In a Tizzy

Category: Vancouver

  • HoCho Fest 2016: 2, 3, 4, 5

    Each year, the Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival brings together cafes, confectionaries, and restaurants to create specialty hot chocolate beverages to fundraise for a great cause. This year, proceeds of the festival will be going towards supporting the Downtown Eastside Women’s Job Training Program of the PHS Community Services Society and East Van Roasters. Each year, I join this win-win-win situation by dropping in to every possible location, tasting delicious drinks and snacks, reviewing my stops, and supporting this superb cause.

    —–
    HoCho 2: The Bananarama, The Last Crumb Bakery & Cafe


    On this rainy Sunday, I grabbed an amiga and headed east to sample a drink from a location that I have enjoyed visiting each year of the festival, The Last Crumb.
    This year’s flavours include The Bananarama: a banana cream pie turned hot cocoa, and His Lordship’s HC: a London Fog that went rogue. I sampled the former with GD sampling the latter.
    Immediately, I was met with surprise. When my order was called out, I walked up to the counter expecting to see a plated cookie next to the drink; however, the cookie had been designed to sit on the edge of the mug! I thought this was clever, and it seems to match the quirky atmosphere of the shop itself and the care shown by staff and chefs who create great pastries displayed in-store.
    I ate my cookie – a “flaky daisy” – by dipping it in the hot chocolate, and was pleased to find that the flaky pastry was fresh, chewy, and light. A layer of chocolate on top did not hurt, especially as it melted with each dip in the warm, chocolaty pool of my drink.
    At first, the flavours were not very bold in the drink – I could detect the banana and chocolate, but my first sips were mostly foam and did not carry the taste as effectively as the less frothy almond milk beneath. Upon reaching that layer, the fuller banana cream pie taste came through and was delicious. It should be noted that I opted out of the whipped cream, which would likely have finished off the theme of this particular drink very effectively.

    It would be great to return at some point to sample an almond-milk or soy Lordship’s HC, as Earl Grey is one of my favourite teas and chocolate is one of my favourite things, period.

    —–

    HoCho 3: Ambrosio Affogato, Earnest Ice Cream


    Following my visit to Last Crumb, I went to see CC and mentioned my just-prior festival stop. Hearing of the nearby locations, CC and company decided that another stop was in order – we soon found ourselves at Earnest Ice Cream on Quebec St.

    I had not previously been to this infamous Vancouver ice cream shop, but was looking forward to trying this ice cream with “molten drinking chocolate” poured over top of it. I requested a vegan cookies n’ cream to replace the Tahitian vanilla ice cream, and waited for my order in the busy little store.

    Unfortunately, my order came with the only other vegan ice cream option – dark chocolate peppermint. While this would ordinarily be delicious, I’m sure, my first taste of the treat was so intensely dark chocolate that I found it a bit overwhelming. The molten chocolate had a bit of a spicy kick to it that could be balanced with cool ice cream; my comrades said that prior to the ice cream melting, the combination was delicious. However, the amount of molten chocolate proved to be a bit much, as it consumed the ice cream and became too rich for our liking.

    Accompanying the ice cream was a miniature salted chocolate rye cookie, and I feel confident that if you like chocolate and/or cookies, you would enjoy this! It was so delectably chewy and moist that I could spend all day experiencing the consumption of that cookie (they have regular-size cookies in the store!).

    —–

    HoCho 4: 801, Bel Café

    I arrived at Bel Café expecting a different cocoa experience, but discovered that I would be sampling the flavour originally intended for the second half of the festival: 801. While I cannot inform you of the reasoning behind this numerical name, I can say with confidence that ordering it leads to good things.
    This drink is made with Valhrona Caramelia chocolate – a light chocolate with salted butter caramel, which obviously means it was amazing.

    As is my usual, I ordered an almond milk option, and think that this may have served me well in lightening the drink up in terms of sweetness and richness. Even with the almond milk, which sometimes causes flavours to blend somewhat less effectively, the drink was incredibly smooth in texture and flavour. It had two toasted pecan marshmallows floating inside it, which I tried a bite of and left behind (because vegetarian diets don’t technically include marshmallows); the marshmallows were fun to chew on with the pecan bits inside. 
    The banana bread triangle left me content, as it was very moist and its size seemed appropriate for a snack with the cocoa. I am sure that a hungry festival-goer would be left wanting even more of this made-in-house treat.

