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Chocdoc - Checking out Chocolate in Belgium


Kerry Beal

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...and a lovely, nice touch of hospitality.

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Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
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"Every day should be filled with something delicious, because life is too short not to spoil yourself. " -- Ling (with permission)
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1 hour ago, Kerry Beal said:

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.

 

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That's so nice!!!!

 

I used to have decent handwriting....then I got older and it went to hell in a hand basket.   I could've been a doctor.

 

:P

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7 hours ago, Shelby said:

Love sprouts on a sandwich.  

 

For some reason my brain initially interpreted "sprouts" as a verb, and I had a hard time understanding where you were going with that. 

 

Obviously my caffeine consumption today has been inadequate. :P

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“Who loves a garden, loves a greenhouse too.” - William Cowper, The Task, Book Three

 

"Not knowing the scope of your own ignorance is part of the human condition...The first rule of the Dunning-Kruger club is you don’t know you’re a member of the Dunning-Kruger club.” - psychologist David Dunning

 

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4 hours ago, adey73 said:

 

ok why has no-one asked about this.. what is it?!

 

It's a mayonnaise-based sauce with pineapple, mustard, bit of curry and something acidic (lemon, tamarind or vinegar). I believe there is a dash of soy sauce in it, but I could be wrong.

Edited by Duvel (log)
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8 hours ago, Shelby said:

That's so nice!!!!

 

I used to have decent handwriting....then I got older and it went to hell in a hand basket.   I could've been a doctor.

 

:P

I used to have good handwriting too! 

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4 hours ago, Duvel said:

It's a mayonnaise-based sauce with pineapple, mustard, bit of curry and something acidic (lemon, tamarind or vinegar). I believe there is a dash of soy sauce in it, but I could be wrong.

 

Sounds about right though. 

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Breakfast this am on feast mode with high protein - I don't usually eat breakfast at home so it's a challenge.

 

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Tea - rooibos with some camomile and mint - next time camomile in a bag.

 

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Big plate of meats and cheeses.

 

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No blue ring!

 

 

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So a most interesting thing happened - I had called yesterday am over to the shop of Laurent Gerbaud - hoping to leave an EZtemper with him. He'll be back at 6 they said, called at 6, nope - won't be in until 10am tomorrow they said, called at 10, no one there, called at 10:15 - he'll be here by 11 they said. So I went walkabout - and was just outside the hotel around 11 when I was ready to call - when who should I see but Laurent putting a couple of his friends from Thailand into a taxi. Well - that could not have worked out any better - he even carried it back to his shop! Saved me the arm stretching.

 

So I spent the better part of the rest of the morning at his shop - he's just won a gold at the World Finals of the International Chocolate Awards - Gold: Laurent Gerbaud Chocolatier  (Belgium) – Ganache aux olives Taggiasche. They were busy trying to find the best way to display the award at the shop to show it off to good advantage. 

 

I got to taste this awarding winning chocolate - it was excellent. A well deserved win.

 

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It's the one on the left!

 

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So then I went walkabout again - this time looking for some lunch. Decided to stop at Leon's as it had been suggested as good for mussels. Being Monday it wasn't crazy busy which was nice. I found it interesting that the waiter brought me my bill unasked and when he gave me the credit card machine suggested how I could put in a tip! IMG_6774.thumb.jpg.140dbee0f4e8e5d79f5d264a3f427cd9.jpg

 

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Tomatoes, cream, herbs. 

 

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Would madam prefer ketchup? 

 

 

 

 

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Remember that great big squash from the beginning of my trip? Not sure if the restaurant is using it one serving at a time or not.

 

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1 minute ago, Duvel said:

Told you xD

 

I hope you turned 180 degrees and went into the Delirium village ..!

I must confess I did not!

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Walked around looking for a starchy dinner - Italian place (the one that hasn't moved) doesn't open for an hour. But there is this great little cocktail bar right next to the donut shop. 

 

I stopped for a cocktail. When I told him what I typically like but that I didn't want another Negroni - he asked if I liked gin  and of course I answered in the affirmative. I think my hubby would like this drink it's fruity enough. Not quite what I was picturing for gin and grapefruit. I'm sure I'll struggle through.

 

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but they brought chips!

 

 

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Remember this little baby from earlier in the thread?

 

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This is a 3 litre warmer assembled in Belgium that is sold to home chocolate makers. It comes with a thermometer, a polycarbonate mold, a scraper and a recipe book. But it apparently keeps a reliable temperature and would be a nice size for a small melter and is a fraction of the cost of the 3kg mol d'art melters that I have.There is a 110V wired version that was introduced in Chicago last year by the company and Laurent.

 

I asked Laurent to see if he could get me one for assessment. If it works as reliably as he thinks - I'll be heartily recommending it.

 

When I got home from dinner I was staring at my luggage trying to determine how I might fit it in if he was able to get it for me - when I noticed there was a box on the floor! My favourite front desk staff must have dropped it in my room.

 

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So - unpacked from it's box - and I see it's the 110V version so I'll be able to try it right away when I get home. 

 

Packing the luggage is still a bit of an issue though.

 

 

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3 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

Packing the luggage is still a bit of an issue though.

 Extra underwear and socks are both highly overrated. Ditch them. xD:D:D

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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

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1 hour ago, Kerry Beal said:

 

So - unpacked from it's box - and I see it's the 110V version so I'll be able to try it right away when I get home.

 


I look forward to the review. I looked at the price for the mol d'art and continued to use my glass bowls and the microwave. But "fraction of the cost" gets my attention. I'm guessing a melter or two might help reduce some of the bowl juggling.

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It's kinda like wrestling a gorilla... you don't stop when you're tired, you stop when the gorilla is tired.

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