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Belgium has great chocolate. Belgium has great bread. Put the two together and you have a great breakfast (or anytime) treat.
Sunday: Jacques Callebaut Matinettes And Granules
While at a dinner with Chris’ coworkers, we were told that there was chocolate that you could get to put on bread to eat for breakfast. This is one of those times when I wasn’t quite sure if the person was kidding around with the Americans, or this tale of chocolate on toast for breakfast was true. I’m well acquainted with Nutella, so I figured I’d check out the grocery for this toast chocolate.
And deep in the rows of the local grocery, I found the treasure I was seeking: Jacques Callebaut granules and matinettes.
Some Chocolate you just find by accident.
Saturday: Frederic Blondeel
We found Frederic Blondeel when searching for the Delirium Bar. A bar that supposedly has 2000 beers.
Thought their website does not do justice to the elegance of their shop, it does give you an idea of their selection.
The shop is located in Place Saint Catherine. The square that is famous for it’s seafood restaurants (very plentiful in this square). There is a Metro stop for St. Catherine…so it’s hard to miss!
In addition to the amazing chocolate selection, the shop also serves The, Cafe, Chocolat Chaud (Hot Chocolate), and other various beverages. It is decorated in earth tones and has some beautiful columns that I can’t begin to explain…just gorgeous. I wish my photos captured the warmth and rich atmosphere of this shop. We enjoyed the shop alot, including the open chocolate workshop in the back. We sat and had espresso, it’s excellent! Although beware that they were about twice as big as an espresso you’d get in Italy (these were more like a double shot size).
The shop
Wow.
The website talks about haute couture chocolate.
They’re not kidding.
This place is fine.
Also a bit intimidating for a girl just looking for some great chocolate.
Friday: Pierre Marcolini
Pierre Marcolini’s website states that they are the “Haute Couture of Chocolate”.
It also states that “Pierre Marcolini has not limited himself solely to chocolate of course. As World Champion Pastry in 1995, he creates desserts, biscuits, ice creams and sorbets …” Of course! The desserts that I saw at the shop looked too good to eat. Beautiful…ready for the runway.
While Wittamer feels much more classic or traditional, Pierre Marcolini reminds me of Milan and the shops in the Quadrilatero.
The Pierre Marcolini flagship store the “Maison de Chocolats” in the Place du Grand Sablon.
Here’s a little peek through the front door.
You make your selection at the counter, and as they’re getting it and placing it into the posh bag, you pay at the cashier closet around the corner (you cannot see it unless you are in front of it). All the employees were wearing black of course.
The sleek packaging and the uber elegant shop makes the haute couture image.
A card was included in the box that stated the chocolates were best before 31-1-2008.
I guess we will just have to do our best to enjoy them in two weeks. There are already several missing.
The Earl Grey tea ganache is in the running to be my favorite so far, but I said that about Wittamer and then I had another…
This was much more chocolate than I had intended to buy, but there didn’t seem to be a prailine display at this shop…so I got the most basic collection I found: Malline N*1
The chocolate is excellent (small pieces for bit size enjoyment), and not as expensive as I originally thought. I got the above box for less than 20 euro…probably about half of what the same size ballotin would cost at Mary Chocolatier. And they also sell Pierre Marolini chocolates and pastries at the gourmet grocery just up the street from us.
Oh, and even though it’s a cliche, it’s that heart praline absolutely stunning? They sell individual hearts in their own box (like a ring box) for Valentines. So cute.
Ah, this week I mentioned how there was a lot of competition in the Place du Grand Sablon for chocolate shops. Here is an example of how close all the shops are…
That’s the window of Pierre Marcolini, the shop front of Godiva, and in the distance you can see the sign for Neuhaus (the N in a circle)!
