Last night, our Cacao Icons had some guests at Cebu City Marriott Hotel. They were so thrilled and excited to do cacao farming and a possible funding as well. Our Cacao Icons took pride in showing the Search for Criollo video and were surprised to have a received an applause and good reviews about it.
It was a series of meetings which started in the morning with saying hello to Ms. Emma Ramas, PDS BOD Secretary at SM Seaside.
Afterwards, they headed off to a nearby cacao plantation owned by Mr. Ernie Laurel. Where our guest inspected the cacao trees and pods. He was even shown the proper ways to do top grafting!
The following morning was Tagbilaran Bohol. Who could not visit the Philippines without seeing the Chocolate Hills? The guest of our Cacao Icons was toured at the cacao nurseries funded by Brownseeds PTE LTD.
The welcome drink. Hot chocolate! in the Philippines, we call our chocolate liquor as SIKWATE. The word SIKWATE is derived from a Visayan term meaning Cacao chocolate drink. Pair it with PUTO. To put it in layman’s terms, PUTO is a type of steamed rice cake usually served as snack or as accompaniment to mouthwatering hot beverages such as hot chocolate.
Plantacion de Sikwate President Mr. Christopher Fadriga, together with Ms. Cecilia De Leon showed PDS’ guest around their farm. Healthy and aromatic smelling cacao pods were displayed to be inspected and drooled upon.
Back to the Buena Venturada Farm, where owner Mr. Duke Miñoza, showed his W10 seedlings growing in the nursery.
Soon after, our cacao troopers went back to Cebu for a good dinner over a cup of hot sikwate before calling it a day.