Rosalie’s chocolates are made in Brussels, the historic heart of Belgian chocolate manufacturing. Iconic chocolate bonbons have been created here for hundreds of years by generations of expert chocolatiers. But did you know that the history of chocolate gifting dates back even further? Let Rosalie’s take you back in time!
From a luxury for the happy few …
The history of chocolate starts in Mesoamerica, where cacao was consumed as a bitter, spicy drink. It spread to the rest of the world during the sixteenth century, where the addition of sugar turned it into a fashionable drink in the highest circles of society. While chocolate was mainly drunk, moulded chocolate eggs, now popular at Easter, first appeared at the court of the French king Louis XIV in Versailles during the seventeenth century. Because importing cacao and sugar was very expensive, chocolate remained a luxury item for centuries.
… to a delicious treat for everyone to enjoy!
By the end of the eighteenth century, the spread of cacao plantations, the use of slave labour and advances in technology caused a drop in the prices of cacao and chocolate became more widely available. In England, a chocolate manufacturer industrialized the production of chocolate and became the first to sell chocolate bonbons in heart-shaped boxes on Valentine’s Day. Chocolate consumption as we know it today was born!
Gift your loved ones a taste of Belgian chocolate history with Rosalie’s Chocolates. Let us guide you through our chocolate bonbon collection with a holiday gift guide.
