"Sweets And The City"

[Mooshmouse]

Here's a link to the Georgia Straight blurb on Ganache Patisserie. Dear God, that Citron-Nectarine is calling my name!

Citron-Nectarine pairs lemon mascarpone cream with vanilla/star-anise crème brûlée and vanilla-poached nectarines on a lemon base.

I know where Ling and I are going soon.

[Ling]

That would be correct! Sorry I should have made that more clear in my post...

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You don't have to apologize, silly!

I had the Caramel-Chocolat at Ganache Patisserie again yesterday! Hmmm...so many desserts, so little time! The goat cheese cheesecake there sounds so tempting....

I made the Stilton cheesecake last night using the proportions from the Epicurious recipe (because I have a larger ring pan), and the procedure from the Vancouver Sun recipe that lemoncurd gave me (slower oven). It turned out well--no cracks coming out of the oven, but a tiny crack appeared as it cooled....however, the crack seems to have closed up after the cheesecake spent the night in the fridge.

Rhubarb is out of season, and I can't find frozen rhubarb anywhere! I'm just going to wing it today with a pear/port/pink peppercorn compote....hope it turns out.

Edited April 1, 2005 by Ling (log)

[surfer_dream]

Ganache on Homer - my favorite chocolate lovers choice - great shop with a variety of top quality pastries - Peter is a fine host!! Lily Kates is a great choice as well but a little pricey..

Coast Restaurant has a killer cheesecake - absolutely to die for or recommend it for your last meal!!

[CanadianBakin']

Inspired by this thread I made a trip to Vancouver this week to, among other things, try out some of these wonderful desserts. We went to Pane from Heaven for Chocolate Ganache Cake, La Petite France for Moëlleux Chocolat au Rhum and Opera bar, and Ganache Patisserie for Concorde Framboise and Caramel - Chocolat. WOW!! We don't have anything like these places in the Fraser Valley. I'm feeling very deprived. It's probably a good thing or I'd be there every week and weigh a ton.

Except for the Moëlleux Chocolat au Rhum which we ate in, we brought everything home and tried a tiny bit of each at one sitting. All of them were wonderful and I agree if it's a major chocolate rush you are going for the Chocolate Ganache Cake fits the bill but overall we liked the Caramel-Chocolat best. Lovely combination of textures, not too sweet, mmmmm creamy mouth feel... it was perfect! Thanks for all the recommendations otherwise we wouldn't have had a clue where to start with so many wonderful looking desserts. Next time we'll try some of the others now we have an idea of the quality. As a side note, atmosphere-wise we liked Pane from Heaven best.

[Vancouver]

Inspired by this thread I made a trip to Vancouver this week to, among other things, try out some of these wonderful desserts.

That's what I like to hear!

Glad you had a good introduction to the fine desserts of our town. Looking forward to hearing your further adventures!

Cheers!

[Mooshmouse]

CanadianBakin', glad to hear that our numerous reconnaissance missions weren't in vain and that you were able to sample so many sweet treats in one visit... now that's my kind of trip into town!

[Ling]

CanadianBakin'--I'm so happy that you enjoyed our recommendations! I really like the Caramel-Chocolat...now I'm thinking about the one I ate 2 days ago...

[Mooshmouse]

Thought I'd include a photo of the top dessert tier from High Tea at Secret Garden Tea Company.

Included are lemon tarts, blueberry tarts and triple-layer chocolate fudge cake. Mind you, I'm not entirely sure about the name of the chocolate dessert; suffice it to say it was a layer of chocolate cake, a layer of what I believe is milk chocolate mousse and dark chocolate ganache. The latter is definitely good but not blow-me-away great like the Ganache Cake at Pane From Heaven which seems to be my current benchmark for all things excellent and chocolate. There were other treats available in the dessert case that I've yet to sample... each of my visits to Secret Garden has been for High Tea and the top tier, though different every time, only includes three desserts. I do, however, love their petite scones with raspberry jam and Devonshire cream.

For a listing of all their "Dainty Sweets" in PDF format, click on this link to Secret Garden's "Buy The Dozen" menu.

[Feedbag]

When you say "Vancouver's" best sweets, can I

assume "Lower Mainland's"?? If so, finally picked up

a cheesecake from Pappagallo on Hastings and Sperling,

Arne's stomping grounds and high recommendation.

I had only ever had coffee here (excellent) but last

week gave in and got one of the cheesecakes with

chocolate, caramel and nuts on top (can't remember

the name!) and, yes, it was exquisite. Just a perfect

balance of creaminess, cheesiness and chocolate/

caramel. Yum. And the mocha coffee, just wow.

I'm going to buy an entire cake for the next special

occasion. Really friendly service, too.

Will have to get around to taking up everyone's

recommendations for other sweets around the

city. We're so deprived here in Burnaby. Unless,

of course, anyone from these sticks can recommend

comparable places to satisfy a sweet tooth?

[Ling]

The latter is definitely good but not blow-me-away great like the Ganache Cake at Pane From Heaven which seems to be my current benchmark for all things excellent and chocolate.

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I just inhaled one. We (that cake and my mouth) have been separated for far too long.

