edible Hawaiian Islands Spring 2009

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hawaiian islands tm

Celebrating the Harvest of the Aloha State, Season by Season No. 8 Spring 2009

Green Tea Martini Tea Grows in Hawai`i Hooked on Local Food

Member of Edible Communities

LETTER of

Aloha

Yes, tea grows in Hawai`i. This issue celebrates tea from the aspect of growing it here in the islands, to formal tea ceremonies, tea-smoked chicken, green tea martinis and where to go for afternoon tea in Honolulu.

Hawai`i is very well known for its coffee, especially the premium beans from Kona. Tea lovers rejoice: The time for tea is here. Tea is actually the oldest and second-most-popular drink in the world, next to water. It was introduced to Hawai`i in 1887.

For more information on tea growers in the Hawaiian Islands, contact the Hawai`i Tea Society at hawaiiteasociety.com—you may even want to become a member.

Congratulations to our Local Hero Award winners! The list is on page 41.

Congratulations also to Neal Beissert of Kilauea for his “Rainbow Eve” photograph, featured on page 7.

A hui hou,

Gloria Cohen Publisher/Editor in Chief

Sign up for our newsletter online at ediblehawaiianislands.com

Thank You Recently I attended the annual Edible Communities Local Hero Awards dinner in Santa Fe. Attending were publishers from all over the country, plus editors from Saveur Magazine.

I want to thank those who sent their products to be included in the gift bags, the response was fantastic and the Aloha Spirit filled the room.

Pau Maui Vodka (Maui) www.paumaui.com Sweet Paradise Chocolatier (O`ahu) www.sweetparadisechocolate.com Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory (Hawai`i Island) www.originalhawaiianchocolatefactory.com Tahitian Goddess Chutney (Kaua`i) www.tahitiangoddess.com

Icing On The Cake (Kaua`i) www.icingonthecakekauai.com Kona Brewing/Pipeline Porter (Hawai`i Island) www.konabrewingco.com MAHALO NUI LOA 4

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Photo by Lauren Brandt

Aunty Lilikoi/Passion Fruit Products (Kaua`i) www.auntylilikoi.com

spring 2009 Contents

25 21 Departments 4 Letter of Aloha 7 Rainbow Contest Winner 8 Notable Edibles

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Features 10 Air Delivery Sustains Island Taste Buds

By Tim Ryan 13 The Ecstasy of Tea: TEA AT 1024

By Albert Lanier

36 Book Reviews 39 Subscribe

16 Hooked on local food at Hukilau Lanai

By Jon Letman 41 Words From Our Local Heroes 44 What’s Fresh 45 Hawai`I Crossword

21 The Big Island’s Liquid Assets

By Devany Vickery-Davidson 24 The Magic of Tea

By Dahlia Haas

46 Farmers’ Markets

30 The way of tea in Hawai`i 49 Advertiser Directory 50 what is it & how do you eat it?

By Jon Letman 34 Tea Grows in Hawai`i

By Tim Ryan www.ediblealoha.com

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edible Hawaiian Islands Publisher/Editor in Chief Gloria Cohen Editor at Large Steven Cohen Distribution & Advertising FrontDesk@ediblealoha.com Terry Sullivan on Kaua`i Dania Katz on Maui Contributors Kira Cohen Melissa Petersen Tracey Ryder Carole Topalian Photography Lauren Brandt Oliver Cohen Steven Cohen Steve Knox G. Natale John Cox

Writers Dahlia Haas Albert Lanier Jon Letman Tim Ryan Devany Vickery-Davidson Copy Editor Doug Adrianson Research & Events Editor Lila Martin

Artists Cindy Conklin Mary Ogle

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

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. Š2009.

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

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Photo by G. Natale

Letters For the quickest response, email FrontDesk@EdibleAloha.com

Rainbow Contest Winner Neal Beissert, Kilauea, HI 808-828-1957 “Rainbow Eve” “We’ve all seen hundreds of rainbows, but very seldom does one appear at twilight!” There were so many beautiful rainbow photos, you can see some of our favorites on our website www.ediblehawaiianislands.com The next photo contest is “Pineapple” please submit only one per person, must be 8.5x11 at 300dpi, photo must be original high res, other wise it is disqualified, this is because it may not print as it looks on your computer. Submit to photo editor, Lauren@ediblehawaiianislands.com Deadline is June 1st. 2009

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Notable Edibles Our Editor at Large has been on the move, these are some of his discoveries.

Hilo Honu Inn, The Editor at Large was visiting the Big Island and discovered this gem of an Inn. Located in a prestigious downtown neighborhood, walking distance to restaurants and attractions, the house was recently renovated. Each room has it’s own theme, our editor had the Samurai Suite, with original Japanese tatami mat tearoom, king size bed, and private sun porch. This suite has an additional room, so it can sleep 4. Continental breakfast is included with fresh fruits from the local Farmers Market. Tell them we sent you of course.

808-935-4325, innkeeper@hilohonu.com www.hilohonu.com

Maui Kula Country Farms, while heading upcountry The Editor at Large discovered Kula strawberries and fresh local produce including Maui onions.

There is outside seating with an amazing view, where EAL (editor at large) savored Cream Soda Pound Cake topped with Kula Strawberries, this he said was “ono” (the best) His suggestion - don't leave without a bottle of strawberry syrup, a must on your next stack of pancakes.

Open Tues – Fri 11 am- 5 pm, Sat & Sun 11 am – 4 pm On Hwy 37 near junction 377 Be sure to tell them we sent you.

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Kaua`i Federico’s Fresh Mex Cuisine, While waiting for the Grand Opening of the St. Regis in Princeville, Federico Hernandez, Chef de Cuisine for Starwood Corp. is about to share with Kaua`i the tastes from his hometown, Guerrero, also known as Acapulco. Federico is planning an authentic Mexican menu, using all locally grown organic avocados, tomatoes and fruits. “I will be using the authentic Achiote Seed originally used by Maya Indians in Yucatan to give their food a unique taste and color” Garlic Herb Shrimp Taco – Shrimp in Authentic Achiote Seasoning, with crispy beacon and picante chile ancho sauce.

Located in the Princeville Shopping Center, in a brand new space directly behind the Post Office, 808-826-7117

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Little Village Noodle House, In the heart of Chinatown, when the Editor at Large is running around downtown Honolulu, this is one of his favorite places to stop for lunch. The food is a unique blend of Chinese styles of cooking and local cuisine, with daily specials like chicken long grain rice and kalua pig, staples like lettuce wraps and eggplant with garlic sauce are some of the favorites.

1113 Smith Street, 808-545-5140 www.littlevillagehawaii.com

Photo by G. Natale

Hawai`i Island

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Air Delivery Sustains Island Taste Buds By tim ryan Photos Courtesy Aloha Air Cargo

How long does it take to get a 1,500-pound water buffalo from Honolulu to Kaua`i?

Well, even without actor Ben Stiller and company wanting it “right now” for his Kaua`i-based film Tropic Thunder, Aloha Air Cargo just loaded the beast inside one of its five Boeing cargo planes and had the surprisingly docile animal there in about the usual length of an inter-island flight.

“Definitely one of the most unusual shipments for us,” said Eddie Araujo, director of sales for Aloha Air Cargo. “We shipped it in an open air crate without any problems. But the two handlers decided not to fly with it.”

Though Aloha Air Cargo had its beginnings as a unit of the former Aloha Airlines, originally carrying freight in the cargo holds below the floors of regular passenger flights, the company now uses Boeing 737-200 aircraft to carry a variety of products between Honolulu, Hilo, Kona, Kahului and Lihue.

Aloha Air Cargo averages 14 to 16 departures a day from Honolulu to the Neighbor Islands, handling 175,000 pounds of goods daily.

Blessing of the new aircraft: Aloha Air Cargo executives from left to right – Eddie Araujo, Mike Coffman (former COO, now retired), Mike Malik, President and Kahu Kordell Kekoa, the Chaplain of Kamehameha Schools –Kapalama Campus 10

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Maui, Kaua`i and the Big Island in return ship to Honolulu 50,000– 75,000 pounds of goods daily.

For Hawai`i residents hungry for fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, some meats and other perishables coveted for freshness, no cargo is more important than these.

Perishables, including cut flowers, make up about 30 percent of the company’s business, Araujo said. Packaged goods like deli products, sushi and even Bentos for businesses like 7-11 make up another 15 percent.

“People want to buy food grown closer to home,” Araujo said.

“Air [transport] allows Neighbor Island farmers to pick fruits and vegetables closer to their ripeness and get them to market as a better-tasting product.”

Locally caught fish are not frozen but covered with Gel-Paks for shipping. Most of the fish the company ships is out of Honolulu to the Neighbor Islands, including imported fish products. Aloha Air Cargo is the only overnight carrier to offer refrigeration capabilities at all Hawaiian Island locations. “Let’s say we get a perishable from a Lihue grower at 7 p.m., we’ll have it in the hands of the Honolulu distributor by 6 the next morning,” Araujo said. “It’s a win-win for the grower, the consumer and for Aloha Air Cargo.”

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Aloha Air Cargo is the only overnight carrier to offer refrigeration capabilities at all Hawaiian Island locations.

Shipments move very quickly. Perishables received in Honolulu between 5 and 7 p.m. go out on the first bank of flights from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.

“That means it’s picked up by Neighbor Island distributors at 4 a.m.,” Araujo said.

