Foodie Friday: Chocolate Brunch at The Langham

One of my favorite yearly traditions is gorging myself on the chocolate deliciousness that is the Chocolate Bar at Café Fleuri at The Langham Hotel  in Boston. The outrageousness runs Saturdays, September through June, which means you have just three more weekends to indulge. (For Father’s Day, perhaps?) These images are from the most recent display, which I (over)sampled this past September. I also blogged about the experiences (the theme and menu change each year) in 2009 and 2010.

This is the 24th year of the all-you-can-eat extravaganza, with more than 120 chocolate combinations. The spread features stations with varying levels of chocolate intensity and flavors – from white to dark and plenty in between. There’s a never-ending supply of cupcakes, truffles, brulées,  bread pudding, crepes, whoopee pies, all created by Executive Pastry Chef Jed Hackney. There are also rotating items withseasonal ingredients, such as September’s lemon madeline with ivoire cremeax and strawberries, and a caramelized white chocolate torte with banana and sesame. There are nut-free options, and even some vegan ones.

There’s even alcohol. A chocolate cocktail menu features cocoa-infused martinis like the “Chocolate Decadence” with raspberry vodka, dark chocolate Godiva liqueur, and Frangelico, and there’s the “White Coco” with vanilla vodka, dark chocolate Godiva and white crème de cacao with cream. My favorite station, year after year, are the made-to-order crepes. Sinful.


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Fleur de sel caramel with dark chocolate cremeax

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Orange marmalade varrine

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Manjari mousse with creme fraiche and Espelette pepper

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Bitter chocolate and cinnamon custard varrine

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French almond macaron with dark chocolate buttercream

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Izzy, my friend’s daughter, basically in heaven

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Peanut brittle

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Whoopie pies

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Vegan blueberry cobbler

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Ice cream sundae bar toppings

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Sundae sauces

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White chocolate peanut butter bombe

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Mint and white chocolate mousse torte

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Lemon crunch satine with white chocolate

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Le creperie

 

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Lounge Alert: Drinking for Diamonds

No, you’re not that far gone.

One totally lucky (and probably tipsy) drinker will win a pair of martini-set diamond earrings worth $7,500 from Shreve, Crump & Low.

You see, every Statement martini from BOND at The Langham Hotel in downtown Boston comes with a sparkly diamond. One is the real. Bring it to Shreve’s in Back Bay to see if its yours.

THE STATEMENT MARTINI
Ketel One Vodka
Watermelon Liqueur
Orange Juice

Other new cocktails (some named for bank robbers) from the mixologists at BOND:

The Equity
Oxley Gin
Vanilla Simple Syrup
Grapefruit Juice
Caramelized Grapefruit

The Getaway
Belvedere Vodka
Navan Liqueur
Chambord
Pineapple Juice

The Baby Face Nelson
Cold River Blueberry Vodka
St. Germain
Lemonade
Soda Water

The John Dillinger

Patron Silver Tequila
Simple Syrup
Mint Leaves
Lemon Wedges
Lemon Lime Soda