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A Taste Of The Townships René Henquin's Chocolate |
| By: Tanya Singfield, Sutton |
HEAVENLY CHOCOLATE: HOW SWEET IT IS!
| Chocolate was once known as the "drink of the Gods". Ten years ago, René and Catherine Henquin opened a little chocolate shop in Sutton. As you enter "Chocolaterie René Henquin" today, you are greeted by a rich, delectable aroma. The confections in the display case are a feast for the eyes. In the kitchen beyond, white, dark and milk chocolate is slowly being stirred in huge vats. In the center of the room, a large table holds chocolate creations at various stages of completion. With Christmas less than a month away, the Henquins have barely a moment to spare. "We're putting in 15 hours a day, seven days a week" said René. In addition to Easter and Valentine's, this is their busiest time, so we were very lucky to be shown around the shop, which is also a pastry shop on weekends, and a chocolate museum.
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 NewsPaper clipping of Chocolaterie René Henquin |
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Henquin said they are the only chocolate makers in Quebec to have a museum, where they give demonstrations three times a week from mid-June to October. The demonstration normally takes about an hour and covers the history of chocolate. There are maps, charts and photographs on the walls; cacao beans, enormous slabs of base chocolate, molds and utensils on display; and a film, available in English or French. There is also a fascinating and enchanting miniaturized mock-up with little figurines and moving parts, showing the entire chocolate manufacturing process, from bean to edible product. Although chocolate is made and eaten almost everywhere, Henquin claims that Belgian and Swiss chocolates are the best. He studied chocolate making in his native Belgium for seven years. "It's not something you learn overnight" he said. |
All his chocolates are made from 100% pure Callebaut base chocolate imported from Belgium, and filled with his own recipes, using only all-natural ingredients and traditional methods. The base chocolate has to be carefully heated, cooled and re-heated to precisely the right temperature before it can be used, in order to preserve its flavor, texture and appearance. Henquin now has 40 years of pastry-making and 38 years of chocolate-making experience behind him. His wife Catherine looks after the business side of things. "We have three main types of customers" she said. "There are the winter people, the summer people and the permanent residents. We also supply Patisserie Gaby in Magog and Patisserie Lac Brome in Knowlton". They have quite a few American customers as well, from northern New York to Florida in the south, from Seattle, Washington to Washington D.C. She herself never gets tired of chocolate and eats it at least three times a day. "I eat chocolate after every meal" she said. |
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| Each Christmas, René Henquin makes a Nativity Scene entirely out of chocolate which one of his customers can win in a drawing. For a chance to win, don't forget to deposit your name in the box if you visit the Chocolaterie. Next summer, the Henquins are planning to expand so they can receive more visitors at their museum and hold demonstrations more frequently. |
For a special holiday dessert, Henquin offers the following recipe:
RENÉ HENQUIN'S "MOUSSE AU CHOCOLAT BELGE"
Ingredients:
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Beat eggs and sugar together until foamy. Whip 3/4 of the cream until quite thick and stiff. Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Carefully heat the remaining cream, just to scald, and add to the melted chocolate. Mix well, and gradually add chocolate mixture to the whipped cream, delicately folding it in with a spatula. Finally, fold in the foamy egg-and-sugar mixture in the same way. Spoon or pipe mousse into glass serving dishes and chill well before serving. May be garnished with chocolate shavings if desired. |
| (*) For best results, Henquin strongly recommends using Callebaut chocolate (available at his shop) or other 100% pure Belgian or Swiss chocolate. | |
info@sunnymead.org
P.O. Box 277
Waterloo, PQ, Canada
J0E 2N0
Tel: (450) 539-2098 / Fax: (450) 539-5176
P.O. Box 277
Waterloo, PQ, Canada
J0E 2N0
Tel: (450) 539-2098 / Fax: (450) 539-5176
