Naughty and nice
Melora Koepke
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Sweet discoveries and heavenly holiday treat ideas from local chocolate makers
photo: Melora Koepke
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Locally made artisanal treats to bring out the lover in your loved ones
The Salon Passion Chocolat (www.salonpassionchocolat.com), held last weekend at Marché Bonsecours in the Old Port, is, simply, a chocolate fair. But, after an afternoon spent perusing all the bark, truffles, caramels and hot chocolate mixtures imaginable, a sense of overload, however delicious, sets in and everything sort of melts together. Or most things, anyway. After visiting every single booth, though, I came away with a pretty good idea of where the action was in local sweets and luxury edibles and drinkables. All of the products below are locally made, top-of-the-line and available at a retail outlet or website near you.French-from-France agriculteur Pascal Klein's duck farm Les Canardises (www.lescanardises.com) in St-Ferréol-les-Neiges became operational this year. Besides foie gras and rillettes and cassoulet made in the traditional French manner, he also makes chocolates from the ducky byproducts of his farm. Yes, organic, free-range duck-fat chocolate that has to be tasted to be believed. Possibly a killer app for both duck fat and chocolate.
Not only is "topinambour" one of the best words in the French language, the weird little choco-bites from Ferme BioMed (www.fermebiomed.com) made of bittersweet couverture over lyophilized Jerusalem artichoke bits are actually quite tasty, and they're
perfect for the health food freak or dieter on your list. Jerusalem artichokes are good for weight loss, improve the digestive flora (due to prebiotic inulin) and contain fructo-oligo-saccharides - oh yeah! Danielle Lefebvre is a powerhouse of chocolate psychology. Her company, Trucs et Truffes (www.trucsettruffes.com), offers all sorts of corporate team-building involving chocolate. Can choc-life-coaching be far behind? She also animates b-day parties for kids and offers a "junior chocolatier kit" that contains all the tools and ingredients necessary for the young pastry chef on your list. There's also a kit for adults.
Les Chocolats Taboo George Lesny (www.chocolatstaboo.com) believes that the ideal chocolate should be light and not too sweet, containing no butter and with a cocoa content of at least 70 percent. Lesny's new store on Monkland sells truly top-of-the-line bonbons made with Callebaut chocolate, with names that sound like sex toys. The Vibe is praline, Pinnacle is cinnamon and chili pepper, Tingle is ginger and lime, Package is pecan and Frangelico, and the Tiger Tooth is best of all.
Miss Chocolat Nathalie Borne (www.misschocolat.com), a Gatineau chocolatière, had some of the most standout tastes of the fair. Chewing on a Praline Maki got seaweed in my teeth, but it's the perfect gift for the chocoholic who thinks she's seen it all. The true champion is Borne's chocolate with Riopelle cheese filling - unlike anything I've ever tasted; truly unique.
Pair sweetness and spirits with the potent drinkables of Pear Ice Wine Domaine des Salamandres (www.salamandres.ca) - their 2009 limited edition bottle is less sweet, but light, strong and sunny, having been aged half-time in oak barrels. Intermiel Medieval Honey Mead (www.intermiel.com) is a limited edition mead from Quebec's largest honey producers - it comes in an attractive ceramic bottle with a wax seal (very Nouvelle France) and packs a punch.
Amandes de Maribel Maribel Blanco (ademaribel@videotron.ca), from Wakefield in the Outaouais, makes flavoured almonds in an assortment of fun flavours. The true standouts are Quebec-grown lavender- and rose-flavoured nuts, which she calls "emotional" because of all the petal ripping that goes into them.
Marilou Prud'homme used to be a historian who worked in museums (Pointe-à-Caillière and Ottawa's Museum of Civilization). Now she creates living history with her Fine Foods Make History products (www.finsmets.ca), made using recipes from the colony of New France: sablés (shortbread), as well as fruit syrups and vinaigrettes from salted herbs of the Bas-St-Laurent.
A few bites of the macaroons from Point G (www.boutiquepointg.com) in wonderful, original flavours (poppy, balsamic vinegar) will swell your secret spots till they're as florid and dilated as these colourful cookies.
