What’s Up, Choc?

The magic of Vancouver is in its beautiful surroundings—all the best of what nature has to offer…the mountains, the ocean, the beaches and the chocolate (yes, the chocolate). And there’s no yolk about it, this Easter, Vancouver’s artisan chocolatiers have the most eggs-quisite treats offered at every price point and for everybunny on your hopping list. We’ve done (pounds and pounds of) research and picked out three of Vancouver’s finest.

Rating full marks by our eggs-pert chocolate testers for both taste and aesthetic appeal, the chocolates of Thomas Haas Fine Chocolates & Patisserie warrant special mention. Thomas Haas, a fourth generation pastry chef from Europe, produces handmade artisan chocolates and desserts using the finest ingredients sourced locally and from around the world. Although chocolate cravers can find Thomas Haas’ treats at select stores in Vancouver, it is worth a trip to his stylish facility in North Vancouver where some of the city’s best (read: bridge-worthy) cappuccino is served, along with fresh pastries and desserts. Thomas Haas’ Easter creations include sweets like hand-painted chocolate lollipops decorated with playful bunnies on swingsets, sharing a strawberry or juggling fruit and a triple mini truffle bunny pack, molded with miniature details like buck-teeth and floppy ears. Our testers went gaga over the Crispy Gianduja Egg: a hand painted milk chocolate outside, filled with hazelnut praline, puffed cocoa pieces and roasted cocoa beans. One of our eggs-pert testers described the treat as “scrumpalicious”. ‘Nuff said.

For more than fifteen years, Chocolate Arts has been satisfying chocolate longings in Kitsilano, and this Easter is no exception. Whether you’re looking for traditional milk chocolate foil-wrapped eggs for hiding or something a little different like a Peanut Butter & Jam Egg or a CocoMallow Egg (as in marshmallow), Chocolate Art’s founder and owner, Greg Hook, has something to please every palate and wallet this Easter. The kids get a special kick out of the goofy grinning chocolate EggHead, which contains a surprise foil-wrapped egg inside. We like that Hook uses all natural products in his creations (like the paint for decorating eggs which is vegetable based) and that he likes to “keep it local” using produce from B.C. farmers. Oblivious to all of these benefits, our eggs-pert taste testers gave Chocolate Arts a chocolate-covered thumbs up.

Our last local artisan chocolatier is DC DUBY Wild Sweets, an innovative chocolate designer located in Steveston. Although Wild Sweets sells most of its product through its critically-acclaimed virtual boutique, its Easter treats can only be found in finer stores throughout Vancouver. Wild Sweets is focused on the gift of chocolate (no hollow chocolate rabbits), with the adult consumer in mind. For SavvyMoms, Wild Sweets means unique and delicious hostess presents for our magnanimous mother-in-laws who feed our litter Easter dinner. On the outside, Wild Sweets’ treats make the recipients gasp. For instance, the Chocolate Choc is beautifully wrapped like a French bonbon in clear cellophane with ribbons. Unlike its name suggests though, the Choc will do anything but shock taste buds. The white chocolate nest holds assorted eggs filled with dried fruit, cinnamon peanut praline and caramelized nuts. The simply named Egg Art features a hand painted, white chocolate egg filled with dried fruit, cinnamon peanut praline, crusted with assorted dried fruit and caramelized nuts. Even our eggs-pert chocolate testers knew not to touch these creations.

Now we have the solution to the age old argument about whether to eat the bunny ears first or last. Give them an Easter treat from one of Vancouver’s artisan chocolatiers and they’ll be speechless.

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