I sort of lost my Montreal posting momentum, but as my fridge is bursting with freshly picked strawberries and rhubarb, it’s time to get a move on. So here’s the last of my Montreal posts, and I’ve saved the treats for last.

Just like bagels and smoked meat, when you go to MTL, you will definitely be eating a lot of french pastries. I was ready for the croissants, but not prepared for the huge variety of formations and fillings. Yes, there were almond, chocolate, and chocolate almond (with enough butter and sugar to keep you hopped up until lunch), but my favourites were the pear & almond and strawberries & cream varieties that we had. My co-worker Herve directed us to Premiere Moisson, which was right under our hotel (like the PATH in Toronto), and we also discovered Brioche Doree in the underground as well.

While I was walking along Rue St-Denis on the weekend, I stopped into a couple little chocolatiers and bakeries and picked up a little treat from each one. The first was Suite 88, which was a very trendy little chocolate boutique, with a wide variety of dark and milk chocolate bars in a huge assortment of flavours both ordinary (caramel, hazelnut) and a little more out there (fleur de sel, chili). Because Sandra works at Lindt, I’ve tried lots of their wacky flavours (lime & black pepper filling, anyone?), so I stuck to something I knew I would like, a milk chocolate espresso bar.

Next along Rue St-Denis was Marius & Fanny, where I bought my first macaron. Macarons are a french cookie, that I only know exist because of the food blogging world. Unlike macaroons, which are a cookie make up almost entirely of coconut with an egg white, sugar and maybe some melted chocolate mixed in, macarons consist of two flat little meringue cookies sandwiched together with a ganache or creamy filling. They come in all kinds of flavours, but for my first foray, I stuck to chocolate, mocha and salted caramel. They are so light and delicious, and maybe I’ll attempt them one day at home.

I also picked up a few little bags of baking chocolate chips, which are in the cupboard waiting to be folded into some cookies.

Finally, Juliet & Chocolat. This was another one of Jen’s recommendations, and it’s the cutest little cafe. The waiters and waitresses all wear white aprons and big, fluffy, red chef hats. There are few locations around the city, and this would be an ideal place to sit with friends and have crepes or a chocolat chaud. I didn’t stay to eat anything, but I did check out the brownies, and there were a bunch of interesting flavours.

And with Montreal Eats & Sweets wrapped up, it’s time to move on to strawberries and rhubarb! With a quick detour first to cover some overdue posts…