edible Hawaiian Islands Winter 2011

edible

hawaiian islands tm

Celebrating the Harvest of the Aloha State, Season by Season No. 15 Winter 2011

Maui Ag Fest Edible Ferns Local Hero Winners Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes Member of Edible Communities

Winter 2011 Contents Features 7 LETTER OF ALOHA 15 NOTABLE EDIBLES 38 COOKING FRESH 48 BOOK REVIEW 51 WHAT’S IN SEASON 53 FARMERS’ MARKETS 56 ADVERTISER DIRECTORY 58 WHAT IS IT AND HOW DO YOU EAT IT — Chico

Departments 9 16 20 22 26 32

Cover photo

“BABY PINEAPPLE” By Oliver Cohen

44

TALK STORY Maui County Agricultural Festival

By Jill Engledow FIDDLE WITH YOUR FOOD Hawai`i’s Edible Ferns

By Jon Letman JAPANESE EGGPLANT The Prize of Kahuku Farms

By Tim Ryan BREAKFAST Local and International on O`ahu

By Martha Cheng LIQUID ASSETS Local wine as sweet [or sweeter than] honey

By Bree Kessler PORTUGUESA CABBAGE Plant it, harvest it, make some soup.

By Wanda A. Adams ANDY’S LOVE LIVES ON KAUAI

By Jon Letman WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

3

edible

Hawaiian Islands Publisher/Editor in Chief Gloria Cohen Editor at Large Steven Cohen Advertising and Distribution FrontDesk@ediblealoha.com Dania Katz, Maui Terry Sullivan, Kaua`i Ave Lambert, O`ahu Contributors Kira Cohen • Melissa Petersen • Tracey Ryder • Carole Topalian Photography Lauren Brandt • Oliver Cohen Steven Cohen • G. Natale Artists Cindy Conklin • Mary Ogle Writers Wanda A. Adams • Martha Cheng Jill Engledow • Bree Kessler Jon Letman • G. Natale • Tim Ryan Copy Editor Doug Adrianson Food Research Editor John Cox 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. ©2011. 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

6

WINTER 2011

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

Letter of Aloha With this issue, the first in the New Year of 2011, I am reminded of the mission of edible Hawaiian Islands and why I do what I do. Our Islands in the past were all about local; it is my passion to keep encouraging this.

FARM/FARMER: Coastview Aquaponics, Hawai`i Island

We all need to appreciate the value of local, seasonal, authentic foods and the many culinary traditions that exist in the Hawaiian Islands. I hope you will read the stories in each issue and get to know those who grow, fish, produce, cook and sell all of what these islands have to offer.

FOOD ARTISAN: Naked Cow Dairy, O`ahu

What’s new at edible Hawaiian Islands for 2011? Who is the publisher and editor-in-chief of EHI, who is behind it all? I generally keep rather private and behind the scenes, but I have had an overwhelming request to come forward. Well, OK: Under much pressure I’ve decided to include my photo as many publications do, so you can now put a face to edible Hawaiian Islands Magazine, and when you write to me you know whom you are writing to.

CHEF/RESTAURANT: Ed Kenney (Town & Downtown), O`ahu GOURMET/RETAIL: Jim Moffat (Living Foods Market), Kaua`i

BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Maui Brewing Co., Maui NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION: Malama Kaua`i Wishing you, your family and friends a healthy and happy New Year.

A hui hou, Gloria Cohen Publisher/Editor in Chief

Another thing I love about the first issue of each year is that we have our Local Hero Awards winners. You voted in your communities, and here they are. Be sure to visit them and personally deliver well-deserved congratulations.

WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

7

talk story

8

WINTER 2011

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

Maui County Agricultural Festival

BY JILL ENGLEDOW

Every year I look forward to my favorite outdoor party, the Maui County Agricultural Festival.

On the first Saturday of April, Maui County farmers and ranchers and the people who make products from the things they grow gather for a daylong celebration of agriculture. The Ag Fest, on April 2, 2011, combines the joy of seeing and tasting the bounty of Maui County’s islands with the opportunity to marvel at the inventive creations of the islands’ culinary experts and entrepreneurs.

The Maui Tropical Plantation in Waikapu is the perfect site for this event. It’s centrally located, with plenty of parking and its own acres of mixed crops and manicured landscape. The sculpted green West Maui Mountains are on one side, Haleakala on the other, wide blue WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

9

There’s so much going on at this event that I could spend half the day here, cruising the various tents.

baskets of free-range eggs from Theo Morrison’s Neighborhood

sky overhead. Tents scattered across a grassy field shelter growers dis-

will learn for the first time that vegetables actually grow on plants.

playing and selling their fresh fruits, vegetables and fragrant flowers along with every kind of “value-added” product you can think of, from lilikoi jelly to pickled onions. Musicians serenade from a central stage, and experts share their knowledge about our own health and that of the plants we grow.

There’s so much going on at this event that I could spend half the day here, cruising the various tents. I’ll be looking for old favorites—that lime-cilantro pesto from Molokai’s Kumu Farms,

10

WINTER 2011

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

Farm, the fresh-faced Maui Culinary Academy students with a whole array of products that help support their Maui College program. There will be farm animals: goats to pet, Maui Cattle Company livestock in sturdy pens, ponies for the kids to ride. Lots to do for kids, in fact, from playing old-style high-energy games in the Keiki Zone to visiting the Victory Farm, where I imagine some

Lunch might come from one of the booths run by nonprofits serving dishes made with local ingredients, or from one of the food trucks that will be a new feature this year. Or perhaps I’ll check out the highlight of the festival, Taste Education. Ticket holders enjoy tastings of foods made from local farm products in two sessions: 11am–1pm and 1:30–3:30pm.

This year, while including the full range of Maui produce in its dishes, Taste Education will emphasize the down-home cole crops

that fill so many Upcountry fields. Across the way, the Wellness Area

provide an ever-expanding portion of my diet. But it makes me feel

will feature chef demonstrations and presentations on the health

good to grow at least a little bit of my own food.

benefits of cole crops, which include Kula’s old standby, cabbage.

One year, toward the end of the day, the Victory Farm started selling

“These are everyday crops that Maui grows well,” says Charlene

the plants laid out on one edge of the field to artfully display the va-

Kauhane, who helps plan the festival every year. “It’s these staple

riety of foods that grow on Maui. I brought home enough for half a

crops such broccoli, cabbage and kale that we want to showcase be-

garden plot, including chard plants whose emerald leaves with their

cause of their tremendous value, versatility and nourishing qualities.

red and yellow ribs fed me for months. And an anonymous little

We will honor the farmers who grow these by showcasing and edu-

bluish-green plant identifiable only as a member of the above-men-

cating everyone about each crop—how it grows and how to prepare

tioned cole family turned into a cauliflower, the first I ever had

it three ways: fresh or raw, prepared and as a value-added crop. The

grown.

goal here is to provide home cooks with recipes and techniques they can use.”

Even if no one happens to be selling plants this year, I’ll buff up my gardening skills with a visit to the farming expert tables. I’ll bet one

If I’m lucky, I’ll find some of those very plants to bring home.

of the “Farm Doctors” from the University of Hawaii Cooperative

Spending the day at the Ag Fest inspires me to get out into my own

Extension Service will be able to tell what’s bugging my citrus trees

garden. I know I’ll always rely on Maui’s farmers and ranchers to

if I remember to bring an afflicted leaf or two in a plastic bag. And

WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

11

In between tasting localicious foods, please take some time to talk story with a farmer or rancher; they understand agriculture better than anyone.

Besides enjoying the actual day of the Ag Fest, local foodies will be able to sample some of Maui’s favorite restaurants with a little help from “Localicious, Dine Out Maui,” a dining promotion that will run pre- and post-Ag Fest. Keep an eye on newspapers for the Localicious coupons to enjoy fine dining at a discount.

Behind all this delicious fun is some serious business: agriculture. It’s not an easy business, between the weather, pests and diseases, not to mention land-use issues and the dozens of other challenges farmers and ranchers face everyday. The folks who work so hard to put on the Ag Fest do it in the hope that those who attend will appreciate

they’ll have displays on gardening tips or the latest invasive species

even more the locally produced foods featured here.

we need to nip in the bud.

“I challenge you to learn at least one new thing about agriculture at As the day winds down, I’ll join friends at a picnic table for a cup of

the Ag Fest,” says Farm Bureau Executive Director Warren K.

Maui-grown coffee and listen to mistress of ceremonies Alakai

Watanabe, “something that you did not know before, inspiring you

Paleka crack jokes and introduce musicians in her inimitable way.

to further support our commercial producers. In between tasting lo-

And when I finally go home, my shopping bag will be full of treats

calicious foods, please take some time to talk story with a farmer or

and my head full of indelible images of a festival dedicated to cele-

rancher; they understand agriculture better than anyone.”

brating the islands’ fertility and their people’s creativity.

Meeting the folks who make food grow on Maui is one of the best As you might imagine, putting together such a multifaceted event

parts of the Ag Fest. And maybe the most valuable thing I take

takes a lot of hands. The Maui County Farm Bureau presents the Ag

home from the festival each year is a blooming sense of optimism

Fest in partnership with the county’s Office of Economic Devel-

brought about by meeting people from across Maui County who are

opment. Sponsors are Alexander & Baldwin Foundation and Maui

nurturing so well the gifts of the land.

Tropical Plantation, and partners are Slow Food Maui, Maui Thing, Maui Cattle Company, Kaiser Permanente and the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.

12

WINTER 2011

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

13

14

WINTER 2011

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

notable

edibles

Maui

Hawai`i Island

Penguini has become my favorite spot for sweet treats: homemade gelato, sorbets, chocolate truffles, excellent coffee and delicious cupcakes. My friends laugh that I think nothing of driving 20 minutes to eat one of their dark chocolate chili cupcakes. Be sure to check out their new sandwiches and wraps. Penguini is just off Hana Highway on the side of the Paia Inn and it’s an adventure to find them. I promise: Once you do, you’ll never forget.

Call 808-214-4608 or, better yet, go visit Melissa at 93 Hana Highway.

