THE COFFEE JOURNAL · WINTER IN QUEBEC
Winter Coffee in Quebec
Hot drinks that make winter unforgettable
Winter in Quebec is long, intense, and magnificent. Petit-Champlain under the snow is one of the most photogenic sights in North America. And in this Nordic fairy tale setting, nothing beats the satisfaction of entering a warm café with a minus twenty wind outside and a latte in hand a few seconds later.
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The drinks
The winter repertoire
Each season calls for its own repertoire. Winter in Quebec deserves drinks worthy of its cold beauty.
The winter latte
A double espresso, whole milk textured with steam, and a spiced note depending on the season: cinnamon, cardamom, or a touch of natural vanilla. The winter latte is the drink that condenses everything we love about Quebec winter: warmth, sweetness, and an aromatic depth that perfectly suits the gray January mornings.
Espresso: pure and warming
In the heart of winter, espresso returns to its primary purpose: to warm quickly. A double ristretto pulled in a small preheated cup, drunk in two sips at the counter like the Italians do, is the most elegant solution to the cold of Petit-Champlain in January.
Artisanal hot chocolate
Carrera's hot chocolate is not powdered chocolate diluted in hot milk. It is a preparation made from quality dark chocolate melted with whole milk, lightly spiced, served in a large warm mug. Dense, deep, almost medicinal in its ability to lift spirits after a long walk in the snow.
Spiced mulled wine
Carrera Café's mulled wine is made with quality red wine infused with spices: cinnamon, star anise, clove, orange peel. Served hot in a thick-walled glass, it is the drink of the Christmas Market, strolls under the Petit-Champlain lights, and early December evenings.
The winter americano
For those who want the warmth of hot water and the intensity of coffee without the fat of milk, the winter americano is a must. A double espresso lengthened with very hot water, with crema preserved on the surface. Simple, direct, effective in severe cold.
Carrera Winter
The cold season as a way of life
In Quebec, winter is not an obstacle to overcome. It is a full season with its own pleasures.
Carrera Café embraces Quebec winter as a season of delicious contrasts. The warmth inside against the cold outside, the sweetness of a latte against the bite of the wind, the soft light inside against the falling snow outside: these contrasts are what make the winter café experience truly memorable.
Snowy Petit-Champlain
There are not many places on earth where a hot coffee in hand and a life-size Christmas setting outside the windows coexist so naturally. The Petit-Champlain district under the snow is one of the most evocative sights of winter Quebec, and Carrera Café has front-row seats.
Winter pairings
What goes with hot drinks
In winter, pairings are made in warmth and depth. Here are some suggestions that work with seasonal hot drinks.
Latte and warm focaccia
The focaccia from Boulangerie Borderon et Fils, lightly warmed with olive oil and rosemary, perfectly accompanies a winter latte. The warmth of both complements each other, the flavors are simple and direct, and together they are an honest way to start a winter day.
Hot chocolate and winter board
Hot chocolate with a board of organic Charlevoix charcuterie and Quebec cheeses may seem unexpected. Yet it is a pairing of depth: the smoothness of the chocolate, the richness of the charcuterie, and the character of the aged cheeses form a winter combination that warms you from the inside.
Mulled wine and aged cheese
Spiced mulled wine with a piece of well-aged firm cheese is the most European pairing on our winter menu. The spices in the wine complement the complex notes of the aged cheese, and together they create an experience that evokes Alsatian Christmas markets transported to the heart of Old Quebec.
The moments
When to come in winter
Winter in Quebec has its own highlights. Here are the moments when the city, the cold, and coffee form a perfect harmony.
The Petit-Champlain Christmas Market
The German Christmas Market in the Petit-Champlain district is one of the most beautiful in Canada. The wooden chalets, the lights in the trees, the scents of spices and hot sugar: entering Carrera Café after an hour at the market is one of the most comforting moments of the season.
After the Carnival
The Quebec Winter Carnival turns the city into an open-air festival in temperatures sometimes below minus twenty. After the slides, snow sculptures, and parade, Carrera Café is the essential warming stop before heading back to the hotel.
Winter is beautiful when you are warm
Come warm up at Carrera Café, in the heart of snowy Petit-Champlain. Latte, mulled wine, or hot chocolate: the choice is yours.
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