I have always loved chocolate. But I come by this love honestly, through genetics. My family consumes far more than the national average of 11.5 pounds of chocolate per year. In fact, they are probably responsible for a good twenty per cent of the 3.1 billion pounds eaten by Americans each year.

As a child, my favorite times of the year were holidays where there was chocolate in excess. As I got older, I moved from Hershey bars to Seeís Candies, then started in on Godiva when it became available in the U.S. I have become enamored of locally produced Scharfen Berger and Valhrona imports, essential ingredients in my baking. Now I consider it a treasure hunt, prowling around for boutique chocolates and handmade truffles wherever I travel.

So it was no surprise that my trip to Belgium would be a pilgrimage of sorts. Seeking out the best that the country has to offer was my singular goalósightseeing being a by-product of the places I wanted to visit for the holy grail. I had packed my bag half full in anticipation of the confectionary shopping spree. Who knew at the time that I would end up borrowing a second suitcase to bring home my haul?

Chocolate made in Belgium is some of the most prized, particularly because this small country has a large number of highly-skilled chocolatiers. The majority of these artisans make their chocolate by hand and are involved in every facet of production. From purchasing cocoa beans to designing the shape and decoration, no detail is overlooked. There is great pride in the freshness and quality of the ingredients, as well as in the packaging and shops that sell their wares.

I began in the famed Grand-Place in Brussels, where a mixture of public and private buildings represent the best in early European architecture. The Grand-Place is the location of the Musee de Cacao et de Chocolat, created by a third-generation chocolate-maker and dedicated to the history and production of chocolate. There are daily demonstrations by a chocolate master, displays of chocolate-related paraphernalia, chocolate sculptures, and, best of all, sampling of various delights: a great way to start my day and get me in the mood for shopping.

Continuing my foray, I ventured to the area known as the Sablon, a famed shopping and antique district. I was mesmerized by the variety and the craftsmanship of the chocolatiers as I window-shopped for hours on end. Small boutique chocolatiers like Pierre Marcolini, who started out as a pastry chef and gained renown by winning the World Championship Pastry Competition, are making a name for themselves. Marcolini works his magic in a laboratory in Brussels, coming up with delicacies that he considers his art. And art it was: petite bites of beautifully crafted chocolate. I wandered in and out of stores like Wittmer, Neuhaus, and Godiva, spending an inordinate amount of time just staring and trying not to drool.

Everywhere I went, I found restaurants and bakeries with chocolate on the menu. Breakfast at the local bakery included a basket of breads served with both a dark chocolate and white chocolate spread, absolutely decadent when paired with a rich, foamy cappuccino. The chocolate croissants, with their flaky layers infused with pieces of Belgian chocolate, had to be eaten in pairs, as just one was not enough. My first night, after a particularly good steak and frites, I indulged in chocolate fondue. In the middle of winter in Europe, it was served with not only the traditional biscuits, but with star fruit, mango, papaya, and pineapple. The tablecloth soon became mottled with drips of hot thick chocolate, as I hurriedly tried to get the fruit from the pot to my mouth. Another night I was treated to delicate tuile cups filled with chocolate mousse, on another a triangle of dense chocolate cake layered with ganache, draped in chocolate and rolled in chocolate sprinkles. The 18-layer chocolate-and-mocha torteÖit never ended.

Bruges was the pinnacle of my visit. Having trudged around the cobblestoned streets of this medieval city for hours on end, I came upon the perfect chocolate respite, disguised as a proper British tea room. I was ushered into a cozy back room and after warming my bones by the fireplace, I selected the type of tea from the first side of the menu, then flipped it over to reveal a long listing of delicacies to accompany the pot of tea. My eyes immediately zeroed in on the very first item: Chocolate Taste Sampler featuring the local Sukerbuyc chocolate. Not exactly the traditional accompaniment to Earl Grey, butÖI was in Belgium.

I soon realized that I had no concept whatsoever of Belgian sampler plates, as a frosted glass tray was delivered with seventeen different and distinct pieces of chocolate. Exceeding a quarter of a pound, the beautifully presented plate held delicate white and brown seashells with praline filling, a miniature white chocolate egg filled with a white ganache, flat discs of bittersweet and milk chocolate, squares filled with nuts and praline, rounds of chocolate surrounding coconut, caramel, and ganache. And in comparison to American chocolate, it was much daintier and smaller in size. (Less guilt?) I had clearly been served an artistís palate of confections, to which I could not do justice in one sitting. I considered the experience a very large bauble in my treasure hunt.

The experience at the tea house only fueled my passion to find more chocolate. I wanted to be able to share the exquisite mastery of the Belgians with the almighty cocoa bean that had been brought to Europe more than four hundred years ago, to find representations of their creativity and share it with those I love, and who love chocolate as much as I do. After all, it is not only a taste treat, it has recently been found that chocolate is packed with high-quality anti-oxidants that may reduce the risk of developing cancer and heart disease. I would be doing my family a favor in more ways than one.

I moved on to Waterloo, the town where Napoleonís campaign resulted in the famed 1815 battle and his ultimate defeat. I drove down the main street for a much-anticipated visit to Chocolatier Galler. Founder Jean Galler professes a passion for chocolate and a love and dedication to perfection that is evident in everything he does. The lone employee of the store was very knowledgeable about every piece of chocolate I asked about. Before I knew it, almost an hour had passed just choosing chocolate and having her wrap each box to her precise specifications.

Four days flew by in a chocolate frenzy. Packing to go home was an eye-opener, as was the trip through U.S. Customs. Tallying up the cost of my confectionary expenditures for the requisite customs form was a bit of a shock, but one that would put smiles on everyoneís faces, satisfy even the most selective sweet tooth, and provide me with a lasting reminder of four days in one of Europeís chocolate capitals.