The Ultimate Burger in Kailua-Kona celebrated their one-year anniversary this December. Happy birthday! The folks here are also celebrating the farmer and rancher while bringing us the best in an American classic. Locally owned and operated, serving organic Big Island beef and also a great selection of beer. The word out among locals is the French fries are the best in the Islands. Open daily 10:30am until 9pm. Call 808-329-2326 or visit www.ultimateburger.net

Kaua`i Jean Marie Josselin is back on Kaua`i, and all my foodie friends are buzzing. His new restaurant, Josselin’s Tapas Bar & Grill, is located in Poipu, at the Kikui`ula shopping center. How a chef can inspire a locally caught fish to taste so good is just the beginning of his talents. The menu is globally inspired dishes served tapas style. Lychee and tropical fruit sangria are unique and delicious. A must-have is the Ahi Three Ways Tower. Dinner nightly from 5pm. 808-742-7117 or http://www.josselins.com

Another restaurant that just opened is Red Water Café in Waimea, formerly Fujimama’s. The Red Water Café and its parent, Hawai`i Gourmet Society, are dedicated to the enjoyment of fine food and catering. They offer the best in fresh locally sourced fine food. Call 808-885-9299 or visit www.redwater-cafe.com

O`ahu CHOCOLATE, need I say more? Mark your calendars and get ready, O`ahu, for the first annual Chocolate Festival on Saturday, Feb. 26, at the Dole Cannery Shops. There will be chocolatecooking demonstrations, tours of the farm on the North Shore and, yes, chocolate tasting, plus cooking classes and wine parings with chocolate.

The event organizers are bringing in chocolate artisans from all over the state.

Give my friend Amy a call at 808-234-0404 or visit www.hawaiichocolatefestival.com

WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

15

HAWAI`I’S EDIBLE FERNS

BY JON LETMAN

16

WINTER 2011

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

Photo By Jon Letman

Fiddle with Your food

Among edible greens in Hawai`i—kalo, mizuna, horenso (spinach) and row crops like kale, cabbage and lettuce—there is another, less well known plant at home in Hawai`i’s wet forests.

This plant, a fern, goes by many names: hō`i`o, paco, pohole, warabi or simply fiddlehead fern. According to Hawaiian tradition, hō`i`o were enjoyed with `ōpae (freshwater shrimp) and are still eaten as a pūpū or prepared in salads and stir-fry dishes.

Defining just what exactly this fern is (or more accurately, these ferns are) takes some digging. The above locally used names refer to two different Diplazium ferns growing in Hawai`i. Diplazium sandwichianum is the native Hawaiian edible fern called hō`i`o or, on Maui, pohole.

Diplazium esculentum is a nonnative modern-introduced fern different from hō`i`o that has become naturalized all over Hawaiian forests and along streams from Hanalei to Hana to Hilo. This fern is eaten widely across Asia and known as paco (also spelled pako). In Hawai`i it’s also frequently called warabi.

In fact, according to Professor Tetsuo Koyama, director general of Kochi Prefectural Makino Botanical Garden in Shikoku, Japan, the true Japanese warabi is a bracken fern called Pteridium aquilinum and very different from what is known as warabi in Hawai`i. The Japanese warabi fern itself is eaten (though alleged to be carcinogenic) and its starch used for making a confection called warabi mochi. It was also used to produce glue for use in Japanese paper umbrellas and lanterns.

On Kaua`i, part-time farmer Gary Ueunten leases 12 acres of former pineapple and sugarcane land where he grows citrus trees, vegetables and novelty crops like dragon fruit and edible ferns, which he and his wife, Glenna, sell at farmers’ markets and to restaurants specializing in local foods.

In an obscure wooded gulch folded into a hilly spot where his grandfather once farmed watercress, vegetables and bananas, Ueunten has been growing D. esculentum “warabi” in a dense patch near a spring that keeps the ground moist enough to sustain the ferns.

But 150 years of intensive sugarcane cultivation drew water away from the land to irrigation ditches and reservoirs and today the ferns, which can grow 10 feet or higher, rely heavily on rainfall which, for most of 2010, has remained in terribly short supply. During such extended dry periods the plant is much less prolific and can die back, but when the rain does fall the ferns come roaring back as long, slender green fronds rising to delicately curled fiddleheads.

Walking through his thirsty fern patch on a sultry, rainless autumn afternoon, Ueunten finds a young shoot, then indicates where to break the frond, prompting his visitor to snap off a length of fern.

Ueunten describes the ferns as having the crisp quality of asparagus combined with the slippery stickiness of okra. “Warabi” is covered in a coating of fine red hairs, which should be gently rinsed off, then the fronds can be chopped to a preferred length (¼ to one inch). Lightly boiling or blanching the fern will soften the fronds without overcooking it. At this point it can be mixed with tomatoes and onions seasoned with lemon juice and salt, prepared with vinegar like namasu or, as Ueunten likes, cooked with smoked meat and onions.

On Maui Eileen Comeaux and her husband, René, owners of Hana Herbs & Flowers on Maui, gather pohole ferns both in the wild and on their own property for sale to restaurants, hotels and grocery stores. Eileen reckons Maui’s pohole is the best and is very enthusiastic about introducing people to this under-recognized Hawaiian forest food.

Others, however, are more cautious.

Dr. Ruth Aguraiuja, a senior researcher at the Tallinn Botanic Garden in Estonia, has been traveling to Hawai`i for a dozen years to conduct conservation work with rare and endangered Hawaiian ferns. To Aguraiuja, Hawaiian ferns aren’t simply another defenseless forest plant or pretty groundcover for tropical landscaping, they’re an integral part of Hawai`i’s native forests which, owing to their sensitivity, are good indicators of a forest’s health.

“I don’t really have an extreme anti-fern-eating attitude,” she says, adding that she might eat nonthreatened fern species if nothing else was available. “It’s more personal, perhaps. The first thing I see [in a forest] is the beauty and grace of young fronds unfurling. My hands just don’t want to break them.”

She suggests standing neck deep in a patch of ferns and “listen what they tell you about the water… I’m sure you can feel the flow.”

Aguraiuja is not alone. Other botanists caution would-be fern collectors to be mindful of where they tramp and what they pick, urging people not to over-harvest, to be careful not to damage surrounding plants that could potentially be rare and to avoid inadvertently facilitating the spread of weeds and invasive plants.

One species of Diplazium, Moloka`i’s D. molokaiense, is endangered and not an edible fern. Still other ferns such as hapu`u, the native tree fern, have a fiddlehead that may be eaten but the practicality and palatability are questionable at best.

To truly enjoy a tasty Hawaiian fern without fear of adversely impacting Hawai`i’s unique and vulnerable flora or picking something that just wasn’t meant for the human tongue, look for fiddlehead ferns in your favorite farmer’s market or in restaurants and shops that specialize in locally grown foods.

WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

17

In Hilo, where almost no potluck or `ohana meal is served without “warabi,” botany graduate student Ryan Okano grew up eating the fern. It was his job to pick and prepare the plant, a skill he learned from his father, uncle and aunty.

“The best time to harvest paco is early morning or in the rain, when they are most tender,” Okana says. “I only take the shoots in order to sustain the patch for later harvest.” He suggests wrapping fiddleheads in damp newspaper then in a plastic bag, which keeps the fern for a week or longer if refrigerated.

Okano says he enjoys paco most with fried fish or as a pūpū with beer. He also recommends ferns doused with patis (fish sauce), mixed with vinegar and tomatoes or with dried cuttlefish, wakame (Undaria seaweed) or even mixed into sushi rice.

On the other side of Mauna Kea in Waikoloa, chef Ōlelo pa`a Faith Ogawa loves hō`i`o (she uses the Hawaiian name) as a beautiful ingredient for use in relishes, salads and stir-fry.

“When I think about hō`i`o ferns, I think of the Waipi`o Valley where it grows by the streams,” Ogawa says. Images of the fern-filled valley and the sound of Gabby Painui singing Hi`ilawi (a waterfall in Waipi`o Valley) inspired her to create what she calls anuenue (“rainbow”) salad (see recipe below) which includes hō`i`o fiddleheads.

As a child growing up on O`ahu, Ogawa used to hike to secret places in the mountains with her mother, who took her to harvest the fern. Ogawa recalls, “We learned to pick what we needed and no more. If we had extra, we would share with our neighbors, friends and `ohana.

“Today when I go to harvest things in the forest, I always ask permission. Then I give thanks.”

18

WINTER 2011

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

Anuenue ho`i`o ogo salad with chili ginger sauce Serves 6–8 1 bunch of fresh ho`i`o (warabi) ferns, blanched and cooled ½ sweet Maui onion, medium diced 1 Japanese cucumber, diced ½ red bell pepper, diced ½ yellow bell pepper, diced ¼ cup pickled ginger 1 medium tomato, diced ½ cup ogo seaweed, chopped ½ block tofu, diced Radish sprouts and black sesame seeds (for garnish)

Mix ho`i`o ferns, onions, cucumbers, peppers, tomato and ogo in a bowl. Place on a platter and garnish with diced tofu, pickled ginger, sprouts and sesame seeds. Chill until served with soy chili ginger sauce.

Soy chili ginger sauce ⅔ cup soy sauce ⅓ cup mirin ⅓ cup lemon juice 1 tablespoon sugar 2 tablespoons minced ginger Fresh Hawaiian chili pepper to taste

Mix together and chill until served over salad.

Recipe courtesy of Olelo pa`a Faith Ogawa/ www.glowhawaii.com

WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

19

Japanese Eggplant

“We grow thousands of eggplants, so it would be a bit time-consuming to label each one,” explains Fukuyama. “But I think they know it’s ours when they taste it.”

On this day, Jacobs and a friend have stopped by Kahuku Farms’ recently opened Country Store with a single purpose: “I want to get the freshest Japanese eggplant I can find,” Jacobs says. “I’m addicted.”

So come on, Clyde, ‘fess up and tell us: What’s the secret ingredient for Kahuku Farms’ Japanese eggplant sweetness?

THE PRIZE OF KAHUKU FARMS

BY TIM RYAN

“None; no secret ingredient or special formula except we know our land and we know how to grow on it,” says Fukuyama, whose partner is fourth-generation farmer Melvin Matsuda. The pair manages two farms totaling about 300 acres in Kahuku and Haleiwa.

Consistency in growing and timing of the harvesting the eggplant and harvesting may be the key to its desirability, Fukuyama says.

“The key for us has been to keep it consistent year round,” he says.

“We’re in a prefect situation out here with ample rain, good soil, lots of sunlight and warmth.

“We know what’s the best combination for the best eggplant to grow, so we can pretty accurately estimate just how many pounds we’ll harvest every day and every week.”

Presenting the Japanese eggplant—that phallic-shaped, spongy, deep purple, straight or gently curved fruit that grows on a bush nurtured in part by the plant’s large, bright green sheltering leaves.

The other valued characteristic of Kahuku Farms’ Japanese eggplant is its welcoming tenderness.

