Cebu’s Chocolate Queen Raquel Choa (right) with her Chocolate Princess Hannah Choa. [CDN Photo | Caryll Arcayan]
THERE’S a purpose behind every dream. For Chocolate Queen Raquel Choa, her passion for chocolate became a pursuit to inspire others to value their dreams.
From her grassroots of learning to make pure chocolate or tablea from her grandmother, she moved from the mountains of Balamban to Cebu City at a young age and introduced her unique tablea creations to well-known chefs.
From there, her chocolate journey began. She had a share of bittersweet moments which later reaped rewards starting from her launch of The Chocolate Chamber in Mabolo and her artisan chocolate line Ralfe Gourmet up to her recent travel to New York where the Philippine Cacao gained global recognition at the Salon du Chocolat.
With her daughter, Hannah Choa, taking part in her venture, The Batirol brand was born.
Batirol derived its name from a type of whisk used for the staple chocolate drink “Sikwate”. It offers more affordable chocolate dessert choices like Hannah’s Cookies made from mini cacao nibs fermented from Theobroma cacao beans and chunks of tablea chocolate, Cacao Tablets with pure cacao liquor in Cinnamon and Vanilla flavors which can be served as a hot chocolate beverage, the ready-to-eat Chocolate Queen Loaf, Hot Champorado, and the Chocoryza – a chocolate treat with rice crispies with no trace of allergens.
Passing the crown to her Chocolate Princess Hannah, Raquel freely shares her time and some of her recipes using only the simplest ingredients and basic equipment and turning it into a special surprise treat for friends and family.
Batirol products are available at Tinda Locale located at the Linear Park of Cebu Business Park and at The Chocolate Chamber located in Mabolo and at Level 1, Verandah of Robinsons Galleria Cebu. The Chocolate Chamber will also be opening soon in Tagbilaran, Bohol.