Chocolate Train Miniature
I had written several hubs related with chocolate. Such as: "Chocolate, the Sweetest Thing Ever!", "The Largest Chocolate Bar in the World (Completed With Video)", and "Inspired by Chocolate". I think most of us love chocolate. We found different types of food or beverages. Even we can eat this immediately was very tasty, like chocolate candy or chocolate bar. Chocolate has a lot of fans from around the world. Chocolate is also often used as a gift on individual moments, like Valentine Days. We all know chocolate is a symbol of romantic feelings. Even since the time of Aztec and Mayan in Mexico, they have believed that chocolate is a food of the gods in heaven. Cocoa beans contain an alkaloid which causes a bitter taste. It also includes 9% protein, 14% carbohydrate and 31% fat. Cocoa bean also contains phenylalanine, tyrosine, tryptophan amino acid in large quantities. No wonder that chocolate is also useful for our health, like High antioxidant (three times more than green tea), preventing and fight cancer, lowering blood pressure, preventing heart disease, preventing high blood pressure and stroke, increasing libido, and eliminate stress. We can do anything with chocolate. We can turn this material into a beautiful creation. Curious…..? Please continue to read……….
From this hub, I will share how we can make something beautiful from chocolate. With a little touch of art, we can change it into unique and exciting decoration. The chocolate lovers may have to restrain their selves not to bite if they see a training replica made of the best Belgian chocolate. Who is the man behind this creation? Andrew Farrugia made replica trains along the 34 meters to the Brussels Chocolate Week arena. Andrew Farrugia itself is a master chocolatier from Malta. It is the world's most extended chocolate structure. Farrugia needed about 1,285 kg or 2,755 pounds of Belgian chocolate (equivalent with 6.5 million calories) and sponsored by the Belgian chocolate brand, namely Belcolade. Farrugia's creation stretched about 111.5 feet or 34 meters long, and he took about 784 hours to complete a training replica. This fantastic creation marked the opening of Brussels Chocolate Week.
A little about Belgian Chocolate
Belgium is a country for its delicious chocolate. It has a long tradition of chocolate mastery. We can find the unique combination of the finest ingredients with exclusive production methods and excellent quality control. No wonder, it makes the Belgian chocolate as one of favourite chocolate worldwide. Most of the people firmly believe that Belgian chocolate as a superior product, because of its well-balanced taste and beautiful structure. I know that Belgian chocolate may be expensive. But the Belgian chocolate is a product which has a reputation for quality. So, it suitable as a gift or special indulgence. This chocolate has been famous since the 18th century, under the rule of Leopold II. But, Jean Neuhaus introduced a new process and increased its popularity ten-fold. It happened in 1912. Neuhaus called this "Couverteur" as a particular version and “pralines” as a cold shell. Each town in Belgium has its unique recipes, including some world famous praline varieties which is undoubtedly delicious.
Back to topic.....Trusted information said that Farrugia created the masterpiece in his home country of Malta. He transported this replica into different parts. He put all the parts of the train into 25 wooden boxes. I heard that some parts of it damaged during the trip and some of the train's walls also collapsed. Finally, the train is entirely ready to be shown after working day and night to repair the whole body of this train.
From the outer appearance, it looks at the details of the steam-powered locomotive. We can see the carving detail looks obviously in the locomotive body. It said, 'Belcolade Express'. Where did he get such an idea to make a beautiful train replica? Farrugia got the idea when visiting Belgian Chocolate Festival in Brugge, last year. The chocolate train made of two parts. From the pictures, we can see the first part, like seven wagons. They modelled after modern Belgian trains. And the rest of it shaped after the old train wagons. It reminds Belgium's older carts, including a bar and restaurant. Wow…..amazing and beautiful. I think an only creative person with high imagination can represent the idea into the real creation with small scales. The chocolate train looks very detail, from the design of the locomotive to the wagons: even the railroad tracks and the rock made of chocolate.
It listed in Guinness World Records as the longest train in the world made by chocolate. The judges from the Guinness Book of Records were busy measuring the replica where it displayed at the north train station in Brussels, Belgium. They confirmed no other materials, but the chocolate used. The visitors were crowding also seem very enthusiastic to watch this replica from close range. But, it’s still not the most massive chocolate sculpture ever created. The previous record is the tallest chocolate structure (chocolate Christmas tree with 10 metres tall was created by Patrick Roger, in 2010) and the tallest chocolate Easter egg (with 10.39 metres in circumference and then about 19.6 metres at its widest point was created by Italian firm Tosca, in 2011). The tallest chocolate Easter egg weights 7,200kg.