    —–

    HoCho 5: Saturday Nut Fever, 49th Parallel and Lucky’s Doughnuts

    Today’s stop was made in haste as the store was closing within 9 minutes of my arrival!

    I should point out that by the time I reached 49th Parallel and Lucky’s Doughnuts, a head cold for the ages had fully set in and was almost assuredly affecting my sense of taste.

    After brief contemplation, I ordered the Saturday Nut Fever option: a hot chocolate with hazelnut flavour and latte art promised in the description. I was not to be disappointed by the lovely fern-like design made of almond milk and chocolate in my mug.

     For me personally, this hot chocolate would take a bit of getting used to, as the sweetness I had anticipated finding in a chocolate-hazelnut combination was not present. The nutty flavours were evident, but did not tickle my fancy as I had thought it would (perhaps because I had expected a Nutella-like experience). It would be worth trying again, though, when I am in good health.

    Alongside the beverage came hazelnut amaretti and hazelnut truffle, both of which were amazing. The amaretti (this is a new word for me) was a great texture experience and had a pleasant sweetness to it, making it all the better. The truffle was unexpectedly squishy, and should be eaten with a utensil (or your hands if you like finger-licking goodness), but was certainly delicious.

    I will likely not be able to get to a location tomorrow, but look forward to catching up with you all when I hit up my next spot.

    Until then…

  • Pumpkin Challenge 2015: Days 26 – 31

    What a month of pumpkin goodness! Thanks for sticking around for the ride if you have until now. 
    Below, the final 6 days…


    Day 26: Yonanas Pumpkin Green Smoothie
    Day 27: Pumpkin Scone (courtesy of Cobs Bread)
    Day 28: Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll (courtesy of Edible Flours)
    Day 29: Vegan Pumpkin Pudding Bread (courtesy of Chocolate-Covered Katie)
    Day 30: Pumpkin Peanut Butter Apple Nachos 
    Day 31: Pumpkin Spiced Whiskey Chocolate Mini Cakes
    See you next year!

  • Kizzy’s Macarons

    Recently, I was asked to take product shots for a BC-based company called Kizzy’s Macarons.

    “So what you’re saying is… You want to hire me to do food photography…?

    OKAY.”

    That was how that conversation went. I would like to share a few of the photos I took and encourage you to check out Kizzy’s if you want to have some fun treats at a party or gift yourself/a friend with some delicious, local goodies.

    —-

    How can you not throw a cat photo in there if you’ve got it?

    Look at that face! He loved the macarons, too.



    For more photography, check out my Facebook page here!

  • ‘Tis the Season… For Farmers Markets!

    A personal goal for this summer is to attend as many farmers markets as I am reasonably able to, because I love how it feels to be supporting local growers and buying ethically-sourced food and goods!

    Here is a (growing) list of farmers markets I hope to attend:
    • West End
      • Saturdays, 9:00AM – 2:00PM, May 30 – October 24
    • Kitsilano
      • Sundays, 10:00AM – 2:00PM, May 10 – October 25
    • Main St. Station
      • Wednesdays, 4:00PM – 6:00PM, June 3 – October 7
    • Kerrisdale
      • Saturdays, 10:00AM – 2:00PM, June 13 – October 10
    • Mt. Pleasant
      • Sundays, 10:00AM – 2:00PM, June 14 – October 11
    • Yaletown
      • Thursdays, 2:00PM – 6:00PM, May 7 – October 29
    • Oak St.
      • Wednesdays, 3:00PM – 7:00PM, June 3 – October 14
    • UBC Saturday Market
      • Saturdays, 9:00AM – 1:00PM, June 13 – October
    • UBC Tuesday Market
      • Tuesdays, 4:00PM – 6:00PM, June 23 – October
    • UBC Wednesday Market
      • Wednesdays, 11:30AM – 1:30PM, June 10 – October

  • HoChos 20, 21

    Saying good-bye is difficult, and I am an emotional person.

    This festival has been a great deal of photographic and palatable fun! It is always a pleasure to connect and re-connect with people through hot chocolate adventures during the festival weeks, and I love having the project of visiting the *locations each year.

    * I should note that I decided not to visit two locations due to the drinks offered, as they did not align with my diet or morals very obviously (crickets on hocho?!).

    Leading up to one of my favourite days of the year – Valentine’s Day – I wrapped up my festival journey with two more delectable stops.

    HoCho #20: Brownie Delight, Chez Christophe (~$8.70)


    I had been waiting quite some time for the opportunity to sample this hot chocolate, named after one of the most chocolaty treats one can hope to enjoy – the brownie! With almond milk in the mix, my drink was blended to delicious, smooth, chocolaty perfection – a rather dark chocolaty perfection, I might add.

