Everything You Need to Know About Godiva Chocolate

Every time I hear the word "Godiva chocolate", I associate it with delicious, smooth, softly melting in my mouth sweet sensation. There are just not enough words to describe the feeling of unlimited satisfaction every time you take a bite of this delicious chocolate. There is no chocolate in the world that can compare with the unique and incredibly tasteful Godiva chocolate.

Millions of people worldwide now enjoy different varieties of high quality Godiva chocolates which represent the top of the line of famous Belgian chocolate. Godiva chocolate makes a perfect gift for any occasion and for people of all ages. In fact, Godiva chocolate is a kind of universal gift you can give for any holiday and to any person. This tasty Belgium chocolate will thrill the all-time chocolate lovers and those who are going to taste it for the first time. Godiva chocolate is not only a fascinating sweet treat, it's also beautifully packaged and is always eye-catching.

The making of Godiva chocolate started back in 1926 by chocolatier Joseph Draps. In the very beginning, the company was called Chocolaterie Draps and was run by Draps and his family right out of their home. The original production of future Godiva chocolate started with making of small portions of praline chocolates. Later, Draps decided to focus on production of more exclusive chocolate. A decision was also made to expand the business and open up a chocolate shop on Grand Place located in Brussels’ Central Square.

The newly opened chocolate shop was a great success from the very beginning. Joseph Draps has not only created a successful business, he has also manufactured a new exquisite line of elegant Belgian chocolate. Few decades later, Godiva shops began to open in other countries with the first shop opening in France in 1958. Other European countries such as Italy, U.K., Germany and many others soon followed. United States opened its doors to Godiva chocolates in 1966 when Godiva became available to consumers as a luxury brand sold only in the best department stores. As of today, Godiva chocolate is loved and enjoyed by people in over 80 countries all over the world.

In 1998 a Museum of Cacao and Chocolate was opened by Drap's wife Gabrielle Draps in Brussels, Belgium. The visitors of the museum can experience the cocoa transform from liquid into a solid chocolate which we all love so much. The visitors can also taste different varieties of chocolate and learn about the history and process of chocolate making.

The founder of Godiva chocolate Joseph Draps has decided to name his new premium quality line of Belgium chocolate after the legendary Lady Godiva. He was searching for the name that reflects "Timeless values balanced with modern boldness" and the legend of famous Lady Godiva from the 11th century was the exact match.

Lady Godiva was a wife of very rich Lord Leofric and lived in Coventry, England. She was mentioned in quite few manuscripts for her great generosity and love for common people. Lord Leofric was described as a powerful and heartless ruler who had forced very heavy taxes on his subjects. Lady Godiva stood up to her greedy husband on many occasions, but couldn't convince him to lift the burden of heavy taxation. Then one day, tired of arguing, Lord Leofric promised to his wife that he would drop the taxes if she rides through the town on the back of the horse. But that was not all. He wanted his wife to be completely nude. To his great surprise, Lady Godiva, known for her extreme modesty, had agreed right away.

Some manuscripts mention that it was a horse related tax, some say that it was something of a more significant nature. We'll never know for sure. But what we do know is that all of the town people were so grateful for the sacrifice of their Lady, that they all stayed inside, closed their shutters, and preserved Lady Godiva's dignity. Only few centuries later few of the pieces of literature speculated that one person by the name of Peeping Tom spied on the naked lady.

The legend also says that Lord Leofric had kept his word and lifted the taxation for his town. The people of Coventry have remained forever grateful to the beautiful and courageous Lady Godiva up until now. Herbert Art Gallery and Museum in Coventry has few unique paintings and statues of Lady Godiva, and she remains the symbol of bravery for many generations.

Lady Godiva Program was founded by Godiva Company to celebrate inspirational women who make a difference for their local communities. This program is always in search of women all over the world whose courage and efforts help other people who are in need.

There are 3 reward categories in Lady Godiva Program which recognize women for their efforts in Health, Wellness and Hunger; Children, Families and Poverty; and Environment. One woman is selected each year for each category to receive a $10,000 grant to support her ongoing humanitarian efforts.

It all starts with the cocoa bean which, as we know, does influence the taste and the quality of chocolate. Godiva uses only high quality cocoa beans dealing with the reliable farmers who specially select all of the beans for Godiva chocolate brand. After harvest, cocoa beans are dried and inspected again for any imperfections. The next step is extracting the cocoa nibs out of the bean shell and roasting them to evoke all of the elegant cocoa flavors. Cocoa nibs have to be grinded into the cocoa liquor which is considered to be the most important ingredient of Godiva chocolate preparation. Godiva takes great pride in this unique process of preparation of cocoa liquor by grinding the cocoa nibs into extremely fine particles. They say that the sensational taste of Godiva chocolate was created exactly because of this process.

Godiva uses traditional Belgium chocolate recipes for creating different Godiva chocolate collections. The shaping of Godiva chocolate begins with creating of a shell and then filling it with nuts, fruit, caramel fillings, fruit fillings and many other flavors. Godiva uses only special signature molds to create unique shells which are easily recognized by consumers all over the world. Traditionally, Godiva uses Dark, Milk and White chocolate for creating their Godiva chocolate collections and they use only high quality ingredients such as real cream, butter and sugar. All of the fillings are also created with natural ingredients only.

The makers of Godiva chocolate have worked hard for many decades to bring a rich variety of delicious premium Belgium chocolate to satisfy the chocolate lovers all over the world. There are very many assortments and collections offered on the market todays and, definitely, there is something for everybody to choose from.

To begin with, Godiva offers its irresistible Gold Collection which includes the variety of different chocolate assortments packed in a beautiful golden box. These include milk, dark and chocolate flavors filled with classic smooth Belgium fillings of different varieties. The box has a gorgeous finishing with the golden ribbon on the top. This collection makes a perfect and elegant gift for any holiday or occasion.

Truffle Collection features the assortment of classic Godiva truffles for those who cannot resist the delicate taste of Godiva truffles. The big assortment boxes usually include the extraordinary varieties such as Red Velvet Cake truffles or Black Forest truffles. The variety of milk, dark and white chocolates is included in the boxes as always.

Biscuits, Cocoa and Coffee Collection includes everything from the wide variety of delicious crunchy Godiva biscuits to irresistibly tasteful Godiva cocoa. Very nicely packed in tins or boxes, the culinary sensations from this collection found a lot of admirers worldwide.

Godiva is well known for its one-of-a-kind packaging. If you are looking for a beautifully put together gift basket or gift tower, you will always win with Godiva Gift Collection. This collection offers numerous boxes and different varieties which will always draw a lot of attention. There are so many flavors and varieties to choose from!

I can't imagine Holidays, Birthdays or any of my family celebrations without Godiva chocolate. Can you?