Back in the summer my friend Deb, her daughter Bel and I took a day trip to visit the WW1 war graves in Belgium. It was a truly moving and thought-provoking day and the experience will live with me always.

However, the day wasn’t without a light-hearted side too. Being committed chocaholics, we were literally like children in a sweet shop when we encountered the Grande Place in Ypres. One shop in particular caught our eye and we entered to be overcome by the most glorious aroma of chocolates. Laid out before us in the shop and high-ceilinged, ornately-decorated room behind were chocolates and more chocolates. All handmade, there were chocolates with liqueur fillings, chocolates with creamy fillings, chocolate tablets pressed with designs of daisies and roses, chocolate truffles, chocolate praline shells, the selection was endless.

Monsieur Vandaele in his chocolate shop with Bel and myself (far right) looking as if I had a mouth full of chocolate!

Carl Vandaele, the chocolatier, offered samples and we tried very hard to make decisions about the chocolates to buy to take back home with us! In the end I brought back selection boxes for Frank and the lovely ladies at the Abbey Business Centre. All the way home I was tempted to open a box but didn’t, thinking that Frank would be sure to share his gift with me.

In the event, Frank declared they were the very best chocolates he had ever tasted and I was very lucky to get a look in!