Saturday, September 24th, 2022
Well, what was supposed to be a short break has turned into quite the gap in writing on my part, eh? Hawaii Cacao Express’s engines have been sitting cold and idle, neglected, collecting dust. Part of me wondered more than twice if I should retire it to the annals of past projects.
I won’t go into any excuses. But it should be addressed that my chocolate box project is on hold until further notice. Slowly, I plan to publish what would have been the second chocolate box’s contents, which would have featured the following bars and their accompanying drink pairings, recipes, and character portraits.
So other than the halting of my chocolate box production, what’s changed?
For one, I’ve stepped down from my position as Secretary for the East Hawaii Cacao Association, due to personal complications. But luckily dedicated members have volunteered to fill in the gaps on the board and are doing a great job. I still attend the meetings when I can. They continue to be wonderfully informative and are great for keeping tabs on the latest trends in local cacao production.
Also, I was over-the-moon ecstatic to attend the resumption of the Big Island Chocolate Festival in May. A summary of the experience is definitely worthy of its own post. Which I sincerely hope to address within a week.
Luckily, despite my proverbial falling off the horse, Hawaii’s chocolate and cacao community is as vibrant as ever. With just a few occasional glimpses here and there, I’ve seen some cacao growers have expanded; both growers and chocolate makers alike have accrued accolades and recognition as they’ve refined their craft; new members have joined the community; and with the veil of covid concerns beginning to lift, I see more more chocolate and cacao events on the horizon.
It’s a great time to dive back in. And now that I’m finally feeling revitalized on a personal level, I’m ready to get this train rolling again. Time to fire up the engines.
Categories: Uncategorized
