A Photo Tour: Chocolatiers in Brussels

I fly to Brussels every month so I decided to devote my recent trip to chocolate shops. The World Capital of Chocolate's cobbled back streets led me to shops where chocolate is elevated to an art form.

Belgium has been at the center of Europe's chocolate trade since the 1690s. With a million residents and about 500 chocolatiers, the average Belgian consumes over 15 pounds of chocolate annually.

Take a peek at some of the window displays:

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Neuhaus opened its doors in 1857. In 1912, Jean Neuhaus Jr. created a chocolate that he named praline (a hard chocolate shell with a filling). This was to become one of the best known and most appreciated of Belgian creations worldwide. Jean's wife, Louise, invented the "ballotin" the cardboard chocolate box. Photo ©Susan Fogwell

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Leonidas is one of the largest chocolate companies in the world.
Photo ©Susan Fogwell
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Galler Photo ©Susan Fogwell
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Galler's Window Display Photo ©Susan Fogwell
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Photo ©Susan Fogwell
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Photo ©Susan Fogwell
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Photo ©Susan Fogwell
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Photo ©Susan Fogwell
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Photo ©Susan Fogwell
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Photo ©Susan Fogwell
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Photo ©Susan Fogwell
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Clik here to view.
Photo ©Susan Fogwell
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Clik here to view.
Photo ©Susan Fogwell
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Clik here to view.
Photo ©Susan Fogwell