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In Alberta

Eau Claire Distillery Christmas Gin: Review

Eau Claire Distillery is Canada’s premier craft distillery, offering a true farm-to-glass experience just 35 minutes southwest of downtown Calgary. Eau Claire prides itself in sourcing locally-farmed ingredients known and respected in Alberta’s agriculture community.

For the holidays, they released their seasonal Christmas Gin, which is flavoured with Frankincense and Myrrh — two of the three ancient wise men gifts.

Since gold is hardly digestible, and the ancient spices of Frankincense and myrrh were viewed as both priceless and flavorful, Eau Claire Distillery decided to make their traditional London-style Gin with these two unique botanicals.

Specially formulated for the holiday season, the spice resins give the a gin a beautiful mouth feel with a hint of almost a lemony, balsamic taste. It’s pretty good in making cocktails to go with cranberry juice or with iced tea. Even a classic gin and tonic will go well with it.

You can only get this shipped within Canada or at select shops. If you are a gin drinker and you’re looking for something unique, I think you’ll enjoy their take on the Christmas Gin.

Website: https://eauclairedistillery.ca/spirits/christmas-gin/

 

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In product

Laphroaig Select For The Holiday Season

Not sure what to bring to the next holiday party? Why not whisky? With the cold winter upon us, having a bottle of good whisky can liven up the party. When the guys are over for board games, whisky usually makes an appearance.

The liquid inside of Laphroaig Select is hand picked by Laphroaig’s Master Distiller, John Campbell, from the finest casks comprising the Laphroaig portfolio – Quarter Cask, PX Cask, Triple Wood and Ten Year Old – creating a subtle blend of peat, oak and sweetness. The bottles come in 750 mL bottle.

The inspiration behind Laphroaig Select, and the unique method of aging, comes from the history and family lineage of Laphroaig. Ian Hunter, the last founding family member to own Laphroaig, was influential in experimenting with new ways of distilling and was one of the first to combine American bourbon casks with traditional European casks to create new flavours. Laphroaig Select takes inspiration from Ian, creating a new expression with both classic and new flavours.

Drinking whisky is always better with others. Whether you make an Old Fashioned, have it on the rocks, or have it neat. Best to have this neat on your first try to be able to take in the peat and then the ripe red fruits from the PX and Olorosso casks. It ends on a warm feeling with smoke and spice.

You can find this at your local liquor store.

Wesite: https://www.laphroaig.com

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In product

Auchentoshan The Bartender’s Malt: Review

Auchentoshan is a Single Malt Scotch Malt. Founded by Irish refugees in 1825 on the outskirts of Glasgow, Auchentoshan is one of the last active distilleries in the Lowlands.

This particular bottle is a limited release single malt from Auchentoshan that’s a product of their ‘New Malt Order’ cocktail competition. You can find this at private liquor stores in BC.

Blends created by 12 bartenders from five countries were brought together to create The Bartender’s Blend, using whiskies spanning five decades (the youngest of which were 6 years old). That includes whiskies matured in ex-Laphroaig casks, rum casks, red wine barriques, German oak casks and American oak casks.

You’ll taste dried apricot, milk chocolate, honey and green tobacco leaf. As you finish the drink, it will keep you nice and warm.

You can make yourself an Old Fashioned using:

  • 1.5 oz Auchentoshan
  • 1 sugar cube cube
  • splash of water
  • 2 dashes of bitters
  • Orange rind
  • Ice

If you’re looking for something different to try, I think you’ll like this Auchentoshan Bartender’s Edition Whisky.

Website: https://www.auchentoshan.com/

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In Italian

Savio Volpe: The Famiglia 5 Course Meal

We headed to Savio Volpe for an early holiday dinner with the family. Since we had over 6 people, we had to order the family-style dinner for $55 per person. I’ve heard lots about Savio Volpe and I’ve been very curious, so by trying the family-style dinner, we would trying a majority of the dishes here, which I didn’t mind at all.

Interior

In the evening, the dining room is dimly lit and it has a very cozy atmosphere.

We sat at the rear of the restaurant, so we had a fun time watching them in the kitchen cook away.

Breadsticks

As our starters arrived, we got some ridiculously long breadsticks. We actually had a lot of fun eating these.

