Choc-o-licious: Chocolate Festival, Bruges.

Today I got to experience one of the perks of living in Belgium ànd being a blogger: I'd been invited to the press event of Choco-Laté, the chocolate festival in Bruges.

Choco-Laté is a festival aimed at professionals, devoted chocolate fans ànd more casual ones. As a self-proclaimed healthy hedonist and passionate chocolate lover, I have been there in the past and I can testify it's a treat, a true feast for the senses.

This year's edition will focus on chocolate in its purest form: the origins of the cacao bean, organic fair-trade chocolate and authentic recipes prepared on the spot by representatives of the Kuna people of Panama.

Choco-Laté organiser Eddy Van Belle,
chocolatier Dominique Persoone &
representatives of the Kuna people.

The Kuna people have featured in several medical reports because of the absence of high blood pressure among them and remarkably low death rates from stroke, cancer or cardiovascular disease. This might be linked to their cocoa-rich diet, which is an interesting path for further research.
But I digress.

At this festival you can discover visually stunning chocolate art, learn about the origins, production, health and wellness benefits of chocolate, sample chunks and nuggets at a wide variety of exhibitor booths, or get your hands dirty (and lick them clean again) in truffle-making workshops. All this takes place in a unique historic location, permeated with the rich, velvety scent of more kinds of chocolate than you and I knew existed.

Trust me, it's not an event you want to miss.

'Choco en Lala'
book cover chocolates

The parents among you don't need to find a babysitter. Take your kids along and drop them off at the Choco Kids Village, where they can play and learn about chocolate while you indulge in more adult activities. Allow me to make a few suggestions: find the perfect wine to go with chocolate, design the perfect cocoa drink or watch the bodypainting artists at work - with chocolate!

When you're at the festival, be sure to drop by author Marc de Bel's booth. At Choco-Laté 2011 he will present his new chocolate-themed children's book: 'Spikkel en Spekkie: Choco en Lala'.

(Come to think of it, chocolate should play a much bigger part in my novel!)

'Bruges swan'
chocolate dress.

At first sight, fashion and (calorie-dense) chocolate might not be a good match, but this year even fashionistas will be able to indulge.

Star designer Nicky Vankets, known to yours truly because of his gorgeous wedding dresses (I got married last year - did I mention I ♥ his 'White Couture' collection?), has teamed up with my favourite 'shock-o-latier' Dominique Persoone to design a fabulous 'Bruges swan' chocolate dress.

I so want one. Or two: one to wear and one to eat.
But I digress again.

Choco-Laté 2011 will take place at the Bruges belfry from 11th till 13th November.
For more information and tickets, go to: http://www.choco-late.be/en.

If you can't make those dates, do not despair. Bruges has 52 (hyper)active chocolatiers, who sell their scrumptious creations all year round.

On top of that, until 8 December 2011, the city of Bruges celebrates "Choc'in Brugge" - chocolate month, if you will, with gastronomic events, chocolate-themed city walks, chocolate wellness and much more. You can find the programme here.

Last but not least, if you live too far and can't make it to Belgium this year, have some great chocolate wherever you are and consider stopping by in the future.
When you do, drop me a line and I'd be happy to point out a number of places that are worth a visit.

Have a choc-o-licious November!

Bonus picture. From left to right:
shock-o-latier Dominique Persoone, fashion designer Nicky Vankets
and yours truly, plotting an escape with The Dress.

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Dieting and Decision Fatigue.

The other day, my husband pointed out an article that 'would interest me'. He was right – as usual.

The article was called 'Do you make too many decisions?', posted at the smart and thought-provoking Farnam Street blog.


Decisions, Decisions ...

Now, before you think this was his subtle way of calling me bossy, you might want to read the article. It deals with the decision density of modern life, and how each decision takes mental effort, thus reducing the amount of energy left for stamina, persistence and willpower.

This leads to what is called 'decision fatigue', which is described in detail in this New York Times article and in Roy F. Baumeister's and John Tierney's book: 'Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength' that's coming out in a few days (September 1st, 2011).

