The sweetest thread of all! Chocolate of your country.

[kkokkolis]

What are the popular, historical, exceptional, significant, or just more tasty chocolates of your country? I would like to taste them all.


Let me start with Greece.


ION is the most popular brand here and it remains Greek. In fact, the factory is close to my house, near the Karaiskaki stadium in Phaleron.


They started making chocolate during 1930. Among their most popular are the Milk and Almonds





My favorite is Serano. I just had one yesterday.





Hazelnut is also nice.





Their more modern series is called Break.





They also make Chocofreta, a popular waffer.





Mabel, a brand that made Easter Eggs and small chocolates, now belongs to ION.






The most historical brand isn't Greek anymore, but belongs to Kraft Foods. Pavlidis was founded during 1843 and this chocolate comes from 1860.





It has some recent variations.





100 years afte the first chocolate, he made the Lacta, too sweet for me.





There are modern variations of that, too.





The nation's favourite (and mine) from Pavlides, is Merenda, the Greek Nuttela. We had it in the army every Sunday. Yammy!






My favourite chocolates from Pavlides are the "stuffed" chocolates, particularly the Strawberry.





Astir makes mostly seasonal chocolates, like Easter Eggs.





We have many regional and luxury chocolates. Zoe's Chocolates come from 1900 and are consumed in the US.





And a lot of others don't exist any more. My favourite since I was a toddler, was Melo, which contained cards with Disney characters, clothes fro around the world and more.








There was a stuffed chocolate with tangerine I loved, but it is discontinued for 40+ years.


Names of historical Greek brands, in order of foundation, are (Greek spelling): Παυλίδου,Ζαβορίτου, Λόγγου και Μουλά, Γαβριήλογλου, Ίρις, ΑΒΕΖΑΠ, ΑΣΤΗΡ, Άλφα, ΙΟΝ, Ατσάρου και Φλόκα. Other makers of cocoa products:  Ρούσσος, ΕΒΓΑ, Παπαδοπούλου, ΜΕΛΟ, Mabel, ΓΚΛΑΡΙΣ, ΣΕΡΑΛ, Λουμίδης.


A site about vintage Greek chocolates.




Now it's YOUR TURN!

[Mechanickal]

Belgian Chocolates...

Do I NEED to say more?

[kkokkolis]

Belgian Chocolates...

Do I NEED to say more?

Yes. Brands, history, your preference, etc.

[Mechanickal]

Belgian Chocolates...

Do I NEED to say more?

Yes. Brands, history, your preference, etc.

Oh my...

I'd have to Google that myself

For what it's worth though, I'm spoiled.

When outside the country, and someone offers me some chocolate, it just doesn't taste that great...
Simply because Belgian chocolate is the standard, not the exception.

There are some brands that are well known throughout the country.
The most famous one comming to mind is "Leonidas" which has their own stores.
The other large brands are usualy sold through supermarkets and therefore not THAT great.

There are alot of bakeries/chocolatiers that make their own chocolates that taste absolutely great! Sadly, the tourists usualy don't find these small stores outside of the large cities, and their chocolate is not sold elsewhere. Given the price difference, I think Belgian chocolates would be even more appreciated worldwide if people would find these stores.
There is one at a 10min drive from me which has nearly the best chocolate I ever tasted. It's located in the middle of a residential area that isn't really the touristical center around here...

You're missing out people!

[kkokkolis]

Leonidas? Wasn't he Greek?

[Syncop8r]

Whittakers is very popular here. http://www.whittakers.co.nz/#/products/blocks/

The other main chocolate manufacturer here is Cadbury. I find the Cadbury here doesn't taste as good as Cadbury from other countries.
They faced a public backlash a few years ago due to changing their ingredients, particularly the use of palm oil, and downsizing their blocks.
As a result many turned to Whittakers. Cadbury recently closed their factory here.

[Mechanickal]

Leonidas? Wasn't he Greek?

You're completely right!
His head is even the logo of the brand...

[Mechanickal]

[kkokkolis]

Some Swiss guy?

