frequently asked questions

what is kava?

Kava is a plant from the Pacific Islands that has been consumed for thousands of years for community bonding, social connection, and during ceremonies. Our kava comes from Vanuatu, the largest exporter of kava. Its official name is Piper Methysticum, and is a member of the pepper family. It has an earthy and bitter taste - some people call it mud water! We use the root to make a drink by blending the root powder and water together, steeping it overnight, and straining it the next day. This process activates the kavalactones - the compounds in kava that can elicit euphoria, relaxation, and mental calmness. The experience of drinking kava is different for each person and impacts individuals differently based on factors such as age, health, weight, mental state, environment, etc. Kava has proven to be non habit forming, which makes it a great alcohol alternative. It is considered a depressant in the way that it acts on the central nervous system, but is NOT recommended to mix with alcohol for at least 24 hours. It is also not recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. If you are taking mood-altering medication, it is best to consult with your primary care provider before consuming kava. Overall, kava can be a great alternative to alcohol and can be connective to community when drank in the proper setting with the proper understanding of how it works!

what is cacao?

Cacao is a plant native to tropical areas in Central and South America. Its full name is Theobroma Cacao, and is a tree. Cacao trees grow pods on them which contain fruit and seeds. The seeds of these pods are what chocolate comes from! The fruit of the pod ferments the seeds, creating the aromatic flavors that we enjoy in chocolate. After harvesting and fermentation, the seeds are processed in a variety of ways - roasted, compressed, liquified, or separated into cocoa liquor and cacao butter. Here at casa cacao we make a cacao drink from the compressed seeds, also known as cacao paste. In a double boiler, we melt the cacao paste with water to get a yummy, thick, rich, melted chocolate drink. For some drinks, we add spices or coconut sugar to add flavor! We also use it in our mochas - yum! Cacao is also special because it is high in antioxidants and minerals such as iron and magnesium.

what is kombucha?

Kombucha is a fermented tea, made from a SCOOBY - symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. Tea is made with sugar and placed into a jar with a scooby. Over time, the scooby “eats” the sugar and in turn ferments the tea. The result is a tangy tea beverage full of probiotics! 

where are the artifacts from?

Special thanks to Steve Hill and Dennis Simpson for 50+ years of surface finds from right here in Ohio, specifically, in Pike, Ross, and Galia counties.

"Surface finds" means that there was no digging, just countless hours of walking, looking, and collecting. 

The exception to this is the Rock Shelter collection which was carefully excavated in a low hanging rock shelter. In doing so, it was meticulously catalogued by Steve and his team. There is lots of literature available for those interested in learning more.

We like to think of this as a pre-historic dumpster dive.  Basically, it consists of thousands and thousands of years worth of items left behind by a plethora of different groups of people.

The dates and descriptions were determined to the best of our ability and certainly open to debate and discussion

We are proud to display pieces that we believe were in day to day use and NOT from ceremonial or burial grounds.

Additionally, we would like to extend a HUGE thank you to our friend Clark McCorkle, our neighbor Randy Sanders, and of course to our AMAZING and BELOVED colleague, collaborator, and inspiration Jill Dalessandro.

We are happy to care for these carefully sourced Ohio artifacts. 

do we serve alcohol?

We do not serve alcohol. Our intention is to create a safe(r) space for people to gather in, free of highly inhibitory substances. As an alternative, we offer kava, which is a social drink meant to connect community. 

do we serve kratom?

We do not serve kratom. In the spirit of maintaining a safe(r) space, we have chosen not to serve kratom as it has shown to be highly habit forming and inhibitive, with more intense effects on the mind/body/person. At the same time, kratom offers health benefits that we recognize, and believe them to be best obtained when pursued individually and with professional guidance.

do we rent the space?

We don’t rent the space, but we happily host events here! Please click here to fill out this form if you are interested. We would love to make some magic happen together! 

can i have my birthday here?

Absolutely. While we don’t rent out the whole space, we do have a large amount of seating and person capacity. Please click here to fill out this form to coordinate with us so that we are all on the same page. We look forward to celebrating you!