edible Hawaiian Islands Summer 2009

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hawaiian islands tm

Celebrating the Harvest of the Aloha State, Season by Season No. 9 Summer 2009

Ono Meets Pono Addicted to Whole Foods Pineapple Ketchup Member of Edible Communities

LETTER of

Aloha Summer days and summer nights, a special time of year. It’s especially exciting for us at edible Hawaiian Islands, because this year it marks our second anniversary. Where does the time go?

I want to thank all of you who write telling us how much you appreciate the work we are doing. We want to thank all of our advertisers; without them we would not be here. We ask that you support them with your patronage, as they all understand the need for sustainable Hawaiian Islands. You can find a list of our advertisers by island in the back of the magazine.

One of the big issues when talking about eating local is being able to find locally produced food, to be able to support those producers so that they can continue doing what they do. We have our Farmers’ Market List from each island on our back pages; we also have a story in this issue about Whole Foods Market, Kahala. They are carrying a large amount of local produce as well as other food products. I was very happy to learn about a Local Producer Loan Program that Whole Foods offers. Read more on page 14. They are serious about being a part of the community and helping it to grow and become more sustainable.

Wishing you all a wonderful happy summer—don’t forget your sunblock.

Aloha,

Gloria Cohen Publisher/Editor in Chief Cover Photo By Oliver Cohen, More about Pohu Berry on page 50.

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summer 2009 Contents 12 19 Departments 4 Letter of Aloha 7

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Pineapple Contest Winner Notable Edibles

22 Sustainable Printing in Hawai`i 25 Cooking Fresh 39 Subscribe

Features 10 indigenous industry The Itinerant Bakers of Hawai’i Island

By Devany Vickery-Davidson 12 ONO GELATO COMPANY —WHERE ONO MEETS PONO

By Rob Parsons 14 Addicted to Whole Foods

By Tim Ryan 19 Local Fruit Cocktails

By Melissa Chang

43 Ask a Chef 44 Book Review 45 What’s Fresh

34 Talk Story The Lesson of the Toothless Island

By Jon Letman

48 advertiser directory

36 Talk Story Queen of the Field

By Jon Letman

50 what is it & how do you eat it?

40 Learning to Play the Mandoline

By Elaine Giammetta

46 farmers’ markets

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

Writers Melissa Chang Dahlia Haas Elaine Giammetta Jon Letman G. Natale Rob Parsons Tim Ryan 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 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. 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

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pineapple Contest Winner Lara Hata is the winner of our Pineapple Photo Contest, for more of her beautiful photography, check out her website. www.larahata.com You can see some of our other favorites on our website www.ediblehawaiianislands.com The next photo contest is “Coconut” you can be creative, it can be a bunch or cut open or in a scene of it’s own. You may submit two photos for this contest per person, must be 8.5x11 at 300dpi, photo must be original high res, otherwise 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 August 15th. 2009

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Notable Edibles

Photo by Lauren Brandt

Hawai`i Island

Kaua`i

Kekela Farms: A farmers market right on the farm. Everything here meets the standards of the USDA National Organic Production program. With over 100 varieties of vegetables and often tropical fruits from a variety of Hawai`i Island growers, you can visit them on Tuesday and Friday from 2:00-5:00 pm. 64-604 Mana Road in Waimea.

Save the Date: The National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG) is hosting its first ever Breadfruit Bounty Cook-off on Kaua`i. Taste and enjoy judged breadfruit pupus, desserts, soup, salads, and more at NTBG's South shore Visitors Center in Po`ipu, Saturday, September 19th, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Call 742-2433 for details.

Maui

O`ahu

Ono Organic Farms: AgTours and Exotic Fruit Tasting Monday & Thursday at 2:30 pm Tour lasts about 30 minutes. It's 100% sustainable. We toured in a light rain, made it more fun and delicious. We tasted chocolate chayote, mangosteen and the best apple bananas. Certified organic, family owned, and all handpicked.

On the road to Hana, for more info: (808) 248-7779 www.onofarms.com

3360 On The Rise: A favorite of the Editor at Large, the good news is that after a small break, cooking classes are resuming. So for all of you aspiring chefs, sign up and learn a few tricks and tips from Chef Russell Siu himself. The cooking demonstration includes wine pairings with each course. The cost is $65. Per session, which includes tax and service charge. All classes’ start promptly at 6:pm and seating is first come first serve. Seating is limited, so you must have a reservation. For more info: 808-737-1177 and www.3660.com

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indigenous industry

The Itinerant Bakers

of Hawai’i Island Devany Vickery-Davidson Photos by Devany Vickery-Davidson

I

f you are at the Big Island’s Waimea Town Farmers’ Market at Parker School on Saturdays, the scent of bread baking in a wood-burning oven pulls you to the north corner. You can see the lines of people waiting for bread the minute you walk into the market. There is bread there—not your momma’s loaves, but artisan breads being baked as you wait for them to come out of the oven. This is bread worth waiting in line for. Free samples, including butter, are also available.

Hawai’i Island has its own traveling bakers: Kay and Kevin Cabrera of the Sandwich Isle Bread Company. It all started 24 years ago when Kevin and Kay had a little shop in Hilo called Kay’s Creations, which specialized in wedding cakes. Fast forward a few years and Kevin was a resort chef, working at the high-end resorts of the Kohala Coast.

After putting in his time at various chef stations, he found that his passion was bread baking. In time, he became baker chef at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, where he also serviced the Hapuna Beach Prince, the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and both United Airlines and Aloha Airlines with various products.

A year ago, while working as baker chef for the Fairmont Orchid, he decided it was time to dedicate his life to his passion of baking artisan breads the way they were baked in more ancient times: with a wood-fired oven. As he puts it, “After 20 years and 2.5 million hotel dinner rolls, I wanted to get back to baking bread that was more satisfying, for me and for people who love a loaf of fresh-baked artisan bread on the table.”

Kevin and Kay went to the mainland to the first Kneading Conference in Maine in 2007. There, Kevin was able to bake in a domeshaped wood-burning oven and was immediately smitten. After returning to Hawai’i, he invested in a wood-burning oven kit that could be made portable and with the help of friends and local craftsmen Kevin’s dream came true: The Sandwich Isle Bread Company was 10

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born. He now has the island’s only portable wood-burning oven. It sits on a trailer and can be rotated in any direction to fit site requirements.

Kevin cuts his own wood, using mostly kiawe, which is in the mesquite family. He also has a commercial kitchen for prepping and mixing dough.

Kevin bakes a large variety of breads each week, and sells out at every market. He also sells frozen pizza dough in both whole wheat and white at the Parker School market.

I spent a morning at the Parker School market with Kevin and watched him fire his oven, clean it out and then start baking. Because we are celebrating pineapple in this issue of EHI, he and I made fresh pineapple pizzas before he put his breads in the ovens. I brought some sauce, fresh pineapple from my garden, Thai basil, caramelized onions and a mix of five Italian cheeses; Kevin assembled and baked the pizzas. Kevin does not normally make pizzas at the farmers’ markets, but he does do great on-site pizza parties, making over 100 pizzas at a clip.

Also in honor of the pineapple, Kay provided a very special recipe of hers for our readers: a pineapple French toast recipe that can be made the night before, wrapped and allowed to soak refrigerated overnight, then be topped and baked the following morning. It is a good way to use Sandwich Isle Bread Company breads.

The artisan loaves are mixed in the bakery kitchen and then put into proofing baskets to rise while the oven is being fired up. It takes a few hours for the fire to heat the interior of the oven to over 600°. It can then bake for a few hours because the interior of the oven retains the heat. This means for a morning market, Kevin’s day starts quite early.

After the loaves have risen, Kevin slices a few strips on the top of the loaves to allow them to rise evenly, and then he loads the breads using a peel, a flat wooden device with a coating of semolina flour to prevent sticking.

PINEAPPLE FRENCH TOAST FOR A CROWD This is an easy brunch dish that can be dressed up with a beautiful fresh tropical fruit garnish.

3 tablespoons Hula Cow* butter, softened 5 eggs 1 cup fresh pineapple juice or juice drained from a 20-ounce can of crushed Hawaiian pineapple in its own juice, pineapple reserved.

1 teaspoon orange zest, finely grated ½ cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon vanilla ½ cup raw sugar Pinch of salt Reserved crushed pineapple 1 pound day-old bread, bottom crust trimmed, cut into ½-inch slices (country white is great, but any fruited bread can be used as well as multi-grain) 1/3 cup Hula Cow* butter ½ cup brown sugar ¼ cup coconut syrup

Spread a 9- by 13-inch glass baking dish with the 3 tablespoons of butter. Whisk the eggs, juice, zest, cream, vanilla, sugar and salt together in a blender. Pour into a bowl and dip the bread slices one at a time in the egg mixture. Neatly layer in the prepared baking dish, overlapping if necessary. Stir the reserved pineapple into the remaining custard and pour the mixture over the bread.

