History of the Chocolate

The "Brown gold" of the New World

The etymology of the word “Chocolate” may remain uncertain and open debate even today, but there can be no doubt that at the origins of the drink lies the Aztec civilization.

The god Quetzalcoatl, gardener of paradise, was venerated as guardian of the cocoa tree, purveyor of both strength and wealth. The seeds, or beans, were used as a form of currency. It was the spectacle of monkeys and squirrels sucking the refreshing pulp surrounding the beans that first gave men the idea of tasting it. Who was it who first had the notion of roasting and crushing them into a paste? Nobody knows.

But in the course of time, the sophisticated Aztec civilization discovered how to flavor cocoa paste with spices in order to make a nourishing and invigorating drink, as useful to the poor, as a supplement to their staple diet of maize broth, as to the king, Moctezuma II, as a source of gastronomic pleasure.

When, in 1502, Christopher Columbus was presented with some cocoa beans by an Indian chief, he failed to realize the value of this gift, as he had only visited the coastal zone of this land of ‘New Spain’ and was not familiar with this customs. Not until the conquest of Central America by Hernàn Cortès and his men was the significance of cocoa bean to be understood and the drink of chocolate to be discovered. Having set out in search of Eldorado, the conquistador were somewhat disconcerted by this “brown gold” they had discovered.

Chocolate Collection

Gourmandises Avenue chocolates are handcrafted using high quality chocolate couverture with a minimum of 70% of cocoa, 100% cocoa butter contain. Using local Nova Scotian products such as honey, dulse seaweed, port wine, iced wine, maple syrup and more. No artificial flavor and preservatives are used in our chocolate creation.

Chocolate Candies & Truffles

Bee Mist (Honey/Lavender)
Acadie 1604-2004 (Dulse)
Guerande (Fleurs de sel)
Gaspereau Valley (NovaScotia Port wine)
Palet Or Vanille
Sechouan Truffle
Raspberry Truffle
Ortega Vidal Truffle (Nova Scotia Ice wine)
Irish Coffee
Praliné Royal
Pear/Ginger
Exotic Truffle
Malakoff
Gianduja
and more...

Chocolate Couverture & Bars

Nova Scotia Seashells
French dark chocolate couverture 70% cocoa, cocoa
beans from Cuba

Carré Tanzanie
French dark chocolate couverture
75% cocoa, cocoa beans
from Tanzania

Saveur Ivoire
French white chocolate couverture

Extra Bitter Diamond
French dark chocolate couverture 85% Cocoa

Crunchy Bar 70%
French dark chocolate couverture 70% cocoa, rice crispy

Palet Milk Orange
French milk chocolate couverture 34% cocoa, natural orange flavor

Carré Papouasie
French milk chocolate couverture 37% cocoa, cocoa beans from New Guinea

Nova Scotia Seashells Sugar Free
Dark chocolate couverture 65% cocoa

Hazelnut Bar 70%
French dark chocolate couverture 70% cocoa, toasted hazelnuts

Milk Sarrasin Bar
French milk chocolate couverture 34% cocoa, buckwheat seeds

Friandises

Petites Gourmandises
Mix nuts assortment and chocolate couverture
palet 70%.

Acadie Folie
Caramelized pecan nuts with pure Nova Scotia maple syrup

Chocolate Ginger
Candied ginger covered with dark chocolate
couverture 70%

Assorted Homemade Jams
Red Fruits, Orange Fennel, Pear Ginger, Exotic, Blueberry Blackberry Blackcurrant, Peach Apricot, Plum Tea, Aplle Vanilla

Chocolate Orange Rinds
Candied orange covered with dark chocolate couverture 70%

Organic Chocolate Coffee Beans
Covered with dark chocolate couverture 70%

Crémeux des Salins
Soft caramel toffee with a taste
of Nova Scotia Fleur de Sel

Seasonal Chocolates

We create special chocolate pieces for:

• Christmas: Reindeer, Snowman
• Valentine's: Chocolate chest, Hearts
• Easter: Bunnies, Hen
• And more…