One of the most interesting takeaways of the articles for me was the discovery that glucose plays a vital role in willpower. It explains why dieting is a particularly difficult test of self-control.


The Catch-22 of Dieting ...

Seriously, everyone who's ever been on a diet knows this - myself included. Even people with very strong willpower in other aspects of their lives feel they're lacking when it comes to dieting.

We start the day with the best of intentions, manage to resist the first temptations thrown at us, but each of these brave acts takes up mental energy and lowers our willpower. Towards the end of the day, willpower simply runs out. To replenish it, we'd have to give our brain glucose, hence the sugar cravings.

So here it is, the catch-22 of dieting:

1. We need willpower to resist eating.
2. We need to eat in order to have willpower.

Now, the good news is that, once an explanation has been found, one can start looking for solutions to a problem. *Cheer*.


Dieting and Decision Fatigue ...

Reading the article at Farnham Street came at exactly the right time. Over the past year I'd gained a few pounds, and now the summer holidays have come to an end, I'm working on losing them again. Being a foodie and a wine enthusiast, I have to stay alert. But that's okay; the alternative is worse.

I've written extensively about weight management before in my 'Manage your body weight - the green way' series, but here's a summary of what I'm doing at the moment, in case anybody's looking for inspiration / motivation after some summer indulgence and wants to join in:

1. I register everything I'm eating at http://www.fitday.com - it's very little work and it gives me an overview of how I'm doing. It's easy to miscalculate or lose track of the calories and nutrients you're consuming if you just play it by ear. A reliable food diary shows the facts, which helps by taking away some of the strain of having to make the right decision every time.

2. I manage my environment to reduce temptation, which leaves me with more willpower for when it matters. This means: if I can't or shouldn't eat it, I don't have it in the house. In short: no candy, no crisps, ... and instead plenty of fresh vegetables, low-calorie meals in the freezer, easy snacks like my favourite fruits, nuts, Greek yoghurt, dark chocolate (70% cocoa or more), lemons & soda water (to make stevia-sweetened lemonade), etc.

3. I eat smaller meals but more often: 5 to 6 times a day. (I aim for 6, usually manage 5.) Being able to eat on a regular basis reduces the burden on your willpower.

4. No sugar, except for the bit that's in my daily piece of dark, bitter chocolate, which isn't much, and a bit of grape sugar (dextrose) - see under number 5.

5. My new favourite emergency trick (after reading the articles I mentioned above): if I get a really bad sugar craving and I'm about to give in, I take a teaspoon of grape sugar / dextrose. It works for me, but that doesn't mean it's good for everybody. If you want to do this, do it wisely. Glucose affects your blood sugar levels, so if you're a diabetic, this is probably a really bad idea.

Also, know that 5 grams of dextrose amounts to about 20 calories, so don't exaggerate, register the calories and don't fool yourself into thinking it's good for you. If you focus on eating healthily, you should get a steady release of glucose from the other foods you're eating, so this is just a fix for the most difficult moments.

If you're wondering why I use dextrose instead of normal sugar, cane sugar or any of the other sugar varieties out there: it's because grape sugar / dextrose is 100% glucose. Regular sugar, cane sugar and the others also contain fructose, which is to be avoided. (Read this article / watch the video if you want to know more.)

Recommended Reading ...

Farnham Street blog: http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/do-you-make-too-many-decisions/
Complete New York Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/21/magazine/do-you-suffer-from-decision-fatigue.html
The Book: http://www.amazon.com/Willpower-Rediscovering-Greatest-Human-Strength/dp/1594203075

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Photo 'Sick and Tired' by Stephanie Lepoint, available under a creative commons license. © 2007, Stephanie Lepoint.
Photo 'Gluttony' by vitaeer, available under a creative commons license. © 2006, vitaeer.
Photo 'Belgian chocolate' by K.C. Woolf, available under a creative commons license. © 2011, K.C. Woolf.
Photo 'Grapes' by Dave Rutt, available under a creative commons license. © 2008, Dave Rutt.

