Oahu InsideOut Jan/Feb 2016

Popular chef adds Hawaiian tapas

Chai Chaowasaree reconceptualizes his Waikīkī eatery with “smaller” plates

OAHU

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

INTO THE

Blue Researchers float the idea of aquaculture in open water

JUST BREATHE

Yogi enthusiasts return to participate in the Wanderlust Festival

FAMILY TIES

The Maebos continue to produce One-Ton Chips and Cookies

POUND FOR POUND

Generations of local families perpetuate the mochi-pounding tradition

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InsideOut OAHU

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

FEATURES

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Aquaculture moves swimmingly in Hawai‘i Research on commercial fish farming continues to show that open-water harvesting is an ecological imperative.

By Simplicio Paragas

“There are projections that our fish stocks will collapse by 2048.”

— Neil Sims

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Hilo family continues to produce popular snacks Three generations of Maebos maintain the quality of One-Ton Chips and Cookies.

By Rizza Cosio

“It’s a family recipe that has been kept secret.

My grandma taught my dad and my dad taught me. And one day I’ll pass it down to my son.”

— Blane Maebo

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Yogi practitioners retreat to the Turtle Bay Resort Wanderlust Festival will feature four days

Fitness enthusiasts swing gracefully through a canopy of trees.

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By Kristen Nemoto

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“I think people still have this innate need for community, human contact and interaction.”

—Sean Hoess

©KEITH THARP/WANDERLUST FESTIVAL

of classes, concerts and discussions.

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l d Specia Early Birinner for $40.

d 4-course from Seating m only. o 5:00p t m p 0 4:0 m ours fro Happy H 0pm and -6:0 .

4:00pm -10:00pm m p 9:00

An Exquisite Experience Awaits You

award winning • The Zagat Award —Honolulu Hottest Restaurant • Hale Aina Award —Honolulu Magazine Readers • Ilima Award —Honolulu Star Advertiser Readers • People’s Choice Award —Hawaii Magazine Readers • 10 Best Restaurants in Hawaii Award —The Culture Trip Known for fusing fresh Hawaii ingredients with the exotic flavors of asia, Chef Chai has created a culinary style that reflects the cultural diversity of Oahu and the Hawaiian islands. Chef Chai is constantly seeking out new spices and ingredients at Oahu’s farmers’ markets and in Honolulu’s Chinatown, which brings back childhood memories of shopping the local markets in Bangkok to find the freshest ingredients for his family’s popular restaurant. Chai’s restaurants also have been critiqued and recommended by many international magazines, from Bon appétit, Brides, Sunset, Cooking Light, Travel & Leisure to gourmet Magazine and many more.

1009 Kapiolani Blvd., Honolulu, Hawaii 96814 | Valet Parking (808) 585-0011 | www.ChefChai.com | Facebook.com/ChefChai

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InsideOut OAHU

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

DEPARTMENTS

ISLAND LIFE TALKING STORY

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Uncle Tom Cummings weaves entertaining tales.

By Simplicio Paragas

MORSELS PRO FUSION

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Chef Chai Chaowasaree introduces Hawaiian “tapas.”

By Simplicio Paragas

IRIE MAN

10

Sip on a rum cocktail from Jamaica’s Appleton Estate.

By Alison Kent

TRENDING NOW

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Food fads that are predicted for the coming new year.

By Simplicio Paragas

MUSINGS BIG BANG THEORY

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Local poet laureate, Kealoha, reinterprets body of science.

By Simplicio Paragas

OUT & ABOUT AROUND TOWN

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Plan your next two months with our calendar of events.

By Simplicio Paragas

MAUKA 2 MAKAI POUND FOR POUND

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Families perpetuate the tradition of mochi pounding.

By Kristen Nemoto

INS & OUTS 32

4

LAST CHANCE to experience exhibits and events that are soon to close. Also, get a preview of March and April happenings.

InsideOutHawaii.com JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

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Popular chef adds Hawaiian tapas

Chai Chaowasaree reconceptualizes his Waikīkī eatery with “smaller” plates

Oahu

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

IntO the

Blue Researchers float the idea of aquaculture in open water

Just breathe

Yogi enthusiasts return to participate in the Wanderlust Festival

ON THE COVER

pound for pound

Generations of local families perpetuate the mochi-pounding tradition

LAND USE MAY well be the most visible of sustainable topics but that hasn’t stopped Neil Sims from proselytizing the virtues of aquaculture. Since 2002, the Hawai‘i Island-based marine biologist has advocated for more fish farms in open water, hoping to stem exploited, depleting and crashing fish stocks in the U.S. and across the globe. And the projections are dire if nothing is done: a collapse in our fish stocks could occur by 2048 if we don’t manage them, according to an international group of ecologists and economists. While some argue there are perils in harvesting fish in massive floating pens in the open ocean, others — like Sims — contend that this is a “total sustainable model.”

On Kaua‘i, sustainability comes in the form of craft distilleries, one of the growing trends in 2016, as predicted by the National Restaurant Association and Technomic. Both groups shared their top-10 lists, forecasting the upand-coming culinary fads.

