8 October 2016
When I told my French colleague that I’d been invited to a tasting at Jeff de Bruges, his initial response was “Oh, Belgian chocolates are quite traditional”. I was somewhat surprised by his comment and it made me think “what’s in stored for my second visit and will I reach the same conclusion?”.
As I arrive at Jeff’s, Audrey, whom I’d been corresponding with recently, and the lovely shop assistant from my previous visit, Esther, are there to greet me. Of course, the heavenly sight and aroma of chocolates are inviting too. Audrey leads me to the rear of the shop where a platter of Jeff’s best has been beautifully laid out just for me!
After initial introductions and some exchanges in my very limited (petit peu) French, we dive straight into the chocolates. Several on the platter are familiar – I’ve purchased and tasted them during my first visit, so I hone in on the lesser known. Audrey points to the milk chocolate Scottish Terrier-shaped piece (named Warren). “It’s different” she says, when I inform her that I’d previously tried the dark chocolate version. I take my first bite and affirm that she’s right. It’s a textural teaser. The crunchiness of the hazelnut praline, complemented by the caramelised and toasted sesame seeds, hits you first, followed by the smoothness of the milk chocolate. It’s sweet, nutty and slightly buttery all in the one mouthful.
On the theme of atypical Belgian, Audrey brings me the Espelette. “You may like this one” she tells me. As I sink my teeth through the milk chocolate coating, I am met with a well balanced caramel ganache. But it’s as the caramel ganache dissolves that the Espelette surprise is revealed. There are hints of spicyness; not overpowering, just enough to let you know that it’s there. I could have done with a bit more spice but I understand – they need to cater to extreme levels of tolerance. Esther tells me that the spicyness comes from peppers or chillies from Espelette, a quaint village dedicated to chillies in the French Basque Country, south of the wine region of Bordeaux.
Next on the “to try” list are one each of Audrey and Esther’s favourite Juliette (Jeff’s version of the mendiant). The dark chocolate Juliette with caramelised slivers of almonds and dried berries is, in my opinion, a perfect post-dinner treat. The dark chocolate is the supporting act to the main stars, the caramelised almonds and berries. The milk chocolate Juliette is a play on textures, with a crunchy whole almond in the centre and chewy bits of nougat. I’m not initially wowed by it until Esther offers me another piece with more aniseeds. The aniseeds add a whole new dimension to the taste experience and somehow, to me, keeps the overall sweetness level of the Juliette in check. Aniseed and milk chocolate – nice! And once again, atypical Belgian.
Audrey tells me that I need to try the Orangette. It’s apparently a traditional Christmas treat in France. My initial reaction is lukewarm as I’ve had many a chocolate-coated candied fruit in the past and found them too sweet. However, I oblige and slice a piece off the baton-shaped treat. Think a cold serve of orange juice on a warm summer’s day. The candied orange is refreshing and sweet, but not overly sweet like candied or glacé fruit. And it pairs very well with the dark chocolate. Plus the proportion of fruit and chocolate is just right. A great palate cleanser, I reckon.
I turn my attention to Jeff’s ice cream, to which Audrey asks “Have you had them before?”. I admit that I have not, so Audrey enthusiastically leads me to the ice cream section. Esther recommends that I give the salted caramel and chocolate ice cream a go. I must say, I’ve tried variants the world over and this one actually rates quite highly on my list. Each flavour is distinct and well controlled so that it does not overpower the other. And the sweetness level is spot on, unlike many other commercial and store-bought offerings that have yet to strike the correct balance. A sure hit for the coming summer months. Just wished that I could have purchased some to take home.
At the end of my tasting experience, Audrey presents me with even more chocolates. I tell her that I will endeavour to spread the love of chocolates by hosting a tasting of my own.☺️
To conclude, I think Jeff de Bruges offers a classy but affordable chocolate experience that is beyond just traditional Belgian. They still have some way to go to resonate with the majority of locals Down Under, who are more accustomed to commercial store-bought offerings, but are definitely on the right track. I wish Audrey, Esther and the rest of the team every success as they continue to build Jeff’s chocolate presence Down Under and spread the love for Belgian chocolates, with a French flair!