Preheat the oven to 350°. While the oven is heating melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan with the brown sugar and coconut syrup. Stir until smooth and the mixture boils, then spoon evenly over the bread, being sure that each slice gets a good smear. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, turning the pan once, or until the topping is browned and bubbling. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 8–10 portions. *Hula Cow butter is a new product made at Tropical Dreams Ice Cream Factory in Waimea. It’s a lightly cultured butter, handmade exclusively with locally produced cream.

The loaves are then baked quickly and Kevin rotates them around the oven, because ofits hot spots. There are also hot spots on Kevin’s arms: Frequent burns are unavoidable for someone who frequently sticks his arms into a 600° oven, even with protection. Unlike baking in a home oven the breads bake in a much shorter time, since they are baked directly on the floor of the oven. They both rise and develop a beautiful crust quickly in the wood-burning oven. Individual loaves are taken out as they are ready and served up to the awaiting throngs of customers waiting for fresh bread. The fragrance, texture and color of the loaves are far superior to anything available in grocery stores.

While Kevin does alternate some of his breads, he also has a few “standards” that he brings to every market. One of the biggest sellers is the 20 Seed Bread that he baked while I was at the market with him.

He also bakes Country White or Wheat, Multi-Grain, Sprouted Rye, Multi-Grain Raisin Fig-Walnut, Pane Pugliese, Spring Onion and Walnut Asiago Cheese with Crushed Black Pepper, as well as a few kinds of focaccia. All loaves sell for $7 each, unless you subscribe to the Sandwich Isle Bakers Bread Club, then they are $6.50 each and can be picked up at the Lalamilo location (see below). You can sign up for the bread club on the bakery’s website.

All of the breads baked in the wood-burning oven have a nice crust, good crumb and chewy textures. Kevin goes out of his way to source the best flours and ingredients for his loaves. He even got excited telling me about a new batch of figs he bought that was superb. Every detail is attended to with consummate perfection. There is simply nothing that can compare to bread baked in this style.

Contact information: Kevin and Kay Cabrera, itinerant bakers, Sandwich Isle Bread Company 808-989-5655 www.sandwichislebread.com www.ediblealoha.com

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ONO GELATO COMPANY— WHERE ONO MEETS PONO

By Rob Parsons Photos Rob Parsons

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aui, like each of the Hawaiian Islands, is full of surprises. In the midst of Paia town’s unique, funky mixture of shops and businesses, visitors and longtime residents alike may be surprised to find a company serving authentic Italian gelato, with a local flair.

Nearly a century ago, Stefano Mosi’s grandfather, a patisserie chef in Torino, Italy, made gelato by hand, a few flavors at a time. In the family tradition (though utilizing modern equipment) and with a nod to Maui’s abundance of exotic fruits, Ono Gelato Company has created their frozen treats daily in small batches since their doors opened in late 2007.

The three owners—Mosi; his wife, Melissa; and friend Valerie— previously owned and operated a bakery business on another island, Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Their popular European-style bakery in downtown Victoria had five outlets and 100 employees. The demands of the business, including baker’s hours that begin at 1 in the morning, prompted the three to take a vacation. Thus, in 2006, the idea of a Hawaiian gelato business was inspired by a visit to Ono Organic Farms in Hana, where they marveled at the variety of locally available tropical fruits.

They renovated a long-vacant storefront at Paia’s main intersection, where Baldwin Avenue meets the Hana Highway. In fact, the crosswalk leads people right to their front door.

Despite an overall downturn in Hawai’i tourism, their specialty Italian ice cream business has met with great success. In fact, a second Ono Gelato is slated to open in Lahaina this summer.

“One of the best surprises,” says Stefano, “has been how business has spread by word of mouth. The same response took years in Canada.”

Customers quickly came to appreciate the quality ingredients and “limited edition” flavors. Ono Gelato offers up to 24 different kinds of gelato and sorbetto, the nondairy confection that showcases many of the exotic fruits.

“People come in and offer fruit from their backyards,” Valerie says.

Consequently, Ono Gelato features seasonal specials including cherimoya, starfruit, lychee, pink grapefruit, blood oranges, strawberry guava and more.

“People say it really tastes like the fruit,” Stefano says.

They subscribe to the Farm to Fork ethics of producing and serving food that is grown locally, using organic ingredients whenever possible, to help support local agriculture and the economy. They feature 100 percent Hawaiian-grown coffees, prepared by Maui Oma Roasters, including premium Maui beans from Kaanapali, and aromatic varieties from Kaua’i and the Big Island.

Colorful jars of Jeff’s Tropical Jams and Jellies, the creations of a chef trained at the Maui Culinary Academy, are also found here.

“We know that what makes us unique in Hawai’i should be a local selling point,” Melissa notes. Thus, they continue to invent new ideas and flavors.

Chubby Monkey is one of two new vegan flavors, an option for those who are lactose intolerant. It combines cherimoya, apple, banana and chocolate, but is made with filtered water, not dairy or soy.

“It’s so creamy, people can’t believe it’s not ice cream,” says Melissa.

Sandy Beach combines peanut butter (freshly made), sea salt, graham crackers and coconut candy in an unlikely combination that is a huge hit.

Their gelato is made with milk from Organic Valley of California, as Hawaii doesn’t have a certified source. “With the dairy now closed on Maui,” says Stefano, “sometimes it seems as though it’s going backwards here.”

But the trio of owners is dedicated to doing the right thing, or what’s pono, as the Hawaiians say. When they found that curbside recycling wasn’t provided, as they were accustomed in British Columbia, they provided recycling containers in their shop for customers.

They use biodegradable packaging, with corn-based gelato cups made from potato starch. It costs them double the price of plastic, but they understand it’s one of many steps in reducing their overall environmental impacts, towards obtaining a “green restaurant” certification.

Being community-minded has always been a focus. “If the community’s not doing well,” Valerie says, “we’re not doing well.” Recently, they supported a “Memoirs of a Geisha” themed Women Helping Women benefit by donating their services and a special green tea gelato.

Their business found an unexpected publicity boost a year ago when a Maui Electric transformer blew, causing a power outage throughout Paia Town. While battery-operated emergency lights allowed them to stay open, the freezer cases slowly began to warm up.

“We put big handmade signs out front, saying 75 percent off,” said Melissa. “Soon we had a line out the door. No place else in town was open. We sold out everything within two to three hours!”

Stefano makes his gelato and sorbetto each morning, using an Italian-made Carpagiani batch freezer that pasteurizes the mixture before chilling. His gelato uses only 3–4 percent butterfat, unlike American ice creams that can use 10–18 percent. And, the gelato machinery whips almost no air into the final product, producing a dense and wonderfully flavorful product.

To keep the product fresh, he makes small batches of three gallons or less, though the Lahaina storefront will use a new machine with twice that capacity. The new Lahaina store, located a few steps from the Front Street seawall, will also feature an espresso bar and deli, with light breakfast, baked goods and sandwiches.

Ono Gelato’s owners describe themselves as “Entrepreneurs whose goals for profits are tempered with equal enthusiasm for stewardship of artisanal gelato and green ethics.” They understand that living in the Hawaiian Islands provides unique opportunities, and a responsibility, or kuleana, for sustainability.

It’s no surprise that an upstart business with good recipes and community-minded initiatives will find popular support. Indeed, says Stefano, “Our gelato cake sales are picking up!”

But aren’t some customers worried about the caloric content of his frozen treats? “Calories aren’t everything,” Stefano explains, “if you’re eating good food and living a healthy lifestyle. My grandma lived to be 99.”

With a little luck, Ono Gelato might also enjoy such longevity. www.onogelatocompany.com

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Addicted to Whole Foods

By Tim Ryan Photo by Lara Hata

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emembering your first kiss, first wave, first car is common. But remembering your first visit to a Whole Foods Market admittedly is odd.

My wife and I were traveling through Southern California several years ago when she wanted some organic fruit for the ride north. When I entered the Whole Foods Market it felt like a much different world than the supermarket chains I was accustomed too.

The lighting was subdued; there were skylights; wall and flooring colors were earthy; meat and fish, coffee beans and produce were arranged almost like art pieces.

“First time at Whole Foods?” a clerk asked as I wandered aimlessly through the tidy aisles.

“That obvious?” I said.

“I know the look,” she said. “Let us know if there’s anything we can help you find.”

