La gaufre

I celebrated the end of my Strasbourg semester with one last meal at Bistrot et Chocolat, a small and charming place which specializes in (yes!) chocolate of all types in all kinds of dishes.

If you've spoken to me at all in the past few months, you'll have heard about this waffle ("une gaufre"). While the "gaufre au chocolat et chantilly" is pretty standard snacking fare in France, everyone else just gets it wrong. The waffle is always so sweet that the chocolate and chantilly are excessive, and you end up not wanting to eat any more than a fourth of it. The texture is often problematic too; the waffle is sort of hard and crusty, and the chocolate gets lumpy or is too watery.

Not so with this waffle!




What's immediately evident and most important is the waffle itself--it's texture is like twenty very thin crepes folded over into a waffle shape. That is, it's very floppy and sort of chewy. AND, not too sweet at all! The taste is soft, flat, and subtle; more like a good bread than a dessert.

And the chocolate. *swoon*. 70% cacao, melted to the optimal consistency and slightly warm. Not too sweet, not too bitter. With a glass of cool water, a cafe au lait, and some good reading, this is (was) the best way to spend a lazy afternoon.




Ah, and don't forget the good view! Just a few steps away from my most favorite building in France.