Tuesday, February 1: Big Island KISS. Chocolate made with only cacao and sugar. That’s it. No additional cacao butter, no additives, no additional flavors. Simply cacao with just enough sugar to take the edge off of cacao’s natural bitterness, Big Island style. Features Hakalau Chocolate, Honoka’a Chocolate, Island Sharks, Pa’auilo Chocolate, Puna Chocolate, Puna Gold Farms Chocolate. (Tasting at Koana, 12:30pm-2:00pm, limit 10 participants, sign up at Koana or sign up via email to KoanaHawaii@gmail.com.)
Wednesday, February 2: Got Milk? Coconut milk, buttermilk, goat milk, and even cow milk! Milk and chocolate have long been a delightful combination. Come taste how makers are challenging the traditional boundaries of milk chocolate. Features A&D Orchards Hawaii Island Chocolate, Hershey’s, Honoka’a Chocolate, Lavaloha Chocolate, Lindt Chocolate, Pali Nana Farms, Waialua Estates Chocolate. (Tasting at Koana, 12:30pm-2:00pm, limit 10 participants, sign up at Koana or sign up via email to KoanaHawaii@gmail.com.)
Thursday, February 3: How sweet It Is! Most chocolate packaging lists the % cacao. Different amounts of sugar can either expose or cover up subtle flavors in the chocolate. Find your sweet spot with a selection of chocolate bars, ranging from 70% down to 100% cacao. Features A&D Orchards Hawaii Island Chocolate, Akessons, Ghirardelli, Hawaiian Crown Plantation, Lavaloha Chocolate. (Tasting at Koana, 12:30pm-2:00pm, limit 10 participants, sign up at Koana or sign up via email to KoanaHawaii@gmail.com.)
Friday, February 4: You Complete Me. Some flavors dramatically affect chocolate’s own complex nuances. Explore these complements to chocolate, from the familiar to the exotic. Features Hamakua Chocolate, Manoa Chocolate, Pa’auilo Chocolate, Puna Chocolate, RIMS Chocolate. (Tasting at Koana, 12:30pm-2:00pm, limit 5 participants, sign up at Koana or sign up via email to KoanaHawaii@gmail.com.)
Saturday, February 5: You Complete Me. Some flavors dramatically affect chocolate’s own complex nuances. Explore these complements to chocolate, from the familiar to the exotic. Features Hamakua Chocolate, Manoa Chocolate, Pa’auilo Chocolate, Puna Chocolate, RIMS Chocolate. (Tasting at Koana, 12:30pm-2:00pm, limit 5 participants, sign up at Koana or sign up via email to KoanaHawaii@gmail.com.)
Sunday, February 6: Explore Big Island Cacao Farms. Experience cacao up close and personal. Some cacao farms will also offer tastings and tours of their chocolate making operations. (All over Big Island)
Monday, February 7: Explore Big Island Cacao Farms. Experience cacao up close and personal. Some cacao farms will also offer tastings and tours of their chocolate making operations. (All over Big Island)
Tuesday, February 8: Local Bean Makes Good. One of the distinct flavors of Hawaiian cacao is a bright, citrus, fruity, almost tangy overtone. Discover this taste of aloha in a selection of chocolates made from some of the best beans on the island. Features Dandelion Chocolate, Hakalau Chocolate, Hamakua Chocolate, Manoa Chocolate, Maverick Chocolate, Puna Chocolate, Waialua Estates Chocolate. (Tasting at Koana, 12:30pm-2:00pm, limit 8 participants, sign up at Koana or sign up via email to KoanaHawaii@gmail.com.)
Wednesday, February 9: Vive La Différence! The Rock is home to some 8 different micro-climates (out of 13 worldwide), and was traditionally divided into many more “ahupua’a.” Some folks find these different regions result in different flavor profiles. Take a taste tour of Big Island through 6 chocolates, each made from the cacao of a different region of the island. Features Madre Chocolate, Maverick Chocolate, Puna Single-District Chocolate, Waialua Estate Chocolate. (Tasting at Koana, 12:30pm-2:00pm, limit 10 participants, sign up at Koana or sign up via email to KoanaHawaii@gmail.com.)
Thursday, February 10: Plus Ones. Mac nuts, coffee beans, cacao nibs, coconut: each of these ingredients bring additional flavor and texture to chocolate. Experience the transformations provided by including these other goodies from the island. Features Hakalau Chocolate, Hawaiian Crown Plantations, Puna Chocolate, RIMS Chocolate. (Tasting at Koana, 12:30pm-2:00pm, limit 10 participants, sign up at Koana or sign up via email to KoanaHawaii@gmail.com.)
Friday, February 11: Love The One You’re With. For those unfortunate individuals who aren’t visiting, or living on, Big Island, there’s still chocolate to be had. Consider this to be survival training, should you find yourself off island, with your kokoleka reserves running out. Features Amedei, Bonnat, Dandelion, Dick Taylor, Lulu’s, Maverick, Original Beans, Pralus. (Tasting at Koana, 12:30pm-2:00pm, limit 10 participants, sign up at Koana or sign up via email to KoanaHawaii@gmail.com.)
Saturday, February 12
Show and Tell: From Tree to Bar. Everything you want to know about chocolate but were afraid to ask. Well, probably not everything, but enough to get you going 🙂 We’ll walk through the basic steps of growing cacao through making chocolate:
Tree to Beans: planting, growing, harvesting, fermenting, and drying
Beans to Nibs: roasting, cracking, and winnowing
Nibs to Chocolate: grinding, tempering, casting, and packaging
(Outside at Koana, 10:00am to Noon, limit 10 participants, sign up at Koana or sign up via email to KoanaHawaii@gmail.com. Bring an umbrella if it’s rainy!)
Chocolate Tasting: Vive La Différence! The Rock is home to some 8 different micro-climates (out of 13 worldwide), and was traditionally divided into many more “ahupua’a.” Some folks find these different regions result in different flavor profiles. Take a taste tour of Big Island “moku” (districts) chocolate, each made from the cacao of a different region of the island. Features Madre Chocolate, Maverick Chocolate, Puna Single-District Chocolate, Waialua Estate Chocolate. (Tasting at Koana, 12:30pm-2:00pm, limit 8 participants, sign up at Koana or sign up via email to KoanaHawaii@gmail.com.)
Sunday, February 13: Discover Big Island Chocolate Shops. Only one more shopping day until the big heart day! Go out and buy some chocolate! (All over Big Island)
Monday, February 14: Valentine’s Day! Drop some chocolate aloha on your loved ones 🙂
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