{"id":22286,"date":"2025-07-10T00:53:13","date_gmt":"2025-07-10T04:53:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/?p=22286"},"modified":"2025-07-10T01:03:52","modified_gmt":"2025-07-10T05:03:52","slug":"philippine-chocolate-tradition-highlighted-during-world-chocolate-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/2025\/07\/10\/philippine-chocolate-tradition-highlighted-during-world-chocolate-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Philippine Chocolate Tradition Highlighted During World Chocolate Day"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Philippine Chocolate Tradition Highlighted During World Chocolate Day<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Officials from the Philippine Consulate General in New York and select members of the Consular Corps pose for a photo with The Chocolate Chamber family, following the event, which featured the evolution of cacao from \u2018Bean to Beverage to Brush\u2019. (Photo by Sherlyn Roxas)<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

NEW YORK, 07 July 2025<\/b> \u2013 In celebration of World Chocolate Day, the Philippine Consulate General in New York, in partnership with Cebu-based chocolatier <\/span>The Chocolate Chamber<\/span><\/i>, hosted a two-day cultural event on 07 to 08 July 2025 at the Philippine Center.\u00a0 The event featured the evolution of cacao in the Philippines – from \u2018Bean to Beverage to Brush\u2019 – through an immersive and multi-sensory experience for participants from the Consular Corps, the Filipino-American community, business owners, and personnel from the Consulate, the Philippine Mission to the UN, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center, and the Philippine Center Management Board.<\/span><\/span><\/p>

The event began with the opening of Mr. John Paul \u201cJP\u201d Toquero Choa\u2019s solo exhibition, \u201c<\/span>Brushstrokes of Worship and Wonder: A Journey Through Nature, Spirit, and Soul<\/span><\/i>.\u201d The featured artworks were created using \u201csikwate\u201d, a traditional Filipino chocolate drink, and other natural materials, instead of the conventional painting medium.<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
(L-R) Deputy Consul General Adrian Elmer S. Cruz and Madame Citadel Cruz join the team from The Chocolate Chamber, Consul General Somjai Taphaopong (Thailand), and Consul General Marta de Blas Mayordomo (Spain) for a photo opportunity during the opening of the exhibit, \u201cBrushstrokes of Worship and Wonder: A Journey Through Nature, Spirit, and Soul.\u201d(Photo by Sherlyn Roxas)<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Following the exhibit opening, guests were invited to a short discussion on the history and evolution of Philippine cacao.\u00a0 Thereafter, a live demonstration on the traditional preparation of \u2018<\/span>sikwate<\/span><\/i>\u2019 and guided tasting of the beverage were conducted.\u00a0 A cacao beverage station was also set up where variants of \u2018<\/span>sikwate<\/span><\/i>\u2019 – from traditional ones prepared with condensed milk to those infused with chilies and other spices were served together with Filipino delicacies.<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Guests explore \u201csikwate\u201d through a guided tasting exercise. (Photo by Nikka Arenal)<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Ms. Raquel Toquero-Choa discusses the characteristics of Philippine cacao beans to personnel of the Philippine Consulate General in New York, the Philippine Mission to the United Nations, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in New York, and the Philippine Center Management Board. (Photo by Sherlyn Roxas) <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

In his remarks, Deputy Consul General Adrian Elmer S. Cruz reminisced about his childhood experience on \u201csikwate.\u201d He shared, \u201c<\/span>This beloved drink\u2014made with tablea and milk\u2014was a staple in our home, especially on New Year’s Eve. Our midnight feast was never complete without this comforting, traditional drink.<\/span><\/i>\u201d\u00a0 He added, \u201c<\/span>As the world celebrates World Chocolate Day, we are proud to bring you a taste of the Philippines. There\u2019s no better time than now to sit together in a shared moment of indulgence and appreciation\u2014and to honor cacao as a living medium of heritage, memory, and cultural expression.<\/span><\/i>\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Deputy Consul General Adrian Elmer S. Cruz and Ms. Raquel Toquero-Choa, President and Founder of The Chocolate Chamber, deliver their remarks during the event. (Photos by Sherlyn Roxas)<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Philippine Chocolate Tradition Highlighted During World Chocolate Day Officials from the Philippine Consulate General in New York and select members of the Consular Corps pose for a photo with The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[40,84,27],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nPhilippine Chocolate Tradition Highlighted During World Chocolate Day - Philippine Consulate General<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/2025\/07\/10\/philippine-chocolate-tradition-highlighted-during-world-chocolate-day\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Philippine Chocolate Tradition Highlighted During World Chocolate Day - Philippine Consulate General\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Philippine Chocolate Tradition Highlighted During World Chocolate Day Officials from the Philippine Consulate General in New York and select members of the Consular Corps pose for a photo with The […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/2025\/07\/10\/philippine-chocolate-tradition-highlighted-during-world-chocolate-day\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Philippine Consulate General\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-07-10T04:53:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-07-10T05:03:52+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/1111-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@phinnewyork\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@phinnewyork\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/\",\"name\":\"Philippine Consulate General\",\"description\":\"New York, USA\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":\"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/?s={search_term_string}\",\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/2025\/07\/10\/philippine-chocolate-tradition-highlighted-during-world-chocolate-day\/#primaryimage\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/1111-scaled.jpg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":1920},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/2025\/07\/10\/philippine-chocolate-tradition-highlighted-during-world-chocolate-day\/#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/2025\/07\/10\/philippine-chocolate-tradition-highlighted-during-world-chocolate-day\/\",\"name\":\"Philippine Chocolate Tradition Highlighted During World Chocolate Day - Philippine Consulate General\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/2025\/07\/10\/philippine-chocolate-tradition-highlighted-during-world-chocolate-day\/#primaryimage\"},\"datePublished\":\"2025-07-10T04:53:13+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-10T05:03:52+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/#\/schema\/person\/71741dddd6ca2304fa0870698415795a\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/2025\/07\/10\/philippine-chocolate-tradition-highlighted-during-world-chocolate-day\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/#\/schema\/person\/71741dddd6ca2304fa0870698415795a\",\"name\":\"PCGNY\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/#personlogo\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/05afff1d53adc9e60a42e43fcfbfee90?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"PCGNY\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22286"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22286"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22286\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22296,"href":"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22286\/revisions\/22296"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22286"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22286"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newyorkpcg.org\/pcgny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22286"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}