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Celebrating the Harvest of the Aloha State, Season by Season No. 18 Fall 2011
Adopt a Beehive edible Communities 2011 James Beard Foundation Publication of the Year
Food Trucks Future of Fruit Salt-Crusted Opah Member of Edible Communities
Fall 2011 Contents Departments 4 LETTER OF ALOHA 6 NOTABLE EDIBLES 30 COOKING FRESH 37 WINE 44 BOOK REVIEWS 47 GIFTS 49 EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS LOCAL DINING GUIDE 53 FARMERS MARKETS 56 ADVERTISER DIRECTORY 58 WHAT IS IT AND HOW DO YOU EAT IT
Features 9 13 19 24 26 40 42
LAND TRUST ADOPT A BEE HIVE DAN FISKE FARM TRUCKS FOOD TRUCKS TABLE SETTING FUTURE OF FRUIT
Cover photo courtesy of Alan Wong’s Restaurant
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Letter of Aloha It’s that time of year again, and we have already been thinking about holiday recipes and gift giving. My favorite gift this year is a beehive. Yes, you read correctly. See page 15 for more details. You can adopt a beehive with Chef Alan Wong, who has teamed up with University of Hawai`i at Hilo. You will even get a gift of honey from your own hive. I’m going to adopt one myself. This issue also offers many other gift ideas. I encourage you to buy gifts from Hawai`i; many of our vendors have websites and offer shipping to make your holiday shopping a breeze. Check out not only our advertisers’ websites, but in this issue the Notable Edible section has lots of ideas for you. Lastly, a great gift is a subscription to Edible Hawaiian Islands, a gift that arrives four times a year. Oh, and this year don’t forget about our app for iPhone and iPad, available through iTunes. All of us wish you and yours very happy holidays where ever you may be as we also wish for peace on earth. With warm aloha, Gloria
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Hawaiian Islands Publisher/Editor in Chief Gloria Cohen Editor at Large Steven Cohen Distribution & Advertising FrontDesk@ediblealoha.com Dania Katz, O`ahu & Maui Terry Sullivan, Kaua`i Lana Grace, Hawai`i Island Contributors Kira Cohen • Melissa Petersen • Tracey Ryder • Carole Topalian Photography Lauren Brandt • Oliver Cohen Steven Cohen • G. Natale Artists Cindy Conklin • Ed McCabe • Mary Ogle Writers Wanda Adams • Martha Cheng • Dabney Gough Peter Dartley & Keith Palmer • Karen Dartley Jon Letman • Ken Love • Rob Parsons • G. Natale Copy Editor Doug Adrianson Food Research Editor John Cox • Ken Love Research & Events Editor Lila Martin Contact Us Edible Aloha PO Box 753, Kilauea, HI 96754 808-828-1559 FrontDesk@EdibleAloha.com www.EdibleAloha.com Subscribe * Give A Gift * Advertise Call: 808-828-1559 Or use the above email or web address Letters For the quickest response, email FrontDesk@EdibleAloha.com Edible Hawaiian Islands is published quarterly by Edible Hawaiian Islands LLC. All rights reserved. Spring * Summer * Fall * Winter Subscription is $28 annually. No part of this publication may be used without written permission from the publisher. ©2010. Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings and omissions. If, however, an error has escaped our attention, please notify us and accept our sincere apologies. Mahalo!
Edible Hawaiian Islands is printed in Honolulu, HI
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notable
edibles
LOCAL GIFT SUGGESTIONS FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Hawai`i Island
Moloka`i
Original Hawaiian Chocolate. Everyone loves chocolate—even more when it’s grown and processed in Hawai`i and you can meet the fine people who make it. Not just a delicious gift but an experience and lasting memory when you take their tour. Please tell Pam we said aloha! 808-322-2626; www.ohcf.us
In my opinion, salt is the one spice that I must always have in the kitchen. I discovered that Pacifica Hawai`i Sea Salt makes me a better cook. Harvested from the pristine ocean waters off Moloka`i, then dried in the warm Hawaiian sun. Pure. Perfect. 808-553-8484; www.pacificahawaiisalt.com
The sweetest gift for me would be a huge jar of honey. Not just any honey—it has to be from Big Island Bees. Go to their website and learn all about them, their passion and their bees. Order one for yourself, two for me. 808-324-0295; www.bigislandbees.com
Imagine coffee trees older than your grandparents, growing on an island with no traffic lights and no buildings taller than a palm tree. You can taste the history of Hawai`i in the products of Coffees of Hawai`i. 100% Moloka`i grown. Buy as a special gift and don’t forget to treat yourself. 877-322-3276; www.coffeesofhawaii.com
Lana`i The Four Seasons Resort Lanai at Manele Bay has a new executive chef, Kevin Erving. He has unpacked his knives and is ready to prepare you a meal that will be delicious and inspirational. But do we really need an excuse to go visit Lana`i? I think not, except to show Chef Kevin how much aloha we have to share. 808-565-2000; www.fourseasons.com/manelebay
Kaua`i Passion fruit is the one flavor that sends me right to the islands. And Aunty Liliko`i has bottled it! You can shop on line and share her award winning mustards, dressings, and jams & jellies. A thoughtful gift for anyone who has experience Hawai`i. 808-3381296; www.auntylilikoi.com Monkey Pod is a new business making really unique flavors of jams & jellies with a twist. How does Pineapple Mint sound? What about Banana Foster jam? I would be thrilled to be gifted any one of their creations! 808-639-3874; www.monkeypodjam.com
Maui Drink local wine at Maui’s Winery—Tedeschi Vineyard! Celebrate with family and friends at Maui’s own winery. You can visit the winery, get a behind-the-scenes tour or, better yet, visit www.mauiwine.com and order a gift box or two—one for you and one for your friends. 808-878-6058. (Not sold in some states, ask before ordering!) Ali`i Kula Lavender Farm is the perfect place to stop your world and smell the lavender. Breathtaking views. Drink lavender tea. Relax. Then do all your holiday shopping at once at their unique gift gallery. Indulge in the luxurious lavender lifestyle. 808-8783004; www.aklmaui.com
O`ahu Are you looking for the perfect locally grown holiday gift? How about a box of local fruits and vegetables from Kula Fields with a big bow? Go directly to www.kulafields.com place your order and they will deliver on your behalf, gift card enclosed. Or call 808-280-6533. We like to be helpful. Here is a very special tip. May we suggest you hire a private chef for your holiday party? Or a gift to a loved one on how to cook with fresh local ingredients. Leslie Ashburn is considered one of Hawai`i’s most respected private chefs. 808-3982695; www.macrobiotichawaii.com
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“You said you love me, and then you left You broke every promise, you win every bet You never miss your water, ‘til your well runs dry...” —Peter Tosh
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t may be an unavoidable human flaw that the most important things in life are those we most take for granted. Clean air, water, open space, food and even the beauty we enjoy every morning when we open our eyes are all dependent on very deliberate efforts to respect, protect and maintain that which sustains us.
In Hawai`i, the concept of mālama `āina (to care for the land) is not merely an abstraction or catchy bumper-sticker phrase, but a credo that dictates how people work, live and interact with the land, always with the understanding that there are no guarantees for tomorrow. Nobody understands this better than the people at Hawaiian Islands Land Trust (HILT), a statewide organization that formed with the merger of O`ahu Land Trust, Maui Coastal Land Trust, Kaua`i Public Land Trust and Hawai`i Island Land Trust. Together these entities represent decades of community-based land protection.
Hawaiian islands land trust Aloha `Āina is forever BY JON LETMAN
The goals of HILT are simple: As a nonprofit, non-governmental organization, its primary purpose is to protect and conserve land by ensuring that places which might otherwise be developed, subdivided or permanently altered are kept as agricultural, wilderness or open spaces. This is done with conservation and agricultural easements and existing laws that help keep land affordable. HILT’s conservation director Scott Fisher explains the merger saying that as a larger unified body the organization can better protect and preserve its current 17,000+ acres of land across Hawai`i. In Fisher’s words: “We work with willing landowners to facilitate their vision into the future of their land.” This is done through conservation easements, in fee purchases and by brokering land depending on the needs and wishes of the owner and surrounding community. Sara Smith, HILT’s director of outreach, says that by pooling resources and working collaboratively the body creates a kind of “super trust” to help property owners protect their land in the face of ever-rising land values. HILT-protected lands fall into five categories: agricultural, cultural/historical, public access, open spaces and ecologically sensitive lands. Well-known partners include the Waihe`e Refuge WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM
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(Maui), Kahili Beach and Kīlauea Bay (Kaua`i), Honu`apo (Hawai`i Island), Pu`u O Hoku Ranch (Moloka`i) and Honouliuli (O`ahu). Explaining why landowners partner with HILT, Smith says, “They have tremendous aloha for the land and want to see it continue as their families have known it for generations. Working as farmers and ranchers is a lifestyle they want preserved in perpetuity.” Typically they partner with landowners who recognize that a place’s natural, recreational, cultural, scenic, historical or productive values outweigh any short-term monetary gain that would come from subdividing or developing the land. HILT’s single largest partner is the Ulupalakua Ranch on Maui, which Sumner Erdman’s family has owned since 1963. The 16,000acre ranch is challenged by steep terrain and a lack of water but supports cattle and elk and has forestry potential as well. Erdman says the ranch was put into an agricultural conservation easement to preserve over 11,000 acres so that future generations can enjoy the beauty of upcountry Maui and have the opportunity to ranch as his family has done for decades. “When my dad first came to Maui in the late 1950s he saw those beautiful, rolling green hills. We want future generations to see those same green rolling hills.” In the last 10 or 15 years, however, Erdman has seen increasing population pressures beginning to approach ranch boundaries. For him, protecting his land with HILT is vital. “I hope more people in Hawai`i will look at putting land into the trust to preserve these spaces,” the Maui rancher says. Like Erdman, Richard Ha of Hamakua Springs Country Farms on Hawai`i Island is concerned that his own children and grandchildren won’t be able to make a living farming. So after learning about HILT at a course given by the Department of Agriculture, Ha decided to apply for an agricultural conservation easement for over one-third of his nearly 600-acre farm. Ha’s own father began farming on Hawai`i in the 1950s and he followed suit starting in the 1970s. Ha is keenly aware of the urgent need to make Hawai`i more food and energy self-sufficient. As a major tomato producer and one of the state’s largest banana producers, as well as owning land suitable for generating hydroelectricity, he knows that farming needs to be economically viable if he’s going to pass it on to the next generation. Says Ha, “We want to leave this land in ag forever so that it can be farmed forever. But if I sell this parcel, it’s over.” HILT’s Fisher explains: “A typical scenario may be a landowner who has 200 or 300 acres that their family may have held for generations. 10
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Land values have gone up dramatically and taxes can be hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.” “What we can do is provide tax benefits by intentionally devaluing their land [monetarily] by claiming a permanent conservation easement that restricts development potential of that land. In doing so, you actually give up a specified right… in essence, the conservation easement brings down [land value] precipitously, making the land more affordable.” Many landowners face being forced to sell their land because of soaring land values and the associated tax burdens. But others seek HILT’s assistance simply because of their deep affection for the land. If you’re not a farmer, rancher, landowner or plant lover, what does HILT (or any other land trust) offer you? Nothing, other than clean air and water; fresh, locally grown and raised food; beautiful vistas; unspoiled nature; and the peace, security, comfort and community that all stem directly from the land and water that HILT helps protect and preserve. For anyone who has seen urban sprawl or the blight of suburbs encroaching on formerly open, wild spaces, the benefits or preservation are obvious. Restaurateur, local food advocate and HILT board member Peter Merriman says the goals of a land trust are broad enough and important enough that they gain support across the board “from developers to anti-development people and all sorts of people who share an interest in preserving the beauty and open space of Hawai`i.” Preserving land is apolitical and it’s hard to find someone opposed to it, Merriman says. “There’s a lot of talk about self-sufficiency of feeding ourselves in Hawai`i but we can’t even begin that discussion unless we keep our farmers healthy and alive. It has to be economically viable for farmers,” says the award-winning chef. “It’s pretty obvious: If we want to keep getting edible products grown from Hawai`i we have to find a way to make growing food economically competitive with building subdivisions.” Fisher concurs. “Sustainability is in all of our self-interest but we need to think through what this means. Ultimately it means the ability to feed ourselves, but also to connect with our cultural roots as well.” “Fundamentally, Hawaiians and people living in Hawai`i today are connected to the land. If we lose that connection, we impoverish ourselves whether we are sustainable or not.”