The company continues to progressively support the state’s position for more sustainability and is working with Neighbor Island farmers and the Hawai`i Farm Bureau to initiated future programs.

“We put together a pilot program in December 2007 to enable farmers to take advantage of our same-day and overnight services to Honolulu at a very attractive rate,” Araujo said. Aloha Air Cargo now is putting together an even more comprehensive system-wide program for the farm bureau that will include Hawai`i-grown products as well as packaged perishable products out of Honolulu to the Neighbor Islands.

After Aloha Airlines’ passenger service went out of business in March 2008, the company and its creditors, with the help of U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, sold the airline’s profitable cargo division to Seattlebased Saltchuk Resources, Inc. (Saltchuk Resources has been doing business in Hawai`i since 2000, when it acquired Young Brothers/Hawaiian Tug & Barge.)

Aloha Air Cargo also has daily charters for its relished same-day service. Through partnerships with other Hawai`i airlines and international carriers, Aloha Air Cargo can arrange shipments from any Hawai`i city to any destination worldwide.

DHL, Federal Express, Love♥s Bakery, UPS and the U.S. Postal Service are some of the notable shippers.

“We take our responsibilities very carefully to not only get products to a location on time but safely, whether it’s a 3/4-ton water buffalo or watermelons,” Araujo said.

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The Ecstasy of Tea

TEA AT 1024

By Albert Lanier

To the uninitiated, the name of O`ahu’s enduring teahouse—Tea at 1024—sounds as if it were a quaint establishment tucked into one of Waikiki’s older hotels or a tiny but charming hideaway in a lush and verdant spot like Manoa Valley. The idea of a teahouse located anywhere else on the island might seem downright sacrilegious to the serious tea drinker who can only see taking tea in a beautiful locale.

And yet, reality has a funny way of making assumptions fade into nothingness, for Tea at 1024 can be found not in Waikiki or Manoa but in Downtown Honolulu. You read that right. The urban epicenter of Honolulu plays host to a teahouse that will celebrate its 10th anniversary this fall. Located at 1024 Nuuanu Avenue (thus the name), Tea at 1024 has become a source of delight for local tea addicts.

Enter and walk a couple of paces and to the right you will find a space filled with varied hats and feather boas, while on the left there are a couple of tables. Walk further inside and you will find more tables.

You will also find teacups and saucers everywhere at Tea at 1024: on shelves, in a display case, even above the entrance to the kitchen.

The creator and owner of this virtual shrine to teacups and tea is Michele Henry, who first got the idea to serve tea when she owned a boutique right next door. “I design clothing and I thought it would be nice, when I’m working with my customers, to offer them light refreshments. The idea of tea came to mind,” Henry told me.

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Unfortunately, the space the boutique inhabited didn’t include the requisite plumbing and the City’s Board of Health forbade installing a kitchen. But when the space next door became available a couple of years later, it offered a kitchen and plumbing that was just right for her needs. She decided to make her move and expand her initial concept by creating a full-scale teahouse.

Henry bought the space, conducted research by reading several books on tea and made the necessary physical and decorative preparations before finally opening Tea at 1024 in November 1999.

The teahouse has been a success ever since. One reason may be consistency. Henry told me the menu has largely remained unchanged (although quiche and some soups have been taken off the menu since Tea at 1024’s early days). Customers can choose from 20 different teas including such staples as Darjeeling and Earl Grey as well as green and black teas. Popular teas include English Breakfasts and blended teas.

Henry’s personal favorite is a blend of Earl Grey with milk and she notes she can add “100 different teas in a snap.”

The full tea service is priced at $15.95 and includes tea and scones served on a tiered tray.

Tea at 1024’s menu also includes soups, salads and pastries. Of course, sandwiches are part of the fare and patrons can have their choice of tea along with chicken, egg salad and even peanut butter and jelly—

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perfect with a cup of hot chocolate. “Comfort foods” Henry noted.

“Stuff your mom used to make.”

Another reason for this teahouse’s continued good fortune is the most obvious: the quality of tea served. During my visit, I had a cup of iced tea along with some finger sandwiches made from a cheese spread. Granted, my idea of iced tea usually comes from a 12-ounce can of Lipton but the cup of tea I had that day was full-bodied and mixed just right, with the perfect dovetailing of sugar and tea to produce the best cup of iced tea I’ve ever had.

How did she do it? Henry confided she used a martini shaker to mix and make my cup of iced tea. She also noted that after years of experimenting, she had finally perfected how to produce the best quality cup of tea: “To have a proper cup of tea, the water has to be boiling hot.”

Then, this scalding water must be poured onto the tealeaves to create an effect known as the Agony of the Leaves, which occurs when the hot liquid opens up the leaves so that oxygenation can occur. The tea should be poured and served as soon as possible because allowing such a pot to sit for even a few minutes will lead to the tea becoming bitter.

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Even the cheese finger sandwiches I had were outstanding. Henry says that sandwiches and other dishes offered are usually made fresh and she added that she is working with a local baker to eventually offer Taro Bread, Guava Bread and Yogurt Cheese Cake items to patrons.

Owning a teahouse has been an interesting career move for a dress designer. Born in Washington, Henry moved to Hawai`i with her family when she was 6 years old. Henry comes from a family steeped in tailoring skills and she learned to design dresses from the time she was 10 years old. After graduating from high school, Henry took some design classes, worked a flight attendant in the early ’80s for the now-defunct inter-island carrier Mid-Pacific Air for three years, moved to Los Angeles and worked in a crisis center, then traveled in Mexico before coming back home.

Back in the islands, Henry soon married and gave birth to two daughters. As a stay-at-home mom, Henry designed clothing to bring in some income. She began by marketing cloth diapers she had initially made for her daughters, calling them Nappies. Nappies proved successful and Henry soon found herself designing nursing dresses and then wedding dresses, prom dresses and vintage-style apparel. She soon

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became a busy designer who found herself shuttling to Japan and other locales each year for fashion shows.

Henry became so successful that she decided to shift from designing at home to opening her own boutique—Design by Henry, on Nuuanu Avenue—in 1996. The idea of offering tea to her customers derived from Henry’s childhood, when she would shop and eat afterward with her mother in Downtown Honolulu.

After opening Tea at 1024, Henry ran both the boutique and the teahouse. Eventually, Henry opted to close down her boutique and focus on her teahouse even though both businesses were thriving.

“When you get into business, and I have been doing this for over 20something years, lifestyle becomes important,” Henry told me. “My hours here are short. I figure if I can make it work within these hours, I can also have another life as well.”

Tea at 1024 is open Tuesdays through Fridays 11 a.m.–2 p.m. and on Saturdays from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Reservations are recommended. The teahouse can comfortably accommodate 28 patrons and has a maximum capacity of 42. Saturday is the busiest day of the week and Tea at 1024 is open on holidays such as Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.

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Besides the fact that taking tea is a centuries-old tradition in countries like England, the appeal lies in its soothing nature. “There’s a kind of civility to it,” noted Henry. “There’s a sense of calm. It slows you down a little bit. It’s a kind of a cult itself.”

The collection of hats and boas not far from the entrance also invites the mostly female patrons of Tea at 1024 to dress up a little and have some fun while they drink their tea.

Tea at 1024 also serves as a refuge from reality. “Reality doesn’t exist,” stated Henry, adding, “You should just come in here and enjoy yourself and have a good time.”

Indeed. At Tea at 1024, the Agony of the Leaves soon becomes the Ecstasy of Tea allowing you to sit, sip and savor a sanctuary of teadrinking civility in the midst of the often frenzied pace of work and business activity just outside its door.

Tea at 1024, 1024 Nuuanu Ave. 808.521.9596 www.teaat1024.net

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Hooked on local food at Hukilau Lanai

By Jon Letman Photos Jon Letman

Imagine a five-course meal with food grown in Hawai‘i on every plate—island-caught ahi, Hāmākua mushrooms, Kula lavender, Kīlauea goat cheese, a Kapa‘a green salad and Peaberry coffee from the Kaua‘i Coffee estate in ‘Ele‘ele. This is what every meal in Hawai‘i could be—perhaps not 100 percent grown in Hawai‘i (yet), but definitely with that aim in mind.

Now pair that local-grown menu with an extensive list of affordable wines, serve it up on a comfortable lānai, throw in a small coconut palm grove and ocean view for good measure and there you have it—Kaua‘i’s own Hukilau Lanai.

From the beginning, this east side eatery (located on the grounds of the Kaua‘i Coast Resort at the Beach Boy behind the Coconut Marketplace) was envisioned as a restaurant where local food products would take precedence over imports.

That means frequent shopping trips to farmers’ markets, weekly vegetable boxes from the Kīlauea CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farmer’s co-op, cultivating relationships with farmers, ranchers and fishermen and, whenever possible, growing their own.

“Kaua`i Fresh” has been a mantra for Hukilau Lanai staff since opening in 2002. When owners Russ and Paige Talvi, and her mother Roberta Cable, having already founded Gaylord’s at Kilohana Plantation in Līhu‘e, were invited to open a new restaurant in Kapa‘a, Paige Talvi admits there was some initial hesitancy. But when it was clear

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they and their hand-picked team would be able to create the kind of restaurant they wanted, they agreed.

