6 Best Places to Eat Chocolate in Ottawa

Mmmm, chocolate. Smooth, sometimes creamy, sometimes bitter; flavoured with salt, ginger, chili, cinnamon, you name it. The food of the Gods (seriously, I think it really WAS considered the food of the God of wisdom by the Aztecs - Wikipedia tells me so!)

I used to believe that all chocolate was created equal - I would eat my Easter chocolate bunnies, and scarf down those marshmallow-chocolate Santas without a second thought. As an adult I discovered the difference in quality of chocolate - the deep, rich cacao or the smooth Dutch-processed cocoa (yup, there is a difference between cacao and cocoa!). And I became quite choosy in my indulgences :)

Of course I will still eat the mini chocolate bars we hand out to kids at Halloween, but I don't find myself enjoying them much, other than to satisfy a sugar fix. These days I'm spending my money on great quality chocolates, some of which are Fair Trade (a wonderful book called Bitter Chocolate by Carol Off may have you swearing off non-Fair Trade chocolate for life!) So here are 6 great places to eat and purchase chocolate in Ottawa:

1) Ten Thousand Villages sells very yummy Fair Trade chocolate; I love their Easter bunnies for kids, and have also purchased ground cocoa and dark chocolate chips at their stores in Ottawa.

2) The Love of Chocolate Factory sells Leonidas chocolates, a Belgian company that has been making chocolate for over 100 years. These may not be locally made or Fair Trade, but I do love to support my Orleans neighbourhood businesses (and the chocolates are yummy!)

3) Truffle Treasures is a true local gem, with all  the chocolates made here in Ottawa and locally owned. You'll remember I featured them yesterday on the blog!

4) Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory is centrally located, and boasts a huge selection of chocolates and cool treats

5) Purdy's Chocolatier is a Canadian gem that got its start in B.C. and has 64 stores across the country, with 2 stores here in Ottawa. Consumers who are considered about fair trade and sustainability of the product will be happy to hear Purdy's Sustainable Cocoa Program.

6) Stubbe Chocolates is a family-run business that originated in Germany, but moved to Canada in the late 1980s. Their website is drool-worthy, and I love the corporate event idea of making chocolates with your co-workers!

Where do you buy great chocolate?

Worth a Visit: Truffle Treasures

It's our weekly "Worth a Visit" series! Have an idea you'd like to submit? The only requirements are that it must be in the Ottawa region and kid-friendly! Email Misty at kidsinthecapital@gmail.com

I discovered Truffle Treasures when we first moved to Ottawa. In their old location along Richmond Road (still there, just a different building!) I was excited to find local chocolates handmade and oh-so-divine. Customers can choose from many different flavours of truffles, as well as bark, gelato and products made especially for the holidays (Valentine's Day is coming up!)

What I discovered a couple of years ago, and what keeps me going back there, is their AH-MA-ZING hot chocolate. This is hot chocolate like I've never tasted before - forget the chemical/watery stuff you can find at arenas all around town. This hot chocolate tastes like pure chocolate melted down, and then whipped with super creamy milk.

If you're looking for a special Valentine's dates with your little ones, consider a hot chocolate trip to Truffle Treasures. Just be careful, as this is HOT chocolate, and you will need to remove the lid and let it cool :) Just take a peek at all the various flavours of the drink you can choose from.

Have you been to Truffle Treasures with your kids? What did they like the best?

Giveaway! Ottawa Boat and Sportsmen's Show

You might be wondering - what does the Ottawa Boat and Sportsmen's Show have to do with kids? Well, I'm excited to tell you!

Here are some examples of the  program for the show (running from February 19th - 22nd at the EY Centre). There are events and exhibitors geared to all ages:

• Husqvarna’s West Coast Lumberjacks: Aimed to be a crowd pleaser, this family-friendly action-packed axe wielding group will amaze crowds with their fearless skills and even offer up a chance for attendees to try their hand at hitting the target
• Learn to fish with the Ministry of Natural Resources: This year Canadian Sportsfishing will feature a fishing stimulator giving children and adults the chance to get in on the thrill and feeling of catching a fish.
• Tips from a Blind Fisherman Pro: Can you feel the bite? Learn from Lawrence Gunther, North America’s only completely Blind Fishing Pro honed his skills fishing commercially for Cod off Canada’s East Coast and now competes in tournaments throughout Canada
• Get WILD with Birds of Prey: Get up close and personal with live Falcons, American Kestrel, Owls and Peregrine Falcons
• Memory Lane: The Manotick Classic Boat Club will display stunning antique classics from a 1930 ‘Dippy’ (disappearing propeller) boat to a canoe that’s over 100 years old

