Food & Delights Archives - Page 29 of 30

March 14, 2012

Coffee Time: Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate

Being an engineer at UBC means one thing I’m close to- Starbucks. It is extremely convenient (but terrible for the wallet) to have a Starbucks store in the building where I have most of my classes. One of my favourite drinks is the Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate.

Some people have not heard of this drink before- it used to be on their menu last year but they took it off. I tried this last year when I got tired of drinking lattes.

c7e8afffd7ed43f7939570f4c796838c — Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate

“Steamed milk, mocha sauce, toffee nut and vanilla syrups, topped with sweetened whipped cream, caramel sauce and a mixture of turbinado sugar and sea salt.”

The topping of sea salt on the whip cream is different and it adds a whole new experience in enjoying a cup of hot chocolate. Today I ordered a tall Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate with Extra Caramel Drizzle. (I know, I’m a bit of a glutton.)

So happy they added so much whipped cream as well! It is a bit sweet, so if you don’t have a sweet tooth- you have been forewarned. When the whipped cream melts into the drink, you will start to taste a stronger salt flavour at the bottom of the cup. My drink got to room temperature fairly quickly, so next time I’ll remember to ask for it to be made extra hot as well.

I assure you, sea salt + chocolate is a very delicious combo. If you are daring, go get one today!

March 9, 2012

Dessert Decadence @ Thomas Haas

Today my fellow blogger and friend from thewalkntalk, Justin Leigh, and I went on a dessert adventure at Thomas Haas. Thomas Haas is a patisserie located in Vancouver – there are two stores, one in North Shore, and the other in Kitsilano, which is where we visited today.

When we walked in, the shop was already bustling with people in the line up and others sitting down enjoying their cakes. We were there for 1 hour and 15 minutes, and the place had a perpetual line up of customers. After trying their sweets, it’s no question why they bring so many people!

Firstly, the indoor decorations were gorgeous! The ceiling had a honeycomb pattern. Chocolate pastries lined the walls. At the far back is a chocolate-macaroon tree.

Photo 2012-03-09 3 47 39 PM — Thomas Haas indoors

Photo 2012-03-09 4 16 50 PM — Chocolate-macaroon tree.

The display of desserts made me feel like a little kid in a giant toy store- it was so hard to decide what I wanted to eat!

Photo 2012-03-09 4 14 21 PM — Dessert Display

Photo 2012-03-09 3 55 15 PM — display of cakes

Thomas Haas also sells handmade chocolates and truffles. It costs $3.50/piece. Too expensive to try, a picture will suffice!

Photo 2012-03-09 3 47 53 PM — Chocolate captions

Time to order! We ordered many, many, things.

Photo 2012-03-09 3 52 43 PM — Desserts decadence

We had a couple of bites of the croissant than dived into the desserts because they looked so tempting. The croissants were light, fluffy, and I can taste the buttery flavour. It was a fairly big croissant.

Photo 2012-03-09 3 49 58 PM — Croissant- $2.50

The special dessert of the week was the tiramisu. As a tiramisu lover, I had to try it!

Photo 2012-03-09 3 50 05 PM — Tiramisu- $5.50

This is definitely the most different from other tiramisus I have tried.I thought the outer layer of chocolate was hardened, but it was soft and creamy. There was a strong alcohol taste. The marcarpone and the sponge cake were soft and melts right in the mouth. My favourite part was the wafer at the bottom! It tasted like ferrero rocher!

To garnish the tiramisu, there was a piece of dark chocolate with THOMAS HAAS written on it. These little touches make a dessert perfect!

Photo 2012-03-09 3 59 23 PM — Chocolate on tiramisu

Next, we tried the pear almond tart.

Photo 2012-03-09 4 00 58 PM — Pear Almond Tart on display

“shortbread crust, almond cream cassiss gelee, poached pear, hint of cinnamon”

I really enjoyed this tart, although I am a bit biased because I like fruity desserts and cinnamon. It was soft and flaky. The pear tasted fresh and it was soaked with cinnamon and syrup.