Though a staple of cuisines from the Mediterranean to the Middle East and Asia, eggplant now is getting widespread attention for its nutritional benefits, especially its use as a low-calorie substitute for meat.

“We make sure we pick it at the right stage and that’s when it should be eaten,” Fukuyama says. “Some farms might let it ripen a bit longer, but for us it’s all about the timing, the perfect moment. Our eggplants are never tough.”

One Oahu family farm—Kahuku Farms—has developed an underground reputation for the “sweetness” of its long Japanese eggplant.

And though Clyde Fukuyama, one of the two partners who manages Kahuku Farms, has heard about the farm’s “oh so ono sweet” Japanese eggplant, he admits he has nothing to compare it to.

The farmer also says the best eggplants have a glossy shine. A dull or brown color means that the fruit is overly mature and will be tough and bitter.

Waikiki resident Adelle Jacobs says she “always” looks for Kahuku Farms’ Japanese eggplant “in town,” where it is sold at Foodland, Safeway, Costco and dozens of O`ahu restaurants.

“But it’s hard to find because their eggplant isn’t labeled with a Kahuku Farms tag,” Jacobs says.

20

WINTER 2011

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

Even under ideal conditions, the fruit will keep only about seven to 10 days.

Kahuku Farms has 70 to 90 acres devoted to Japanese eggplant. The ideal growing time is spring to fall, when the days and sunlight are longer and temperatures warmer, something the produce craves.

Eggplant in Hawaii is grown year round.

“We are really at the top of our crop as far as making sure of its care, controlling our pests, understanding our soil so we can have a consistent product and the best yield that are eight inches to 14 inches long,” he says.

Photo By Stieglitz/istockphoto.com

“Yeah, people say they really like our eggplant because it’s sweet,” the third-generation farmer says. “But I don’t really know since I haven’t tasted any other eggplant. I only eat what we grow because it’s all right here.”

“Eggplant is best if it’s eaten soon after harvest or purchase,” Fukuyama advises.

Japanese eggplant from seeding to harvest takes about 70 to 80 days, Fukuyama says.

factures bath and body and culinary products including lilikoi jelly, mango tea and mango papaya soap.

“We’ve been farming here for so long that Mel and I really know our soil and how our crop responds to nutrients,” he says.

“This is no 8am to 5pm job for any of us,” says Kylie. “We sleep and dream farm every day.”

The duo conduct regular soil tests but, Fukuyama boasts, “We can tell how the plant is doing by just looking at it.”

Kylie and her “Uncle” Clyde say they’re “passionate” about what they do.

Running Kahuku Farms is a family affair between Clyde, Melvin and his wife, and their daughters Kalyn and Kylie, who runs the development of a new ag tourism business that now includes the roadside Kahuku Farms Country Store. Farm tours are expected to begin in 2011.

“It’s nice knowing we’re providing healthy, good-quality produce to people,” she says. “For most people all they see is the food in the store then they eat it. So many kids think bananas come from Costco.

(The first generation was Shinichi and Torie Matsuda, who grew bell peppers, watermelon and other crops in the 1940s. They were joined in 1960 by son Melvin; Masatsugu and Nora Fukuyama started farming watermelon, eggplant, cucumber and other crops and were joined by their son Clyde in the 1960s.)

Melvin in 1986 merged his family’s farm with Clyde’s Haleiwa property—Matsuda Fukuyama Farms—which grows apple bananas, papayas, eggplant and taro leaves commercially under the Kahuku Brand. The farms are just beginning to produce vanilla.

“Those times have changed. People want to be more informed about what they’re eating and how it’s grown. And we’re finding more and more that people want to make a connection with the land and the growers.”

Meanwhile, somewhere out in the field Clyde Fukuyama says he’s considering having eggplants for dinner “Japanese style.”

“Fried in oil then adding some soy sauce,” he says. “So tender and Kahuku Farms sweet.”

Check out Kahuku Farms at www.kahukufarms.com or call 808-372-7522.

Daughter Kylie expected to start working on the family farm after graduating in 2001 from the University of Hawaii with a degree in travel industry management. But mom and dad weren’t on board with her decision.

“My parents wanted me to go out to work at other companies to get experience in the business world before coming back,” says Kylie.

“They wanted me to go on to do my own thing.”

So she spent time working at Nalo Farms in Waimanalo, a nursery and in O`ahu’s visitor industry, where she learned how to spot trends in the tourism market.

Like agricultural tourism.

Mom and dad still wanted to know what Kylie could add to the farm business.

“We spent a lot of time discussing what my responsibilities at the farm would be ‘if’ I cam back,” Kylie says. “Ag tourism gave me a defined purpose for coming back and contributing, but it was all really my dad’s idea; he wanted the farm to diversify to produce more income.”

The 250-square-foot Kahuku Farms Country Store—five years in the planning—sits along Kamehameha Highway across from the shrimp ponds. There’s a deck for visitors to relax and enjoy various menu items from the farm: bananas, papaya, eggplant, salads, fruit smoothies, sorbets, ice cream and panini. Kahuku Farms also manuWWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

21

Breakfast Local and International on O`ahu

BY MARTHA CHENG

22

WINTER 2011

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

They say the hardest meal for travelers to adjust to is breakfast. Perhaps that’s why even at the most inventive restaurants, the traditional breakfasts of various cultures are left largely untouched. Here, we rounded up some of Honolulu’s ethnic breakfasts, authentic culinary anchors (in most cases) in Hawai`i’s multicultured cuisine.

SERG’S MEXICAN KITCHEN (MEXICAN) Mexican cuisine is experiencing a revival in Honolulu. The past few years has seen an influx of taco trucks, taquerias and eateries, perhaps in reaction to the common lament that there’s no good Mexican food in town.

One of the recents is Serg’s Mexican Kitchen, occupying a former gas station, which offers boldly flavored refueling options for weekend breakfast: classic huevos rancheros—corn tortillas, black beans and eggs topped with a bright homemade salsa and queso fresco; migas, crispy tortillas strips scrambled with eggs, blanketed with salsa verde and lightened with the fresh bite of cilantro and onions. Menudo, traditional tripe soup, is touted as a hangover cure, but if the morning after carousing dampens the taste for adventure, there’s a more familiar, soothing plate of pancakes, drizzled with cajeta (caramel sauce) and lechera (condensed milk).

2740 E. Manoa Rd.; 988-8118

MORIMOTO (JAPANESE) “Traditional” is hardly a descriptor for Morimoto’s menu, which includes pupus like poke paired with avocado wasabi sorbet and yellowtail “pastrami” accompanied by gin crème fraiche. It’s surprising, then, that one of the best traditional Japanese breakfasts in town comes from Morimoto. It’s an assortment of little plates and bowls: grilled miso cod; three varieties of tsukemono, or pickled vegetables; onsen tamago, a slow-cooked egg rendered into a creamy custard, bathed in shoyu and dashi; two daily side dishes, which might include lightly dressed raw ahi; nori; miso soup with fresh tofu; and a carafe of thick dashi to flavor either rice or congee, a rice porridge. Each component is impeccably prepared, down to the rice, which is polished in-house to ensure the freshest bowl of grain.

Edition Hotel: 1775 Ala Moana Blvd.; 943-5900

CREAM POT (JAPANESE/WESTERN) No one ever talks about Cream Pot without mentioning the décor; dining at Cream Pot is experiencing a life-sized dollhouse. It’s bright, airy and frilly with wrought iron chairs, eclectic tchotchkes scattered throughout, dainty sugar bowls and, yes, cream pots that arrive with your tea or coffee. Here, Western-style breakfast foods are reinterpreted by a Japanese palate. Perhaps the most successful fusion is the Maguro Eggs Benedict—crispy rice topped with avocado, shiso, a poached egg and a slice of raw ahi, with a light miso shoyu sauce in lieu of Hollandaise. More straightforward, but equally captivating, are the lacy-edged crepes filled with bananas and salted caramel or strawberries and chocolate.

444 Niu St.; 429-0945

WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

23

KC KITCHEN (CHINESE) There are plenty of dim sum restaurants around Honolulu, but few options for a non–dim sum breakfast. KC Kitchen fills this gap. This dingy little place falls off the radar for most gastronomes, and yet it satisfies perhaps the strongest and most irrational taste: nostalgia, at least for those who grew up on doujiang, or hot, savory bowls of soy milk; fan tuan, a sticky rice roll filled with shredded, dried pork, pickled vegetables and youtiao, the long, Chinese donut sticks; shao bing, a crisp and chewy flatbread sprinkled with sesame seeds and stuffed with beef or egg. Most of the time, I can cook my way out of nostalgia, but these outwardly simple breakfast foods are surprisingly difficult to recreate. What could be hard with youtiao, which is just fried dough? It turns out a lot can get in the way of creating these light, airy and crisp fritters—perfection here is almost as elusive as an impeccable baguette. But KC Kitchen does well enough, and offers all of the above for just a few dollars.

100 N. Beretania St. # 173; 538-1151

KAI MARKET (LOCAL, AMERICAN, JAPANESE, CHINESE) In the Sheraton Waikiki’s push for farm-to-table, Kai Market emerged as a bountiful spread celebrating Hawaii’s local agriculture as well as its culinary influences. The breakfast buffet does its part with local breakfast favorites like Portuguese sausage fried rice and Punalu`u sweet bread, and made-to-order pancakes and omelets, featuring local produce. The Japanese offerings include miso soup and natto, while the influx of Chinese tourists has prompted hot soy milk, rice porridge and a well-meaning attempt at youtiao. The diversity is at first bewildering and yet heady, as a trip around the world should be.

Sheraton Waikiki: 2255 Kalakaua Ave.; 931-4600

24

WINTER 2011

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

TANGO CONTEMPORARY CAFÉ (SCANDINAVIAN AND AMERICAN) Tango Contemporary Café is somewhere between a European and American bistro, with a few Asian touches as well as Scandinavian, reflecting Finnish chef Göran Streng’s upbringing and years as an executive chef in Honolulu’s kitchens. On the breakfast menu, there are classic American plates like eggs benedict and corned beef hash while some Swedish breakfast options give mornings a touch of international flair, though the flavors are still comfortable and familiar. There’s the Pytt I Panna, a hash of potato, ham and sausage topped with eggs sunny side up, and the Plättar, Swedish pancakes—somewhere between a crepe and pancake, silver-dollar sized—that are adorned with fresh fruits, jam and whipped cream.