Prosciutto di Parma, apple, and Grana

This dish has our first appetizer. A simple dish, but the simple ingredients are paired well together. The salty and sweet combination works.

White anchovy, leeks, soft boiled egg, olives

This dish was interesting and we all felt like the mayo on the base of this dish was too much. It was so creamy and thick that it over powered the other ingredients.

Kale, lemon pepper dressing, romano, pangrattato

The salads started arriving and this was my favourite. If you need to order a salad, this is pretty damn tasty. Highly recommended.

Farro, squash, chickpeas, dates, pine nuts, ricotta salata

There is a lot of good textures in this dish. Very hearty and filling dish.

Mezzaluna, ricotta, wild mushrooms

The mushrooms in this dish was delicious. The pasta itself was ok, but nothing exciting.

Cavatelli with brussel sprouts and pangratatto

The cavatelli was pretty hard in texture and we all thought it was pretty mediocre.

Roast Suckling Pig

A beautiful dish with salsa verde, pork belly, egg and crackling. Beautiful presentation but I felt the suckling pig was a bit tough and dry.

Duck

With our group of 7, they cut the duck into 6 pieces when they should have cut it into 7. We let the server know, but he told us to share. Fair enough, so thats what we did. Later on they did send us over a plate with 1 extra piece.

Smashed root vegetables

This was one of the sides to share with the group.

Grilled broccolini

The broccolini was pretty scorched on some pieces. Both sides that arrived were not very impressive.

Cannoli, ricotta, citrus, cocoa, hazelnuts

This cannoli was a bit hard to share with the group, but we made it work. Good crisp cannoli shell and the filling was equally as good.

Chocolate tart, olive oil, sea salt, pinenuts

This chocolate tart was delicious. Very smooth and full of chocolate goodness. My favourite of the two desserts.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I’m glad we tried the dinner family-style to try a lot of dishes. Unfortunately, a lot of the dishes really didn’t stand out. I’ve heard lots about their pasta, but both of the ones we got were not up to par. My favourite dish was the kale salad and the chocolate tart. For $55 per person, it wasn’t bad at all since we were all full, but it didn’t impress us enough to return.

We Rate Savio Volpe: 

Address:
615 Kingsway, Vancouver

Website: http://www.saviovolpe.com/

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In Commercial Drive / Grandview

Dundas Six O Pho Challenge in Vancouver: 5lbs of Meat and Noodles

There’s a new food challenge in town at Dundas Eat + Drink for their Six O Pho challenge until December 31, 2017. There’s some satisfaction to devour such a beast but I personally couldn’t conquer this. Other’s have dared and have failed by making a tiny dent into it. Seattle has been know for their huge pho challenge at Dong Thap Noodles, but now you can stay in Vancouver for this. Just a quick drive to East Vancouver for this gem.

The details of the Six O Pho challenge:

  1. Be the fastest person to finish the 5 lb bowl of pho in under 30 minutes (meat and noodles)
  2. The big bowl of pho is $34.95 if you fail to finish it in time. Your name and time will still be recorded if you finish it.
  3. Unlimited water is provided.
  4. Limited quantity per day – FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED. Available everyday from 5-10pm
  5. The fastest time by December 31, 2017 will be the winner of the grand prize and names will be announced on January 2.
  6. Contestants are allowed to challenge this multiple times.
  7. Grand Prize – $100 Cash and your name on our trophy; 2nd and 3rd place winners receive $25 gift cards

Regular vs Six O Pho Size

I could easily down a whole regular bowl, but the Six O Pho size is probably 4 or 5 times the size. It’s massive for one person to finish. If you have the stomach for it, good luck!!

I found the taste of the pho actually good. The Beef Brisket, Rare Beef, and Beef Balls were delicious and the broth was equally as good without any MSG. I would come back again for their regular pho.

Are you ready to take on the Six O Pho Challenge?

Address:
2077 Dundas St, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.eatdundas.com/

 

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In Cocktails

Botanist Restaurant: Chef’s ‘We’ll Take It From Here’ Menu

We wanted to indulge on a culinary night out at Botanist with a few of my foodie friends – Foodgressing and Picky Diner. We decided to do the Chef’s ‘We’ll Take It From Here’ Menu for the whole table for $108 per person. A bit indulgent, but since I just came back from New York, this price was really great in comparison.  We went on a Friday night around 6pm and did require reservations as it’s a pretty busy time of year.