Photo 2012-03-09 3 54 09 PM — My pearl almond tart

One thing to take notice of is the design of the plate. With my limited knowledge of chemistry, I believe that is a sugar molecule formation!

The third pastry we moved onto was the apple galette. Never heard of a “galette” before, but today was about trying new desserts and this looked appetizing!

Photo 2012-03-09 3 49 54 PM — Apple galette

This is sort of a flat danish coated with apple glaze, with apple slices, and other fruits. The apple was also sharp, fresh and juicy. When I cut it in half, there is some sort of blueberry cream inside. This was the most filling out of all the other pastries.

Photo 2012-03-09 4 02 49 PM — Inside the apple galette

Lastly, we also ordered the Fresh Raspeberry Cake.

Photo 2012-03-09 4 14 28 PM — Cake description

I asked for the gluten free version, but they were sold out. We got the normal one anyway. The raspberries were indeed fresh. I really enjoyed this dessert and I choose this one as my favourite out of the four. The coconut cake was not too sweet, and after eating one bite, I wanted more. There are also crushed almonds inside the cake which tasted wonderful along with the coconut cake.

Photo 2012-03-09 3 49 49 PM — Fresh Raspberry Cake

My friend also ordered a London Fog for $3.50. I had a small taste test and loved it! The foam was light and soft. It wasn’t watery. It was hot and milky- definitely better than Starbucks.I also like the placement of the tea bag. There was no capillary effect either- the tea bag didn’t absorb the drink and get wet everywhere.

Photo 2012-03-09 4 26 20 PM — London Fog

Lastly, I wouldn’t leave this place without purchasing macarons! I bought a pack of 6 for $9.95. There were so many flavours, it was hard to choose. I ended up deciding on passionfruit, pistachio, and lemon. These were so much better quality than my first time trying them. The outside was soft, fluffy, and chewy. The filling was light and creamy.

Photo 2012-03-09 3 49 41 PM — Delectable Macarons

I haven’t stuffed myself with so much sugar and butter before. There were many other things I want to try, so I will have to go back again when I want to indulge (perhaps after finals!) Their “exotic cheese cake” and “paine au chocolate” were pretty much an invitation for me to go visit Thomas Haas and buy them again.Vancouver sure is lucky to have such a wonderful patisserie in town.

Edit: Thomas Haas tweeted me! I feel so proud he checked out my review! =)

March 8, 2012

Snack of the Day: Starbucks Petite Apple Pie

My journey of delicious dessert and treat trying continues! Recently Starbucks has launched new petite snacks, and this time it’s petite apple and cherry pies. The cute little apple pie caught my eye so my friend kindly bought me a small apple pie for $1.40.

Photo 2012-03-08 4 39 22 PM — Petite Apple Pie

“Fresh apple and cinnamon filling inside a flaky shortbread pie crust is a heart-warming combination, one that mothers and grandmothers everywhere can attest to. The Starbucks Apple Pie Petite is a surprisingly satisfying treat delivering all the warm and fuzzies the full-size version is known for, without spoiling your dinner.”

I didn’t have high expectations of it, but I love anything that tastes apple-y. Probably the other apple pie I really love is McDonald’s Apple Pie. Starbucks surprised me. It wasn’t extremely sweet, but it was still tasty. The filling was not dry and I liked the blend of apple flavour and cinnamon. Also, the crust didn’t flake everywhere. I devoured it in three bites. I can probably eat 5 of these in one sitting. It’s that delicious!

Photo 2012-03-08 4 45 02 PM — Inside the pie!

The whole combination was terrific! It is expensive, since it’s almost $2 after tax for a pie smaller than my palm. It’s a nice indulgence once in a while after a long day!

March 7, 2012

Fair Trade Tea @ UBC Bookstore

There’s nothing I like more than sitting back with a good cup of hot, steamy tea. When I heard about the Fair Trade Fair at the UBC Bookstore with tea samples, I buzzed there even if i only had ten minutes to check it out.