My touring ended at the Olive Bar. In my limited foodie experience, I knew only black and green-pitted olives. But here were olives of various sizes—including red ones!—stuffed with garlic, bleu cheese, peppers and onions. Ignoring the “Please, no grazing” sign I slipped a bleu cheese–stuffed olive into my mouth. The flavor was rich and full flavored, the olive a bit crispy and crunchy. I’m pretty sure I closed my eyes and moaned something like “Oh my God.” Then Whole Foods opened in my O’ahu neighborhood and I became hopelessly addicted to organic veggies and fruit, organic Zinfandel wine, Arctic char fish and—my downfall—Chilean sea bass (though it’s really called Patagonia toothfish).

Part of what makes the national chain such a complete shopping experience is that everything you’re likely looking for—and some things you never knew about—can be found in one location. The O’ahu store carries about 75,000 products divided into produce, body

cheese, beer, seafood, meat, general groceries, bakery and prepared foods.

“There wasn’t a retailer [in Hawai’i] that met all the consumers’ needs,” said Claire Sullivan, Whole Foods’ community and vendor relations coordinator. “Hawai’i is a natural fit for us since there are a lot of people here who want to eat healthy, natural organic foods that are locally grown.”

Thirty percent of organic produce at the O’ahu store is Hawai’igrown, more than any other Hawai’i market, Sullivan said.

“We appreciate the difference natural and organic products can make in the quality of our lives,” she said. “Our goal is to sell the highest quality products we can.”

WF determines that quality by ingredients, freshness, taste, nutritional value and appearance for all the products it carries.

“We’re the buying agents for our customers and not the selling agents for the manufacturers; that’s the difference between us and them,” said Sullivan, a 1999 Punahou Schools graduate who also studied environmental issues at Oxford University.

Besides pleasing consumers, choosing organic also supports farmers and producers who believe in good health, quality foods and earthfriendly sustainable agricultural practices, she said.

WF is a certified organic retailer, which means all its stores are regularly inspected to ensure that the organic requirements are maintained.

(WF is scheduled to open two more O’ahu stores and a Maui store in the next two years.) A big advantage of having Hawai’i stores is the year-round availability of locally grown produce because of the favorable climate.

“Despite some conventional wisdom to the contrary, with all of Hawai’i’s microclimates anything can be grown here,” Sullivan said.

That includes potatoes—russets and yellow—and asparagus that are being grown by Twin Bridge Farms on O’ahu’s North Shore.

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One of WF’s largest producers is Ma’o Organic Farm in Waianae, which provides salad mixes including arugula, baby greens, kale, radishes, parsley, mixed greens and Swiss chard.

“They were told they wouldn’t be able to grow kale and now the lettuce is one of Ma’o’s primary and tastiest products,” Sullivan said.

WF is working with more than 50 farms statewide while fielding at least 10 inquiries a week from hopefuls.

O’ahu has the largest number of WF produce suppliers with 17. followed by Maui with nine; the Big Island has eight plus a number of smaller farms accessed through a Hawai’i Island distributor; “satellite” farms on Molokai through the Department of Hawaiian Homelands; and one on Kaua’i.

Though the number of organic producers and produce has been steadily growing in Hawai’i, there’s still not enough of the product to provide all the company’s needs.

“We prefer to buy as much organic as possible, but we still have customers wanting to buy the best value,” she added. “That’s why we also offer conventionally grown selections.”

Competition for locally grown organic produce also has increased because consumers want to reduce the carbon footprint of shipping, Sullivan said.

WF this spring received its first supply of organically grown mangoes from the Big Island and at press time was connecting with an O’ahu organic supplier of the treasured fruit.

“That first batch sold out very fast, but the season is just starting so there'll be more,” she promised.

Interestingly, two of the most difficult organic vegetables to grow in Hawaii are corn and tomatoes. WF is working with a farmer doing trials to raise these crops.

“Organic corn is hard to grow anywhere because of the high demand for nitrogen fertilizer that’s very expensive and then not using herbicides to control weeds makes it even harder,” Sullivan said.

The Big Island organic corn WF has been carrying had the tips cut off because of a worm that burrows into the tip of the pesticide-free vegetable.

“Spraying gets rid of the worm but if you don’t use pesticides you have to remove the tips,” she said.

What WF has been unable to get locally are the stone fruits, including peaches, plums and apricots. Consumers’ passion for these fruit has pushed growers in upcountry areas on Maui and the Big Island to give it a try.

“Apples actually are being grown in some hidden upcountry areas on the Big Island as well as olive and cinnamon trees,” Sullivan says.

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“Even vanilla—one of the world’s most expensive spices—is being grown by the Big Island’s Hawaiian Vanilla Company.”

WF continues to expand its product line, including dairy products and meats. The sole local meat-related item is kiawe wood used for grilling.

“In the near future we’ll have beef from a local supplier with grassfed rather than grain-fed cattle,” she promises. “We’re also looking at getting local milk, butter, cheese and eggs” from two Big Island dairies and one on O’ahu, as well as local, fresh poultry.

Buying organic does more than contribute to a healthy lifestyle, Sullivan said.

“There are a range of reasons that include water quality, land use and worker health,” Sullivan says. “Buying local supports the local economy, and insures there’s a viable future for our green acreage that can be kept in production.”

WH is committed to being a good neighbor. The Hawai’i store has held two “Five-Percent Day” events when that amount of the day’s store sales are donated to nonprofit agencies that promote environmentalism, green farming techniques and nutrition.

Other WF programs allow shoppers who use a reusable bag to donate the 5-cent store credit to the Waikiki Aquarium. WH also supports the Hawaii Nature Center through food donations for special events.

Pressed for her own favorite WF passions, Sullivan, a vegetarian since age 6, says “Hands down, it’s the produce section. The organic broccoli from the Big Island is awesome, and the organic kale from Ma’o [Organic Farm] is fantastic,” she said. “But I so love our storemade cheese pizza. It’s unbelievable.” www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/honolulu

In addition, we would like to get the word out about “Whole Foods Market's Local Producer Loan Program”: Claire Sullivan says “we have yet to award any loans in Hawai'i, but would be delighted to do so!” Loans are available to producers who are supplying Whole Foods Market, and are to be used for capital investments such as purchasing equipment (not operating expenses such as payroll). Loans range from $1,000 to $100,000 per vendor. Interested producers should visit http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/values/local-producer-loan-program.php for more information, and then contact me Claire.Sullivan@wholefoods.com to follow up.

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Local Fruit Cocktails

By Melissa Chang

RUM FIRE MARGARITA Rum Fire has become a literal hotspot in Waikiki, not just with tourists, but with locals as well. Many of the hip party people who make “the scene” around Honolulu rave about the drinks here, especially because the bar makes many drinks with fresh fruits.

2 ounce Patron Silver Tequila ½ ounce Rhum Clement Creole Shrubb ½ ounce fresh lime juice 1/2 ounce Simple Syrup Splash of fresh orange juice Splash of fresh passion fruit purée Combine all ingredients in a shaker, add 2 cups of ice. Shake and strain into a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with lime.

Photo: Aaron Knight/Dreamstime www.dreamstime.com

MAI TAI BAR CORZO SILVER COCONUT MANGO Another popular watering hole is the Mai Tai Bar at Ala Moana Center. Various bartenders highly recommend this place for its cocktails, which are as beautiful as the people ordering them.

1½ ounce Corzo Silver 1 ounce Bacardi Coco 2 ounces mango juice 1 ounce fresh lime juice 1 sprig of fresh mint (no muddle, only shake) Shake and serve up in a chilled martini glass.

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BULLY’S PINEAPPLE MARTINI

UNCLE BO’S ISLAND MANGO MARTINI

This unique martini is found at Alan Wong’s The Pineapple Room in Macy’s Ala Moana. By painstaking research and numerous sips of this cocktail, Chef Alan Wong discovered that three days was the optimum time for letting the pineapple macerate in the vodka. The original recipe called for sweet, low-acid Sugarloaf white pineapples, but of course, you can’t beat local yellow pineapples for their sweetness, hints of coconut flavor and attractive color. These martinis are so sweet, yet so strong, it’s not recommended to try more than one at a time.

Uncle Bo’s “Mango-tini” is one of the restaurant’s more popular martinis, and owners Bo Pathammavong and Ho Suk Lee try to buy local mangos whenever possible. “I actually love mangos, so whenever I go into the local farmers’ markets I buy in bulk, and bring them into the restaurant,” Lee said. “Our well liquors are all brand-name ‘call liquors,’ so we use Svedka vodka for all our regular vodka drinks.”