    The time of day, good company with AE, and two beautifully-crafted drinks inspired a great deal of photography taking place at Chez Christophe…

     AE enjoyed a milkier Christella Decadence with a sphere of Chez Christophe’s hazelnut cream – imagine a Ferrero Rocher going into your hot chocolate, if you will…



    HoCho #21: Adults Only, Diva at the Met (~ $8.25)


    Here we are… The final stop.

    At the end of my hot chocolate festival journey, I found myself sitting in a classy establishment known as Diva at the Met, located in the Metropolitan Hotel. Seated in the lounge, my company and I ordered both festival options: Adults Only, and Sizzling Spice.


    To meet high demand, and to achieve the envisioned taste of the specialty chef that created the drinks throughout the festival, the drinks were prepared in advance with dairy milk. However, I could not turn back in my journey – so I took on one quarter of the beverage with another quarter taken on by my partner-in-chocolate.

    Adults Only was an incredibly smooth hot chocolate served with a matcha green tea cake (cute-sized), with a chocolate disc placed atop the beverage – in the middle of this disc was a chocolate sphere containing Bailey’s (hence, adults only). As the steam from the hot chocolate rose and warmed the disc…


    Ker-plunk!

    After the Bailey’s addition, the drink reached a new level of smooth drinking (and later, stomach aches) – it was delicious! We could not stop saying “WOW!” throughout our small chocolaty excursion at this festival stop.



    It has been a wonderful hot chocolate season as I wrap up
    my third round of festival going and my second round of
    truly dedicated festival reviewing and exploration.
    Hopefully, at next year’s festival, I will have an opportunity
    to win one of the festival prizes for their photography contests!

    Further, and perhaps most significantly,
    it is my pleasure to have contributed to the
    projects and mission of East Van Roasters in supporting
    women from the Rainier Hotel in Vancouver.

  • HoChos 17, 18, 19, 20



    HoCho #17: Rainforest, Bel Café (~ $8.00)


    I enjoyed this beverage in good company on a very, very rainy Vancouver evening. With the clock reminding us that only 20 minutes remained to complete our drink, we dove in – me with my whipped-creamless concoction, and my comrades with their colour-topped artistries, so-called the Rainforest by Bel Cafe.

    The whipped cream featured on my friend’s drink in the main photograph was mango-flavoured, and described as tasting like mango ice cream or gelato. Beneath that was a warm, dark cocoa with the slightest hints of tropical fruit (I ordered mine with almond milk, and I believe this covered some of the fruity flavours that would have otherwise been more detectable). 

    A florentine flavoured with nuts and dry mango came with the drink, and was deliciously chewy and crunchy, and served as a nice pause in the sipping experience of this festival stop.


    HoCho #18: Miss Scarlet’s Pecan Pie, Gem Chocolates (~ $6.25)


    Gem Chocolates offered a pecan pie-flavoured hot chocolate for the third week of the hot chocolate festival, and the pecan flavour came through with strength!

    There were notable particles of pecan throughout the hot chocolate, particularly near the bottom, and it was a milky chocolate ganache (a bit too much for my stomach, in the end). Caramel added to the smooth drinking, and was also featured in the the special festival topping along with pecan praline. 

    A simply delectable treat for the lactose tolerant.





    HoCho #19: PO-TAY-TO PO-TAH-TO, Soirette Macaron & Tea (~ $7.23)


    I must say – this was delicious.

    Speaking as someone whose nickname (by some) has potato in it, I was eager to try this purple potato hot chocolate – because it sounds crazy! Seated in the pristine whiteness of Soirette Macaron & Tea, he and I ordered a raspberry macaroon cake and the festival special.

    It had a light chocolate flavour, with a surprisingly pleasant potato undertone on the front of the tongue! Cinnamon was also detected at the back of the tongue, and added to the interesting (but successful) mixture of flavours.

    Lining the mug was a sweet purple sugar that added to each sip, and that I shamelessly licked off entirely at the end of the drink. A toasted yam marshmallow was served with the beverage – I indulged in the inner yam filling while my company enjoyed the toasted marshmallow. 

    This savoury hot chocolate set-up won my heart, for sure!


    HoCho #20: This is Nuts, Thomas Haas (~ $6.50)

    My second stop to Thomas Haas for this festival was done with urging from a friend: “The other hot chocolate from Thomas Haas? Would kill for.” I obviously had to give it a shot.

