Chocolate Churros in Coyoacán

Churro filled with chocolate

You'll see churros all over in Mexico City. It's like Mexico's doughnut. But some of my favorites are the Churros Rellenos (Stuffed Churros) in Coyoacán. Definitely my favorite street food desert (aside from ice cream). If you're going to visit the Frida Kahlo Museum, it's a short walk to Jardin Plaza Hidalgo which joins with Jardin Centenario to make up the main square in the neighborhood of Coyoacán.

Churros sign in Coyoacán

Fresh churros

You'll find plenty of restaurants, shops and street vendors. But what you want to find is the Churros. Delicious tubes of deep fried dough is filled with your choice of fillings. They have everything from chocolate or cheese to strawberry of mango. I love the chocolate or cajeta, which is like a rich burnt goats milk. It's sweet and gooey like caramel.

The list of delicious filling choices for Churros

Deep-fried churros

Chocolate Cheerios Hit Mexico City

Chocolate Cheerios

I love chocolate and I love Cheerios. So what could be better than Chocolate Cheerios? I was given samples in Mexico City and I was getting the munchies late one night and decided to give them a try. They weren't too bad. They are basically Cheerios coated in Nesquick chocolate powder. I could see why kids would love them, because they transform your ordinary milk into tasty chocolate milk. I think Cheerios is onto something!

Chocolate Cheerios

Chocolate Cheerios turn your milk into chocolate milk!

Donut Friend, Donut Lover

Donuts at Donut Friend in Highland Park

Sometimes you want to make love to a donut. Sometimes the donut just wants to be friends. That donut would be found in Highland Park at Donut Friend. At Donut Friend you can build a donut any way you like it. They have a selection of cakes, glazes and a plethora of fillings and toppings to make either a sweet or savory treat with your own unique flavors.

I went there to pick up some donuts as a treat for my colleagues at work. It was early, I hadn't had my coffee yet and I had no patience to customize fifteen donuts for everyone. So, I took the easy road and got a box full of their signature donuts with unique flavors like nutella, maple-bacon and classics like chocolate with rainbow sprinkles. Oh, an their "minus the bear claw", actually looks like a claw with pecans for the nails on each toe!

The "Caramel Assault" is sweet and sticky with a bit of sea salt. Another and even better sweet and salty treat is "Bacon 182" with sweet maple glaze and topped with crunchy bacon. You can never go wrong with the "Nutellavision" filled with Nutella and a dash of olive oil. They also have gluten-free and vegan options for your donuts so don't be afraid to go get a bite.

Donut Friend also has some very cute murals along with a cute donut/apple logo. It's a great place to take kids or fun for a date night and build your own donuts together.

Xhico in the donut hole. Photo via @chasedesigngroup

Evan is happy for the donut surpirse! Photo via @paula112

Toppings for DIY Donuts at Donut Friend in Highland Park

DIY Donuts at Donut Friend in Highland Park

A dozen delicious "Donuts Done Differently"by Donut Friend

Cute Mural "Donuts Done Differently" at Donut Friend

Donut Friend
5107 York Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90042
Neighborhood: Highland Park
213-995-6191

Hours:
Monday: Closed
Tues-Thurs: 8am to 9pm
Friday & Saturday: 8am to Midnight
Sunday: 8am to 9pm

Churros & Chocolate: Churrería El Moro

Churros and hot chocolate, El Moro Churrería, Mexico City, DF.

Giant Churro spirals fresh out of the fryer, El Moro Churrería, Mexico City, DF.

After some al pastor tacos, Eme and I headed to meet Tanya and grab some churros and chocolate. Eme told me about this churro place, Churrería El Moro, that served fresh, hot churros. I could smell the dough frying and hot chocolate in the air. But at the same time we were passing a small stand outside serving mole tortas and tacos and I was already being distracted. I later went back for a mole torta. but I had to get to these churros.

Churros, El Moro Churrería, Mexico City, DF.

Dipping my churro in hot chocolate, El Moro Churrería, Mexico City, DF.

We proceeded inside past what seemed to be an endless spiral of churros frying. This quaint cafe has been here since 1935 and the waitresses are in beautiful costume greeting with even more beautiful smiles and a list of hot chocolates from sweet to bitter. The churros arrived and were quickly swept off the plate. They were soft and chewy inside with a crunchy outside made extra crunchy because they were covered in sugar.

Fortunately for me (and you) they are open 24hours a day, everyday of the year. So no excuses!

El Moro Churrería, Mexico City, DF.

Churrería El Moro
Eje central Lázaro Cárdenas #42
06000 Mexico City, Mexico
Metro San Juan Letrán

#sharepocky... Pocky Truck is Coming to LA!

via Pocky Instagram

I'm so excited that one of my favorite snacks is going to be wheelin' around LA this week. The Pocky Truck is going to be cruising around Los Angeles handing out delicious biscuit sticks dipped in chocolate! Oh me, oh my! Now I just have to track them down on Twitter and Instagram.

I always have a Pocky in my hand!

12 Days of Chocolate!

As a designer, I'm luckily enough to work with Chase Design Group in Los Angeles. This year for Christmas they put together a beautifully printed box of chocolates, "12 Days of Chocolate". A large box contains twelve squares of milk and dark chocolates each designed by a different designer at the studio. The packaging uses every luxury print technique you could want to use as a designer; metallic inks, foil-stamping, embossing, die-cuts all masterfully printed by Clear Image Printing in Glendale.

"12 Days of Chocolate" Holiday Packaging by Chase Design Group

Santander Single Origin Chocolate

Santander Chocolate Bar

I enjoyed this milk chocolate bar in Colombia for a snack and I ate another one today. Santander makes single origin Colombian chocolates. I brought back a couple to the states, including a dark chocolate with coffee beans.

Louie's Passion Fruit Munchies

What can be better when you're high at a party than to find out you're friend, who happens to work at Bottega Louie in Los Angeles, happens to have pastries in the back seat of his car. That's a quick way to get me into the back seat.

We joined him in the car for a tasting of gold leafed macaroons, passion fruit eclair and chocolate raspberry tarts. That passion fruit was a like an explosion of wonder in my mouth. What a wonderful way to satisfy the munchies.

Not the best photo of these treats. They had quite the trip through the rain and in the taxi cab.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing

Look what I made! Yummy Chocolate Cupcakes topped with Peanut Butter Frosting!


Yummy switch from normal chocolate cupcakes. It's even good using cupcake batter from the box and making peanut butter icing using peanut butter, cream cheese, butter and confectioner's sugar. Delicious!

Miette the Most Delicious Chocolate: Gianduiotto

I stopped in my favorite confiserie, Miette, in the charming Hayes Valley in San Francisco. I bought a piece of my favorite and the most delicious chocolate, Gianduiotto.

The Italian chocolate has been around since 1865. When cocoa was rationed, hazelnuts became an additive to help make the chocolate. The hazelnut paste combined with the chocolate results in a rich, sweet flavor with extra depth and a smooth, creamy texture that you will never forget.