■ ASEAN DELEGATES GET CEBUANO CHOCOLATE TREAT

Some 100 delegates of the 48th ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting and Related Meetings held at the Radisson Blu experienced Cebu’s home-grown chocolates created by The Chocolate Chamber. They were treated to hot chocolate drinks infused with 22 nature-identical flavors, including hazelnut, mint, jasmine, camomille, and hibiscus. “Instead of the usual coffee break, we served the delegates sikwate.” said Raquel T. Choa, owner of The Chocolate Chamber. “The hibiscus infusion was definitely the center of attraction. The delegates, especially the Malaysians, loved the aroma and the taste of the hibiscus blend.”

Asean leaders were in Cebu in the first week of July for various meetings The Chocolate Chamber prepared flavored sikwate like hibiscus

The delegates of the recently concluded 48th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Economic Ministers Meeting held at the Radisson Blu from July 1 to 7 got the courtesy of experiencing the taste of Cebu’s high quality homegrown chocolates created by The Chocolate Chamber (TCC).

Around 100 delegates enjoyed a selection of fine hot chocolate drinks infused with 22 nature-identical flavors including hazelnut, mint, jasmine, chamomile and hibiscus during the delegates’ breakout sessions of the meetings.

“Instead of the usual coffee break, we served the delegates with our long chocolate tradition of drinking sikwate,” said Raquel T. Choa, TCC owner. “The hibiscus infusion was definitely the center of attraction. The delegates, especially the Malaysians, loved the aroma and the taste of the hibiscus blend.”

Made from Philippine cacao beans, TCC elevated the tasteful pleasures of Cebu’s tablea, pure chocolate tablets made from cacao.

Aside from the infused chocolate drinks, Choa also displayed paintings using cacao-based, accessories made from the cacao tree, wedding gown stained with cacao shells and sandals designed with dried cacao leaves.

A delegate from Indonesia said that Choa’s cacao advocacy is “an inspiration to the Asean countries knowing that cacao is more than just chocolates…”

The princess of Brunei was also impressed by TCC’s choc- olate creation, which was garnished on her favorite cappuccino drink.