I spent many summers up at our family cottage in Haliburton, Ontario, and boating was a huge part of the experience. I learned how to fish with my uncles, and loved to motor around the lake before parking in a quiet corner to see if the fish would bite. When I was a teenager and got invited to other friend's cottages, there was nothing better than a day out on a speedboat, hitting the wakes with a giant tube. With access to rivers and lakes here in Ottawa, I'm looking forward to getting my own kids out on the water! 

So I'm excited to be giving away 2 family passes (each pass includes 2 adults and 2 juniors) to this annual event. To enter, simply leave a comment below, and tell me your favourite part about living near the water. I will draw a winner using Random.org on Friday February 6th at noon. ***CONTEST NOW CLOSED***

A Quick Start Hockey Program

My husband and I are big hockey fans. I think one of the reasons he fell in love with me was because of my behaviour at our first game together. (While the rest of the crowd was yelling about the offside call, I pointed out quietly that our team had, in fact, been offside). Our daughter came home in a Senators sleeper and spent her late night/early morning feedings watching sports highlights with Daddy. One of her first full sentences was 'Go Sens Go.'

We really, really wanted her to be a hockey fan. 

Now, I can't skate, but my husband grew up playing hockey and being coached by his dad, and has coached as well. I knew that he didn't want to pressure our daughter, but I also knew that he would love to share that same relationship with his daughter. 

She's a very active kid. We've tried her in all sorts of activities, from soccer to T-Ball to dance and gymnastics, but every summer she's taken swimming lessons and every winter, she's done skating. 

But hockey isn't a thing you can just try out, right? You enroll in a league and you practice and play, and it costs a lot of money and time. 

Except this year I found out that's not true. While exploring the City of Ottawa Recreation Guide I saw an Introduction to Hockey class for children aged 5 to 7. (They have another for children ages 7 to 12). 

It's once a week and a one time fee, and the kid can learn some skills and see whether she really like to play hockey (or just like the idea of playing hockey.) 

We're a couple of weeks in and it's been great. The teacher-coaches are awesome and I was very glad to see that a majority of them are women, which makes my daughter a bit more comfortable. There's also a great ratio of coaches to kids. 

I can already see her confidence growing on the ice in her equipment and the pride she feels in doing something new that's hard but fun. 

If you have a child who thinks the maybe they want to play hockey but just isn't sure, I highly recommend checking out this program. It's being held at a few different arenas in the city. 

Homemade Chocolate Pudding (cornstarch-free)

By Misty

You can't go wrong with pudding! Kids love the smooth, creamy texture, and you'll love how easy pudding is to make at home. Using full fat milk ensures kids are getting a big hit of vitamins and nutrients!

Nothing better than a cute little pudding face!

I adapted this recipe from Martha Stewart's chocolate pudding recipe, and attempted to make it a bit healthier. Some people have a hard time digesting cornstarch, and if you're concerned about genetically-modified foods, many corn-based products come from a GMO source. 

Cornstarch-Free Chocolate Pudding

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup arrowroot flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2.5 cups full fat milk
4 large egg yolks
2 tbsps unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Mix the sugar, arrowroot flour, salt and cocoa powder in a saucepan off the stove. Very slowly whisk in the milk, little bits at a time to prevent clumps from forming. Whisk in the egg yolks.

2. Cook over medium heat, whisk constantly (yes, constantly! Work those muscles!). As the liquid reaches the boiling point, it will suddenly turn into a solid creamy mass of pudding - kids love this, as it's magic! Reduce heat to low, and cook for 1 minute, while still whisking. 

3. Remove from heat and melt in butter and vanilla extract. Serve warm, or cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 3 hours to cool. Martha suggests placing the plastic wrap right on top of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming - great tip Martha! :)

Serve plain or with whipped cream. Enjoy!