Interior

The interior is very beautiful and the perfect setting for any occasion. They even have liven music which is a nice touch. Good for small to large groups.

Drinks and Cocktails

Drinks aren’t included with the set menu, but we got a few different beverages to go with the meal. I went with beer as usual. They do have mocktails too if you don’t drink alcohol. Just ask the staff as they have a pretty extensive drink menu.

Wine Pairings

You can also add wine pairings with each dish in the set menu. Worth it if you’re a wine lover.

Bread

As you wait for the dishes to arrive, they give you some beautiful housemade bread and some butter.

Amuse Bouche

The meal started with a Sturgeon Chicharron, fermented veggies, and dried sturgeon. It was essentially deep-fried fish skin and it was very delicious. The crunchy texture paired well with the fermented veggies. A good start to the meal. This was paired with Zanata Brut.

Course 1: Beet Salad

The next item has textured beets, pecans, orange, and Ashley Goat’s cheese. I simply adore beets, so I loved all the different variety and techniques they used on this dish. Paired with Lucien Crochet Sancerre.

Course 2: Lobster and Sunchoke

This has Sunchoke Velouté, lobster, and chive chantilly. They come to the table and pour the broth into the bowl. A fun way to see the dish come together. The lobster was cooked perfectly. Paired with Roux Père et Fils Chardonnay.

Course 3: Scallop

This has Diver scallop, brussel sprouts, guanciale celeriac foam. A beautiful sear on each side of the scallop on top of the shredded bed of brussel sprouts. The acidity of the sauce worked in the dish to go well with the foam and scallop. Paired with Domaine de la Mora.

Course 4: Bison

This meaty dish has Bison, Saskatoon berry, mushrooms, caulifower. The mushrooms were absolutely amazing to go with the bison. A fun dish to showcase ingredients from Canada. Paired with Perraton Père et Fils

Course 5: Dessert

This dessert is made with Itakuji chocolate pate, passion fruit pulp, and licorice ice cream. At first I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about the dessert after hearing it has licorice. After digging into it, I really enjoyed the passion fruit a lot. The licorice was subtle and not overpowering at all. Paired with Foneseca Port.

Sweet Treat

At the end of the meal, they give everyone a little gift to take home – Chef’s Shortbread using his grandmother’s recipe. A nice thoughtful gift to continue the experience at home.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I think it was worth what you get in the Chef’s tasting. We were all full afterwards and each dish was unique and not on the regular menu. Service was great and the staff were all super friendly. I’ll be back for any special occasion.

We Rate Botanist Restaurant: 

Address:
1038 Canada Pl, Vancouver

Website:
https://www.botanistrestaurant.com/

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In Japanese

Ichikame Shokudo: Ramen in Vancouver

There’s a new ramen shop in town called Ichikame Shokudo located in South Vancouver. I was invited to give their ramen and other dishes a try. I was pretty excited to try this place and we can never have too many ramen shops in Vancouver. Especially in this area, it needs more food options.

Interior

The space isn’t too large, but is good for groups of 2 or 4. They can accommodate larger groups, but go early or later in the evening.

Menu

Complimentary tea

As we sat down, they gave us some hot tea as we browsed through the menu.

Shio Ramen

The broth is very light and not rich at all. It’s definitely a different style that personally didn’t attract my taste buds. It lacks the depth of flavour. If you’re looking for something that has a cleaner taste, this is it.

Spicy Ramen

I was hoping this would have a better kick of flavour, but it was still a bit bland and needed more heat and depth. Their ramen eggs are good and the chashu is not bad either.

Kimchi Cheese Ramen

This has a spicy ramen base with veggies, kimchi, and topped with seared cheese on top. This was a very interesting combination and strays a bit from tradition ramen flavours.

Italian Tomato Ramen

This ramen has a tomato base soup with fried chicken, cheese and mixed greens. The soup base is very comforting as it reminds me of tomato soup from my childhood. The fried chicken in the broth made the exterior soggy, so it would have been better on the side.

