Kauai Coffee and Chocolate Festival
Chocolate comes from cacao pods. Daniel Lane photo
The first annual Kauai Coffee and Chocolate Festival will be held Friday Oct. 23 and Saturday Oct. 24 in Hanapepe. The event includes keiki activities, chocolate and coffee workshops as well as samples, food and craft vendors and access to a Chocolate Passport.
“The Inaugural Kauai Chocolate and Coffee Festival is a celebration of all things chocolate and coffee,” says event coordinator Tiffany Carolan. “There will be lots of sampling, educational displays and workshops, entertainment and exhibitor booths featuring a variety of chocolate and coffee products, from around the state.
Kauai Coffee grows five varietals of Arabica coffee, this is Yellow Catuai. Daniel Lane photo
Our mission for the Kauai Chocolate and Coffee Festival is to offer an event that entertains both visitors and residents of Kauai; highlights Hawaii agricultural industries of both cacao and coffee; and showcases the fine products and talents of our local farmers, chefs, roasters, chocolatiers, baristas and manufacturers while bringing prosperity to Historic Hanapepe Town. The festival will feature chocolate and coffee from Kauai and around the Hawaiian Islands.”
“We are going to offer gourmet pops made with Kauai Coffee Estate Reserve Mundo Novo beans,” says Greg Askew of OnoPops Hawaiian Popsicles.
Inside the cacao pod, beans are covered in a sticky white pulp. Daniel Lane photo.
“Kauai Coffee Mocha also features Waialua Estate single origin 70 percent extra dark chocolate. Kauai Coffee Latte is made with Big Island dairy. One flavor is still being developed, but rumored to be more of an Espresso OnoPop for those that just want coffee. We’ll also have our popular flavors like non-dairy Chocolate Apple Banana made from ripe local apple bananas, Waialua Estate chocolate and a little organic almond milk. And possibly our Mexican Chocolate gourmet fudgesicle made with organic Big Island cinnamon, local vanilla beans, a hint of organic ancho chili powder and Waialua Estate chocolate.”
Workshops
Workshops are held at Hanapepe Cafe and are limited to 12 people. Attendees will get a free event coffee mug (retail value $10). Workshop prices TBD.
Friday, Oct. 23
- 10 to 11 a.m. “Coffee on the Brain” presented by Kauai Coffee’s Susan Gray – Kauai Coffee is prepared three ways and attendees will get a hands-on experience as farmers; see coffee cherries up close; listen for the crack of roasting; smell freshly ground coffee, and of course taste coffee. Each of the five senses will be enticed as attendees learn how to prepare and taste the results. This is an interactive workshop and questions and comments are encouraged.
Tony (left) and Will Lydgate at Steelgrass Chocolate Farm. Daniel Lane photo.
Saturday, Oct. 24
- 10 to 11 a.m. “Coffee on the Brain” presented by Kauai Coffee’s Susan Gray.
- 11:30 to 12:30 p.m. “Coffee Cupping” presented by Kauai Coffee’s Jorge Dela Cruz. Learn about different varietals that Kauai Coffee grows. Roast and identify flavor attributes and cup characteristics between different roast profiles.
- 1 to 2 p.m. “Chocolate Tempering Workshop” presented by Chef Judy Capertina, owner of Haole Girl Island Sweets. Chef Judy explains the properties of chocolate while demonstrating how to temper. This will be a hands on workshop where guests make and taste chocolatey treats.
At Moloaa Bay Coffee, Typica natural coffee cherries are hand-picked when they’re bright red. Daniel Lane photo.
Chocolate Passport
Purchasing a Chocolate Passport gives guests access to exclusive chocolate and coffee tastings as well as special discounts. Receive a reusable tote bag stocked with goodies from eighteen exhibitors including, OnoPops Hawaiian Popsicles, Kauai Kookie, Steelgrass Farm, Aloha Spice Company, Banana Patch Studio, Haole Girl Island Sweets, Moloaa Bay Coffee, Verde restaurant, Blu Umi, Kauai Sweet Shoppe, Isola Chocolate, Manoa Chocolate Hawaii, Keiki Kovers, Aloha Spice Co., Angela Headley Island Art, The Right Slice, Aloha Chocolate Company and Gaylord’s at Kilohana.
Main Stage
Friday, Oct. 23, 5 to 9 p.m.
- 5 p.m. – Joyful Noise Taiko Drumming directed by Aki Conquest
- 6 p.m. – KUGA
- 7 p.m. – “Growing Coffee” Presentation by Kauai Coffee’s Orchard Managers
Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- 10 a.m. – Joyful Noise Taiko Drumming directed by Aki Conquest
- 11 a.m. – “History and Future of Cacao” Presentation by H.C. “Skip” Bittenbender, Ph.D., Extension Specialist for Coffee, Kava and Cacao; College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa.
- 12:30 p.m.- “Tasting Kauai” presented by Marta Lane Owner/Author of Tasting Kauai
- 1 p.m. – “Global Thermonuclear Cacao” Tony Lydgate of Steelgrass Farm traces the history of chocolate from Mesoamerica to Kauai.
- 3:30 p.m. – “Mini Kauai Chocolate Flourless Cake” Demonstration by Chef Judy Capertina, owner of Haole Girl Island Sweets.
Other event highlights:
Friday and Saturday:
- Keiki activities at Storybook Theater during festival hours.
- Festival coffee mugs will be available for purchase.
- Visit more than 36 local crafters, food vendors and information booths.
- Aloha Lomi Massage Academy. (Rumor has it that they’ll be using chocolate massage cream!)
Saturday only:
- Saturday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. – “Coffee Roasting 101” presented by Kauai Roastery at Little Fish Coffee. Introduction to the world of craft coffee roasting. Demonstration of a roast cycle, pointing out key stages of roast development. Participants will have opportunity to cup coffee roasted at varying levels side by side. Basic chemistry is involved when roasting coffee and its effect on flavor will be discussed. Presenter: Richard Loero and Roger Roosma
- Saturday 11 to 3 p.m. “Tasting Kauai” book signing by Owner/Author Marta Lane
- Kauai Henna
- Silent Auction
Whew! This is going to be intoxicating for chocolate and coffee lovers! Mahalo plenty to the event’s presenting sponsors, including Hanapepe Economic Alliance, Kauai Visitor’s Bureau and Special Events Hawaii.
For more information and workshop tickets, call 808-225-3917.