Firstly, what is Fair Trade?

Fair trade means acting on fairness in the business world. In developing countries, the protection of workers are very weak and limited. Fair Trade is a social movement by changing the environment of those workers. Fair Trade improves sustainable development and workers are able to be paid fairly for their work. Better trading terms are offered to workers.

If you buy a Fair Trade certified product, the producer/worker of the product is ensured to receive fair pay and that they are living in a safe working environment.

There were organizations supporting Fair Trade products at the UBC Bookstore. Due to my lack of time, I only visited the one booth that was showcasing one my of favourite teas – zhena’s gypsy tea.

Photo 2012-03-07 12 54 18 PM — Gypsy Tea

“Zhena’s Gypsy Tea is proud to be one of the earliest supporters of the Fair Trade movement dedicated to building equitable and sustainable trading partnerships that create opportunities to alleviate poverty. The company stands in solidarity with the tea workers and empowers them by paying a pro-active premium which provides and supports fair wages and added benefits such as better housing, healthcare, education and a sustainable environment.

In order to provide these benefits, Zhena’s premium is up to ten times more than conventional prices paid by many tea companies. The workers in Zhena’s gardens benefit from guaranteed health insurance, education, safe working conditions and no child labor. Every time you purchase Zhena’s Gypsy Tea you join in the Fair Trade movement and become an advocate for humane working conditions worldwide. “ – Zhena’s Gypsy Tea

By purchasing Zhena’s tea, you are being active in the fair trade movement and you are an advocate for “humane working conditions.” Zhena’s Gypsy tea offers fine natural teas that do not contain genetically modified organisms or allergens. They have a variety of flavours amongst black, green, herbal, tropical, and white tea.

Some flavours of tea include:
Black Tea – Earl Greater Grey, Peach Ginger, Raspberry Rose
Green Tea – Earl Green, Egpytian Mint, Goji Cacao Berry
Herbal Tea – Luminous Lemon, Caramel Apple, Chocolate Chai

(You can see a full list on their website.)

I have tried several different flavours, and they haven’t disappointed yet.

My favourite blend of tea so far is Peach Ginger. It has a wonderful aroma of fruity peach and ginger spice. I like to drink it in the morning when I’m on campus early and a cup of this would keep me awake. Ginger is known for aiding digestion, and stimulating/strengthening the immune system. Also, black tea has many health benefits since they have many antioxidants and they reduce cardiovascular related issues.

Another option I sometimes buy is the Luminous Lemon herbal tea. Luminous lemon is a blend of rooibos, lemon myrtle, and it has a scent of lavender as well. For those who like drinks with a bit of a zesty taste, this is a great tea to try. It is also high in antioxidants and has no caffeine. Lemon is also rich in Vitamin C.

Today, I received a sample of Egpytian Mint green tea. It is an infusion of organic Egyptian peppermint and organic Ceylon green tea. It has a refreshing mint aroma and taste too. Peppermint has lots of health benefits, including aiding the digestive system and helps clear your mind and keep your focus.

Tea contains many vitamins and minerals that regulate your health and combat disease. Honestly, I hate drinking water alone, and I can drink 8- 10 cups of tea a day to keep me going.

What’s not to love about this tea?

Fair Trade? Check.

Organic? Check.

Health supplement? Check.

Delicious? Check.

You can buy this tea around UBC Food Services Locations- such as Caffe Perugia at Life Sciences Centre, IKE’s Cafe at Irving K Barber, Reboot Cafe at ICICS, and the cafe at Woodward Library as well. It costs approximately $1.75-$1.95 for a cup of tea depending on location, and you can get an environmental discount for bringing your own mug!

March 3, 2012

Cucina Toscana 義大利私房菜 Review

Today I went to eat lunch at an Asian run, Italian homestyle cuisine restaurant in Richmond called Cucina Toscana. Hidden on Cambie Road, near Admiralty Centre and behind Aberdeen, is a little restaurant serving home-made Italian dishes.

