Chocdoc - Checking out Chocolate in Belgium

Kerry Beal · October 5, 2017

Just now, Anna N said:

I would have been hard-pressed to resist this (stamppot). But then I would’ve fallen for the mussels anyway!

Indeed! He seemed surprised that I only had the appetizer sized mussels - had I but known!

Anna N · October 5, 2017

1 minute ago, Kerry Beal said:

Indeed! He seemed surprised that I only had the appetizer sized mussels - had I but known!

Damn the more I look at that menu the more I might’ve had to stay there for the month.

Kerry Beal · October 5, 2017

1 minute ago, Anna N said:

Damn the more I look at that menu the more I might’ve had to stay there for the month.

You know there's a reason I posted the menu don't you?

Anna N · October 5, 2017

Just now, Kerry Beal said:

You know there's a reason I posted the menu don't you?

Absolutely. You just can’t resist tormenting me. :biggrin:

**Shelby** · October 5, 2017

46 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

My little misadventure, that took me off the path, brought me past this little gem on my way back to Lombard Street.

These two gentlemen and I were the only occupants at 2:30 or so when I arrived.

Nice butter, parsley and white wine sauce to soak up the the bread (and the fries).

\\

The mussels look divine.......who knew they had Miracle Whip over there?

32 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

Back on track - and hunger sated - I found the shops I needed to - and a few others I didn't need to.

Not a lot of chocolate here

Or here - but I did get some lokum.

There was a lovely little market in the square - one of the vendors had old metal chocolate molds - amazingly I resisted!

This place was very difficult to find - I totally missed the sandwich board because I was coming at it from the wrong angle - I walked around two blocks and was ready to research it's closing when I realized it was right behind where I was standing! It is Pierre Ledent - makes a very nice macaron - less sugar, more almond - makes them quite fragile.

More bloom on the second row back. How sad is it that I didn't take pics of nice chocolates - only the crummy ones.

Pierre Marcolini - making these lovely pieces that they package to look like lipstick!

I recall tasting these last trip - don't recall if I cared for them. Will have to test again.

Was quite taken by this box!

Of course if you are a famous chocolatier - your bust will never be bronze!

We must commission someone to do a bust like this of you, Kerry.

12 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

One of the stops on the tour is not a chocolate shop - it's Aux Merveilleux de Fred. Merveilleux appear to be a couple of meringues with a glob of cream between then rolled in various shavings.

A coffee one and a chocolate one.

Fred's also sells raisin cramiques.

Leonidas takes claim to the Manon - coffee buttercream with a hazelnut.

Corné does them one better with a coffee flavoured fondant coating - they claimed to be the only one making them - when I mentioned that I had seen them in several other shops they seemed genuinely surprised. There's however had an excellent buttercream.

Mary's said the Mary and the salted Breton caramel were their two best.

Neuhaus developed these for a world's fair I believe he said - so one of their newer items and a good seller. It's a roll of nougatine with a filling. One of these is coffee apparently.

Did get some of the macaron and they are indeed good and indeed fragile.

My little bag of lokum.

Lokum is like Turkish Delight maybe? Am I having deja vu? Have I asked that question before?

BonVivant · October 5, 2017

More about the "noses" on BBC: (video clip loads and plays immediately)

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20170710-how-a-candy-divided-this-belgian-town

I have never tried the noses and don't even want to (no sweet tooth).

Kerry Beal · October 5, 2017

15 minutes ago, Shelby said:

The mussels look divine.......who knew they had Miracle Whip over there?

We must commission someone to do a bust like this of you, Kerry.

Lokum is like Turkish Delight maybe? Am I having deja vu? Have I asked that question before?

Yup - it's Turkish Delight.

I love the chocolate bust idea!

Kerry Beal · October 5, 2017

13 minutes ago, BonVivant said:

More about the "noses" on BBC: (video clip loads and plays immediately)

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20170710-how-a-candy-divided-this-belgian-town

I have never tried the noses and don't even want to (no sweet tooth).

I recall sweetness and I suspect I didn't care for them or I would have tried to make them I'm sure.

Kerry Beal · October 5, 2017

I don't usually eat in the hotel - however I bought into the explanation that it was good Spanish food and I'm suspecting it will be.

glass of spanish rose

a lovely bread with fabulous butter (gotta sneak the rest up to my room for my cramique)

I mentioned I would have enjoyed some iberico but that sitting by myself it might be a bit much - so chef sent me over a spinach and leek croquette. Perfectly made!

Edited October 5, 2017 by Kerry Beal
correct iberico to leek (log)

KennethT · October 5, 2017

When in Brussels, one must have the mussels!!! We were in Brussels several years ago - had lots of mussels, as well as a few GIANT Belon oysters - you had to cut them with a knife prior to eating! We visited Pierre Marcolini - at the time, the internet wasn't my first go-to for info, and we asked our concierge who said it was the best chocolatiere in Brussels - that was his opinion... what we had there was excellent (and no bloom to be found). We also happened to be there (by sheer luck) for the "flower carpet" which takes place over a couple days every 2 years... And, as luck would have it, we were there on the night it was being taken down, and they let only a handful of people (maybe 10) - us included - in to help "destroy" it.... My wife even wound up getting briefly interviewed by a local TV station about it! All by sheer luck!