An enduring fad — more like an institution now — for more than 60 years, One-Ton Chips has been a go-to snack for locals and visiRecognizing tors alike since 1953. The family-run business the citizens started as a noodle factory in the little old town of Papaikou on Hawai‘i Island and continues to who make our be operated by a third generation of Maebos. community a Since 1992, the Yanos have shared their own special place to longstanding tradition: mochitsuki, an annual live and play. mochi pounding tradition held at Konko Mission of Wahiawā. This Japanese ritual is open to all who want to pound the sweet glutinous rice, which will be used in preparing round-shaped mochi cakes, the circular shapes of which are believed to represent unity and harmony. Yogis and non-yogis will experience their own state of nirvana when they return to the Turtle Bay Resort for the Wanderlust Festival.

The four-day retreat aims to align the body and mind. Meanwhile, Hawai‘i poet laureate, Kealoha, has an equally admirable goal with his new “The Story of Everything,” a show that involves poetry, dance and even a little bit of Woodstock.

Fish raised in pens and “Aquapods” in the open ocean could be the answer to our depleting stock of seafood.

family ties

The Maebos continue to produce One-Ton Chips and Cookies

From Fish Farms to Fads

©FRANCO BANFI/

Simplicio Paragas

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SENIOR EDITOR

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InsideOut OAHU

island life Master storyteller educates people with mo‘olelo

Once Upon a Time Tom Cummings shares stories of Hawai‘i at the Royal Hawaiian Center.

By Simplicio Paragas

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courtesy royal hawaiian center

Animated and engaging, Tom Cummings,

affectionately known as Uncle Tom, can weave an entertaining story. As a mea ha‘i mo‘olelo, or master storyteller, Cummings believes that storytelling is a Hawaiian art form that is every bit as important as hula, navigation, basketry and lauhala weaving.

Unpacking a suitcase filled with feathered lei, old images of Waikīkī, a conch shell, coconut husk, tapa and other teaching props, Cummings begins the task of neatly spreading out his “stuff ” — as he calls them — on a kapa-covered table.

“I’m a storyteller with stuff,” says Cummings, who conducts his storytelling session three times a week in front of Helumoa Hale at the Royal Grove. “I find the best way to engage people is to provide them with something visual.”

As passersby gather in front of him, the Maui native begins his storytelling, starting first with the kukui nut and its various uses, from oil and soap to lei and candle. Using a red Bic lighter, he sets fire to a kukui nut seed then waves the flame underneath a halved coconut shell. Flipping the shell rightside up, he scrapes the charcoal-colored ash from the shell’s interior and explains when added with water, this would become the ink used for tattoos.

“When I see a person walk by with a tattoo, I’ll ask him or her if they want to hear a story about tattoos,” says Cummings, a one-time program specialist at Kamehameha Schools, which owns the underlying lands of Royal Hawaiian Center. “If I see kids, I’ll show them the Hawaiian version of kendama. There’s always got to be an angle.”

A more than 40-year veteran of storytelling, Cummings has the ability to convey his stories that manage to earn a lot of applauses and nods of understanding, despite language barriers. A South Korean couple, for example, responded with wide smiles when they finally understood that the feathers from an ‘ō‘ō (forest bird) were used to make capes for kane, and lei and bracelets for wahine.

“A million feathers,” says Cummings, gesturing a #1 with his index finger then

forming six circles, to get across the idea of the amount of plumage that’s required to create a single cape. “Aaa,” the crowd responds.

Visiting from Minneapolis, Minn., Peng Liu made a point of attending one of Cumming’s sessions, saying that she was interested in hearing his stories about Hawai‘i.

“I’m a teacher at a Chinese immersion school in Minneapolis and I am interested in bringing a group of students from China to Hawai‘i in the summer and I thought this would be one of their activities,” says Liu, who asked Cummings if he was available to lead group tours. “I like the way he tells his stories using activities; I do the same when I’m teaching.”

Holding up an 8-inch cylindrical bamboo, Cummings demonstrates how holes would be bored into the wood using a nao wili (pump drill) in order to create a flute. Pressing the instrument to his nostril, attendees were puzzled at first until they heard a couple of bars from the flute, which was greeted by widened eyes and enthusiastic claps. And when Cummings blew into the conch shell sounding off three deep bass toots, they applauded even louder.

“I’ve met people from Slovakia, Lithuania and all over the world,” Cummings smiles. “I share stories that are little known.

“And then I make a mess,” quips the animated storyteller, as he again begins to arrange his “stuff ” on the table in preparation for the next group of listeners.

A more than 40-year veteran of storytelling, Cummings has the ability to convey his stories that manage to earn a lot of applauses and nods of understanding, despite language barriers.

Referring to his visual props as “stuff,” Tom Cummings engages passersby with stories of Hawai‘i at the Royal Hawaiian Center.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 InsideOutHawaii.com

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InsideOut OAHU

morsels Tasty tid-bits from around the Island

Pro Fusion

Fresh concept presents a lavish display of dishes and flavors

By Simplicio Paragas

Chef Chai’s at Pacifica

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adjectives normally associated with restaurateur Chai Chaowasaree’s cuisine.

After all this is a chef who’s better known for his subtle tastes and visual presentation than he is for his in-yourface flavors. However, the popular local culinary figure seems to have stepped out of his comfort zone when he reinvented Chai’s Waikīkī Café & Market and dropped the latter half of the restaurant’s name in favor of Hawaiian Fusion.

Rather than just open an extension of his eponymous Pacifica dining room, Chaowasaree chose a “smaller plate” concept, offering his loyal diners a different experience from his Kapiolani Boulevard establishment. While there may be some menu overlap between the two eateries, only at the Waikīkī location will guests find an entire page of the menu devoted to “Tapas Style Local Favorites.”

