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Leek Soup
Conversation in a Sweet Shop by Christian | |
He says:
Its just the fact that I come from Belgium.
It made me want to sell the chocolate
Old chap comes in. Remembers the shop from before it changed hands: - You dont sell bacca, then?
I used thave it off the old man. - No, I dont. I only sell chocolate and sweets. - Bet youd do some trade here. With bacca. (This new proprietor doesnt sell tobacco. He does sell Bon-bons, Buttered Brazils, Cherry lips, Floral gums
) - Well. Youve made this place look a lot bigger, anyway. Without the fridge
The owner of the shop would like a fridge. A special one. Hed like to try something different. Big cones, filled with ice-cream and maybe fresh fruit; maybe, for the children, marshmallow, or chocolate, sprinkled on top
A customer comes in:
- Nut Brittle, please. Two lots.
- A quarter?
- Bit more than that. Thank you. The sweet bag crackles. The till tings.
You could even dip the ice-cream into hot chocolate.
As soon as its full, tip the cone upside down, into the chocolate
- Pound of Uncle Joes please. He says:
- I remember from my childhood, in Belgium, the ice-cream vans. They filled the cone with Chantilly cream, and you chose what kind of ice-cream you wanted vanilla, chocolate, strawberry to go on top. And sometimes, fruit, in season apricot, melon - Do you have those lollipops that look like drumsticks? Its to go on a cake. Oh, thank you, yes two orange, and two green
The door closes. He carries on:
- There was also what we called Dame Blanche. Four scoops of vanilla ice. Hot chocolate sauce on top
Ive got a lot of ideas. For instance, a Brazilian same as a Dame Blanche, but with toffee sauce, and crunched Brazil nuts on top
- Blackcurrant and liquorice, please.
Make it a pound. Lovely. Theres a bit of nostalgia in what I am doing.
You come from your country, and for the first two or three years, you miss your friends, your land.
So I was thinking whats the best way to stay in touch.
And this is it. I do my research, finding suppliers,
travelling between here, and Belgium. Now, in my shop, are two countries.
On one side, typically English sweets.
On the other, chocolate from Belgium.
Two countries, side by side.
Christian Jacquemart
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