“Hukilau Lanai has been a collaboration with a lot of the success in partnering and teamwork,” Paige Talvi says. It’s that balance between front and back of the house staff, vendors, customers and their host property that has earned the restaurant high marks with locals, visitors and a steady following of return diners, Talvi and her core crew say.

Over the last seven years, the restaurant has not only been praised for producing reasonably priced high-quality food with an emphasis on local ingredients, but also seen as a highly desirable place to work.

Staff turnover is very low, team spirit is high, and that results in not only better dishes, but a restaurant where cohesion produces consistency and group dynamics breed the confidence and curiosity to experiment with food.

In the words of the executive chef, “there’ a whole lotta caring about making things good.”

That caring might manifest itself in one of the chefs scouring a farmers’ market anywhere on the island, hand-picking the pluckiest arugula, buying vanilla beans grown in Mr. and Mrs. Tanaka’s own Kapa‘a backyard or welcoming fishermen into the kitchen, catch in hand, and listening carefully as they offer suggestions for how to best store their prized fish.

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Hukilau Lanai has an eclectic menu where fish is an important part of the fare, but if you want salmon or halibut, go to Seattle. This is Hawai‘i and so Hukilau Lanai serves nothing but fish caught in Hawaiian waters—period.

Ahi (tuna), mahi (dolphin fish) and opakapaka (pink snapper) are regularly offered with others like hebi, kalikali and shutome on the menu depending on the season and availability. Preparations include basted with tapenade on orzo with lemon basil pesto, Thai chili coconut sauce, Italian inspired or daubed with ginger miso.

One of Hukilau Lanai’s goals is to be approachable enough that guests might try something they wouldn’t otherwise order. Ahi poke wonton nachos with wasabi and tobiko might not sound too over the top for palates in Hawai‘i, but if you’ve just arrived from Nebraska on your first trip to the Islands, that can be something of foray into the culinary unknown.

Yet Hukilau Lanai’s staff say they see people try new dishes all the time. Non–fish eaters find they love opah; vegetarians might fall off the boat with a bite of Awesome Shittake Meatloaf; and beer drinkers discover a glass of Protocolo Tempranillo can be quite nice.

A lot of it’s just about having a good time—not only for guests, but for the chefs too. In a kitchen where staff is encouraged to experiment, wonderful discoveries are made. Locally grown warabi fiddlehead ferns

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and house-made smoked sausage make a lovely couple and feta goat cheese goes beautifully with purple Okinawan sweet potatoes. Who knew?

Diners can look forward to only-in-Hawai‘i desserts like strawberry guava, starfruit or (my favorite) banana-coconut-curry sorbet or support local cacao farmers in Keauhou by ordering an Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory Warm Cake for dessert.

The idea of relying on local food producers is a simple one: It’s good for everybody. Hukilau Lanai’s staff say the pride their vendors and suppliers take in their individual products is apparent and carries over from the kitchen to the grill, onto the plate and right out to the table—served hot, when the food is at its best.

One of the clearest indications that Hukilau Lanai is getting it right is that its vendors and staff frequently come in to dine. Local fishermen take a night off from fish to sink their hooks into a pork tenderloin or maybe Wally’s Steak Crown Royal. Local Sanchez beef, when available, comes from the Wailua Country Store.

With so much food, a person can get thirsty. Luckily Hukilau Lanai is home to the Twenty Under $20 list. Management and staff have gone to great lengths tasting bottle after bottle (oh, poor ting!) of great wines that broke da mouth, not the wallet. Bubbles from Italy, German Rieslings and reds from Spain, Australia, Chile and beyond round out a list of wines where a bottle costs less than two cocktails in other places.

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If you aren’t sure what you like or you want to try something new, check out the daily Hukilau Lanai wine and food tasting menu nightly from 5–6 p.m. Five dishes from the menu are paired with suggested wines and served in courses. The end result is a very happy stomach and tongue, and perhaps a new favorite wine or two.

As part of their effort to serve good wine well, servers participate in tastings and in-house wine classes. And because the turnover is so low, servers know their menu well and can make useful suggestions. At the same time, they remain flexible, friendly and focused on making sure each diner gets what they want. Don’t be afraid to ask for a welldone steak or tartar sauce for your calamari if that’s what you like.

There is no food snobbery or cookie-cutter service dished up out of a corporate handbook here. At an independent restaurant where the emphasis is on offering good, fresh food from local sources as much as possible, this is really service with aloha.

And the name, Hukilau Lanai? Talvi says a few names were considered, but finally they settled on the one that refers to their dining lānai, which overlooks a stretch of coast where traditionally hukilau nets were cast. The hukilau—literally “pull” (huki) and “[ti] leaves” (lau) are the long fishing nets that require not one or two fisherman but a whole community to pull together to bring in the catch.

“That’s what’s happening here,” says Talvi. “Just like a hukilau, there are a lot of people that make this restaurant what it is. It’s pretty cool.”

Indeed, like the fishing nets for which it was named, Hukilau Lanai’s shared efforts yield rewards that are shared and enjoyed by many. www.hukilaukauai.com

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The Big Island’s Liquid Assets

Photo by Steve Knox

By Devany Vickery-Davidson

I live on the Hilo side of the Big Island. Anyone here will tell you that we have an abundance of water. Average rainfalls here make Hilo the wettest city in the United States. However, it is like the old adage “water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink.” County water (what we have) tastes kind of funky to me, and who wants to drink water that has chlorine in it?

A lot of people on this side also have catchment systems, but then again, in a warm climate a lot has to be done to keep the water fresh and sanitary. Between chemicals and filters of various kinds, the wonderful clean clear rainwater we are blessed with is lost to us for highquality drinking water. A few lucky people have wells with good water, but many of us are forced to use rudimentary tools (water filters) or buy bottled water for drinking.

Bottled water? OK, lots has been said about bottled water in the last few years, most of it bad (expense, waste, hype, etc.). But our islands offer some healthy and sustainable bottled water that leaves a small carbon footprint for Hawaiians and has a clean taste while still providing essential electrolytes and sometimes natural minerals. We are not talking about filtered tap water or water that has had minerals added to it.

This is water bottled in eco-friendly polyethylene tephthalate (PET) recyclable plastic, of which carpet backings, insulation and fiberfill are made. This is water that can come from the super aquifer of Mauna Loa, filtered by acres of lava rock or maybe even from 3,000 feet below the sea, water actually following a global “conveyor belt” of melted Greenland glaciers all the way to the Hawaiian Islands. This is

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water that is so cold and so deep that no form of pollution has ever affected it. This is Hawai`i’s very own Liquid Asset.

This story is about two of those waters, bottled on the island of Hawai`i. While both are delicious and both are sustainable and healthy, they come from two companies and two sources that are quite different.

The first and most surprising of these waters is Kona Deep, water taken from the coldest deepest source possible: 3,000 feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean. Kona Deep pumps water through a pipeline leased from the State of Hawai`i. The source is off of the Kona Coast. The pipeline was built by the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawai`i Authority (NELHA). The Hawai`i State Legislature created the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawai`i on 322 acres of land at Keahole Point.

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NELH was mandated to provide a support facility for research on the ocean thermal energy conversion process and related technologies.

I met with Gerald Haraguchi, the chief marketing officer of Kona Deep recently and he shared with me some interesting facts about Kona Deep water. I did a taste test at our lunch table. He brought some bottles of water bottled for the Asian market (higher in mineral content) and the water bottled for Hawaiian and U.S. military consumers. There was a significant difference in taste as well as in nutrient content. Kona Deep is a mineral water filled with the electrolytes that are so essential for humans: magnesium, calcium, sodium and potassium.

Tom Van Dixhorn, president of Hawaiian Springs Water, also shared with me the benefits of his crystal clear, young and very pure artesian water gathered deep below the slopes of Mauna Loa in Keaau near Hilo. This water comes from our abundant rainfall and is filtered through volcanic rock as it goes deep below ground into the massive aquifer, which eventually makes its way to the sea.

Hawaiian Springs goes through a filtering process that only removes coarse particles and impurities, retaining the essential electrolytes that give the water its health benefits. Kona Deep water is run through a reverse osmosis system that removes just the right amount of minerals to maintain a healthy balance, allowing for palatability and still providing essential nutrients. Both companies “blow� their own bottles and have a deep commitment to recycling, using PET plastics. Both waters also must be bottled in an extremely pristine plant, as the waters have no preservatives or chlorine to inhibit algae growth. Shelf life of these waters is approximately two years.

Both waters are alkaline on the pH scale, which is important to many consumers these days. Kona Deep is about 6.7 to 7 pH and Hawaiian Springs has a consistent pH of 7.7. Hawaiian Springs is sold in six different sizes and Kona Deep comes in two sizes. Hawaiian Springs is expanding its marketing and is currently available all over the Hawaiian Islands and in California, Nevada and Arizona as well as Japan and Taiwan. While Kona Deep is a premium water in Japan and

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Korea, it is also marketed all over Hawai`i and just started distribution through the U.S. military.

Hawaiian Springs is essentially the clean, clear taste of young water, water that has made its way from the sky to the aquifer in a short amount of time. It has a clean and crisp taste and a light mouth feel.

Hawaiian Springs has a deep appreciation for the land of Hawai`i and is a significant supporter of the Nature Conservancy in Hawai`i. Each bottle is decorated with a native Hawaiian flower. Every few hours at the plant, the flower label is changed so that there is a selection on the store shelves.

