My love of food...: The Hot Chocolate Festival, Beaucoup Bakery and a Side of Scrabble

I went for a lovely walk in Kits and South Granville last weekend and a cute little bakery caught my eye at 6th and Fir. So, needless to say, I was ecstatic when I found out they were participating in the Hot Chocolate Festival. Yes, I said Hot Chocolate Festival! From January 19th until February 14th, a bundle of coffee shops, bakeries and chocolate shops are making up the most delicious hot chocolate concoctions you could dream of for your tastebuds' pleasure. I've included the link below, so you can take a look at the different stores participating, and the different types of hot chocolate they're offering to tantalize your taste buds.

Now back to Beaucoup Bakery. I fell in love the moment I walked in. You feel like you're in a little bakery in France. Everything is so simple, but elegant and warm and inviting at the same time. I was initially just going to go for the hot chocolate, but when I saw the wall (yes I said wall) of baked goods that welcome me, how could I say no? Luckily I had a partner in crime, so we were able to try two different pastries and both were out of this world. I've included photos below for your viewing pleasure...but the long and the short of it is, you'd be missing out if you didn't meander into this little piece of France sometime soon.

Things to note: (1) It is extremely busy, so be prepared to fight for a table during peak times. However, you'll never feel like you're being rushed out. We even enjoyed a lovely game of Scrabble. (2) They have a loyalty rewards program like many other shops, but they give you three ways to utilize your points: (i) you can be kind to yourself and use your points to treat yourself to something special, (ii) pass it on and treat a friend or a random person in line to a treat, or (iii) pay it forward and your points can be used towards helping feed a Liberian girl for 2 weeks of school lunches in partnership with www.MoreThanMe.org. I thought this was such a neat rewards program.

The Passionfruit Drinking Chocolate that Beaucoup Bakery was featuring for the Hot Chocolate Festival. I had never heard of drinking chocolate, but it is literally chocolate that is a drinking consistency...and it is heaven in a cup! Not to mention the passionfruit added the perfect fruity flavour to the chocolate. I thoroughly enjoyed the touch of the heart-shaped sugar cookie. ($4)

Chausson aux Pommes. Pastry filled with a cinnamony, apple filling. Unbelievable! I'm an apple turnover fan and this blew any apple turnover I've ever eaten right out of the water. ($3.50)