1288 Ala Moana Blvd. Suite 120; 593-7288

SORABOL AND IREH (KOREAN) For some breakfast is the first meal of the day and for others, the last. Early mornings will see Korean cab drivers at Sorabol, open 24 hours, over steaming bowls of haejang gook, sometimes also known as hangover soup. It’s a spicy soup, made rich with beef bones and soybean paste, utterly soothing and fortifying for a day beginning or concluding.

Whereas Sorabol at times feels cavernous and dark, a place better suited to end a night, Ireh, small and bright, is the better spot to start a morning. Here, restorative, flavorful jook, or rice soup, comes punctuated with various seafood, from abalone to shrimp.

Sorabol: 805 Keeaumoku St.; 947-3113 Ireh: 911 Keeaumoku St.; 943-6000

WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

25

liquid assets

Local wine as sweet [or sweeter than] honey

BY BREE KESSLER

NANI MOON MEAD Most people don’t think of mead when considering what liquid will bring out the flavors of Hawaiian foods, but Stephanie Krieger is trying to change that.

Krieger, owner of Nani Moon Mead in Kapa`a, Kaua`i, explains that her meads are “created to be complementary with our Hawaiian climate and cuisine and what that means is they are formulated to be dry and to be food friendly.”

26

WINTER 2011

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

Honey wine, also known as mead or by various other names depending on the culture or language, is one of oldest types of libations. Before the advent of sugar, honey was the only sweetener available and was fermented in combination with components like fruit and herbs. The result was a sweet alcoholic beverage.

Usually, honey wine is about 6% sugar, compared to other sweet or dessert wines like ice wine, which is usually 16% to 20% sugar. This doesn’t necessary make it a “healthier wine,” but maybe a better choice for someone who watches sugar intake.

PLANNING A VISIT The tasting room, designed to perfection, is open Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5pm. You can watch the fermentation process from the tasting room, so call ahead (808.823.0486) to see if something is brewing.

The simplest honey wine recipes are merely three ingredients: honey, water and yeast, left to ferment for weeks or even months. But there are infinite possibilities to alter the taste and alcohol content of your wine, depending on the type of honey used and by adding elements like oranges or raisins or even changing the type of yeast.

By the time Krieger started her business, she had already tested over 100 batches of mead. She explains, “I would start off with an idea and work with it and keep making new [meads] until got all the flavor elements complementary and all the acids balanced. It was eight years of research and development to come up with the varieties I have today.”

Krieger’s scientific experimentation produced Nani Moon’s distinctive blends, first sold commercially in July 2009. She is careful not to divulge her exact formulas, produced with equipment geared to a small winery. She would solely disclose that the honey remains unheated to keep its integrity intact, there are no sulfites added and she uses black tea as a tannic acid agent (the caffeine leaves during the fermentation process) to balance flavors.

The secret step-by-step process, which likely only varies from other meads in the timing and amount of filtration stages, results in fully

dry wines with no residual sugar. “What they are actually tasting are the flavors of the fruit,” Krieger affirms.

Winter Sun ($20), the current bestseller in the tasting room, is a mixture of wildflower honey, starfruit and lilikoi. From the initial uncorking, its sweet aroma is almost misleading: This mead is surprisingly like a white wine, whereas usually meads are expected to retain the honey’s sweetness. Since it is low in acidity, Krieger recommends drinking Winter Sun along with comfort foods like teriyaki or pork and steak. “These are daytime, food-friendly wines,” Krieger says.

The Pineapple Guava Sunset ($20), her favorite, is dry and semi-tart from the fruit flavors. This wine is perfectly paired with light appetizers like fruit and cheese as well as fish and chicken. Cacao Moon ($22), the newest addition to the collection in December 2010, is its sweetest wine (and it’s not really even that sweet) with a rich decadent flavor.

Krieger emphasizes that every bottle is wholly made from locally sourced Hawaiian ingredients. The ingredients ranging from ohia`ai (mountain apple) in Laka’s Nectar ($22) to the organic cacao and vanilla in Cacao Moon are all sourced from local farmers. Depending on the wine, the honey is either Kaua`i’ wildflower honey or Big Island Bees macadamia nut honey.

Krieger, who self-distributes her products and is essentially running a one-woman show, maintains, “There is an economic value to creating a product that can be enjoyed just like any other grape wine, but using our local resources.” She emphasizes that she is “really teaching people that meaderies are wineries that specialize in honey wine.” But arguably, she is highlighting not only the flavor possibilities available from our local landscape, but also new ways to enjoy Hawaiian cuisine.

WHITE HAWAIIAN This is a delicious white sangria—a major crowd pleaser! Four servings per bottle.

•

Start with a bottle of Pineapple Guava Sunset Mead and a fresh Hawaiian pineapple, cut into bite-size chunks.

•

Soak the cut pineapple in the mead in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

•

Serve chilled, sangria style.

WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

27

Photo by Mike Coots

All vineyard owners worry about the numerous things that could go wrong when trying to cultivate the perfect grape. But few growers need to be concerned about the vog (volcanic smog) level or how to get roots to take hold in volcanic rock. Then again, the Volcano Winery, bordered by Mauna Loa and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, is not your traditional winery. The same elements that have made it especially difficult for the Volcano Winery to produce wine from its own grapes are what has allowed it to create honey wines made from local crops.

Walking around the massive lava tubes on the winery’s land, which is owned by Bishop Estates and Kamehameha Schools but leased to the winery long-term, it’s a wonder that anything would grow here at all. Yet in 2005, at the winery’s peak of capacity, they were cultivating 14 of their 64 acres with mainly Symphony grapes and had plans to expand their production facility. Then about four years ago the grapes nearly stopped growing. Whole grapes were shipped in from Brehm Vineyard in California and blended together with whatever grapes were available from the winery’s land, or juices such as like guava or jaboticaba from local farmers in East Hawaii.

Even with over 70,000 visitors a year and distribution all over the Islands and to Alaska, the Volcano Winery still feels like a mom-andpop store—and some of that essence truly does get added into the wine’s flavor. The winery cannot promise that a bottle bought at one store will taste exactly the same as one purchased at another place even on the same island. The flavors fluctuate because of the local juices that have various levels of ripeness depending on the batch.

Or perhaps each bottle tastes different because each bottle is essentially individually crafted from the production line of two or three 28

WINTER 2011

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

employees carefully using ancient-looking equipment to fill and cork each bottle.

Even with a small staff, the winery management saw an opportunity to expand and applied for a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant in collaboration with Hawaii Agriculture Projects. They received the funds for an agriculture and reforestation project and began initiating a mix agriculture-cultivation model that included restoring native plants to the area and planting several varieties of tea, which are grown with a minimal footprint meaning that while they are not organic, the plants are left to grow wild with little intervention like mowing.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED MACADAMIA NUT WINE RECIPE Josh Valdez calls this a dessert that chefs, who visit the winery, always want to put on their menus.

•

Take a wine glass and chill it.

•

Melt dark chocolate and then rim the chilled glass with the melted dark chocolate

•

Put the glass back in the fridge to allow the chocolate to harden.

•

After hardened, fill the glass with any fruit (raspberries and blueberries are suggested) and pour cold macadamia nut wine on top.

Before the grape blight, the winery had already sought alternatives to wine production solely with grapes. They had conceived of an award-winning macadamia nut honey wine ($20) made from 100% macadamia nut honey from Captain Cook Honey south of Kona1.

This honey comes from bees pollinating the blossom of the macadamia nut tree flowers and many claim that even though there are no actual nuts in the wine, one can really taste the nuttiness in the wine’s finish. The wine itself is sweet, but not syrupy, and so clear (from the filtering process) that it almost looks like water. Although it’s mostly served as a light dessert wine—in a glass or poured over ice cream or strawberry shortcake—one could also drink it as a companion to sushi since the sweet and salt combination together mixes well on the palate.

With the success of the macadamia nut wine and the tea plants blooming nicely in the vineyards, in late 2009 the winery created an equally successful tea-infused honey wine2 ($36)—the only one of its kind on the commercial market. Administrative manager Josh Valdez calls this wine a “trade secret” and would only share that it the fermented macadamia nut honey blended with black tea of several varieties at some point during the filtration process. For now, the tea comes from Tea Hawaii & Company growers in Volcano Village, but soon enough the winery plans to use their own tea.

Looking at a bottle of this wine, you can still see the tea sediments in it. The tea-infused wine doesn’t complete the same full filtration process as the other honey wine, giving it a more full-bodied taste with the still visible pieces of tea leaf. “It’s a Sunday brunch wine more than a dessert wine,” Valdez says. “It’s not as sweet as a regular dessert wine; it’s like an alcoholic cup of tea.”

Valdez, who at times can be found in the backroom corking bottles himself, explains that the winery has a lot planned for the future.

Some may see the lava tube pits that are prevalent throughout property as a hazard, but Josh thinks they can be transformed into cellars for aging their Pinot Noir. The winery is already propagating tea and selling it to local farmers and will begin packaging its tea leaves to sell in the tasting room. So although Volcano Winery is different than most wineries in the sense that it’s neighbors to an active volcano and sits on a rift system, Valdez thinks they aren’t really that different at all.

“Ultimately, we are all trying to get something out of a grape,” he says. It also seems like they are really trying to make the best use out of their land.

1 This macadamia nut wine won bronze medals in 2001 at the Atlanta International Wine Summit and in 2003 at the Riverside International Wine Competition.

2

The tea-infused wine won bronze medals in the 2010 San Francisco International Wine Competition and the 2010 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition.

HOW TO GET STARTED MAKING HONEY WINE AT HOME Homemade honey wine is easy and inexpensive to make. Not only that, but for those with food allergies or who avoid sulfites and other additives, making your own wine allows you to control all the ingredients.

•

Pick your recipe and gather equipment: To get started you simply need honey, water and yeast. Then have fun and play around with varying the ingredients including the type of yeast as well as flavor additions like blossoms or fruit juices. The Volcano Winery uses Champagne yeast in its honey wines since it is a more aggressive yeast and burns the sugars quicker, leading to a faster fermentation. You will also need to get a fermentation vessel, corks, caps and a second container. All these items are available at home brewing stores. If you can’t fine one, it’s possible, with some adjustments, to use a large glass sake jug or other makeshift equipment.

•

Next steps: Besides the employees at your local home brewing store, The Alaskan Bootlegger’s Bible by Leon W. Kania is a wonderful resource for both home brewing and winemaking, offering numerous tips to help you get started. Kania suggests that after picking a recipe, begin to sterilize your equipment and do a walk-through before you get started. He also provides carefully illustrated drawings of how to set up your equipment.

