Let’s Talk Food: Big Island Chocolate Festival

Make plans to attend the 11th annual Big Island Chocolate Festival held from April 25 to 27 at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort &Spa.

There will be 18 savory and sweet culinary selections as well as opening ceremonies which include a traditional Hawaiian blessing by Lila “Malani” Deaguiar. The Kona Dance and Performing Arts will present an edgy Vangelis and Pink Floyd mashup and a hip-hop “Vivaldi Remix.” There will be a dramatic Polynesian fire dance by Ho‘omalu and Tiana of Tiana Production and live music by Jazz Gardiners.

The schedule includes:

• From 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursday, April 25 there will be a guided plantation and tasting tour at Kona’s Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory. You can see for yourself just how a cacao bean turns into delicious chocolate. Tickets are $30 each or $50 for two with a chance to win a $200 gift card from The Chocolate Shoppe.

Friday, April 26

• 1 p.m. “Pono Cacao, the Inspiration Behind Farming Exploitation-Free Chocolate,” is presented by Ethan Swift, founder of the Chocolate Sommelier School. The Hawaii Island based-school shares information on the history and culture of chocolate, the science behind its production and the art of tasting and evaluating chocolate.

• 2:15 p,m. “Unlocking the Secrets of Cacao Fermentation from Small Farms to Large-Scale Success” is led by Maddy Smith of Hawai‘i Island craft chocolate company Cacao Rose Hawaii. Maddy is the founder of chocolate eco-tourism company Barefoot Chocolatini and Former president of the East Hawaii Cacao Association.

• 3:30 p.m. “Learn How to Temper for Commercial Grade Chocolate” is presented by world pastry champion Chef Stephane Treand, MOF Patissier Chocolatier and co-owner of Francium Chocolate. Treand will offer tips on tempering chocolate and crafting chocolate pieces for a sculpture to be constructed during a demonstration at 12:15 p.m. on Saturday

Cost is $40 for all three seminars; $60 for two attendees.

Saturday,
April 27

• 9 to 10:30 a.m. “How to Make Bonbons” with Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort Executive Pastry Chef Helen Hong.

• 10:45 a.m. to 12 noon: “Chocolate-Infused Savory Dish” facilitated by the Westin Maui Resort &Spa, Ka‘anapali Executive Chef Yoshikazu Kizu.

• 12:15 to 2 p.m. “Creating an Artistic Chocolate Showpiece” by world pastry champion Chef Stephane Treand. Treand is a master at crafting all kinds of chocolate treats and standout sculptures. Always a favorite activity at the festival, he will demonstrate how to mold and color chocolate for structurally building a showpiece sculpture. The masterpiece will be on display during the festival gala.

Cost is $79 for all three events. All tickets are sold online and additional tax and ticketing fees apply. General admission gala tickets are $99.

The silent auction bidding opens online at noon on April 22 to benefit 2024 non-profit beneficiaries: Hawaii Institute of Pacific Agriculture, Kona Dance &Performing Arts and Hawaii Keiki Museum.

Support provided by Hawaii Tourism Authority through the Community Enrichment Program. Check out the website at: https://bigisland chocolatefestival.com

Here is a delectable chocolate recipe from the Big Island Chocolate Festival:

Dark Chocolate Ganache

Recipe courtesy of Kailua Candy Company

Easy to prepare and delicious to chard, Dark Chocolate Ganache is a wonderful way to enjoy Original Hawaiian Chocolate!

Equal amounts of:

Original Hawaiian Dark Chocolate

Heavy cream

1. Heat cream in the microwave until hot, approximately 1 minutes on high

2. Melt chocolate in double boiler

3. Slowly pour cream into melted chocolate and stir with a whisk until smooth. Serve over your favorite ice cream. It can also be poured over a chocolate cake and used as a frosting.

• • •

The cacao tree is native to the Amazon rainforest and can be traced back over 5,000 years. The cacao bean was domesticated at least 5,300 years ago in present day Ecuador by the Mayo-Chinchipe culture. It was originally prepared as a bitter drink, mixed with spices or corn puree. In Mesoamerica, it was believed to be an aphrodisiac and was taken to give one strength. Today these drinks are called “chilate.”

After sugar was introduced in the 16th century, it was added to the cacao drink and became very popular.

The word “chocolate” comes from the classical Nahuatl word “xocolatl” which means bitter (xoco) water (atl).

Today, two-thirds of the world’s cocoa is produced in Western Africa, with the Ivory Coast producing 1,448,992 tons.

So it is nice to see that the cacao tree grows well on this island and has become a viable agricultural industry! Buying local is a great way to keep this industry going.

Hawaii Community College’s Culinary Program served their last meal last week. The students are now studying for finals and graduation.

Thank you for patronizing their various venues to support the students, our future chef!

Email Audrey Wilson at audreywilson808@gmail.com.