1 liter triple-distilled premium vodka 2 large ripe pineapples, peeled, cored and cut into small cubes

1½ ounces vodka 1 ounce Amaretto 1 to 2 ounces mango purée

In a large glass jar, combine the vodka and pineapple and macerate in the refrigerator for three days. If the pineapple is less sweet and the mixture still has an alcohol bite to it, add more pineapple and refrigerate for two or three more days. Strain, reserving 12 to 15 of the pineapple cubes. Pour ¼ cup of the mixture into each martini glass. Add a reserved pineapple cube.

TROPICAL FRUIT SANGRIA Courtesy of ShareYourTable.com, a website dedicated to buying and enjoying the many food products Hawai’i has to offer.

Makes 12 to 15 cocktails.

1 bottle Tedeschi Vineyards Macadamia Nut Honey Wine ½ cup juiced pineapple ¼ cup Meyer lemon juice 1 mango, cubed 1 lime, thinly sliced ½ cup sugar Mix all ingredients together until sugar is dissolved. Chill until ready to serve.

MAI TAI BAR THE MANGO KAI JITO 1½ parts Kilo Kai Spiced Rum 1 ounce mango purée ½ ounce simple syrup Mint leaves Fresh lime juice Prepare as you would a classic mojito. Garnish with a fresh pineapple wedge.

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Sustainable Printing

in Hawai`i

T

his being our second anniversary, I thought it would be a good idea to share with you, our readers, our sustainability efforts and how important we feel it is to practice what we preach. edible Hawaiian Islands is printed right here in Hawai`i on the island of O`ahu. While many local publications are printed in other countries to save money, like many of you we make every effort to support local, and to keep our carbon footprint to a minimum.

In 1994, long before sustainability became popular, Hagadone Printing Company President Erwin Hudelist received the Investing in the Environment award from the State of Hawai`i. Since then, Hagadone has continued to establish itself as a leader in sustainability.

“We believe that companies can be profitable and environmentally responsible—even in the printing industry,” says Hudelist. “Years ago we eliminated harmful chemicals and toxic materials from the printing process. Silver runoff, benzene and isopropyl alcohol are no longer used.”

Hudelist acknowledges that the printing industry is a large consumer of electricity and natural resources (paper from trees). That’s all the more reason, he says, that printers must do all they can to limit their impact on the environment.

In 2003, Hagadone made improvements to its electrical system that recovers waste energy. It also replaced old light fixtures with energy-saving T5 and T8 fluorescent lights. And more recently, all of the incandescent light bulbs in its offices were changed to compact fluorescent ones.

In 2005 the company invested $11 million in a state-of-the-art web press and infrastructure improvements. “The new press, which runs on natural gas, uses half the energy of our old web and has an ecocool oven that recycles ink solvents, resulting in zero emissions,” says Hudelist.

Expanding recycling efforts is also a priority at Hagadone. In 2007 the company purchased an industrial shredder/baler system that helps recycle about 150 tons of waste paper per month.

Hagadone was not content to just recycle its own waste paper, so it created the PaperBack Program that allows customers to return the extras of print jobs for recycling. And it established a MailBack Program

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that allows the public to bring in old magazines, mail and other unwanted paper.

“Our sustainability coordinator just informed me that since we installed our shredder/baler system back in 2007, we recycled about 11 million pounds of paper,” says Hudelist. “That’s a lot of paper that did not end up in Hawai`i’s landfills, not to mention the trees that were saved.”

For a Truly Sustainable Business, Zero is the Goal Hagadone Printing’s ultimate goal is to be a “zero waste facility,” according to Hudelist. “This is a long and a never-ending journey and we are constantly striving for improvements.”

The company’s latest environmental effort is its Carbon Offset Program. Rather than waiting for the Obama administration to establish a carbon cap-and-trade system, Hagadone has taken the initiative and is voluntarily offsetting its carbon output by purchasing carbon offset credits “For each printed page, we will purchase carbon offset credits in an equal amount, reducing the negative impact on our world to virtually nothing,” says Hudelist. Carbon offsets support renewable energy, energy efficiency and reforestation.

Sustainability: the Big Picture Sustainability is more than just being an eco-friendly business, according to Hudelist. There is a more worldly approach that combines the so-called “three pillars” of sustainability—environmental, economic and social.

This holistic approach to sustainability was first put forth in a 1987 report by the United Nations entitled Our Common Future. The report is not anti-development but rather it seeks a more balanced approach that considers the interests of all people and the generations to come as we meet the challenges of the new global realities.

Perhaps the most memorable part of the report is the simple yet elegant statement that defines sustainability as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

That is something we all need to keep in mind, says Hudelist, even if you are just a printing company in Honolulu.

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Cooking Fresh

Hot Buns in the Summertime

By Dahlia Haas Food Styling and Photography by Dahlia Haas and Nurit Aeina

S

ummer entertaining begins with graduation parties and ends with a glorious Labor Day weekend barbecue. There is much to celebrate in the coming months: romantic weddings, friends and families planning reunions, and tropical staycations. If you are vacationing at home this year, set up a grill between the palm trees and sunset. It’s paradise and the perfect opportunity to dine alfresco… the setting doesn’t get any better!

For our summer parties, I am making all kinds of island-style sliders: small four-inch sirloin, red veal and ahi poke burgers on miniature Portuguese sweet bread rolls. Tasty and fun to eat, a slider is a three-bite wonder. The idea to make sliders began to percolate after my neighbor dropped off a few loaves of the soft, homemade, Portuguese sweet rolls she was selling. The fragrant golden buns are the perfect size for a mini slider.

Making small nicely shaped patties to fit the buns can be challenging. Here’s a good technique to make the patties uniform: Find a lid that is slightly bigger than the Portuguese sweet rolls. Line the lid with plastic wrap and lightly pack the meat into it—try not to stuff the lid too tightly. After shaping the burgers, make a small indention in the center of the burger so any toppings, such as grated cheese, won’t slide off.

Now the fun part! I created various flavored ketchups and sauces with the condiments I had in the pantry and the refrigerator. Without blinking, I made seven: pineapple ketchup, sesame miso sauce, red curry coconut ketchup, wasabi sauce with black sesame seeds, spicy mango chutney ketchup, pink ginger avocado sauce and sweet Chili ketchup.

On the buffet table or next to the grill set up multicolored bowls filled with these new homemade condiments. Build your own sliders, and use your imagination. You can also take heaping spoonfuls of each, dip, dunk, eat and drink! Don’t forget the purists: They’ll want yellow mustard, tomato ketchup, lettuce, pickles, sliced Maui onions, ripe tomatoes and cheese for melting.

There’s a well-known saying in Hawai`i: “A meal without rice is just a snack.” Try this recipe for tropical brown rice salad, which is filled with crunchy vegetables and topped with an Asian pineapple dressing.

In the summer, fresh island white corn on the cob is irresistible. Rather than grilling or boiling, try my new favorite method. Roast a dozen cobs in the oven in a large brown paper bag. Before baking, lightly spray the exterior of the bag with cooking oil, so the bag doesn’t burn.

Fill it with the shucked corn, brush with melted butter and roast the bagged corn in the oven for about 20 minutes.

To celebrate the second anniversary of Edible Hawaiian Islands magazine, I created a new dessert, a grilled pineapple and coconut macaroon ice cream sundae tart. A few days before you plan to make the tart, buy fresh pineapples, twist off the crowns and set them root side up on the counter to further ripen. The fruit will be unbelievably sweet, like sugar. Afterward, keep the crown and plant it in your garden. In two years, you’ll get your own pineapples! Soon your garden will be full of pineapples, the international symbol of hospitality…and just one more reason to celebrate!

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AHI POKE SLIDERS ON MINI BUNS Makes eight 4-inch mini burgers.

Buy ultra-fresh ahi poke from your favorite fish market for this recipe. You can use any variation, either sesame or spicy ahi poke makes a great-tasting slider. It’s much easier on the home cook to buy delicious island-style poke than to hand-chop two pounds of tuna. If you don’t want to grill, sear them on the stove using a hot skillet, just don’t overcook. If using a grill to cook the sliders, cook them on a hot pan with oil so they don’t fall between the grill grates, or use a grilling basket.

2 pounds fresh ahi poke, from your favorite local fish market 3 tablespoons macadamia nut oil 8 4-inch Portuguese sweet rolls Place ahi poke in the work bowl of a food processor with the metal blade and pulse until poke is ground. Don’t overgrind; keep it slightly chunky. Do this in two batches.

Turn on grill. When hot, place a large skillet on the grill with the oil and heat the pan until very hot. Cook the poke burgers on the hot pan and sear both sides. Don’t overcook; center should stay rare. Place cooked poke sliders on buns and serve.

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GRILLED SIRLOIN SLIDERS ON MINI BUNS

GRILLED RED VEAL SLIDERS ON MINI BUNS

Makes 8 4-inch mini burgers.

Makes 8 4-inch mini burgers.

Small sliders are the answer for lazy weekend dinners. Rather than eat one big fat juicy burger, take three small fat juicy sliders and dress them with different-flavored ketchups and sauces.

Red veal is a new product from Hawai`i’s cattle ranchers. It’s natural, without hormones or antibiotics. It’s delicious and a nice alternative to beef. The red veal is paired with a dollop of hoisin and sweet chili sauce to give the sliders rich, sweet flavor and sparkle.

2 pounds ground beef sirloin (15 percent fat) ½ cup Maui onion, minced ¾ teaspoon garlic salt ¾ teaspoon onion salt ¾ teaspoon ground white pepper 8 4-inch Portuguese rolls, cut in half Cheddar cheese for melting, optional Sliced tomatoes, optional Sliced onions, optional Small lettuce leaf In a large bowl, mix sirloin, seasoning and onion together using a large fork to keep the sirloin chunky. Divide the meat into 8 equal pieces; shape and flatten each into a 2½- by 4-inch patty or slightly larger than the bun.

Preheat grill to medium high heat. Grill patties until desired doneness; about 5 minutes per side for medium rare. If desired, grill the cut side of rolls until toasted; about 1 minute.

2 pounds ground red veal ½ cup onion, finely diced ¾ teaspoon garlic salt ¾ teaspoon onion salt ¾ teaspoon ground white pepper 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce 3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce 8 4-inch Portuguese sweet rolls, cut in half

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except for the rolls.

Using a fork to mix all the ingredients with keep the meat chunky.

Divide the meat into 8 equal pieces; shape and flatten each into a 2½- by 4-inch patty or slightly larger than the bun.

Transfer patties to rolls and let rest for a few minutes. Top with your favorite condiments and sauces.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Grill patties until desired doneness; about 5 minutes per side for medium rare. If desired, grill the cut side of rolls until toasted; about 1 minute. Transfer patties to rolls and let rest for a few minutes. Top with your favorite condiments and sauces.

To melt cheese, top the patties with cheese during the last minute and cover until melted.

For a cheese slider, top the patties with cheese during the last minute and cover until melted.

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PINK GINGER AVOCADO SAUCE Makes 3 cups.

The freshness of the pickled ginger combined with the creamy texture of the avocados is beyond refreshing! Naturally it’s perfect on the ahi poke slider, but don’t stop there… try it on all of the different sliders. I also like to use this recipe it as a dip using crispy banana chips. Yummy!

3 avocados, ripe, peeled, seeded and mashed 4 tablespoons pickled ginger, finely minced (store bought) Juice of two limes 1 clove garlic, finely minced Salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

Place all the ingredients together in a large bowl, mixing well with a fork to combine. Chill covered in the fridge. Can be made two hours ahead of time.

SWEET CHILI KETCHUP Makes 2 cups.

Sweet chili sauce and ketchup are two bottled condiments I use often but never together, until now. Combining them was a fluke.

I thought, why not? I like the way the sweet spicy chili sauce brightens up the ketchup and, on any slider, makes an excellent topping.

1 cup sweet chili sauce (bottled) 1 cup ketchup Combine ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine.

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RED CURRY COCONUT KETCHUP Makes 1 cup.

If you are the spicy type, add more red curry paste. It sets the ketchup on fire. The added shredded coconut and lime juice doesn’t just cool, it adds a spark.

1 cup ketchup 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1ž teaspoon Thai red curry paste 3 tablespoons shredded coconut Combine ingredients in a small bowl; whisk well to combine.

SESAME MISO SAUCE WITH CILANTRO Makes 1 cup.

I love how the toasted sesame oil wakes up mellow miso paste. This sauce is great on the sliders but equally delicious as a dip or salad dressing.

1 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon white miso paste 1teaspoon toasted sesame oil Hot chili oil to taste 1 tablespoon cilantro, finely minced Combine the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine.

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PINEAPPLE KETCHUP Makes 4 cups.

It’s a kick to infuse Hawaiian products into a well-known standby condiment like ketchup. My twist on good ol’ ketchup is bursting with a rich tropical pineapple flavor.

2 tablespoons macadamia nut oil 1 cup Maui onion, sliced thin 1 medium fresh pineapple, peeled and finely diced ¼ cup passion fruit juice or any tropical juice ½ cup ketchup Place the onions in a medium skillet with the oil over low heat, sauté until well browned and softened; about 15 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients; continue to simmer on a low flame until the juice has evaporated and mixture is chunky and thick.

Remove from heat and let cool. Store in the refrigerator in a covered dish until needed. Can be made a week in advance.

SPICY MANGO CHUTNEY KETCHUP Makes 2 cups.

This is a great little flavor combination. It’s also a good way to use up jars of chutney.

1 cup mango chutney (bottled) 1 cup ketchup 3 tablespoons mayonnaise Combine the ingredients together in a small bowl and whisk to combine.

WASABI SAUCE WITH BLACK SESAME SEEDS Makes 1 cup.

This simple sauce is a favorite of mine. It’s easy to make and pretty with black flecks of sesame seeds. It’s versatile too, wonderful as a dip with sweet potato fries or on a grilled hot dog. I like to use the wasabi paste from the tube, or grate fresh wasabi.

1 tablespoon prepared wasabi paste 1 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds Hot chili oil to taste Combine the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine.

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HAWAIIAN-STYLE RICE SALAD WITH A PINEAPPLE DRESSING Makes 8 servings.

The texture and fresh flavors of the brown rice and crunchy vegetables are heightened by the richness of the fresh pineapple dressing. Don’t be discouraged by the long list of ingredients. It’s a snap to make and leftovers can be stir-fried in a wok for another dinner during the week. Remember: Dress the salad just before serving.

2 cups brown rice, cooked 1 cup carrots, peeled and shredded ¼ cup mango, peeled and cubed ¾ cup scallion, finely diced ½ cup cashews, chopped ½ cup macadamia nuts 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds ½ cup water chestnuts, sliced 1½ cup snow peas For the dressing: ⅓ cup macadamia oil 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil ¼ cup pineapple juice or any tropical juice 1 medium garlic clove, minced Hot chili oil, to taste 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 cup fresh pineapple, cubed 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled 1½ teaspoon salt 32

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Place all the ingredients for the rice salad in a large bowl and toss to combine. Salad can be made 2 days ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator until needed.

Place all the dressing ingredients in a blender and pulse until well combined and smooth. Dressing can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

To serve: Combine just enough dressing into the rice salad and toss well. Don’t overdress.

BROWN BAG CORN ON THE COB

GRILLED PINEAPPLE COCONUT MACAROON ICE CREAM SUNDAE TART

Makes 8 servings.

Makes 6–8 servings.

Oven-roasting corn on the cob in a big brown paper bag is a novel way to cook fresh island corn.

Cooking corn this way retains its sweet flavor and—best of all—leaves no pots to wash, no fuss no muss.

Happy second anniversary, Edible Hawaiian Islands!

8 ears fresh corn, shucked and silk removed 4 tablespoons butter, melted 4 tablespoons Li Hing powder Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a brown paper bag with oil or Pam on all sides to prevent it from burning during the cooking process.

Brush the ears of corn with melted butter. Place the corn in the prepared brown bag, twist the open end shut and place on a large baking pan.

Roast corn in the oven for 20 minutes. When done, remove the bagged corn from oven, let cool. Cut the bag open with scissors and sprinkle the each ear of corn with Li Hing powder and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

1¾ pound coconut macaroon cookies 6 tablespoons butter, melted 1 whole fresh pineapple, peeled and cored 8 ounces frozen raspberries, thawed and drained 8 ounces frozen strawberries, thawed and drained 3 tablespoons agave syrup or honey 2 pints ice cream—coconut, pineapple or vanilla bean flavor 1 whole kiwi, peeled and diced Optional garnish: whipped cream, sliced bananas Preheat oven to 350°.

For the crust: Place coconut macaroons in the work bowl of a food processer with the metal blade and pulse until the macaroons are completely pulverized.

You should have 4 cups. Distribute the crumbs evenly into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, pressing gently on the sides and bottom to form an even crust. Bake the crust for 15 minutes. When done, remove from oven and let cool for 8 minutes in the pan. Then gently remove from the metal ring. Can be made a few days ahead; not necessary to refrigerate.

Grilled pineapple: Slice pineapple in ½-inch slices. Light the grill until medium hot; grill the pineapple slices until browned on both sides, being careful not to burn them. Set aside until needed. Save a big round grilled piece of pineapple to garnish the top.

Raspberry-strawberry topping: Place the raspberries, strawberries and agave syrup or honey into a blender and whirl until liquefied. Press through a colander to remove the seeds and chill covered in the refrigerator until needed.

