The Philippines, being the first country in Asia to cultivate cacao spanning back four centuries, boasts a rich cacao heritage. The most prominent fruit of this heritage is the tablea de cacao (Spanish for ‘tablet’), a form of pure mass made in various shapes–most commonly balls or discs–that is optionally added with sugar. Unlike the Western hot chocolate, the Filipino sikwate is made traditionally with only water, not milk. As such, the taste of cacao stands out better but often more tablea is used. The result is a thick and hearty & decadent beverage best paired with a kakanin.