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Hedonist Hideouts: Huize Colette, Ghent.

For most of this month, I've been in the middle of exams. On the less stressful side, fortunately, but it's still a lot of work and not the kind that makes one overflow with creativity: grading exams and papers, assessing presentations and then juggling, checking and double-checking hundreds of marks.

On the bright side, this can be a good time to discover new and exciting corners of my home town, when I feel in need of mental as well as physical refuelling.

My most recent discovery is Huize Colette, a chocolate and book house my husband had recommended. He was sure I would love it. He was right.

A few days later, I grabbed my Kindle and took off for a much-needed break in our beautiful medieval city centre, where I found Huize Colette tucked away in the shadow of the town hall.

Huize Colette's ground floor looks like a cosy tea room, which is nice enough, but if you're 'that kind of person', you need to follow the row of books up the stairs and discover the first floor.

Upstairs, the 'chocolate and books' house consists of a landing and what I can only describe as the perfect living room: funky colours, comfy armchairs, lots of bookshelves and friendly people who bring you delicious hot chocolate.

I was so intensely happy when the chocolate turned out to be scrumptious. Underneath the hope, I had braced myself for grave disappointment, but it didn't happen.

When I arrived, I asked the young woman downstairs what she would recommend (always a good way to get a feel for the people behind the place), and after enquiring about my tastes in chocolate, she recommended the 'fondant' hot chocolate, which is the standard name here not just for a dessert but also for the dark, bitter chocolate that is still sufficiently sweet.

She said, if I still fancied a more bitter taste, I could try the 'bitter', which is the darkest hot chocolate drink they're serving.

I installed myself in one of the comfy chairs, took my Kindle, put my feet up and waited for the chocolate to arrive.

The 'fondant' was gorgeous: full of flavour while still creamy, and obviously made fresh. Quite a large mug as well, as you can see.

I also tried the 'bitter' afterwards, which I loved but is not to everyone's taste I'm sure. If you're into dark chocolate, starting off with the 'fondant' is definitely the right choice.

If for whatever reason you don't like chocolate, they also offer a wide range of coffees (including several 'with a kick'), teas, organic fruit juices and a few alcoholic drinks (no beer).

After about an hour and half in hedonist heaven I was more than ready to face the world again and I left Huize Colette in a state of nerve-tingling, chocolate-induced bliss, temporarily in love with the world.

The mood lasted just long enough to get home and grab the next batch of exam papers and my evil red pen, but hey - every minute spent well fuels your inner strength for the times you need it most.

I've already arranged to meet with a friend there next week, and I will drag along several others in the months to come. It's the perfect place for great conversation, as well as for quiet reading or writing.

Too bad it's not open at night, but if this means the ladies behind the business continue to enjoy it for many, many years and keep the place as cosy and authentic as it is now, I am happy they've made this decision.

Contact details:

Huize Colette

Belfortstraat 6

B-9000 GENT

BELGIUM

Open Tuesday to Friday 9:00 - 19:00 and Saturday/Sunday 10:00 - 19:00.

What's your favourite hideout?

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Stylish Blog Award.

Karen Walker at Following the Whispers passed on the Stylish Blogger Award to me. Much appreciated. :-)

As the award tradition goes, I'm supposed to share 7 things about myself, pass the award on to other bloggers and notify them about it.

So here we go - in random order of importance:

1. I always have chocolate in the house. The dark, bitter kind.

2. I hardly ever read newspapers or watch the news. If something is truly important, I'm sure I'll find out another way.

3. My hair is dark cherry red at the moment. Like really red ->

4. I have very eclectic reading tastes.

5. I am easily distracted, unless a deadline is looming.

6. I have the best husband in the world - for me.
I don't think anybody could be a better match.

7. My first job was in an independent bookstore.

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Now, in turn I would like to pass this award on to the following Stylish Bloggers:

- L.G. Smith at Bards and Prophets because I love her style of writing, the way she thinks and the topics she picks.