    MS and I made our way back to Thomas Haas for the second time to battle the line-ups and grab a table inside before anyone could tell us otherwise. We requested “This Is Nuts” with almond milk, and awaited the calling of our names.
    “This Is Nuts” is a milkier chocolate blended with almond butter and hazelnut (if you don’t already know, Nutella is a chocolate and hazelnut blend… so use your imagination there), so while I did not drink very much of it, the flavours were ah-mazing! It was smooth with a nutty tone throughout the entire drink, which gave it a “rougher” taste – does that make any sense….?

    Alongside the drink, we received a “financier sandwich” that had “hasselnut” cream in it and little textured candies on top – it was soft and the little candies added a *crunch* that satisfied the tastebuds.



  • HoChos 13, 14, 15, and 16

    I think that my eyes have become a deeper, more rich and decadent brown colour since mid-January.

    Look into my eyes and its easy to see – one and one makes chocolate, and two and one makes chocolate, it was destinyyyy. (Tenacious D remix)

    HoCho #13: Ed’s Favourite, Shokolade Artisan Chocolate ($5.25)


    The trek out to East Vancouver is worth it for a second year of the festival! With four amigos in tow, I visited Shokolade Artisan Chocolate for my 14th cocoa. This year, the location offered four flavours, presumably named after employees that chose them as their favourites! Ed, Jane, Alex, and Judy’s “favourites” were available, and all but poor Alex were sampled by our crew.

    I personally indulged in an almond-milk “Ed’s Favourite” which was a blend of 70% cocoa and raspberry puree. Upon first sip, the raspberry made its debut, introducing a tanginess that rose above the darkness and richness of the thick chocolatey milk.


    On this particular trip, something happened that had not occurred this year during the festival: I became saturated with chocolate. An off day meant that I could not complete the entire drink – not because of any flavour complaints, but simply because I was full and the chocolate was rich enough that I did not guzzle it right up (as is often the norm…).

    Jane’s Favourite: White chocolate with
    coconut cream blended in.
    Alongside the drink was a raspberry praline, which was superb! A dark chocolate shell with light raspberry cream in the middle (in the shape of a heart!) was a sweet little treat to go with the drink. 
    I recommend this stop if you want variety, are with a few friends, or (specific to my drink) you like dark chocolate.


    HoCho #14: The Dominican, Thierry ($10.24)


    Thierry is nestled downtown and is the sort of establishment that lets you know what you will be walking into once you cross its threshold – clean, minimalistic, wooden, modern, and brown (like its chocolate!).

    JS and I enjoyed this simple hot chocolate drink with a fancy chocolate treat on the side, called a “Tonka Bean cream Choux” (something I let the chocolate folks behind the counter pronounce on my behalf when ordering).

    Truthfully, I do not have a huge review for the drink itself, as it was a fairly simplistic beverage. However, it was not overly sweet, and was light to drink. The serving size was ideal, and the milk foamed to perfection; I also enjoyed how the drink was served, particularly the glass it was served in (does anyone know where I can get one of these?!).

    I think my favourite part of this was the cream Choux on the side – it was a perfect little morsel to chew on while telling stories and watching the rain fall with a warm drink at hand.

    HoCho #15: Triple Ginger-Spiced Hot Chocolate, Last Crumb Bakery & Cafe (~$7.09)


    Heading down to Main Street is always an enjoyable experience, and stopping by the Last Crumb Bakery & Cafe makes it way better.
    Of the two options for this year’s festival, my company and I decided upon the triple-ginger spiced hot chocolate with soy milk. The ginger was strong throughout the drink, but did not overwhelm the taste buds, as it was blended smoothly with the chocolate and, I believe, absorbed into the creamy soy milk in a most-pleasant way.
    Accompanying the chocolate concoction was an apricot “sconescotti.” Somewhere between a scone and biscotti, this little treat had chunks of apricot throughout and a chewy texture that made you savour it and take time to go “mmmmm.”


    HoCho #16: Earl Grey Hot Chocolate, French Made Baking ($4.25)

    As I made my way to French Made Baking on this day’s festival adventure, I was anticipating trying their “Only Thyme Will Tell” beverage: a hot chocolate infused with thyme and orange, served with a macaron. Unfortunately, due to the time required to infuse the thyme, the drink mixture is prepared in advance and is made with dairy milk – so I was unable to try the beverage that had me salivating before I even arrived at their doorstep!

