The GOODS from Thomas Haas

Vancouver, BC | This spring, show ‘somebunny’ special how much you care by giving the gift of a unique handmade chocolate confection from Thomas Haas Chocolates & Pâtisserie’s exclusive 2016 Easter Collection.

This year’s Easter creations include Easter Truffle Eggs, available in dark chocolate ganache with lavender, milk chocolate ganache with passion fruit and white chocolate infused with tangerine and lime flavours ($2 each); an Easter Nest, featuring an assortment of chocolate eggs and an adorable mini bunny nestled in a handcrafted chocolate nest ($29); and a Truffle Egg Box containing six assorted chocolate truffle eggs in a clear box tied with a ribbon ($14).

When it comes to bunnies, Thomas Haas is hopping with the animated “Thumper” Bunny (starting at $36, sold by weight); the Traditional Easter Bunny fashioned from milk, dark or white chocolate (starting at $24, sold by weight); and the return of “Buster” Bunny, a whimsical and delectable handmade piece of edible art made out of 22 individual pieces of chocolate and assembled with melted chocolate (small, $29; large, $49).

Other creations from Thomas Haas’ 2016 Easter Collection include:

Easter Chocolate Boxes — Beautifully handcrafted chocolate boxes filled with an assortment of Easter truffles ($39).
Surprise Easter Eggs — Handcrafted chocolate eggs filled with an assortment of chocolate surprises (small, two surprises, $19; medium, six surprises, $32; large, 10 to 12 surprises, $49).

Duck Pot and Chocolate Flowerpot — These playful creations feature either a chocolate flower or duckling in a flowerpot decorated with an assortment of Easter treats ($39).

Race Car Roadster — Fast, furious and all edible, these sweet-and-stylish roadsters are accented with chocolate wheels, racing stripes and happy-go-lucky drivers ($39).

Thomas Haas Signature Boxes — Designed to be tiered as high as a customer would like (two pieces, $7; four pieces, $12; nine pieces, $20; two tier, 18 pieces, $35; three tier, 27 pieces, $52; four tier, 36 pieces, $66; five tier, 45 pieces, $79; six tier, 54 pieces, $95).

Easter Stollen with Pistachios and Cherries — Inspired by Thomas Haas’ famous Christmas Stollen, this holiday delicacy is made from almonds, Sicilian pistachios and kirsch-soaked organic cherries for a true Easter treat. Each handcrafted 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 treats such as solid Chocolate Lollipops ($2.90 each, five for $13) and Truffle Lollipops ($2.50 each, five for $11); Easter Truffle Egg Nests (single, $2; triple, $5.80 each or four for $20); Mini Bunny Nests (single $2.5; triple, $6.50 each or four for $22); a Mini Easter Nest featuring eight Easter truffle eggs and treats nestled in Easter grass ($9.5); an Easter Nest Carton, with a dozen Easter truffle eggs in a clear egg carton nestled in Easter grass and tied with a ribbon ($18); and a Crispy Gianduja Egg, filled with sweet hazelnut crème and puffed rice ($7).

The 2016 Easter Collection will be available at the two Thomas Haas cafés in North Vancouver and Kitsilano, with a limited selection available at Whole Foods. A variety of items may also be ordered online at www.thomashaas.com.

ANNUAL CHARITY EASTER EGG RAFFLE | Thomas Haas’ annual Charitable Easter Egg Raffle is back with 20 delectable Easter prizes — including four giant Easter creations — up for grabs. Raffle tickets are $3 each or four for $10 and the draw will be held on Friday, March 25 at 2 p.m. simultaneously at both the North Vancouver and Kitsilano locations. One hundred per cent of the proceeds will be donated to Harvest Project and Make-A-Wish Foundation.

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.