For more information and a list of protected lands, visit www.hilt.org.
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T he Importance of Bee-ing Adopt A Beehive BY WANDA A. ADAMS PHOTOS: ALAN WONG
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n the 2010 remake of Robin Hood, the familiar tubby figure of Friar Tuck is given an added dimension: He is portrayed as a beekeeper who makes a tidy income from making and selling mead, honey wine.
“I takes care of me bees and they takes care of me,” he says. It’s a philosophy we all would do well to adopt. Bees and their role in pollinating plants are the very definition of a sustainable ecosystem and, like so many important ecosystems, are perilously endangered. Despite his extensive knowledge of all things food, award-winning Chef Alan Wong knew nothing of how dependent agriculture is on bees. He had a “light bulb moment” when he learned that 80% of the foods we eat, or feed to animals, are directly or indirectly dependent on bees. He was also deeply troubled to learn that various pests and diseases are decimating hives around the world. “We live in a time when many things are disappearing. I realized that we can’t afford to let bees disappear,” said Wong, who from that moment had an—ahem!—bee in his bonnet, though he wasn’t yet sure what to do to help bees keep at their essential work.
It’s an amazing system, says Wong’s friend and former University of Hawai`i classmate Lorna Tsutsumi, professor of entomology at UH Hilo. Flowering plants produce sweet nectar solely to attract bees; they make no use of it themselves. Bees extract the nectar with their straw-like mouths, store it in their inflatable stomachs and carry it back to the hive, where it becomes honey. But while they’re buzzing about, the bees participate in one of nature’s happier phenomena. Bee bodies are covered with tiny, branched hairs that readily collect pollen from the anther, the male part of the flower. When the bees visit the next flower on their route, some of this pollen is deposited on the stamen, the female part of the flower. This is the rather impersonal plant version of intercourse; fruit is the result. (We’re not just talking about peaches and pears here; bees pollinate everything from alfalfa to kiawe.) Bees also eat pollen for protein. A couple of years ago, during a trip to Cleveland, Wong was invited to tour the famed Chef’s Garden operated by the Culinary Vegetable Institute (culinaryvegetableinstitute.com), a farm-to-table educational organization. There, among other things, bee-dependant plants are cultivated and bees are raised for their honey. To help fund WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM
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these efforts, the Institute encourages chefs and members of the public to adopt a beehive, in return receiving annual gifts of honey and reports from “their” hive. “All of a sudden, something magical happens. You feel almost as though you grew the crop. You feel like you made it even though the bees did it,” said Wong, his face lighting up. He at first planned to adopt a hive in Cleveland, but he was never able to connect with the right people. Then one of his associates, marketing expert Curt Osaki, made a bee-like connection: He knew Wong wanted to do something about bees and honey, and he knew Tsutsumi and her beekeeping students were developing hives on university-owned land in Panaewa. Adopt a Beehive quickly came together: UH Hilo students of agriculture, forestry and natural resource management keep the bees; Hanai “parents” pay $300 to $1,000 to adopt a hive for a year, receiving regular emails from students and a supply of honey; excess honey is sold to support the program. The University of Hawai`i Foundation handles paperwork and donations. And Wong’s restaurants—Alan Wong’s Restaurant on King Street and the Pineapple Room at Macy’s—showcase honey.
Alan Wong’s simple “Honey-Yaki” sauce can be drizzled over grilled meats, fish or tofu, used as a marinade for teri sticks or employed in stir-fried dishes.
Soy Honey Glaze (Honey-Yaki) ½ cup Hawai`i honey ½ cup cider vinegar 5 tablespoons soy sauce 2½ tablespoons minced green onion (from 1 large) 1 teaspoon minced ginger 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon Sriracha chili paste 2 tablespoons cornstarch
In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients EXCEPT the cornstarch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and simmer for 3–4 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the cornstarch and 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Whisk this mixture into the boiling sauce and continue to cook until thickened, another 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Makes about ¾ cup.
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“There’s no way I can buy enough honey to save the industry but what I can do is draw attention to it,” he said. He’s done this by hosting side-by-side tastings at Alan Wong’s Restaurant and at the Kapi`olani Community College Saturday farmers’ market, featuring honey in a variety of recipes. He also took his chefs and key staff to visit the hives in Panaewa; he proudly displays a series of photographs taken as he capped a ripe comb, scraping the wax covering off with a hot knife to release the honey. At the heart of the project is education: helping to fund the training of a new generation of beekeepers and teaching consumers to use honey. “It’s just the right sort of program for a campus like UH Hilo,” said UH Hilo Chancellor Don Straney. “It puts together in a very special way a combination of education about the biology of bees, the ecological context, the agricultural context, sales and marketing and public relations. We like to think of UH Hilo as a campus that focuses on applying academic ideas to solve real-world problems.” Straney is a biologist by training who grew up on family farms and became something of a bee aficionado when he met a professor who is recognized as the premier expert on how bees communicate. (And that’s a whole ‘nother article; the combination of behaviors and evolutionary changes in plants that allow bees to find their way and “talk” to each other is mind-boggling.) Straney was immediately enthusiastic about the Adopt a Beehive idea and became one of the first investors. Beekeeping education is key because careless or uneducated beekeepers can help spread bee diseases, said Tsutsumi, explaining that consumer education is needed because “people don’t naturally reach for honey here. In other places, they do, but not in Hawai`i.” Wong said it’s just a matter of making it a priority to learn the attributes of different honeys: darker and lighter; different nectar sources or geographic locations. He’s been playing with ideas for honey-based pancake syrups with everything from lilikoi to Waialuagrown chocolate. And they’ve come up with a soy-based honey vinaigrette and a sauce employing Korean ko-chu-jang chili paste. Yes, honey can “take over” a dish if it’s used in excess or very powerfully flavored. “You just have to use your senses, your palate and common sense,” said Wong. “The first thing to do is smell the honey, then taste it, and be sure to counterbalance it with acid.” To adopt a hive, learn more, see photos and a video, go to: www.uhfoundation.org/donor_resources/giving_opportunities/ adopt_a_beehive.aspx
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Chef Alan Wong and his staff came back from the Big Island, where they visited an Adopt a Beehive operation, with lots of thoughts on how to use local honey in recipes. This oh-so-indulgent recipe applies a Southern technique to unlikely local ingredients—Okinawan sweet potatoes and honey from the Islands.
Chicken-Fried Okinawan Sweet Potato Fries with Honey Mustard Sauce Serves 3–4.
For the potatoes: 2 pounds Okinawan sweet potato 1 teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 2 tablespoons canola oil
Roast the Potatoes: Preheat oven to 350°. Scrub sweet potatoes and cut them lengthwise into wedges that are about 1 inch wide. Transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with the canola oil, and toss to coat the potatoes evenly. Spread to a single layer and bake until just tender, about 40 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before proceeding. Prepare the Honey Mustard Sauce: While the potatoes are baking, combine the honey and mustard in a bowl. Mix until well combined. Set aside.
For the sauce: ½ cup Hawai`i honey ¼ cup Dijon mustard For the breading: 1½ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon dried thyme ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 1½ cups buttermilk
Bread the Potatoes: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, thyme, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix well and set aside. Pour the buttermilk into a shallow dish such as a pie plate. Dip the wedges in the buttermilk so each wedge is coated completely, then toss wedges in the seasoned flour. Let the coated potatoes sit for a few minutes so that the buttermilk can start to soak into the flour. Fry the Potatoes: Using a deep fryer or large saucepot, heat at least 2 inches of canola oil to 350°. Working in batches, fry the potatoes until they are crispy and golden brown in color, 3–4 minutes. Do not crowd the potatoes in the oil; doing so will cause the oil temperature to drop and will produce a soggy crust. To Plate: As the potatoes finish frying, transfer them to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil. Arrange the wedges on a platter with a bowl of the Honey Mustard Sauce and serve immediately. Makes 3–4 servings.
Bee Facts
Canola oil, for frying
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Honeybees came to Hawai`i in 1851; the Royal Hawaiian Agriculture Society had offered a prize for anyone who could successfully import bees to the Islands.
The first commercial use of honeybees was by the Kona coffee growers, who hoped the bees would aid in coffee set. That didn’t happen but then the Waimea cattle industry adopted bees to help pollinate kiawe trees, the pods of which were fed to cattle.
Bees are tremendously “loyal,” choosing particular plants to visit and sticking with them so long as they are producing nectar. Some flowers have developed linear color patterns that guide bees toward parts containing nectar.
The youngest Adopt a Beehive participant here is 5-yearold Kailee Gabris, who is educating her classmates at Liholiho Elementary School about beekeeping during “Show and Tell.”
Albert Einstein once said: “If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man.”
Bees live in a stratified society. Each hive has one queen bee, the only breeding female in the group. Male bees are called drones and their sole duty is to procreate. Worker bees—scouts that seek out pollen and nectar sources, gatherers who bring back nectar and pollen— are essentially sterile females.
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The Chef, the Garden and the Governor
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dorned in stylish pink-rimmed sunglasses to avert the July midday sun, Kihei Elementary second-grader Dawna held hands with Governor Neil Abercrombie as she led him across the sunny courtyard to their school garden.
“See right there, Governor,” Dawna asked her new friend, “over by that tree? That’s where I planted my eggplant!” A small entourage gathered for the occasion relished the poignant moment of youth meeting with Hawai`i’s top elected official, in a setting that speaks volumes about growing sustainable futures and healthy communities. Back in May, the visiting governor and his staff, on Maui to address graduation exercises for University of Hawai`i, Maui Campus, enjoyed a healthy luncheon prepared by chefs Dan Fiske and Brian
Etheridge, sponsors for the South Maui School Gardens Project. Much of the meal comprised vegetables and herbs grown in the Kihei Elementary School garden. Students and advisors at the event shared a letter with Governor Abercrombie, encouraging statewide support and funding for school gardens in Hawai`i. It included a list of “six things you can do to help school gardens thrive in Hawai`i.” “I now use this in all my sustainability talks,” said Abercrombie, sitting at the head of the table, underneath a tent set up for the midsummer luncheon. “I’m not trying to create a romantic human interest story here. School gardens should not be seen as an exotic sidelight—we need an everyday, mainstream understanding that this is the way it should be.” Indeed, the Maui School Garden Network now comprises 40 participating schools. And the Kihei Elementary School Garden, begun WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM
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three years ago, is a poster child of success for integrating teachers, students, parents, volunteers and sponsors to create a vital community resource. The involvement of professional chefs like Fiske provides an important link to show that gardens and locally grown food are more than a novelty, and can offer a blueprint for good health, nutrition, self-sufficiency and culinary creativity. “Without Dan, I don’t know that our program would be anywhere near where it is today,” proclaimed Kirk Surry, who oversees the Kihei School garden. Chef Dan has a close link with local organic gardeners, said Surry, and, “he traded in his chef’s coat for overalls this summer.” Every Monday, Fiske took time to mentor 50 kids from the YMCA Camp Nalu program, sharing his contagious enthusiasm for growing and cooking locally. Hailing from Vermont, Fiske grew up in a kitchen, as his mom was a baker, with a business so popular it was written up in the New York Times year after year. “I’m basically from a really small town that knew about prosciutto and fresh mozzarella,” he grinned. After working all through high school, he enrolled with the threeyear program at the Colorado Mountain Culinary Institute at Keystone Resort. “That’s one of the best things I ever did,” stated Fiske. Arriving on Maui with little more than a backpack 12 years ago, Chef Dan quickly found work and soon gravitated upcountry to Michael McCoy’s Aina Lani Farms. He began lending a hand with their successful operation that specializes in Fresh Island Herbs and micro-greens—celery, mustard, wasabi, radish and amaranth sprouts and pea shoots, picked young and alive, and bursting with flavor. At the farm Fiske met Etheredge, a graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in upstate New York. The two opened Capische at the Hotel Wailea, a consistent award-winning dining establishment featuring a Northern Italian cuisine and exquisite wines. Though still close friends and colleagues, Fiske left Capische after a few years and struck out on his own. His passion for preparing foods that are grown, raised and caught locally led him into his present occupation as a private chef. Fiske prepares items on site with foods gathered, picked or caught just hours before an event. His own yard, an expansive property in Haiku, features 20-year-old lychee and citrus trees, a chicken coop and a large garden where he harvests much of the fresh flavorings he needs, including lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and Thai basil.
