Godiva.. and the Chocolate Story..

I love chocolates. I also love Godiva. But I always used to wonder , why they named their chocolates after a naked woman riding on a horse. Did she have some weird fetish for chocolates or was her horse into chocolate baths.. what?

Godiva was founded in 1926 in Brussels, Belgium, by Joseph Draps who opened his first boutique in the Grand Place in Brussels under its present name, in honour of the legend of Lady Godiva. The first Godiva shop outside Belgium was opened in Paris on the fashionable Rue St. Honoré in 1958. In 1966, the company’s products reached the United States, where they were sold at luxury strip malls. The following year, it was purchased by the Campbell Soup Company. In 1972, the first Godiva boutique in North America was opened on New York’s Fifth Avenue.

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ciki, suanie, KBCG

So why Lady Godiva as the iconic logo and name, for this line of luxury chocolates? Well, according to the popular story Lady Godiva took pity on the people of Coventry, UK, who were suffering grievously under her husband’s oppressive taxation. Lady Godiva appealed again and again to her husband, who obstinately refused to remit the tolls. At last, weary of her entreaties, he said he would grant her request if she would strip naked and ride through the streets of the town. Lady Godiva took him at his word and, after issuing a proclamation that all persons should stay indoors and shut their windows, she rode through the town, clothed only in her long hair. In the end, Godiva’s husband keeps his word and abolishes the onerous taxes. As such, Lady Godiva is somewhat of a martyr and a hero and held in high esteem. Hence she was adopted as the logo and name for the chocolate.

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Recently, we were invited to a Godiva event, where we had the fun privilege, of making our own Chocolate Goodies, at Godiva in Pavilion KL. Here is a video of us and our slow transformation into chocolatiers!

Apart from some great hands on experience, we also picked up some tips on the tasting methods of fine chocolates..

Look – Fine chocolates have a consistent color and natural-looking satiny sheen free of air bubbles or other blemishes. The best chocolates also display a high degree of craftsmanship in their shapes and designs.

Smell – Savoring fine chocolate begins when you open the box and take in the bouquet of the contents. Fine chocolates have a fresh, deep aroma of cacao, not the overly-perfumed or sugary smell associated with artificial flavors or preservatives.

Taste – Freshly made fine chocolates have very intense but refined flavors and subtle nuances of textures. When tasting a piece of chocolate, let it melt against the roof of your mouth to feel the texture. A fine chocolate is velvety smooth without the graininess that comes from incomplete refinement. Roll the chocolate over your tongue, allowing the flavors to permeate your mouth. The initial taste should be a nutty, roasted chocolate cacao flavor, followed by sweetness and other flavor components. Lastly, fine chocolates tend to have a longer “finish” or pleasant after taste that lingers on the palate.

Some photos of the event..
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Canapés – some hors d’œuvres before the event begins

coffee to wake us up because it’s a Saturday morning

sugar to wake us up! Lovely macaron..

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The hot chocolate at Godiva is delicious!

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Loads of goodies are served for breakfast, cheese cake, chocolates.. you name it, they bring it

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Learning the difference in taste between generic chocolates, and then, the premium Godiva chocolates. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out, which one has a better Cacao taste!

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Making chocolate coated biscuits at our work stations

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Savoury miniature Lamb Kebabs are served

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Delightful chocolate coated strawberries

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By the way, folks for Ramadan , do not forget that you can order these gorgeous chocolate hampers for your family, friends or colleagues. There are three different sizes –  Jubilee, Impression and Jewel de Nile – Jewel de Nile being the top of the range. The hampers are beautifully wrapped and contain a great selection of top end Godiva chocolates.

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We, the newbie chocolatiers! Fatboybakes, Ken, Bok,  Kim, Su, Suanie, KY, Myhorng, Eyerizzz, Shaolin Tiger, KBCG.

We also learnt from our Godiva host that Chocolate is a psychoactive food. It is made from the seeds of the tropical cacao tree, Theobroma cacao. The cacao tree was named by the 17th century Swedish naturalist, Linnaeus. The Greek term theobroma means literally “food of the gods”.

Cacao beans were used by the Aztecs to prepare a hot, frothy beverage with stimulant and restorative properties. Chocolate itself was reserved for warriors, nobility and priests. The Aztecs esteemed its reputed ability to confer wisdom and vitality. Taken fermented as a drink, chocolate was also used in religious ceremonies. So the next time you indulge in chocolates, pause to think how amazing the experience is!

Add:
Godiva,
2nd Flr, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur
168 Jalan Bukit Bintang,
Bukit Bintang, 55100
Kuala Lumpur
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