Pork Belly Samurai Rock

It has braised pork belly, green onions, sesame and pickled radish, egg, on top of rice in this hot stone bowl. The pork belly as nice and torched with a good amount of fat. The portion size is good for an individual.

Katsu Cheese Curry

On top of the bed of rice is curry, katsu, greens, cheese, seaweed and nori.

Beef Cheese Curry

The beef, cheese and veggies in this hot stone bowl. All three were decent but I preferred the other 2.

Pork Yakisoba

Served on this hot skillet with all the yakisoba and pork on top.

Vege Mountain

This huge bowl of cabbage was awesome. Nicely seasoned and a great item to share. I love cabbage, so I had a lot of this and took the leftovers home. For the price, this portion is generous.

Prawn & Cheese Gyoza

The gyoza comes with 6 pieces per order. These gyozas are topped with prawns and the cheese sizzles on the hot plate. It does take some time too cool down.

Spicy Cheese Gyoza

Somewhat similar to the other gyoza. With both of them, I wished the gyoza were more crisp especially when it comes on a hot plate.

Takoyaki

It comes with six pieces per order. A  nice snack to share with the table.

Agedashi Tofu

It is presented in a bamboo steamer and comes with 4 pieces. Garnished with nori and bonito flakes similar to other dishes.  This tasted ok, but nothing special.

Veggie Croquettes

4 pieces per order and it is crunchy on the outside and savoury on the inside.

Chicken Karaage

One of my favourite appetizers! Crispy, moist and delicious. A great item to pair with your meal.

Yukikaze Freeze

They have partnered up with a local company – 77k Freeze to create their Yukikaze Freeze. There are 7 different flavours and I tried the Wasabi Chocolate as it was pretty unique. With this particular flavour, it was chocolate with dried wasabi sprinkled around, so it wasn’t as intense as I would have imagined.

Freeze Drink

There are 9 different freeze drinks and they also have frozen iced tea drinks too.

Final Thoughts

A lot of the dishes were pretty average. Nothing really stood out to me that I must return for. If you’re in the area and you’re craving a bowl of ramen and don’t want to travel far, this is a good option in South Vancouver.

We Rate Ichikame Shokudo: 

Address:
6956 Victoria Dr, Vancouver

Website:
http://ichikameshokudo.com/

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In Cafe

Caffè Artigiano: Holiday Drinks

Holiday drinks are all around, but if you’re a fan of Caffè Artigiano, you’ll want to enjoy some holiday cheer in their newly renovated Burrard and Hornby Location along with their beverages. Chef Dawn Doucette has paired up with Caffé Artigiano’s Director of Coffee, Michael Ratcliff, for four new drinks, as well as a classic eggnog latte.

Holiday Private Reserve Espresso

Michael’s Holiday Private Reserve Espresso is grown in three different continents, all from family owned, ethical farms. He roasts an organic Kintamani from Bali, Honduras Organic Finca Liquadambar and Ethiopian Limu Gera, then blends the trio of beans into an enticing seasonal take on his signature espresso. Exotic spicy flavours, including notes of molasses,  mandarin, strawberry preserve and star anise pair with the dark chocolate flavours of Artigiano’s signature espresso for a subtle, mild blend on its own as an espresso or in a latte or cappuccino.

Orange Mocha Latte

Using organic Italian syrups and their holiday espresso for their Orange Mocha Latte – Chocolate and espresso balance out this subtle Italian flavour combination with a creamy milk foam. It is topped with a crisp orange slice sprinkled with sugar, then dehydrated overnight in a convection oven.

Toasted Marshmallow Latte

A Toasted Marshmallow Latte is fun, sprinkled with mini marshmallows with a serious double shot of espresso.

Peppermint Mocha Latte

Two Christmas inspired drinks include a Peppermint Mocha Latte, blending chocolate, espresso, peppermint syrup and a sprinkle of crunchy candy cane and, serving a whipping cream top.

Gingerbread Latte

Gingerbread Latte is the most indulgent with ginger syrup and espresso topped with whipping cream, caramel sauce and crushed gingerbread cookies.

All drinks are available with regular milk, organic milk (organic milk is no additional charge for children, also available – espresso free hot chocolate), soya or almond milk, now until the new year.