•

Get started and then sit and wait: Mix all your ingredients together and then find a cold, dark place to allow your mixture to ferment. Fermentation can take from a few weeks to a few months. Many serious winemakers will let their wines sit longer to let them age since a longer fermentation means more alcohol and less sugar.

MAKE A DAY OF IT IN VOLCANO… •

The Volcano Winery offers a free tour most days at 10am, but for $25 you get a private tour of the vineyards and winemaking facility and personal wine tasting, including a logo wine glass, corkscrew and foil cutter. Call 808.967.7772 for reservations.

•

Tea Hawaii & Company owned by Eva Lee and Chiu Leong offer a one-hour tea-tasting tour for $25 that showcases their agri-forestry approach to tea cultivation. Call 808.967.7637 or email teahawaii@gmail.com for reservations.

•

Interested in both tours? Good news: They can be purchased together at a discounted price of $45.

WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

29

30

WINTER 2011

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

31

PortuguesA CAbbAge

Plant it, harvest it, make some soup.

BY WANDA A. ADAMS

“E uma casa Portuguesa com certeza . . .”

So goes the refrain of famed Portuguese singer Amalia Rodrigues’ popular song—in English, “It is a Portuguese home for certain.” She speaks of whitewashed walls, windows open to the moonlight, bluepainted tiles and—most Portuguese of all—a bowl of caldo verde (“green soup”) on the table.

region of Portugal from which it hails). Its Latin name is Brassica oleracea var. costata.

Was a time when every Portuguese garden in the Islands included a row or two of this bright green, fresh-tasting nonheading cabbage.

And every Portuguese home had a garden; the vegetables supplemented meager plantation wages, helping feed families in which 10 or 12 children were common.

This simple dish, the national soup of Mainland Portugal, is routinely described as being made with kale. But, in fact, the preferred green is couve gallego (Galician cabbage; Brassica oleracea var. acephala), often called Portuguese kale or sea kale cabbage despite the fact that it neither looks like kale nor resembles it in texture and taste.

The cabbage would be stirred into milho (a loose cornmeal porridge eaten as a side dish) and steamed long-grain rice, stir-fried with lavish amounts of garlic, steamed with onions and butter, rolled and stuffed with ground meats, whisked into scrambled eggs and layered into boiled dinners and cozido (a rich meat stew).

Madeirans and Azoreans, the Portuguese from the Atlantic Islands who emigrated to Hawai`i between 1878 and 1920, prefer a cousin of couve gallego, couve tronchuda (a corruption of Trauxuda, the

“Oh, yeah, you had to have couves,” said Eleanora Cadinha of Kane`ohe when I interviewed her some years ago. Cadinha once taught frequent Portuguese cooking demonstrations on O`ahu. “Es-

32

WINTER 2011

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

33

“We all have Portuguese cabbage in our gardens still,” said Jonetta Young Okala who, with Leah Gomes and Pauline Amarino, hosted a talk story session about Portuguese life at a festa (festival) to inaugurate a new Portuguese bread oven erected some years ago by the Kona Historical Society in Captain Cook.

Couve tronchuda has much to recommend it: its inviting bright emerald color, its tender texture, its delicate flavor, its nutritional value and the ease with which it grows. It’s never eaten raw but is best when cooked just until the leaves are limp and attain a very bright green; a few minutes. It’s generally added to soups and stews at the last minute. However, couve tronchuda doesn’t develop that off-putting smell and sliminess that conventional headed cabbage does when it’s long cooked (the color does fade to gray-green).

The website www.expatsportugal.com, for English speakers living in Portugal, says without exaggeration that “couves is probably the most important word you need to know after please and thank you.”

One evening a few years ago, my brother and I were taking a walk near his Ka`aawa home and I spied, over a fence, several thriving Portuguese cabbage plants.

Today? Few here know what Portuguese cabbage is. Fewer grow it.

And you can’t buy it anywhere, even in farmers’ markets. In its absence, cooks have turned to collards, but they’re not the same.

“Hey!” I said, interrupting my brother mid-story, “that’s Portuguese cabbage!” I hadn’t seen this vegetable since my grandparents died in the 1970s.

pecially the people from Madeira,” added her cousin Haroldine Garcia.

“Oh, yeah,” he said, “that’s Gerard Vincent’s house. I bet he’d let you have some.” And, indeed, he generously did.

GROWING PORTUGUESE CABBAGE Starting cabbage: Fast-growing and suitable for a wide range of climates and soil types, Portuguese cabbage is readily started from seeds (follow directions on the seed packet) or from a length of stalk, which is simply stuck into the soil and watered; leaves will sprout from the joints. Some very large Portuguese cabbage produce a tangle of rooty stems at the bottom the cabbage, and plants can be propagated from a length of this material, as well. Portuguese cabbage can be grown in pots or in the ground. They are attractive enough to be ornamental as well as edible. As the leaves spread out quite far, don’t plant cabbage too close together.

Light and water: Full sun to part shade. Water lightly daily.

Assure good drainage.

Harvesting: Pick off the outer leaves to generate regrowth from the center, where its leaves are paler, more mildly flavored.

Pests: Caterpillars like to chomp the leaves. Hand pick, spray with derris or use crop protection. An alternative is to use the predator Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).

34

WINTER 2011

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

Propagating Portuguese cabbage couldn’t be easier. You just, as my brother so charmingly puts it, “Cut ‘em, poke ‘em and stick ‘em.”

Portuguese cabbage grows on a single stalk thick as a large man’s thumb with the leaves sprouting directly off this stalk in a spiral fashion, oblong in shape and almost the size of the scoop of a canoe paddle.

When the stalk gets too tall and leggy (3 feet or so), strip the leaves off the top 4–5 inches, break the stalk there, poke a hole in the dirt and stick the short stalk in an inch or so. It’ll look sad for a while, then take root and begin to grow and produce leaves at about the rate that rabbits have babies. The more you pick the large leaves, the more the smaller ones sprout and grow out.

And though my first job in life was earning a nickel for every white, leaf-eating moth that clustered around my grandmother’s cabbage rows, they don’t have too many pests, mostly caterpillars.

They grow well in pots (ours is along our front walkway); the plants live and produce for a couple of years or so before dying, but if you keep propagating them, you can enjoy them for generations.

Plant one. Harvest it. Make some soup. Then you, too, will have uma casa Portuguesa.

Couves are most often used shredded or julienned. (In Portugal, they have a special tool for shredding cabbage and kale.) To julienne Portuguese cabbage: Stack washed and stemmed leaves, roll into a fat cigar and cut crosswise as thinly or thickly as desired. The stems may be finely chopped and used as well.

If you can find a source of Portuguese cabbage, or decide to plant this easy-growing green, here are some recipes to try.

The simplest way to use Portuguese cabbage is to stir-fry it with garlic, in a dish called grelos (GRAY-yohzh). Feel free to go crazy with garlic.

Grelos

A great favorite in Portuguese households is milho, a loose cornmeal porridge, akin to Italian polenta, which stiffens as it cools. This is my grandmother’s recipe.

Whenever she made it, Grandma prepared a large batch to assure leftovers because, for most Portuguese, next-morning fried corn cakes are the real reason to make milho. In the old days, a generous dollop of shortening would be added to the porridge during cooking; you may wish to use two tablespoons of butter or vegetable oil.

1–2 tablespoons olive oil 3–5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 10–15 leaves Portuguese cabbage, julienned Salt and pepper to taste

Milho 2 cups water ½ cup cornmeal (white or yellow) ½ teaspoon salt 6–8 Portuguese cabbage leaves, shredded or julienned

In a deep, wide frying pan or a wok, heat olive oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add garlic and fry briefly, just until golden; do not allow to brown. (If it browns, start over; burned garlic tastes nasty.) Add cabbage and stir-fry until limp but still bright green—this takes just a couple of minutes. Taste; add salt and pepper to taste; taste again. Serve immediately.

Variation: Slice ½ medium onion and break into crescents. Stir-fry in hot oil until limp and translucent. Proceed to add garlic and cabbage.

Boil water; remove ½ cup hot water to a heatproof bowl; reduce heat to medium high. Slowly whisk cornmeal into hot water in the bowl, stirring well to assure there are not lumps. Stir or whisk this cornmeal mixture into hot water in pot (be careful, it might bubble and spit); add salt and cook 10 minutes. Stir in julienned cabbage.

Serve hot with an entrée such as roast pork or codfish stew.

Leftovers: Pack leftovers into a loaf pan or roll into a thick sausage wrapped in plastic wrap. Refrigerate. The next morning, fry in half butter, half olive oil until golden; turn and fry reverse side. Serve hot with Portuguese sausage or bacon.

Variation: Substitute chopped watercress (leaves and stems) for half the cabbage leaves.

WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

35

Portuguese omelets, like many Portuguese foods, are characterized by the presence of tomatoes, but also cabbage.

Portuguese-style cabbage omelet 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Caldo verde is the national soup of mainland Portugal, made with kale or Portuguese cabbage and potatoes.

Why it’s so little known here in Hawai`i is a mystery.

This recipe was contributed by Silvai da Silva to the fall 2003 edition of the newsletter of the Portuguese Genealogical Society here. Use kale if you can’t get Portuguese cabbage.

6 large ripe tomatoes, cut into ½-inch pieces (no need to skin or seed) 2 teaspoons sugar

Caldo Verde

½ teaspoon salt

6 cups water

6–8 leaves Portuguese cabbage, julienned or chopped into small squares

2 tablespoons olive oil

7 medium-sized eggs

3 medium potatoes, peeled and halved

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until golden, not browned. Add tomatoes, sugar and salt and cook until tomatoes soften and liquid has cooked partly down. Add cabbage and cook until liquid has entirely evaporated, stirring occasionally. In a medium bowl, beat eggs well and stir into hot tomato mixture. Cook over medium-low heat, cooking slowly until eggs are partially firm, stirring frequently. Serve over thickly sliced toasted, buttered Portuguese white bread or toasted campagne (country style) French bread or a good-quality multi-grain bread.

Variations: Brown ½–1 cup finely chopped linguica sausage along with the garlic. Add 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint or flat-leaf parsley along with the Portuguese cabbage. Add 2 small, hot red chili peppers (such as nioi, Hawaiian peppers), minced, if you can take the heat.

3 cups shredded or julienned Portuguese cabbage or kale 1 tablespoon of salt

Place cold water, olive oil, salt and potatoes in a large soup pot, bring to a boil and simmer gently until potatoes are tender. Remove potatoes, mash and return to the liquid. Stir and bring to a boil. Add the Portuguese cabbage and cook, simmering, uncovered, until cabbage is cooked but still bright green—10 minutes. If using kale, you’ll need to cook it longer— about 15 minutes—so that it’s tender. Serve in a small bowl with a thin slice of chourico or linguica on top and corn bread on the side.