- Toby Neal at An Endless Fascination with Stories because of the stylish way she deals with porn (as a topic for her latest posts :-) )

- Queen Mahin for being stylish even when spring cleaning.

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C is for Chocolate.

I am a huge chocolate fan. I have some every day. To me, good quality chocolate is one of the few sweets that fits into a healthy lifestyle.

As a chocolade aficionado, I am lucky to live in Belgium, the tiny country in Western Europe that is the grand home of Belgian chocolate.

Today, I want to tell you a bit more about my favourite brand of Belgian 'pralines', Neuhaus.

Neuhaus is a Belgian manufacturer of luxury chocolates. The company was founded in Brussels over 150 years ago, and to this day, all of its chocolates are still made here, in Belgium.

The founder's grandson, Jean Neuhaus jr. created the first 'praline' - a bite-size, filled chocolate - in 1912. A few years later, he and his wife Louise also invented the 'ballotin', the typical box in which Belgian pralines are still sold today and which prevents them from being damaged.

What I like about Neuhaus - apart from their scrumptious chocolate - is that the company respects its roots and traditions, yet continues to innovate and come up with new chocolates and flavours.

An example is the charming collection of 'Lady Chefs' chocolates, each of them designed by a world-renowned female chef.

Neuhaus contends their chocolates are top quality, and I can vouch for that. With every bite, you taste the impeccable quality of their ingredients and the care they spend on matching the most exquisite flavours.

As an illustration, I recently noticed their 'Sommelier Collection' includes one of my favourite dessert wines, the 'Elysium' - Black Muscat I discovered in my favourite restaurant in the Cotswolds.

Now, quality of course comes at a price. These are luxury chocolates, with carefully selected ingredients, and that's reflected in what you will pay.

These pralines are more than just nibbles. They're small treasures, the kind you savour slowly, enjoying each of the different flavours and textures when they work their magic on your palate.

Before I tempt you with an extraordinary Easter egg, I want to share a few tips on how to recognise good quality chocolates and on how to get the most out of your (Belgian) chocolate experience.


How to recognise good quality chocolates:

Good chocolates:

• have a pleasant, sweet smell; deep and complex but not overpowering.
  (Avoid chocolates that don't smell, or smell overroasted, chemical or stale.)
• have a shiny, smooth, flawless and evenly-coloured surface.
• begin to melt straightaway when you hold them in your hand. This indicates a high cocoa butter content, which is a sign of quality.
• 'snap' when you bite through the outer chocolate layer.
• have a complex, bittersweet, refined flavour, with sufficient acidity and a variety of textures that melt and blend into a smooth cream in your mouth.
• have a taste that lingers.

How to get the most out of your Belgian chocolates:

• Store them between 15 and 18°C (59 - 65°F), away from moisture, heat and strong smells. Don't keep them in the fridge.
• Depending on the type of filling, after opening the box, pralines will last for about a week.
• Ideal tasting temperature: 20°C (68°F)
• Give them your full attention when you devour them. Enjoy them with all your senses.
• Share them with people you love, especially if your loved ones appreciate great chocolate.

For gorgeous pictures, more information about chocolates and how they're made, and the places where you can buy them, go to the Neuhaus website or their extensive B2B catalogue.

If you'd have trouble deciding between all that scrumptiousness, my personal favourites are 'Les Irrésistibles', a collection of 5 triangular chocolates called Caprice, Tentation, Séduction, Désir and Plaisir.

Each of these pralines contains a layer of nougatine and is filled with either vanilla cream, coffee ganache, raspberry cream, dark chocolate ganache or hazelnut ganache.


And now for the Easter egg ...

If you happen to be near the Neuhaus store in Ghent, Belgium (Koestraat 50) - or any of the bigger Neuhaus shops - with a spare 250€ in your pocket, you might want to get this giant handmade, limited-edition Easter egg. Six kilos of fabulous chocolate and gianduja indulgence. Wouldn't that make a perfect gift for ... hey, me!