[ToolJoe]

I'm partial to Hershey's Special Dark myself. Mrs. TJ likes the fancier chocolate. Peacent sent me some chocolate from Spain which was amazing which I can't remember the name of.

[kkokkolis]

I like Hershey's kisses. They have a distinct sour taste. I find Spanish chocolates bitter for my taste though.
One of my favourite places on Earth is Times Square, NY, where you find multi store Herschey's and MnM's stores, one opposite the other. I know a man who was professor of Psychiatry in Hershey. He said me that street lamps there have the shape of Herschey Kisses!

[Blackbeard]

i think Ghriadelli is the best in USA, but overall I like Lindt the best, Hershey was better tasting when I was a kid, somewhere along the way they altered recipe, not as good these days. I'm having one of these super fattening carmel bars later



thers also Mars, they make snickers and milky way always good also

[Kev D]

For an off the shelf everyday chocolate I would say Cadbury's Dairy Milk is the most popular here.  It's my favourite chocolate anyway. I know at easter the Cadbury easter eggs are always the first to sell out.

Cadbury's twirls are my favourite.  Several of years ago I found a metal detector test card in a bag of twirl bites so contacted Cadbury. It turned out to be from the Northern Ireland factory and they were rather thankful I contacted them as they knew it was missing somewhere but it had never shown up.  They sent me a £50 Cadbury voucher and many many bags of twirl bites as well.   

I'll dig out the photo of the test card and post it here. It's just a 2mm bit of metal encapsulated in a credit card sized piece of green cardboard.

[kkokkolis]

My favourite imported chocolates:


First, second and third place, the Swiss miracle, Toblerone!





Ülker Çikolata Antep Fistikli, Turkey





MnMs, International





Leonidas Pralines, Belgium





Herschey's Kisses, US





Mozartkugeln, Austria





Neuhauz Pralines, Belgium





I also like Bounty a lot

[Etherealicer]

First off, this thread is worthless if you don't send me samples for testing!

When it comes to pure chocolate, I would say there is nothing like Swiss Chocolate, especially when the chocolate gets darker. One of my favorites is Villars Dark

But I like Cremant and darker chocolates from all Swiss chocolate brands and there are too many for the extent of this thread to mention them all

Probably my favorite brand is Lindt, so I will focuse on those
The sweet treat:


From mild to DARK (the 99% is not for just eating but only for cooking)






And the flavored (of these the fleur de sel is my favorite, but they are all great):





The more you get away from chocolate towards praline the more difficult it gets. How do you compare a pistachio chocolate to a truffle? So I concede that Belgium makes quite acceptable pralines. However, the best pralines (within the limitation of difficult comparion) are made by Villars (especially love the one with Absinth, Gin and Whiskey):

[microbe]

Tip from a Belgian: Cote D'Or Truffe Noir. Best. Chocolate. Ever.
Eat 1 tab: Experience a deep and rich chocolate aroma
Eat 2 tabs: Experience the cocoa effects on your senses
Eat 3 tabs: Experience a full on chocolate high
Eat more tabs on your own risk. Be careful for addiction. This stuff is expensive.

[lister]

I don't like chocolate. I suppose that makes me even weirder, right? 

 

[Syncop8r]

I don't like chocolate. I suppose that makes me even weirder, right? 

 

It makes you LUCKY!

[Corwyn]

Back in 1964 the only chocolate you could get here was Rom:


Dark chocolate with creamy caramel and Rum flavoring.... actually quite yummy.

Since 2014 they did a massive Advertising campaign and came with many more variations:


Including rum-cream-filled biscuits:


And even chocolates:

[Etherealicer]

Tip from a Belgian: Cote D'Or Truffe Noir. Best. Chocolate. Ever.
Eat 1 tab: Experience a deep and rich chocolate aroma
Eat 2 tabs: Experience the cocoa effects on your senses
Eat 3 tabs: Experience a full on chocolate high
Eat more tabs on your own risk. Be careful for addiction. This stuff is expensive.

I will try that one...

[AimlessWanderer]

Most of our most well known choccies have been bought out by overseas or international companies.