You can indulge in some sweet treats along with your coffee that will equally match the festivities. If you’re looking for a shop for delicious coffee and sweets, check out Caffè Artigiano.

Address:
763 Hornby Street, Vancouver

Website: https://www.caffeartigiano.com/

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In product

Salted Caramel Pepsi: Review

Pepsi released their Salted Caramel flavour and it’s just so interesting that my friend Josh grabbed me a bottle when he was in the US. With the trend of salted caramel being popular in ice cream, chocolate and other sweet treats, I guess it was about time it made it’s way into our colas. At first I didn’t know what to think about this flavour as I would imagine it would be super sugary.

When I took my first sips, it was initially Pepsi, but then you can taste the caramel flavour coming through. I wasn’t able to detect any salty flavours in there. Fun to try, but we didn’t really care much for it. As it is a limited time only flavour, I don’t really seeing it sticking around for too long. Regular Pepsi is still better.

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In product

Bugles Ranch: Review

Apparently, Bugles in Ranch flavour is a special edition in Canada. I’ve never really noticed until my husband brought me back a pack from the grocery store to review. It comes in 213g bags and can be found at most large retailers.

It comes in the same shape as any regular Bugles but the ranch is coating each chip. Upon munching on a few pieces, it’s pretty good. The ranch is subtle and not too strong. Just the right amount the balance the taste of the Bugles.

I personally don’t find them that special as a special edition flavour. I would grab this for any of my snacking if I craved Bugles.

 

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In American

Yale Saloon: Family-style Backyard BBQ in Vancouver

Yale Saloon is a country bar and BBQ restaurant located right before the Granville Street bridge. I came with a few friends to check out their Family Style Backyard BBQ. Yale Saloon has been here for quite some time and transforms as the evening goes on.

Interior

There are long tables and lots of space for dancing. As we came around 6pm, it wasn’t busy just yet.

The space is good for large groups and parties. Very casual setting and good for those who are younger.

Menu

Drinks

Drinks are a must when here, I had the Southern Comfort Sweet Tea and my friend had the Pa’s Caesar. A good way to start off the night. Both drinks were delicious.

Deep Fried Pickles

How can you say no to deep-fried pickles? It has a good amount of crisp breading and was so delicious with the dip.

Backyard BBQ

Backyard BBQ is $35 per person and is served family style. You get a taste of everything – Brisket, Andouille Sausage, Turkey breast, Pork Ribs, Pulled Pork, and Rotisserie Chicken. It is also served with coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans, & Jalapeño cornbread.

The sides were ok, I really didn’t like the coleslaw as it has some odd aftertaste. None of the coleslaw, potato salad, or baked beans stood out. It might of needed a pinch of more salt ti give it more flavour.

The Jalapeño cornbread was better and paired with the BBQ a lot more. The Jalapeño was subtle, but added a good taste to the cornbread.

Of the bunch, the ribs and the brisket were solid, good smokey flavour and tender as well. If you’re new here, I liked trying all the meats as it’s a good way to get a feel of all the variety of BBQ they serve. The sausage and the rotisserie chicken had great flavours too.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for a feast, you will definitely get it here along with a great selection of drinks at Yale Saloon. Fun place to hang out with friends, have a drink and nosh on some BBQ. There is also a mechanical bull here too. It’s definitely a place to come here late into the evening.

We Rate Yale Saloon: 

Address:
1300 Granville St, Vancouver

Website:
https://yalesaloon.com/

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In product

Cheetos Snowflakes: Review

Cheetos has introduced white cheddar puffs shaped like snowflakes and can be found in Canada and the US. This is perfect for the holiday season especially with all the parties happening.

They come in 4 different shapes and has a texture of the regular airy cheese puffs. While easting them, the white cheddar does coat your fingers similar to the regular Cheetos. As for the taste, it was good and cheesy.

I would definitely bring this to other holiday parties in the next few weeks for December. It’s only here for a limited time, so get them before it is gone. They have had other versions of these before like the Bag of Bones for Halloween.

Website: https://www.cheetos.ca/

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In Cajun/Creole

The Captain’s Boil: Now Open in Coquitlam

The Captain’s Boil is now open in Coquitlam serving up delicious Cajun seafood boil. This is their 4th location in British Columbia with a few more locations opening up in 2018 across Canada.

