Chocdoc - Checking out Chocolate in Belgium

[Kerry Beal]

9 hours ago, IowaDee said:

Might be just me but your meals aren't jumping out and wowing me this trip.  And, yes, that green ringed egg was a surprise for sure.  Usually seeing what you eat has me greener than that egg!

One of the hazards of travelling with other people I suspect. I've got a few days yet in Brussels by myself - of course I'll fall victim to the everything closed Sunday and Monday issue I'm sure!

[Kerry Beal]

8 hours ago, Porthos said:

 

The trick is to steam them rather than boil them. Steaming is a bit more tolerant on timing - and they peel easier.

The boiled eggs I've had for the last two days at breakfast in the hotel I'm in now were perfectly done. No sulphur ring a all.

[Kerry Beal]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Veal stew

[Kerry Beal]

Back in Brussels - finally found the restaurant I had missed twice before - once because I got lost and once because it was closed. It was open today - but was going to be half an hour before we were allowed in - so back to Vertigo for a cocktail.

 

A modified Negroni for me 

 

 

and for Bea - a modified Mojito - we took video and I can't figure out how to show you one frame of the video

 

Then back to Pei and Mei.

 

 

 

 

Amuse - beet salad and a lovely soup.

 

 

 

 

 

Shared a appetizer - coddled egg with mushrooms and foie (and these tasty little croutons.

 

 

 

Boar for Bea

 

 

Veal for me - I can't begin to describe how tasty this was

 

 

Spuds and spinach.

 

 

 

Didn't have dessert. but did look at the menu

Edited October 15, 2017 by Kerry Beal
reorder pictures (log)

[IowaDee]

Okay, my trigger has been tripped by that meal.  Looks wonderful.

[Kerry Beal]

Just coming back on the train from Brugge - found a fabulous chocolate shop that wasn't on our radar. He's doing bean to bar (and bean to bonbon). He's become known for 6 hours on Christmas Eve putting caviar in a chocolate cup  

 

 

 

 

[Kerry Beal]

 

 

 

 

 

The Chocolate Line also is doing bean to bar these days. 

 

 

 

I thought it was interesting that in the cabinet with the 'chocolate shooter' (i.e. cocoa snuff) there was a newspaper article with a picture of Dominique with the Rolling Stones - but apparently it was developed for a birthday party for the boys back in 2007.

 

Edited October 15, 2017 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Kerry Beal]

Lunch today - 

 

 

just kidding

 

 

 

Belgian Pigeon House

 

 

 

 

amuse - ham and cheese roll up 

 

 

Mussels done in wood burning oven

 

l

 

Lamb for me

 

 

pigeon for Riko

 

 

Roast potatoes 

[Kerry Beal]

Choco Story museum 

 

 

[Anna N]

36 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

Belgian Pigeon House

Now we’re talking!  Jealous. So jealous. 

[Shelby]

I gasped out loud when I saw McDonalds was the lunch venue 

 

Those chocolate tools look SO REAL.

[Kerry Beal]

2 hours ago, Shelby said:

I gasped out loud when I saw McDonalds was the lunch venue 

 

Those chocolate tools look SO REAL.

Don't they just

[BeatriceB]

I'm such a goof, I thought they were real! And thought that it was weird to sell macarons, etc. next to those icky old tools! Will I never learn?!

I have been enjoying this account of Belgian restaurants and chocolate purveyors very much, especially the meal at the Belgian Pigeon House. As AnnaN said, beyond jealous!

[Smithy]

The chocolate tools fooled me, too!

 

These "chocolate letter" kits also look like a fun and clever idea:

 

Can you tell more about what's included in the kit, and what the 'ink' is?  I'm fairly sure that if someone sent me such a letter it would sit around, too precious to eat, until it bloomed.^*  It would be a cool gift, though.

 

^*(I kept a chocolate relief map of California, sent by my parents, for around 20 years before I gave in and ate it.  It was still good, but there was snow on the Sierras by then.)

 

[Kerry Beal]

8 hours ago, Smithy said:

The chocolate tools fooled me, too!

 

These "chocolate letter" kits also look like a fun and clever idea:

 

Can you tell more about what's included in the kit, and what the 'ink' is?  I'm fairly sure that if someone sent me such a letter it would sit around, too precious to eat, until it bloomed.^*  It would be a cool gift, though.

 

^*(I kept a chocolate relief map of California, sent by my parents, for around 20 years before I gave in and ate it.  It was still good, but there was snow on the Sierras by then.)

 

What I think they are is like the coloured cocoa butter transfer sheets that we use to make the colourful flat topped chocolates - but this time it has been applied to a thin piece of parchment paper. So the kit contains the bar, the white or red parchment depending on dark or white chocolate and perhaps some sort of tool for writing (didn't see that part). 

[Kerry Beal]

Back on my jet lag program for the return -  yesterday was a 'feast' day with a high calorie, high protein breakfast and lunch - and a high calorie carb dinner. That consisted of two of those lovely brioche with raisin buns I showed you before and a doughnut from a shop around the corner from my hotel (I'll find the name later) - it's I Got Baked in Brussels. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 15, 2017 by Kerry Beal
Right side up a photo (log)

[Kerry Beal]

Today is low cal high protein breakfast and  lunch and dinner and low cal high carb dinner. Meals will be a challenge today!

 

 

 

and no caffeine so rooibus tea - and I've just discovered the hotel has decent sized mugs I could have liberated for the trip and returned on Tuesday 

Edited October 15, 2017 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Kerry Beal]

 

 

Lunch was the tuna salad from the filling of the sandwich - lovely with capers and greens. She made me two sandwiches - issue of translation I think - I asked for tuna - she said 'pardon' - I said Thon - so she must have interpreted that as two thon (tuna).

Edited October 15, 2017 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Shelby]

Love sprouts on a sandwich.  

[Kerry Beal]

It was a beautiful day today - warm enough to be out without a jacket. Caught this picture of the sun lighting up a church as I was heading out for dinner.

 

 

 

 

I decided to blow the entire carb/calorie budget on one thing tonight. I'm probably a little over and it might not deplete my glycogen stores for the jet lag program as well as it should. But damn it - I wanted frites.

 

 

Fritland frites with Brazil sauce - excellent suggestion @Duvel. Still looking out for Jeanneke pis - I think perhaps tomorrow I might find her. And perhaps the dog. 

 

 

[rotuts]

@Kerry Beal

 

have you moved to Belgium ?

 

seems pretty reasonable 

 

based on what Ive seen so far .

 

[Kerry Beal]

5 minutes ago, rotuts said:

@Kerry Beal

 

have you moved to Belgium ?

 

seems pretty reasonable 

 

based on what Ive seen so far .

 

Not I - can't afford to quit my day job!

[Kerry Beal]

The staff at the hotel have been very wonderful to me - sneaking butter out of the kitchen after hours, giving me suggestions for places to eat and find things. Of course I had to take them down some of the chocolate I brought with me.

 

This was tucked under the door a short while ago.

 

[Anna N]

 Beautiful handwriting.  

[Kerry Beal]

Just now, Anna N said:

 Beautiful handwriting.  

It is, isn't it.