I’ve made a lot of questionable decisions in my life. I’ve cut my own bangs. I’ve bought fancy skincare without checking the price tag. I’ve said “you too” to a waiter who told me to enjoy my meal. But this time? This time, I got drunk on truffles. Yes, chocolate truffles. With booze in them. This is not a metaphor. This is not an exaggeration. This is a cautionary tale wrapped in foil and filled with brandy. Enter: Chocolatiere de Victoria, a Dangerously Charming Chocolate Shop There I was, strolling through Victoria, British Columbia—land of tea rooms, mossy rooftops, and quiet streets
Tag: Chocolate
Redemption Is a Rich, Chocolatey Torte: A Love Letter to the Empress Cake
We need to talk about the cake that changed everything. Look. I was ready to call it. The Empress and I? We were done. After my underwhelming tea experience—tepid brews, mediocre scones, and cucumber sandwiches that tasted like leftover tragedy—I’d mentally filed the whole place under “Fool Me Once.” But then this little box of magic walked into my life. Even the Box Had Main Character Energy I’m not even joking. This dessert box was so pretty it practically had its own skincare routine. Creamy vanilla, trimmed in gold, so elegant I briefly wondered if I should cradle it like
These Chocolate Cupcakes Slapped So Hard They Reshaped My Entire Reality (But the Frosting Could Chill a Bit)
Let’s get one thing straight right now: these chocolate cupcakes from Little Upside-Down Cake? Absolute bangers. The kind of bangers that make your ancestors rise from the grave just to whisper, “Nice work.” But, as with all triumphs, there was a minor caveat—a frosting situation that was, shall we say, less Beyoncé and more that one time I over-shared in a meeting. So buckle up, buttercup, because I’m about to break down exactly why this cupcake recipe is the undisputed heavyweight champion of my baking repertoire… and why the frosting needs to sit down and reflect on its life choices. Step
The Pumpkin Chocolate Tart by Any Other Name Would Be…
The Fuck Yeah Tart, or so the writer of Wholy Goodness believes. Sorry for the coarse language, but it IS what she called this vegan and refined sugarless masterpiece. Except, I didn’t make mine vegan. When it said to add coconut milk, all I could think was “HEAVY CREAM!” while grocery shopping and OOPS, I bought the heavy cream instead of the coconut milk. It was no accident and I’m SorryNotSorry. I’ll be honest, I gravitated towards this recipe because the man in my life is bemoaning the amount of sugar loaded treats I’ve been baking. So this is how
Chocolate Pound Cake
from Paris Sweets by Dorie Greenspan This ain’t your grandmother’s pound cake. Or maybe it is if she’s French and uses chocolate. And if it IS your grandma’s recipe? You are one lucky grandchild. This pound cake isn’t so much a cake as it is some really good bread that happens to taste like chocolate. It’s not make-you-sick sweet, and it barely registers as dessert… but it satisfies my sweet tooth. I particularly like slicing into this while enjoying a cup of black tea! The two go perfectly together. Will I make this again? Absolutely! As a matter of fact,
Lindt’s Truffles!
Lindt’s truffles are my dream come true. They are the PERFECT truffle. Trust me, I know. I’ve been a chocolate truffle monster sniffing out candy in many a place and these mass produced chocolates are the ones I come back to time and time again. They always make me close my eyes and say “Oh. My. God.” every time I take a bite. So you can imagine my reaction upon seeing a store dedicated to these awesome goodies in New York City. I entered and I grabbed EVERY TYPE THEY HAD. And then I went back and grabbed extras because
Chocolatiere de Victoria, a Shop in Victoria, British Columbia
I got drunk on truffles. You read that right. I GOT DRUNK ON TRUFFLES. That’s not meant to be a metaphor. The truffles I ate were infused with brandy. Taking a bite literally felt like taking a shot of the hard stuff. It made my belly warm, my mouth happy and me tipsy. I’m what you might call a “lightweight”. When in Victoria, British Columbia, this new novel idea was presented to me in the shop Chocolatiere de Victoria as I sniffed for truffles. I had never seen them with alcohol and there were so many options! I wanted one