By JAMES SAM

A CHOCOLATE FEAST An array of chocolate treats served in various forms

In collaboration with Auro Chocolate, Solaire’s “Decadence unleashed!” showcases a unique blend of desserts and delicacies. Hosted at the Oasis Garden Cafe, and supplied by Filipino farmers’ finest cacao beans, Solaire elevates chocolate to the level of fine dining, creating a variety of dishes that challenge the simple notion of chocolate as a sweet snack. With original creations such as the savory Sesame Tuna with Chocolate Pretzel Stick, Roast Beef and Burrata in Chocolate Banana Bread, and Beef Bourguignon in rich Chocolate Sauce, and traditionally sweet concoctions such as Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, Chocolate Caramel and Hazelnut Mignon, and Hot Chocolate Spheres, the integrated resort orchestrates an experience to remember.

Cacao harvested from farms in Davao City serves as the main inspiration behind Solaire’s chocolate cuisine in July in a month-long observance of World Chocolate Day tomorrow, July 7. This global celebration is said to mark the introduction of chocolate to Europe in July 7, 1550.

ORIGINAL DELIGHTS A tray full of unique chocolate snacks

This month, Solaire Resort celebrates not just chocolate but Philippine-produced chocolate by incorporating it into imaginative dishes. Majority of cacao in the Philippines hails from the Davao region, where the produce of every farm is of the highest quality. Cacao can only grow between 20 degrees latitude north and south of the equator and, in combination with the Philippines’ lush and tropical climate, the Davao region is perfectly situated for cacao production. Furthermore, the presence of fruit trees such as guava, calamansi, and durian allows certain cacao variants to develop an altered and uniquely Filipino flavor.

In this light, each step in the process of turning cacao beans into chocolate has been considered in coming up with the concepts for Solaire’s dishes. From cacao as a fruit to harvesting, fermentation, and conching, which is when the cacao mixture is heated, kneaded, and stirred, each step claims its own unique smell and flavor. Dishes such as the Chicken Sausage and Quinoa Pie make use of fermented cacao, playing up the blend of bitterness and savoriness while dishes such as the Lobster and Avocado in Charcoal Brioche Toast embrace the sweeter side of cacao.

The first country in Southeast Asia to cultivate cacao trees, the Philippines’ relationship with cacao dates back to the colonial age. A longstanding history with the three major types of cacao—Criollo, Forestero, and Trinitario—points to the compatibility between cacao trees and the Philippine climate and agriculture. Criollo, the rarest type of cacao bean, was the Philippines’ introduction to the prized crop, brought to our shores from Mexico by the Spaniards. Criollo, Forestero, and Trinitario are now found throughout the Philippines.

ELEVATED DINING Sweet, savory, and scrumptious treats for chocolate afternoon tea

July is the time to celebrate our love affair with chocolate, and Solaire provides a number of ways to do so in high fashion. Alongside the Chocolate Afternoon Tea hosted until the end of July at Oasis Garden Cafe, Solaire is also hosting Chocolate Sunday Brunch and Dinner Buffets. At Waterside, bask in Chocolate Art as you indulge in brunch at a mega milkshake bar, available on July 9. Yakumi, on July 16, presents chocolate-infused bento desserts paired with chocolate and Japanese whisky bonbons. With a chocolate fountain and a chocolate dessert bar, Fresh offers a fill for your dinner available only on July 23.

In the language of admiration, camaraderie, joy, appreciation, gratitude, and love, chocolate is eloquent enough, but at the many chocolate-filled celebrations at Solaire Resort, chocolate has so much more to say.

Solaire Resort is at Entertainment City, 1 Aseana Avenue, Paranaque City, Metro Manila. www.solaireresort.com