Archived: Hot Chocolate
I’m slightly partial to a thich hot chocolate.
This may explain why I’ve chased them around the world.
I’m back from the Aroma Festival at The Rocks, buzzing quietly after — and this is only a guess, I lost count somewhere around 2.30pm — three coffees and four hot chocolates.
I sampled every European-style thick hot chocolate on offer, I think prize for thickest goes to the website-less Gourmet Beverage Company's hot chocolate (pictured). Granted it’s a sissy purple plastic spoon, but it stood standing unassisted for at least thirty seconds while it was photographed from every angle.
That’s worryingly thick.
I’m a simple man so I stuck with the original chocolate version, steering clear of flavours ranging from chilli pepper (chilli and chocolate being a match made in heaven, as evidenced by the sadly discontinued Dangerous Liaisons Tim Tams) to the slightly disturbing sounding Yellow-flesh peach and chocolate.
On an unrelated note, my vote for best coffee was hands-down Toby’s Estate. That’s a tasty, tasty coffee.
Posted on Sunday, July 22, 2007
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I think I’ve found a solution to my internet woes. More on that soon.
In the meantime, I’m heading down to the Aroma Festival in The Rocks tomorrow, and aside from tasting a lot of coffee, I plan on reporting back with any hot chocolate based findings.
Posted on Saturday, July 21, 2007
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Yes, I'm still alive. And yes, I'm still in London.
There's plenty going on and I haven't had a chance to stop and write or take photos for a little while. I'm hoping to take some time this long-long Easter weekend to get back into the swing of things, so hopefully there'll be a few more posts in the coming weeks.
Since I'm in London I'll probably do some kind of arty-culturey things over the weekend, since this fine city is littered with them. The Design Museum has just opened a couple of new exhibitions so I might head back there to check it all out.
How's your long-long weekend looking? (Quiet? Big? Chocolate-fueled?)
Posted on Wednesday, April 4, 2007
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The view down a lane in Stockholm's Gamla Stan district.
And in case you were wondering, no, I haven't decided who the Belgian chocolates and tacky postcard are going to. That's waiting until tomorrow.
Posted on Sunday, February 4, 2007
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The second (and last) photo in my short-lived secret lives of architecture's model citizens series, from Madrid.
There's still time to score some Belgian chocolates for the most creative suggestion of why I would make an overnight trek to Brugge. I'm back in London now, and the chocolates (and postcard) are sitting right next to me waiting to be mailed out.
Posted on Monday, January 29, 2007
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While in Madrid I stumbled across On Site, an architectural exhibition of modern Spanish architecture originally organised by MoMA New York, which was fascinating even though everything was utterly incomprehensible in Spanish.
I took a few photos of the little people in the scale models of buildings, and entertained the brief idea of making a photo series about the secret lives of miniature people, but ran out of time to take enough photos. Here's one of the couple that I did manage to take.
This Sunday I'm heading off on a whirlwind overnight trip to Brugge, in Belgium (yes, again). Why a one-day trip to Brugge? Well that's a long story.
Actually, I'll offer some Belgian chocolates — and a tacky postcard — for the best suggestion:
Why would I take an overnight trip to Brugge?
Post a comment and let me know.
Posted on Sunday, January 28, 2007
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I've fallen a bit behind posting photos here since I've been travelling and not around the web every day... I'll try and post a few over the next days while we're in the apartment here in Rome.
Before I head out again this afternoon to track down the local hot chocolate place, I'll leave you with the question: what would you miss most about home if you were travelling for a hundred days?
Posted on Wednesday, November 8, 2006
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Before I forget, I did manage to grab an interesting hot chocolate before I left Perth, in this case it was the Mexican Chilli Hot Chocolate at the Wild Fig cafe on the coast near North Beach.
It was a little feisty as far as chilli hot chocolate goes, it's got a real kick to it (by comparison Koko Black's was more of a subtle hint of chilli). I'm a bit of a chilli fan so I stuck it out but some other people asked for theirs to be diluted with normal hot chocolate to bring it back to something pleasantly drinkable.