“It allows people to share and try a lot more different things,” Chaowasaree points out. This reboot also marks the restaurant’s return to more formal service with a full waitstaff, linencovered tables, and actual — not

©CHAI CHAOWASAREE

SUICIDAL AND FORBIDDEN aren’t

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“It allows people to share and try a lot more different things.”

©chai chaowasaree

Chai’s Waikīkī now offers a host of tapas, including “suicidal chicken” (opposite page), savory chawanmushi (left) and Caprese salad.

plastic — stemware and silverware. The interior was also upgraded to include dangling globes and a new bar area where guests can still enjoy the full menu, including the entire list of tapas.

One of the more notable offerings is the riff on the savory chawanmushi ($18). Unlike the Japanese dashi-andmirin-based, steamed egg custard soup that’s garnished with shiitake mushrooms and shrimp, this iteration has a firm, pâté-like texture that’s infused with foie gras purée and served with toasted brioche. A side dollop of blackberry-and-Lehua-honey compote adds a sweet element that accentuates the buttery characteristic of the bread while not overpowering the creaminess of the “chawanmushi.”

Assertive bold essences best describe the grilled octopus ($15), tender slices of the cephalopod are kicked up with a spicy barbecue-and-gochujang sauce, only to be tamed with a cool cucumber salad; and the “suicidal” chicken wings ($12), which are generously coated in Thai chili and accompanied by a mango slaw with chopped peanuts and a hint of cilantro. Both dishes show restraint in heat level, sending just enough spice to taste receptors without rendering them numb after a single bite.

Lighter in calories but certainly not in flavor, the Caprese salad ($12) is composed of ripe Ho Farms heirloom cherry tomatoes and burrata, an Italian cheese made from mozzarella and cream. A crispy prosciutto stick adds a nice touch since it

lends more salt and crunch to the salad.

Another option is the Parker Ranch tenderloin salad ($15), cold thin slices of medium-rare beef are topped with bits of mango, cucumbers, slivers of Aloun Farms red onions and roasted peanuts, all drizzled with a zesty lemongrass-andgarlic vinaigrette. Even the flower petals are edible.

Since the tapas menu is intended for sharing, portions are enough for two and this is especially true with the bruschetta ($12), a toasted baguette slathered with Puna goat cheese then topped with roasted Big Island golden and red beets. It also appears that Chaowasaree has heeded the advice of vegetarians, offering them more plant-based options, including the eggplant rollatini ($12), stuffed with kale, pumpkin and quinoa. (A lot of other dishes can also be adapted to satisfy vegetarian diets.)

And about that “forbidden” dish. It’s actually a bowl of sticky rice mixed with pieces of lup cheong, roasted chestnut and dried shrimp then topped with slices of tender pork belly ($13). Its name is derived from the grains of black rice, which were once classified as forbidden by Chinese emperors who believed this type of rice ensured their good health and longevity. Pass the bowl.

Chai’s Waikīkī Hawaiian Fusion, 1910 Ala Moana Blvd., 941.9200, chaiswaikiki.com JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 InsideOutHawaii.com

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morsels

| add a little spice to your cocktails

From Jamaica, With Love This year, resolve to drink more rum

By Alison Kent

New Year! Keeping up with tipple trends, it is predicted that 2016 will see the continued rise in enthusiasm for, and craft cocktail experimentation with, brown liquors — ­ especially aged libations like bourbon, rye, Scotch, tequila, brandy, Cognac ... and rum.

This movement is due, in part, to a continued collective shunning of sweeter tastes in favor of more boldly spiced and assertively flavored spirited concoctions.

In the heart of Jamaica’s lush Cockpit Country, the distillers at the Appleton Estate have been crafting premium rums using timehonored traditions for more than 265 years.

With its ideal climate, fertile soil and terrain, along with Estate-grown sugarcane and natural springs supplying water for fermentation and distillation, the unique ‘terroir’ of the Nassau Valley region is key to producing these complexly flavored rums.

This process also includes expert aging and blending, of course. Full-bodied, approachable Appleton Estate Signature Blend is craftblended from 15 selected and aged rums. With a warm, golden amber glow, its flavor profile includes sweet apricot and peach balanced with light citrus notes, spiced orange peel, molasses and wood. Ideal over ice with a splash of cola, ginger beer or apple cider, its easy-going, smooth flavor makes it a versatile addition to an array of recipes (think cakes to caramel sauces and marinades to barbecue sauces)… and cocktails.

For a twist on the traditional, try it in place of the usual bourbon or rye in a Manhattan.

Usher in the New Year with rum-spiked and spiced cocktails. Cheers!

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image courtesy of ybvocal. cocktail recipe adapted by alison kent.

Welcome to another

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Spiced Jamaican Estate Daiquiri Makes: 1 cocktail This one can be made ahead and multiplied to be pitcher-sized. Simply pour and add a garnish at party time.

2 ozs. Appleton® Estate Signature Blend Jamaica Rum 1 ½ tbsp. fresh lime juice 1 ½ tbsp. Spiced Simple Syrup (recipe follows) In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine rum, lime juice and simple syrup. Shake, then strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Spiced Simple Syrup Makes: about 1 cup This recipe will yield enough for 10 to 12 cocktails. It can also be doubled or even tripled, and can be made ahead and kept tightly sealed in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

1 cup water 1 cup sugar 2 whole cloves ½ tsp ground allspice In a small saucepan, stir water, sugar and cloves; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves.

Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

Remove from heat; add allspice and let stand for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve (or line a strainer with a coffee filter) and let cool completely.

Alison Kent is a food, beverage and travel writer, recipe developer, food stylist, certified chef and bestselling cookbook author with an abundance of culinary experience under her toque. Follow her on Twitter @Alicatchef JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 InsideOutHawaii.com

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| top culinary trends for 2016

Trending Now More assertive flavors, better apps, and craft beers and spirits top the list of 2016 trends. By Simplicio Paragas African flavors are in. Kale salads not so

The National Restaurant Association’s list of culinary trends include the use of more ethnic spices and sauces, and a growing momentum for food trucks.

Tea on Fleek owner Kelli Mukawa is a regular vendor at Makers & Tasters.

Get ready for new apps.

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much. According to the National Restaurant Association (NRA), the hottest food trends to emerge this year include seven newcomers: chefdriven fast-casual concepts; ethnic condiments/ spices; authentic ethnic cuisine; artisan butchery; fresh/house-made sausage; homemade/artisan pickles; and street food/food trucks.

Street Grindz co-founders Poni and Brandon Askew are the driving force behind the local food truck scene, having established a monthly Eat the Street event five years ago, followed by Honolulu Night Market and, last August, Makers & Tasters at the old Fisherman’s Wharf site.

“We want to open six other locations around the island,” says Poni Askew, referring to Makers & Tasters, which she calls a “food park and marketplace.” “I think we’re still in our baby stages and there’s a lot of room for growth and innovation.”

Chicago-based Technomic, the nation’s leading food research and consulting firm, pre-

dicts that the restaurant industry will evolve in profound ways, releasing the 2016 Top-10 Food Trends. No. 1 on the list is the increased use of such assertive flavors as ghost pepper from India; sambal from Southeast Asia; gochujang from Korea; harissa, sumac and dukka from North Africa.

Other prevailing trends include the proliferation of meatballs and salads, and multiethnic dumplings, from pierogis to bao buns; the preparation of under-utilized stewing cuts, organ meats and “trash” species of fish; charred or roasted vegetable sides; and the development of order-and-pay apps and third-party online ordering and delivery services, which will make “dining in” easier than ever and, in some cases, “dining out” a thing of the past.

“We are excited to see how foodservice establishments will incorporate these culinary trends for 2016,” says American Culinary Federation national president Thomas Macrina in a released statement. “Chefs enjoy being creative and many of these trends give them the ability to do what they love: make fresh, delicious food for people to enjoy.”

The top trends in food also extend to the bar, with the hottest alcohol trends including locally produced and crafted beer, wine and spirits.

Bob Gunter predicts that the new wave of mixologists will lend more exposure to small craft distillers like Koloa Rum. “They take their craft seriously,” says Gunter, Koloa Rum’s president and CEO. “Our rums are versatile; they can be used in cocktails or they can be sipped on over ice. We didn’t want to mimic other products.”

©simplicio paragas (2)

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InsideOut OAHU

musings Entertaining Thoughts

Big Bang Theory Poet reinterprets Stephen Hawking’s philosophy about the beginning of time

By Simplicio Paragas

”The Story of Everything” sounds like an ambitious production. What inspired it?

At the time, four years ago, I was thinking about having a son with my partner and I figured that one day he would eventually ask me the question “Where do we come from?”

My answer is scientific and it’s a little complicated and difficult to grasp all the concepts.

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InsideOutHawaii.com JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

So are you seeking to answer all of life’s questions — as implied by “everything?”

As much as I can. The 90-minute show is broken into six sections, with each one different in approach to content.

It covers everything from the Big Bang Theory and the evolution of life to stars and the future.

So how do you plan to explain these complex concepts in a Kealoha poetic way?

I want to tell it in a manner that’s exciting and fun, and incorporates music and dance with science. For example, in the solar system portion of the production, each star will be its own discotheque.

©KSC WONG

ONCE A NUCLEAR FUSION scientist, Steven Kealohapa‘ole Hong-Ming Wong has taken on the biggest project of his life. And it involves the Big Bang Theory, among other topics, like it has never been explained before — via poetry, dance and even a little bit of Woodstock and Michael Jackson.

Has this project interfered with your monthly Poetry Slams?

Not at all. HawaiiSlam still happens every first Thursday at Fresh Cafe in Chinatown; we’re 12 years old now. It’s still got the same vibe, the same energy and even more people. I’m thoroughly shocked and amused, and surprised and loving that this event has survived and has stood the test of time.

In this age where reading is arguably on the decline, particularly the written word, why do you think poetry can still be relevant?

If the average person in our generation, or plus or minus our generation, is looking for something entertaining or content driven or thought-provoking, then it’s our duty as writers, artists or entertainers to put something out there that is relevant to their lives, that does touch them in a way. When you take poetry and put it in a performance-based mechanism, then I think it makes it even more tangible to that quick consumeristic culture.

The world of poetry slams seems to be the antipode of where you first started your career; how different is it from corporate America?

It’s night and day. After graduating from MIT with a degree in nuclear physics, I was a business consultant in San Francisco, and played around as a surf instructor prior to becoming a professional poet in 2002.

Do you have any regrets about changing your professional path?

Not at all. This is a great career.

Nuclear physics will always creep into my writing; there’s a logical deduction, scientific method that’s a part of me that I’ll never be able to squelch. But at least now it’s more balanced with the right side of my brain.

For Kealoha’s upcoming performances, visit kealohapoetry.com.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 InsideOutHawaii.com

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InsideOut OAHU

out &about A quick glance at events and celebrations for the new year

Colorful Event

LUNAR YEAR

It’s called the “Happiest 5K on the Planet” for good reason. And you don’t have to be the fastest runner or in the best shape to take part in the Honolulu Color Vibe. This

Dash of Aloha 5K run is more of a competition of hues and tints than it is of time and speed. So grab your whitest outfit and prepare to experience the all-new Tropicolor Zone, where participants will be bathed in a rainbow of colors. Kids under 12 are free.

Since its inception, the Great Aloha Run has been one of Hawaii’s largest participatory race, raising more than $10 million for 150 non-profit organizations and community groups throughout Hawai‘i. It has been recognized nationally as one of the top “100 Great Road Races” to participate in by Runner’s World Magazine. www.greataloharun.com FEBRUARY 15

Unlike the Western way of celebrating the new year, the Chinese tao is more steeped in traditional rites, with the celebration starting with the new moon on the first day and ending with the Lantern Festival 15 days later. Firecrackers will pop and the dragon will snake through the streets of Chinatown to mark the Year of the Monkey, which officially starts on Feb. 8. A “Night in Chinatown” will feature food booths and live entertainment on three different stages.

The Chinese New Year’s Parade kicks off the festivities at 3:30 p.m. on the grounds of the State Capitol. www. nightinchinatown.com

(CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT) COURTESY COLOR VIBE; COURTESY CREAT ALOHA RUN; ©RANDY T. FUJIMORI; ©BRIAN JACKSON

January 30

January 18

BOOKS AND MUSIC Bibliophiles and audiophiles won’t want to miss the Friends of the Library of Hawai‘i’s Book & Music Sale at Washington Middle School. Pick through thousands of CDs, vinyls and gently used books. www.friendsofthe libraryofhawaii.org January 16-18

www.thecolorvibe.com 16

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Heard About Town Here’s what’s trending this month from our bloggers and tweeters. For updates, follow us on Facebook or Twitter: facebook.com/InsideOutHawaii @InsideOutHawaii

“ #Rimowa opening @AlaMoanaCenter with @Tihatiprod dancers.”—@silo808

DINING IS

DIVINE AT THE KAHALA

To eat is human.

To dine at The Kahala is divine.

Anthony Bourdain on How Not to Get Killed in a Restaurant!

—@WhereTraveler

“Our editor gets a glimpse inside one of the surf houses on the North Shore.” —@InsideOutHawaii What’s your New Year’s resolution?

—@Simplicio

“Sometimes the best things in life are free... find #Free things to do on #Oahu: ow.ly/ UtQnn.” —@whereHAWAII

Honolulu’s Gathering Place www.AtTheKahala.com

For reservations, call (808) 739.8760

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 InsideOutHawaii.com

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InsideOut OAHU

Into the Blue Aquaculture could help replenish our depleting stocks of seafood

By Simplicio Paragas

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images courtesy of kampachi farms, LLC/Jeff Milisen

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lthough living “green”

has received much media attention and public support, a “blue” movement has been floating around the past decade with its proponents advocating sustainable fishing, and farming and harvesting of such species as moi, kampachi, and bigeye and yellowfin tuna in openwater cages.

On Hawai‘i Island, Neil Sims believes it’s his moral imperative to forward sustainable mariculture in Hawai‘i with a kampachi project that dates back to 2002. Today, the marine biologist continues his research on commercial fish farming, a growing industry that had initially been unjustly criticized in the past by varying environmental nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).

“Those same NGOs now recognize that their anti-aquaculture position was misplaced and misdirected,” says Sims, co-founder of Kampachi Farms, which aims to advance commercial kampachi production through innovative research and scientific discoveries. “We’ve made astonishing advances in the past 10 to 15 years and there has been phenomenal improvement in technology.”

For Sims, open-water farming is an absolute ecological necessity, citing several examples of exploited, depleting and crashing fish stocks in the U.S. and across the globe.

“There are projections that if we don’t manage our fish stocks they will collapse by 2048,” Sims notes. “Over the next five years, what I would like to see is a doubling of aquaculture and I think we can do that. I’d like to see more aquacultures in the Gulf of Mexico and in federal waters in the Pacific Islands.”

Sims further makes the distinction between fishing and aquaculture, defining the former as any fish that’s caught in the wild, as opposed to those raised and harvested in fish farms, ponds and hatcheries, which constitute aquaculture.

According to a report released in 2012 by the WorldFish Center and Conservation International, aquaculture may be one of the most efficient methods of producing protein for the world’s burgeoning population, with potentially less environmental impact than cattle, poultry or pigs. In their study, authors Stephen Hall, Anne Delaporte, Michael Phillips, Malcolm Beveridge

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images courtesy of kampachi farms, LLC/Jeff Milisen

and Mark O’Keefe acknowledge the importance of aquaculture, which is among the fastest growing food production sectors in the world. They estimate that production will reach between 65 million and 85 million tonnes by 2020, and between 79 million and 110 million tonnes by 2030.

“It is apparent from this study that aquaculture has, from an economical efficiency and environmental impact perspective, clear benefits over other forms of animal source food production for human consumption,” the authors conclude.

“In view of this, the relative benefits of policies that promote fish farming over other forms of livestock production should be considered.”

Sims agrees, pointing out the three primary salient benefits of aquaculture: 1) from a consumer perspective, consuming more fish can reduce heart disease; 2) from an ocean perspective, we soften our carbon footprint; and 3) from a planetary perspective, farming fish has the least environmental impact than any other terrestrial production.

“There is no significant impact in having pens in the open waters,” Sims says. “This is a total sustainable model.”

One local group was formed in July 2007 to specifically address sustainability within the local fishing/aquaculture industry. The Hawai‘i Seafood Council (HSC) comprises of Hawai‘i fishermen, fishery managers and scientists who are doing

their best in trying to keep our local seafood viable for generations to come.

The nonprofit group supports responsible fisheries and believes that marine fisheries, fishing and seafood are essential to Hawai‘i’s culture, food traditions, diversified economy, food security and healthy lifestyle.

According to fisheries consultant and cofounder of HSC John Kaneko, DVM, the greatest challenge for sustainable fishing is to balance the desire to utilize fishery resources for food and income with the long-term need for maintaining sustainable harvest (catch). Furthermore, he points out that effective fishery management requires: 1) regulatory framework; 2) commitment and delivery on science-based management decisions; 3) establishment of sustainable harvest limits; 4) effective monitoring of fishing activities; 5) effective monitoring of catch; and 6) the capacity to take enforcement action to keep harvest levels within sustainable limits.

But how about those who contend that farm-raised fish are inferior to their wild-caught counterparts? Many local chefs think differently, frequently adding farm-raised kampachi, salmon, ahi and sea bass to their menus.

“I would love to see consumers select responsibly farmed fish,” Sims says. “It’s better for you and it’s better for the planet.”

“Mariculture is agriculture in the ocean.

We need to be responsible for the seafood we take from the ocean.”

(Opposite page) During an initial offshore “beta test,” Neil Sims inspected fingerlings in a 32-cubic-meter, brass-netted Aquapod, which was attached by a combined towing/ umbilical line to the 65-foot schooner S/V Machias.

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A staple at a Maebo family picnic or gettogether, One-Ton Chips can be eaten on their own or used as a crunchy garnish in a salad.

InsideOut OAHU

Family Ties Crunchy snack brings back fond memories

By Rizza Cosio Photography by Jennifer Whalen JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 InsideOutHawaii.com

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“It’s a secret recipe. My grandma taught my dad and my dad taught me. And one day I’ll pas it down to my son.””

Founded in 1950, the Maebo Noodle Factory produces the popular One-Ton Chips and One-Ton Chip Cookies.

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ight, crisp, airy and just the perfect balance of sweet and salty. They can be eaten on their own or used as a topping or garnish. Island residents have memorized their flavor and texture like the grooves of their own tongue.

Visitors hoard them to take home as souvenirs.

But what most do not know is how the prized One-Ton Chips came to be in a family-run noodle factory in the little old town of Papaikou.

“She was always trying new things,” Blane Maebo says of his grandmother Koto Maebo, who created the One-Ton Chips in 1953 using her husband’s hand-cranked machine that cut dough into noodles. Although her handmade selections of saimin, chow fun and udon were already becoming popular, Koto was constantly in an experimental mood. “She tried shrimp-flavored wonton chips, shrimp chips, taro chips. We even tried li hing mui and a lot of other different flavors but none of them took off at that time,” says Blane, who is now president of the famed Maebo Noodle Factory in Hilo.

It was the early 1950s when Blane’s grandfather took bags of the freshly cooked wonton noodle chips and sold them from his pushcart alongside fruits and vegetables to neighbors and random passersby. “This was before my time,” Blane says.

“They used to come in a clear bag about the same size they are now and they were only sold in a handful of stores.”

Now known for their red-and-blue packaging with an Atlas-like body builder standing guard, One-Ton Chips have become a local staple.

“They’re everywhere,” Blane says. “In the beginning it was nice to see the chips at stores. It was a sense of satisfaction.” Today, it is a rare occasion that the

chips aren’t found on the shelves of major grocery stores like Safeway, Longs Drugs, Sack N Save, Foodland, and even at local markets like Mini Mart and Wiki Wiki Mart. The snacks are perfect for tailgate parties and can also be found at almost every gas station with a convenience store.

The Kawamoto Store, an old-time okazuya in Hilo, has been a loyal vendor for over five years.

“They sell really good,” says owner Celeste Nathaniel, who finds herself restocking almost twice a week. “A lot of locals and visitors come in and see [the bags] and take some with them when they go to the beach or to have with their sushi.”

Aside from just a snack, Nathaniel found other uses for the addictive fried chips. “My sister uses them for salads,” she says. “Instead of croutons or other chow mein noodles, the chips give the Chinese chicken salad a different flavor.”

As a child, Blane enjoyed the chips freshly cooked. “We used to wait for them to come out of the fryer,” he recalls. “They were the best when they were hot.” He remembers hanging around his grandparents when they were still running the business out of a kitchen behind the garage of their small home. “When I was young, I never really thought about how popular they were getting,” Blane says. “All we did was eat the chips and play.”

The 15,000-square-foot factory in Hilo is five times bigger than its humble beginnings.

A daily production of 30 to 40 batches yields approximately a couple hundred bags of chips. The operation is run by 16 people comprised of family, friends and long-time workers who have become like ohana, each with an assigned duty.

“We have the ones who make the dough, which is always only family, then those who cook the dough, pack the dough and then we have our drivers,” Blane explains. When asked about the ingredients, Blane pauses. “It’s a secret recipe,” he says. “My grandma taught my dad and my dad taught me. And one day I’ll pass it down to my son.”

Unlike just any family recipe that has been kept “secret” for several generations, this one has made it into most postwar Hawai‘i homes and beyond. As the third generation to adopt the Maebo Noodle Factory, Blane had the torch in his cards all along.

“I actually never really thought about it back then, you know. It was just a way of life for me,” Blane reflects. “But now, I cannot think of anything else I’d rather be doing.”

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InsideOut OAHU

JUST

Breathe Yoga and health conscious enthusiasts will unwind and be “mindful” as the annual Wanderlust Festival returns to the Turtle Bay Resort By Kristen Nemoto

Unlike many first-timers to the Hawaiian Islands, Wanderlust Festival’s co-founder Sean Hoess’

initial encounter to the sandy shores of Maui was met with an emergency trip to the hospital.

“I looked down at my foot and there was a giant hole and blood was gushing everywhere,” says Hoess, describing the moment he stepped on a sharp piece of coral. He was just 15 years old then and a huge fan of marine biology. But instead of spending his original plans of frolicking along the beach with his family, Hoess’ newly stitched up foot had to be elevated and most definitely out of the water. “That was my introduction to Hawai‘i,” he laughs.

Despite preliminary shortcomings, fond memories of Hawai‘i remained with Hoess. He loved the natural beauty, sense of adventure and diversity of cultures. Fast forward to 2009 when Hoess and his college buddies, Jeff Krasno and Schuyler Grant, hatched a plan to promote

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The four-day retreat is packed with activities, from “Speakeasy” discussions and SUP yoga classes to hooping and slacklining to concerts and dinners.

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an event that would celebrate music, yoga and nature into a full four-day retreat known as the Wanderlust Festival. They began their endeavor within the mountain ranges of Lake Tahoe, Calif., which quickly snowballed into 18 festivals around the world, including events in Australia, South America and Canada. In 2012, when Hoess was given a chance to conduct Wanderlust at an even greater “remote” destination, he could think of no place other than Hawai‘i.

“I just imagined what [Wanderlust] could be repurposed into with an added plank,” Hoess says.

“We always have been known for yoga, meditation and just general mindfulness but never had a place where we could offer a connection to the ocean. It’s something that we thought would really resonate with people. And it has been growing ever since we started.”

Now in its fourth year, Wanderlust O‘ahu returns to the Turtle Bay Resort from Thursday, Feb. 25 to Sunday, Feb. 28. Guests will have a variety of events and activities from which to choose, including hiking, horseback riding, “Speakeasy” discussions, a “sea-to-table” dinner and, of course, yoga classes led by such renowned instructors as Ana Forest, Maty Ezraty, Vinnie Marino, Chad Dennis and Joan Hyman.

Although the Wanderlust Festival is relatively new to the outside world of “non-yogis” and

generally in a nascent stage among loyal yogi disciples, the event is consistent with a decadesold national trend of living healthy. Hoess believes this health-conscious movement has led to the success of the Wanderlust Festival, which attracts people who are interested in bettering themselves in all aspects of mind, body and spirit.

“We really feel like yoga is the vehicle to bringing people together who are seeking those same things in life,” Hoess says. “A big part of this entire experience is who you meet while you are on your mat, or SUP (stand-up-paddle board).”

Whether you’re trying to eat well, interested in growing spiritually or looking to catch a great concert (Citizen Cope and Trevor Hall will perform), the hope for the Wanderlust Festival is to ease your mind and live in the moment for yourself and those around you.

“I think people still have this valid innate need for community and actual human contact, touch and interaction,” Hoess affirms. “Sometimes we forget it as we type away on our Facebook page … During the Wanderlust Festival there’s a feeling of community, which leads people to be less stressed out, kinder and more mindful.

You look around at the [Wanderlust Festival] and realize that all the people are in the same situation and state as you; you can feel it. That’s actually the magic that’s made.”

(previous spread) ©ali kaukas/wanderlust festival, (this page, top left) ©keith tharp/wanderlust festival; (others) ©ali kaukas/wanderlust festival

The Wanderlust Festival attracts many people who are interested in bettering themselves in all aspects of mind, body and spirit.

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InsideOut OAHU

mauka 2 makai From the mountain to the ocean and everywhere in between

Pound for Pound The Japanese custom of making mochi has persisted among generations of families in celebration of the New Year

By Kristen Nemoto

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©shutterstock

According to the mother of Edna Yano, the associate reverend of Konko Mission of Wahiawā, it’s women and children who pound the best mochi. “Because they don’t kill it,” laughs Yano heartily, as she recollects what she and her mother have seen when Konko Mission of Wahiawā has held its annual New Year’s mochi pounding ritual known as mochitsuki.

While others — especially newcomers to the yearly tradition — assume they must hit the white clump of sweet glutinous rice with similar force that one would use to wallop a carnival’s high striker, Yano and her family have concluded otherwise.

“My dad always says you don’t have to use so much strength,” Yano says. “All you have to do is lift it up and let it drop in the center. If you use too much strength, it’ll cut through and it’s not going to knead as well.”

The result, when done properly, yields meltin-your-mouth smooth rice bulbs, proportioned neatly into round shapes, symbolizing a mirror in Shinto religious practices and the Sun Goddess of Japan: Amaterasu. Like many Japanese families and communities who’ve perpetuated mochitsuki, Konko Mission of Wahiawā has welcomed members and non-members alike to help with the ritual of pounding rice since Dec. 30, 1992.

“That’s my favorite part — seeing so many people,” Yano says. “And everyone is happy, smiling, kind of tired too but it’s all about the fun.”

George Tanabe, a professor emeritus of Japanese religion at the University of Hawai‘i at

Mānoa, condemns the “machine” way of making mochi as it takes away mochitsuki’s “pure practice.”

“Oh just terrible, terrible,” Tanabe chuckles.

“I prefer my mochi fresh, and you can’t get it any more fresh than after mochitsuki.”

Along with his many relatives and friends, Tanabe has been practicing mochitsuki since he was a child visiting his grandparent’s house in Laie. Today, the tradition continues at his house in Waialua where he and guests steam the rice over a wood fire, which, when finished, is placed in a stone pot known as an “usu.” Large mallets known as “kine” are then used to rhythmically pound the rice until it’s soft and smooth, using water to prevent it from sticking. “[Mochitsuki] has always been a communal event,” Tanabe says. “In Shinto religion, [this practice] deals with the blessings of life. Since rice is the staple food in Japan, making mochi is using food to celebrate life and, currently, the New Year.

For [our family], it’s a way to continue the tradition, which hasn’t changed much. We’re still doing it the same way.”

As the New Year begins throughout the world, many hope to use this time for renewal and celebration. The Japanese custom of mochitsuki has similarly adhered to that aspiration, especially when it comes to reuniting with old friends and making new ones.

“Some people, I just see them once a year,” Yano says. “They just enjoy this Japanese tradition. I love it when many people from the community come and gather. It makes it that much more enjoyable.”

“I love it when many people from the community come and gather. It makes it that much more enjoyable.”

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InsideOut OAHU

ins &outs Exhibits and events that are soon to close

4 | Sounds of Hawai‘i

LAST CHANCE!

FOUR NOT TO MISS IN JANUARY & FEBRUARY

1 I CARNIVAL FUNDRAISER For two days, hundreds of volunteers will help stage Punahou School’s annual signature fundraising event. This year’s theme is “Rewind the Time: the Punahou Journey,” which features 60 different booths of games and food — and, of course, thousands of malasadas and jars of mango chutney — rides, and the popular senior class Variety Show and White Elephant Sale.

Formerly a student-run organization, the carnival has blossomed into the largest annual fundraiser for the school’s financial aid program. www.punahou.edu/ FEBRUARY 5 AND 6

2 I Huddle Up at Aloha Stadium

For football fans, it doesn’t get any more exciting than the NFL Pro Bowl. The league’s best players go head-to head, while cheerleaders dance and shake their pom poms on the sidelines at the Aloha Stadium. For partygoers and fun-seekers, the Pro Bowl Block Party in Waikīkī offers a chance to see players off the field. JANUARY 31

3 TEXTILE ART EXHIBIT PARSI: SILK & MUSLIN FROM IRAN, INDIA AND CHINA EXHIBIT AT THE EASTWEST CENTER GALLERY. ENDS JANUARY 24

for the Hawaiian Islands series. Local halau will perform hula specially choreographed for the evening at Hawaii Theatre Center.

JANUARY10

COMING SOON Island residents have a lot to look forward to during the months of March and April.

FESTIVAL TIME

FIGHTING HUNGER

RELIGIOUS SATIRE

SPAM JAM

As it has done for the past 21 years, the Honolulu Festival will promote world harmony by shedding light on various cultures.

MARCH 11-13

Top chefs will help the Hawai‘i Foodbank during its annual Great Chefs Fight Hunger fundraiser. Enjoy the food and the music.

MARCH 16

“The Book of Mormon” will finally make its Hawai‘i debut with a limited, three-week run in Honolulu’s Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall.

DEBUTS APRIL 13

Only in Hawai‘i would we celebrate a processed meat that comes in that iconic blue tin can.

Join Sir SPAM-a-Lot on Kalākaua Avenue .

APRIL 30

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(CLOCKWISE FROM TOP) ©JAY PARCO; COURTESY MOUNTAIN APPLE COMPANY; COURTESY THE BOOK OF MORMON; COURTESY EAST-WEST CENTER GALLERY

Award-winning composer and artist Kuana Torres Kahele will perform new original music for Kaua‘i, Maui, Ni‘ihau and Hawai‘i Island from his bestselling Music

Wolfgang’s Steakhouse

ROYAL TASTES

P.F. Chang’s Waikı¯kı¯ Restaurant Suntory Okonomiyaki Chibo Beijing Chinese Seafood

Il Lupino Trattoria & Wine Bar Doraku Sushi The Cheesecake Factory Noi Thai Cuisine — ¯‘ina La ¯nai Food Court Pa — “Rock-A-Hula” - Legends Waikı¯kı¯

110+ SHOPS & RESTAURANTS DAILY 10AM – 10PM - KALAKAUA AVE., WAIK IK I BETWEEN FENDI & FOREVER 21 808.922.2299 Free Wi-Fi

RoyalHawaiianCenter.com

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