To assemble the tart: Place the tart shell on a decorative plate or cake stand. Fill with scoops of ice cream and top with grilled pineapple slices. Garnish with diced kiwi, shredded coconut and the reserved slice of pineapple. Serve with raspberrystrawberry sauce. Optional garnishes: whipped cream and sliced bananas

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Talk Story

The Lesson

of the toothless island

By Jon Letman Photos by Ken Wood, NTBG

ar from the kitchens and gardens of Hilo, the clamor of Honolulu’s Chinatown and the eateries along Lahaina’s Front Street, tiny Lehua pokes its head out of the water off the northern tip of Ni`ihau. At 290 acres, Lehua is Hawai`i’s largest offshore islet, a crescent-shaped tuff crater floating like a mirage within view from Kaua`i’s western shores. An uninhabited volcanic lip too steep and dry to support humans or agriculture, Lehua is home to a restoration project that holds a valuable lesson about conservation and balance.

Bathed in almost constant sunshine, Lehua is surrounded by clear blue waters and, removed from civilization, at first glance appears to be an ideal “desert island” until you consider the reality of an extremely arid environment with scant resources.

Long ago Hawaiians likely used the island to gather birds, eggs and feathers and the remains of a kū`ula (Hawaiian fishing shrine) indicate Lehua was an important fishing ground. Only half a mile from Ni`ihau, Lehua’s waters are filled with sea turtles, manta rays, whales and dolphins, but with a healthy shark population that includes occasional great whites, this is not Gilligan’s Island.

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It is, however, one of Hawai`i’s most important breeding grounds for seabirds, many found nowhere else in the Islands. According to the Offshore Islet Restoration Committee, a multi-agency group that surveys and protects over 40 of Hawai`i’s largest islets, Lehua supports at least 35 species of birds like the red-footed booby, Newell’s shearwater, and the rare black-footed albatross. Unlike those on larger, populated Hawaiian islands, birds on Lehua thrive without dogs, cats, humans or cars.

Frequently overlooked, but of no less importance, are insects, including 11 species endemic to Hawai`i. Many of these tiny inhabitants serve as plant pollinators and play an important role in maintaining the islet’s ecological balance.

Over the last century, the greatest damage to Lehua has come from feral rabbits and rats. Whether introduced intentionally or accidentally, these creatures have decimated native plants and some bird species while causing loss of vegetation, leading to soil instability and increased sediment runoff into the ocean, extending their impact beneath the waves. Before any restoration efforts could begin, the rabbits and rats had to be removed.

Today the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service partners with the National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG) to reintroduce and maintain native plants, which are expected to improve nesting and habitat conditions for birds and help restore the islet.

NTBG’s Conservation Director, Dr. David Burney, explains the importance of the project. “Lehua has the best potential for long-term, large-scale conservation in the entire Hawaiian Islands. It has an extremely effective fence called the Pacific Ocean which pigs and goats can’t get over. It’s also the largest nearby island which can be reached in just under an hour by catamaran.”

Burney calls Lehua a “toothless island” for its lack of mammals, which he says will help native plants, land snails and birds like the endangered Nihoa finch get re-established.

Because Lehua receives very little rainfall, NTBG had to go to extreme lengths to water the young plants, transporting 100 gallons of fresh water at a time by boat charter, offloading on the Lehua’s southern flank below the plant introduction site. Using five-gallon water containers and surfboards, conservation staff ferried water to land, then used a small pump to drive the water to the highest point above the planting site. An open-valve gravity-fed drip line allowed small

amounts of water to sustain the young plants as they became established. Today rain catchment tanks capture any precipitation.

Since botanist Ken Wood’s first trip to Lehua in 2001, he and fellow NTBG staff have visited at least 25 times to bring water, monitor progress and scatter native seeds. The Kaua`i-based institute is growing native plants like hinahina, naupaka, a`ali`i, portulaca, naio (false sandalwood), ma`o (Hawaiian cotton), maiapilo (Hawaiian caper) and nanea (beach pea) for outplanting on Lehua. These, and native grasses like pili, kāwelu and `aki`aki, have been selected based on fossil evidence that suggests they once grew on Lehua or neighboring islands.

As reintroduced plants recover, they join successful Hawaiian plants like `ilima and pua kala (native poppy) which still occur naturally on Lehua.

And while Lehua is largely unknown by the general public, floating a world away from the dramas and delights of the human world, its health, balance and role as a connection between creatures of the seas, skies and soil, make it a prime example of the importance of conservation on all the Hawaiian islands and beyond.

NTBG’s Assistant Director of Living Collections and Horticulture Mike DeMotta says, “the lesson of Lehua is that it’s easier to prewww.ediblealoha.com

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Talk Story

Queen of the Field The story of pineapple in Hawai`i

By Jon Letman Photo By Lara Hata

A

rriving in Hawai`i in the 1930s by steamship or Pan American Clipper prop plane, early transpacific tourists were depicted as disembarking from oversized vessels into a veritable paradise. Beautiful, lithe island women in swaying grass skirts welcomed them with intoxicatingly fragrant plumeria lei amidst a postcard-perfect landscape of coconut palms, red hibiscus and puffy white clouds reflected in a mirror-like bay. Presumably the malihini (newcomers) were ushered into shady gardens where they were presented with chilled drinks and the ultimate symbol of welcome: the pineapple.

As Earl Kashiwagi, general manager of Esaki Produce on Kaua`i, says, “Sugar was king in the highlands, and pineapple was queen in the lowlands.”

Along with mango, papaya and banana, pineapple forms the royal quartet of tropical fruit. Add a few slices of golden pineapple to any dish and voila—tropical flavor! According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, just 12 nations, led by the United States, consume 90 percent of the world’s fresh pineapple. And while Americans are eating and drinking less canned and juiced pineapple than two decades ago, consumption of the fresh stuff has nearly tripled during the same period.

Never mind that pineapple is not a native Hawaiian plant. Ananas comosus, originally from southern Brazil and Paraguay, is the world’s most celebrated bromeliad and right at home in Hawai`i. It has been grown here since at least 1813, when King Kamehameha’s advisor Don Francisco de Paula y Marin reported planting it.

The slow-growing plant known in Hawaiian as hala kahiki (literally “Tahitian [foreign] pandanus”) followed the rise of industrialized sugar cane by half a century when it was first grown in Hawai`i with an eye on commercial agriculture in Mānoa in 1885.

Early growers like Alfred W. Eames (Del Monte), James Drummond Dole and the Henry and David Baldwin (Maui Land & Pineapple) began growing in earnest around the turn of the last century and by 1922, nearly the entire island of Lāna`i was dedicated to pineapple.

The rapid growth of Hawai`i’s pineapple industry was followed by the

rise of nine canneries and 15 plantations which today survive only as memories and photographs. The pineapple fields of Lāna`i have been replaced with luxury resort hotels and golf courses.

Although Hawai`i’s pineapple production peaked in 1955, 80 percent of the world’s pineapple was grown in Hawai`i into the early 1960s. Gradually, pineapple production, like sugar cane, was moved overseas where lower labor costs made it an attractive crop. Del Monte stopped canning in 1983, Dole stopped in 1992 and by 1998, Maui Pineapple announced it would expand to Indonesia and Central America to cut costs.

Today Del Monte is out of the Hawaiian pineapple market completely. A recent Honolulu Advertiser article reported that the state’s two largest growers, have reduced their crops in recent years: Dole from 3,100 acres to 2,700 in 2006, and Maui Pineapple from 2,000 acres to 1,000 in 2008.

If you’re eating pineapple on the mainland and it wasn’t grown in Hawai`i, it probably came from Costa Rica, which produces nearly 90 percent of the pineapple imported to the United States with the remainder coming from Mexico, Ecuador, Honduras and Guatemala.

Most of the pineapple grown in Thailand and the Philippines stays in Asia, while pineapple grown in West Africa is shipped north to Europe.

If you are lucky enough to be eating fresh pineapple in the Hawaiian Islands, you might be enjoying fruit grown by one of the 40 or so smaller family-operated farms found across the state. Nearly 200 years after Don Francisco de Paula y Marin, these mom-and-pop operations may be the future of Hawaiian pineapple.

Your best bet to enjoy pineapple grown locally on the smallest farms is to hit the farmers’ markets. With more than 80 around the state, they aren’t hard to find (see a guide to farmers’ markets on page 46). To learn where your pineapple was grown, talk to the vendors selling the pineapple.

One such couple is Dale and Joan Allen of Alena Farms on Kaua`i’s north shore. The Allens grow white low-acid pineapple on their three-acre farm near Kīlauea. They started with around 3,000 plants purchased from the Big Island. Today the Allens maintain some www.ediblealoha.com

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15,000 plants and sell the fruit at farmers’ markets in Hanalei and Waipā. Because demand is so high for his product, Allen says he only sells to individual customers. “People run to my stand and buy it all up. Very seldom do I have any pineapple left after half an hour.”

While Allen says his pineapple is not “organic,” he doesn’t use any pesticides or herbicides—just water, sunshine and fertilizer. The Allens also compost as much of their green waste as possible, spreading it back onto the ground. He calls pineapple a “very labor-intensive crop,” but sees potential for more pineapple farming at the local market level.

Like the Allens, Ken Yasutake of Kaua`i Pine and Da Kine started growing small when a friend gave him 2,000 plant slips. Yasutake’s father, also a farmer, grew pineapple in Wailua in the 1950s.

Today Yasutake grows 7,000 plants on Kaua`i’s west side at 2,000 feet. He prefers growing from slips (the bottom of the fruit) rather than suckers from the side, which are larger and tend to topple in the wind.

He says his pineapple is sweetest when it gets maximum sunlight and cool evenings. Planting is nearly continuous, with harvest following about 17 months later. Working with just two family members, Yasutake stays in the field, sending his daughter to sell their pineapple at markets around the island. “I donate a lot of fruit to churches and community services too,” he says.

Yasutake sees “huge potential” for small-scale pineapple farming but says a new farmer needs the financial resources to hold out the 24 months it takes to produce the first crop. Beside pineapple, Yasutake grows 70 varieties of fruit trees from lychee and longan to peach and plum.

Perhaps the biggest of the “small” pineapple farmers in Hawai`i is the Hawai`i Pineapple Co., LLC, which partners with small family farms on O`ahu and the Big Island to grow pineapple sold as Hawaiian Crown™ Sweet Gold™, found in over two dozen supermarkets statewide.

Owner/partner Craig Bowden, who grew up around pineapple (and sugar cane) and once worked for Del Monte, says his own production was “an expensive hobby” until he formed a legal entity in 2006 to better market his fruit. With challenges from cold, wet winters, pests and fungi, pineapple is not an easy fruit to grow, he says, but Bowden can’t imagine Hawai`i without it.

“Pineapple grows slowly. People take it for granted because when they go to the store it’s always there,” Bowden says. “People don’t realize it takes over a year and a half to get a crop. You can grow lettuce in 90 days, but not pineapple.”

Growing pineapple is “like playing chess, not checkers,” Bowden says, indicating he’s in pineapple for the long haul and that the scale at which pineapple is produced will be determined by the market. The key to a sustainable pineapple industry in Hawai`i, Bowden says, is local support and the trust that comes with long-term relationships.

As urban growth puts more and more pressure on rural Hawai`i, Bowden says preserving farmland is more important than ever. Maintaining local farms, he contends, may be what prevents development from shore to shore.

“This is how we are going to keep Hawai`i green.”

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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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Learning to Play the Mandoline

By Elaine Giammetta Photos by Louis S. Luzzo, Sr.

W

hen musicians pick up an instrument to create music, they are transported to a world that most non-musicians can’t identify with or grasp. The composition flows from their soul, an extension of who they are, their notes telling us a story. We can capture that story on a CD and immerse ourselves into the musician’s world whenever we choose.

A chef and a musician are similar artistic creatures, each creating a masterpiece that portrays their essence. Unlike the musician, a chef’s creation cannot be captured for posterity to replay whenever the mood strikes. Their composition, the recipe and photographs are the only tangible evidence of what was a scintillating culinary experience, along with the smells and tastes that are committed to our memory.

Like the musicians, chefs must practice, honing their skills and achieving levels of perfection to create edible masterpieces. They have a vast array of instruments to choose from to assist them in creating their art on a plate. One such instrument is the mandoline, not to be confused with the stringed musical instrument, mandolin. You might think that the similarity between these two things ends with its pronunciation and spelling, but that assumption would be incorrect.

A mandolin must be balanced, with each string tuned to perfection. It must be handled delicately to make it sing as the maker meant it to. Not all compositions are meant to be played on it and the score must be chosen wisely.

The mandoline is no less demanding. Its extremely sharp blades will not “sing” properly if the musician/chef doesn’t know how to strum it correctly. There is an art to using this kitchen instrument, for instance … how much pressure to apply as you glide the fruit or vegetable down its sloping surface to create delicate slices. I never realized or appreciated the touch of a professional chef until I began to learn 40

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how to use this tool myself. Keep in mind there is also the danger of injury if you are not careful. With this instrument you will not develop calluses on the tips of your fingers, rather you could lose them instead!

The blade guard is there for a reason.

My goal was to create pineapple carpaccio and the fruit needed to be sliced paper thin. I’ve learned, through trial and error, that the density of the fruit or vegetable is integral to achieve sliced perfection. Just as the musician must have the right pick for the type of strings on his instrument in order for the sound to be correct. Pineapple was a perfect choice to begin my fruit lesson.

I began by preparing the fruit, trimming the outer layer and making sure all the eyes were removed. I then cut the pineapple into thirds so I could easily attach it to the plunger handle. Now I was ready to begin strumming! After the first few strokes I realized that my rhythm was off. I was stopping my downward strum too early, leaving wedges hanging on the ends of the delicate slices. As with any instrument, I made a few adjustments to my rhythm and soon enough I was rewarded with a pile of sweet paper-thin pineapple slices. I soon discovered that there are perks to using this tool as the sugary sweet aroma began to permeate the kitchen. We are one up on the musicians as they can’t savor their composition with their nose!

I continued practicing until I had the amount I needed to create my carpaccio and set aside my new instrument. After creating my art on the plate I carefully cleaned and put my instrument away. I think the next time I practice, I’ll put on some Puccini and sing while I play my mandoline. Who knows, perhaps I shall make a video so I can enjoy my composition whenever the mood strikes.

For more from Elaine Giammetta www.gourmetgirlmagazine.com

PINEAPPLE CARPACCIO, LEMON SORBET, CINNAMON CLOVE DRIZZLE Serves 2.

1 medium pineapple 1 cup sugar ½ cup water 8 whole cloves 3 cinnamon sticks, 1 cut in half 1 pint lemon sorbet 1 pint blueberries Cinnamon Clove Drizzle In a medium heavy-bottom saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Place cloves, 1 cinnamon stick and sugar in water. Cook until the sugar is dissolved completely. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool.

Prepare the pineapple Cut off pineapple top. Peel skin and trim and remove any eyes. Cut the pineapple in half on the short side. Set the slice size on the mandoline to 1/32 inch. Attach half the pineapple to the plunger. Make at least 12 slices. Set aside.

Prepare the Sorbet Take sorbet out of the freezer. If using a store-bought package, remove the lid and slice the container down the seam. Remove the packaging and discard. On a chilled marble board, with a sharp knife, cut 6 discs 1/8 inch wide. Keep in the freezer until ready to plate.

Plating: Place 2 slices of pineapple on the plate. Not directly on top of one another, you want to create a “step” pattern. Next place one sorbet disc on top of the slices Place two slices of pineapple on the sorbet.

Place another disc of sorbet on the pineapple. Place two pieces of pineapple on the sorbet. Scatter blueberries around the plate. Reheat syrup in microwave for 30 seconds. Drizzle over pineapple and sorbet.

For visual appeal, scatter a few whole cloves from the syrup on the plate.

Create a sorbet “curl” and place on top of the last two pineapple slices.

Put ½ cinnamon stick on top of curl. Grate fresh cinnamon over entire dish. I suggest making the 2 plates simultaneously. Serve.

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Ask a Chef Photo by Damon Moss

We had a request to find out the recipe for fresh basil ice cream, that was served over tomato soup at Restaurant Bar Acuda in Hanalei, Kaua`i so we sent the Editor at Large to talk to chef/owner Jim Moffat ROASTED TOMATO SOUP WITH BASIL ICE CREAM The soup: 3 large yellow onions, diced 6 cloves garlic, minced 6 sprigs each thyme and marjoram, tied and bruised 1 bay leaf 1+ cup extra-virgin olive oil 4 pounds vine-ripe tomatoes, very ripe, roughly chopped 2 teaspoons chili flakes Salt and black pepper Place a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot on low heat. Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil. Add herbs and seasoning. Cook slowly for 20 minutes, until onions are transparent. Add tomatoes and cook for 20 minutes (may require a little water.) Purée in food processor carefully (may be hot!). Strain through medium-mesh strainer to remove herb stems and skins.

The ice cream: 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves ¼ cup milk 1½ cup cream 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt 4 egg yolks Heat first five ingredients and steep 2 hours or overnight, then strain and reheat slowly. Temper egg yolks in a mixing bowl by adding a little warm cream mixture, pour egg mixture back into warm cream mixture. Cook as per crème anglaise, carefully stirring constantly until thick. Strain and chill overnight. Freeze in ice-cream maker. Serve soup warm or chilled with a dollop of ice cream. www.restaurantbaracuda.com

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BOOK REVIEW

By G. Natale

The Island Bistro Cookbook Celebrity Chef Chai’s Guide to Hawai`i Regional Cuisine photo By Rae Huo

Chef Chai Chaowasaree shares more then 90 recipes from his award-winning Honolulu Restaurant, Chai’s Island Bistro and Singha Thai Cuisine.

In the Island Bistro Cookbook, Chef Chai includes the secrets behind his unique brand of Pacific Rim cooking – from Butternut Squash Bisque to Pad Thai Noodles with Crab Claws to his signature dish, Kataifi and Macadamia Nut-Crusted Black Tiger Prawns.

Chef Chai is a founder of Hawaiian Island Chefs, the organization promoting homegrown agriculture and aquaculture. He hosts the popular television cooking program “Dining Out with Chai” Available at your favorite bookseller $32.50 Hard Cover Or direct online at www.bookshawaii.net Watermark Publishing

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What’s Fresh Fruit: Banana Lime Lilikoi Mango Papaya Pineapple Dragon Fruit Watermelon Vegetables: Beans Bitter Melon Chinese Cabbage Celery Sweet Corn Cucumber Ddaikin Ginger Root Lu`au (Taro) Mushrooms Tomato Tamarind

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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 Kukui Grove Shopping Center Lihue • 3 p.m.

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

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

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

SATURDAY Kapa`a Coconut Marketplace (inner courtyard) • 12 noon Kekaha Neighborhood Center (Sunshine Markets) Elepaio Road, Kekaha • 9 a.m.

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

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

Hawai`i Island Farmers’ Markets SATURDAY Keauhou Farmers’ Market Keauhou Shopping Center, Keauhou • 8–11 a.m.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Waimea Town Market At Parker School 651224 Lindsey Road, Waimea/Kamuela HI 96743 • 8:00 am.- 1:00 pm.

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

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

TUESDAYS Waiau District Park (People’s Open Market) 98-1650 Kaahumanu Street, Pearl City 6:30–7:30 a.m.

Honokaa Farmers’ Market Honokaa town near Honokaa Trading Co. Hilo Farmers’ Market TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS Kekela Farms Organic Farmers Mkt 64-604 Mana Road, Waimea, HI 808-887-0023 • 100% organic Tues. & Fri. 2:00-5:00pm Wednesdays and Saturdays Corner of Mamo and Kamehameha Ave., downtown Hilo Saturdays, 8 a.m.–noon

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

O`ahu Farmers’ Markets

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

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

Hawai`i Kai Towne Center Kalanianaole Highway at Keahole Street,

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Honolulu • 7:30 a.m.–3 p.m.

7:30–11 a.m.

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

Waialua Farmers’ Market Waialua Sugar Mill • 8:30 a.m. –Noon

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.

Manoa Marketplace Honolulu • 7–11 a.m.

The Kailua Thursday Night Farmers’ Market Kailua town • 5–7:30 p.m. behind Longs on Kailua Road FRIDAYS Halawa District Park (People’s Open Market) 99-795 Iwaiwa Street • 7–8 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.

Maui Mall, Kahului • 7 a.m.–4 p.m.

Ms. Cynda Hearn 871-1307

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WEDNESDAY Farmers’ Market of Maui-Kihei Suda Store parking lot on South Kihei Road 8 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 • 7 a.m.–4 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.

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

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

Maui Farmers’ Markets

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

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

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

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

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

Hana Fresh, Hana Medical Center M. 3p.m.-6p.m., TH. 11a.m.-3p.m.

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

Maui Mall Farmers’ Market & Craft Fair

Lana`i Farmers’ Market SATURDAY Lana`i Market Place Lana`i, Dole Park • 8 a.m.-1p.m.

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

The Saturday Farmers’ Market at Kapiolani Community College Campus 4303 Diamond Head Road, Honolulu

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

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

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

Ono Organic Across from Hasagawa General Store, Hana • M. 10:30a.m.- 6

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ADVERTISER DIRECTORY KAUA`I Aunty Lilikoi Passion Fruit Products Award Winning flavor!

9875 Waimea Rd., Waimea, HI 96796 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 The Eastside Pacific Rim Cuisine Music Tues. Sat. 5:30-9:00pm 1380 Kuhio Hwy., Kapaa Town www.theeastsidekauai.com 808-823-9500 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 Lighthouse 808-828-6626 Hukilau Lanai Torch lit, airy setting, Kauai fresh cuisine.

In Kapa`a, behind the Coconut Marketplace.

Dinner & Cocktails begin 5pm, Tues – Sun. Reservations recommended 808-822-0600 Icing On The Cake New Location Kinipopo Shopping Village 808-823-1210 www.icingonthecakekauai.com

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

KKCR Kaua`i Community Radio 808-826-7774 PO Box 825, Hanalei, Kaua’i 96714 Listener Supported www.kkcr.org Koa Properties 808-651-1777 www.koakauai.com Mermaids Café In Old Kapa’a Town Lunch-Dinner-Catering Homemade wraps, Sauces, salads, vegan & vegetarian always available.

1384 Kuhio Hwy Open 11-9 everyday 808-821-2026 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 Papaya’s Natural Food & Café Organic Produce, Vegetarian Café Kaua`i Village, 4-831 Kuhio Hwy. Kapa’a, Kaua’i 808-823-0190 Mon.-Sat. 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

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Papaya’s Hanalei Natural Food & Café Organic Produce, Vegetarian Café 5-5161 Kuhio Hwy., Hanalei, Kaua’i 808-826-0089 7 days 9 a.m.–8 p.m.

Po’ipu Beach Estates Terry P. Kamen Call for a Tour 808-651-0071 www.poipubeachestates@yahoo.com Post Cards Café Organic cuisine in Vintage cottage in Hanalei Nightly from 6:00 826-1101 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 Ver’de New Mexican Restaurant Ahi Tacos – Margaritas 4-1101 Kuhio Hwy, Kapaa Kapaa Shopping Center 808-821-1400 www.verdehawaii.com

O`AHU Aloha Air Cargo Shipping fruits and vegetables fresher. www.alohaaircargo.com Arturo’s Hot Flavors of Hawai`i Hawaiian Salsas & Sauces Candies, Cookies, Coffees & More All Kine Gifts – All Hawai`i Made 808-751-1811 www.hotsaucehawaii.com Hagadone Printing Co. World Class Printing Without Harming The World 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

Ono Gelato Company Made fresh using local organic fruit.

115D Highway Paia 808-579-9201 Open 7 days a week 11 am-10pm www.onogelatocompany.com

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

HAWAI`I ISLAND

Sweet Paradise Chocolatier The Art of Chocolate Hawaiian Style 20-A Kainehe Street, Kailua 808-230-8228 www.sweetparadisechocolate.com

Island Naturals Award Winning Market & Deli Hilo, next to Borders Pahoa, downtown Kona, Old Industrial, Kaiwi St. Kainaliu, Mango Court www.islandnaturals.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

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

MAUI

Original Hawaiian Chocolate Made & Grown on the Island Of Hawai`i Featured at Whole Foods Kahala/O`ahu 808-322-2626 toll free: 888-447-2626 www.ohcf.us

Alive & Well Natural Health Foods 340 Hana Highway, Kahului 808-877-4950 www.aliveandwellinmaui.com Hana Herbs & Flowers Fresh Maui Fern Shoots Tropical Flowers & Gift Boxes hanaherb@maui.net 808-248-7407 www.hanaherbs.com Maui Cattle Company Island Grazed & All Natural 808-877-0044 www.mauicattlecompany.com Maui County Farm Bureau Local Matters Look for Grown on Maui www.mauicountyfarmbureau.com

Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise 2010 Culinary Arts, for more info 212-472-2500 creativepromise@vilcek.org www.vilcek.org

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

NATIONAL Slow Food - Hawai’i Island Shelby Floyd sfloyd@ahfi.com Slow Food - Kaua’i Patrick Quinn Icingonthecake.Kauai@gmail.com Slow Food - O’ahu Laurie Carleson laurie@honoluluweekly.com Slow Food Nation www.slowfoodnation.org

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Pohu Berry: what is it & how do you eat it?

Photo by Oliver Cohen

Pohu Berry: Physalis peruviana L., also known as Peruvian Ground Cherry and Cape Gooseberry. Pohu Berry is a distant relative of the tomato, it grows on a busy vine, and has a sweet/tart berry flavor, it is often used in to make jam, and is a great addition to salads.

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