The GOODS from Thomas Haas

Vancouver, BC | Spring has sprung — and so has the annual Easter collection of signature chocolate confections from Thomas Haas Chocolates & Patisserie. For 2014, Thomas Haas’ selection of melt-in-your-mouth Easter Truffle Eggs is available in three exotic flavours: milk chocolate infused with fennel pollen and cinnamon, dark chocolate with the essence of lavender, and white chocolate accented with tangerine-lime for $1.80 each. Also headlining the holiday collection is a Handcrafted Easter Chocolate Box, featuring an assortment of nine delectable Easter truffles in an edible package as pleasing to the eye as the palate for $39 each. Details on more Easter selections after the jump…

Other Easter selections include:

NEW! Hen and Nest — This beautifully presented Easter nest egg-stravaganza features a bright yellow chocolate hen surrounded by an assortment of mouthwatering Easter treats. $49 (pictured above, left)

NEW! Surprise Easter Eggs — The delicate, ornate shell of each of these delicious, handcrafted eggs hides a secret — an assortment of chocolate surprises to be discovered within. Small (two surprises) $19 / Medium (six surprises) $29 / Large (10 to 12 surprises) $39 (pictured above, middle)

NEW! Nest Egg — This is one nest egg you won’t be able to save for a rainy day. A vibrant, colourful shell hides a toothsome treasure trove of Gianduja hazelnut spread, puffed rice and cocoa-nib crunch. $19 (pictured above, right)

Race Car Roadster — Fast, furious and all edible, you’ll be off to the races with these sweet and stylish half-egg roadsters, accented with chocolate wheels, racing stripes and happy-go-lucky drivers. $39 (pictured, right)

Traditional and “Thumper” Easter Bunnies — Whether you’re young or just young-at-heart, you’ll love Thomas Haas’ take on this classic Easter treat, guaranteed to set your heart — and your taste buds — pitter-pattering. Available in milk and dark chocolate varieties and sold by weight. Traditional Easter Bunny starting at $24 / “Thumper” Easter Bunny starting at $36

Chocolate Flowerpot — Get in full bloom with this chocolate flowerpot, featuring a yellow chocolate duck, miniature rabbits and assorted Easter-egg treats. $39 (pictured, right)

Easter Stollen — Inspired by Thomas Haas’ popular Christmas Stollen, this special Easter bread is made from wholesome almonds, Sicilian pistachios and kirsch brandy-soaked organic cherries for a dessert treat at turns both sweet and savoury. Each handcrafted loaf of Stollen hides a chocolate egg in the centre, symbolizing new life and the arrival of spring. $24

Thomas Haas also offers a wide selection of Easter-themed treats such as solid Chocolate and Truffle Lollipops (truffle $2.5/five for $11; chocolate $2.9/five for $13); Easter Truffle Eggs, available in single- ($2) and triple-nest ($5.8/four for $20) sizes as well as an egg-carton dozen ($18); Mini Bunnies in single- ($2.5) and triple-nest ($6.5/four for $22) varieties; a Crispy Gianduja Egg combining sweet hazelnut crème and puffed rice ($7); and an Easter Nest, featuring an assortment of delectable truffle eggs and treats nestled in colourful straw grass in both small (eight pieces, $9.5) and large (20 pieces, $29) sizes.

All 2014 Easter products are available at the two Thomas Haas patisseries in North Vancouver and Kitsilano, with a limited selection also available at high-end retailers such as Whole Foods and Urban Fare. A variety of items may also be ordered online at thomashaas.com and shipped across North America.

Ninth Annual Easter-Egg Raffle

The ninth edition of Thomas Haas’ annual Charitable Easter-Egg Raffle is bigger and better than ever, with 20 delectable Easter prizes — including four ornate eggs measuring 28 lbs, more than two feet in height and valued at $1,000 each — up for grabs. Raffle tickets are $5 each and the draw will be held on Friday, April 18 at 2 p.m. simultaneously in both the North Vancouver and Kitsilano locations, with 100 per cent of the proceeds going directly to KidSport™ North Shore and Canuck Place Children’s Hospice respectively.

ONE! Bar 2.0

On April 1, Thomas Haas will release Version 2.0 of his popular and exclusive Grand Cru cocoa ONE! Bar, sourced from the highest-quality, wild-foraged cocoa beans from Bolivia and available in a limited-edition batch of only 879 bars. Thomas Haas is the only chocolatier in Canada and one of only a handful worldwide to have access to this unique vintage of 67-per-cent cocoa. Available only at the two Thomas Haas cafés in North Vancouver and Kitsilano and at high-end retailers such as Whole Foods and Urban Fare, each ONE! 2.0 bar is handcrafted by Haas and his team of chocolatiers with a singular focus on cocoa origin and purity.

