mr. Kesdikidis and his descendants goal was to get his home-made wonderful delights of pralines as close as possible to as many consumers, not to mention every creators dream to let the rest of the world know their chocolate concoctions. His strategy of combining world-class quality and the best price is still unbeatable up to this date. Leonidas products are far different from the chocolates of other brands. The fact that only Leonidas has the most concern for the freshness of its chocolates makes it unique and unbeatable. Meanwhile the other brands strategy to make their products fresh is that they have to repackage the product to look fresh but what about the product itself? Yes, the package is fresh but the content is still the same. Whereas at Leonidas, the chocolates will only be boxed on the day that the customers order is received. Other chocolates quality of freshness may be risked for the necessity of longevity. What they do is they are likely to be pre-packed and or intended to be on a shelf of department stores or supermarkets, but not with Leonidas.

At Leonidas, longevity is not a problem because of the packing strategy; instead the main concern is not to compromise the quality of the produce in other terms. Like in the aspect of the ingredients. Most chocolate makers use vegetable fats on their chocolates but with Leonidas they prefer to use genuine cocoa butter. Because of the very high standards that Leonidas had they were able to obtain an ISO 9001 certificate for the produces quality, which by the way is very much over the needed requirement for the production of chocolates.

Leonidas deliver only at the places where there are Leonidas outlets like Hollywood and all over United Kingdom and Belgium. However, they refuse to export for the reason that they didnt want to risk the freshness of every chocolate bar that goes out of their stores but customers outside United Kingdom will be able to send to their loved ones that lives within the country. To date there is only a small number of sellers of Leonidas chocolates because of the high standard requirement that every seller has to comply with for the very cautious storing and freshness concerns.

The chocolates are wrapped in 500grams, 750grams, and one kilogram boxes. Upon order you will not be experiencing the hassle of putting it on presentation boxes for the box alone that Leonidas use will suffice for they are already gift wrapped and there also offer different sorts of gift wrapping, as well as the standard wrap, luxury and or seasonal choices.

These chocolates are supposed to be consumed within 21 days after it is purchased. They should not be kept too long otherwise the freshness and or the quality will not be the same of what is expected of it, although keeping it refrigerated will prolong the shelf life. Storing on the refrigerator, you have to keep it away from other foods that has a very prominent smell or odor, otherwise the chocolate will be ruined because it may absorb the odor of that certain food and may affect the taste and quality.

The Not So Sweet History of Belgian Chocolate

How It All Began

It all started with Leopold II of Belgium in the year 1885 when he colonized Congo. It was a territory eighty-six times bigger than his country. Leopold II was the very first one to commit genocide during the 20th Century.

The chocolate industry first took off during the 1880s, supported by getting hold of the Belgian Congo that has aided an easy way in to Africas cocoa grounds. The truth is that it is very hard to imagine that the Belgian Chocolates history may be that far from being sweet.

There was an estimated 10 million Africans that passed away under the orders of Leopold II. Despite of the war that was happening, Belgians were able to maintain the cocoa importing connections. On the other hand, the Belgian contribution in the chocolate industry is the introduction of their chocolate product which is the praline. It was created and expanded by a Swiss family in Brussels, the Neuhaus family in 1912. The praline was the very first butter cream-filled bite sized chocolate. It was either filled with nuts or cream or coated with milk or milk chocolate or filled also with a very good quality of dark chocolate.

In the year 1912, chocolate started as a gift in Belgium. A Belgian chocolatier created the very first praline, a chocolate that absolutely complied to the gift career it was building. Not later on, a packaging called Ballotin was developed and patented for praline. At that moment the pralines in Ballotin were the most desired gift in every chance somebody has to give someone something as a present.

The Making

Chocolates start with the seeds of a cacao tree. A fruit bearing tree that has large football-shaped like pods, in which the seeds are contained. The cacao tree was first discovered in the United States but now can be grown in many countries near the Equator. These pods are gathered and the seeds are then dried in the sun. After drying, they undergo roasting. When the beans are roasted, they will now be crushed to produce cocoa powder, and then squeezed to get the cocoa butter.

When the powder is ready, it will be mixed with butter. Adding the milk powder and sugar creates chocolate. Each component of the mixture determines the color of the chocolate. Therefore creating different kinds of chocolate like black or the dark chocolate that can be made with up to seventy percent of cocoa in the mixture; milk chocolate containing more milk powder than the others, and of course the white chocolate that does not contain cocoa but cocoa butter only mixed with milk and sugar only.