Cadbury is probably the most well known, which started off in Birmingham, and is now global under American ownership.

Terry's (as in chocolate orange) was originally in York, but is now made in Poland under American ownership.

Rowntree's is still in York, but owned by Nestle, and I believe the chocolate production has moved overseas.

Fry's has been part of Cadbury for about 100 years

Green and Blacks is now owned by Cadbury

Thorntons which started in Sheffield is still produced in the UK, but is owned by Ferrero.

There may still be some smaller independent companies, but no brand names spring to mind.

[pfrsantos]

My favourite imported chocolates:


First, second and third place, the Swiss miracle, Toblerone!


(Image removed from quote.)

Hum... the gaps between the "teeth" are not so wide over here...

 

[ColoSwiss]

I'm partial to Russell Stover chocolate covered nuts.

[Syncop8r]

My favourite imported chocolates:


First, second and third place, the Swiss miracle, Toblerone!


(Image removed from quote.)

Hum... the gaps between the "teeth" are not so wide over here...

 

That's because they eat too much chocolate.

[kkokkolis]

I adore  Côte d'Or too.

I see many like the bitter chocolates. I prefer the sweet ones.

Toblerone recently changed the shape of the bar. I prefer the old one. In the new one it is easier to cut a bit though. But they steal weight.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/toblerone-explains-reason-changed-distinctive-9221784

[Syncop8r]

Is it meant to represent the Swiss Alps?

[Grant Lamontagne]

We have a few chocolate shops here, many of which are chain stores/franchises, but I always assumed they were imported chocolates from somewhere, but it appears that Canada is (supposedly) a world class player in the chocolate industry.  I guess you learn something new every day.

Before Google told me about that article I really couldn't think of any chocolates specific to Canada except Smarties.



I never realized they weren't international until a friend in the US was confused when I mentioned them.  To Americans, Smarties are a chalky type candy:



In Canada however we ask when you eat your Smarties, do you eat the red ones last?  Do you suck them very slowly or crunch them very fast? Eat that candy coated chocolate but tell me what I ask, when you eat our Smarties, do you eat the red ones last?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynk7__yJ6zo

(Every Canadian is now cursing me for putting that song in their head now- they will be singing it for days!)

Def

[Etherealicer]

Is it meant to represent the Swiss Alps?

The Matterhorn I presume, its also the mountain in the logo (not the bear though, that is not really there).

[Etherealicer]

We have a few chocolate shops here, many of which are chain stores/franchises, but I always assumed they were imported chocolates from somewhere, but it appears that Canada is (supposedly) a world class player in the chocolate industry.  I guess you learn something new every day.

Before Google told me about that article I really couldn't think of any chocolates specific to Canada except Smarties.

(Image removed from quote.)

I never realized they weren't international until a friend in the US was confused when I mentioned them.  To Americans, Smarties are a chalky type candy:

(Image removed from quote.)

In Canada however we ask when you eat your Smarties, do you eat the red ones last?  Do you suck them very slowly or crunch them very fast? Eat that candy coated chocolate but tell me what I ask, when you eat our Smarties, do you eat the red ones last?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynk7__yJ6zo

(Every Canadian is now cursing me for putting that song in their head now- they will be singing it for days!)

Def

Smarties are from Nestle , good choice though but I would not consider them chocolate. And yes, I sort them by color before eating and the order is along the rainbow.

[Etherealicer]

We have a few chocolate shops here, many of which are chain stores/franchises, but I always assumed they were imported chocolates from somewhere, but it appears that Canada is (supposedly) a world class player in the chocolate industry.  I guess you learn something new every day.

I always find that in this international contest best equals fanciest and not necessarily best in flavor.

We did make a double-blind study with chocolate tasting when I still was at the Uni. And Sprüngli never got good grades.

Chocolate and especially pralines, mass production is superior to hand made and the primary reason is that when you hand make praline you produce more waste, that then is recycled leading to poorer quality. Its not even true that small manufacturer use better quality raw materials (Source: I worked in a state lab, next to the food inspectors and quality controllers).