Page 7 - Hawaii Island MidWeek - Nov 24, 2021

DCocktail Has A Tropical Twist
r. Gunars Valkirs gives a lot of his Maui. If you are ever on the island, make sure profits from Maui Ku‘ia Estate Choc- to visit the farm and take the chocolate tour. olate back to the Valley Isle commu- This week, he takes one of my favorite
nity, and that’s simply amazing. fruits, calamansi, and creates a marriage
Hawai‘i is one of the only states in the U.S. that grows cacao, and we are making a huge name for ourselves as the industry grows. Gu- nars’ company and farm is located in Lahaina,
with his Maui-grown cacao chocolate for a Calamansi Chocolate Margarita. It’s a pretty simple recipe and you will truly like the flavors.
NOVEMBER 24, 2021
HAWAI‘I ISLAND MIDWEEK 7
LANAI
CALAMANSI CHOCOLATE MARGARITA
Ingredients:
• 6 ounces almond milk
• 2 ounces Maui Ku‘ia Estate Chocolate dark chocolate (65% cacao)
• 1-2 ounces fresh calamansi juice
• 2 ounces tequila (blanco silver preferred)
Directions:
Heat the almond milk up in a small saucepan using medium heat while stirring frequently — but no hotter than when it first starts to form bubbles. For those who like to use thermometers, that is about 176 degrees Fahrenheit.
Add the chocolate all at once and mix thoroughly until melted. Use
a whisk, if you have one, for best incorporation of chocolate. While stirring frequently, bring the liquid back up to the temperature where
is just starts to bubble, remove from heat, and cool slightly before placing it in a closed container for storage
in a refrigerator. This mixture can be
You can watch episodes of “Cooking Hawaiian Style,” presented by Maui County Farm Bureau, on OC16 channels 10 and 1012, as well as nationwide via LifeStyle Network, FNX Network, Roku and Hawaiian Airlines in-flight entertainment. “Cooking Hawaiian Style” airs in over 43 million homes world- wide. Get this free recipe and thousands of others at cooking- hawaiianstyle.com.
refrigerated for up to one week. After the chocolate mixture is cold,
add 1-2 ounces of freshly squeezed calamansi juice (according to your taste) and stir to mix. Add 2 ounces of tequila (blanco silver), mix thoroughly and serve. More or less tequila can
be used.
(Above) This Calamansi Chocolate Margarita is best with tequila (blanco silver). RUBEN CARRILLO PHOTO; (Above left) The author and Dr. Gunars Valkirs get ready to enjoy a libation. RYAN SAKAMOTO PHOTO
Leila
Dental Assistant
Leila moved to the mainland at 17 to finish high school. While finishing high school, she picked up a trade in dental assisting. Working in her campus’s dental office and at two other internships, she was also finishing her classes part time at night school. After graduating in August of 2019 and earning her certifications, she made her way back to Hawai’i in December. Now, Leila is a new member of Tropical Smiles Dental, learning and growing with an amazing team.
If Leila is not at work, she is most likely at the beach with her two sons, Ka’eo and Hau’oli, or at home watching AHS on Netflix.