Pau Hana Friday for May 9

Tasting Kauai celebrates mom with bubbly at the St. Regis Princeville. Daniel Lane photo

Tasting Kauai

Happy Aloha Friday! We had an exceptional week and hope you did too. Today, find out how to spoil mom to the supreme in our “A toast to Mother’s Day” article that runs in our “Tastes of Kauai” column in The Garden Island newspaper.  Happy Mother’s Day! If my mom were here, I would certainly raise my glass.
This Sunday, our “On the Farm” column in The Garden Island newspaper will introduce you to Kauai Sugarloaf White Pineapple. It’s a rare variety and we are excited to share the ridiculously sweet and juicy fruit with readers. We interviewed farmers Paul and Jude Huber last Tuesday and were able to secure one for today’s A Culinary Romp Through Paradise food tour. It will be fun to serve the white alongside the gold, and get everyone’s reaction.
Another surprise for our guests on today’s tour is the libations. Usually, Dave Power, co owner and bartender of The Feral Pig handcrafts two drinks, one made with local and seasonal ingredients and one customized to each individual’s taste. Today, he’s making three tiki drinks and giving us a history lesson. As Dave says, “A tasting history lesson is its own reward.”
Yesterday, in the Tasting Kauai is Growing blog post, I wrote that we are thrilled to have Melissa Gregory as the newest member of our team. She will help with the sales and marketing of our book as well as our food tours A Culinary Romp Through Paradise, A Taste of Kilohana and our Farmers Market Tour. Melissa loves to cook and spends her free time gardening and reading about food. Her energetic spirit and easy laughter are a welcome addition to our team!
 
To mom!

Papaya Seed Salad Dressing

Kai prepares a papaya during one of our Kauai food tours. Marta Lane photo

• 1/4 cup papaya seeds
• 2 T coconut sugar
• 1 T stone ground mustard
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 medium white onion
• a handful of fresh dill
• sea salt

Blend all in a blender or food processor and enjoy in any number of ways.

 If you need a personal chef who cooks with fresh, seasonal food, contact Katie at  808-652-7890,  katie@malamakauai.org or visit her website http://yogaandchef.com/.

Art Cafe Hemingway

I imagine Markus Boemer is giving Art Cafe Hemingway’s tight little espresso machine an extra workout. He and his wife Jana just received a liquor license for the café, which will be open for evening service starting on June 6. Jana, a delightful perfectionist who ardently seeks the freshest local produce and highest quality ingredients, is busy creating a new evening menu.

Growing the use of Breadfruit

The Hooulu ka Ulu project to revitalize breadfruit has just released a series of videos and publications to assist Hawaii’s breadfruit growers in supplying grocery stores, restaurants and farmers markets with high quality fruit, and to help chefs become more familiar with breadfruit handling and preparation in the kitchen. Backyard growers, consumers and educators will also find the information pertinent to home and community use of breadfruit.
The color, 24-page Breadfruit Production Guide: Recommended Practices for Growing, Harvesting and Handling is aimed at breadfruit growers. The guide details best practices for harvest and post harvest handling to optimize value in the marketplace. Breadfruit is often mistakenly picked at the green or immature stage. The guide explains how to identify and pick breadfruit when it is mature, at its optimal flavor and marketability.
A corresponding video Harvest and Post harvest Best Practices provides a visual demonstration of the key practices outlined in the Breadfruit Production Guide.
Breadfruit is a very nutritious and versatile local food, which is underutilized by chefs and consumers. In the video Handling and Preparation of Breadfruit, celebrity Chef Sam Choy is joined by Chef De Cuisine Scott Hiraishi of Sam Choy’s Kai Lanai, and cultural practitioner Shirley Kauhaihao of Honaunau in explaining how to prepare breadfruit from start to finish. Peeling and cutting, and various methods of cooking—steaming, boiling, frying and baking, are demonstrated in the video.
Additional new publications also highlight basic preparation, nutrition and variety information.