I have to say that I was surprised by Kona Deep’s non-salty taste and the benefits of the minerals it maintains. Kona Deep is water from icebergs thousands of years old, which has melted and run under the sea to find its way to the Kona Coast. It has gone through a desalination process, but not one that removes too much of the good stuff. Unlike many mineral waters, nothing is added to the water. It has a slightly heavier mouth feel and the Japanese version has a significantly stronger taste of essential minerals. It is 100 percent organic and completely free of any pathogens or contaminants.

Both waters are featured in the “bible of water,” Dr. Michael Mascha’s Fine Waters: A Connoisseur’s Guide to the World’s Most Distinctive Bottled Water.

I suggest that you try each of them and see for yourself that Hawai`i has some amazing sustainable premium local water.

hawai`i

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The

Magic of Tea

By Dahlia Haas

Listen up. Tea has moved from its home in a four o’clock teapot and emerged as a cutting-edge ingredient in both sweet and savory recipes.

Bringing tea into the kitchen and out of its familiar role is exciting.

Cooking with tea is the hottest new trend to hit the food scene.

These springtime recipes are exotic, spicy and, for tea connoisseurs who enjoy cooking, a revelation. Consider Tea-Smoked Chicken with a Sesame Soy Glaze, heartwarming Mocha Chai Crème Brulee, buttery Earl Grey Ice Cream Cookies and a refreshing Green Tea Martini.

Classic tea-smoked chicken is a centuries-old tradition in Chinese cuisine. By using a wok lined in foil as a smoker, you can easily do this on your stove. If you are a first-time Chinese smoker, be sure to wait until you see thick plumes of smoke in the wok before adding the chicken breasts. This may take 10–12 minutes. Once cooked, the mahogany-glazed poultry will be slightly smoked, infused with black tea, brown sugar, black peppercorns, cinnamon sticks, whole orange peel and uncooked rice. The smell from the smoking chicken brings family members to the kitchen wondering “What’s burning?” and asking “Amazing … how did you learn that?”

Once the smoke clears, make both desserts! I promise the Mocha Chai Crème Brulee and the Earl Grey Ice Cream Cookies will be new favorites. Both of these tea-based desserts are easy to make and provide an unusual sweet ending to a meal. The rich warm blend of spices steeped into the Mocha Chai Crème Brulee will fill the kitchen with a luxurious fragrance of cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. The Earl Grey cookies baked with a little Hawai`ian salt are incredible eaten plain, dipped in chocolate or made into ice cream sandwiches. I can’t imagine having a cup of tea without them. Not too sweet or rich, kind of a grownup version of Girl Scout cookies.

If a cup of tea is your ultimate comfort drink, then a Green Tea Martini is the perfect cocktail to end the day. Personally, I like my tea shaken, with friends watching the sunset over beautiful Secret Beach, Kaua`i.

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Photo by Lauren Brandt

Food Styling and Photography by Dahlia Haas

EARL GRAY ICE CREAM COOKIES Makes 24 2-inch cookies This recipe was given to me by my good friend Melinda. I love this cookie! It’s excellent, just sweet enough and really crispy. I triple the ingredients and store the dough in the fridge, ready for baking.

They are especially yummy made into ice cream sandwiches using macadamia nut or vanilla ice cream. ½ cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons Earl Grey tea ½ cup unsalted butter ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon water 1 cup white flour ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon baking soda 24 halved almonds, peeled for cookie tops Hawaiian sea salt, to sprinkle on top of cookies 2 pints vanilla bean ice cream Preheat oven to 350°. Grind sugar with tea in a coffee mill or blender until fine. Place butter in a medium bowl and whip with a

hand mixer until softened. Add the vanilla and water and continue to beat for 1 minute. Add the ground sugar and tea mixture and whip well to incorporate the sugar, about 3 minutes.

Add flour, salt and baking soda and mix until it forms a smooth dough.

Put cookie dough in a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper and roll into a long cylinder; twist the ends of the paper. Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour or overnight.

Cut roll into ¼-inch-thick slices and press a halved almond in the center of each cookie, lightly sprinkle with Hawai`ian sea salt and bake on a lightly buttered cookie sheet until slightly puffed, about 7 minutes.

Remove from oven; transfer cookies to a rack to cool.

Place scoops of ice cream between a pair cookies. Gently press together and serve.

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GREEN TEA MARTINI Makes 2 drinks When we took the first sip of this martini we knew it was a winner! It’s a great cocktail to add to your bar list and somewhat addictive in a sense because it’s crisp and fresh.

Green tea is healthy and full of antioxidants, so don’t feel bad if you have a few!

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar 1 cup water 4 tea bags green tea 4 ounces Mandarin-flavored vodka 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Cointreau or Triple Sec Juice of one blood orange Ice cubes Orange twist A cocktail shaker Place water in a small pot on the stove. When boiling, add the sugar and green tea bags. Turn off the heat and steep for 5 minutes. Let cool.

Put the rest of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with the vodka, Cointreau or Triple Sec and some ice cubes.

Shake well and strain into two Martini glasses.

Garnish with an orange twist.

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TEA-SMOKED CHICKEN Makes 4–6 servings Tea-smoked chicken is excellent in a salad, a sandwich or served with any kind of noodle dish.

4-6 boneless and skinless chicken breasts ½ cup grated ginger 2 teaspoons salt and freshly ground pepper Grated zest of 2 oranges 2 tablespoons olive oil Place chicken in a Zip-Loc bag with all the ingredients and marinate overnight or 3 hours in the refrigerator. Heat a medium-size pan over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sear the chicken for 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Remove from pan. At this point, the chicken will finish cooking in the smoker.

SMOKING MIXTURE ¼ cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon black peppercorns ¼ cup Earl Grey tealeaves 3 3-inch cinnamon sticks ¼ cup raw rice Peel from one orange Line a wok with aluminum foil. Place smoking mixture ingredients on the bottom of the wok. Heat wok over a medium flame for approximately 10 minutes. When mixture starts to smoke, place breasts on a rack over the smoking mixture. Cover and smoke over medium heat for approximately 15 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Remove chicken from smoker; set aside to cool. Carve each breast into 8 slices and drizzle with the Soy Sesame Glaze.

SOY SESAME GLAZE 1 teaspoon dry mustard 5 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons sesame oil 3 tablespoons light soy sauce ½ cup macadamia nut oil 5 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar 4 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds 2 teaspoons fresh ginger root, peeled Chili oil, to taste Place all of the dressing ingredients, except the oil, in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add the oil slowly to combine. Store in a jar in the refrigerator and use as needed.

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MOCHA CHAI CRÈME BRULEE Makes 4 servings These are great eaten straight from the oven as a pudding or chilled and torched to make a crispy sugar crust. When simmering the cream with the spices, be sure to add extra cream if it evaporates.

You’ll want a total of 2 cups when you are ready to bake them. Just add extra cream; there’s no need to re-simmer.

3½ cups heavy cream 2 vanilla beans, split 1 teaspoon cardamom, ground 40 black peppercorns 3 3-inch sticks cinnamon 15 allspice berries 1 tablespoon whole cloves4 tablespoons fresh ginger, crushed 4 egg yolks ½ cup granulated sugar 5 chai teabags 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground ¼ teaspoon ginger, ground 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 4 tablespoons granulated sugar, to torch Preheat oven to 300°. Place heavy cream in a medium pot with the vanilla beans, cardamom, peppercorns, cinnamon sticks, allspice berries, cloves and fresh ginger. Simmer for 20 minutes on a very low heat to infuse the flavors.

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In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks with sugar and set aside.

To the hot cream mixture, add teabags, ground cinnamon, ground ginger and cocoa. Simmer for 10 minutes on very low heat. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer over a medium bowl and let cool; you should have 2 cups.

Whisk cooled cream into egg yolk mixture and thoroughly combine. Then strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer.

Pour cream mixture into four ramekins. Place them in a roasting pan and add enough warm water to come halfway up sides of ramekins. Bake covered for 40 minutes, until they are set and jiggle slightly.

Remove from oven and let cool in the water bath for 15 minutes.

Remove from water bath and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

To make the sugar crust: Sprinkle each ramekin with 1 tablespoon of sugar and broil or heat with a torch until sugar is caramelized.

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The way of tea

in Hawai`i

By Jon Letman • Photos by Jon Letman

A woman in a silver kimono with small pink flower petals blowing across the silk approaches the corner of the sparsely decorated room.

Kneeling to where the tatami mats meet the sliding doors, she enters on bended knees, bowing in the direction of a boxed black kettle.

Beyond the kettle a symbolic decoration of rice, seaweed, pickled plums, gingko nuts, sardines, dried persimmons and a small orange sits on a raised platform in an alcove backlit with light filtered through a paper window. A partition wall with a bamboo-grated cutout opens to a second alcove, where a single pink camellia faces the center of the room. To the right of the flower, a small white porcelain bovine figurine indicates the New Year. Behind both, a cream-colored scroll hangs from the ceiling and in the center thick, black ink hand-written characters translate to “the pine is forever green.”

One can almost hear the mournful cry of big black crows against Kyoto’s charcoal grey winter sky—except that this scene takes place on a sunny Saturday morning on Kaua‘i.

