Chocolate drink warms up rainy KCC market

LIHU‘E — John McClure of Moloa‘a Bay Coffee said the arrival if a new product coincided with the annual Garden Fair hosted in collaboration with the Kaua‘i Made program Saturday at the Kaua‘i Community College campus.

With the attention focused on the lightning, thunder, rain and wind, attention was taken away from the Moloa‘a Bay Cocoa, a chocolate beverage created by McClure using cacao beans from trees he grows in Moloa‘a.

“This is not anything new,” McClure said. “There are several other places who brew similar drinks, but it’s new for us, and with the arrival of the (updated) logo, this is the first day it’s on sale.”

The weather served as a marketing tool as shoppers and vendors who sought shelter from the rain had an opportunity to find out more about the Moloa‘a Bay product.

“This is pretty good,” said Mary Pigao, a representative of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, who was bundled up against the weather. “When I was studying in Mexico, you know what they use the fruit part of the cacao bean for? Most people want the bean for the seeds. In Mexico, they use the fruit to create a white wine.”

Creating the chocolate beverage from the bag, which was available for sale at the Kaua‘i Community Market, is relatively easy. Using a French coffee press, add two heaping tablespoons to 8 ounces of water. Let steep approximately five minutes; add sugar and cream to taste.

McClure said you need to use sugar and cream because without it, it’s strong. Amounts of sugar and cream (he was using a Costco creamer) depends on individual taste, he said.

Moloa‘a Bay Coffee is a regular part of the Kaua‘i Culinary Markets Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. at The Shops at Kukui‘ula and at the Kaua‘i Community Market Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at KCC in Puhi.

Visit www.moloaabaycoffee.com for more information.