CityFood Magazine - Last Chance for Romance

SWEETS FOR YOUR SWEETIE

Flowers are dandy, but they usually taste terrible. The smart guy knows that the way to his valentine's heart is through her sweet tooth. And today may be your last chance to get prepared ... otherwise Friday the 13th could truly turn out to be an unlucky day -- your last one. Here's a round up of sweet things that will do the trick, and you will be supporting small local businesses too.

1) THE JULIETTE – A limited edition signature chocolate for Valentine’s only (oven-roasted, organic apricot, apricot ganache with a dried organic apricot compote in a milk chocolate shell). Created by chocolatier Greg Hook for Chocolate Arts.

Or if pink is your thing, then try:
-- the Raspberry Passion (finely chopped, house-dried, local raspberry fruit leather in a creamy milk chocolate heart, highlighted with dark chocolate.
-- The Crispy Raspberry Heart (a solid heart made with house-made raspberry leather, crispy cookie wafer & dark chocolate in a thin milk chocolate shell & highlighted with 24 carat gold).
-- The Strawberry and Champagne Seduction Box (dark chocolate with a layer of strawberry gelee made with local strawberries, and a layer of Champagne truffle ganache), eight to a box.
or the Caramel Truffle Heart (a dark chocolate heart box containing three creamy caramel truffles), the Cleopatra (Caramel cream, caramel ganache & a dark chocolate dipped hazelnut in a milk chocolate shell) or the Romeo (locally grown blackberries flavour this dark fruity ganache and whipped blackberry cream encased in a dark chocolate shell).

Tasting is believing. All chocolates are available at Chocolate Arts. 2037 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver BC. 604-739-0475.

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Thomas Haas' Chocolate shop is the sophisticate's Willy Wonka factory. You'll find handcrafted signature truffle hearts, hot chocolate, chocolate bars in various cocoa designations, floating chocolate hearts, handpainted lollipops and wonderful raspberry fruit gelees. He even offers a dark chocolate ganache infused with fresh roses. But perhaps his signature "Red Box Collection" is the ultimate prize for this time of year. Wrapped in beautiful red faux leather finished boxes, signature chocolates and truffles are a glorious tasting for that special guy or gal. Choose from 6 - 18 piece presentations from $13 to $33. Or the "Ultimate Chocolate Lover's Gift Box ($75 and $125). See the complete selection at www.thomashaas.com. Then visit the shop at Unit 128, 998 Harbourside Drive, North Vancouver, B.C. Open Tues-Sat, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

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Mink Chocolates has a truly fabulous collection of hand made artisan quality chocolates, in all kinds of formats, including gift boxes of course. But we think even a few of their handmade chocolate bars in several flavours would be the ticket. Three of our favourite flavours would be perfect for Valentines: the "Love Potion" (left) made from roasted banana, dark rum and lime in dark chocolate ganache; or the "Pas de Deux" (right), Ameretto and dried cherries, also in dark chocolate ganache; or the "Romeo and Juliet" (not shown) a combo of half white and half dark chocolate ganache.

The bars are all available at the Mink Chocolate Cafe, located downtown near Canada Place at 863 West Hastings Street. While you are there check out their chocolate fondue menu or enjoy a cup of real hot chocolate. Open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. or Sat/Sun 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 604-633-2451.

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Pret-a-Porter ... master of cocoa couture, Peter Fong of Ganache Patisserie has created a "Saint Valentine Valise Chocolate", a chocolate handbag complete with chocolate heart-shaped handles. Inside its delicate chocolate exterior lies a hidden cache of silky flavours and textures to explore: layers of moist chocolate cake, crunchy chocolate sable with a praline crunch coating, a dark caramel mousses sandwiching a dual centre composed of cocoa nib-studded milk chocolate coffee caramel parfait and a white chocolate hazelnut parfait folded with griottine cherries. The valise is available in his or her versions. (His looks more like a briefcase). $21.95. 1262 Homer Street in Yaletown, Vancouver. Order ahead of your Saturday pickup at 604-899-1098.

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Breakfast in Bed? Surprise you valentine with a mug of hot chocolate garnished with pink, strawberry flavoured marshmallows from Butter. These are not the glue-y fakesters you find in children's breakfast cereals but the real thing, handmade and composed of all natural flavours and colourings (the ingredient list sounds like things you you find in your pantry not a chem lab.) If strawberry is not what you fancy then we vouch for the vanilla and coconut versions too. $6 for a bag of 10.

If you visit the store watch out for the irrisistable cupcakes decorated to look like delicate pink tea roses. A box of those would make your Valentine happy too. Butter Baked Goods is located at 421 Dunbar St., Vancouver. 604-221-433.

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And speaking of cupcakes, there are plenty of valentines who would roll on the carpet at the thought of them, (try the Diva at Cupcakes Co.), or maybe some pink-frosted donuts from Lee's at Granville Island. You don't have to get stuck in a chocolate rut.

But what if your sweetie isn't stuck on sweets? Then don't forget cheese. Les amis du fromage still has some heart-shaped Camembert type cheeses in stock that would go perfect on a cheese platter along with a glass, and the Urban Fare grocery sells a pearly pink cheddar flavoured with Claret. We're kind of hoping for a perfect red wax-covered ball of Dutch Gouda ourselves.

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