Finding Hotel Chocolat

I just landed in Boston a few hours ago and I’ve already had a little tour of the area. During this trip I am staying at the historical The Boston Park Plaza Hotel and Towers on Park Plaza. Usually, I stay at The Liberty but it was sold out for this trip. The minute I landed, I was off to the Flour Bakery on Washington Street. However, the weather was gloomy and it started to rain. Typically I would say, “Who cares”. But the construction on Arlington and the Gay Pride Parade block off some of the roads. I am pretty savvy at navigating areas, but I didn’t want to risk getting lost in potentially bad weather. So, I watched the parade attendees dance in the streets for a hot moment and decided to have an early dinner at McCormick and Schmidt’s until the weather improved.

Church of the Covenant on Newbury

After dinner, I went back to my room to grab a hat and attempt to find H&M. On my way up and down Newbury Street I stumbled upon the Hotel Chocolat at 141 Newbury Street. Many moons back I blogged about their cacao plantation and hotel experience. Although I was disappointed I couldn’t get to Flour Bakery, this is a superb find. Upon entering the brightly light modern location, I searched the shelves for their hot chocolate. Opps! Excuse me, Hotel Chocolat calls it Liquid Chocolat. Their Carmel Chocolate caught my eye first. It has these cute little cream colored hearts mixed in with light brown chocolate shavings. I knew my husband would love this, but call me greedy. It is all about the Classic/Dark Chocolate. Hotel Chocolat also had an Aztec Chili Liquid Chocolat and pure cocoa powder. After an employee offered me a tasty heart shaped chocolate containing hazelnuts, I selected a jar of their Classic Dark Drinking Chocolate. What I loved best was that the jar was plastic. This makes it so easy to travel to my second destination prior to arriving at home.

I still have another night to get to Flour Bakery. I haven’t given up yet.

Heavenly Hot Chocolate with Chef Christopher Brooks

Confused in San Francisco

My 9 to 5 has brought be back to Mt. View again. But for this trip, I had a hidden agenda. It was time to cross another one of US Today News top 10 places to have hot chocolate off the list.

So far, I’ve already been to Jean Philippe Patisserie in Las Vegas and Ceiba in Washington DC. Since I was arriving a day early, it was the perfect time to try Tartine Bakery in San Francisco. Due to an earlier arrival time than expected, I couldn’t check into my hotel. Which meant this excursion was really justified as I had nothing really to do for four hours. With my MapQuest directions in hand, I headed off to Tartine Bakery.

As usual, I got a little lost along the way and ended up near 3rd and Mission. Trying to find parking was a mess, but I found a parking lot near the St. Regis Hotel. I didn’t know how far I was from the bakery so I placed a call. CRAP! They are off of 18th street. I had 15 more blocks to go. Good thing I always travel with comfy shoes. I started to hoof it down the road, but I noticed they had buses that run along Mission.

Perfect! I hoped on the bus with a man shooting to the world and gesturing to the invisible man next to him. This will be a very interesting day. Getting a little nervous when the bus started to turn, I pulled the string to hop off. I was thinking I was going the wrong direction. I felt even sillier when I couldn’t figure out how to exit the bus. The driving was yelling for me to get on the step, which triggers the doors to open. Geez… This hot chocolate better be good.

Mission St. actually curves around, which meant I could have stayed on the bus. Oh well. I continued walking to Tartine’s enjoying the scenario and taking in the local residents. Once I hit 18th Street, I asked a very friendly local person where 600 Guerrero was located. She graciously gave me directions and I picked up the pace as I was so close to indulgence.

Finally, my eyes were on the prize. I parked myself in line with the other Tartine enthusiasts dreaming what the hot chocolate was going to taste like. The place was packed with patrons. It was exceptionally business, yet organized. When my turn arrived, I ordered 2 shortbread cookies, 1 hot chocolate, a small salad and a croissant to go. As I waited for my order, I sat at the table of a very friendly hot chocolate devotee. Our conversation revolved around the various hot chocolates on the market. I gave her a few recommendations based on the type of chocolates she enjoyed and provided her with my Cocoa Connoisseur business card. I simply love meeting other hot chocolate lovers.

Unfortunately, by the time my ordered arrived I was worried about getting back to the car before it became too dark. I took a few sips of my hot chocolate, but I decided to wait and savor the experience at my hotel. I parked myself at the return bus stop for several minutes….no bus. The digital display said it would be another 15 minutes for a bus to arrive. Forget that, I needed to get going. Again, I was hoofing it back up Mission St. With the recent time change, it becomes darker sooner and I did want to be out of my element at night.

Low and behold when I arrived at 6th Street, the bus passed me by. Drats! I decided to continue walking the last 3 blocks to the parking lot. Really, the things I do for hot chocolate.

By the time I arrived at the hotel, I was too tired to enjoy my hot chocolate. So tonight, I will do so. I am signing off to enjoy my Tartine hot chocolate and a shortbread cookie.

Mint-a-licious hot chocolate

We have a new hot chocolate addition: The King's Cupboard Mint Hot Chocolate

Orange Ginger Hot Chocolate

Yield: 1 Serving of Orange Ginger Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

¼ c 90% Dark Chocolate Bar

½ c Milk

¼ c Orange Juice

3 tbls Crystallized Ginger Root

Preparation:

1. Chop the 90% Dark Chocolate into smaller pieces.
2. Place the chocolate shavings into a double-boiler over medium/low heat until it is completely melts.
3. Whisk in Orange Juice, Milk and Ginger. Bring to a simmer, but do not boil.
4. Continue to stir mixture until smooth and hot.
5. Use a strainer when pouring the hot chocolate mixture in to a mug. Garnish and serve.

Today's hot chocolate: Fran's Premium Hot Chocolate

Seeking a little pick me up this evening, I decided it was time to enjoy a cup of chocolate. The selection of the evening was Fran's Premium Hot Chocolate made here in the USA with 100% Venezuelan chocolate. Founded by Fran Bigelow, this hot chocolate received the 2007 Sofi Award (formerly the NASFT Food Award) for Outstanding Hot Beverage.

It's been a while since I pulled out the double boiler, but I was ready. Although the directions said to add the chocolate to heated milk, I chose to melt the chocolate first. Ah! It was beautiful.

Now it was time to enjoy...opps... I added a little too much milk. Since the other half broke my ounce measuring cup, my measurements have been a little off lately. Dare I say a shopping trip is in order? :>

The hot chocolate was optimum balance of chocolate and sweetness. I gave my husband a sip and he said "it's too watery". If the non-cocoa connoisseur makes that statement, you know I added too much milk. Well, I kept on drinking my cup of chocolate and after that we had fun licking the chocolate off the spoon. What a way to close the evening.

Stick with dark hot chocolate

With the recent passing of National Chocolate Milk Day on September 27, 2009, the FDA recall of hot chocolates made with powdered milk and the Food Navigator – USA reporting that Nestle purchases 10 to 15 percent of their milk from a farm owned/seized by Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe, I believe everyone is better off with drinking dark hot chocolate.

Need I say more?

Coconut Catastrophe

I became inspired to create a hot chocolate infused with the flavors of the Asian Indian culture. The foundation of this hot chocolate is Scharffen Berger Unsweetened 99% Cacao and coconut milk. After researching the mostly frequently used spices and herbs in Asian Indian cuisine, I selected the following ingredients: Palm Sugar, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Chili Peppers and Mandarin Oranges.

The spices were roughly measured, added to the coconut milk along with a few mandarin oranges and a touch of the orange's juice. The liquid was placed back into the refrigerator to infuse the milk with their flavors. After a few hours, I melted the 99% cacao in a glass bowl sitting above pot of boiling water. This is to avoid scorching the milk and/or chocolate. Once the cacao was melted, I poured the milk base through a strainer in to the melted chocolate. I continued stirring and heating. The hot chocolate blend looked beautiful and I personally felt another fantastic recipe was forming.

Palm Sugar was blended into the heated mixture and now it was time to try it. Can you say..."blah!" I do know what the deal is with this recipe, but I surely went south somewhere down the line. Chalk this one up to another hot chocolate mess! As usual, I can always say..."at least the pictures came out nice".

Win Hot Chocolate for a Year!

Oh my! What a way to welcome 2009. Aimia Foods, the UK based beverage manufacturer of Galaxy® and Maltesers Hot Chocolate, is awarding ten (10) lucky people with a year’s worth of Galaxy® Smooth Dark Hot Chocolate. Take a chance and enter to win 365 days of dark hot chocolate bliss. Contest ends Monday, February 9, 2009.

Yelp.com sent me here!

Both air conditioners decided to crap out on me in the middle of the Texas summer so I am way behind in sharing my experiences from DC. Nonetheless, while I was sweating to death down here, I was reminiscing of my hot chocolate experience at Locolat.

After enjoying a splendid yet bug interrupted dining experience at L’Enfant, I made my way to Locolat. Located on 1781 Florida Ave NW in the Adams Morgan district, Locolat is tucked back on Florida Ave. As another Yelp.com recommendation, I placed Locolat on my list to experience their hot chocolate for myself.

The storefront was amazingly open to view the culinary geniuses inside from the sidewalk. If you do not have the money to enjoy one of their confections, at least you can watch the masters hone their craft. Upon entering the store, I was greeted by a lovely case of colorful chocolate delicacies. Although I had hot chocolate on the mind, I had to take a little something home to my husband. A few seconds later a friendly face welcomed me and provided insight on the various candies and truffles. I selected the 5 piece box consisting of a Raspberry Chocolate Candy, a Mojito Chocolate Candy, a White Chocolate Truffle, a Passion Fruit Candy and a Pistachio Chocolate Candy. All were neatly placed in a cute pink and brown “to go box”. For myself, I ordered a round of dark hot chocolate. After I asked the type of milk I wished to have with my order, the Locolat associate whipped up my hot chocolate.

Upon being served, I struck up a conversation with the associate only to find out she and her husband owned Locolat and they both lived in California for a period of time! I knew there was something special about that place. While a having wonderful conversation about love, life, relocating and the American way, my hot chocolate lost it’s froth and optimal temperature. She offered to reheat, but I declined. I sipped it anyways and it was FABULOUS. Locolat uses only Belgian chocolate for their confectionery delights. Whole milk, in my opinion, makes it full-bodied, so it was a perfect pairing.

The husband/chocolatier/culinary confections guru, provided me a sample of pure Belgian chocolate and it was amazing. It was smooth and lacked the acidic snap you receive with some pure chocolates. Personally, I wish I had more Belgium hot chocolates on my shelves after that. So, now I have another action item when I get home.

I still had one last stop before I returned to the hotel, Mixtec. The husband/chocolatier/culinary confections guru graciously provided me with walking directions to my next hot chocolate stop. With my pink and brown chocolate box and a belly full of hot chocolate, I took off for my next adventure.

As for the chocolate candies for my husband, he gulped them down in one sitting. I asked him what his favorite was; he just said “they were good”. Trying to pull some feedback out of him, again all I received was, “they were good”. Geez, I wanted to have a dialogue about the flavors, variations and what his palette experienced with each bite. What was I thinking…