CocoaNymph

As we continued our food tour (now in our own, as if we hadn’t already eaten enough) we found ourselves at this cute little place with gorgeous little chocolates, coffees, and flavored marshmallows.
The lemon filled chocolate was like having a little lemon cheesecake enrobed in fantastic dark chocolate. The dark chocolate salted bark was sooo good and I loved loved loved the passionfruit ganache (bought a couple for tomorrow).

I recently took Cocoa Nymph’s chocolate workshop and absolutely loved it! The night included a history lesson on chocolate, a tasting of single-​origin chocolates, and then a lesson and hands-​on experience with making truffles. The best part? You got to take the truffles you made home! For more info and pictures, please see my food blog.

Nouvelle de France is usually my go-​to place for a good hot chocolate. Yes, I’ve tried Mink and Thierry but I personally think NdF is WAY better. Anyway, On this Monday I was dying for my fix and NdF is closed. My ever so loving partner surprised me by taking me here. I had been to the flag ship store on West 10^th and enjoyed the hot chocolate. I was honestly a little apprehensive about the «new» location.
I ordered a lavender rosemary hot chocolate to go. My order was ready faster than I expected. It was deep, rich, chocolate-​y and definitely hit the spot. The aromas of the lavender and rosemary gave me nasal orgasms. Needless to say I was VERY happy and thankful for the quality of the hot chocolate. Amazing.

There are those places where memory exceeds reality and we are left thinking, ‘I could swear this was better the last time.’ The dark and spicy hot chocolate at CocoaNymph has the complete opposite effect — it always surpasses my expectations. I think it’s the cayenne pepper; they have somehow managed to find the perfect heat to chocolate ratio. I order it with salted caramel marshmallows on top and quite honestly, this is probably my favorite non-​alcoholic beverage.
While it comes in a smallish cup (there’s only one size), the chocolate is quite rich, (not overly sweet), so you don’t need more. And one of the most important criteria for a hot drink — temperature (luke-​warm being, like a eunuch in a nunnery, decidedly unwelcome) — is always spot-​on.

Slightly bit of a delayed review, however, with the hot chocolate festival there is some relevance to do this sooner rather than later.
I like going to the W.10^th location, however, It’s a bit far for me. I am happy that this location is 20 minutes closer to me by transit. Geographically speaking the location is in an unobvious traffic area in the middle of what seems like nowhere.
Aesthetically speaking it isn’t as spectacular and inviting as their other W.10^th location in terms of the ambiance a chocolate shop should create, however, they carry the same products between the stores.
I love home made marshmallows and next to Butter Bakery, these guys have the best home made marshmallows ever. I am not a whiskey drinker but their whiskey marshmallows are to die for.
I attended their 2.5 chocolate truffle making course. I found the class to be very informative, fun and I walked away with a new appreciation for truffles and chocolates in general. The person who was teaching the class was very patient, lively and was patient with my questions about chocolate (I am a foodie so I like to know the details of a lot of things). Very good over all customer service.
The truffle making portion of the class was really fun. I made a lot of new friends. All my other classmates were super friendly and happy. We did some joking around in class doing cookie cutter swaps with our truffles etc.
I came out of the class with a new appreciation for snaking on raw coco nibs.
Fast forward to the Hot Chocolate Drinking festival. Seeing how this location is closer and I was in the general hood this week I decided to try one of their 2013 entries: «THE AYALA“Jasmine drinking chocolate, topped with home made juniper marshmallows. This hot chocolate entry was less about the flavor combination and more about the quality of the chocolate used. I can easily decipher the quality between drinking chocolates. This was truly a drinking chocolate compared to a regular hot chocolate combination drink. In fact the store has drinking chocolates year round for purchases. There is a hint of juniper in the aftertaste, however, nothing over powering and obvious which makes this palatable to everyone regardless of how much you know (or don’t) about your fine chocolates. To be honest I was in it for the marshmallows. Home made marshmallows melt and taste differently than the commercial brand factory made marshmallows. The way the marshmallows sat and melted was like heavenly sweet foam. It melted like butter in my mouth. The flavor of the marshmallow against the hot chocolate amplified the flavor notes.
The may have not been in my top 2 ranking for flavor combination, however, they’re in the top 2 for quality ingredients used.