    To my pleasure, another drink was made for me (that appears to have been removed from their festival menu) that involved infusing early grey tea into a dark hot chocolate, which was made with soy milk especially for me! The tea made the drink light, as the standard earl grey flavours (a little bit of black tea magic, some flowery overtones…) lifted the weight off of the tongue while drinking it.

    Why haven’t I been mixing tea and chocolate all the time?

  • HoChos 9, 10, 11, and 12

    Whooooooooa… We’re half-way there…
    WhoooooOOOAA! Chocolate everywheere… 

    February 1st! I do not know where the month of January went, but I recall glimpses of events and timetables and a lot of chocolate towards the end. As a student, I find this point in the Hot Chocolate Festival challenging: Professors are beginning to remind their classes about upcoming assignments while doling out assessments, and the hot cocoa locations are farther away as I cross more and more off of my list.

    Who doesn’t like a bit of a challenge, though?

    HoCho #9: Red Cadillac, Koko Monk Chocolates (~$6.50)


    Located just before Burrard Street on 1st Ave, Koko Monk Chocolates prides themselves on flavours that come from the foods themselves – no artificial flavours or preservatives to make their chocolate confections, beverages, cookies, and macarons taste as delicious as they do. Last year, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed a curry hot chocolate from them.

    This year, however, I enjoyed a salted almond hot chocolate with peppercorn, made with almond milk – and this time, the almond milk was included in the drink! I did not have to specify my non-dairy preference – I do appreciate intentionally vegan items in the festival.

    The Red Cadillac was a rich, dark chocolate that sat heavily on the tongue. When stirring the drink, the hot chocolate dripped with a thick viscosity off of the spoon. Aligning with the values of Koko Monk, the salted-almond flavour came not only from the almond milk, but from crushed almonds added to the chocolate blend; they added a gritty texture that appeared every few sips.

    If you like dark, less-sweet hot chocolate (with a little bit of peppercorn for *pop* at the end), you would probably enjoy this drink!



    HoCho #10: Put da Lime in da Coconut, Chocolate Arts (~$6.00)


    Tucked away in a less-visited industrial neighbourhood near Granville Island, Chocolate Arts is a minimalistic, clean, and modern-looking chocolate confectionery and cafe. The simple white tables with simple red chairs were familiar from last year, and the friendly service behind the counter offered a warm welcome.

    Of the three unique options offered by Chocolate Arts this year, MM and I both vouched for Put da Lime in da Coconut – a dark chocolate to be poured over coconut ice cream with coconut macaroons served on the side.
    My cocoa was made with soy milk, and I quite enjoyed how filling it was – I find that cocoa is most filling when the ingredients are more genuine and less artificial. This chocolate was highlighted by lime notes that offered an interesting flavour combination that was made particularly delicious when combined with the coconut ice cream!
    Furthermore, who could pour chocolate over ice cream and not love to consume it? This festival flavour is great if you dig the taste of coconut and are looking to fill your belly!


    HoCho #11: Pep Me Up, Thomas Haas (~$6.50)

    Ah, Thomas Haas – if you follow them on Instagram, you know that they don’t just pride themselves on incredible confections, pastries, macarons, and hot chocolate – they also love the outdoors, biking, and the city they reside in!

    This stop has been a favourite of mine in past festivals, and I was not to be disappointed this year. Of the two available cocoas, MS and I indulged in the Pep Me Up – a 70% cocoa drink with peppermint and some chartreuse:

    a French liqueur made by the Carthusian Monks since 1737 according to the instructions set out in the secret manuscript given to them by François Annibal d’Estrées in 1605. It is composed of distilled alcohol aged with 130 herbs, plants and flowers. The liqueur is named after the Monks’ Grande Chartreuse monastery, located in the Chartreuse Mountains in the general region of Grenoble in France. (Wikipedia article here.)

    I enjoyed this drink made with almond milk, as I find the almond milk made the dark chocolate a little lighter on the palette, and it allowed the peppermint notes to become more prominent.

    While the struggle is often all-too real to find a seat in this place, I highly recommend it if you appreciate artful chocolate drinks and you want a little something sweet on the side.

    HoCho #12: Chartreuse Milkshake, Uva Wine Bar & Bittered Sling ($14.95)

    It’s Friday night, and it’s 10:00PM – it’s too late to get a Hot Chocolate Festival drink! 

    What? You mean there’s a location opened until 2:00 in the morning from which I may acquire a festival beverage? … And there are two alcoholic options?

