La Pendulerie, Swiss Chocolate Shop

[souschef]

2080 Crescent St., Montreal, QC H3G 2B8
Telephone : [phone]

La Pendulerie (an unlikely name for a chocolate shop) sells clocks, Swiss chocolate, and other Swiss foodstuffs. Their chocolate is not made in-house, but is imported from Switzerland. I have tried a few of their truffles, etc, and have enjoyed them.

I stopped in today to stock up on Felchlin chocolate, which I use for cakes. I used to use exclusively Callebaut until I discovered Felchlin. The chocolate is sourced from a number of different countries. My last batch was 68% from Bolivia. This time I tried Arriba (70%), no source identified, but it is one of the chocolates used by Rose Levy Beranbaum, as stated in her latest book, so I thought I would give it a try. First thing to make is chocolate madeleines.

Just as we were about to pick up our purchases and leave, the owner offered us chocolate milk shakes, which we gladly accepted. From the range of about 30, we both chose the pistachio (crunchy) 70 %. It was wonderful, like drinking a bar of chocolate. It was made from chocolate and milk only, and was very different from any other chocolate milkshake I have ever had. I hope the warm weather holds up so I can experience it again.

[souschef]

I was there a couple of months ago and tried the Felchlin white chocolate. Normally I dislike white chocolate as I find it too sweet, but this stuff I really liked. All that was left was slightly less than a kilo. I bought it all, and liked it so much that I ate it all as is instead of using it in baking, which I had intended to do. I returned yesterday and bought a 2-kilo bag, paying about $58.

While there I tried a creme de marron-filled milk chocolate. Very nice filling, but I think it would have been better in a bittersweet coating, which would have offset the sweetness of the filling (I found it a bit too sweet).

[souschef]

I was back at the store last weekend, and finally tried the hot chocolate; I chose the Bolivia 68%. It was wonderful - incredibly rich, and definitely the best I have had. Think liquid chocolate, not hot chocolate as is served elsewhere.

I also picked up some gianduja made with Felchlin dark chocolate and hazelnuts; the label did not identify the country or percentage of cocoa. VERY tasty; it's hard to not eat it on its own instead of saving it for making desserts.

[souschef]

I was at the store yesterday, and noticed a tub of gianduja made with Felchlin Maracaibo. I had never before seen gianduja made with anything other than milk chocolate, so I asked the store owner if I could have a taste. He explained that it was made with macadamias instead of the usual hazelnuts, and did give me a taste. It was milder-flavoured than the giianduja I'm used to that is made with hazelnuts and comes from Germany, but was just as delicious. Unfortunately he was low on stock, so I couldn't buy any, but he said come back in a week. He also carries it made with hazenuts, but was all out; again, in a week.

While there I bought some gianduja-filled chocolates; really smooth and delicious. Unfortunately I didn't have time to stop for a hot chocolate.

I really envy all of you foodies who live in Montreal, but fortunately I'm only a couple of hours away.

[souschef]

The Felchlin Arriba is actually 72%. I find it a bit too bitter for my taste compared to the 68% from Bolivia, which (no surprises) is more expensive.

If anyone has an experience with the other stuff from Felchlin, I'd like to hear recommendations on what I should try next.

[Andria]

Although the weather is colder, I headed out for milkshakes with a colleague. I had the Medium dark chili - good, but not spicy at all... a bit of a disappointment. My friend ordered the Ovalmaltine - blech according to me... too pasty tasting. She, however, did enjoy it. We brought back two 64% darks (better than my chili), and one milk. So, they basically have it divided into dark, medium dark, milk, and white. May try the Pistashio dark next time. They come in small ($5.64 I believe) and large ($?)

[SnackHappy]

Could you describe these milkshakes a bit more? They sound to me more like chocolate milk or even drinking chocolate than an actual milkshake.

[Andria]

The gentleman chooses the chocolate pieces to put into your particular flavor & weighs it... adds it to the metal milkshake cup... he does add ice cream... attaches it to the machine that blends the milkshake. They are milk shakes, not chocolate milk nor drinking chocolate.

[mainsqueeze]

He doesn't add ice cream. He adds frozen milk (not ice milk, but rather milk that's frozen). I asked him about three times to be sure and seemed to get a little annoyed with all my questions. Hehe. I ordered the pimet chili 65% and it's not very piquant, though he said if I wanted it more spicy he could add chili during the melting process next time.

One can get one's drinking chocolate hot (chocolate + hot milk), cold (chocolate + cold milk) or frozen (chocolate + cold milk + frozen milk). There are dozens of flavours to choose from, including dark, milk, and white chocolate varieties.

[BLM]

Yes you are correct, he uses frozen milk(not ice cream as someone pointed out).

[Andria]

Frozen milk? Really? I never thought to ask what it was... just watched him scoop and made an assumption - sorry folks! Thanks to those a little more inquisitive than me.

[mainsqueeze]

Are they made with ice cream?

[BLM]

I don't think so. Tried their chocolate milkshake for first time several weeks ago.

[souschef]

I'm glad you enjoyed the dark. I dislike spicy hot food, so would not go anywhere near the chili.

One chocolate I am curious about, and hope they have it in milkshake form is the Felchlin Maraicabo 49%. The store owner described it as a mixture of milk and dark.

[moh]

When the weather gets colder, try their hot chocolate, it is excellent!

[anachemia]

Oooh, thank you so much for this tip! Went there today to check it out - the guy (owner?) is SO nice, and the milkshakes were absolutely incredible. I tried the crunch pistachio (yum!) and hubby had one of the dark chocolate ones that knocked his socks off (and he's pretty selective when it comes to ice cream and milkshakes). Highly recommended!

[Andria]

Oh no... chocolate milkshakes that good, that close to my work? I'm not even far enough to burn off any calories. I guess I know what I am having on Monday.

[souschef]

Try the blackberry truffle when you're there. It's very nice, but on the sweet side, so you can't have too many.

[alixium]

oooh the temptation!!
Thank you for the heads up, souschef, as I was in dire need of baking chocolate. Are Felchlin and Callebaut chocolates similarly priced?

[souschef]

Callebaut is about $25/kg whereas Felchlin is $28 - $35/kg, depending upon which one you buy. You may be able to get Callebaut cheaper from a bulk place, but I don't know if the grade is the same as the one I get from a German baker.

Prestige Chocolate at JTM carries a variety, including Valrhona, which is about twice the price of Callebaut.

[alixium]

I suspected Felchlin to be more expensive... My meager budget will thus be spent on Callebaut. (with the amount of baking I get done, I do not think it is worth it to buy my chocolate in bulk)
thank you for the info!

[souschef]

Felchlin comes in 2 kg bags, but you can buy it in smaller quantities; however, the price per kilo is then higher as they pulverize it so that it can be used in hot chocolate.

I was able to readily taste the difference in cakes that I made. Felchlin was definitely better,

[Andria]

So... if I can't have too many of the blackberry truffle, and you have also already recommended the pistachio, so which do you recommend for me to have if I limit myself to just one tomorrow?

[souschef]

Salvation (or is that salivation?) is at hand - you do not have to limit yourself to just one! The blackberry truffle is a truffle, while the pistachio is a milk shake. BTW I enjoyed the pistachio, but there is a whole host of flavours from which you may choose.

Please report back here after your visit.