I bought a groupon deal with a friend for this place to learn how to make chocolate truffles. The deal was 35.00 per person or 65.00 for two people.
I booked the class for last thursday and fell in love with the place including the class itself.
Upon my arrival i was kinda like meh… it’s another one of those coffee shops situated in the middle of no where. But when class started, I could tell how much the instructor loved her job and the passion she placed into doing the job. The class was split into two parts, one where you sit and listen to them talk about how chocolates are made and the other being all hands on.
My friend and I had a blast during the hands on. We got to do some chocolate tasting. We got to do cut out different shapes of truffles and dipped them in the warm, melting chocolate. When we were done we got boxes to package them. We got to work with dark chocolate. I’m not a fan of dark chocolate myself but dam these ones were good. I couldn’t really taste the bitterness in them.
Prior to leaving the class I also purchased two other pieces of chocolate which were white chocolate called «Amy». It was white chocolate with vanilla bean. It’s so good…
It’s a great place to socialize with other people and meet new people. Majority of the participants were girls but there were two guys in the class that i went to. I definitely will recommend people to try this place out. Hot chocolate festival is on right now and CocoaNymph is one of the participants. They have their own specialty hot chocolate which I would like to try out.
If in the future they have other classes offered through groupon or other deals I would totally come back. As for now I would go and try out their hot chocolates.

The best mochas… using their dark chocolate is like heaven as I don’t care for sweet mochas. I snuck a chocolate bar along with the coffee and ate it in my office without sharing… felt momentarily bad but then let that go… LOL!

Chocolate Lover’s Workshop
It runs for 2.5 hours. They gave a little presentation about the history and science of chocolate. The highlight was of course making your own dark chocolate ganache truffles. It was all good fun! I only wish they had a bit more variety in the truffle «fillings,» in addition to the chocolate ganache.
These workshops have a regular price of $ 70/​person. I’m not inclined to say that it’s worth that price tag. I paid much less than that thanks to Groupon. Regardless, it’s not an activity I can really do again, but it was certainly a unique way to spend an afternoon.

Oh my, oh my… How do you even explain a store as cool and completely yumtastic as CocoaNymph?! Its not just a chocolate shop full of the most delectable confections, it is also an experience. One I might add, that I will never forget!
You can walk into CocoaNymph off the street to purchase an assortment of goodies, most are chocolate, but there are some other confections. Such as the heavenly whiskey marshmallow’s that I purchased. I can not wait for my next dinner party; just picture fresh whipped vanilla cream gelato with a toffee tuile and topped with the homemade, fluffy whiskey mellows! The chocolate is excellent, some traditional, others unique and of course the «it» flavours of the moment (hello sea salt, yes I’m talking about you!)
Oh, and did you see the pic’s of the chocolate making workshops they hold? Ya, that was crazy fun! I made dark chocolate ganache man… Ya, you could say he is the ‘perfect man’!

Last month I had the pleasure (as I’ve mentioned previously) of exploring some of the cornucopia of Vancouver’s best food and drink spots. I crammed a whole lot into my 4 days there but one place stood for me the day before I left. CocoaNymph!
I have to add — she’s a real person. No no actually, not just some mythical chocolate creature. She’s unreal, amazing, talented and serves deliciousness by the box full!
What a place though, chocolate treats galore, sandwiches (which I wish I could have tried) and specialty hot chocolate and coffee!
While here we had the place to ourselves for a special event/​dinner but after dinner we got to take a chocolate making class with THE CocoaNymph! She allowed us to taste her house specialties the Tortoise chocolate AND the Salty infused chocolate as well (which she learned to make in my native land — Italy)
She’s a genius… and I feel a little chocolate smarter after being in her presence for just a little bit.
Please open something out in Toronto one day soon!!!

Just as good as their first location, still the best chocolate in the city! Sign up for one of their fantastic classes or just stop by for a drinking chocolate and a chat.

I already have a Cocoa Nymph downstairs from me and with a second one open I didn’t think it would be any different.
Then I found out they serve sandwiches.
REALLY, REALLY, REALLY good sandwiches. I recommend the Elk one.
And it also has a piano!
I’m so never going to lose weight in this city.

Fall means chocolate season for my sweet tooth. I took one of CocoaNymph’s special chocolate making workshops. There’s just something about local, handmade and crafted foods (especially desserts) that I find so immensely appealing.
We got our hands dirty and made our own chocolate truffles from a whole ganache dipped in a small vat of dark chocolate. It’s harder than you think. This was some sweet, delicious work making our own fine chocolates.
The hot chocolates (or as they refer to them as «drinking chocolates») were superb. These finely mixed chocolate liquids (dark on the left and milk and the right) were smooth and creamy. I’m a fiend for chocolate drinks.
It was a delightful, sweet time learning about the chocolate making process.

[Author’s note: This tale is best read out loud –with conviction – from the diaphragm, in front of an audience]
Oh you, with your truffles a plenty, your marshmallows a fluffing, your bee stings, your perfume infused creations. *Drool*
Fill me your eclectic sounds from the stand up piano that nestles itself into the corner. Give me your iced French mochas in the summer, your drinking chocolates infused with a chili spice in the winter. Introduce me to your excited staff who must be drinking the chocolate-​aid, because seriously, they’re sweet.
Share with us your knowledge of chocolate making in your 12 station workshop in the back. And direct me to your bounties of the Sea Nymph, for she is who first lured me to your lair and continues to haunt my bitter-​sweet-​salty desires.