Last week we paid a visit to Stubbe Chocolates in the Byward Market in Ottawa, where I reviewed their standard hot chocolate that they offer. At the time I was told that they had another hot chocolate and I promised them that I would be back to try it.
We went back today, and I’m so glad we did.
Heinrich often travels to Columbia, the birthplace of his life partner Pilar and also the source of a lot of their beautiful chocolate. On their regular trips they work on plantations harvesting cocoa pods, fermenting beans extracted from the pods, drying and roasting them. They also contribute to chocolate apprenticeship programs run by the Columbian government.
On one of their trips they came back with a magical substance called “nectar de cacao” or the nectar of chocolate which is the bean that is pressed so much that the cocoa butter is extracted. Cane sugar, cinnamon, cloves and powdered vanilla are mixed in at a low speed and this creates the base for the other hot chocolate that they offer, and the one I was so eager to try.
I loved this hot chocolate, especially the presentation. It was served in a colourful Mexican expresso cup with a dash of cream on the top. Next to this was another colourful little plate with a little cookie dipped in chocolate. All of this was served on a small silver tray and presented to us at our table. We had three choices of flavours, regular, cinnamon & clove and chili. I ordered the cinnamon & clove. I have had many hot chocolates with cinnamon but never clove, and the combination of the two together is so much more interesting than any one of the two alone. The cinnamon gave it a that beautiful aroma and the cloves a nice but subtle little kick.
Verdict: Not only do they have beautiful chocolates, all hand made in store, but they have two very different and very nice hot chocolates. To top that all off, everyone there is so friendly. If you have ever had any questions about chocolates, or are in Ottawa and want a beautiful hot chocolate, this is the place to come and ask. Stubbe Chocolates, 375 Dalhousie Street, Ottawa, Canada
