Full Circle Moment

For all of us at ROUSSEAU Chocolatier, it is a delight to have our chocolate be part of the moments in your life. Whether you’re dropping by our shop for a restorative break, sending a thoughtful gift to your best friend, adding our chocolate creations to a milestone gathering or on the day you say “I do”, we put our hearts into helping make the moment memorable.

We recently planned our own special occasion and to our surprise, chocolate was part of the festivities. More on that later. 

After 16 years together of travelling, opening our dream business in Halifax, and having our 2 children, Julien and I  were married at the Villa Apolline in Fort de France, Martinique on May 3, 2024. Family and friends joined us as we relaxed, reconnected and said our own “I do’s” leaving all the details to the experts on the island. 

Martinique is a small, volcanic Caribbean Island that features mountains, tropical forests, and stunning beaches.  An overseas region of France, its culture reflects a distinctive blend of French and West Indian influences. World-renowned for its cuisine, Martinique food is inspired by African, French, Caribbean and South Asian influences – combining Creole and French expertise and reflecting the island’s intricate history and rich cultural heritage. 

As with most destination weddings, we shared our vision with the wedding planner and put our trust in her expertise and pride in what Martinique had to offer. 

We found out that Martinicans are passionate about food and festivities. With Martinique’s fertile soil, tropical temperatures and abundant surrounding ocean, chefs have no shortage of exotic fruit, vegetables, fish and seafood from which to create extraordinary feasts. For our wedding menu, we wanted to experience the authentic Creole cuisine and we were delighted with the result. The food was delicious, creative and a  reflection of the respect the islanders have for their culture. We were also surprised when a local chocolate tradition was part of our celebration. 

Le Chocolat de Communion or Chocolat Antillais

Communion Chocolate or Chocolat Antillais is a true institution in Martinique. We had no idea. Serving this hot chocolate began as a staple at all youth communion celebrations and grew to be part of weddings, baptisms, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and sometimes even birthdays. It is always accompanied by Martinican butter bread (a brioche-type bread). The basic idea is that creamy cocoa or hot chocolate is flavoured with cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, lime zest and almond. 

At our wedding, it was served from a towering chocolate fountain and it was richly delicious and so meaningful. For us, it was a full-circle moment. Every day, we bring our passion for quality chocolate and the traditions of expert chocolate making to our clients. And, on our wedding day, someone did the same for us. 

If you’re interested in making this Martinican tradition for yourself, here is our wedding planner’s recipe. (And, yes, we sell beautiful cocoa).

- 550 ml of semi-skimmed milk: Approximately 2 1/3 cups of 2% milk.

- 20 g of cocoa paste: About 0.7 oz of cocoa paste (or you can use unsweetened baking chocolate as an alternative).

- 30 g of cocoa powder (pure cocoa): Approximately 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder.

- 100 ml of water: Approximately 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon of water.

- 120 g of sweetened condensed milk: About 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon of sweetened condensed milk.

- ½ tsp of bitter almond essence (about 10 drops)

- 1 level tbsp of toloman (a thickening agent, about 4g): Approximately 1 level tablespoon or 4g of cornstarch or arrowroot powder can be used as an alternative thickening agent.

- 1 used vanilla pod: a dash of vanilla bean paste or extract.

- The zest of 1/2 a lime

- 1 cinnamon stick

- 30 g of blanched almonds: About 1 oz or roughly 1/4 cup of blanched almonds.

Ps…fun fact, the first cacao plantation was established on Martinique in 1660.