    Uva Wine Bar offers three festival options this year, one of which follows a more “hot chocolate” template, and two that are “hot chocolate inspired” cocktails. My company and I, late on Friday, went for the second of two cocktail options – the Chartreuse Milkshake.

    This drink did not actually contain any dairy of which to speak, but it was shaken (not stirred), and had cacao bitters sprinkled atop its foamy surface. The flavours showcased in this drink were orange juice and lime juice with a hint of gin, making a sweet and tangy drink that was very easy to sip.

    Italian doughnuts accompanied the beverage – two large, served-hot, cinnamon-sugar coated doughnuts with some sweet substance drizzled across them and their serving plate. They hit the spot after a long shift that left my blood sugar low!

    Do you like orange juice? Does a sweet-sour combo sound appealing? Is alcohol something you’re into today? Try this stop on Seymour Street.

    See you after a few more hot chocolates!




  • HoChos 5, 6, 7, 8

    Continuing on, the hot chocolate locations become further away from campus, and busy downtown areas and quirky Main Street locations become main stops to find new cocoa flavours and cafe experiences.

    HoCho #5: Praliné Chocolat, Chocolaterie da la Nouvelle France (~$5.75)


    There are four festival beverages offered at Nouvelle this year, and my company and I sampled three of them. My choice was an almond-milk praline drinking chocolate – yes, that is what it sounds like. Chocolate that you drink. More than a chocolate-flavoured milk, this particular half-sized treat of mine was like drinking melted Nutella without the unhealthy components and the high level of dairy. 
    It was thick and smooth without being too heavy on the tongue, and filled me right up – even though it was just a half-sized serving! Luckily, the Main Street area of Vancouver is full of exciting stops, so going for a walk afterward was a good way to wrap up our stop.
    The location itself is tucked away and is very small upon entering – however, what space they do have is almost entirely made of wood and is full of a variety of chocolate powders and confections on display. Each of our beverages was also accompanied by one of three flavours of meringues: chocolate, rose, or maple (my choice).

     HoCho #6: Monkey Manna, East Van Roasters (~$5.00)



    A stop that I particularly enjoyed discovering at last year’s festival was East Van Roasters, and this year they are the recipients of the funds from the festival’s sales! For the first half of the festival, they offer a hot chocolate made with Peruvian drinking chocolate, milk of choice (almond for me!), pink peppercorn and vanilla blended throughout.

    My first sip took me back to last year’s festival with its airy texture and smooth taste – the drink, while comfortably filling, is quite light and does not sit heavy in the mouth. The vanilla was likely a key contributor to the smoothness of the flavour, but the peppercorn added a unique twist that took it from deliciously simple in its flavour to more dynamic, without being too complex.

    If you want a safe toe-dipping into the unique festival flavours, I recommend East Van Roasters for its easy drinking and creative concoctions.

    HoCho #7: Standard dark with almond milk + banana bread, Bella Gelatería (~$7.00)


    Bella Gelatería is usually one of my top recommendations for the festival for its unique blends of gelato, teas, and chocolates in their festival offerings; however, this year they pre-mixed their festival flavours with dairy milk for more efficient distribution, and could not offer an alternative that is dairy-free as I have enjoyed in the past. Their standard hot chocolate with 70% cocoa and almond milk was enjoyable, though I really wish I would have been able to sample some of their Earl Grey or Spiced Rum flavours without a dairy overload!

    If you are not an avoider of the dairy world, it is very likely that – as I have in the past – you will enjoy the amazing selection of gelato treats, To Die For banana bread, and chocolate drinks at B.G.

    HoCho #8: Pandan-a-Cocoa, Gem Chocolates (~$6.00)


    I love visiting Gem Chocolates! It was a pleasure to meet with the owner and founder last year and learn a little bit about his chocolate confectioner journey to greatness (so-called because I believe that is what he has achieved with his delightful shop).
    Green hot chocolate?! 
    Gem changes up the festival flavour each week, and the second week’s blend was flavoured with a grass called pandan and toasted coconut! Remembering me from last year, my drink was made with soy milk, and it turned green because of the pandan grass in it! To imagine what it is, think of lemongrass (it is somewhat similar). 

    The drink comes with a “tropical fruit palette”, which showcases the pandan grass as well as dried mango, chilli flakes, and coconut atop a chocolate disc. I am very excited to try the next two flavours that involve pecan pie (?!) and gingerbread and cinnamon… The salivation has already begun.





     I’ll be back with more soon!