The woman in the kimono is a member of a small group who gather twice a month to practice chado or “the way of tea.” As members of this tea “circle,” the women of what is formally called Urasenke

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Tankokai Kauai Kyokai have been meeting in this Līhu‘e home for 17 years to practice their culture, socialize and enjoy traditional Japanese foods.

Japanese tea ceremony, also called cha no yu, became possible with the Ninth century introduction of tea from China. Over hundreds of years, Chinese imported culture was hybridized by the Japanese and independent elements like Zen Buddhism, powdered green matcha tea, and various cultural and artistic esoteric pursuits gradually melded to become what is now simply called “tea ceremony.”

Chado, by its nature, is a highly complex cultural endeavor rich in symbolism and recognized as a refined practice in which aesthetics, spirituality, the pursuit of tranquility and simplicity exemplify Zen thought. A sense of harmony is sought through the tea ceremony’s stylized rituals and use of carefully selected items like ceramic tea bowls, lacquerware tea vessels, delicate bamboo spoons and whisks.

If this all sounds like highbrow stuff, well, it is. Before the Edo period (1603–1868), chado, ikebana (flower arranging) and the reading of classical literature were practiced exclusively by male members of the noble class. Today tea ceremony is much more accessible, though still

kaua`i

a refined pursuit, highly stylized and rigidly adhering to tradition.

Chado is often a lifelong practice and its demonstration is considered worthy of visiting dignitaries (Hillary Clinton was invited to a tea ceremony on her first trip to Japan as Secretary of State).

Japanese living abroad from Norway to Brazil to an Antarctic research base to Hawai‘i, practice tea ceremony as a way to keep in touch with their culture. The women of Kaua‘i’s only “tea circle” gather at the home of one of its members, Sachiko, who built a washitsu (Japanesestyle room) in 1992.

Like almost all cultural groups in Japan, the Kaua‘i circle has a sensei (teacher), but because of Kaua‘i’s relatively small population, that sensei, Hideko Watanabe, only visits from O‘ahu several times a year for special occasions.

For their regular bi-monthly chado practice sessions, the circle meets on their own wearing casual Western clothing even as they prepare matcha and eat wagashi (Japanese sweets).

By chance, I was invited to the Kaua‘i circle’s first ceremony of the New Year. Called hatsudate, this “first brewing” is different from or-

kaua`i

nary meetings in that all members and Watanabe sensei were dressed in kimono and had prepared a special meal of traditional New Year’s food.

Watanabe sensei, originally from Okinawa, has been teaching tea ceremony for four decades, over three of them in Hawai‘i. She explains that chado in Hawai‘i is taught exactly as in Japan. The ceremony, filled with allusions to Japan’s distinct four seasons, makes no geographic concessions to tropical Hawai‘i. The camellia blossoms of the Japanese winter, like the cherry blossoms of April and the ruddy maple leaves of November, are incorporated into the ceremony as much as possible, no matter the weather in Hawai‘i.

Watanabe sensei explains that observers at a tea ceremony may number as few as two or more than a hundred, depending on the venue and the occasion. In brief, a tea ceremony typically consists of ritualized greetings, introductions and the preparation of either thick or thin green tea in a heavy black kettle in a sunken hearth.

As nothing is done randomly, all participants have a fixed place in the washitsu. Observers usually sit on tatami mats seiza-style, with their legs tucked beneath them, a standard practice which, for the uniniti-

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ated, can be difficult to maintain for long. The five guests at this year’s Kaua‘i hatsudate are treated to wooden stools.

For this is the first ceremony of the New Year, Watanabe sensei prepares the thin green foamy matcha while students kneel patiently, moving on cue. Before any tea is poured, sweets from Kyoto are served.

One of the sweets, a thin wafer emblazoned with a small, cute cow, is a reference to the Year of the Cow. A second sweet is green tea colored in the form of three leaves accented with snow white frosting and three tiny red berries. A third sweet is a lump of soft pink mochi filled with white lima bean paste.

Like the hanging calligraphic scroll, the arranged flower and so many things in Japanese culture, these carefully chosen touches all indicate the season.

Attempting to appear graceful and not release a shower of crumbs onto their laps or the tatami mats, the observers nibble their sweets in preparation for the matcha. When the tea is offered, it appears like a serving of green foam. In order to preserve a sense of hin (refinement), the tea fills only the bottom third of the ceramic bowl and is drunk in series of short sips rather than lingered over like English-style tea.

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Hot but not scalding, slightly dense without being heavy or unpleasantly chalky, the matcha has a wonderful aroma and most pleasant taste. Unlike some green tea, it is not bitter, but it’s served in small portions and so, like a snowflake landing on one’s hand, is gone in an instant.

Empty bowls are collected and then the details of the handcrafted cha no yu accoutrements (tea container, bamboo scoop) are explained as they are passed around to be examined and admired. After a series of group photos are taken, all are invited into the hostess’s living room where 13 trays of traditional New Year’s food await. Dishes include simmered black beans, daikon, herring roe, sweet potato paste with chestnuts, kelp rolls, burdock and lotus root and tiny servings of sake in shallow lid-like cups.

The food, eaten only at or soon after New Year’s, like the tea ceremony that preceded it, is rich in symbolism, each ingredient representing, among other things, fertility, happiness, diligence and a clear vision of the future.

Taste, texture, color, form and presentation all eclipse the food’s actual nourishing qualities. Like chado, it’s the meaning conveyed that is more important than the food itself. kaua`i

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Tea Grows

in Hawai`i

By Tim Ryan • Photo by Lauren Brandt

Tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world… after water, and far more than coffee.

But it wasn’t until about a decade ago, after a century absence from Hawai`i, that the precious leaf enjoyed around the planet as a beverage and in Eastern cultures as food, was re-introduced here—in, of all places, the realm of Kona coffee: the Big Island.

It turns out that planting the right variety of tea in Hawai`i makes for a good product, thanks to ideal climate, rich soil and now boutique 34

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farmers putting their own mark on the tea through special processing and growing techniques.

Eva Lee, co-owner of Tea Hawai`i with husband Chiu Leong in Volcano, have a spiritual as well as a commercial connection to tea.

“We push tea from the artist and historical perspective,” Lee says.

“My father is from a place in China that’s the birthplace of tea; my husband is Chinese but is a practitioner of the Japanese tea ceremony.”

hawai`i

Leong is also a potter, which first in nicely with the variety of components related to tea culture: ceramic teapots, cups and bowls; serving trays and utensils; ceremonial customs, clothing and fashion; furniture and even architecture.

The couple farms tea because “it fulfills so much purpose for us,” Lee says.

“Sure, we grow tea to make a living but also to live the experience of tea. Our whole life is tea.”

Tea Hawai`i specializes in what the couple calls Mauka Black Tea and selections of rare green, stone-ground matcha, oolong and pu-er fine tea. The longevity of the tea plant also provides a connection to growers.

“Tea is a plant that is with you forever, living hundreds of years,” she says. “You’re living with the plant for along time.”

Tea is experiencing a rise in popularity for its antioxidants and other nutritional benefits. The Big Island is the hub of Hawai`i’s tea farms, with about 100, and there are a smattering of farms on Kaua`i and Maui. The Big Island farms are normally two acres or less, allowing growers to focus on quality with no intention of competing with mega-sized corporate tea farms.

A proposed 2,021-acre development in east Kaua`i—Kealiakealanani—is slated to include a 100-acre tea plantation that would be the largest in Hawai`i. It would be privately run by the Kaua`i Tea Co., which would oversee production, processing, packaging and marketing.

The tea would be a high-end specialty black, green and white teas marketed as a Hawai`i brand that uses organic farming methods. Also planned is a visitor center with tearoom, store and tours.

Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) reportedly originated with a Chinese scholar and herbalist, Emperor Shen Nung, who lived around 2737 B.C. According to legend, one day Shen Nung was boiling water for an evening meal while resting under a wild tea tree.

A slight breeze came and a few of the leaves gently fell into his simmering water. After tasting it he found the brew refreshing and tea was born.

Many other countries have embraced tea culture, including Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam, India, Russia, Australia, East Africa, England, Indonesia, Iran and Turkey.

According to Dr. Francis Zee and other scholars at the Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center in Hilo, tea was first introduced to Hawai`i in the late 1800s on Kaua`i and the Kona side of the Big Island. Attempts to commercialize tea products were unsuccessful because of the relatively high cost of production. A century later some sugar firms attempted to establish tea plantations, but these projects also were unsuccessful.

Then, according to Zee, came the latest introductions of clonal cultivars of tea to the Big Island by the Tropical Plant Genetic Resource Management Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center in Hilo, in partnership with the University of Hawai`i, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, Cooperative Extension Service. Small plantings were done at Waiakea (600-foot elevation), Mealani (2,800 feet) and Volcano (4,000 feet).

Higher-elevation tea bushes receive a healthy dose of sun in the afternoon, while the cold evenings intensify taste.

The green, oolong and modified green teas processed from tealeaves harvested at Mealani and Volcano were—and are—of excellent quality.

hawai`i

The primary tea varieties in Hawai`i through the Hawai`i Tea Society’s propagation program are Beni Kaori, Bohea, Yadukita, Yutaka midori and Chin shing oolong.

“They all have leaf variations but we find that we can take all the cultivars and process them together to make really excellent tea,” says Lee, founding member of HTS. The Big Island tea can be pruned four times a year when the plant slushes, meaning to produce two leaves and a new tea bud, which is the ideal for picking.