Trivia

Did you know that if not most, all the pralines during those times were hand made? Presently chocolates are considered as an energy giving food because of its very high content of sugar and calorie. Another fact about chocolate is that it is also considered as one of the many sexual stimulant foods. In fact, aside from being an exceptional energy booster, one of the Aztec emperors drank chocolate to have access to women. It is also known to be use as an anti-depressant. It is known to contain a substance called pheryletylanine that has a positive effect in the event of a nervous depression but not only that, there is something in chocolates that gives anyone a lighter mood every time it is drank.

Gourmet Belgian Chocolates: A Taste of Heaven on Earth

When you think of gourmet food, you’d think of edibles that is expensive, heavenly delicious, and of very high quality. Gourmet Belgian chocolates are considered to be the best kind of chocolate in the world. It is so delicious that people from all over the world flock to Belgium just to experience the taste of the original Belgian chocolate because nobody in the world has successfully duplicated these sweet little things.

Belgian chocolates are the toast of the chocolate world. It is the gourmet of all chocolates that exist and nothing beats it for being in the number one list of all chocoholics. Even diabetics crave for it! The good thing is that there are now sugar-free Belgian chocolates that are now available in the market.

The special factor that makes Belgian chocolate standout among its contemporaries is the great respect for the chocolate manufacturing techniques that have been perfected by Europeans for centuries as well as the excellent quality of the ingredients used for making the chocolates.

In the age of mass production, everything seems to be just the standard to deliver the products to as many people as possible which sometimes have sacrificed a bit of quality of the products. Good thing that Belgian chocolatiers did not give in to the pressure of the global market and still stick with the old tradition of small production but with topnotch quality tastes of their chocolates.

The country of Belgium is populated with chocolate shops and manufacturers that up to now are still making chocolates by hand and/or with the original equipment from the olden days. The chocolate in Belgium is like wine to France. Like the French wineries, chocolatiers in Belgium provide chocolate tasting programs for the visitors to sample the gourmet chocolates.

Although Belgian chocolates has been around for a long time, the new way of making chocolates that is very popular nowadays only started in the early years of the 20th century. This new way of making chocolate is the placement of a filling inside a chocolate nugget. Fillings can range from fruits, creams, hazelnut, coffee, or other forms of chocolate. This kind of chocolate is called pralines, which refers to the chocolate covering.

Another factor that makes gourmet Belgian chocolates special is the technique of storing the chocolate nuggets before filling it up. The course of making the chocolates is quite interesting as the grounded cocoa beans are combined with the mixture of cocoa butter and sugar. It is then eventually spread out by tempering or gradual heat addition. A lot of chocolate houses in Belgium obtain their chocolate in forms of solid. These solid forms of chocolates are then heated again for it to be formed or structures into the desired shape and taste. Since the chocolates are not chilled, Belgian chocolates have the luck of preserving the cocoa essence much more than the other inferior chocolates.

A lot of Belgium’s old family owned chocolate houses have their own line of gourmet Belgian chocolates. They have been around for a long time and can be trusted of the high quality chocolates they manufacture. Through the years and generations of family owners, they have perfected the way of making the perfect gourmet Belgian chocolates.

These delicious sweets may come with a price but once you have tasted its palatable flavors you will realize that it is worth all your money. You can actually taste a part of heaven. And that is what makes gourmet Belgian chocolates tick.

What Chocolate Lovers Said About THe Belgian Chocolate Fountain

One of the famous types of chocolate is the Belgian chocolate. In fact, Belgian chocolates have become the standard of gourmet wherein all other confections of chocolates are measured. One example are the Swiss, they are also known for making chocolates of higher quality but are still adopting basic recipes from Belgian chocolatiers.

The uniqueness of Belgian chocolates among other chocolates lies in two factors. First is the adaptation of Old World techniques for manufacturing chocolates. Second is that the used ingredients have high quality. Until now, most Belgian chocolates are still made by hand in small chocolate shops utilizing original equipments, although mass production and automation already dominates the production technology. These shops are very popular for tourists who visit Belgium today. Moreover, exclusive souvenirs and test tastings are also included.

Among the amazing selections of Belgian chocolate is the chocolate fountain. Actually, the term “chocolate fountain” is derived from the name of the device itself used to serve a chocolate fondue. A cascading cone which stands 2 to 4 feet high with multiple layers is placed above a basin. Chocolates are melted from below by applying heat and then transported vertically by the corkscrew auger on the fountain’s top. From the top, it pours over the layers creating a waterfall of chocolates. People at the celebration can dip tidbits like marshmallows and strawberries.

Delicious and tempting as you may imagine, reading reviews from customers about Belgian chocolate fountains are still necessary.