Interior

There’e a lot of seating for guests in small to large groups. It has a nice nautical theme inside with imagery of seafood, wooden walls and the blue fabric on the booth seats.

Seafood

To start, you pick the seafood you want, then the flavour of it:

  • Cajun
  • Garlic Sauce
  • Lemon Pepper
  • Captain’s Boil (Combination of all 3)

Then you pick the amount of heat you want with it:

  • Non-spicy
  • Mild
  • Medium
  • Fire

On the table, there was shrimp, clams, and mussels. There was also fries, cajun seafood rice, corn and broccoli.

There’s something fun about having food toss on the table and eating with your hands. You get a ‘hands on’ experience on getting down and dirty with your seafood. But don’t worry, you get bids so your clothes stay nice and clean.

Final Thoughts

It’s good to have the addition of The Captain’s Boil in the area as there isn’t anything similar in Coquitlam. It can definitely get busy, so go when it’s not peak time or try to get reservations.

Address:
1111 Ponderosa St, Coquitlam

Website: https://www.thecaptainsboil.com/

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In Brunch

The Ellis: Brunch in Kitsilano

The Ellis opened this Summer in Kitsilano serving up delicious Pacific North West Comfort Food. They are named after Ellis Island, as it was the pivotal point of entry for over 12 million immigrants. It’s a symbol of freedom and discovery.

My hubby is a huge brunch fan, so we decided to check out their brunch offerings.

Interior

There is a large bar, table top eating, and more tables on the side. It wasn’t too busy on a weekend morning, but they did roll out their brunch recently.

Coffee

Coffee is a must for us when having brunch. They also have a good mimosa and caesars, but we just weren’t feeling it when we visited but it’s definitely what we will order next time.

Fried Chicken French Toast

This is definitely a unique item. It has Frosted Flakes French Toast topped with powdered sugar. Then whole wheat breaded chicken and chicken gravy. M added Thick-cut bacon as a side. He absolutely loved this dish. A bit sweet, a bit savoury, with yummy textures.

Biscuits and Gravy

You get toasted buttermilk biscuit with 2 large sausage patties, 2 eggs, grilled onions and chicken gravy. The portion of this dish was good.

The eggs were soft poached and done perfectly. It oozed out with such grace.

Beans on Toast

The thick cut sourdough bread is topped with bacon & molasses baked beans, 2 eggs and fresh tomatoes. I saw this on the menu and had to try it as it’s not something I would order but it was recommended by the staff.

These eggs are also perfectly poached and the flavours melded very well.

Final Thoughts

We really enjoyed the food and will definitely be back with more friends. Frosted Flakes French Toast is a must!

We rate The Ellis: 

Address:
2204 York Ave, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.theellis.ca/

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In British Columbia

Starbucks: Christmas Tree Frappuccino in Canada and US

Starbucks is releasing a Christmas Tree Frappuccino from December 7 to 11th in the Canada and the US. When I was this in the morning, I got pretty darn excited!

This festive drink starts with a Peppermint Mocha Crème Frappuccino, and is then topped with Matcha whipped cream, which is supposed to look like a Christmas tree. The “tree”is topped with caramel drizzle for garland, candied cranberries as ornaments, and is topped with a strawberry.

In reality, mine had the caramel and the strawberry omitted, but I’m not sure why. When taking a look on Twitter and Instagram, it seems like some other customers had parts missing too. As for the taste, I thought it was better than other frappuccinos they had recently.

Starbucks has been creating some unique limited Frappuccinos lately from the Unicorn Frappuccino to the Zombie Frappuccino.

Will you be ordering one before December 11th?

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In Event

Top Value Seminar: 2017 Whistler Cornucopia Recap

This seminar as part of Whistler Cornucopia focuses on wines from around the world that share a common quality:  they over-deliver for their price point. Top Value Wines seminar was led by Rachelle Goudreau, Tyler Dawson & Jason Yamasaki on a guided tasting of a range of varietals and blends.

Attending this was a great way to discover your next go-to weeknight dinner wine, as well as recommendations for stocking your cellar for special events and the holiday season ahead. Below are all the wines we tried.