The Hawaiian name for breadfruit is ulu. Daniel Lane photo

Lopaka Baptista supports a GMO-free Kauai. Daniel Hashimoto photo

Informational meetings on draft pesticide/GMO rules to be held

A series of meetings will be held during the month of May to inform the public on the process for establishing rules to implement a new law governing pesticide use and genetically modified organisms.  During the meetings, feedback will be taken from the public on the draft rules, which have been posted on the County’s webpage: www.kauai.gov.
“The first step in the rulemaking process is to gain approval from the state’s Small Business Regulatory Review Board (SBRRB), which we hope to accomplish in June,” stated George Costa, Director of the Office of Economic Development.  “By getting input from the public and especially from small businesses ahead of time, we hope to refine our draft rules prior to submitting them to SBRRB.”
The five informational meetings are scheduled as follows:

• Thursday, May 15^th, 5:00pm: Līhue Neighborhood Center
•  Monday, May 19^th, 5:00pm: Waimea Neighborhood Center
• Tuesday, May 20^th, 6:30pm: Kapaa Neighborhood Center
• Wednesday, May 21^st, 5:00pm: Hanalei Hale Halawai Center
• Thursday, May 22^nd, 5:00pm: Koloa Neighborhood Center

It is suggested that interested persons review the draft rules prior to attending the meeting.  Special accommodations and sign language interpreters and interpreters for non-English speaking persons are available upon request five (5) days prior to the meeting date.  To request an accommodation please contact the Office of Economic Development at 241-4946 or via email at gcosta@kauai.gov.
For individuals who do not wish to attend a meeting, comments may be emailed to Deputy County Attorney Mona Clark:mclark@kauai.gov.  A hard copy of the draft rules may be obtained at the Office of Economic Development, 4444 Rice Street, Suite 200, Līhu‘e, Hawai‘i  96766.

2014 Farm Bill

This week, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced continued progress during the first 90 days of implementing the Agricultural Act of 2014 (the 2014 Farm Bill), which President Obama signed into law on February 7.
On April 15, USDA announced disaster relief through the Livestock Indemnity Program and the Livestock Forage Disaster Program. As of May 1, 2014, approximately 33,000 applications have been received and $16.3 million in payments have been disbursed.
In the coming months, producers will be asked to enroll in one of the new farm bill’s risk management programs. USDA is now accepting applications from Land Grant Universities, 1890 Colleges, Hispanic-serving institutions and tribal colleges to create web-based tools that will help provide producers with information on the Agricultural Risk Coverage Program and Price Loss Coverage Program, as well as the larger protection program for dairy and the non-insured crop disaster assistance program.
More announcements on the new agriculture research foundation, educational tools for producers, improvements to conservation programs, and other Farm Bill provisions will continue to be made in the coming weeks and months. Click here to stay up-to-date on the USDA’s Farm Bill implementation progress.

Deconstructed Ahi Roll at Josselin’s. Daniel Lane photo

Josselin’s Tapas Bar & Grill

During the week of May 6 through May 11, Josselin’s Tapas Bar & Grill will be showing appreciation to teachers by giving them 50 percent off food purchases. Reservations can be made any day that week from 5:30 to 7 p.m. “We will also be doing drawings for prizes for some lucky teachers,” says Andrew Ha, General Manager and Partner. Prizes include a 2 night stay at the Grand Hyatt, 2 night stay at Koloa Landing Resort and Spa, a Tommy Bahama Silk Shirt for men, Tommy Bahama women’s dress, and more. All you have to do is show your Department of Education I.D. to receive the 50 percent off. For more information or reservations, call 808-742-7117.

Koloa Rum Company

Kauai’s Koloa Rum Company  was awarded the Gold Medal-Best in Class for its recently launched Kauai Coconut in the Flavored Rum Category and Gold Medals for their Kauai Dark and Gold Rums in their respective categories at the Miami Rum Festival’s 2014 RumXP International Tasting Competition held in Miami April 22-25, 2014.
Twelve members of the prestigious International Rum Expert Panel and twelve guest judges were secluded in a tasting room over a period of 3 days to conduct blind tastings and in-depth evaluations of rum in 17 major categories. All rums were grouped and judged in categories according to their style. The panel included an international all-star cast of Masters of Rum, journalists, consultants, historians, mixologists, lecturers, collectors and Cane Spirits Ambassadors.
According to the Rum Renaissance Festival, more than 80 rum producers showcased hundreds of award-winning and notable rums from around the world and were presented for evaluation at what is widely recognized as the largest cane spirits event in the Western Hemisphere and one of the most prestigious in the world.
Miami Rum Renaissance Festival founder and host Robert Burr said, “In a recent blind tasting competition, members of the International Rum Expert Panel (RumXP) were delighted to discover the most outstanding flavored spirit; Koloa’s Coconut Rum from Hawaii earned their Best in Class award. According to this esteemed group of judges from around the globe, it simply is the very best tasting Coconut Rum. Koloa Dark Rum, as well, has long been a favorite for its rich and flavorful profile, a key ingredient in tiki drinks. Koloa White Rum, the Gold Rum and the Spice Rum are all well respected for their quality. Clearly the attention to detail and passion for quality sets this brand apart from others.”

Kauai Kombucha by Kauai Juice Co. Daniel Lane photo

Kauai Beer Company

According to Larry Feinstein, KBC’s biggest beer advocate, “the Kauai Beer Company is now the only place on Kauai where you can get Kombucha from the Kauai Juice Company and on tap. They presently have Ginger Lemon and will be varying the selection to maintain variety. Truck Stop Thursday will feature The Green Pig, Rafael’s Aloha Tacos and The Right Slice.”

Sustainable Kauai Meetups

This month, Sustainable Kauai’s Meetups include:

Kilauea Monthly Garden Share

Tuesday, May 13, 5 p.m.
Malama Kauai Food Forest
5545 Kahiliholo Road
Kilauea, HI

Wailua Monthly Garden Share

Tuesday, May 20, 5 p.m.
Lydgate Beach Park
4470 Nalu Road
Wailua, HI
EVENTS:   

Scott Sloan and Ken Love during a fruit tasting and demo. Daniel Lane photo

Grafting Workshop by Ken Love

Kalihiwai Community Garden Greenhouse, 9 to 12 p.m., click here for pricing and registration (scroll to the bottom)

Malama Kauai, the National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG) and the Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers (HTFG) will be hosting Ken Love, Executive Director of the HTFG Association, to deliver two propagation workshops on Kauai on May 10th and 11th. Ken is known by many as a “Fruit Hunter”, having searched over 50 countries to discover and preserve rare and exotic fruit, spending significant time in South India.

Participants will learn the art of grafting, air layering and propagation from cuttings in this 3-hour hands-on workshop. Participants will be provided a grafting knife to practice grafts under Ken’s direction and discuss the grafting of citrus, avocado, mango and star fruit.

Scott Sloan, Assistant Director of NTBG’s Allerton Garden, shared, “The art of grafting is a great skill to know. As president of the Kauai Chapter of the HTFG, I encourage everyone to participate – experts and novices alike. This event is also a fundraiser for us and the majority of a standard ticket includes a year’s membership to the Kauai Chapter of Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers.”

The Saturday, May 10th workshop will be held at the Kalihiwai Community Garden in Kilauea and the Sunday, May 11th workshop will be held at National Tropical Botanical Garden Education Center in Kalaheo. While walk-ins are allowed, pre-purchase of tickets in encouraged as grafting supplies are limited to the first 40 paid registrants. Tickets and address/map information is available at www.malamakauai.org or by phone at (808) 828-0685.

Warung Bali

Warung Bali will be serving traditional Balinese plates at May Day at the Bay at Pinetrees in Hanalei from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pinetrees. 

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

Art Walk at Kukuiula  

6 to 9 p.m., The Shops at Kukuiula
This month, art meets fashion in a delightful mix of art and humor at ART reFASHIONED. This fashionable evening at galerie 103 includes a 6:30 p.m. runway show featuring award-winning Vancouver eco-fashion designer Katherine Soucie, a fashion multi-media show by Kauai artist Wayne Zebzda entitled “Suits, Lies and Videotape” and  sonic music by Tony LeHoven and Eddie Sitzler.
On the runway, look for bucketfuls of bottle-caps, hundreds of teabags, cardboard, paper, magazines, bicycle tires, rope, bubble-wrap, plastic bottles, vinyl, and much, much more. Soucie transforms waste textiles by incorporating traditional artisanal techniques, remix mending and handcraft applications with digital technologies derived from her formal training in fashion, textiles and printmaking. The reincarnated products serve as a reminder of what is often left behind.
Runway meets roadway in a multi-media presentation by Kauai artist Wayne Zebzda titled: Suits, lies and videotape, an evolving group of short films, altered discarded suits, and everything else Zebzda comes across in his roadside wanderings as he continues his never-ending dialogue with the road and with life.
PowerHound, the Kauai-based group formed in 2005, with the mission of playing music differently, will improvise with ART reFASHIONED and additionally will create a sonic landscape for the evening. Their electrosonic art form is a more conceptually built music, eschewing the confines of melody in order to deliver made-to-order tonality.  What does that mean? It means they play whatever the hell they want to. PowerHound features Tony LeHoven, guitar and controllers, and Eddie Sitzler, drums and percussion.

The Perfect Margarita at Tortilla Republic. Daniel Lane photo

Sunday, May 11 ~ Mother’s Day

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Saturday, May 24

A Taste of Kilohana

Kilohana Plantation, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., $115
A Taste of Kilohana is an exclusive, guided food tour that offers a seasonal slice of Kilohana Plantation. Our tour includes an off-the-menu, three-course, locally sourced meal that’s served in the Private Dining Room of Wilcox Mansion.
Our unique tour begins with a ride in a open-air train through the 105-acre orchard which has more than 50 varieties of exotic fruit trees. Guests disembark and feed wild boar, goats and chickens and stroll through the orchard with Kai, Kilohana’s expert in local agriculture. After picking and eating exotic fruit, sit and relax as Kai demonstrates how to select and prepare tropical fruit, then taste the best of Kilohana in a super-fresh fruit salad.
After a short tour of the historic Manor House, guests learn how to make Gaylord’s signature Mai Tai with fresh-pressed sugarcane and lime juice inside Mahiko Lounge. Meet Gaylord’s executive chef Todd Barrett while he explains the day’s preparations and enjoy a three-course, locally sourced lunch in the Private Dining Room. The lunch is always based on seasonal ingredients, but here’s what our guests enjoyed last month:

Fresh catch with pineapple salsa and Kaneshiro Farms pork tenderloin. Marta Lane photo

• Sake soaked Kauai Shrimp with Kailani mixed greens, Maui tropical pineapple, and sweet sesame ginger aioli

Entrée

• Grass-fed Makaweli Meat Company beef tenderloin topped with port wine and a confit of Kauai’s Kaneshiro Farms pork belly and Island fresh Wasabi Crusted Opah with a lilikoi white wine vinaigrette, caramelized Ewa onion, jasmine rice, and a medley of farm fresh vegetables

Dessert

• Rustic Wi and Molokai Uala Gallete

Proceeds from this tour benefit the Hawaii Food Bank – Kauai Branch, help to restore native plants and preserve and perpetuate Hawaiian culture through education. To make reservations, visit A Taste of  Kilohana. To see previous tours, check out our Facebook photo album. For a complete list of tour dates, check out our Kauai Culinary Tours Calendar.
Wednesday, May 28

Fruit Growers’ Conference

Kauai Community College OCET Room 106 C/D, 8:45 a.m.— 3:30p.m., $35
Conference topics and speakers will include:

• Pineapple Pests and Diseases ~ Glenn Taniguchi , UH CTAHR Research Associate
• Plant Diseases of Fruits ~ Desmond Ogata, UH CTAHRResearch Support
• Papaya Pest Management ~ Dr. Mark Wright , UH CTAHR Plant & Environmental Sciences Dept. Chair
• Tropical Fruits ~ Dr. Mark Nickum , UH CTAHR Assistant Professor
• Fruit Fly Control ~ Richard Ebesu, CTAHRCooperative Extension Service

Conference registration 8:15 a.m.—8:45 a.m. Bento Lunch included. Registration deadline Monday, MAY 19. Late registration will be accepted until May 23, but no lunch will be provided. Call 808-245-8318 to register. Certified C.E.U. credits for attending this conference are pending.
UPCOMING:

Tasting honey tangerines while Kai explains the unique tropical fruit. Marta Lane photo

• Sake soaked Kauai Shrimp with Kailani mixed greens, Maui tropical pineapple, and sweet sesame ginger aioli

Entrée

• Grass-fed Makaweli Meat Company beef tenderloin topped with port wine and a confit of Kauai’s Kaneshiro Farms pork belly and Island fresh Wasabi Crusted Opah with a lilikoi white wine vinaigrette, caramelized Ewa onion, jasmine rice, and a medley of farm fresh vegetables

Dessert

• Rustic Wi and Molokai Uala Gallete

Proceeds from this tour benefit the Hawaii Food Bank – Kauai Branch, help to restore native plants and preserve and perpetuate Hawaiian culture through education. To make reservations, visit A Taste of  Kilohana. To see previous tours, check out our Facebook photo album. For a complete list of tour dates, check out our Kauai Culinary Tours Calendar.

Guests from Austria learn how to tell when a pineapple is ripe on A Culinary Romp Through Paradise. Marta Lane photo

A Culinary Romp Through Paradise

Various locations in Kapaa, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., $140
Tasting Kauai’s Culinary Tour offers an intimate glimpse into the Garden Island’s culinary scene. We start with a farm tour and sample exotic fruit grown on Kauai. At the Kauai Marriott Resort, we join executive chef Guy Higa for an outdoor cooking demonstration and gourmet, four-course lunch made with Kauai grown ingredients. This tour ends at The Feral Pig where, Dave Power, co owner and bartender, will make a la minute cocktails. This is a special treat as Dave has been written up as one of Hawaii’s best bartenders and he excels at making drinks customized to individual tastes.
To make reservations, visit A Culinary Romp Through Paradise. To check out previous tours, visit our Facebook photo album. Chef Higa donates proceeds from his portion of the tour to the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen and Tasting Kauai donates proceeds to the Kauai Branch of the Hawaii Food Bank. For a complete list of tour dates, check out our Kauai Culinary Tours Calendar.
ONGOING:

Jon, Julie, Sharon, Penny and Toni on a farmers market tour in late April. Marta Lane photo

Farmers Market Tour

Wednesdays, 3 to 4 p.m., $30
Meet local farmers, learn how to select perfect produce as well as when it’s in season and how to cook with it during Tasting Kauai’s one-hour farmers market class. Farmers markets are an affordable way to immerse yourself in local culture and the best place to buy produce that’s so fresh, it was harvested that morning. But buying at the farmers market doesn’t always insure that it was grown on Kauai. It happens all over the world. In Hawaii, customers want mangos year-round. In Colorado, they want tomatoes in May. To make that sale, vendors buy imported mangoes or tomatoes and sell them as their own. Becoming familiar with growing  seasons insures your dollars are spent on local produce.
There’s a whole world of delicious produce that many people never try. Let’s face it, some of it looks like it came from another planet. Once unfamiliar produce is demystified and cooking tips are shared, it may become a regular at dinner table. Many factors can make exotic produce expensive and the last thing you want to do is buy a pineapple that isn’t at peak perfection. This class will also teach you how to tell when produce is ripe as well as how to store it for best results. To make reservations, visit our Farmers Market Tour page.

Verde Healthy Thursday

Join Verde in April for Healthy Thursday. This month, it’s the Power Breakfast Burrito. It’s less than 380 calories and made with Makaweli Meat Company’s grass-fed ground beef, Kauai Fresh Farm eggs, Govinda Farm spinach and Okinawan purple sweet potatoes. Tasting Kauai, Verde and Kauai Athletic Club are working together to promote healthy lifestyle choices. Answer a health related question posted every Thursday on Tasting Kauai’s Facebook page and you could win a $20 gift certificate to Verde. Enjoy a Power Breakfast Burrito at Verde and receive a day pass to Kauai Athletic Club.

RumFire

Sheraton Kauai Resort celebrates local radio personality Ron Wiley’s 25 years on Kauai’s KONG radio (FM 93.5) by donating proceeds of its monthly “You Dine, We Donate” program to the charity of his choice. All net proceeds for food and beverage at Table 53 in the resort’s signature restaurant, RumFire Poipu Beach, will benefit the 36th Annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk in May. Wiley has emceed the event every year since 1989.
“Ron is a great community advocate for the non-profit organizations that assist our island ohana,” said Sheraton Kauai Resort General Manager Chip Bahouth. “We are proud to celebrate Ron’s past 25 years on KONG radio and in the community – and many more years to come – at our oceanfront RumFire Poipu Beach restaurant.”

RumFire’s Crab Crusted Opah won best seafood dish at this year’s Taste of Hawaii. Daniel Lane photo

Hanapepe Friday Night Festival and Art Walk

Hanapepe Town, 6 to 9 p.m.
Every Friday evening, Old Town Hanapepe bustles with people. A dozen art galleries stay open late and local crafters sell their wares. There’s also stilt walkers, classics cars, live music and entertainment. The Right Slice sells fresh-baked pie by the slice or whole.  Midnight Bear Breads makes pizza fresh from a wood-burning oven. Aloha Spice Company serves samples of their Hawaiian sea salt and spice blends on grilled chicken. These spices quickly add fantastic flavor without a lot of calories and make wonderful gifts of aloha.
Haole Girl Island Sweets sells a variety of hand-made butter croissants, including grilled chicken and portobello mushroom seasoned with Aloha Spice Company blends. Other croissants are filled with local fruit, nuts, honey or vegetables. Samples are given just outside the parking lot, in front of the darling Aloha Spice Company building. Call 808-335-6469 for more information.

Kapaa Art Walk in Old Town Kapaa. Daniel Lane photo

Kapaa Art Walk

Old Town Kapaa, 5 to 9 p.m.
On the first Saturday of the month hundreds of people party in Old Town Kapaa. The street is filled with the sounds of laughter and music, smells of delicious local food, and the work of Kauai artists. In front of the Dragon Building, Anni Caporuscio (owner of Small Town Coffee and Blue House Booksellers) sings to a three-piece band which includes a guitar player, drummer and washboard player. Art Cafe Hemingway and Java Kai open a new exhibit and serve food late. The Buttery hosts jewelers and other Kauai Made jewelry is available throughout.
A designated parking area is located at 4451 Lehua St., on a 3-acre spot next to Restore Kauai and Specialty Lumber. Cost to park in the lot is $3.
 

Kauai Culinary Market at Kukuiula Shopping Village in Poipu. Daniel Lane photo

Art Walk at Kukuiula

The Shops at Kukuiula, 6 to 9 p.m., free
An evening of fine art, fine dining and live music under the stars at The Shops at Kukuiula the second Saturday of each month. See May 10 listing for this month’s details.
Dining options include Merriman’s Fish House, Josselin’s Tapas Bar & Grill, Tortilla Republic, Dolphin Sushi, Living Foods and Lappert’s Hawaii. Plus, enjoy jazz outdoors by Hank Curtis and Steve Dubey and Latin rhythms by Manuel Mendes and Cary Valentine.
 

Kilauea Art Walk

Stone Building, 5 to 8 p.m.
Join more than 20 artisans on the last Saturday of the month at the Stone Building in Kilauea Town. There’s live music, original art, hand-made apparel, jewelry, photography, custom slippers, painted glass bottles, ice cream and unique creations. Face painting henna tattoos. Stop by Kilauea Fish Market for dinner.

Photos for this blog post were contributed by Daniel Lane of Pono Photo.