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Pohole Fern Salad By Chef Dan Fiske Yields 6 salads 2 bunches of fresh pohole ferns (Make sure ferns are green with no black or brown on them.) 2 ears sweet corn 1 pint cherry tomatoes ½ Maui onion (or Vidalia onion) 1½ Meyer lemons Peanut oil Sea salt 1 Breadfruit (Green and hard is best.)
Pour 3 cups peanut oil in a small pot and turn heat on low to medium. With the oil you will be making crispy breadfruit chips. While oil is heating up: Clean two bunches of pohole ferns by picking the tendrils off of the stem and soaking them in cold water. In a separate bowl chop the cherry tomatoes in half, juilienne the Maui onion. Husk the corn and cut the kernels off the cob. Then sweat the corn in a sauté pan with peanut oil to bring out the sugars. Let cool, and add to the tomatoes and Maui onion. Cut the breadfruit as if segmenting an orange; cut the bottom and top off so the breadfruit can sit flat, then cut down along the fruit to remove any green, while keeping its natural round shape. Quarter the fruit, slice small chips and then cut into strips. Your breadfruit is ready to become chips Once oil is hot, you’re ready to make breadfruit chips. Note: If your oil is smoking it is too hot and will burn your chips. Put a small handful of breadfruit strips into the oil. They are ready and crispy when they stop bubbling. Pull from the oil and let dry on a paper towel; season with salt. Repeat method until you have 6 small handfuls of breadfruit crispy and ready to eat. Drain your pohole ferns and combine them into the other bowl. Squeeze 1½ juicy Meyer lemons into the bowl, add 2 tablespoons sea salt, 3 tablespoons peanut oil and handtoss the salad for 3–5 minutes, until it is fully seasoned. Take handful of salad and place on your plate; pour juice from bowl onto salad. Top with breadfruit chips and it’s ready to eat. Note: Play with your ratio of salt and lemon to your desired taste. Don’t forget, the sweet corn and breadfruit will counterbalance these flavors.
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“Alana was the first teacher to embrace the garden back in 2008,” said Surry. “The following year, there were 26 teachers involved, and 650 students. We now have about 10,000 square feet being cultivated, around a quarter acre.” He noted that much of their work focuses on building the soil, adding seaweed and cover crops of buckwheat and adzuki beans that are later tilled in to enrich the garden beds. Surry helped launch the project while volunteering with South Maui Sustainability, and it has now branched into its own nonprofit. “It’s so exciting,” Surry enthused, “ to see the kids actually learn by doing, outside the classroom and outside the lesson plan.” “This is one way that we can teach eating healthy,” said Nio Kindla, the school gardens project manager. “Some of these kids have had music, art and gym classes cut from school curriculum. They are in a box with fluorescent lights and air-conditioning unless we can provide opportunities like this.” The garden received start-up funding through a grant from the County of Maui. Fiske and Etheredge each contribute a healthy chunk of their income each month to support the South Maui School Garden Project, enabling Surry to earn a part-time income while growing something even larger than the garden itself—community.
“I’m out of the box as far as most chefs,” he said. “What I offer is like having a restaurant in your very own home.
“Entertaining on a personal level with clients provides me the opportunity to encourage clients to support the South Maui School Gardens Project,” said Fiske. “We hope to inspire other business leaders and community members to join us in this endeavor, through the Chefs School Garden Cooperative and community volunteering.”
“I’m incredibly fortunate to work for some clients that appreciate my food so much that they fly me around the world,” he noted. Indeed, Fiske was off-island and unable to attend the humble-yet-elegant luncheon for the governor’s recent visit.
“School gardens, community gardens, farmers’ markets—they are all keys to sustainability,” Abercrombie said as he finished his lunch. “Not everyone cheers at innovation, but this administration is dedicated to partnering to make these things happen.”
In his absence, Chefs Etheredge and Chris Coulis concocted a sumptuous meal, drawing largely on food from the Kihei School Garden. The gourmet spread included: Crostini with Eggplant Caponata, Grilled Vegetable Salad with Surfing Goat Dairy Feta Cheese, Kihei School Garden Bruschetta, Cucumber Salad, Spicy Kale and Swiss Chard Chips and Lemongrass Lilikoi Verbena Tea.
Rising to view a display board of photos, and to pose for pictures with the group, the visiting elected official with the vision for sustainability and partnerships inadvertently left his wide-brimmed straw hat on his chair.
Second-grade teacher Alana Kaopuiki-Pellegrino brought poi and luau leaf from two kinds of kalo (taro) grown at the school, and harvested the day before. Alana and her husband, Hokuao, have been working to restore 12 taro lo`i on family land in Waikapu at Noho`ana Farm, and he has become a cultural advisor and kumu (teacher) for the school garden. 22
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“Governor, Governor!” his young admirer Dawna called after him. “You forgot your hat!” www.privatemauichef.com www.mauischoolgardennetwork.org www.kiheischoolgardens.org
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Four Wheel Drive
O`ahu’s Windward Nazarene Academy Launches Hawai`i’s First Truck Farm BY DABNEY GOUGH
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t’s hard to imagine a farm without a pickup truck. But what about a farm within a pickup truck? Sound crazy? That’s the concept behind Truck Farm, a project that started on the mainland—in Brooklyn, New York, of all places—and has found a home here in O`ahu.
Like many projects, Truck Farm started as an experiment, inspired by necessity. In 2009, filmmaker and environmental activist (and co-creator of the documentary King Corn) Ian Cheney found himself in New York City with an unquenchable desire to grow his own food. But living in such a densely populated place, farmland wasn’t exactly easy to come by. Undeterred, Cheney decided to create land, of sorts, by tricking out the bed of a pickup truck; he drilled holes in the bottom and then filled it with layers of drainage material and topsoil. The result was a garden on wheels—in effect a raised garden bed with a drive train. Cheney also made a documentary about the project, entitled Truck Farm, in which he chronicles the highs and lows of the whole process, to very entertaining effect. The project inspired other would-be gardeners across the country, and this past spring, Truck Farm went forth and multiplied to 25 trucks all across the country. One of those was started here by Amanda Stolba, an energetic Midwesterner teaching at Windward Nazarene Academy in Kaneohe. Stolba’s true passion is in teaching her students about nutrition and where food comes from, a calling she discovered while working at an elementary school in Kansas City. “The school lunch programs there didn’t offer consistent healthy nutritious food, and I saw a need for that in the communities. That’s what sent me on this journey—to help families reconnect to their
source of food and making better food choices,” Stolba says. That journey is also what led her to relocate to O`ahu, where she felt it would be “a great place to learn about organic gardening—and there are so many great things going on about food security and sovereignty.” When she stumbled onto Truck Farm by way of an internet search, it seemed like the next logical step in her trajectory. I know what you’re probably thinking: “We’ve got a fair amount of farmland in Hawai`i. What’s the point of a Truck Farm here?” Truck Farm may have started as an experiment in creative farming, but in the process Cheney discovered a secondary benefit of having a mobile farm: It’s perfectly suited as an educational tool. After all, a farm field trip is a sizeable and costly production for a school to pull off. Instead, why not just bring the farm to the kids? So when Truck Farm launched its fleet of 25, each truck was given a mandate to make as many appearances as possible at schools and community events. In doing so, Truck Farms would become a public resource for food and gardening education. Getting Farm Truck off the ground wasn’t as easy as Stolba had hoped. She pitched the idea to Principal Kay Hishinuma to do a Farm Truck for the eighth-grade class’s spring semester garden project. “I thought it would be a neat thing to do with the kids,” says Hishinuma, who is the driving force behind an extensive and impressive gardening curriculum at the school. Still, she had her doubts. “I wasn’t sure that what she wanted to do was possible … whether growing the garden in the truck bed was going to be feasible for us.” But neither Stolba nor Hishinuma let that stop them as they pursued the project. The first true challenge was finding a truck.
from feedback and encouragement from attendees. “It was really neat to see people brighten up and talk about other unusual places that food could be grown,” Hishinuma says, “I think [the students] were a little surprised and gratified at the response they saw.” In sharing their project with others, the students realized that they themselves could be part of the solution, in fun and creative ways.
After putting out a call to the community with no success, Hishinuma’s husband eventually offered the use of his own truck—as long as he could still use it when he needed it. So instead of filling the truck bed directly, they came up with a modular system that took advantage of the truck bed without tying it up 24-7. The solution? Using Styrofoam fish boxes, donated by Uncle’s Fish Market, as planters that could be moved in and out of the truck as needed. The setup offered an additional bonus: When not in use on the truck, the boxes could be kept and maintained as part of the school’s existing on-site garden.
Other local organizations, including a Girl Scout troop, have expressed interest in getting in on the action, and Slow Food O`ahu co-sponsored a viewing of the Truck Farm documentary with the local Truck Farm on display.
With the infrastructure in place, Stolba set about bringing the garden to life. One initial task was choosing what to grow in the Truck Farm, a decision she left to her students. “They were involved in the entire process form the very beginning,” Stolba says. By leaving it up to the students, “there was more ownership—they were able to say ‘We get to pick a theme, and here are the plants that we need.’” Pizza was the students’ theme of choice, with a vibrant assortment of tomatoes, basil, rosemary, green peppers, green onions and eggplant. Marigolds were also included for their insect-repelling powers. The seeds were donated by the national Truck Farm organization, in partnership with America The Beautiful, and the soil came from Windward Nazarene’s own supply of compost, mixed with vermiculite from their worm bins. The truck made its public debut at Honolulu’s Grow Hawaiian Festival this past April, where the response was overwhelmingly positive. Not only did festival attendees get to see a new and different kind of farm, but Stolba’s students benefited
For the coming school year, however, the fate of Stolba’s Truck Farm is uncertain—at least at this point. Stolba herself is exploring employment opportunities on the mainland, and Hishinuma may not have the staff to keep it going. (To her credit, Hishinuma has quite a few other garden-related projects to keep up with, including maintaining the school’s vermiculture and aquaponics systems on top of keeping the school’s large garden running.) Despite the tenuous future for this particular Truck Farm, it doesn’t necessarily mean the end of a project. As Stolba says, “While one person may pioneer a Truck Farm, it’s something that anyone can do.” With any luck, the coming year will bring continued life for Windward Nazarene’s Truck Farm, and inspire others to set up a fleet of truck farms all across our islands. More information: www.truck-farm.com www.windwardnazarene.com
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Fresh spins on the Meals-on-wheels theme
Food trucks in Hawai`i BY MARTHA CHENG
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awai`i has long harbored a food truck culture, from lunch wagons doling out plate lunches to construction workers to the shrimp trucks along the North Shore, destinations for both townies and tourists. But as the nation has worked itself into a food-truck frenzy in recent years, a new generation of entrepreneurs is changing the Hawai`i food landscape with innovative new variations on meals on wheels. Here’s a look at some of the people breaking away from the two-scoops-of-rice-and-mac-salad pack.
