Valentine’s Day in Vancouver: 5 treats by local makers who think outside the box of chocolates
Heart-shaped breads, rose-coloured drinks, and sweets with a purpose are among ways to celebrate
Mink Chocolates’ Valentine’s collection includes these juicy lips. Photo by @thecommotion.ca
VALENTINE’S DAY IS an excuse to indulge in deliciousness. Leave it to the creative minds in Vancouver’s culinary and cocktail scenes to make the options all the more enticing. Here are a few local highlights that celebrate love in the most artistically tasteful of ways.
Mink Chocolates’ lips (pictured at top)
These luscious lips are made up of cherry jelly in a 34% Cacao Barry Zephyr white-chocolate ganache finished with caramelized cocoa nibs. They’re part of the chocolate café’s Valentine’s collection, which also features hearts shelled in 70% Cacao Barry Fleur de Cao dark chocolate, 38% Cacao Barry Lactée Supérieure milk chocolate, or Barry Callebaut Ruby chocolate in flavours like Peach & Rose Honey, Pink Pepper & Raspberry Ganache, Mandarin Jelly, Hibiscus Jelly & Lime Ganache Persimmon, Quince & Vanilla Ganache, and Passionfruit Jelly & Coconut Ganache.
Pizzeria Farina’s heart-shaped Margherita pizzas
Topped with tomato sauce, fior di latte, olive oil, and basil, the 12-inch pies ($17) are available for take-out in limited quantities starting at 4 p.m. on February 14. (You can make it a complete Valentine’s dinner for two for $60, with a bottle of Lambrusco and a strawberry gianduja crostata dessert thrown in.)
East Van Roasters’ Buddha of Compassionate Love
This belly-full of chocolate celebrates Lunar New Year and Valentine’s Day all in one: the social enterprise operated by PHS Community Services Society, which helps women re-enter the workforce, describes the treat as its “annual expression of gratitude for being a part of the historic Chinatown and Japantown neighbourhoods and a reaffirmation of its ongoing commitment to continue serving its Downtown Eastside community”. This year, Buddha ($5) is filled with lemon pâte de fruit layered with East Van Roasters Sultana coffee ganache and toasted buckwheat.
Heart-shaped baguettes from the Bench Bakehouse
These naturally leavened, heart-shaped sourdough baguettes are a once-a-year-only offering. (They’re available February 13 and 14 for $8. Advance ordering online is encouraged.) If you miss out, there are always the Commercial Drive bakery’s hand-decorated heart-shaped cookies.
Photo by Anjali Spooner
Neighbourly Love cocktails at the Red Wagon Restaurant and Odd Society Spirits
Stop in at either East Van spot for a Mighty Aphrodite (strawberry-infused Wallflower Gin, Bittersweet Vermouth, and chocolate bitters) or/and the Prospect of Love (Prospector Rye, Mia Amata Amaro, rose-and-lychee black-tea syrup, lemon juice, and Ms. Better’s Bitters Miraculous Foamer).
From February 11 to 13 (to the 14th at the Red Wagon), one dollar from each cocktail sold will go to the BC Hospitality Foundation, which helps workers in the industry facing financial crisis because of a health issue.
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