I'm looking forward to checking out the hot chocolates in Europe (Italy, Belgium and Switzerland, I'm looking at you) so this won't be the last hot chocolate-related post in the next few months.
Posted on Friday, September 15, 2006
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Another trip to Melbourne, another overdose on hot chocolate. Here's this year's trip in a flashback-style highlights reel. Now with addresses, in case you're playing along at home.
Thursday: Little Peninsula
Little Peninsula's hot chocolate is somewhere between thick, rich Italian hot chocolate and the usual drinkable hot chocolate in cafés. It's served with a spoon, but still pretty liquid so you can just as happily drink it. This little wine bar is on Little Lonsdale just near Melbourne Central's office tower.
www.littlepeninsula.com.au - 308 Little Lonsdale Street.
Friday: Koko Black's Chilli Hot Chocolate
If you do happen to visit Koko Black (in the Royal Arcade, just off Bourke Street) make sure you go upstairs. Little tables and if you're lucky, big winged armchairs by the big arch windows onto the arcade are a great accompaniment to chocolate bliss. A little more la-de-da than the other purveyors of hot chocolate on this trip, Koko Black might be a bit stuffy, but their chilli hot chocolate is silkily warm with a nice chilli kick. Bonus points for the spider's web syrup decoration on the top.
www.kokoblack.com - Royal Arcade, Bourke Street.
Saturday: Brunetti, City Square
Ahhh, Brunetti. How do I love thee? Sitting with good company under the heaters outside as they close up the store around us at 10.30pm, sipping thick, Italian hot chocolate. Quite possibly the perfect way to end a Saturday night that began with a chinese meal, wine, and discussion of scary dreams, embarrassing rock moments and segway polo. When (not "if") you visit Brunetti, make sure you ask for cream on the side so you can dip teaspoonfuls in to the drink, which measures out the liquid-chocolate overdose.
www.brunetti.com.au - City Square, 214 Flinders Lane.
Sunday: Trampoline
Trampoline (who I've previously raved about for their great gelato) also have a chocolate fountain at their Brunswick Street store. Ask for a hot chocolate—it's not on the menu, but the posters all over the store advertise its "Not too thick. Not too thin"-ness—and they'll show you a paper cup about one-third full of chocolate (at this point it's polite to either giggle, drool quietly or generally swoon). Added to this is some frothed milk (think cafe latte) which is mixed, then topped with flaked chocolate. Tip: to avoid becoming laughter-fodder for staff, ask for a spoon to scrape the chocolate bits from the bottom of the cup. I get the impression we weren't the first to spend minutes waiting for gravity to bring the last of the chocolate within reach.
www.trampolinehq.com.au - 381 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Monday: Max Brenner
I've raved in the past about Max Brenner's hyperventilation-inducing menu of hot chocolates, so if you've previously missed that, feel free to brush up now. In summary: if it's hot and chocolately, you'll probably find it here. I'm still yet to try the sucao DIY-approach, but everything I've tried has been good. Not amazing, but consistently good. And the hug mug is always good for a laugh.
www.maxbrenner.com.au - Menzies Alley, Melbourne Central, 300 La Trobe Street
Honourable mentions
There were a couple of places I didn't make it to on this last whirlwind trip to Melbourne, but I think they deserve a mention.
L'Aperitivo
This is where it all started back in 2004... I think it's still the best Italian hot chocolate I've found in Melbourne.
340 Glenhuntly Rd, Elsternwick
San Churro
I've heard and read many good things about this Spanish chocolate cafe. Check out this photo on flickr of their three shots of chocolate and tell me you don't want to pay them a visit.
www.sanchurro.com - 277b Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Still no word on Italian hot chocolate in Perth, mostly because I'm otherwise absorbed at work.
And lazy.
Posted on Sunday, August 6, 2006
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And the rest...