FLAVORS

Title: The Darker the Better: Rowan Gard goes in search of the ultimate

chocolate indulgence

Words: Rowan Gard

Image: Image compliments of Hawaiian Host, the creator of the Original Chocolate-Covered Macadamia Nut, which uses only high-quality chocolate and premium macadamia nuts.

The noted sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer described the taste of

chocolate as “a sensual pleasure in itself, existing in the same world

as sex…For myself, I can enjoy the wicked pleasures of chocolate

entirely by myself…furtiveness makes it better.” (Oh, Dr. Ruth, you’re

such a naughty girl!) It’s true that few (legal) edibles come close

to the glorious rapture that is sliding a piece of chocolate across

the taste buds. Why is it that chocolate consumption ranks up there

with the human nervous system’s equivalent of a three-cherry jackpot—

sex?! Well, recent research reveals that chocolate melting on your

tongue stimulates an increase in brain activity and heart rate which

surpasses that of levels associated with passionate kissing, not to

mention lasting four times longer after the fact. (Talk about

staying power!) So, simply put, chocolate literally makes you feel good. And with the

holiday season upon us, having a stash of chocolate on hand, either to

ease one’s own personal stress level or to give as gifts (you have to

admit, it’s vastly superior to tube socks, with the added allure of

being considerably cheaper than diamonds), will make for a much

merrier Christmas.

The Origins of Chocolate

Humans have furtively indulged in chocolate for a long while now. In

fact, recent archaeological research indicates that the ancient

Aztecs, Maya, and Olmec peoples made chocolate beverages as early as

1100 BC. There is also evidence of the cultivation of the cacao tree

—the seeds of which compose chocolate—in Mesoamerica for over three

millennia. (See, I told you it’s been a lengthy love affair.) The

scientific name for cacao, Theobroma cacoa, is literally Greek for

“food of the gods,” and the Aztec Emperor Montezuma (perhaps best known

for his long-standing gastric retribution) referred to liquid chocolate as a

“divine drink.” Mayan hieroglyphs even indicate that chocolate was

used for ceremonial purposes too, not just as a luxury good.

Following the Aztecs’ contact with the Spanish, chocolate came to

Europe in a big way. Chocolate consumption spread throughout the

royal courts of Europe and became much sought after. In 1657, the first

chocolate purveyor opened in London, but it wasn’t until the advent of

the Industrial Revolution that chocolate manufacturing and its

consequent consumption truly exploded. In 1850, cacao was introduced to

Hawai‘i, with interest in local-grown chocolate increasing through the

turn of the century. Following World War I, chocolate production

within the islands dropped, and it wasn’t until more recently, in

the 1990s and 2000s, that there has been a significant resurgence. And

my, my, what a resurgence it has been.

Home-Grown Indulgence

If you’re hungry for a near-orgasmic chocolate experience, then you

best make your way to one of these fine local chocolatiers that make

me proud to call Hawai‘i nei my home (trust me, not only do these

folks know what they’re doing, they’re so good you’re going to beg

them to never stop).

Kailua Candy Company

On a recent jaunt to the Big Island, I had the pleasure of visiting the

tasting room of Kailua Candy Co. (incognito, of course), which served

up great aloha and amazing chocolates. In fact, Kailua Candy Co. was

named one of the 10 Best Chocolate Shops in the United States by Bon Appétit

magazine, and I have to concur. Chocolate recommendations include the

hand-dipped tropical truffles, specifically the Lemon Macadamia Nut in

a white chocolate and the Guava-Rum in a dark chocolate, the latter

of which is so good you won’t even feel guilty when you slap your

tutu’s hand away and snatch up the last one!

Kailua Candy Company

73-5612 Kauhola Street, Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i 96740

Kailua-candy.com 808.329. 2522 or 800.622.2462

Malie Kai Chocolates

Malie Kai chocolate, grown on O‘ahu’s North Shore, is one of the

rarest chocolates in the world. The Dark Chocolate Bar by Malie Kai

Chocolates is not to be missed. It has a rich “chocolate” flavor that

hits the front of your mouth and then follows up nicely with secondary

notes of black currant. (So damn good!) Make sure to stop by their

booth at the Kapiolani Community College Saturday morning Farmer’s

Market (located at 4303 Diamond Head Road, Honolulu).

(FYI: Recent medical studies indicate that dark chocolate, eaten in

moderation, can lower blood pressure and includes a substantial amount

of antioxidants. So now you can say with a straight face that you’re

eating that chocolate bar for “medical reasons.”)

Malie Kai Chocolates, Inc.

P.O. Box 1146 Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96807

www.maliekai.com 808.599.8600

Original Hawaiian Chocolate

The folks at Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory are the first

producers to grow and process all-Hawaiian chocolate.

Chocolate recommendations for this pure Big Island goodness include

the dark chocolate Plumeria Nui Loa, which has a delicate yet complex

flavor that whispers of the volcanic soils in which it’s grown.

Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory

78-6772 Makenawai Street, Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i 96740

www.ohcf.us 808.322.2626 or 888.447.2626

“All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then

doesn’t hurt!” —Lucy, in Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. If you’d like

to show the author some love, then follow her blog—Respect the Food—

at www.strowanrespectsthefood.blogspot.com, or you can always just send

her a love letter at [email protected].

Recipe:

Easy-Peasy Ganache (courtesy of Kailua Candy Company)

Ingredients: Use equal parts dark Hawaiian chocolate and heavy whipping cream.

Preparation: First heat the cream in a microwave until hot

(approximately one minute on high heat), then melt the chocolate in a

double boiler (two different-sized pots work just fine too). Next,

slowly pour the cream into the melted chocolate and stir gently with a

whisk until silky smooth. This ganache is perfect over ice cream or

for dipping fresh fruit.