The best part of a Belgian chocolate fountain is the unique taste. Most first timers have really enjoyed such a sweet treat. Dessert parties never have to be so boring. A Belgian chocolate fountain can make a big difference in the life of most party goers. The host can enjoy preparing the sweets with other people without a fuss. Instructions for setting up a Belgian chocolate fountain is very easy. This is also great after a tiresome meeting. Tidbits including bananas, orange slices, and other fruits can add to the excitement.

This is great for birthday parties. Chocoholic people can enjoy their appetite and feel very satisfied. However, party hosts must put a little warning during the celebration. There could been an incidence for choking when everybody perhaps dares a chocolate eating challenge.

A Belgian chocolate fountain is best for Christmas and can make your dinner more romantic and sweet. Not only that, chocolate fountains used for making Belgian chocolates can be ordered easily from reputable manufacturers on the internet. No hassles at all. You can start making your own Belgian chocolate fountain whenever you want. You can also give this as gifts, besides it being useful and fun.

Kids love chocolates the most. Children’s party can be so fabulous with a Belgian chocolate fountain giving them a wonderful experience. The desserts must be eaten after the meal rule is not really followed. In the case of a Belgian chocolate fountain, it is very difficult to resist. Kids are kids.

A Belgian chocolate fountain is completely a fantastic gift for the people you love that loves chocolates. You could express your overflowing love for them through the molten chocolates. It says it all.

So, get ready. Order now and see what a Belgian chocolate fountain can offer you. Next time, you are the one who would be writing the review. Never fail to thank the founder of Belgian chocolates, he is truly a genius.

Purchasing Belgian Chocolate in Bulk at a Very Cheap Price

Purchasing Belgian Chocolate in Bulk at a Very Cheap Price

If you are planning to put up a small business, you may consider starting a business that sells products that people will always want. So, what do people want? Of course, the food industry is the obvious choice. However, you should consider that putting up a restaurant can be quite a hassle. You have to have a kitchen, rent a large place to accommodate enough customers and you also need to purchase a lot of ingredients for cooking not to mention that you also have to hire waiters/waitresses, and chefs.

So, aside from restaurant, you can still consider staying with the food industry by putting up your own chocolate store. You have to consider that chocolates are one of the most popular foods in the world. Although chocolates have been around for centuries, it is still one of the most sought after treat that people all over the world loves to eat.

You have to consider that from children to old people, chocolates bring happiness. It has been found that this delicious treat can make depressed people happy and is better than any other anti-depressant drugs available in the market today. Even diet fanatics have been lured by chocolates to bend their diet rules a little. In fact, you may have caught your spouse or your sister who is in a strict diet sneaking in the kitchen to bend the dieting rules a bit by eating just a tiny amount of chocolate.

Even dieters have humorously said that chocolates are their number one enemy but almost always end up being defeated. As you can see, everyone has their guilty pleasures with chocolates. So, if you are thinking of a great business, you should consider opening a chocolate store.

However, before you rush on and put up your chocolate store and start selling different kinds of chocolates, you have to consider that not every chocolate is the same. You have to make your chocolate store popular, so you have to sell popular chocolates. And, not just any popular chocolates, you have to be sure that you sell only the finest chocolates and in time, your store will have the reputation of selling one of the world’s finest chocolate where people would always want to buy from.

You have to consider that there is a lot of country that produces different kinds of chocolates. However, only a handful of countries produce high quality chocolate that everyone will love. One country that you should consider is Belgium. Belgium is known for producing one of the world’s finest chocolate and if you are considering starting a business that sells only the finest chocolates in the world. You should consider selling Belgian chocolates.

It is recommended that you should purchase Belgian chocolates in bulk for your stock because you will be able to acquire huge discounts and resell them at the same retail price. By purchasing Belgian chocolates in bulk, you will see that you will save a lot of money and you will be able to keep your customers happy because of the cheaper price you offer for these fine chocolates.

Online bulk buying of Belgian chocolates can also get you greater discounts and great promos. Online shopping is cheaper, and it’s more convenient. So, consider this option if you are looking for different kinds of Belgian chocolates for your chocolate store.

In time, you will see that you will have regular customers purchasing chocolates from you. If you want to sell a lot of Belgian chocolates, you should consider putting up your fine chocolate store in a place frequented by tourists, such as the airport and a bus station. You can also consider putting up a chocolate store in the mall.

Always remember that you are the chocolate seller and you should never ever touch your products if you want to make a large profit. Although you may be tempted to eat just one, you have to consider that once you start eating, you can will always want some more.