Zaratez Mexicatessen It started with burritos, ordered via email and picked up on a street corner at an appointed time. You knew you were in the right place when you saw other downtown office workers milling about, clutching some cash, waiting for a van to pull up and dispense burritos. It seemed more like food via drive-by drug deal than drivethrough window. Paul Zarate started the burrito delivery “just to make a few extra dollars,” he says. As underground as it was, it generated enough money and interest in Zarate’s food that he began dreaming of a truck. “I never owned a business before,” he says. “The truck was
the only thing I could afford to do. Once I got the truck it was, like, ‘Careful what you wish for.’” He expected hard work. What he did not foresee was his truck getting burglarized, his truck breaking down, his girlfriend leaving him. He did not foresee fusion tacos. “I felt kind of neglected for a bit,” he says. “All the writing was about fusion tacos.” He started his business to recreate the Mexican food he missed in LA, paying homage to the long tradition of LA taco trucks. But Korean tacos, Japanese tacos, some-other-Asian-variation of tacos flooded the streets of Honolulu and it was as if everyone forgot about the original Mexican taco. But Zarate continued quietly serving up his tacos, filled with carnitas or carne asada or chorizo (or the ultimate mix: carnitas and chorizo) and, previously unseen in Honolulu, mulitas—meat and cheese griddled between two corn tortillas. Chefs like Ed Kenney from Town and Mark Noguchi from He`eia General Store and Deli became regulars, and as the hype around fusion tacos waned, customers craving more traditional flavors returned. “There has been some crazy stuff that drove me to being really frustrated,” Zarate says, “but in the end, I get up everyday and do what I want to do. Every fucked up thing that has happened to me has happened, so I think I’m gonna be OK.” Twitter: @zaratez
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Zaratez Mexicatessen photo by Lianne Rozzelle Chimney Cakes photo by Chuco Townsend
Camille’s Wagon photo by Chuco Townsend
EAT THE STREET At last, a casual Honolulu food festival where the food isn’t all fried and greasy--not that it precludes malasada burgers. This is a monthly celebration of Hawai`i’s food truck culture and its evolution from plate lunch to fusion tacos and everything in between. Thousands of eaters show up for the twenty some food trucks and vendors, including OnoPops; Madre Chocolate with locally-made beanto-bar chocolate; Baja Style Mexican Food, serving pork belly doused in a fresh green chile sauce; Puffette, with bubble waffles, a Hong Kong-style street snack; Inferno’s Wood Fire Pizza, serving pizzas from a mobile, kiawe-fired oven. Expect lines at some of the popular trucks, but the crowd is all part of the fun.
Camille’s on Wheels
Chimney Cakes
Camille’s is one of the funkiest trucks on the streets, painted teal and avocado green, with retro “I Dream of Jeannie” lettering, and a giant fork and knife affixed to the front. Camille Komine serves up what she calls global tacos—tacos with chimichurri beef, or Thai pork, or shoyu chicken, plus sides like a curried quinoa salad. Komine admits that fusion tacos are sort of the trend du jour that she used as her entrée into the truck food world, but the basis of her business is nostalgia. “I was raised by a single mother,” she says. “I was a latchkey kid, and going to babysitters in LA was all about Hispanic women making tacos and helping in the kitchen. So it was very easy for me to go in that direction.”
Good food can come from anywhere—and especially from a wooden trailer that looks like it drove out of a Brothers Grimm fairy tale. In this trailer, the dough for chimney cakes—as ubiquitous in Hungary as funnel cake at American carnivals—is made fresh daily and rolled into ribbons that are wrapped around a wooden cylinder. They’re brushed with sugar and broiled in a rotisserie-like oven that creates a crisp, caramelized crust and soft interior, more akin to a sweet pretzel than a cake. They can be rolled in cinnamon, pecans, chocolate or rainbow sprinkles (or left plain, which is perfect as is), but the best way to eat them is still warm, straight from the oven— to enjoy the crunchy coating, the cinnamon and spice and hints of citrus in the dough.
Maybe because of these origins, Komine has been playing with comfort foods like meatloaf, desserts like cupcakes and a lemongrass and kaffir lime bar and, lately, pies, from sweet—blueberry pie and mango pie—to savory like a spring vegetable pie and chicken potpie. With her ever-evolving menu, she’s taking full advantage of the serendipitous, casual nature of the truck (you’ll have to find its location via Twitter). The truck business is “not for the faint of heart,” Komine says. “I think a lot of people have a romanticized notion of what it is.” Not that her previous job was much different in this way, especially in the romantic notion department: She’s a former Hollywood food stylist and set decorator who has also worked on the interiors of Peter Merriman’s restaurants. She has many Hollywood stories of working with stars and on movie sets, but she has since traded glamour for independence. “I knew I wanted to stop working for children,” she says. “Everyone in the film business is so young. It was time for me to honor my passions and just go for it.” Twitter: @camillesonwheel
“The recipe goes back 300 years to Transylvania,” says Zsolt Szadovszki, the Hungarian responsible for bringing the wooden trailer to Hawai`i. “I got an original recipe which calls for so many things, like how your grandma would do it.” (Apparently, your grandma would also roast the dough over coals to caramelize the sugar.) The original recipe Szadovszki had to work with was handwritten on a scrap of paper by a master baker. “We spent about two days to try to figure what it is saying,” he says. It called for a special butter and “it was really challenging in terms of the flour. I’m still not 100% happy with the flour … it took me about three months, baking every day, using different flours until I get a recipe that works fine.” Szadovszki started his business about a year ago, open every day at Ala Moana Center, but these days he only brings out the trailer for special events. “It was much harder than I expected,” he says. “Not just the work, but obviously to get something new out there. People are disappointed when they [discover] it’s not as sweet as they think.” While in the past year he’s thought of pushing the cart down the Makapu`u cliffs, reining in his truck’s schedule and finding more time to paddle (what he originally came to Hawai`i to do, as a former professional paddler) has made him much happier. “Last year we put a lot of effort to make it an everyday thing. I love cooking. I keep my cooking for friends for family. I really love it, but I feel like if I have to do it every day for surviving, that’s going to be different.” www.chimneycakehawaii.com
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Cooking Fresh Mark Tsuchiyama
Executive Chef Hualalai Resort & Kona Village
Born and raised on Lihue, Kaua`i, Mark grew up with a family that always had something brewing in the kitchen. If it weren’t his mom cooking, it would be his grandmother or grandfather, from both sides of the family, in the kitchen. The smell and spices were mainly from Asia. Mark remembers clearly when his grandfather would make homemade saimin noodles in his basement. The broth, also from scratch, was a family favorite. As much as Asian dishes were served at home, his favorite was his grandmother’s roast chicken. Besides the influence of having daily meals cooked at home, his brother was a chef at Kahala Hilton (before Kahala Mandarin) who influenced him to follow that same path. A student of the Culinary Institute of America, he traveled from New York, slowly working his way back to Hawai`i. His experiences took him to Chicago at the Drake Hotel and the Hotel Inter-Continental; to Maui at the Sheraton; to Beverly Hills Hotel & Bungalows; to Lana`i at Manele Bay and The Lodge at Koele; and then, in 2005, to the Kona Village, later to be promoted to executive chef for both resorts. Mark is a simple individual and a true local boy. He enjoys hunting local game and always makes time to garden with his mother when he returns home to Kaua`i. These recipes that Mark chose remind him of growing up in Hawai`i. As a young boy he fished the shores of Nawiliwili, only to leave Kaua`i to purse a career in culinary arts. Showcasing some of the local flavors, he enhanced these recipes to what they are today.
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Hirabara Romaine Lettuce Cups with Grilled Shrimp and Kona Mango Relish 3 heads Baby Romaine (washed thoroughly, leaves separated) 12 shrimp (16–20 per pound size, washed thoroughly under cold water, peeled and de-veined, leaving tail portion on)
Marinade for shrimp: 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 sprigs thyme, chopped 1 sprig rosemary, chopped 1 sprig basil, chopped 2 sprigs Italian parsley, chopped 4 tablespoons olive oil
Mix all marinade ingredients in mixing bowl. Add cleaned shrimp and marinate for 45 minutes. Grill shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until cooked through.
Mango relish: 1 cup ripe Kona Mango, small diced ¼ cup jicama, small diced ½ jalapeño pepper, seeded, deveined and small diced ¼ cup red and green pepper, small diced ¼ cup Maui onion, small diced 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ fresh lime, juiced
Mix all mango relish ingredients in bowl and season with salt and pepper. Place grilled shrimp inside of romaine cup and top with mango relish.
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Salt-Crusted Opah 1½ pounds Opah filet Freshly ground pepper, to taste 5 pounds Hawaiian salt (medium) 3 egg whites 2 ti leaves
Season fish with freshly ground black pepper. Whip egg whites till frothy in a large stainless steel bowl, then incorporate salt into egg whites until salt looks like wet sand. Use 1/3 of salt mixture to make a bed in a cast-iron skillet, then arrange 1 ti leaf on bed of salt and place seasoned fish on the leaf. Cover fish with remaining ti leaves, making sure fish is not exposed to salt. Cover leaf-covered fish with remainder of salt, so no ti leaf can be seen through salt. Place pan in 425° oven for 20 minutes. Take out of oven and carefully cut salt crust off of ti leaves. Then brush small particles of salt off of ti leaf and peel back ti leaf to expose perfectly cooked Opah.
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Wild Boar Ragout 3 pounds shoulder of wild boar 1 large carrot, peeled, large dice 2 stalks celery, large dice 1 large Spanish onion, large dice 4 cloves garlic 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns 3 sprigs rosemary 3 sprigs thyme 1 750ml bottle red wine 4 tablespoons olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste 1 quart beef stock
Clean excess fat and skin off wild boar and cut into 1 inch cubes. appropriate size chunks. Mix meat with large dice carrots, celery, onions, garlic, bay leaf, peppercorns, rosemary and thyme in mixing bowl. Cover mixture with red wine. Let mixture marinate for 48 hours. Remove meat from marinade and place in separate pan; pat dry and season with salt and pepper. Remove other ingredients from wine and place in another pan. Place wine in a small saucepot and cook on stove (medium heat). When wine is about to boil, skim the mixture off with a ladle. Remove wine from heat and reserve liquid. In a large pot, brown wild boar in oil. When done, remove, add other ingredients from marinade to pot and sweat for 5 minutes. Add wild boar back to pot with other ingredients and reserved red wine; cook till wine is almost dry in pot. Add beef stock and cook on low heat till wild boar is tender, about 1½ to 2 hours. Add more beef stock or water if needed. Remove wild boar from liquid and strain; discard vegetables and aromatics, reserving braising liquid. Reduce braising liquid on stove by ½ and season with salt and pepper. Return wild boar to liquid and serve with pasta or boiled potatoes.
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Portuguese Bean Stew 2 Tbsp canola oil ½ cup onions, large dice ½ cup carrots, sliced ½ cup celery, sliced 1 bay leaf 2 cup sliced Portuguese sausage 2 tablespoons tomato paste 4 pieces ham hock (cooked in 1½ quart water till tender, reserve liquid) ½ cup raw macaroni 1 cup German Butterball potatoes, quartered 1 cup kidney beans ½ cup green cabbage, large dice Salt and pepper, to taste ¼ cup tomatoes, large dice 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
Sweat onions, carrots, celery and garlic in large stock pot with canola oil. Add bay leaf, tomato and Portuguese sausage. Cook until sausage is rendered. Add tomato paste and cook for a few minutes. (medium-low heat is fine.) Add reserved ham hock stock and let simmer for 20 minutes. Add raw macaroni, ham hocks and potatoes; simmer until pasta and potatoes are half cooked. Add beans and cabbage and simmer until cabbage is cooked. Season with salt and pepper.
