I was so excited to go to Stubbe. It doesn’t look like much at all from outside but I had heard so many good things about their chocolates. I walked by the front window last week and saw that they had some tables and chairs. Tables and chairs in a chocolate shop pretty much always means there is a hot chocolate for me to taste.
They have no menu at Stubbe, just a lot of incredible looking chocolates. I asked a very friendly woman who came out from the back, that magical place where they seem to be actually making the chocolates, “Do you have a hot chocolate?” Yes she answered. Would you like a normal one, or one with a bit of chili, available with or without whipped cream? We ordered one the normal one, and one with chili, both with cream on top. She nodded, and walked to the back to make the drinks while we took a seat at one of the tables near the window.
While today the Stubbe store is situated near the Byward Market in Ottawa, there is quite a history behind the store. It was all started by Petrus Stubbe, who started making chocolate in 1845 in Germany. Almost 150 years later, his great great grandson Heinrich Stubbe opened a new chapter in the history of the chocolate family business, by moving to Ottawa Canada.
With this rich history, I had high expectations for this hot chocolate, very high, maybe too high. I was expecting some gorgeous, rich, slightly bitter, chocolately delight. What we got was more a large mug with hot milk and a hint of chocolate. Once I shifted my thinking from rich chocolately delight to beautiful every day drink though, I really liked this one. Mine had a very nice hint of chili, the nicest hint of chili I have had in a hot chocolate.
We picked out a few of their beautiful hand made truffles and went to pay. As we were leaving I ask her “Do you made any thicker hot chocolates” Yes of course they do, and in three flavours. Ahhhhh why didn’t you tell me this earlier!! Hence this is part 1, and for part 2 of Stubbe you will have to wait until next week.
Verdict: Their normal hot chocolate is very nice and their truffles (I had the champagne truffle) are very very nice. Stubbe Chocolates, 375 Dalhousie St., Ottawa, Canada