You can find Portuguese cabbage on O`ahu at the Pearl City Urban Garden Center or you can order seeds online. Here are a couple of sources; just put “Portuguese cabbage” into any search engine:

36

WINTER 2011

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

•

Kilohana Farm in Pahoa: kilohanafarmseed.com

•

Redwood Seed Co. in Redwood City, California; www.ecoseeds.com

WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

37

Cooking Fresh “Local Green Cuisine”

BY SUSAN “CHEF TETON” CAMPBELL

“Local Green Cuisine” became the theme of my culinary adventure when I was asked to prepare the menu for the Maui Agricultural Design Conference this past September. At Hale Akua Garden Farm, I received bushels of locally grown organic fruits, lemons, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, avocados, coconuts, honey, potatoes, taro, eggs, venison, local beef, goat cheese and a squash so big it scared me!

On my first day, my little car weighted down, I was completely uplifted by the aromatic scent of 70 fresh pineapples from a local farmer. Later, when I cut a few of them for guests, their faces beamed and “mmm’s” were heard, as they bit into the fruit, just picked that morning. The tone was set, because all the food was that fresh. This is what fresh and local will do for you: It will awaken your senses to the bounty of luscious foods that these islands give us.

What a difference “fresh” makes!

While sourcing coffee, chocolate, potatoes and macadamia nuts from the other islands, I watched my menu take shape. The theme of the conference was, “healthy, abundant and local,” so I was asked to make our breakfasts hearty and bountiful, steering away from the traditional cereal, yogurt and bagels. As a raw “living food” expert, with an added focus on cooked and cultured foods, I was having fun. We started each morning with coffee. Cafe Cacao was served: coffee, dark chocolate powder, local honey and a dash of chili flakes.

Who can think of breakfast without thinking of pancakes? Remember those 70 pineapples? What a way to start the day!

Finding a way to use all those veggies and get our recommended five-a-day was easy: a green smoothie. Trust me, there are endless varieties that are fresh, delicious and simple to make.

Frittata or Quiche Hawaiian style, why not? Moloka`i Sweet Potatoes, infused with sweet Maui onions and coconut oil combine to make a sweet, savory crust for this unique Frittata. Cilantro, 38

WINTER 2011

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

spinach, red peppers, a hint of cayenne, and fresh local eggs make this dish luscious.

Try fresh, local produce for your health or try it for the taste—but most of all, try it!

Susan “Chef Teton” Campbell is the author of Essential Cuisine, a six-disc DVD series of 23 lively cooking shows with a focus on raw, cooked and cultured food. A companion book accompanies the DVD series. www.SusanTetonCampbell.com. susan@chefteton.com

Moloka`i Sweet Potato Frittata Serves 6

2 Moloka`i sweet potatoes (medium-sized) 1 onion (finely sliced) 6 eggs 1 cup spinach (washed and chopped, fairly fine) 1 cup cilantro leaves (rough chop) ½ cup red pepper (chopped fine) 1 6 ounce package soft goat cheese ¼ cup coconut oil Fresh limes, sliced in quarters Cayenne Salt

Boil potatoes and let cool. When cooled and peeled, grate them with a hand grater to prepare them for the crust. Should yield about 3 cups.

Caramelize the onions in two teaspoons of coconut oil. Add coconut oil as needed. Salt to taste.

Mix caramelized onions and potatoes together and press firmly into pie pan, all the way up the sides and onto the rim.

Baste the crust with a couple teaspoons of coconut oil, spreading evenly on the bottom and around the sides.

In large bowl, mix the eggs, spinach, red peppers, cilantro, salt and a pinch of cayenne. Pour into potato-crusted pie pan.

Bake at 350° for 40 minutes; remove from heat. Top with goat cheese and a sprinkle of cayenne. Serve with fresh lime.

WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

39

Pineapple Upside-Down Pancakes Serves 4 This is a short-order recipe, which means it cooks fast! So, prepare all ingredients, make the syrup and have the pineapple rings and batter ready before you start. Then, warm the grill and get all serving dishes ready. The cakes are yummy when served hot.

Pineapple Syrup & Rings 1 whole pineapple 2 tablespoons orange marmalade 1 tablespoons crystallized ginger ¼ cup honey 1/3 cup sugar (to coat pineapple rings) Rings: Cut half of the pineapple into rings about 1/3 inch thick.

Coat each side of the rings with sugar and set aside until ready to grill the cakes. Cut the other half of the pineapple into chunks, to be blended for syrup.

Syrup: Combine the other half of the pineapple chunks with the above ingredients and blend until it is almost creamy (leave it sort of chunky). Set aside to serve with pancakes.

Topping ½ cup raw macadamia nuts and extra-virgin coconut oil (or butter, if preferred) Grind the macadamia nuts in a coffee grinder or food processor to make a fluffy macadamia nut powder. Set aside for topping on cakes. Have the coconut oil and/or butter softened, to top cakes with when hot.

Batter 2 cups whole-grain pancake batter ½ cup vanilla protein powder (optional: whey or soy) 2 cups milk of choice (cow, soy, rice, etc.)

1 teaspoon vanilla 1 egg Pecans (one for each pancake) Extra-virgin coconut oil (for cooking pancakes) Salt to taste Mix the dry ingredients, and then the wet ingredients, separately.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix until creamy. Add a little water, or more milk, if the mixture is too thick. Start cooking!

Warm the pan or grill to a medium-high heat. Pour a very small amount of coconut oil on the grill. When it is warm, add a pineapple ring, coated with sugar, to make it brown. It should sizzle when it is placed on the grill.

Place a pecan in the middle of the ring. Let the pineapple cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, and then pour the pancake batter over the top of the pineapple ring until it covers the ring and spreads out about 2 inches wider than the ring. Cook for a few more minutes until the batter begins to bubble. When the bubbles are covering the cake, flip it over to cook the other side. Use a large spatula and flip carefully.

Cook the cake for a few more minutes, until both sides are golden brown. Serve pineapple side up and top with coconut oil/butter, pineapple syrup and macadamia nut powder.

40

WINTER 2011

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

Ginger Pineapple Green Smoothie Serves 4–6 2½ cups filtered water 1 cup sunflower sprouts 1 cup cilantro 1 cup parsley 1 cup pineapple 1 small cucumber 2 to 3 kale leaves 2 celery stalks 1 lemon (peeled and seeded) 1-inch piece ginger (peeled)

Blend all together to smooth consistency.

Every few days, I make enough Green Smoothie to last me several days. Surprisingly, it stays fresh and tasty for at least three days. If it thickens, just add some water.

Store in a glass jar/bottle and enjoy often.

WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

41

Café Cacao Serves 1 Brew up your favorite Hawaiian coffee and add: 1 teaspoon or more cacao powder (unsweetened dark chocolate) ½ teaspoon chile powder 1 pinch cayenne pepper (if you are really brave!)

Local honey (to taste) Cream (optional)

Brew up this delicious drink for any time of the day. If you are caffeine sensitive, I suggest decaf! This drink is excellent when chilled and poured over ice, as well.

Note: The cacao may sink to the bottom of your cup, so you may have to stir it while sipping.

42

WINTER 2011

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

43

Andy’s love lives

BY JON LETMAN

44

WINTER 2011

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

on Kauai

The second of November was a gorgeous autumn day on Kaua`i with light trade winds and a flawless blue sky streaked by a mosaic of thin white herringbone clouds. Kaua`i’s craggy interior was crisp and clear, as if cut from deep green glass.

The day’s surf report announced the arrival of an early winter swell, bringing 25- to 30-foot waves that closed north shore beaches for swimmers—the kind of day a surfer lives for.

Such postcard-perfect conditions, however, were shattered by the news that Kaua`i-born three-time world champion surfer Andy Irons had died in Texas while trying to return home from Puerto Rico after falling ill with dengue fever.

WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

45

Against the backdrop of that beautiful day, the irony only sharpened the collective shock that spread around the world, from Hawai`i to California to France to Bali to Tahiti and back, in minutes, the sad words hastened by high-tech communications.

At 16 Andy won the HIC Pipeline Masters on O`ahu riding “huge waves in a really intense contest,” what he called one of the best rides of his life. From that point on Andy spent most of his life on a board in a wave, as he put it, “surfing every single day, all day.”

By night a cold rain was falling over Kaua`i, ushering in the season’s first melancholy chill. Meanwhile, around the globe a Facebook page honoring Andy grew by the hour—10,000 followers, 50,000, 100,000… Few people from Hawai`i, if any, could generate such an intense and immediate response that literally circled the planet faster than a tsunami.

After a dozen years on the professional circuit in a grueling merrygo-round of competition after competition with only short breaks at home, Andy was burnt. “It was horrible, like being around a circus … the whole grind,” he said.

The outpouring of affection, love and respect for the 32-year-old Hanalei surfer (and son, brother, husband and father-to-be) was moving. Fellow surfers, both friends and competitors, quickly organized “paddle outs” in Puerto Rico, California, France, Florida, Australia, Bali and elsewhere.

Twelve days later, on another spectacular sun-filled November day, Andy’s friends and family organized a paddle out at Hanalei Bay’s Pine Trees surf break. Anyone fortunate enough to attend that special ceremony will attest to the beauty and warmth that managed to dwarf even the gathering’s remarkable size.

From a beach sanctified with rows of ti plants and a 30-foot-high “AI” fashioned of ti leaves, bamboo and ginger, hundreds of surfers paddled into Hanalei Bay to bid aloha to Andy alongside his family and closest friends.

Although I was not a friend of Andy’s, I was lucky enough to meet and interview him for a Kaua`i newspaper in January 2009. With his schedule of constant travel and near-endless competitions, arranging the meeting took months, but eventually a date was set and we met poolside at a Princeville condominium.

I wasn’t sure what to expect of Andy Irons the living surf legend, but was at once put at ease by his warmth and sincerity. With humor and enthusiasm Andy shared his background with me—growing up in Hā`ena and Hanalei, surfing with his cousin and friends, catching morning waves at Pine Trees before school, and the meteoric rise he shared with his accomplished brother Bruce.

Raised on surf movies and magazines and encouraged by his father, himself a surfer, Andy said that by age 12 he was a surfing “fanatic” and had picked up the first of many sponsors. Being given free surfboards at that age was “the best thing in the world,” he said. Bruce and Andy would break the boards, but their dad would fix them.