And I might as well chime in about the stilton cheesecake I made--it was much denser and richer than the one they have at Sen5es, and the blue cheese flavour was much, much, stronger. It actually smells like blue cheese when you take the cheesecake out of the fridge. I much preferred the toasted pecan crust I did. Quite different from the one at Sen5es. I really like the Epicurious recipe (with a few modifications.)

ETA: I also had a very nice Callebaut (dark chocolate) terrine at The Pear Tree last night. Pictures to come shortly!

Edited April 3, 2005 by Ling (log)

[Lana]

I had the Tarte au Citron Meringue at Ganache and it was quite good. I must say though that I would have enjoyed it more had there been more of the lemon and less of the meringue. I love a tart lemon filling and this was nice because it wasn't too sweet. The crust was a little tough but I liked it none-the-less.

My husband had the Tiramisu-Chocolat and he liked that. I had a taste and it was better than expected.(I am not a huge Tiramisu fan)

We will definitely be going back to sample more. I especially want to try the truffles.

[Zucchini Mama]

Chacun à son Chocolat

I popped into Rangoli to pick up my favorite thing there, which is the Thomas Haas's Hazelnut Crunch chocolates with Vij's Garam Masala. Then, I slipped down the back alley, passing a can-collector, and headed for the Firehall Branch of the Vancouver Public Library. This may be the most comfy library in town-if you're looking for a place to read sans latte. Next, I take the bus to Arbutus and walk down to W4th to check for good second hand kids books at the Sally Anne on the corner of Cypress. From there, it just happens to be a short stroll down the hill to Pane from Heaven where the much loved Chocolate Ganache cakes reside.

I order one cake with a Chai Latte and dig in to the cake with much anticipation. Lots of ganache- about a half an inch of ganache over a tiny piece of cake. Hmmm, I like it because it's chocolate, but it's not too my taste-too rich, cloying, and judging by the sad looking strawberry garnish, it's not that fresh. I eat four gooey bites and take the rest home for my boys.

I guess you can take the girl out of the country, but you can't take away the memory of my mom's warm from the oven chocolate cake with fresh farm cream. I like a really moist cake that doesn't need icing, hence the love of the "puddingy" chocolate beet cake at Aphrodite's and yes, you do need to eat it warm with whipped cream. I couldn't find the Jaime Oliver chocolate beet cake recipe Ling mentioned, but made one this weekend from a recipe online. I wasn't too pleased with the results. It still needs experimentation in the Zucchini Test kitchen-I will try to adapt the rebar cookbook's classic Chocolate Zucchini Cake recipe.

The good news is that at Pane from Heaven I had the best Chai Latte I've ever had in Vancouver-that is a decent westernized version of real chai and not made with that syrup crap. I will go back for that.

I think the best chocolate dessert I had this past year was the chocolate tasting plate at Dock 503 in Sydney on Vancouver Island. I just remember thinking "Oh, this is chocolate with depth, and texture, chocolate to the power of three, chocolate cubed... Plus we were eating outdoors in the summer, and the prices on his menu are unbelievably reasonable. I had a vegetarian Bento Box for my meal that, (although not entirely successful) has haunted me ever since. They also serve local Island wines.

My little Valentine's chocolate find in Vancouver was Quebec-made fair trade chocolates at 10,000 Villages on West Broadway.

Now that chocolate is "good for you", even Aveda has come out with their own high-end chocolate bar-guess I'll have to try it and report back!

Zuke

Edited April 7, 2005 by Zucchini Mama (log)

[Ling]

^Sorry for the confusion--the Jaime Oliver recipe is not a chocolate beet cake recipe, just a beet cake recipe (similar in flavour to a carrot cake, judging by the spices). It's in the Jaime's Kitchen book; PM me for the recipe if you'd like!

[Ling]

Here's the Sen5es cheesecake:

(I wrote my comments in an earlier post.)

Here's the cake I had at Pane from Heaven today....sorry about the blurriness

(layers of mocha mousse and sponge cake, covered in chocolate ganache and pistachios. IMO, too much cake, not even mousse! A bit dry...I would give it a 6.5 or 7 out of 10.)

Here's the Callebaut chocolate pate from The Pear Tree:

This was quite good...they use dark chocolate and the pate is so buttery it just sort of disintegrates as soon as it hits your tongue. (8/10)

Edited April 12, 2005 by Ling (log)

[PaoPao]

A place on the corner of Davie and Hamilton called "Don't show the Elephant" cafe has pretty exotic looking tea arangements, for those of you into that. My wife likes to go there and hang with friends. They have pastries as well.

I would provide a review of this place if it weren't for my complete and utter lack of desire to step in there. Just not a tea and danty pastry kind of guy....

Here

is a picture of the place.

[Ling]

^I've heard that place serves some sort of green tea cheesecake...or was it green tea mousse? And the bathroom is legendary....

[Mooshmouse]

Has anyone checked out Brioche yet? Could be another candidate for an upcoming desserting expedition.