Tea Hawai`i has about 1,500 tea plants on two acres producing about 110 pounds of leaves annually. It takes five pounds of fresh leaves to produce one pound of processed leaf.

But Tea Hawai`i and other growers like Ron Nunally and Mike Longo of Onomea Farms, set 150 feet above sea level on the Hamakua Coast, have a goal beyond producing a good beverage: publicizing the using of fresh tea leaves in food recipes. “In the West there are a number of recipes for processed tea but in the East everybody cooks with fresh leaf tea,” Lee says.

Adds Nunally: “A big goal [for Hawai`i growers] is to educate the public about the benefits of fresh tea leaves in salads, breads, steamed with fish and so many other recipes.” Sales of the fresh leaves would also supplement farmers’ incomes in the fledgling Hawai`i industry.

Tea Hawai`i already sells fresh tea leaves to Alan Wong’s restaurants in Honolulu and to Merriman’s on the Big Island and Maui.

The fresh leaf tea market is ideal for Hawai`i’s farmers since Hawai`i is the only state in the country where fresh processed tea leaves can be exported easily, since import laws for foreign leaves are strict.

“And there are a lot of chefs out there who want this product,” Lee says.

It’s also a chance to diversify Hawai`i’s regional agricultural economy. Gourmet tea, like Kona coffee, is attracting consumers willing to pay higher prices for unique and healthy products.

“We can’t compete with the large commodity tea businesses and they really can’t compete with what we do,” Lee says.

Lee and Nunally agree that the success of Hawaiian tea likely will rely on creating something unique. For Tea Hawai`i, part of that unique quality is having their plants grow in a Volcano rain forest untouched by tilling, fertilizer or other chemicals.

“We don’t clear anything,” says Lee. “It’s all natural.”

Premium gourmet teas can sell in retail stores for $100 or more per pound.

Nunally and his partner Longo, who have nine lush acres on a coastal plateau overlooking scenic Onomea Bay, had no farming experience when they moved to the Big Island from California nine years ago. They grow about 2,500 tea plants from India, Japan and China at their Onomea Tea from which, like Tea Hawai`i, they make black and oolong tea on about 1.5 acres with plans to expand threefold.

The farmers like Lee are creating an ag tourism business with workshops, tours and high teas on property.

“The process for tea is so ceremonial,” Nunally says. “Tea drinkers want to stop to reflect and enjoy the moment.

“And of course the movement to get closer to the earth, growing things, has become huge. People want to know exactly where their food is grown and how.”

Lee laughs at her own intensity about the benefits of tea.

“Tea needs to be approached with patience and sensitivity and creativity,” she says. “The whole thing just takes you over.”

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BOOK REVIEW

By G. Natale

Historic Photos Of Honolulu Text and Captions by Clifford Kapono

Clifford Kapono is a native Hawaiian who brings to the subject of Honolulu history a voice from the perspective of Hawaii’s first people, and an informed view of Hawaii’s transition from a traditional tribute economy to that of the twenty-first century.

With fact-filled photo captions and chapter introductions, Historic Photos of Honolulu rediscovers the fascinating past of this city through nearly 200 rare photographs culled from the Hawaii State Archives and the Library of Congress, showcased with exceptional clarity and beauty.

From the Kingdom of Hawaii and ‘Iolani Palace, to Honolulu Harbor , and much more, Honolulu is shown through the decades in glorious black-and-white photography, displayed in a large format.

This is a beautiful book for any resident, traveler, photography, or history enthusiast!

Available at your favorite bookseller: Hardcover $39.95 Turner Publishing Company

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BOOK REVIEW

By G. Natale

Great Chefs Cook Vegan

By Linda Long Indulge in Delicious Vegan Recipes from World-Renowned Chefs

Unlike vegetarians, vegans choose to exclude any type of meats or animal products from their diets, including eggs and dairy products.

Linda Long gives us recipes from 25 of today’s highest awarded chefs; many are recipients of the coveted James Beard Award for Culinary excellence. Among this list are Daniel Boulud, JeanGeorge Vongerichten, Cat Cora and Suzanne Goin.

Each chef includes a three or four-course vegan meal, complete with mouth-watering photographs of each recipe. Examples are: Baby Beet Salad with Pistachio Vinaigrette and Chickpea Fritters, Sweet Pea Ravioli with SautĂŠed Pea Leaves, Chocolate Cake with a Chocolate Truffle Molten Center.

Hardcover: $35. At your favorite bookseller Published by: Gibbs Smith

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WHY SUBSCRIBE? You help preserve the Hawaiian Islands Unique food culture. Just like our advertisers, you help to support the mission of this magazine.

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Edible Hawaiian Islands is published quarterly by Edible Hawaiian Islands LLC. Telephone: 808-828-1559. Distribution is throughout the state of Hawai`i and nationally by subscription. All rights reserved. Subscription rate is $28 annually. Published in April, July, October and December. Call the number above to inquire about advertising rates, deadlines or subscription information, or email us at: info@ediblehawaiianislands.com. No part of this publication may be used without written permission of the publisher. © 2009 All Rights Reserved.

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Words From Our Local Heroes Farm / Farmer – Ma’o Organic Farm (O`ahu) At MA`O we’re delighted to be acknowledged by our community and food people of the State of Hawaii, this illustrates the mana of our ‘aina in Lualualei Valley which is prime to produce the highest quality organic foods....the young people of the Wai’anae region are ready and motivated to be the food producers in forging a path for a sustainable Hawaii nei...and moreover this honor is shared with people like Ed Kenney, Dave Caldeira and Alan Wong who share our commitment to the land.

Farm to Table - Alan Wong (O`ahu) “We help bring our farmers and their products to the table, enabling our guests to make more educated choices when buying local or from other places. Diners are now more aware that their choices help to sustain Hawaii's farmers, ranchers, fisherman in supporting our local businesses and economy. Thank you for helping to share our message with a larger audience.” www.alanwongs.com

Chef/Restaurant - Jim Moffat (Kaua`i) Sorry about that, But the thing of it is, its just really great to be in a place where we can affect a community with what we do. Its as natural as nourishing a plant to produce a bud or fruit, the responsibility to feed the community fosters a relationship with the farmers and the more successful you are at feeding the community the more important your relationship with the farmers becomes - its seems so natural, so its nice to be in a place where we have such easy access to these great little individual farmers...

The Concept with the South Shore Market is really to give more power to the farmers by giving them a daily outlet for their product, with more organized visibility we should be able to really show them off - since their stuff is so damn good. www.restaurantbaracuda.com

Non-Profit – The Kohala Center - Nancy Redfeather (Hawai`i Island) I think the community is reflecting the growing desire to become more food self-sufficient and also to bring the school garden into the curriculum and integrate academics with real hands on learning, and also help our children and youth eat a healthier diet and learn stewardship of the Earth, our greatest natural resource.

We are entering a most challenging time. If we would all work to save something we love this year, greater opportunities for positive change would occur. I am thankful to work with over 50 garden teachers who are true heroes, pioneering a new curriculum that will reconnect our children's lives with the life of the land. www.kohalacenter.org

Beverage Artisan - Indulge! Hawai'i (O`ahu) We showcase contemporary Hawaiian indulgences. Our hallmark is incorporating Hawaiian ingredients and flavors that capture the spirit of our island home. We support sustainable agricultural practices that keep land and water sources pristine of harmful chemicals and deadly pesticides. By selecting Fair Trade Certified, we help famers and families improve their living standards through better health care, housing, education opportunities and fair wages.

Thank you for the wonderful news. All of us here are so excited about receiving your award, especially since we are a new start-up.

Your award is confirmation that decisions we're making on taste, quality and authenticity are paying off.

Byron Goo, www.indulgehawaii.com

Food Artisan – Ono Gelato (Maui) "Farm to fork ethics are the guiding principals of Ono Gelato; we craft locally grown organic fruit into small batches of Gelato made fresh daily and serve it in biodegradable cups." www.onogelatocompany.com

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2009 Local Heroes Every year the readers of Edible Communities magazines vote for the “Local Heroes” in each of their regions. e winners represent those individuals and businesses that make significant contributions to their local food communities. edible ALLEGHENY

edible EAST BAY

edible MANHATTAN

FARM / FARMER: Jamison Farm CHEF / RESTAURANT: Keith Fuller / Six Penn Kitchen FOOD ARTISAN: Steve Salvi / Fede Pasta BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Boyd & Blari Vodka NON-PROFIT: Milestone Specialty Produce

FARM / FARMER: Moraga Gardens CHEF / RESTAURANT: Manzanita Restaurant FOOD ARTISAN: June Taylor / June Taylor Company BEVERAGE ARTISAN: St. George Spirits NON-PROFIT: Oakland Food Connection!