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Health: My Precious.

As you know, health is an important topic to me. Six years ago, when I hit 30, I decided to stop taking it for granted and turned my life around.

Since then, I've managed to live a good and healthy life, enjoying what is most important to me, while cutting out what doesn't matter.

I would never give up chocolate, or good wine, but I can't remember the last time I had a soft drink or a crappy candy bar.

I eat cake at parties, but wouldn't buy it for myself unless I had a very good reason. I don't keep sweets in the house either - with the exception of gorgeous, bitter, dark Belgian chocolate. I cook from fresh as much as possible and buy my yoghurt unsweetened.

I'm by no means a well-organised, disciplined or exceptionally consistent person, but I am stubborn and I recognise quality of life when I have it.

Never will I go back to the way I used to lead my life. My body is not going to last forever, but as long as I'm alive, I will treat it with love, care and respect.

About half a year ago, a friend pointed me to a video about the effect of sugar on our health. It confirmed a lot of what I had observed and experienced during those 6 years. It motivated me to reduce my sugar intake even further, as close to zero as I could, without feeling I was missing out.

It's been easier than I'd expected. The less sugar I eat, the less I crave it. I still eat cake at parties, and have my daily piece(s) of dark chocolate, but that's about it.

When I really want a sweet drink, I make my own lemonade with fresh lemon or lime, sparkling water and drops of stevia.

Today, at the start of spring and in the spirit of good intentions and fresh beginnings, I want to share that video with you.

Regardless of what you do, it can never hurt to be informed.

Just remember, health is not about guilt, discipline and 'have to's'. It's about finding a balance in life that works for you and adds to your overall happiness.

Here's the video. The speaker is Robert H. Lustig, Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and a specialist on childhood obesity.





If you want to exchange ideas, inspiration or recipes, drop me a line!

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Ghent, City of Lights.

'Ghent' by Fobach (cc 2.0)

My home town Ghent made it into the top 10 of Lonely Planet's hottest cities for 2011. It's being described as one of Europe's best-kept secrets, often overlooked in favour of Brussels, Bruges and Antwerp:

'Most Belgium-bound visitors rushing between these see nothing more than the stately fortifications of Ghent’s St Pieter’s Station. Those who do hop off the train and stroll along the Leie River to the historic centre will have their eyes out on stalks. Here hides one of Europe’s finest panoramas of water, spires and centuries-old grand houses.' lp

I might not be entirely objective, but I agree with all my heart. Ghent is an amazing city to visit and to live in. It feels authentic and alive, with a rich history, great pubs and restaurants, an imposing castle in the middle of the historic city centre and lots of festivals, museums and cultural events.

The locals are known for being open-minded and strong-willed, and - like in most places in Flanders - most people speak several languages (usually Flemish/Dutch, English, French and some German) and will go out of their way to show you the best of what their city has to offer.

Belgians are proud of their Burgundian lifestyle, and it shows. All over the city you will find bakeries, tea rooms and chocolate shops, inviting you in with displays of delicious sweets and treats. Many of the pubs offer over 100 different beers to choose from.

When night falls, Ghent becomes even more beautiful. Thanks to the award-winning and well-crafted lighting plan, the city turns into a fairy-tale setting, with different quarters and atmospheres to cater to every mood, from romantic to vibrant, from relaxed to haunting.

To add images to words, here's a video that gives a good impression of the city:





Have you ever been to Ghent? Which are your favourite sights?

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Wine, Wine, Wine.

I've been quiet on the blog all weekend, but I've got the best excuse in the world: I was in Lille at the 'Salon des Vins des Vignerons Indépendants', known in short as 'the Lille Wine Fair'.

The 'Salon des Vins' is an annual event that takes place in different cities all over France. The fair is organised - as you can guess from its name - by the association of the French independent wineries. We've been going there for several years now, and I love it, in spite of the fact that it seems to attract more visitors every year and it's gradually getting a bit too crowded. Not so good for the visitors, but great for the wineries, of course.