KennethT · October 5, 2017

Beurre D'Isigny is pretty good... my local Fairway supermarket used to carry it, and I still have some in my fridge at home...

Kerry Beal · October 5, 2017

suckling lamb shoulder

just sent half a carrot to ground - slippery little bastard

I'm sitting at a high bar table - everything is at the wrong height

Edited October 5, 2017 by Kerry Beal (log)

Kerry Beal · October 5, 2017

They sent over cookies to go with my tea.

Edited October 5, 2017 by Kerry Beal (log)

Kerry Beal · October 5, 2017

Oh my god - they've heated the milk (and foamed it I think)

**curls** · October 5, 2017

Thank you for all the pictures!

Glad you found that electronics shop. Everywhere you go, you provide exceptional customer support for the EZtemper.

Very nice to see the menu -- now I know that at least one place in Belgium has ice cream desserts like they have in the Netherlands! I'm surprised to see them selling bloomed chocolates. So many beautiful and yummy looking things! Did you pick up anything at the cheese shop?

Hope you are enjoying yourself on this trip. I'm sure Anna would like you to enjoy a few more plates of mussels. ;-)

Kerry Beal · October 5, 2017

3 minutes ago, curls said:

Thank you for all the pictures!

Glad you found that electronics shop. Everywhere you go, you provide exceptional customer support for the EZtemper.

Very nice to see the menu -- now I know that at least one place in Belgium has ice cream desserts like they have in the Netherlands! I'm surprised to see them selling bloomed chocolates. So many beautiful and yummy looking things! Did you pick up anything at the cheese shop?

Hope you are enjoying yourself on this trip. I'm sure Anna would like you to enjoy a few more plates of mussels. ;-)

I didn't get anything at the cheese shop - I did look at some young Tomme cheese but realized I didn't have the ability to make aligot in my hotel room.

Tri2Cook · October 6, 2017

14 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

I did look at some young Tomme cheese but realized I didn't have the ability to make aligot in my hotel room.

There's not a coffee pot and a hair dryer in your room?

Kerry Beal · October 6, 2017

26 minutes ago, Tri2Cook said:

There's not a coffee pot and a hair dryer in your room?

Funny boy - you want mcgiver?

Kerry Beal · October 6, 2017

Wondered out this morning in search of electrical tape. And a mug for my tea.

This was not on the street when I went out yesterday. It was attracting a lot of attention.

I found myself in another square where the vendors had a combination of antiques and junque - I was rooting through some boxes and found a beer mug that would have worked for my tea - however it was beginning to rain again and the vendors weren't anxious to do business.

So I took myself into Au Vieux Marche and had a Salad Niçoise - there were a couple of anchovies hidden in there that provided a salty surprise!

Kerry Beal · October 6, 2017

Found a supermarket on my return - of course I needed to check out every shelf.

Love the idea of square spice jars!

On the left beef fat, on the right vegetable.

Kerry Beal · October 6, 2017

I also wandered in and out of various antique and art shops - the last one kind of put a damper on that when I looked at the content of some of the art. Tintin isn't supposed to accompany a very large phallus is he?

Ran across a housewares shop -

Liked these - but didn't buy.

Found a perfect beer/tea mug. Probably much cheaper than the one I would have got at the square given my negotiating skills.

I ran across the frite stand that I have passed a few times in my travels but resisted. Today I chose to give in.

Petite frite with joppe sauce. Need suggestions about sauce choices - don't know what most of them are.

rotuts · October 6, 2017

gee wizz

@Kerry Beal

get right back to that shop and buy those white upside-down thing-ies

if not 2 of each

why ?

your are going to have NightMares of a Phantasmagoric Nature for

quite some time if you don't bring back (2) of each.

the british beer mug

not so much.

I don't even know what those white things are

but they are perfect and Speak to Me.

just saying

Kerry Beal · October 6, 2017

With my electrical tape in hand (which I found at the very first shop I went to to try to find a connector) I finished up my repair and put the injured EZtemper back together. Took me longer to get that one tiny little screw back in the top than to do the whole damn repair.

But there is something satisfying about listening to it purr like a kitten over on the table.

rotuts · October 6, 2017

P.S.:

@Kerry Beal

remember this : your eye caught those two items above for a reason !

keep that in mind !

P.S.S. :

of course if Amazon has them

Ill get 2 of each having no idea what they do

but I do know

they do [ whatever ] very well.

Kerry Beal · October 6, 2017

Just now, rotuts said:

P.S.:

@Kerry Beal

remember this : your eye caught those two items above for a reason !

keep that in mind !

P.S.S. :

of course if Amazon has them

Ill get 2 of each having no idea what they do

but I do know

they do [ whatever ] very well.

They are for mussels - big serving and little serving. Did I mention that mussels were a twofer at the grocery store today. Cheap relative to everything else in there.

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