FARM / FARMER: Michael Yezzi & Jennifer Small / Flying Pigs Farm CHEF / RESTAURANT: Mas BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Jim Meehan / PDT NON-PROFIT: Just Food

edible EAST END

edible ASPEN

FARM / FARMER: The Farm CHEF / RESTAURANT: Jennifer Meadows / Fishbar FOOD ARTISAN: Jennifer Halsey Dupree / The Milk Pail BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Wölffer Estate

FARM / FARMER: Whitton Flowers and Produce CHEF / RESTAURANT: Interim Restaurant FOOD ARTISAN: Groovy Foods BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Old Millington Winery NON-PROFIT: Memphis Farmers Market

FARM / FARMER: Borden Farms CHEF / RESTAURANT: SIX89 FOOD ARTISAN: Ryan Hardy BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Kevin Doyle • Woody Creek Cellars NON-PROFIT: Slow Food Roaring Fork

edible AUSTIN

FARM / FARMER: Boggy Creek Farm CHEF / RESTAURANT: Eastside Cafe & Wink (tie) FOOD ARTISAN: Full Quiver Farms Farmstead Cheese BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Tipsy Texan & Zhi Tea (tie) NON-PROFIT: Urban Roots, a Program of YouthLaunch

edible BROOKLYN

CHEF / RESTAURANT: Fette Sau FOOD ARTISAN: Mast Brothers Chocolate BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Six Point Craft Ales

edible BOSTON

FARM / FARMER: Verrill Farm CHEF / RESTAURANT: Garden at the Cellar FOOD ARTISAN: Liz & Peter Mulholland, Valley View Farm BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Alfalfa Winery NON-PROFIT: Federation of MA Farmers’ Markets

edible BUFFALO

FARM / FARMER: Promised Land CSA / Oles Family Farm CHEF / RESTAURANT: Hutch’s Restaurant FOOD ARTISAN: White Cow Dairy BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Flying Bison Brewery NON-PROFIT: Foodbank of WNY

edible CAPE COD FARM / FARMER: Tim Friary / Cape Cod Organic Farm CHEF / RESTAURANT: Michael Crowel / Embargo FOOD ARTISAN: Peter O’Donovan / Nantucket Wild Gourmet BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Todd Marcus / Cape Cod Beer NON-PROFIT: Cape Abilities Farm

edible CHICAGO FARM / FARMER: City Farm / Tim Wilson CHEF / RESTAURANT: North Pond Restaurant FOOD ARTISAN: Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Goose Island Brewery NON-PROFIT: The Land Connection

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Spring 2009

edible FINGER LAKES

FARM / FARMER: Peacework Farm CHEF / RESTAURANT: Willow FOOD ARTISAN: Finger Lakes Farmstead Cheese BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Red Jacket Orchards NON-PROFIT: Finger Lakes Culinary Bouty

edible FRONT RANGE

edible MEMPHIS

edible MISSOULA FARM / FARMER: John Slotnick CHEF / RESTAURANT: Biga Pizza FOOD ARTISAN: Margaret AmbroseBarton BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Lake Missoula Cellars NON-PROFIT: Garden City Harvest

edible NUTMEG

edible SHASTA-BUTTE

FARM / FARMER: Pyramid Organic Farm & Epperson Family Farm (tie) CHEF / RESTAURANT: The Red Tavern & Moonstone Bistro (tie) BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Chico Chai & New Clairvaux Vineyard (tie) NON-PROFIT: GRUB

edible SACRAMENTO

FARM / FARMER: Soil Born Farms CHEF / RESTAURANT: The Grange Restaurant FOOD ARTISAN: Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Bogle Winery NON-PROFIT: Soil Born Farms

edible SAN DIEGO

FARM / FARMER: La Milpa Organica CHEF / RESTAURANT: JSix Restaurant FOOD ARTISAN: Jordan Stone / Delaney’s Culinary Fresh BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Greg Koch / Stone Brewery NON-PROFIT: Slow Food San Diego

FARM / FARMER: Community Roots & Abbondanza Organic Seeds & Produce CHEF / RESTAURANT: Sugarbeet Restaurant & Potager Restaurant (tie) FOOD ARTISAN: MouCo Cheese Co. BEVERAGE ARTISAN: New Belgium Brewing Company NON-PROFIT: Slow Food

FARM / FARMER: Four Mile River Farm & Hindinger Farm (tie) CHEF / RESTAURANT: Caseus FOOD ARTISAN: Paul Trubey / Beltane Farm BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Rob Leonard / New England Brewing Company NON-PROFIT: CitySeed

edible GRANDE TRAVERSE

FARM / FARMER: Pond Hill Farm CHEF / RESTAURANT: The Cook’s House FOOD ARTISAN: Crooked Tree Breadworks & Pleasanton Brick Oven Bakery (tie) BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Short’s Brewing NON-PROFIT: Farming for Our Future

edible OJAI

FARM / FARMER: Churchill-Brenneis Orchard CHEF / RESTAURANT: Treasure Beach Café FOOD ARTISAN: Jeri Oshima BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Adam Tolmach / Ojai Vineyard NON-PROFIT: Food for Thought Ojai

FARM / FARMER: Shepherd’s Lamb CHEF / RESTAURANT: Torino’s At Home FOOD ARTISAN: Sweetwoods Dairy BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Brad Kraus / Brewmaster NON-PROFIT: Santa Fe Independent Business Alliance

edible HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

edible PHOENIX

FARM / FARMER: Summer Dreams Farm CHEF / RESTAURANT: Martha’s Stone Soup FOOD ARTISAN: Artisan Kitchen BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Rockin K Cafe NON-PROFIT: Marshfield Agricultural and Horticultural Society

FARM / FARMER: Ma’o Organic Farms FARM TO TABLE RESTAURANT: Chef Alan Wong, Farm Series Dinners CHEF / RESTAURANT: Chef Jim Moffat / BarAcuda Restaurant FOOD ARTISAN: Ono Gelato Co. BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Indulge Hawai’i Plantation Iced Tea NON-PROFIT: The Kohala Center

FARM / FARMER: Maya’s Farm CHEF / RESTAURANT: Tapino Kitchen and Wine Bar FOOD ARTISAN: Fossil Creek Creamery BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Four Peaks Brewery NON-PROFIT: Downtown Phoenix Public Market

edible IOWA RIVER VALLEY

FARM / FARMER: Viridian Farms CHEF / RESTAURANT: Nostrana FOOD ARTISAN: Freddy Guys Hazelnuts BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Portland Roasting NON-PROFIT: Ecotrust

FARM / FARMER: Shelley Squier / Squier Squash & Donnelly Farms CHEF / RESTAURANT: Steve Logsdon / Lucca FOOD ARTISAN: Herb & Kathy Eckhouse / La Quercia Prosciutto BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Jean Groben / Jasper Winery NON-PROFIT: Reclaiming Roots

edible JERSEY

FARM / FARMER: Gravity Hill Farm CHEF / RESTAURANT: Chef Will Mooney, The Brothers Moon FOOD ARTISAN: Valley Shepherd Creamery BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Flying Fish Brewing Company NON-PROFIT: Arthur & Friends

edible hawaiian islands

edible PORTLAND

edible PIEDMONT FARM / FARMER: Coon Rock Farm CHEF / RESTAURANT: Lantern FOOD ARTISAN: La Farm Bakery BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Full Steam Brewery NON-PROFIT: The American Breeds Livestock Conservancy (ABLC)

edible RHODY FARM / FARMER: Simmons Farm CHEF / RESTAURANT: Gracie’s FOOD ARTISAN: Garrison Confections BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Sakonnet Vineyards NON-PROFIT: Rhode Island Center for Agricultural Promotion and Education

edible SEATTLE

FARM / FARMER: Skagit River Ranch CHEF / RESTAURANT: Maria Hines FOOD ARTISAN: Estrella Family Creamery BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Rockridge Orchards NON-PROFIT: Cascade Harvest Coalition

edible SANTA FE

edible SOUTH SHORE

edible TWIN CITIES

FARM / FARMER: Ploughshare Farm CHEF / RESTAURANT: Restaurant Alma & Brasa Premium Rotisserie FOOD ARTISAN: Legacy Chocolates BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Alexis Bailly Vineyard NON-PROFIT: Second Harvest Heartland

edible VANCOUVER

FARM / FARMER: UBC Farm CHEF / RESTAURANT: Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company FOOD ARTISAN: Sebastian & Co. Fine Organic Meats BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Ethical Bean NON-PROFIT: FarmFolk / CityFolk Society

edible WOW

FARM / FARMER: Earthworks Urban Farm CHEF / RESTAURANT: Vinology FOOD ARTISAN: Avalon International Bakery BEVERAGE ARTISAN: Arbor Brewing Co. NON-PROFIT: Forgotten Harvest

www.ediblealoha.com

Spring 2009

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What’s Fresh

Vegetables: Bitter Melon Beans Chinese Cabbage Celery Cucumber Daikon Eggplant Ginger Root Hearts of Palm Mushrooms Taro 44

Spring 2009

edible hawaiian islands

Photo by john Cox

Fruit: Banana Lime Lychee Liliko`i Mango Orange Papaya Pineapple

Photo by Lauren Brandt

www.ediblealoha.com

Spring 2009

45

farmers’ markets Kaua’i Farmers’ Markets MONDAY West Kaua`i Agricultural Association Poipu Road and Cane Haul Road, Poipu 8 a.m.

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

Hoolako Road, Lihue 3 p.m.

downtown Hilo Saturdays, 8 a.m.–noon

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

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

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

SUNDAY Pahoa Farmers’ Market Luquin’s/Akebono Theater parking lot 8 a.m.–3 p.m.

Kukui Grove Shopping Center Lihue 3 p.m.

Hawai`i Island Farmers’ Markets

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

TUESDAY Kalaheo Neighborhood Center (Sunshine Markets) Papalina Road off Kaumualii, Kalaheo 3:30 p.m.

SATURDAY Keauhou Farmers’ Market Keauhou Shopping Center, Keauhou 8–11 a.m.