46

WINTER 2011

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

More than his dislike of being in a permanently unsettled state, Andy missed Kaua`i, which he called “the most beautiful place in the world.” Kaua`i was where his friends, family and beautiful wife, Lyndie, were awaiting his return.

In 2009 Andy took a year off the circuit to recharge his batteries and fall back in love with surfing for surfing’s sake. Still only a month into his hiatus Andy told me, “the buzz is coming back for sure.”

In my one and only meeting with him, Andy’s love of surfing and the ocean, no more or less than his love of family, friends and Kaua`i, was palpable. What also struck me was his love of the people and places he encountered in his all too short but remarkable life.

Traveling, Andy said, was “a way to explore different cultures, different people, different outlooks on life. I think that’s the best learning in the world, to see how other people live.”

After Hawai`i Andy said Tahiti was his favorite place to surf because “it reminds me of home—big, hollow, blue, beautiful, awesome waves.”

Australia he called “playful,” and Bali “awesome—good waves, cool people.”

Japan was “fun. I love the people and I love sushi!”

Nearly two years after our meeting, as I drove past handmade signs around Kaua`i that read “RIP AI” and “AIYU,” I couldn’t help but remember that the Japanese word for love is “ai.”

The 14th of November was a gorgeous autumn day on Kaua`i.

Under a deep blue sky, in the warm waters off Pine Trees, Andy’s favorite surf spot, Hanalei Bay was enveloped by the ocean’s graceful wet embrace, carrying with it the eternal sound of surf—a ceaseless voice, calling out, welcoming Andy home.

WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

47

book review

BY G. NATALE

the blue tomato: the Inspirations behind the Cuisine of Alan Wong

48

WINTER 2011

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

With stunning food photography and more then 200 recipes, more then just a cookbook, The Blue Tomato is a testament to Alan Wong’s conviction that anything is possible in today’s world – with the right mix of creativity, persistence and innovative thinking. This 284-page book is a personal journey with Chef Alan, featuring some of his own photography, travel anecdotes and the sources of his inspiration. An indispensable guide for the home cook, at the same time a fantastic resource for the serious cook or professional seeking the how and why of Chef Alan’s culinary techniques and creative process.

Here is a sample of the photos and recipes you will find in The Blue Tomato.

Ahi Stack Photo by David Murphey, Recipe on pg. 62

Seafood Salad Photo by Alan Wong Recipe on pg. 112

Maui Cattle Co. Filet of Beef Photo by Yasuo Kondo, Recipe on pg. 188

$40. At a bookseller near you, or direct from Watermark Publishing at www.thebluetomato.net

Coming up — look for a feature profile with Chef Alan Wong in our Spring Issue.

WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

49

50

WINTER 2011

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

what’s in season?

WATERCOLOR BY ED MCCABE 2010

Fruit: Atemoya • Avocados • Bananas • Limes • Longon • Orange Papaya • Starfruit • Tangerines Vegetables: Bittermelon • Chinese Cabbage • Corn • Hearts of Palm • Kale • Mushrooms • Pahole • Sprouts WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

51

52

WINTER 2011

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

Farmers’ Markets Kaua’i Farmers’ Markets SATURDAY Kaua`i Community Market At Kaua`i Community College Front Parking Lot (across from Grove Farm) • 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Kekaha Neighborhood Center (Sunshine Markets) Elepaio Road, Kekaha • 9 a.m.

A local tip: Get there early!

Kaua`i Culinary Market Kukui`ula Village, Po`ipu In Conjunction w/ Kaua`i County Farm Bureau 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Waimea Hawaiian Homestead Farmers’ Market Mamalahoa Hwy., 2 miles east of Waimea town 7 a.m. – 12 Noon

THURSDAY

Honokaa Farmers’ Market Honokaa town near Honokaa Trading Co. Hilo Farmers’ Market

Hanapepe Park (Sunshine Markets) Old Hanapepe Town • 3 p.m.

Kilauea Neighborhood Center (Sunshine Markets) Keneke off Lighthouse Road, Kilauea • 4:30 p.m.

FRIDAY

Kilauea Keneke St. Behind the post office • 11:30 am.

Vidinha Stadium (Sunshine Markets) Hoolako Road, Lihue • 3 p.m.

Hanalei Saturday Market Hanalei • 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Hawai`i Island Farmers’ Markets

MONDAY

SATURDAY

West Kaua`i Agricultural Association Po`ipu Road and Cane Haul Road, Po`ipu 8 a.m.

Keauhou Farmers’ Market Keauhou Shopping Center, Keauhou 8 a.m. – 12 Noon

Makuu Farmers’ Market Keaau-Pahoa bypass road • 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Volcano Farmers’ Market Cooper Center, Wright Rd., Volcano 6:30 a.m. – 9 a.m.

South Kona Green Market At the Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden Captain Cook • 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS

Koloa Ball Park (Knudsen) (Sunshine Markets) Maluhia Road, Koloa • 12 Noon

Kino`ole Farmers’ Market Kino`ole Shopping Plaza 1990 Kino`ole St., Hilo • 7 a.m. – 12 Noon

Kukui Grove Shopping Center Lihue • 3 p.m.

Space Farmers’ Market Space Performing Arts Center 12-247 West Pohakupele Loop Pahoa, HI 96778 • Sat. 8 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

TUESDAY Coconut Marketplace Kuhio Hwy, parking lot entrance To Coconut Marketplace • 9 a.m. – 12 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.

SUNDAY 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 p.m. - 5 p.m. • 100% organic

WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS Corner of Mamo and Kamehameha Ave., downtown Hilo • Saturdays, 8 a.m. – 12 Noon

Waikoloa Village Farmers’ Market Waikoloa Community Church across from Waikoloa Elementary School 7:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Ho`oulu Community Farmers’ Market Keauhou Beach Resort Royal Gardens Kailua Kona • 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

North Kohala Across from Hawi Post Office, under banyan tree • 7 a.m. – 12 Noon

Naalehu Farmers’ Market Ace Hardware lawn • 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Waimea Town Market At Parker School, 65-1224 Lindsey Road Waimea/Kamuela HI 96743 Sat. 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.

WEDNESDAYS

O`ahu Farmers’ Markets SATURDAYS Banyan Court Mall (People’s Open Market) 800 North King Street, Honolulu 6:15 a.m. – 7:30 a.m.

WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

53

Kaumualii Street (People’s Open Market) at Kalihi Street, Honolulu 8:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

Waianae Framers’ Market Waianae High School 85-251 Farrington Hwy • 8 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Hawai`i Kai Towne Center Kalanianaole Highway at Keahole Street, Honolulu • 7:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.

MONDAYS

Honolulu Farmers’ Market at Neal Blaisdell Center Local Bounty 808-848-2074 • 4 p.m. - 7:00 pm

Kalihi Valley District Park (People’s Open Market) 1911 Kam IV Road, Honolulu 10 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

Salt Lake Municipal Lot (People’s Open Market) 5337 Likini Street, Honolulu 11:15 a.m. – 12 Noon

Makiki District Park (People’s Open Market) 1527 Keeaumoku Street, Honolulu 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

Hawai`i Kai Park-n-Ride (People’s Open Market) 300 Keahole Street, Honolulu 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Mother Waldron Park (People’s Open Market) 525 Coral Street, Honolulu • 10:15 a.m. – 11 a.m.

North Shore Country Market at Sunset Sunset Beach Elementary School, Haleiwa 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.

City Hall Parking Lot Deck (People’s Open Market) Alapai & Beretania Street, Honolulu 11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

The Saturday Farmers’ Market at Kapiolani Community College Campus 4303 Diamond Head Road, Honolulu 7:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Waialua Farmers’ Market Waialua Sugar Mill 8:30 a.m. – 12 Noon Hawai`i Kai Town Center Kalanianaole Highway at Keahole Street, Honolulu • 7:30 a.m. – 3 p.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.

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) • 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Kapolei Community Park (People’s Open Market) 91-1049 Kamaaha Loop, Kapolei 7 a.m. – 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.

The Mililani Sunday Farmers’ Market at Mililani High School 95-1200 Meheula Parkway, Mililani High School Parking Lot • 8 a.m. – 12 Noon Manoa Marketplace Honolulu • 7 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Country Market & Craft Fair Waimanalo Homestead Community Center 1330 Kalanianaole Hwy. • 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

54

Manoa Valley District Park (People’s Open Market) 2721 Kaaipu Avenue, Honolulu 6:45 – 7:45 a.m.

WINTER 2011

Hawai`i Kai Town 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 a.m. – 7:30 a.m.

Waipahu District Park (People’s Open Market) 94-230 Paiwa Street, Waipahu 8:15 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.

Wahiawa District Park (People’s Open Market) N. Cane & California Avenue, Wahiawa 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Mililani District Park (People’s Open Market) 94-1150 Lanikuhana Avenue, Mililani 11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Fort Street near Wilcox Park Honolulu (in front of Macy’s) • 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Manoa Marketplace Honolulu • 7 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Waialua Farmers’ Co-Op At the Sugar Mill • 4:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

THURSDAYS Waimanalo Beach Park (People’s Open Market 41-741 Kalanianaole Highway, Waimanalo 7:15 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.

Kailua District Park (People’s Open Market) 21 South Kainalu Drive, Kailua 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Kaneohe District Park (People’s Open Market) 45-660 Keaahala Road, Kaneohe 10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Manoa Marketplace Honolulu • 7 a.m. – 11 a.m.

The Kailua Thursday Night Farmers’ Market Kailua town • 5 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. behind Longs on Kailua Road

FRIDAYS Halawa District Park (People’s Open Market) 99-795 Iwaiwa Street • 7 a.m. – 8 a.m.

Ewa Beach Community Park (People’s Open Market) 91-955 North Road, Ewa Beach 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Pokai Bay Beach Park (People’s Open Market) 85-037 Pokai Bay Road, Waianae 11 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Fort Street near Wilcox Park Honolulu (In front of Macy’s) • 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Waikiki Farmers’ Market Waikiki Community Center Parking Lot 7 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Waikiki Farmers’ Market Waikiki Community Center Parking Lot 7 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Maui Farmers’ Markets

WEDNESDAYS

Kula Country Farms Kula Hwy at Kekaulike Ave, Kula 11 a.m. – 4 pm

Palolo Valley District Park (People’s Open Market) 2007 Palolo Avenue, Honolulu 6:30 a.m. – 7:30 a.m. .

Old Stadium Park (People’s Open Market) 2237 South King Street, Honolulu 8:15 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.