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Wine
...the Holiday elixir BY PETER DARTLEY & KEITH PALMER
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h, the holidays. If you ask most people to reflect, they will make some half-hearted attempt to revel in the spirit of it all: spending time with friends and family, sharing meals with loved ones, being thankful, exchanging gifts. But let’s be honest. The holidays are probably the most stressful time of year: obligatory family get-togethers (do I even need to use the word “dysfunctional” or is that assumed when I say “family”?), getting the kids to behave and sit still while they are baking in Grandma’s itchy homemade sweaters, impressing the boss at the end of the year office party while you work up the courage to ask for that much-deserved raise (or maybe just take care to not make a fool of yourself ). The list goes on and on. So how does one combat the holiday doldrums that plague even the best of us during “the most wonderful time of the year”? Well, now that I see it in writing, it seems like a pretty tall order. Maybe there is no one little pill that will fix everything, but I would argue that there is always a bottle of wine that, when carefully selected, can loosen up just about any sticky situation.
So you think you have found “The One.” You met her or him over the summer, are madly in love, have everything in common and share the same dreams & aspirations. And now you have received the inevitable invite to Thanksgiving Dinner with the parents…. to see if you can somehow come close to the unattainable expectations set by Mom and Dad. A perfectly terrifying situation for any mortal, but one that can be tamed with the aid of a well-thought-out wine strategy. You’ll want to impress without appearing showy, stay somewhat traditional without being overly predictable and be ready for a full-on interrogation for much of the night. I am thinking about a 1-2 punch here. There is often a chill in the air this time of year, and white wine does not conjure up that cozy, comforting feeling. At the same time, we want to avoid anything that will weigh us down … since there will be plenty of eating to do (and remember, everything tastes great at this meal). For this reason, I feel that a silky, medium-bodied Pinot Noir is a perfect choice. The folks at Belle Glos put out a sultry Sonoma Coast Pinot from their Taylor Lane Vineyard. You should be able to get the 2009 vintage for under $40, and the packaging is super elegant with thick WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM
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dark glass and a hand-dipped wax capsule that covers the entire neck of the bottle. Because after all, you will likely be eating on the good china in the dining room … so a pretty presentation will only aid in your cause. Fewer than 1,000 cases were produced for the 2009 vintage that received 92 points from Wine Spectator. The winemaker’s notes: “Very dark ruby color. Deep aromas of bright berries mixed with sweet toasty cedar notes. The flavors of cherries, berry pie and cola are abundant with great focus.” And as far as pedigree goes, you can’t do much better in that this winery is owned by the Wagner family of Caymus fame. Just be sure you are careful opening the bottle, as the thick layer of wax can be difficult to get through. But anything worth having usually is. After you finish washing the dishes (OK, maybe that is pushing it), you sit around the table talking about childhood and family. The Pinot is gone, and you are not quite ready for a cup of coffee … but this could take a while. A perfect situation for a port wine: sweet enough to stand up to some dessert, and viscous enough that you need only sip it over time. To truly impress, splurge on a bottle of Taylor’s Vintage Port. You can pick up a 750ml bottle of the 2000 vintage for about $80. It only received 98 points from Robert Parker: “…tastes like a young vintage of Chateau Latour on steroids. Aromas of graphite, blackberry liqueur, creme de cassis and smoke jump from the glass. Spectacularly concentrated and enormously endowed, with sweetness allied to ripe tannin, decent acidity, and layer upon layer of fruit and extract, this is the leading candidate for the port of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2010–2040.” Umm… wow?! Taylor Fladgate has been making port since 1692, and only declares a “vintage” when conditions are perfect. The most recent one was 2007. And they can last 50 years or more. Maybe stash away a second bottle with the idea that you may be hosting a similar dinner someday. With the giving of thanks still fresh on the mind and December in full swing, everyone is putting together their list of people to “remember” at the end of the year: family, friends, bosses, colleagues, teachers, teacher’s helpers, bus driver, mailman, garbage man, UPS guy, den mother … I think you get the picture. But every year … without a doubt … there is always someone you overlook. The neighbor who watches the baby while you run to the bus stop to pick up the other … or the person at work who saved your skin by helping you make that deadline for the big report to the brass. And to add insult to injury, you are reminded of this blatant omission to your gift list when they physically pop by your home or at your desk … without warning, gift in-hand. People, let’s avoid this situation that has undoubtedly happened to every one of us at some point. And you know it as soon as you see 38
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them coming … “uncomfortable” doesn’t even come close to describing it. Varying degrees of embarrassment evidenced by multiple shades of red, the sweats, even temporary paralysis and the inability to speak anything remotely coherent. I have a very simple solution: Buy a case of 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and tuck it away for just these situations. (If you really want to appear thoughtful, have a stash of those nice fabric bottle bags too). 2007 was a fantastic year for Napa Cab, so it would be tough to go wrong with anything from that appellation. In fact, Wine Spectator rated the 2007 vintage of Napa Valley a nearly perfect 99 points on a scale of 100. Add to that the downturn in the economy coupled with the great quality-to-price ratio (QPR, for those in-the-know) of competing wines coming out of South America and you have hit the trifecta. I am personally a fan of the Beaulieu Vineyard Napa Cabernet … and for a while I was picking it up for under $15 per bottle (don’t forget to ask for the case discount). BV consistently puts out a velvety smooth Cab that typifies this classic of the region. You are getting so much more wine than you are paying for right now. And no worries if it takes a few years to dwindle your supply ... this liquid gold will age gracefully—and so will you when you realize the magical stress-reducing qualities of having that case of Napa Cab safely standing by in the basement. Finally, you made it through another year. And to celebrate all you have accomplished, you decide to throw a huge party at your place for New Year’s Eve. And because there were so many people who helped you, that guest list is long! A case of Champagne costs how much?! Look, you got where you are today by not following the masses. So why would your year-end blowout be any different? Skip the pricey Champagne and opt instead for a much less expensive prosecco—a crisp, dry Italian sparkling white wine that often comes in a distinctive, elegantly shaped bottle. Sales of this Italian bubbly have experienced double-digit growth annually outside Italy since 1998, although it was relatively unknown to most of the United States until 2000. Today, annual production tops 150 million bottles. You can get it in varying degrees of fizz (from the ultra-bubbly spumante to the more gentle frizzante) and sweetness (from ultra dry brut to extra-dry, then dry) to please even the anti-bubbly crowd. Plus, with a relatively low alcohol content of around 11%, it will spare your guests that heavy head the morning after. And once the ball drops, welcome the new year with a splash of peach nectar added to your prosecco, for the perfect bellini … to symbolize how sweet life can truly be.
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T A B L E
S C A P E
The Art of Setting a Beautiful Table BY KAREN DARTLEY
A
s a child growing up I remember sitting at Grandmaʼs table with lots of chatter, delicious food and a table that was always well dressed with beautiful china, glassware and candles. This inspired in me the love of creating nurturing surroundings, especially at the table. It is my way of lighting up my world and sharing it with others. There are always reasons to celebrate, whether it be the changing of the seasons, a holiday get-together or just the fact that I like wine! The great joy of creating a beautiful table-scape is to have fun with it. Successful setting is not about fine crystal or silver pieces, itʼs about making the most of what you have and adding your own personal touches. It can be easy, satisfying and fun, for even the simplest scheme can have a transforming effect on the atmosphere of the event and your guests. Relax, have fun and enjoy yourself in the process. Add your own personal style by looking around your own home for inspiration. You donʼt have to be rich or lavish, for things can be found at flea markets or on sale. The end of the month and after the holidays is always the best time to get great deals. This is how I started my collection from plates to napkins and everything in between. Being environmentally friendly also doesnʼt mean no new plates; just conserve and preserve. Use recycled glass or sustainable materials like bamboo and soy candles and finds from your flea markets. So to get started I would like to share some small tips. Create a pantry to help organize all your tableware. Look within your home and use anything from a small closet to baskets, cup-
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boards or open shelving. When you organize your tableware you know exactly where your dishes, linens and flatware are and can access them easily, so setting your table will be a simpler task. Stack collections of like color and materials neatly on open shelves. Use baskets to store table linens, napkins, napkin rings, candles and votives. Consider movable storage such as woven baskets or glass vessels for easy transport to your table. The easier you make it, the more often you will use it. I would suggest you begin stocking your pantry with basic white dishes and platters. You can never have enough platters and oversize bowls. Food looks best on white but donʼt let that stop you from collecting different colored dishes and unique accent pieces to help complement your party collection. There are no rules when using your creative expression. You can always add different colored or themed plates and glasses. Colored goblets are fun for water but most wine drinkers prefer a clear glass. Silverware can be everyday, antique from your grandmother, or finds from your markets. Do use your good silver; they say silver tarnishes more quickly if not used often, so donʼt keep it just for special occasions. Mix and match is always an option if you donʼt have sets. Keep placemats and napkins in varying colors to accent your china. Store like colors together in baskets or drawers so you can easily make your choices. Having the tools that you need within reach is the secret to wanting to be your own artist so you can put together a great table. Napkins can either match or contrast, folded and placed next to or top of your dinner plate. I like to use more than one and use a napkin ring around them so they look like a beautiful flower. I
would also have napkin rings close at hand. Rings come in such a wide variety of materials that it is fun collecting a few that you love. You will find wood, silver, china, pewter, shells, beads, flowers and the list goes on. And donʼt forget your cocktail napkins. Runners are also a nice option to use atop bare tables when not using tablecloths. Colored or textured runners placed along the center of the tablecloth can help add contrast. Tablecloths, however, will create a sense of formality and will help set the mood for your occasion. White is your traditional color for your more formal dinners and adds a softness to the hard elements of your table, china, flatware and glassware. Candles and votives come in hundreds of sizes and colors so itʼs always easy to find something you can use. Simple pillar candles and tapers will help create a warm, welcoming atmosphere that will envelope your table and room in a soft glow of flickering light. You can never have too many candles. Store them together in baskets or shelves. Decorating the table is the thing I do best and enjoy the most. Many people, however, dread this and feel as though it is a chore they would prefer not to deal with. Self-confidence comes with experimenting and having fun. Use color as your organizing principle. Whether you start with flowers, placemats or plates, make them your personal choice and use your favorites. Donʼt overlook the impact of a single color, either. All-white always looks great all year long. My favorite tables are holiday tables. Starting at Halloween with jack-o-lanterns, gourds, spiders and ghosts, table settings can consist of anything that screams of black and orange with plenty of fall leaves, real or silk. You can carry this color scheme over to our next holiday, Thanksgiving. Introduce the rich colors of autumn again with oranges, browns and golds. Keep the gourds and pumpkins and add some Chinese lanterns, vines and apples. There is no special formula for finishing touches, just add what you love. December is a magical month, a time of goodwill and cheer with family and friends gathering. Use a silver, red, maroon, green or blue theme. Tree lights, candles everywhere and you can tie it all in with our last Holiday of the Year, New Year’s. Carry over your silver theme or cover your table with rich colors that match your tree lights. Why not place a small wrapped gift at each guest’s place to carry the tradition of giving into the New Year. Happy holidays, and may all your tables look merry and bright. WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM
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Fruit for the Near Future Keeping Traditions Alive BY KEN LOVE 42
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P
ost-contact Hawai`i—from the 1790s to literally this week—has shown us that there are constant introductions of new plant materials. Some are very desirable and some highly invasive. Each ethnic group brought with them little reminders of home. Be it a favorite banana from the Philippines or loquat from China or persimmon from Japan, these items were brought to Hawai`i and continue to flourish. Many of the following generations found the knowledge of these fruits lost to time. They simply didn’t copy Grandmother’s recipes. Finding these recipes as well as our finest chefs creating new ones is the goal of a new project by members of the Hawai`i Tropical Fruit Growers group, (HTFG). A lot of this fruit has been surveyed and cataloged by the university and HTFG. We’ve found a number of unusual fruits that are grown around the state that the average person may have heard of but have little idea how to use. The group’s first step was to identify the fruit that was grown in sufficient quantity to market. Once this fruit was found, we created newly released university extension publications for jaboticaba, jackfruit, abiu, bilimbi, rollinia and soursop. The publications along with 12 previous ones on loquat, cherimoya, grumichama, figs, Mysore berry, poha, pomegranate, Surinam cherry, tree tomato, Kona lime and kumquat—can be found at www.hawaiifruit.net/index-pubs.html. We are currently researching other recipes and options for using these fruits and, with luck, you’ll be able to find them in local markets soon. Next year we will be working with chefs and hosting demonstrations on use of these and other unusual fruit in local stores around the state. Until then, here are a few options for when you find the fruit in local farmers’ markets. If you don’t see some of these fruit, ask your local farmers or local chapter of Hawai`i Tropical Fruit Growers. (You can always send me email, ken@mycoffee.net)
Bilimbi Perhaps one of the most underutilized and undervalued
fruits in Hawai`i, this relative of the popular starfruit is highly valued in the Philippines, India and other tropical locations. Juiced, it is primarily used as a nutritious replacement for vinegar in salad dressings, soups and sauces. It’s also salted and made into pickles. We dry it and use it in hot sauce, where it reconstitutes with the flavors it’s cooked with.
icaba burgundy peppercorn reduction, the versatility and ability to enhance any recipe borders on legendary. I used to think it was a pain to take out the seeds until I had my first jaboticaba smoothie— WOW! Abiu Cloyingly sweet for some, this fruit gives you an amazing burst
of energy from its natural sugars. My previous farm went from 1,200 to 2,000 foot elevation and I planted abiu at the top and bottom as by the time I walked up or down the mountain while harvesting, I needed the energy that abiu provide to go back again. Chefs have had fun working abiu into a sticky toffee, confections and as an addition to some breads. Still, eating it fresh and out of hand can’t be beat. Rollina This amazing relative of cherimoya is going to become much more visible in Hawai`i over the next few years, maybe. I say maybe because once a grower eats their first fruit they seldom want to sell or even give away something so scrumptious. If cherimoya taste is described as vanilla pudding or custard, the rollina would have to be described as vanilla, lemon, caramel custard pudding! Now, imagine that flavor mix in a soufflé or as a filling in a malasada or Bismarck. Soursop Another fruit that we tend to take for granted in Hawai`i!
It’s been in Hawai`i for more than 200 years and still is not given the respect it deserves or that it gets in the Caribbean and Mexico, where it ranks in just about everyone’s top 10 list. One would be hard pressed to go into a restaurant in Mexico without being able to order guanabana juice. Caribbean-born Executive Pastry Chef Jamon Harper of the Big Island’s Orchid Fairmont has won awards for his soursop sorbet. Jackfruit A favorite in the Philippines, India and all though
Southeast Asia, there are literally thousands and thousands of jackfruit recipes covering a variety of desserts and main courses developed from the fruit. A few Hawai`i chefs make jackfruit curry, a staple in South India. Others use the fruit cooked down into a sauce and used as marmalade in baked items. Firm jackfruit pieces, mixed in bread, can make it a delight. I can’t enter a movie theater without jackfruit jerky hidden in a pocket! All of these fruits will become more familiar over the next year or two. After that, watch for the next group including bignay, wampi, gourka and more!
Jaboticaba Truly a world-class fruit, this slow-growing rarity originated in Brazil and has been in Hawai`i for over 100 years. Reminiscent of a Concord grape flavor, the fruit is useful in both sweet sauces and savories. From ice cream and pancake syrup to a jabotWWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM
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Book reviews BY. G. NATALE
Tis the season for gift giving, books are always well received. This first book is well in keeping with this issue about bees.
Keeping Bees By Ashley English Over three-quarters of the foods eaten by humans are pollinated by the fastidious efforts of honeybees. Keeping a backyard (or even rooftop!) beehive is a fantastic step toward championing the homegrown food movement, and it’s about a lot more than just the honey—it benefits our food supply in countless ways, and also can double the production of your vegetable garden. Ashley English shares all the nitty-gritty details and tips she’s discovered in her own beekeeping journey, including:
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The questions to ask and concerns to consider well in advance of purchasing your first package of bees;
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Hive hierarchy and exactly what “beespace” is;
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A thorough examination of hive housing, location, and feeding requirements;
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Details for obtaining and installing honeybees;
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Essential information on how to best provide for the health and wellness of hives;
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Profiles of beekeepers in a variety of professions and trades;
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How to extract honey;
Plus mouthwatering honey-based recipes concocted and perfected in Ashley’s home kitchen! Available at a bookseller near you, Published by Lark Crafts $19.95 44
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Cooking for One By Mark Erickson & Lisa Erickson (The Culinary Institute of America) A Seasonal Guide to the pleasures of preparing delicious meals for yourself. I love this book, although it’s called Cooking for One, the meals in my opinion will feed two. This book makes cooking for one simple and easy; you’ll find recipes you may not expect, cookies, chocolate fondue, pizza, hearty stews as well as global flavors including Asianinspired fish and noodles dishes and Indian tandoori. There is also work-ahead advice to make dinner at home the best part of your day. What could be bad? At a bookseller near you, published by Lebhar-Friedman Books $24.95
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EDITOR’S PICK
Gift for the Chef in Your life
New West Knife Works is proud to announce their decision to manufacture their knives in the United States. They are committed to improving the quality of their knives, reducing their carbon footprint and restoring the proud tradition of American manufacturing. This unusually beautiful knife would make a fantastic gift for anyone who loves to cook. This style is called Santoku, a blending of a Japanese and more Western-style knife. The Japanese originally developed the Santoku as their version of a Western-style knife - over the centuries knife design has always been influenced by the meeting of different cultures. This “Fusionwood” Santoku has slightly more heft to it than some of its Japanese counterparts. Another feature is that the belly of the blade has more of a curve to it than many Santoku knives, which makes it easy to use a rocking motion for chopping in addition to slicing. For more information or to order this beautiful knife, see below. 877-258-0100 • www.newwestknifeworks.com
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LOCAL DINING GUIDE Restaurants are chosen for this dining guide because of their emphasis on using local, seasonal ingredients in their menus, creating a distinctly Hawaiian Islands Experience. — Let them know we sent you. Aloha! Lahaina Grill features innovative New American
O`ahu 12th Ave Grill An Award Winning Neighborhood Gem offering the Ripeness of the Season and the Best of Hawai`i’s farms and ranches. Wine list, unique microbrew beers and scratch bar cocktails are the perfect pairings for any palate. Warm service in a Bistro style complement this serious Contemporary American Cooking. Reservations 732.9469. www.12thavegrill.com. Follow us on Twitter @12thavenuegrillnow
EAT Honolulu Chef David Passanisi serves up Hawaiian Regional Cuisine in his own fantastic Rustic Gourmet way. Our unique private dining concept includes EAT-ATE-TAE, a 24 course Seasonal Deconstruction and EATnPrivate, which seats up to 14 people, available by reservations only. We incorporate as much locally made and produced items as possible and work with all styles of cuisines. www.EATHonolulu.com Town — Eat the change you want to see in the world. www.townkaimuki.com • www.slowdowntown.com
V Lounge keeps the craft of the pizzaiolo alive. We adhere to the principles of any great pizzaiolo; “Never take shortcuts and make the pizza the way that it is supposed to be made.” The final product is the same type of pizza and flavors that you would get in Naples. Open Mon-Sat, 5pm-4am. 808-953-0007 www.vloungehawaii.com
Maui Award-winning Chef David Paul is back in Lahaina with a stunning new restaurant. Featuring unobstructed sunset views and “New Island” cuisine, David Paul’s Island Grill is one of Maui’s finest dining venues. Offering a market-driven menu utilizing island-fresh ingredients, item include the award winning Maui Onion Opakapaka or Watermelon, crab and goat cheese salad. For reservations call 808-662-3000 or www.davidpaulsislandgrill.com
Flatbread Company — Fresh, local, organic, salads, authentic wood-fire handmade, locally grown produce, micro beers, martini’s & mojito’s, open daily Sun-Thur 11:30-10PM FRI & SAT 11:3011PM (808)579-8989 Located at 89 Hana Hwy Paia www.flatbreadcompany.com - Like us on Facebook
cuisine that uses the freshest ingredients from Maui’s local farms, dairies and surrounding waters. Voted “Best Maui Restaurant” for eighteen consecutive years by HONOLULU Magazine readers’ poll (1994-2011), Lahaina Grill delivers impeccable service and a delicious meal. Open nightly from 6pm, 127 Lahainaluna Road, Lahaina, www.lahainagrill.com, reservations recommended (808) 667-5117
Mala Ocean Tavern: Fantastic Ocean View. Chef Mark Ellman and his wife Judy, and daughters, Michelle & Ariana make Mala a family business. Farm fresh organic foods, Mark has been delighting Maui for 25+ years along with his other restaurants, Avalon, Maui Tacos, & Penne Pasta Cafe. Remember to Practice Aloha. 834 Front Street Lahaina (808) 6679394 M-F 11am-10pm, Sat/Sun 9am-9pm Chef Mark Ellman presents Mala Wailea - offering stunning sunset vistas over the Pacific. Mala upholds a tradition of organic, healthy, fresh, and delicious food. Authentic menu of Mediterranean and Pacific Rim cuisine, award winning beautifully crafted dishes will please the palates of revered guests. Breakfast & Dinner (808) 875-9394 Located inside Wailea Beach
Marriott Resort & Spa Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop features casual family style dining in a comfortable plantation era atmosphere. Our glorified comfort food menu includes an assortment of handcrafted sandwiches, pizzas, and salads, daily specials and of course, sweet and savory pies. Located at 820 Olowalu Village Road off of Honoapiilani Hwy, Lahaina - we are open 7 days a week from 10:30am until 8:30pm, call us at (808) 662-3600 or visit us online at www.leodas.com. Market Fresh Bistro – Global Influence – Local Ingredients. We are striving to be the global platform showcasing Hawai`i’s finest produce & products. The Slow Food style of our restaurant is European, what makes it Hawaiʼian are our ingredients & Aloha Spirit. Breakfast & Lunch Tuesday thru Saturday, Farm Dinner Thursday, A la carte Dinner Friday & Saturday, Sunday Brunch . 3620 Baldwin Ave. Makawao (808) 572-4877
Star Noodle, an intimate restaurant blending many flavors across Asia. Specializing in a variety of house made noodles and inventive Asian share plates served in a contemporary stylish setting. Open 7 days a week for Lunch and Dinner at the top of Lahaina Business Park at 286 Kupuohi Street in Lahaina. (808)667-5400
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Kaua`i 22 north — Farm to table on a Farm We feature dishes created with the vegetables, fruit and herbs from the on-site farms here at Kilohana Plantation. Kaua`i-grown meats, produce and fresh fish paired with condiments and flavors from around the world. Check out our unique ‘farm-to-bar’ cocktail list. $10 2 course lunch, and $25 3 course dinner specials. 245-9593. 22northkauai.com
Bar Acuda: Kaua`i’s coolest place to relax with friends and share a tapas menu filled with locally sourced ingredients. You know it’s going to be a fun evening as soon as you walk in the door. The atmosphere is welcoming. The bar area is cool, with a large-screen TV showing anything from Blue Planet series to old B&W movies. In Hanalei Town 808-826-7081 The Hanalei Dolphin has greeted visitor and local alike as they enter the town of Hanalei. Both the restaurant and fishmarket are known for the freshest fish caught by local fisherman, produce grown by local farmers and a second-to-none ambiance; one can enjoy a peaceful riverside lunch on umbrella shaded tables, outstanding dinner fare in a nostalgic tropical setting or just hang out in the stylish, world class sushi lounge. 5-5015 Kuhio Hwy, at the entrance of Hanalei 808-826-6113 www.hanaleidolphin.com At Hukilau Lanai we love our local farmers & fishermen! Being in business for nine years, we can’t imagine life without them. We strive to use the finest ingredients & products from Kaua`i and the neighbor islands. Join us for dinner Tuesday Sunday, from 5-9pm for casual, ocean view dining. We offer a 5 course tasting menu from 5-5:45 daily. 822-0600
Kaua`i Grill — A comfortable yet elegant hideaway—Kaua`i Grill is the latest in creative dining experiences from Michelin awarded Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Featuring a selection of signature appetizers, side dishes and accompaniments from his portfolio of domestic and international restaurants. Kaua`i Grill opened from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm. Closed Sunday and Monday. For reservations contact The St. Regis Princeville Resort at 808826-9644 or www.stregisprinceville.com.
