I love waking up to cold, misty mornings – they are perfect for walks by the lake and hot chocolate. Saturday morning saw just that, and Stella and I took a walk by the lake, shrouded beautifully in mist, with some snow still on the ground. And afterward, what better way to warm up than with some almond croissants and hot chocolate? It was the perfect day for the start of Vancouver’s Hot Chocolate Festival (which runs from January 19 – February 14, 2013).

Following our walk, we went to Thomas Haas, where they were serving up two special flavours (alongside their usual classic, extra dark, and aztec): Malteaser (barley malt) and Lumberjack (bourbon maple syrup with Douglas-fir-infused chantilly). I tried both. I wasn’t sure about the Lumberjack, just because maple has never been one of my favourite flavours, but there was no way I was going to pass up trying a “Douglas-fir-infused chantilly”. I was expecting the strong essence of pine, but what I got instead was a pleasantly subtle herb flavour against a backdrop of dark chocolate and maple. In true Thomas Haas style, both flavours were fantastic.