Manoa - Ali'i Kula Lavender bar - June 29, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Manoa Chocolate
Ali'i Kula Lavender 60% bar
Good++ - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (56.7 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) for 1/2 bar
Cost: $10 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Botanicals Theme Week.

Lavender is a strong floral flavor often linked to soaps, perfumes, and teas. For an unlucky few, the association between these fragrant, almost pine-y purple buds and soap/perfume is so strong that the thought of eating lavender is considered odd at best. But, for lavender lovers, today's freshly minted Manoa Chocolate Ali'i Kula Lavender bar would be a special treat.

Manoa Chocolate (Kailua, Oahu) founder and chocolatemaker, Dylan Butterbaugh, was born and raised in Oahu, and makes bean-to-bar chocolate -- using local ingredients when possible. For example, the cacao beans frequently come from "a network of farmers" across Hawaii (the only U.S. state that currently grows cacao commercially). And the cane sugar is from Maui.

The dehydrated lavender buds used to flavor this 60% cacao chocolate came from Ali'i Kula Lavender Farm in the hills of Maui -- a beautiful spot. The dried buds were ground into a fine powder that imparted a uniform lavender flavor throughout this bold-flavored dark milk chocolate bar.

Ali'i Kula Lavender - Lavender Chocolate Sauce - December 16, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Ali'i Kula Lavender/The Lavender Farm, Inc.
Lavender Chocolate Sauce
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1 Tablespoon or .5 oz. (14.25 g.) / 9.5 oz. (266 g.) total jar
Calories: 80 calories in 1 Tb. serving
Cost: $ info no longer listed
Purchased from: Ali'i Kula Lavender (AKL Maui) site

Today we bid Aloha to Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week, and continued with the second day of Chocolate and Lavender Week. The bridge between these two weeks was a lovely Lavender Chocolate Sauce from Ali'i Kula Lavender farm (Kula, Hawaii) on the island of Maui.

This sauce could be used to dress up almost any dessert, from poached pears to panna cotta, or to make a lavender ice cream sundae.

The lavender chocolate sauce was not overly thick, but it was a cold day. So, I warmed and stirred a small dish of sauce first, for easier spooning over ice cream. I used a healthy scoop or two of Three Twins Madagascar Vanilla ice cream for this sundae. Lappert's ice cream (Hawaii) would also be a great tropical island ice cream alternative.

Ali'i Kula Lavender - Lavender Dark bar - December 15, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Ali'i Kula Lavender/The Lavender Farm, Inc.
Lavender Dark Chocolate Bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.)/ 1.5 oz. (43 g.) total bar
Calories: 75 calories (estimate) in 1/3 bar
Cost: $4.50 total bar (plus any applicable online ordering costs)
Purchased from: Ali'i Kula Lavender/Sweet Paradise Chocolatier, Hawaii

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Lavender Theme Week.

I had the privilege to visit the Ali'i Kula Lavender Farm in Kula, in the "up-country" -- on the slopes of Mount Haleakala, on the island of Maui, in Hawaii -- about a year and half ago. It was a beautiful place, and I remember sampling some chocolate gelato with lavender in their small shop during the visit. I made a mental note at the time to, at some point, plan a Chocolate and Lavender Theme Week for this site. So, many months later, this is it.

I'm happy to kick off this theme week by featuring the Lavender Dark Chocolate bar from Ali'i Kula Lavender (also known as AKL Maui, and The Lavender Farm, Inc.), Kula (Hawaii). The 55% cocoa bar was infused with organic lavender oil. I could smell the lovely fresh lavender scent the moment I unwrapped the parchment lined gold foil wrapper. For someone who likes floral smells and tastes, as I do, this bar was a treat.

Chocolate Story: May 19, 2011

Maui Chocolate Story:

As an extension of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week, today we explored other examples of the convergence of these two flavors.

Surfing Goats
Our first stop was the Surfing Goat Dairy in Kula. Yes, we learned, you can made chocolate truffles with goat cheese. But, no coconuts here, just surfboards.

Flowers and Coconuts, But no Cacao Trees
A trip to the Botanic garden in Kula, located on the lush, green slopes of Mount Haleakala in Maui, yielded views of beautiful flowers and coconuts, but no cacao trees (although we'd heard growing evidence of more trees being planted in nearby areas).

Ali'i Kula Lavender Farm
Our last Kula stop was at a lavender farm. More on that next week. Think lavender chocolate bars and brownies, lavender scones, and chocolate lavender gelato. No coconuts though.

Wow Wee Maui

This evening we visited the original home of the Wow Wee Maui chocolate bar line -- the Wow Wee Maui Grill and Kava Bar in Kahului, Maui, in Hawaii. The original owner sold the grill and bar, and is focusing on making chocolate bars; but the bars are still sold at the bar). After dinner, I enjoyed an icy Kava colada (served in a coconut shell with a straw), and a small bite of a Wow Wee Maui Coffee with Toffee chocolate bar.

Aloha.