As a child it was Russell Stovers all the way, my mom’s candy of choice, and a box of assorted chocolates was part of every holiday of my childhood. It was also the catalyst of the vanilla cream wars, as my brothers and I fought over our favorites. (Yes, I confess, I was the one that would take a small nibble out of the bottom of a likely candidate for the luscious vanilla, and upon discovery of the dreaded coconut instead, would sneak it back into the box.)
A phone booth made of chocolate at a factory in Belgium
In the years since I’ve gobbled Godiva, lingered over Lindt and inhaled my share of Hershey’s. I’ve visited chocolate factories in France, Belgium and Switzerland and was in awe of the technique and care devoted to my favorite food group. In Belgium, a skilled chocolatier even sculpted it into shapes for display such as phone booths and even a car, which met an unfortunate demise when the ants found it. Read the full post »