I stopped for a warm drink and a snack while out shopping today. I ordered a hot chocolate from Swirl because I remember them having the best hot chocolate. I don't know if they've changed something or if my taste has changed, but it really wasn't anything special. Hot chocolates have a way of disappointing me lately. They never have enough chocolate and are never thick enough. I want a hot chocolate that resembles a rich creamy soup. I want something like Filipino tsokolate which is so thick it sticks to the sides of the cup. This stuff looks more like pudding than a drink. I tried to mix cream into my hot chocolate last night thinking that would bulk it up but it only served to make it taste creamier. I think the only way to get what I desire is to make it with plenty real melted chocolate or make it the Filipino way by roasting and pressing my own cocoa beans to form the tableas they use for tsokolate. It's like my own search for the holy grail except I'm searching for the perfect hot chocolate.
I decided to try some of Swirl's baked goods. I bought a chocolate chip cookie with white and milk chocolate swirls on top. It was good. It's hard to make a cookie taste bad. It had a good texture. Nice and firm, not crumbly. But it could have been sweeter and more buttery. It actually had a strange, almost slightly savory taste. I wracked my brain trying to figure out what it was but for the life of me, I just couldn't figure out what the flavour was. Any ideas, anyone? It wasn't salty so I know they didn't mix up the sugar or salt. Maybe they put some kind of weird herb in it or used a very unique sugar I'm not accustomed too. I ate the whole thing but it's not something I would get again. They did have these cute little pecan tarts which resembled miniture pecan pies. I might try one of those next time, if I decide they warrant the exorbitant $3 price.
Speaking of Filipino stuff before. If any of you are like me, meaning you like to drool over pictures of food (otherwise known as food porn), you should check out Dessert Comes First, which is written by Lori who lives in Manila. Just like me, dessert is her favourite meal and she has the most delicious pictures. I got addicted to looking through her archives. Many late nights spent salivating in virtual delight. At least, it's a calorie-less addiction.Labels: beverages, snacks |