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

Kino`ole Farmers’ Market Kino`ole Shopping Plaza 1990 Kino`ole St., Hilo 7 a.m.-noon

South Kona Green Market At the Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden Captain Cook 9 a.m. – I pm

Wailua Homesteads Park (Sunshine Markets) Malu Road, Wailua 3 p.m.

Hawaiian Farmers of Hanalei Waipa, Hanalei 2 p.m.

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

WEDNESDAY Kapa`a New Town Park (Sunshine Markets) Kahau Road, Kapa`a 3 p.m.

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

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

Waimea Hawaiian Homestead Farmers’ Market Mamalahoa Hwy., 2 miles east of Waimea town 7:30 a.m.

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

Honokaa Farmers’ Market Honokaa town near Honokaa Trading Co.

FRIDAY Vidinha Stadium (Sunshine Markets)

Hilo Farmers’ Market Wednesdays and Saturdays Corner of Mamo and Kamehameha Ave.,

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edible hawaiian islands

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

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

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.

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

Wahiawa District Park (People’s Open Market) N. Cane & California Avenue, Wahiawa 10–11 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 7–11 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.

Market) 800 North King Street, Honolulu 6:15–7:30 a.m.

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

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

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

Manoa Marketplace Honolulu 7–11 a.m.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SATURDAYS Banyan Court Mall (People’s Open

Waialua Farmers’ Market Waialua Sugar Mill 8:30 a.m. –Noon Hawai`i Kai Towne 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.

www.ediblealoha.com

Spring 2009

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Fair Maui Mall, Kahului 7 a.m.–4 p.m.

Ms. Cynda Hearn 871-1307

Kapolei Community Park (People’s Open Market) 91-1049 Kamaaha Loop, Kapolei 7–8:30 a.m.

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

Royal Kunia Park-n-Ride (People’s Open Market) Kupuna Lp/Kupohi Street, Waipahu 9:30–11 a.m.

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

Waikele Community Park (People’s Open Market) Waipahu 11:30 a.m. –12:30 p.m.

Farmers’ Market of Maui-Honokowai Hawaiian Motors parking lot (across from Honokowai Park) 7 a.m. –11 a.m.

The Mililani Sunday Farmers’ Market at Mililani High School 95-1200 Meheula Parkway, Mililani High School Parking Lot 8 a.m. –Noon

Maui Mall Farmers’ Market & Craft Fair Maui Mall, Kahului 7 a.m.–4 p.m.

Manoa Marketplace Honolulu 7–11 a.m.

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

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

Farmers’ Market of Maui-Honokowai Hawaiian Motors parking lot (across from Honokowai Park) 7–11 a.m.

TUESDAY The Maui’s Fresh Produce Farmer’s Market Queen Kaahumanu Shopping Center (center stage area) Kaahumanu Avenue, Kahului 7 a.m. –4 p.m.

Pepito Valdez 298-4289 Maui Mall Farmers’ Market & Craft

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Spring 2009

The Maui’s Fresh Produce Farmer’s Market Queen Kaahumanu Shopping Center (center stage area) Kaahumanu Avenue, Kahului 7 a.m.–4 p.m.

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

7 a.m.–4 p.m.

SATURDAY Maui Swap Meet MCC 7am.-2pm.

Makawao Eddie Tam Center, Upcountry 8a.m.-1p.m.

Hana Fresh Hana Medical Center M. 3p.m.-6p.m.

TH. 11a.m.-3p.m.

Sat. 7:30a.m.- 1:30p.m.

Ono Organic Across from Hasagawa General Store, Hana M. 10:30a.m.- 6 Lana`i Farmers’ Market SATURDAY Lana`i Market Place Lana`i, Dole Park 8 a.m.-1p.m.

Moloka`i Farmers’ Market SATURDAY Ala Malama Street Kaunakakai 7a.m.-1p.m.

FRIDAY Farmers’ Market of Maui-Kihei Suda Store parking lot on South Kihei Road 8 a.m. –4.00 p.m.

The Maui’s Fresh Produce Farmer’s Market Queen Kaahumanu Shopping Center (center stage area) Kaahumanu Avenue, Kahului 7 a.m.–4 p.m.

Farmers’ Market of Maui-Honokowai Hawaiian Motors parking lot (across from Honokowai Park) 7 a.m.–11 a.m.

Maui Mall Farmers’ Market & Craft Fair Maui Mall, Kahului

edible hawaiian islands

Photo by Oliver Cohen & Lauren Brandt

Next to the North Shore Marketplace (free parking) 9am.-1pm.

ADVERTISER DIRECTORY KAUA`I A. J. DeRaspe Personal chef services Multicourse dinners Culinary & nutritional Workshops 808-635-5865 www.foragingfork.com Aurora Fund PO Box 565, Kilauea, HI 96754 808-828-0893 www.theaurorafoundation.org 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 Cake Clothing *Accessories * Gifts Kong Lung Center Kilauea, Kaua’i 7 days a week • 808-828-6412 Garden Ponds Mauka Of Banana Joe’s Kilauea, Kaua`i Classes: “secrets of Water Gardening” 808-826-6400 www.gardenponds.com Hanalei Dolphin Restaurant & Fish Market Sushi Lounge 5-5016 Kuhio Hwy. Hanalei, Kaua’i 808-826-6113 Healthy Hut Natural Food Grocery On the way to Kilauea Lightouse 808-828-6626 Hukilau Lanai Torchlit, airy setting, Kauai fresh cusine. In Kapa`a, behind the Coconut Marketplace.

Dinner & Cocktails begin 5pm, Tues – Sun. Reservations recommended 808-822-0600

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

Mon.-Sat. 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

Hanalei • 5-5161 Kuhio Hwy. Hanalei, Kaua’i 808-826-0089 7 days 9 a.m.–8 p.m.

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

Po’ipu Beach Estates Terry P. Kamen Call for a Tour 808-651-0071

KKCR Kaua`i Community Radio 808-826-7774 PO Box 825 Hanalei, Kaua’i 96714 Listener Supported www.kkcr.org

Strings & Things Ching Young Village Hanalei, Kaua’i Yarn to Ukuleles 808-826-9633

Koa Properties 808-651-1777 www.koakauai.com Mermaids Café In Old Kapa’a Town Lunch-Dinner-Catering Homemade entres, wraps, Sauces, salads, vegan & vegetarian always available.

Moloa`a Sunrise Fruit Stand Corner of Kuhio Hwy and Koolau Road Farm Fresh Local Grown Produce, Smoothies, juices, salads & Sandwiches Open Mon thru Sat 7:30am– 5pm • Phone orders welcome 808-822-1441 The Palmwood A boutique Inn “An oasis in the midst of Paradise” Frommer’s 2008 808-631-9006 www.thepalmwood.com

Whole Foods Market Supporting the local farmers And growers here on the Islands Kahala Mall in Honolulu 4211 Wai`alae Ave 808-738-0820 – 7am-10pm www.wholefoodsmarket.com MAUI

www.poipubeachestates@yahoo.com

The Wine Garden 4495 Puhi Road Lihu’e, Kaua’i Fine Wine, Vintage Port Hand-Rolled Kaua’i Cigars Open everyday 10am-6:30pm 808-245-5766

Ono Gelato Company Made fresh using local organic fruit.

115D Highway Paia 808-579-9201 Open 7 days a week 11 am10pm www.onogelatocompany.com HAWAI`I ISLAND

O`AHU

Kona Coffee and Tea Home of 100% organic Kona Coffee 808-329-6577 www.konacoffeeandtea.com

Aloha Air Cargo Shipping fruits and vegetables fresher. www.alohaaircargo.com

Joan Namkoong “Food Lovers Guide to Honolulu” at your favorite book store.

Honu Group Inc. 1001 Bishop Street ASB Tower, Suite 2800 Honolulu, Hawai`i 96722 808-550-4449 tabenoja@honugroup.com www.honugroup.com

NATIONAL

Pelekunu’s Teri Sauces 808-282-9699 www.pelekunus.com

Sweet Paradise Chocolatier The Art of Chocolate Hawaiian Style Papaya’s 20-A Kainehe Street, Kailua Natural Food & Café Organic Produce Vegetarian Café 808-230-8228 www.sweetparadisechocolate.com Kaua`i Village 4-831 Kuhio Hwy. Kapa’a, Kaua’i 808-823-0190

Organic Valley Family Farms www.organicvalley.coop One Love 11 Clothing 917-345-6072 www.onelove11clothing.com Slow Food Hawai’i Island • Shelby Floyd sfloyd@ahfi.com Kaua’i • Patrick Quinn Icingonthecake.Kauai@gmail.com

O’ahu • Laurie Carleson laurie@honoluluweekly.com Slow Food Nation www.slowfoodnation.org

www.ediblealoha.com

Spring 2009

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Caimito

what is it & how do you eat it?

Caimito, (Chrysophyllum cainito) also known as star apple (because of the way the seed looks when cut open. They can be dark purple or green. The skin and rind are inedible, and you don’t want to get the bitter latex of the skin on the ripe flesh.

Photo by Lauren Brandt

How to eat: it is best chilled, cut in half and flesh spooned out, leaving the seed cells and core. Combine it with mango, pineapple, citrus and other fruits for a salad, when dried they look and taste like small dates.

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Spring 2009

edible hawaiian islands