Continuing with the Mother’s Day theme over here (a week early, but it’s okay – I really just wanted to give you enough time to also book a glorious day at the Langham Chocolate Bar), today is all about giving the gift of an experience – and chocolate – for Mother’s Day.
I try to go with a heartfelt present on Mother’s Day, I feel like that’s what the day is all about. In the past I’ve given gifts like a handmade scrapbook (although, now that I’m thinking about it, I’m not sure if that was for a birthday, or Christmas, or…whatever – it makes for a fantastic gift) and a custom photo book from Artifact Uprising.
This year, I wanted to gift an experience, so I partnered up with The Langham Hotel, Boston for quite the surprise. My mother could live on chocolate. And not just live, I mean 100% survive if it was healthy enough. Chocolate is her jam. So, when I remembered that The Langham Hotel, Boston offers a weekly Chocolate Bar, I knew that had to be her Mother’s Day surprise.
After some logistical planning, she had the date penciled in and was ready to drive up to Boston. She had no clue as to what we were up to that day. She knew there was a bit of walking and that she should dress in cute brunch-type clothing, but completely unaware of the surprise she was about to walk in to. So, come 10:30 am we walked into the Langham Chocolate Bar and oh boy, was she as surprised as ever.
I’m not sure if she could quite comprehend what was happening, but she knew there was chocolate. Lots and lots of chocolate. We walked into the gorgeous Café Fleuri which boasts floor to ceiling windows; an incredible team of chefs, waiters, etc.; and the most delectable, hand-crafted chocolate you’ll ever see in one place. It was like a chocolate wonderland. Chocolateland, if you will.
Favorites at the Langham Chocolate Bar
I’m honestly not sure if I could pick one favorite from the Chocolate Bar, so I’m going to cheat and say I loved any chocolate paired with bacon most. Surprised? Doubt it. It was SO good, the chocolate fudge topped with bacon was divine, but there was also another chocolate with banana cream of some sorts and bacon – oh. my. goodness. Don’t knock it till you try it, y’all.
We also had the immense pleasure of speaking with Chef . He stepped out of his once-vault, now kitchen (yeah! The hotel used to be a bank!) to say hello and answer a few of my questions. He was kind and sweet (just like all that delicious chocolate he whips up) and gave us the low-down on the Chocolate Bar. With prep starting around Wednesday each week, he works with a team of seven people to bake everything for the Bar. Seven. I was mystified and 100% impressed; I told him I would have guessed 20 people worked on the Bar. It was amazing!
I also asked him what his favorite chocolate was, which I’m sure is the most annoying question considering everything is so darn fantastic, but he graciously took a minute to look around the room and pinpoint one of his top choices – a chocolate with a bit of housemade jam and some peanut butter. Obviously my mom and I each grabbed one to try and almost went back for seconds.
Overall, I highly recommend adding a Saturday at the Langham Chocolate Bar to your itinerary if you’re ever in Boston. Or, you know, create a trip surrounding an all-you-can-eat chocolate buffet. I’m not here to judge. And mostly, because I’ll probably be trying to jump in on the fun. And if you can manage to trek to Boston for next weekend, I’m telling you, it was the best Mother’s Day surprise yet.
ps. hi, mom!
Still shopping for gifts for next week and can’t make it to Boston for the Chocolate Bar? My Mother’s Day Gift Guide might offer some help!
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