The fair is absolutely huge. There were over 500 wineries present this year, and they all bring a number of their available wines for the visitors to taste and possibly buy.
You can meet wine makers from the different wine regions all over France, each with their own personal style and flair, in their wines as well as in how they present themselves to you. And to me that's one of the great advantages here: you get to see the people behind the wines and the pride they have in their products and their businesses that often go back several generations.

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Ideas for the Holidays.

Amazing how time flies... we're nearly halfway into November! Less than a month from now, many of us will be preparing for the holidays and thinking about presents to put under the Christmas / Yule / Hanukkah tree.
In order to get myself in the right mindset, in the next couple of weeks I'm going to try and post a bunch of party, decoration, food & drink and gift ideas.

(c) christmasstockimages.com

First of all: the tree. I have to admit: I love the smell of a real tree. Still, I hate the thought of slaying it just to decorate the house for a while.
Therefore, many years ago, I decided to buy a tree with roots and plant it out in the garden afterwards for reuse the next year. Unfortunately that didn't work out. By the time I got around to putting it outside, it was too far gone.

After three years of miserable failure, I finally succeeded to save one. I planted it in my herb garden (where it really didn't fit in), didn't dig it out for the following holiday seasons and eventually moved it to another part of the garden where it died anyway. In my defense, I did cut it up and compost it.

In the meantime I've found a compromise: I wait until a couple of days before Christmas, when all normal people have long got their tree and the only ones left are the poor little ugly trees nobody wanted. That's when I come in, a superhero with wool mittens, offering that little, despairing, cut-down tree an opportunity to fulfil its final purpose: to bring beauty and joy to a living room. And every year I'm surprised what a bit of careful pruning, lots of sparkly lights and lavish gold-coloured decoration can achieve.

But as perceivers go (another not-so-covert MBTI reference), I'm always open to consider alternatives for the classic tree, and a few of these certainly hold potential:

Last year, on a champagne tasting trip to France, I saw this at the Mercier house:

Wouldn't that make a brilliant, bubbling Christmas tree? I swear, if anyone wants to get me one of those, I'll take good care of it! I might even share.

Just in case you're not a millionaire, here are a few other, more budget friendly suggestions:

A tree made with your favourite chocolates:

Or your best-loved books:

And I just love these:

• My absolute favourite from All the luck in the world.
• Actually, this sushi tree might be even better, if you don't mind having to make a new one each day. Great idea for a seasonal party though!
• Clever Karen's vintage card tree.
• The wooden possibiliTree®: a frame you can decorate any which way you like.
• Get creative with the content of your bookshelves and see how observant your visitors are.
• Got a hammer and nails? Find a couple of pieces of wood to recycle and make one of these, or get one at Wood & Wool Stool.

And now for something completely different, but not entirely: if you'd consider getting someone a pet for a present, see how to wrap it below. Buffoonery, I say!

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There is life before forty.

Have you seen this slideshow on the website of Food & Wine magazine? It features 40 people under the age of 40 who've all managed to make a difference, big or small, in the way their countrymen (and women) eat and drink. So what are the rest of us waiting for?

These were my favourites:

• Madécasse, a chocolate company making their products right where their cocoa grows: Madagascar.
• Food artist Jennifer Rubell. Anybody who makes desserts in balloons deserves a special mention.
• Urban & rooftop farming. These almost made me want to get a chicken. Or a house with a flat roof.
• Matt Jennings. You've got to love a cheesemaker who dunks cheese in Belgian ale.
• Annemarie Ahearn's farm-to-table cooking school. Where you can kill your pumpkin and eat it too.
• Several businesses like Emily & Rob's, helping artisans to sell their products, so they can continue doing what they do best.

Check out the full slideshow here. Which ones do you like best?

On a side note: this blog post made it clear that in over a month of blogging, I hadn't used the labels "wine" or "chocolate" even once. How is that even possible?

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