Makana Terrace Restaurant — Dining at the Makana Terrace Restaurant is a culinary journey that embraces island lifestyle and farm to table cuisine. Enjoy weekly culinary experiences such as the Mailani Dinner Show on Thursdays or an evening dedicated to Hawaiian seafood and vegetables with tropical marinades and exotic spices. Open from 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. For reservations contact The St. Regis Princeville Resort at 808-826-9644 or www.stregisprinceville.com. Postcards Café’ — Casual/ Fine Dining in Hanalei We’re big on buying locally for our seafood and vegetarian restaurant. But we also grow our own organic fruits, vegetables and herbs, like garlic chives and basil. Our fresh, delectable dinners have made us one of Kaua`i’s top restaurants - for 15 years! Open nightly from 6:00. Entering Hanalei, we’re first on the left. Reservations for 4 or more: 826.1191. The Garden at Common Ground on Kaua`i’s north shore, provides fresh, healthy and locally acquired organic and natural foods that are prepared daily into delicious meals with all recipes from scratch at a great value. The dining environment is quaint and beautiful providing views of the fields where the daily harvest comes from for your meals. Open for breakfast and lunch daily. Weekend brunch 4900 Kuawa Rd, Kilauea Hi 96754, 808-8281041 www.commongroundkauai.net
Hawai`i Island Experience the charm of Old Hawai`i at Cafe Pesto, Hilo Bay or a wonderful alternative to the resorts at Kawaihae. A family restaurant with a reputation for fresh, creative, affordable cuisine featuring local seafood and beef, exotic pizzas, eclectic salads, Asian inspired pastas and risottos. Open daily from 11:00AM to 9:00PM. Ph: (808)8821071 in Kawaihae or (808) 969-6640 in Hilo. www.cafepesto.com
Lighthouse Bistro has been serving the North Shore of Kaua`i great food and live entertainment in an open air Hawaiian plantation garden setting since 1999. We pride ourselves on using fresh local produce and ingredients to create a unique European, pacific rim, fusion menu. Serving Lunch, Dinner and Happy Hour daily On the way to the Lighthouse. 808-828-0480 2484 Keneke Street, Kilauea, Hawai`i 96754. www.lighthousebistro.com Living Foods Market and Café’ — The market’s cafe’-style restaurant offers a simple European-style menu; from poached eggs, grilled panini, pizzettas & crepes to Nicoise salads, and roasted chicken to enjoy on a 1,000+-sq ft open air deck. The cafe’ also roasts their own coffee on-site, with beans from each of the Hawaiian islands, and fresh fruit agua fresca throughout the day. Daily 8am to 8pm. In Kukui`ula Village 808-742-2323
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Advertising in this directory is by invitation.
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Farmers’ Markets Kaua`i Farmers’ Markets SATURDAY
A local tip: Get there early!
Honokaa Farmers’ Market Honokaa town near Honokaa Trading Co. Hilo Farmers’ Market
THURSDAY Coconut Marketplace 4-484 Kuhio Hwy, Kapaa • 9:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m.
SUNDAY
Hanapepe Park (Sunshine Markets) Old Hanapepe Town • 3 p.m.
Kaua`i Community Market At Kaua`i Community College Front Parking Lot (across from Grove Farm) • 10:00 am – 1:pm
Kilauea Neighborhood Center (Sunshine Markets) Keneke off Lighthouse Road, Kilauea • 4:30 p.m.
Kekaha Neighborhood Center (Sunshine Markets) Elepaio Road, Kekaha • 9 a.m.
Vidinha Stadium (Sunshine Markets) Hoolako Road, Lihue • 3 p.m.
Kilauea Keneke St. Behind the post office • 11:30 am. Hanalei Saturday Market Hanalei • 10 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
FRIDAY
West Kaua`i Agricultural Association Po`ipu Road and Cane Haul Road, Po`ipu 8 a.m. Koloa Ball Park (Knudsen) (Sunshine Markets) Maluhia Road, Koloa • Noon Kukui Grove Shopping Center Lihue • 3 p.m.
TUESDAY Coconut Marketplace 4-484 Kuhio Hwy, Kapaa • 9:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. Kalaheo Neighborhood Center (Sunshine Markets) Papalina Road off Kaumualii, Kalaheo • 3:30 p.m. Hawaiian Farmers of Hanalei Waipa, Hanalei • 2 p.m.
WEDNESDAY Kapa`a New Town Park (Sunshine Markets) Kahau Road, Kapa`a • 3 p.m. Kaua`i Culinary Market 4:00pm – 6:00pm Kukui`ula Village, Po`ipu In Conjunction w/ Kaua`i County Farm Bureau
Makuu Farmers’ Market Keaau-Pahoa bypass road • 8 a.m.–2 p.m. Volcano Farmers’ Market Cooper Center, Wright Rd., Volcano 6:30–9 a.m. South Kona Green Market At the Amy Greenwell, Ethnobotanical Garden Captain Cook • 9 a.m. – I pm
Hawai`i Island Farmers’ Markets
TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS
SATURDAY MONDAY
Pahoa Farmers’ Market Luquin’s/Akebono Theater parking lot 8 a.m.–3 p.m.
Kekela Farms Organic Farmers Mkt 64-604 Mana Road, Waimea, HI 808-887-0023 • Tues. & Fri. 2:00-5:00pm 100% organic
Keauhou Farmers’ Market Keauhou Shopping Center, Keauhou 8a.m. – 12 noon Kino`ole Farmers’ Market Kino`ole Shopping Plaza 1990 Kino`ole St., Hilo • 7 a.m.-noon
WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS Corner of Mamo and Kamehameha Ave., downtown Hilo • Saturdays, 8 a.m.–noon
Space Farmers’ Market Space Performing Arts Center 12-247 West Pohakupele Loop Pahoa, HI 96778 • Sat. 8:00a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Naalehu Farmers’ Market Ace Hardware lawn • 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Waikoloa Village Farmers’ Market Waikoloa Community Church across from Waikoloa Elementary School 7:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
O`ahu Farmers’ Markets
North Kohala Across from Hawi Post Office, under banyan tree • 7 a.m.–noon
Banyan Court Mall (People’s Open Market) 800 North King Street, Honolulu • 6:15–7:30 a.m.
WEDNESDAYS
SATURDAYS
Kaumualii Street (People’s Open Market) at Kalihi Street, Honolulu • 8:15–9:30 a.m.
Waimea Town Market At Parker School, 65-1224 Lindsey Road Waimea/Kamuela HI 96743 Sat. 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 pm. Waimea Hawaiian Homestead Farmers’ Market Mamalahoa Hwy., 2 miles east of Waimea town 7:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
Kalihi Valley District Park (People’s Open Market) 1911 Kam IV Road, Honolulu • 10–10:45 a.m. Salt Lake Municipal Lot (People’s Open Market) 5337 Likini Street, Honolulu • 11:15a.m. –Noon
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Manoa Marketplace Honolulu • 7–11 a.m.
Hawai`i Kai Park-n-Ride (People’s Open Market) 300 Keahole Street, Honolulu • 1–2 p.m.
Country Market & Craft Fair Waimanalo Homestead Community Center 1330 Kalanianaole Hwy. • 9 a.m.–4p.m.
North Shore Country Market at Sunset Sunset Beach Elementary School, Haleiwa 8 a.m. –2 p.m. The Saturday Farmers’ Market at Kapiolani Community College Campus 4303 Diamond Head Road, Honolulu 7:30–11 a.m. Waialua Farmers’ Market Waialua Sugar Mill • 8:30 a.m. –Noon
Waianae Framers’ Market Waianae High School, 85-251 Farrington Hwy 8 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
MONDAYS Manoa Valley District Park (People’s Open Market) 2721 Kaaipu Avenue, Honolulu • 6:45–7:45 a.m.
Hawai`i Kai Town Center Kalanianaole Highway at Keahole Street, Honolulu • 7:30 a.m. –3 p.m.
Makiki District Park (People’s Open Market) 1527 Keeaumoku Street, Honolulu 8:30–9:30 a.m.
Waianae Framers’ Market Makaha Resort, 84-626 Makaha Valley Road Waianae, 808-848-2074 1st and 3rd Sat of the month 7:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Mother Waldron Park (People’s Open Market) 525 Coral Street, Honolulu 10:15–11 a.m. City Hall Parking Lot Deck (People’s Open Market) Alapai & Beretania Street, Honolulu 11:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
SUNDAYS Hale`iwa Farmers’ Market The Heart of Hale`iwa Traffic Signal @ Kamehameha Hwy. & Cane Haul Rd. Next to the North Shore Marketplace (free parking) • 9am.-1pm. Kapolei Community Park (People’s Open Market) 91-1049 Kamaaha Loop, Kapolei • 7–8:30 a.m. Royal Kunia Park-n-Ride (People’s Open Market) Kupuna Lp/Kupohi Street, Waipahu 9:30–11 a.m. Waikele Community Park (People’s Open Market) Waipahu • 11:30 a.m. –12:30 p.m.
Hawai`i Kai Town Center Kalanianaole Highway at Keahole Street, Honolulu • 7:30 a.m.–3 p.m.
Manoa Marketplace Honolulu • 7–11 a.m. Waikiki Farmers’ Market Waikiki Community Center Parking Lot 7 a.m.–1 p.m.
WEDNESDAYS Palolo Valley District Park (People’s Open Market) 2007 Palolo Avenue, Honolulu • 6:30–7:30 a.m. . Old Stadium Park (People’s Open Market) 2237 South King Street, Honolulu 8:15–9:15 a.m. Queen Kapiolani Park (People’s Open Market) Monsarrat and Paki Street, Honolulu 10–11 a.m. Hawai`i Kai Towne Center Kalanianaole Highway at Keahole Street, Honolulu • 7:30 a.m.–3 p.m.
TUESDAYS Waiau District Park (People’s Open Market) 98-1650 Kaahumanu Street, Pearl City 6:30–7:30 a.m.
Waialua Farmers’ Co-Op At the Sugar Mill • 4:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Waipahu District Park (People’s Open Market) 94-230 Paiwa Street, Waipahu • 8:15–9:15 a.m.
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Fort Street near Wilcox Park Honolulu (in front of Macy’s) • 8 a.m.–2 p.m.
Honolulu Farmers’ Market at Neal Blaisdell Center, Local Bounty 808-848-2074 • 4:00-7:00 pm
The Mililani Sunday Farmers’ Market at Mililani High School 95-1200 Meheula Parkway, Mililani High School Parking Lot • 8 a.m. –Noon
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Mililani District Park (People’s Open Market) 94-1150 Lanikuhana Avenue, Mililani 11:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS
Wahiawa District Park (People’s Open Market) N. Cane & California Avenue, Wahiawa 10–11 a.m.
