Myrto Spentza, Cluster Director of PR& Communications at The Torch Doha
Doha: Demand for Belgian Chocolates on the rise for their high quality and exquisite craftsmanship says the Cluster Director of PR & Communications at The Torch Doha on the side lines of the Belgian Chocolate Festival in Doha that will see some participation from some of the most famous chocolate brands.
Arguably nowhere else in the world will one discover an immense variety of delicious chocolate flavours and combinations than in Belgium.
With more than 500 chocolatiers and above 2,000 chocolate shops, Belgium produces almost 220,000 tons of chocolate every year, most of which for export. Brussels airport is the world’s biggest shop, with over 800 tons sold annually.
“It would not be an exaggeration to say that just as many Italian villages have a specialty olive oil supplier and many French villages have a local vineyard, so it is true that every Belgian village has its own small chocolate shop,” said Myrto Spentza (pictured), Cluster Director of PR& Communications at The Torch Doha.
She was speaking to The Peninsula on the sidelines of the second edition of Belgian Chocolate Festival (BCF) which opens tomorrow at The Torch in cooperation with the Belgian Embassy in Doha.
Belgium is quite famous for its chocolate; the best in the world as connoisseurs often say. While the raw materials do not originate from Belgium, the country has developed over the years an unbeatable savoir-faire for the pleasure of our tasting buds. Using only top quality ingredients – in particular, pure cocoa butter – Belgian chocolate is associated with high-quality gourmet specialties. Recipes have been passed down through families for generations. This culture extends to both the quality of ingredients used and the care that is taken when making the chocolate.
“Belgian Chocolates are one of the most famous in the world, if not the most. Their high quality and exquisite craftsmanship have made them very popular in Doha, with their demand constantly rising,” said Spentza, adding some of the famous brands which are present in Doha will be taking part in the festival.
The success of the inaugural BCF last year also speaks of the popularity of Belgian chocolates in the local scene.
“Last year’s Festival was sold out almost two weeks in advance of the opening day. It was an amazing response and every day was a real party at Sky Lounge! This year, we decided to organize the second edition of BCF, because of its previous success and because we were receiving constant inquiries about its repetition from our guests and people who had attended it,” she said.
It will be a treat for enthusiasts who wish to learn how to make their own favourite chocolates as Chef Chocolatier Laurent Gerbaud, one of the best chocolate makers in Brussels will facilitate the workshops familiarizing them with different varieties and training them how to prepare their own Belgian pralines.
“Our celebrity Chef Chocolatier Laurent Gerbaud is using high cocoa content chocolate, with fruity taste. Ecuador, Peru or Vietnam varieties, dark chocolate varieties of around 65 - 72 % cocoa, fresh and slightly acidic, all powerful varieties with a long last, ing finish, will be used during the workshop. Different toppings like dried nuts and fruits, as well as more rare ingredients will be available for the lucky attendants, enabling them to create unique pralines according to their own preference and taste,” she explained.
