It was my second day at Antwerp. Fill with excitement and a competitive pressure, I walked down to the University of Antwerp. Direction to reach the class was well depicted on sign boards and A4 size posters. Since, it was the first day we were introduced to each other, introduced to my research guide, Mr.Ramon Pino. We were divided into team, and our team had a blend of Mexico, Switzerland and India, all of us belonged to different subject discipline. Since, in our selection form we shared same interest, i.e; Food; we were clubbed as a team and the research we were going to perform was on "Social Food Lab".
My study at summer course and specially on the research provided me an extra angle to explore the culinary taste of Belgium. While interviewing the samples that we selected statistically, I visited few famous chocolatiers of Antwerp, like, "Neuhaus", "Leonidas" and "The Chocolate Line".
After my classes were over, somewhere around 5 in the evening, I decided to go for a solo walk to the chocolate shop and select a few to get those before I leave for India.
So, on the very first I targeted to go to the one that I had found on the top as per the Google search results and prepared a proper schedule on surveying the best chocolatiers ( We usually rely on Google, on things that we are unaware of and that is something I found to be the best to be done at an unknown place).
Those who have read my previous blogs, you might be a aware that I am fond of dark chocolate. The bitter it is, the best it tastes to me! I had already made up my mind to get the chocolate pieces and not the chocolate bars, which are easily available at a supermarket in India. So, even I had to taste a single piece of chocolate, I had to pay for it. I selected vey wisely on the basis of the catalogue they had. Neuhaus, one of the top chocolate makers of Belgium, I simply loved the chocolate they make, but it was little expensive for me, since I had to purchase in bulk. I felt the white chocolates of The Chocolate Line to be better as compared to the dark ones. Next, I went in the Leonidas chocolate store, and tasted the darkest chocolate they had. Those were the best, I could ever get. I simply loved the concoction of sweetness, the bitterness with a little effect of the flavour you want to have (The orange flavoured chocolate smelled so fresh and tasted amazing). There were chocolates made up of alcohol, white chocolates, milk chocolates, chocolate bars, candies and more.
Since I have a huge craving for chocolate, one day, I boarded a train at Antwerp Station and went Brugges, I had learnt about the Brugges and how famous the place was for chocolates.
They had amazing offers on purchase of bulk chocolates. I purchased a bag full of various chocolate varities which included truffles as well. I decided to visit the oldest run Chocolatier in Brugges, which was run by a granny (I have attached the picture of the shop).
Since I was willing to purchase fresh chocolates for my family, I purchased few boxes of the best chocolate varieties they had at Leonidas before leaving for India.
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