DETAILS

North Shore Store | 128-998 Harbourside Drive | North Vancouver, BC V7P 3T2
Phone: 604.924.1847 | Fax: 604.904.7479
Hours: Tuesday – Saturday: 8am – 5:30pm | Sunday & Monday: Closed

Kitsilano Store | 2539 West Broadway | Vancouver, BC V6K 2E9
Phone: 604.736.1848 | Fax: 604.736.1844
Hours: Tuesday – Saturday: 8am – 5:30pm | Sunday & Monday: Closed

Web & Social Media: www.thomashaas.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

GALLERY

About Thomas Haas Chocolates & Patisserie

A fourth-generation pâtissier, Thomas Haas was first introduced to the delicate art of hand-crafting chocolates and pastries in the kitchen of the venerable Café Konditorei Haas that was opened by his great-grandfather in the Black Forest region of Aichhalden, Germany in 1918. Thomas continued his family’s long-standing tradition, apprenticing and working with top chefs in Michelin-starred restaurants across Europe en route to earning his stripes as Konditormeister, or Master Pastry Chef.

In 1995, Thomas was lured to Vancouver in the role of Executive Pastry Chef at the Four Seasons Hotel, where he met his wife Lisa and was twice named a top-three finalist in the prestigious annual North American Pastry Chef of the Year competition in New York City. Thomas took an even larger bite of the Big Apple in 1998, when he moved to New York and, as Executive Pastry Chef, helped famed restaurateur and chef Daniel Boulud launch his flagship eatery Daniel on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. During his tenure, Thomas was singled out as one of the Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America by Chocolatier and Pastry Art and Design magazines and saw his star further rise when he made several appearances on Martha Stewart Living and other international television shows.

In 2000, the wild nature and scenic beauty of Canada’s West Coast again beckoned to Thomas and Lisa, and the duo returned to Vancouver. In between working as a consultant for a number of elite Vancouver restaurants and hotels, Thomas realized a lifelong dream by methodically building his namesake company from a home-based business occupying one room in his basement into a dynamic and stylish chocolaterie, patisserie and cappuccino bar that launched in North Vancouver in 2004 and quickly became a destination spot for both locals and visitors alike. In 2009, Thomas and Lisa opened a second location to similar rave reviews on West Broadway in the Kitsilano area of Vancouver.

In keeping with family custom, Thomas eschews the notion of assembly lines and mass production, trusting instead in the deft hands of his talented team of pastry chefs and chocolatiers whose finesse and sensitivity is lovingly expressed in each and every hand-spun confection.

To this day, Thomas still carefully selects and sources only the finest, high-quality raw ingredients for his chocolate creations, ranging from B.C. wine, oak barrel-aged maple syrup from Quebec, Tahitian vanilla beans, fresh citrus zest, loose-leaf teas and organic herbs and spices. His cakes and pastries are likewise adorned with authentic accents such as Fraser Valley hazelnuts and berries and Okanagan fruits and infused with fresh-roasted coffee as well as liqueurs from Alsace and the Black Forest region where he once called home.

While Thomas is a world away from his roots in the Haas family café, the values on which he was raised remain ever true: a commitment to excellence driven by a genuine passion for both food and the people he serves.

Awards & Accolades

North American Pastry Chef of the Year competition in New York City finishing in the top three finalists in 1997 and 1998. It was his fabulous desserts and exuberance that drew the famous restaurateur Daniel Boulud to Thomas.

While living in New York (1998 – 2000), Thomas was named one of the TOP TEN Pastry Chefs in America by Chocolatier and Pastry Art and Design magazines and appeared on Martha Stewart Living several times as well as many other international television shows.

In 2001, at the Valrhona National (North America) Pastry Team Championships in Los Angeles, Thomas won FIRST Prize in all categories (Best in Chocolate, Best in Sugar, Best in Table Design and Best Overall).

In 2002, The Vancouver Sun Restaurant Awards awarded Thomas/Senses with BEST Chocolates, BEST Desserts, BEST Croissant and BEST French Pastries.

The Vancouver Magazine awarded Thomas/Diva at the Met with BEST LAST COURSE for the years 2001, 02, 03, 04, 05, and 06.

The Vancouver Magazine has awarded Thomas Haas Patisserie with BEST LAST COURSE for the year 2007 and 2009. Vancouver Magazine awarded Thomas as the PASTRY CHEF OF THE YEAR for the year 2011 and 2013.

Thomas Haas Fine Chocolates was named one of the TOP 20 Artisan Chocolatiers in Chocolatier Magazine’s 20th anniversary issue (Feb/March 2004).

The Chamber of Commerce awarded Thomas Haas Patisserie “Business Person of the Year” in 2006 and the “Service Excellence Award” in 2008.

In 2010, Thomas Haas Chocolates received the TOP 10 CHOCOLATIER IN NORTH AMERICA by Pastry Arts and Design publication.