Photo 2012-03-03 12 20 22 PM — The front of Cucina Toscana

Very subtle looking, isn’t it? I think I drove by several times and probably never looked twice. When you open the door, you notice this little quaint and vintage setting. The ambiance is quite peaceful.

indoor of restaurant — The ceiling + background

Photo 2012-03-03 12 30 20 PM — Table decorations

During lunch hours, they have a “light lunch menu” in addition to their normal menu.

Light Lunch Menu back Page — Light Lunch Menu Back Page

I ordered the prawns in creamy sauce, and the other two parties at my table ordered the fettuccine with beef and mushroom in black peppercorn sauce and a chef’s special salad. We first requested the complimentary bread. My friends ordered a coffee.

Just a typical cup of coffee. On it’s own, it’s worth $3, but this is included in the lunch menu. You can ask for refills.

The bread was warm and chewy. It tastes like Turkish bread- I can taste herbs and olive oil. Very delicious! We also asked for more after we devoured this.

Photo 2012-03-03 12 32 43 PM — Bread and butter

My choice on the menu came with a homemade cup of soup. The only soup that was available was Chickpea and Salami Soup. I didn’t have high expectations of this, mainly because I don’t eat chickpeas, and I never had salami in a soup before. However, when it arrived and I took a spoonful of it, it blew my mind.

The soup was hot and steamy. It was salty, but I couldn’t stop drinking it. The chickpeas tasted delicious, since it soaked up the soup. The salami bits were full of flavour as well. It was my first time trying soup like this, and I enjoyed it.

Photo 2012-03-03 12 31 28 PM — Chickpea and salami soup

My prawns in creamy mushroom sauce has arrived! I liked the creamy sauce, and there was enough for the pasta to soak in the flavour. There was a right amount of blending between the herbs and cream sauce. I’m glad the sauce didn’t dry up, sometimes in restaurants when you get to the end of your meal, half the sauce is cold and dry. There was a fair number of prawns in here too – around 6-7. The prawns were juicy and it tasted delicious when covered with the sauce. There is also asparagus, corn, pepper, and a carrot on the side.

Photo 2012-03-03 12 41 53 PM — Prawns in Creamy Mushroom sauce

Photo 2012-03-03 12 42 02 PM — Close up of prawns in creamy mushroom sauce

My friend ordered the fettuccine with the peppercorn sauce- she loved her dish as well. The dish is originally spicy, but she asked for less spicy.

Photo 2012-03-03 12 42 28 PM — Fettuccine with Beef & Mushroom in Black Peppercorn Sauce

The other party at our table ordered a salad with mushroom dressing ($9). It was quite big and I had a nibble- the taste was very decadent.

Photo 2012-03-03 12 40 09 PM — Salad with mushroom dressing

Although I was extremely stuffed, I ordered a dessert anyway! It’s been a while (not really) when I had dessert and I figured I should order one to share it with you guys!

Yes, I ordered crème brûlée! It is quite small for its price ($8). I gobbled it up because I had a gratifying satisfaction eating this. I didn’t think it was worth $8, because it tastes similar to other bakeries that sell crème brûlée for $3-$5. The hard caramel on top was sweet,but I think I tasted the tiniest hint of a burnt corner, but when I cracked it with a spoon and ate it along the custard, it was a stellar combination. The cream underneath was smooth and had a nice vanilla flavour. There were little chunks of strawberry and a blueberry that garnished the dessert.

Overall, I thought the lunch menu was fairly priced for coffee/tea refills, bread refill, and the main course. (Their normal menu is more expensive, $12-$20 per entree.) Dessert was a bit on the expensive side, but definitely worth the try.

Good customer service is noted as well. There weren’t many people in the restaurant today, so we were served in a timely manner. Also, the chef came out and asked if everything was good. I guess that’s how homemade style cuisines operate!

The ambiance of the restaurant was nice, since it felt like we were sitting in a traditional Italian setting. Everything I ate was delicious and I would recommend this place to other people who is on the hunt for a good lunch!

Rating: 4.5/5

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