Jade Mountain’s Chocolate Festival

Jade Mountain in St. Lucia recently announced its annual chocolate festival will kick off December 9-12. The event is a delicious, interactive and exotic introduction to chocolate.

In fact, cacao has a history in St Lucia that dates back to the 1700’s. The island’s cacao trees, more than 1,000 strong, are established in both Anse Mamin Plantation and in Emerald Estate.

St. Lucians have been harvesting and producing cacao beans for generations. Now your clients can be one of the first to taste the resort’s premier vintage.

The event starts on December 9 with a “Chocolat-tini” party. Jade Mountain’s well-known consulting chef, Allen Susser, will share his talents and passion for chocolate. Clients will enjoy a complimentary chocolate martini and taste local, seasonal, chocolate-inspired finger foods. Following dinner clients can choose from the resort’s exotic chocolate desserts including a lush double dark chocolate fondue.

On December 10, clients can take a walking tour through the cocoa plantation and organic gardens. Here, the cacao tree bears its leaves, flowers and fruit simultaneously throughout the year. The cacao pods are shaped like large oval melons, saffron yellow or red in color and a wonderful sight to enjoy. Clients can learn about the alchemy of chocolate from pod to truffle in a unique workshop led by Susser. This will be followed by a picnic lunch on the porch of the farm house on Nick Troubetzkoy’s Emerald Estate. Dinner this evening is all chocolate. It will be a surprising, specially prepared five-course dinner with a seasonal and sustainable menu using chocolate in each course. The dinner can be accompanied with a pairing from Jade Mountain’s wine cellar to match each course.

December 11 starts with a very luxurious “Chocolate Breakfast in Bed.” Clients choose the time (from sunrise on) and the resort handles the rest. Clients who cannot get enough may try the chocolate spa treatment. Clients can revitalize their skin with anti-oxidant properties. The chocolate caresses your skin while you relax, leaving you looking fresh and feeling revitalized. This is an optional inclusion. It costs $150 for one hour.

Visit www.jademountain.com