Medici Ermete Concerto Lambrusco Reggiano DOC

This was one of our favourites and would be something that we would purchase it. It is great and pairs well with salami.

Famille Bougrier Muscadet Sevre et Maine

This was also another good wine and pairs well with oysters.

Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Riesling

This wine comes from Australia.

Cono Sur Bicicleta Viognier

Another one of our favourites and pairs wells with dishes that have garlic and caramelized onions. It is from Chile.

Protea Chenin Blanc

We also saw this wine as part of the South African wines seminar that we had from the previous day. It was ok, but not a favourite.

Borsao Garnacha

It is packed with juicy berry fruity notes. It is a very solid choice with barbecue, spicy sauces, and pizza.

La Bastide Rouge

This wine has a nose of spice, laden cassis and dark cherry aromas followed by a fruit forward generous palate with a rich and smooth texture.

Torre del Falasco Ripasso

This was a favourite of the group too. It has a smokey, rich plum taste. It goes well with risotto, truffles, or meats.

Divinci Verso Rosso

Another favourite too! It’s a very full-bodied, luscious wine. It pairs well with duck breast, olive tapenade and
figs with soft cheese.

Emiliana Organic Vineyards Coyam

Surprise, surprise, another favourite. Coyam is an intense violet plum red in color with a nose that expresses aromas of ripe red fruits, plums, berries, and black fruits that meld elegantly with notes of spice, earth, and a touch of sweet vanilla.

Bodega Garzon Reserva Tannat

This has aromas of raspberries, red plums, currants, cherries, and peppercorn.

Final Thoughts

I gotta agree, it was a good seminar as it was led by 3 experts that really played off each others knowledge and skills. We found some good favourites that won’t break the bank and tastes great to bring to parties.

Website:
http://whistlercornucopia.com/event-detail/?slug=drink-seminar-to-boldly-grow-reinventing-south-afr

Address:
4010 Whistler Way, Whistler

 

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In Bubble Tea

Bar Pa Tea: Healthy Bubble Tea and Soft Serve in New York

When in New York, I had to check out Bar Pa Tea for their bubble tea and soft serve ice cream in Lower Manhattan. They are creating a healthier alternative to bubble tea without compromising the distinct taste and experience of traditional bubble tea. On the menu, you’ll find tapioca pearls that are free of additives and drinks sweetened with pure cane sugar instead of corn syrup. We came on the weekend around 2pm and it wasn’t too busy.

Interior

The space is small, so there aren’t many seats. Just a few stools and smaller tables. Most people grab it to go.

Oolong Tea Latte Soft Serve with Mixed Bubbles

This soft serve was delicious, but on the sweeter side. We added a mix of their regular bubbles and mini bubbles to give them both a try. It was really delicious and you can instantly taste the difference and it looks different than normal bubbles.

Black Tea Latte

I love the colour of this drink where it’s 2 colours until you mix it all together. It not very sweet, which I really like. You can also get this with soy milk or almond milk if you’re lactose intolerant. After having the soft serve, this didn’t taste like much because of how less sweet it was in comparison.

Final Thoughts

It’s pretty unique since there aren’t too many shops focusing on healthy bubble tea and also create delicious tea-based soft serves. I would definitely come back for some more, but I would avoid peak times to avoid any line ups.

We Rate Bar Pa Tea: 

Address:
85 Kenmare St, New York

Website:
https://www.barpatea.com

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In Fast Food

Flamin’ Hot Mac n’ Cheetos: Review

Burger King has just launched the Flamin’ Hot Mac n’ Cheetos at locations across the United States. Since I was in New York, I had to go grab some because I’m a huge huge fan of Cheetos.

This portable snack of creamy mac n’ cheese is coated and dusted with Flaming Hot Cheetos. 5 come in each pack and they are pretty large in size, like a super-sized Cheetos puff.

When we took a bite, the exterior was crisp and we could instantly taste all the creamy mac and cheese. The spiciness of the Flaming Hot Cheetos hot afterwards and it had a nice kick. It was fun to give it a try, but I’m not so keep on having more since the bright red colour it a bit scary.

Website:
https://www.bk.com/menu-item/flamin%E2%80%99-hot-mac-n%E2%80%99-cheetos

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