Queen Kapiolani Park (People’s Open Market) Monsarrat and Paki Street, Honolulu 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

SATURDAY

Maui Swap Meet University of Hawaii, Maui College 310 Ka`aumanu Ave in Kahului • 6 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Upcountry Farmer’s Market Kula Malu Shopping center 55 Kiopaa Street in Pukalani • 7 a.m. – 12 Noon Lipoa Street Farmers Market 95 Lipoa Street in Kihei • 8 a.m. – 12 Noon

Hana Fresh Farmer’s Market 4590 Hana Hwy, in Hana • 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Hana Fresh Farmer’s Market 4590 Hana Hwy, in Hana • 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

SUNDAY

WEDNESDAY

Kula Country Farms Kula Hwy at Kekaulike Ave, Kula 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Kula Country Farms Kula Hwy at Kekaulike Ave, Kula 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Hana Fresh Farmer’s Market 4590 Hana Hwy, in Hana • 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Green Dragon Farmer’s Market Kahului Shopping Mall, Kahului 65 Ka’ahumanu Avenue • 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Ono Organic Farms, Farmer’s Market Across from Hasagawa Store, Hana 10:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.

MONDAY Farmers’ Market of Maui-Kihei 61 South Kihei Road, Kihei • 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Farmers’ Market of Maui-Honokowai 3636 Lower Honoapiilani Road, Kahana (Lahaina) • 7 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Hana Fresh Farmer’s Market 4590 Hana Hwy, in Hana • 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Ono Organic Farms, Farmer’s Market Across from Hasagawa Store, Hana 10:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.

TUESDAY Kula Country Farms Kula Hwy at Kekaulike Ave, Kula 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Green Dragon Farmer’s Market Kahului Shopping Mall, Kahului 65 Ka’ahumanu Avenue • 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Farmers’ Market of Maui-Kihei 61 Kihei Rd Suda Store parking lot on South Kihei 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

FRIDAY Kula Country Farms Kula Hwy at Kekaulike Ave, Kula 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Green Dragon Farmer’s Market Kahului Shopping Mall, Kahului 65 Ka’ahumanu Avenue • 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.

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-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 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Farmers’ Market of Maui-Honokowai 3636 Lower Honoapiilani Road, Kahana (Lahaina) • 7 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Hana Fresh Farmer’s Market 4590 Hana Hwy, in Hana • 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Hana Fresh Farmer’s Market 4590 Hana Hwy, in Hana • 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Lana`i Farmers’ Market

Makawao Farmers Mkt 3654 Baldwin Ave across from Rodeo General Store • 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

THURSDAY

SATURDAY Lana`i Market Place Dole Park • 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Kula Country Farms Kula Hwy at Kekaulike Ave, Kula 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Moloka`i Farmers’ Market

Farmers’ Market of Maui-Kihei 61 Kihei Rd Suda Store parking lot on South Kihei 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

SATURDAY Ala Malama Street Kaunakakai • 7 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Hana Fresh Farmer’s Market 4590 Hana Hwy, in Hana • 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Ono Organic Farms, Farmer’s Market Across from Hasagawa Store, Hana 10:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.

WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

55

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 Anahola Granola Sold throughout the islands And on the website.www.anaholagranola.com Aunty Lilikoi 9875 Waimea Rd., Waimea, HI 96796 866-545-4564 • www.auntylilikoi.com Bar Acuda Restaurant Bar @ 5 p.m., Dinner @ 6 p.m.

Reservations: 808-826-7081 5-5161 Kuhio Hwy Hanalei, Kaua`i Closed Mondays www.restaurantbaracuda.com Hanalei Dolphin 5-5016 Kuhio Hwy., Hanalei, Kaua`i 808-826-6113 Healthy Hut On the way to Kilauea Lighthouse 808-828-6626 • www.healthyhutkauai.com Hendrikus Organics Soil Blends, USDA Approved 808-828-0099 • www.hendrikusorganics.com Hukilau Lanai Reservations Recommended • Tues-Sun 5-9 808-822-0600 • www.hukilaukauai.com

Kalaheo Café & Coffee Co. On Highway 50 in Kalaheo 808-332-5858 • www.kalaheo.com

The Coconut Cup Juice Bar & Café At the Coral Reef Resort, Kapa`a 808-823-8630

Kilauea Fish Market 4270 Kilauea Rd., Kilauea, Kaua`i 808-828-6244 • Mon.–Sat. 11 a.m.–8 p.m.

The Wine Garden 4495 Puhi Road, Lihue Open everyday 10am-6:30 pm 808-245-5766 • www.kauaiwinegarden.com

Kilauea Town Market 2474 Keneke St., Kilauea, Kaua`i 808-828-1512 • Daily 8:30 a.m.–8 p.m.

Koa Properties 808-651-1777 • www.koakauai.com Kukui`ula Village Kaua`i Culinary Market Po`ipu Roundabout at Kalanikaumaka 808-742-9545 • Open Every Day www.kukuiulavillage.com Living Foods Market Kukui`ula Village Po`ipu (on the south side) 808-742-2323 • www.livingfoodskauai.com Moloa`a Sunrise Fruit Stand Corner of Kuhio Hwy and Koolau Road Open Mon thru Sat 7:30am–5pm * Phone orders welcome • 808-822-1441 Nani Moon Mead Tasting Room in Kapa`a • 4-939 D Kuhio Hwy 808-823-0486 • www.nanimoonmead.com Papaya’s Kaua`i Village Shopping Center In the courtyard by the waterfall Kapa`a, Kaua`i • 808-823-0190 Mon.-Sat. 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Sun. 10-5 p.m. www.papayasnaturalfoods.com Harvest Market Hanalei 5-5161 Kuhio Hwy., Hanalei, Kaua`i 808-826-0089 • 7 days 9 a.m.–8 p.m.

Postcards Café Nightly from 6:00 808-826-1191 Princeville Center 5-4280 Kuhio Highway, Princeville, HI 96722 808-826-9497 • Fax 808-826-9850 www.princevillecenter.com

56

WINTER 2011

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

O`ahu Down to Earth For Locations on O`ahu, Maui & Hawai`i` Island, see our ad on pg. 13 www.DownToEarth.org Hagadone Printing Co. 274 Puuhale Road, Honolulu, HI 96819 808-847-5310 • www.hagadoneprinting.com Honu Group Inc. 1001 Bishop Street, ASB Tower, Suite 2800 Honolulu, Hawai`i 96722 808-550-4449 • tabenoja@honugroup.com www.honugroup.com Kula Fields On O`ahu808-281-6141 On Maui 808-280-2099 Whole Foods Market Kahala Mall in Honolulu, 4211 Wai`alae Ave 808-738-0820 – 7am-10pm www.wholefoodsmarket.com

Maui Ali`i Kula Lavender 1100 Waipoli Rd., Kula Open Daily 9 am - 4 pm • Free admission 808-878-3004 • www.akimaui.com Alive & Well 340 Hana Highway, Kahului 808-877-4950 • www.aliveandwellinmaui.com Chef Susan Teton 808-250-1535 • www.chefteton.com Cupcake Love info@cupcakelovemaui.com 808-205-9699 • www.cupcakelovemaui.com Down To Earth For Locations on O`ahu, Maui & Hawai`i` Island, see our ad on pg. 13 www.DownToEarth.org Flatbread 89 Hana Hwy, Paia 808-579-8989 • www.flatbreadcompany.com Hana Herbs & Flowers 808-248-7407 • www.hanaherbs.com Kula Fields On Maui 808-280-2099 On O`ahu 808-281-6141 Macrobiotic Hawai`i Chef Leslie Ashburn 808-938-2695 • www.macrobiotichawaii.com Maui Cattle Company 808-877-0044 • www.mauicattlecompany.com Maui Coastal Land Trust 10th Annual Benefit Lu`au Hosted By Old Lahaina Lu`au January 29th 2011 Reservations 808-244-5263 • www.hilt.org Maui County Farm Bureau www.mauicountyfarmbureau.com

Maui Prime Fine Foods 142 Kupuohi St. #F7 Emerald Plaza (By Lahaina Gateway) 808-661-4912 • www.mauiprime.com

Moloak`i Coffees of Hawaii Order on website www.coffeesofhawaii.com

Ocean Vodka Hawai`i Sea Spirits LLC 250 Alamaha St, S9, Kahului 808-877-0009 • www.oceanvodka.com

National

Ono Organic Farms Tours Mon-Fri 808-248-7779 • www.onofarms.com

Slow Food - Hawai`i Island Shelby Floyd • sfloyd@ahfi.com Slow Food - Kaua`i Patrick Quinn Icingonthecake.Kauai@gmail.com

Star Noodle 808-667-5400 • www.starnoodle.com Facebook & Twitter

Slow Food - Maui Susan Teton & Jana McMahon info@slowfoodmaui.org www.slowfoodmaui.org

Surfing Goat Dairy 18 National Awards 3651 Omaopio Rd., Kula • 808-878-2870 info@surfinggoatdairy.com www.surfinggoatdairy.com

Slow Food - O`ahu Laurie Carlson • laurie@honoluluweekly.com

Chef Jana McMahon 808-281-8393 • www.chefjana.com

Slow Food Nation www.slowfoodnation.org

Whole Foods Market Maui Mall 70 East Ka’ahumanu Ave 808-872-3310 – 8am-9pm www.wholefoodsmarket.com

Hawai`i Island Down To Earth For Locations on O`ahu, Maui & Hawai`i` Island, see our ad on pg. 13 www.DownToEarth.org Kona Coffee and Tea Toll Free 888-873-2035 In Kona 329-6577 www.konacoffeeandtea.com Original Hawaiian Chocolate Whole Foods Kahala/O`ahu 808-322-2626 • 888-447-2626 (toll free) www.ohcf.us

MauiGrown Coffee 277 Lahainaluna Road, Lahina 808-661-2728 • www.MauiGrownCoffee.com

WWW.EDIBLEALOHA.COM

WINTER 2011

57

What Is It and How Do You Eat It

Chico PHOTO BY LAUREN BRANDT

Chico, manilkara zapota: this fruit has a sweet malty flavor, some say like caramel with a hint of cinnamon.

Chico does not ripen until picked, the skin should be brown and the fruit should separate from the stem easily without leaking latex, it is then fully mature - but should be kept at room temperature for a few days to soften. When ready it should be soft but firm. To eat, cut in half and scoop out with a spoon.

The latex obtained from the bark of the tree is used as a chewing gum base.

58

WINTER 2011

EDIBLE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS