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Big Island Candies: A Fantasy in Chocolate By Madelyn Miller, the TravelLady |
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I first tasted a Big Island Cookie at a food
and wine event on the Big Island. There were booths of fresh fruits
and vegetables, locally made products and uniquely
On a recent trip to the Big Island to judge the
Kona Chocolate Festival, I finally got to fulfill my fantasy. I went
to the Hawaiian chocolate Mecca: the headquarters for Big Island
Candies. It was even better than I expected. The friend who went
with me said it looked like Ala Moana, the upscale mall on Oahu. I
love shopping. Maybe that is why I feel such a resonance with Big
Island Candies. The festive displays made me feel like I was at a
Because I am a journalist and co-own a chocolate website, people often send me samples and give me tastes of their new products. At Big Island Candies everyone can taste anything they want. As you enter, they offer you a cup with two products and direct you to their free coffee bar where they serve Big Island Candies Coffee.
Lance asked me if I had ever tasted cuttlefish.
I proudly confirmed that I had. He served me one and I was about to
start at the white stringy end that looked like slices of coconut.
Lots of people
I loved tasting the chocolate covered crunch bars, the cookies and the brownies. But I know my favorite will always be the shortbread cookies. They have several new flavors including lemon and coconut. But for me it is the basic shortbread dipped in dark chocolate. But drool through their catalogue or their website and I am sure you will find thousand of calories of temptation. The Ninth Annual Kona Chocolate Festival and Symposium is scheduled for April 12-17, 2010. Visit www.bigislandcandies.com. |
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joyful experience for chocolate lovers of
any age. Not a chocolate lover? (then why are you reading this?) You
will still love them for their coconut and lemon shortbread cookies.
Hawaiian items.
My eyes went right to the colorful packages and beautiful display on
the Big Island Candy table. It looked like a Tiffany jewelry store.
Each item was treated and displayed like a precious jewel. I
instantly knew these people understood chocoholics like me.
party. The "factory" part looks like a branch of Ikea. Stark white
accented with steel and large overhead signs indicating what was
done in that area--Melters., Packaging, Hand Dipping, Quality
Inspection, Cooling Tunnel, Chocolate Enrober, Chocolate Melter,
Chocolate Panner, Baking. Floor to ceiling glass walls divided the
candy makes from the customers, but I felt like I could peer through
the windows and be inches away from the chocolate.
Since I was in town to judge the Kona Chocolate
Festival, I knew I would be tasting lots of cookies, brownies, and
other chocolate creations. So I asked Lance Duyao, chocolate genius
and marketing director of Big Island Candies what were the most
unique flavors they offered. He did not hesitate for a moment. He
grabbed packages of chocolate dipped ika (cuttlefish), chocolate
dipped mochi balls (a Japanese rice treat) and chocolate
dipped dried a salted plums (a favorite with Orientals and
Hawaiians). These are all from Hawaiian Da-Kines line.
think it is coconut, Lance explained as he graciously
handed me a napkin. He suggested I start at the chocolate end. I
took a small bit of the round chocolate side. It was pure chocolate
so of course I liked it. My next small bite was into the chocolate
and cuttlefish. I was grateful that Lance had handed me a napkin. Next up was the chocolate dipped mochi balls. Since I am not
a big mochi fan I did not go nuts over this one, but I expect many
people would. The chocolate dipped dried salted plums resonated with
me. It stimulated all my taste receptors—sweet and salty, with a
lasting flavor as you sucked on them. I got some of these to take
home. Except I have already eaten them.