Rating Chocolate

When Z first arrived in Belgium, I made sure to add "chocolate" to my list of grocery items. On his first day I brought home a box of zeevruchten, chocolate in sea shell shapes. The brand was nothing too spectacular, just a favorite of mine that served to satisfy the late-night cravings. I believe Z's first words upon taking a bite out of a starfish was "Where did you get this, and where can I get more?" The box was half empty by dinner. Since then Z and I have set aside a fair portion of our time together sampling different varieties of chocolate. Some of our favorites include Dark Chocolate with Orange, Coffee-Flavored Truffles, and Cherry Cordials.

Yesterday I went to my favorite chocolate shop in Leuven to give Z a couple of small boxes to take home. Centho Chocolates has two shops in Belgium--Duisberg (near Brussels) and Leuven--and sells what are called "artisinal" chocolates. For those of you who have experienced top-shelf quality chocolate, you will understand what I mean when I say that there is nothing quite like it. And rather than try to put it into words, I will let the pictures speak for themselves.






At the moment Z is trying to determine how many clothes he can leave behind to make room in his suitcase for more boxes.