[Zucchini Mama]

Dear Mooshmouse,

Well, I hope it lives up to their copy: "Architects, artists, models, film makers and other professionals trickle through the stone archway eager to start their day with the best pastries in Vancouver...." Umm, do models eat pastry? I thought one of the advantages of not being a model was that we get to eat the pastry that they don't eat. They get the celery and the carrot tops that we "other professionals" don't eat.

And stop the press-this place receives deliveries from god herself: "At lunchtime the heavens open up and spill forth an assortment of casual gourmet favorites..."

Anyway have you tried Mix yet (?), because I haven't yet come out here as a Mix addict.Their chocolate ripple scones are to die for, but they don't make them every day. I go across town anyway, just hoping there's one left.

I had a meeting last night at Sweet Revenge on Main and had the chocolate pudding cake, which was good (lots of whipped cream). They brew their chai with cream and my companion liked the hazelnut chocolate rasp. cake. I also love the Faux French ambience and the Edie Piaf (et al) tunes. I think their desserts are good if you know what to order.

Zuke

Edited April 14, 2005 by Zucchini Mama (log)

[Hue]

I've always wanted to try Sweet Revenge, but too bad they only open at night, when I'm usually at home....

I love Mix's chocolate scone too! Only had it once, and all the other times I've been there they weren't selling them!

[Mooshmouse]

Anyway have you tried Mix yet (?), because I haven't yet come out here as a Mix addict.Their chocolate ripple scones are to die for, but they don't make them every day. I go across town anyway, just hoping there's one left.

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Have yet to sample the wares at Mix and fully intend to do so soon. I ducked in to take a peek after lunch at Burgoo a week or two ago; however, believe it or not, shopping took precedence over dessert that afternoon.

[butter]

Has anyone checked out Brioche yet?  Could be another candidate for an upcoming desserting expedition.

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Went there on Tuesday with a friend who is a regular for lunch. Had the eggplant lasagne and it was fantastic with a generous amount of tasty slightly spicey tomato sauce! I usually don't do vegetarian dishes, but with this I didn't miss the meat at all. Big portion so didn't get to the dessert. Had a cappucino that tasted more like milk than coffee. Friend had a roast beef sandwich and soup...she took 1/2 of sandwich home. Nice cozy feel to the place, but don't plan on lingering during the lunch rush.

[Mooshmouse]

Has anyone checked out Brioche yet?  Could be another candidate for an upcoming desserting expedition.

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Went there on Tuesday with a friend who is a regular for lunch... Big portion so didn't get to the dessert. Had a cappucino that tasted more like milk than coffee.

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What! No dessert?!

And thanks for the review and the heads-up on the coffee. I guess I'll have to take one for the team and sample their sweeter fare.

[Zucchini Mama]

The Case of the Missing Scone

Rainy Day. Squirrely child. Must leave the house. Our Mission: to buy a birthday present. My secret mission: to have a scone at Tearoom T. The problem: It's 11:30 and the scones have not been delivered. The added complication is that I am fighting a big old migraine. The server is lovely. He knows us as regulars and always gives me a little extra non-caffeinated tea in a cup for my son. The scones used to be from Leslie Stowe, but she quit making them, so now they're made by Mix. I liked the Stowe scones better, but when you load them up with clotted cream and jam, it doesn't really matter. Anyway, we are placated with a molasses ginger cookie. If anyone has any information about the missing scones, please let the proper authorities know.

Also, the server told me how he makes his own chai at home-with freshly steeped ginger, one clove, and many green cardamom pods crushed in a mortar and pestle. This mixture he steeps with the black tea and milk goes in last. I have to try it.

We head up to Picnic for lunch, where we share Salmon Wellington, which is all fine and well, but pastry crusts are so old-fashioned and they don't reheat well, so we just picked it off. Comes with a lot of grilled veg. and salad for 10 bucks. To assuage our collective sweet teeth we had a Macaroon Madness bar. Butter. Caramel, Coconut. A bit of dark and white chocolate drizzled on top. Yummm. Of course they sell them at Meinhardt's too. At Picnic you can have them with whipped cream.

Made it through another day.

Zuke

Edited April 16, 2005 by Zucchini Mama (log)

[Ling]

Joie took pictures of two treats we had yesterday--the cassis banana split (with chocolate sauce, maple rum sauce, and raspberry sauce) and the flourless chocolate tart with pistachio ice-cream. The tart was out of this world! Made with 66% Valrhona, it was dense and delivered a much-needed hit of chocolate after all those drinks we consumed. I would give the tart a 9/10....I like it even better than the Chocolate Ganache cake at Pane from Heaven!

[Daddy-A]

Not to be outdone by Mooshmouse & the High-Tea Triad, "J" and I spent this afternoon at the very exclusive Our Backyard Garden. Cappucino and Persian sweets were the fare, and it was so nice we were able to take full advantage of the patio.

The coffee was excellent ... pulled by a master Norwegian barista of impecable talent (although he did look as though his shaved head could use a good once-over with a blade ). Pastries, we were told, came from Sena Bakery (3982 Hastings Street, Burnaby.) Much use of pistacio and honey, even some philo in there as well. The coffee was needed to cut through the richness. Many items were reminiscent of Indian sweets, which was just fine by us!

Grand total: $8.50 and there's still some left in our fridge.

A.