THURSDAYS Waimanalo Beach Park (People’s Open Market 41-741 Kalanianaole Highway, Waimanalo 7:15–8:15 a.m. Kailua District Park (People’s Open Market) 21 South Kainalu Drive, Kailua • 9–10 a.m.
Kaneohe District Park (People’s Open Market) 45-660 Keaahala Road, Kaneohe 10:45–11:45 a.m.
Ono Organic Farms Across from Hasagawa Store, Hana 10:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Manoa Marketplace Honolulu • 7–11 a.m.
Farmers’ Market of Maui-Kihei 61 Kihei Rd, Suda Store parking lot on South Kihei • 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
The Kailua Thursday Night Farmers’ Market Kailua town 5–7:30 p.m. behind Longs on Kailua Road
FRIDAYS
MONDAY
Farmers’ Market of Maui-Honokowai 3636 Lower Honoapiilani Road, Kahana (Lahaina) • 7a.m.–11 a.m.
THURSDAY Farmers’ Market of Maui-Kihei 61 Kihei Rd, Suda Store parking lot on South Kihei • 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Hana Health 4590 Hana Hwy, Hana • 9a.m. - 5p.m. Ono Organic Farms Across from Hasagawa Store, Hana 10:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
FRIDAY
Halawa District Park (People’s Open Market) 99-795 Iwaiwa Street • 7–8 a.m.
Hana Health 4590 Hana Hwy, Hana • 9a.m. - 5p.m.
Ewa Beach Community Park (People’s Open Market) 91-955 North Road, Ewa Beach • 9–10 a.m.
Ono Organic Farms Across from Hasagawa Store, Hana 10:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Pokai Bay Beach Park (People’s Open Market) 85-037 Pokai Bay Road, Waianae 11–11:45 a.m.
Farmers’ Market of Maui-Kihei 61 Kihei Rd, Suda Store parking lot on South Kihei • 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
Hana Health 4590 Hana Hwy, Hana • 9a.m. - 5p.m.
Fort Street near Wilcox Park Honolulu (In front of Macy’s) • 8 a.m. –2 p.m.
Hana Health 4590 Hana Hwy, Hana • 9a.m. - 5p.m.
Lana`i Farmers’ Market
Waikiki Farmers’ Market Waikiki Community Center Parking Lot 7 a.m. –1 p.m.
Ono Organic Farms Across from Hasagawa Store, Hana 10:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Maui Farmers’ Markets SATURDAY Maui Swap Meet Maui Community College, 310 Ka`aumanu 7am.-1pm. Makawao Longs Parking Lot, Pukalani • 7a.m.-10a.m. Hana Health, Hana Medical Center • 9a.m. - 5p.m.
SUNDAY Hana Health 4590 Hana Hwy, Hana • 9a.m. - 2p.m.
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY Farmers’ Market of Maui-Kihei 61 Kihei Rd, Suda Store parking lot on South Kihei • 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Farmers’ Market of Maui-Honokowai 3636 Lower Honoapiilani Road, Kahana (Lahaina) • 7–11 a.m.
Farmers’ Market of Maui-Kihei 61 Kihei Rd, Suda Store parking lot on South Kihei • 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Farmers’ Market of Maui-Honokowai 3636 Lower Honoapiilani Road, Kahana (Lahaina) • 7–11 a.m.
SATURDAY Lana`i Market Place Dole Park 8 a.m.-1p.m.
Moloka`i Farmers’ Market SATURDAY Ala Malama Street Kaunakakai • 7a.m.-1p.m.
Hana Health 4590 Hana Hwy, Hana • 9a.m. - 5p.m. Ono Organic Farms Across from Hasagawa Store, Hana 10:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM
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advertiser directory This Directory is meant to help you quickly find our supporters listed by island, enjoy and let them know we sent you. Aloha
Kaua`i 22 North 3-2087 Kaumualii Hwy. Lihue 808-245-9593 • www.22northkauai.com Anahola Granola www.anaholagranola.com Aunty Lilikoi 9875 Waimea Rd., Waimea 866-545-4564 • www.auntylilikoi.com Bar Acuda Restaurant Reservations: 808-826-7081 5-5161 Kuhio Hwy Hanalei, Kaua`i www.restaurantbaracuda.com
Kilauea Town Market 2474 Keneke St., Kilauea, Kaua`i 808-828-1512 Koloa Rum Company 808-246-8900 • www.koloarum.com
Eat Honolulu Farm Credit Services Of Hawai`i, ACA 2850 Pa`a St. Ste 100, Honolulu 808-836-8009 • www.hawaiifarmcredit.com
Living Foods Market Kukui`ula Village Po`ipu (on the south side) 808-742-2323 • www.livingfoodskauai.com
Hagadone Printing Co. 274 Puuhale Road, Honolulu, HI 96819 808-847-5310 • www.hagadoneprinting.com
Moloa`a Sunrise Fruit Stand Corner of Kuhio Hwy and Koolau Road * Phone orders welcome 808-822-1441
Honu Group Inc. 1001 Bishop Street, ASB Tower, Suite 2800 Honolulu, Hawai`i 96722 808-550-4449 • tabenoja@honugroup.com www.honugroup.com
Nani Moon Mead Tasting Room in Kapa`a 4-939 D Kuhio Hwy 808-823-0486 • www.nanimoonmead.com
Hanalei Dolphin 5-5016 Kuhio Hwy., Hanalei, Kaua`i 808-826-6113
Papaya’s Natural Foods & Café Kaua`i Village Shopping Center In the courtyard by the waterfall, Kapa`a, Kaua`i 808-823-0190 • www.papayasnaturalfoods.com
Harvest Market Hanalei 5-5161 Kuhio Hwy., Hanalei, Kaua`i 808-826-0089
Postcards Café Hanalei • 808-826-1191
Healthy Hut On the way to Kilauea Lighthouse 808-828-6626 • www.healthyhutkauai.com
Princeville Center 5-4280 Kuhio Highway, Princeville 808-826-9497 T. • 808-826-9850 F. www.princevillecenter.com
Hukilau Lanai Kapa`a Coast Resort Kapa`a Kaua`i Reservations Recommended 808-822-0600 • www.hukilaukauai.com Java Kai Kapa`a 4-1384 Kuhio Hwy 808-823-6887 • www.javakaihawaii.com Kilauea Fish Market 4270 Kilauea Rd., Kilauea, Kaua`i 808-828-6244
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FALL 2011
Chef Leslie Ashburn (808) 398-2695 • www.macrobiotichawaii.com
Kukui`ula Village Kaua`i Culinary Market Po`ipu Roundabout at Kalanikaumaka 808-742-9545 • www.kukuiulavillage.com
Coconut Marketplace Farmers Market 4-484 Kuhio Hwy, Kapa`a www.coconutmarketplace.com
Hendrikus Organics 808-828-0099 • www.hendrikusorganics.com
O`ahu
Salty Wahine Gourmet Hawaiian Sea Salts 808-346-2942 • info@saltywahine.com The Coconut Cup Juice Bar & Café At the Coral Reef Resort, Kapa`a 808-823-8630 • www.coconutcupjuicebar.com The Garden at Common Ground 4900 Kauwa Road, Kilauea 808-828-1041 www.commongroundkauai.net/thegarden The Wine Garden 4495 Puhi Road, Lihue 808-245-5766 • www.kauaiwinegarden.com
EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS
Kula Fields On O`ahu 808-281-6141 On Maui 808-280-6533 www.kulafields.com Town Kaimuki, 3435 Wai’alae Ave #103 808.735.5900 • www.townkaimuki.com Whole Foods Market Kahala Mall in Honolulu, 4211 Wai`alae Ave www.wholefoodsmarket.com
Maui Ali`i Kula Lavender 1100 Waipoli Rd. Kula 808-878-3004 • www.aklmaui.com Aloha Mixed Plate 1285 Front Street Lahaina (808) 661-3322 • www.alohamixedplate.com Chef Dan Fiske Private chef serving all islands 808-280-1138 • www.privatemauichef.com Chef Jana McMahon 808-281-8393 • www.chefjana.com
David Paul’s Island Grill 900 Front St. Lahaina • 808-662-3000 www.davidpaulsislandgrill.com Flatbread Pizza Company 89 Hana Hwy, Paia 808-579-8989 • www.flatbreadcompany.com Flavor Waves 808-276-0144 • info@flavorwaves.com Gourmet-Delights www.gourmet-delights.com Hana Herbs & Flowers 808-248-7407 • www.hanaherbs.com
Maui Preserved 808-214-8780 • www.mauipreserved
Moloka`i
Maui Prime Fine Foods 142 Kupuohi St. #F7 Emerald Plaza (By Lahaina Gateway) 808-661-4912 • www.mauiprime.com
Coffees of Hawai`i Order on website www.coffeesofhawaii.com
National
Ocean Vodka Hawai`i Sea Spirits LLC 250 Alamaha St, S9, Kahului 808-877-0009 • www.oceanvodka.com
Slow Food Hawai`i Island Shelby Floyd • sfloyd@ahfi.com Slow Food Kaua`i Shelby Floyd • sfloyd@ahfi.com
Old Lahaina Luau Maui’s Traditional Hula & Feast 1251 Front Street, Lahaina 808-667-1998 • www.oldlahainaluau.com
Slow Food Maui Jana McMahon/Susan Teton info@slowfoodmaui.org www.slowfoodmaui.org
Hawaiian Moons Natural Foods Store 2411 South Kihei Road 808-875-4356 • www.hawaiianmoons.com
Ono Organic Farms 808-248-7779 • www.onofarms.com
Hospice Maui 808-244-5555 • www.hospicemaui.org
Star Noodle 808-667-5400 • www.starnoodle.com
Kula Country Farms Kula Highway across from Rice Park, Kula 808-878-8318
Surfing Goat Dairy 3651 Omaopio Rd., Kula 808-878-2870 • www.surfinggoatdairy.com
Kula Fields On Maui 808-280-2099 On O`ahu 808-280-6533 www.kulafields.com
Whole Foods Market Maui Mall, 70 East Ka’ahumanu Ave 808-872-3310 • www.wholefoodsmarket.com
Lahaina Grill 127 Lahainaluna Road, Lahaina 808-667-5117 • www.lahainagrill.com Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop 820 Olowalu Village Road • 808-662-3600 Mala Ocean Tavern 1307 Front Street, Lahaina 808-667-9394 • www.malaoceantavern.com
Farm Credit Services of Hawai`i,ACA 988 Kinoole St., Hilo 808-836-8009 • www.hawaiifarmcredit.com
Maui Country Farm Tours 808-280-1621 • www.mauicountryfarmtours.com
Kona Coffee and Tea Toll Free 888-873-2035 In Kona 329-6577 www.konacoffeeandtea.com
MauiGrown Coffee 277 Lahainaluna Road, Lahina 808-661-2728 • www.MauiGrownCoffee.com
Slow Food Nation www.slowfoodnation.org
Hawai`i Island Café Pesto Hilo Bay 808-969-6640 Kawaihae 808-882-1071 www.cafepesto.com
Maui County Farm Bureau www.mauicountyfarmbureau.com
Slow Food O`ahu Laurie Carlson • laurie@honoluluweekly.com
Original Hawaiian Chocolate 808-322-2626 • 888-447-2626 (toll free) www.ohcf.us
WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM
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What Is It and How Do You Eat It
iCe CreaM Bean
Ice Cream Bean – Inga edulis, a long pod, sometimes a few feet
in length, containing a bright-white pulp that surrounds a row of large seeds. The flavor is sweet and resembles vanilla ice cream. This nitrogen fixing legume tree was introduced to the Hawaiian Islands around the 1920’s to provide shade in coffee plantations. It can also be used as a support to grow crops such as vanilla, black pepper and pitahaya. You just pull and eat the white fluffy pulp off the seed. You can also use it to top any other dessert. Delicious
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EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS