Garden Island Tickler at Merriman's. Daniel Lane photo

This week’s news foodies can use and events no self-respecting food lover should miss.NEWS

Garden Island Range & Food Festival
I’m happy to announce that last Tuesday, Dan and I were added to the Garden Island Range & Food Festival committee. This fall event showcases Kauai’s bounty by paring local ranchers and farmers with Kauai’s top chefs, and serving the public delicious meals while live music plays.

Last year’s participants included Nanea, 22 North, Oasis on the Beach, Living Foods, Bar Acuda, The Right Slice, Red Salt, Hukilau Lanai, and Kalaheo Cafe. (click name for MidWeek links).

This year, the event is scheduled for November 18, so if you’re a resident it’s a great opportunity to sample food from some of the island’s best food growers and makers. If you are considering a Thanksgiving vacation, this is a family friendly event to include during your stay.

Kalua Pork “Luau” at Red Salt. Daniel Lane photo

It’s like an Iron Chef competition, except everybody wins. It’s a spontaneous creation of seasonal products, picked at the peak of perfection. Ranchers and farmers provide whatever ingredients they have growing, and participating chefs are assigned these ingredients based on a draw from a hat. The result is a smorgasbord of delicious mini meals.

Dan is the treasurer, and I am the secretary. I also hold the farm co-chair position. If you are a farmer, and you’d like to participate, please email info@tastingkauai.com.

Grow Culture

Edible Dirt at Grow Culture dinner. Daniel Lane photo

Dan and I spent the morning at Small Town Coffee with Collin Darrell, creation director of Grow Culture. You may remember reading about his farm to table dinner in one of my previous posts. I’m excited to share some early news for his next event.

It’s scheduled for Mother’s Day, and it will be a four-course “Sunday Supper” paired with boutique wines. Collin is still looking for a location, and dreaming about mountain views. Because his events are created with a what-is-available-now philosophy, he says, “Every one of my events is an opening night!”

What is for certain is that Maui chef Christopher Kulis of Capische? restaurant will be doing the cooking. The restaurant is located in the Hotel Wailea, and uses ingredients from their farm. His quote on the website says, “Now, from seed to sauté, I can honestly serve you a dish we have nourished in every way. I believe you will taste the difference.” Sounds good to me! I will post more details as they become available.

Earth Day Rising, Waipa

Tuesday Waipa farmers market. Daniel Lane photo

In the meantime, Collin has committed to cooking meals for this year’s Earth Day Rising event at Waipa. If everything goes according to plan, the 25-seat, pop-up restaurant will be set up at the beach, and will serve fresh street-food for lunch and dinner. Collin says the menu will be based on what’s in season, (of course) and everything will be under $8.

Crispy Stuffed Crab Roll with Fresh Ahi at the Beach House. Daniel Lane photo

Beach House Restaurant
There’s a new chef in town, and he’s cooking at the Beach House Restaurant. Chef Marshall Blanchard is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, and has additional training in pastry and bread-baking. For 11 years, Marshall was the executive chef at Vail’s Restaurant D’Oro and The Golden Eagle, also in Vail. As a regular competitor at the Beaver Creek Food Network Culinary Festival, Marshall worked with Bon Apetit and Food & Wine Magazine.

I hear he’s committed to high-quality food and locally sourced ingredients, so I look forward to trying some of his creations. The Beach House Restaurant recently added an up-scale lunch starting at 11 a.m., with dinner service beginning at 6 p.m. For reservations call 808-742-1424, or visit their website.

EVENTS

Orchid Alley Orchids. Daniel Lane photo

Kauai Orchid and Art Festival, March 30 and 31, Hanapepe
Besides local food vendors like The Right Slice, the Kauai Orchid and Art Festival includes free Hawaiian concerts, art exhibits, and the Garden Island Orchid Society’s Orchid Show. Plus, there will be a guided walking tour of historic Hanapepe Town. For a list of scheduled events and times, click here.

This Saturday, Passion Bakery will be giving out samples at Papaya’s Natural Foods and Cafe, from noon to 2 p.m. If you want to learn more about them, click here.

Basil seedlings. Daniel Lane photo

9th Biannual Kauai Community Seed and Plant Exchange, April 1
I’m really looking forward to this free event at The Children of the Land Center for Polynesian Culture (Nā Keiki O Ka `Āina). I don’t have a garden yet, so I won’t have a use for the non invasive, non GMO, pre-cleaned, insect and disease-free cuttings, potted plants, and seeds they’ll be giving out. But if I did have a garden, I’d be loading up on those.

I went to one 2-years ago at the All Saints Gym in Kapaa. Outside, under the shade of a giant tree, everyone gave away hearty vegetable seedlings, flowering bushes with just-opened blossoms, and baby trees. You could tell people took the job seriously, and were more than happy to share their prized cuttings. Inside, rows and rows of folks laid out hundreds of seeds, all free for the asking.

I’m looking forward to the free la`au lapa`au presentation from 2 to 3 p.m. because I’d like to start covering Hawaiian medicinal herbs in MidWeek Kauai. For more information call 808-652-4118 or visit their website.

Merriman’s Fish House, April 2

Kona Kampachi sashimi at Merriman's Kauai. Daniel Lane photo.

This Monday, Merriman’s will present the Koloa Rum Dinner. The four-course dinner features the award-winning rum with locally sourced food. When you walk in, the chef will hand you a “Garden Island Tickler” with Koloa white rum, watermelon juice and cucumber-mint bubbles. Sound interesting? It is!

Wine will be paired with each course, except dessert. That’s when you get a hot buttered rum to go with the bread pudding drizzled with Koloa Rum sauce. There’s still some tables left, so if you haven’t made reservations, call 808-742-8385. If you want to learn more about it, click here.

Lanakila Kitchen, April 2
Also this Monday, Lanakila Kitchen Kauai will offer its “Good to Go” dinner service. Daily specials feature fresh, local favorites, packaged for the commute home. The $49 dinner serves up to four adults and includes a salad, side dish, main course and dessert. If you live on the Westside, the $12.50 per person meal is a good deal if you don’t have time to make a nutritious dinner at home.

UPCOMING

Sugar Mill Cupcakes at Kauai Culinary Market. Daniel Lane photo

Sugar Mill Cupcakes, Saturday, April 7, 6 p.m.
Sugar Mill Cupcakes is celebrating their grand opening next Saturday in Kapaa. There will be food, live music and prize giveaways. I hear someone drove from the Westside just to get some of those cupcakes! For details, check their Facebook page, or call 808-635-2856.

Garden Isle Racing Association, April 7
Drag racing season at Kauai Raceway Park in Mana begins on April 7. It’s $12 per person. Food trucks include Mele’s Kusina, Killah Steaks, and ice cream. For more information call Bobby Barros at (808) 635-6034.

Kauai Independent Food Bank, Spring Food Drive March 1 – April  30
The Kauai Independent Food Bank hopes to raise 40,000 pounds of nutritious food and $40,000. Watch for the brown grocery bags and remittance envelopes in the Garden Island Newspaper in late February, fill them up, and take them to any of the following drop-off sites: Hanalei, Hanapepe, Kalaheo, Kapaa, Koloa, Lihue, and Waimea Fire Stations, as well as our Food Bank warehouse in Nawiliwili. Every dollar and pound of food donated will bring a smile to those in need.