 |
| The GoodMallow Marshmallows made my hot chocolate amazing! |
This is one of the exciting times of the year when it comes to experiencing the culinary and pastry expertise of talented chefs across the Lower Mainland, Vancouver. Not only is the much raved about Dine Out Vancouver taking place right now, Vancouver's Hot Chocolate Festival officially started today! Yay! If you have not already, do check out my YP Smartlist on Hot Chocolate in Vancouver for what is regularly offered year round.
The Hot Chocolate Festival is going to run from January 16th up until Valentine's Day, February 14th. Indulge yourself in 59 amazing flavour combinations exclusively available for these 30 days at across 25 participating restaurants. The festival is not only to challenge chocolatiers in Vancouver in coming up with a unique hot chocolate, but is primarily a fundraiser for Downtown Eastside's Women's Job Training Program of the PHS Community Services Society and East Van Roasters.
I thought I would share with you the locations and flavours of hot chocolate I am hoping to try over the course of the festival. I have chosen a total of 5 flavours because midterms are coming up and unfortunately will not have the time to try all 59 let alone even a quarter.
First up would have to be 49th Parallel with their The Bees Knees hot chocolate. It is going to be a steaming hot mug of lavender infused dark hot chocolate with steamed milk. It is accompanied by a honey marshmallow - which you are to plop into your mug - and two honey lavender biscottis dipped in creamy white chocolate.
49th Parallel has two other flavour combinations on offer: Saturday Nut Fever and their Classic Hot Chocolate and Doughnut Combo, but The Bees Knees is the one I am wanting to try!
Butter Baked Goods are masters when it comes to marshmallows and cakes, but Choc-o-Coco sounds too fabulous to miss out on! We are talking about a chocolate coconut hot chocolate topped with a generous fluffy cloud of coconut whipped cream!!!! Plus you get to enjoy it with their moist coconut chocolate brownie hehe
If you have seen my YP Smartlist on Hot Chocolate in Vancouver then you will know that East Van Roasters roast their own cocoa nibs in house to produce their rich creamy chocolate. Simply exquisite that results in an unbeatable pure hot chocolate. For the hot chocolate festival, East Van Roasters has paired up with Hives for Humanity honey to bring us their "The Buzzzzz." Bee pollen from Hives for Humanity is incorporated into East Van Roasters Madagascar single origin drinking chocolate, served with a housemaid honey financier!!! Do note, The Buzzzzz is only available from January 16th till January 29th.
I have never been to Diva at the Met, but their Citrus Sensation sounds amazingly enticing that I must go visit them soon! In a cacao-berry extra brute there is pure orange juice - very unique and I love fresh orange juice so I must try this for myself - in which you will plop a chocolate globe filled with fresh raspberry puree! Chocolate + fresh raspberries are yumm plus orange juice which I love so I have high hopes for this unique combination. Oh and you get to enjoy your steamy cup of orange raspberry hot chocolate with a petit orange-pistachio financier hehe.
The last hot chocolate I want to try during this year's Hot Chocolate Festival is "the voices in my head tell me it ain't no B.S." from Mink Chocolates. You will understand why Mink has decided to name their correction so.... it is an almond milk AND organic butternut squash with 70% dark chocolate. Hmmmm there is squash in my hot chocolate plus it is served with a smoked OYSTER?!?! This has got to be the most daring and out of the box hot chocolate amongst the 59 flavours. Not to mention, Mink's creation sounds borderline savoury versus the norm of hot chocolate being a sweet indulging warm drink.
It is my hope I am able to try all five of these crazy hot chocolates and a few more of the other hot chocolate offerings. I will be sure to blog about each! I am hoping to head on over to East Van Roaster's tomorrow as I do not want the bee pollen infused hot chocolate to run out as well it is only available for two weeks out of the four.
Let me know in the comments below if you are going to be trying out any hot chocolates during this year's Hot Chocolate Festival. As well, if you think there is one I should try and I did not include in my list!
BYES
No comments:
Post a Comment