Pau Hana Friday for January 17
Photo courtesy of Koloa Rum Company. Daniel Lane photographer
NEWS:
Koloa Rum Co.
Koloa Rum has updated their recipe card, adding five recipes using Koloa Coconut Rum for a total of 18 recipes! Click here if you’d like to download a printable brochure with all of the recipes.
Hanapepe Cafe
“We opened the Hanapepe Cafe for the first time last Friday … quietly, so we could get up to speed,” says owner Helen Lacono. “We had an overwhelming response and I left the cafe both exhausted and elated.”
Kauai Community Market in Lihue. Daniel Lane photo
Kauai Community Market
“Ulie from Kauai Community College’s aquaponics department has tons of lettuces available, no chemicals; just started selling at a new KCC market on Fridays.” Reports Megan Pittsley-Fox of Sustainable Kauai.
Durga Farms
“In the last week of January we are doing a weeklong cleanse here at Durga Farms, with the vegetables supplied by our bountiful land as well as neighboring organic farms!” Says Katherine Mellan.
“During this cleanse we will eat kitchadi, a simple, cooked, soupy meal of white Basmati rice, split mung beans and two different types of vegetable. It is very cleansing and rejuvenating for the body.
Farm manager Vanessa Massey, Myra Lewin and Kelsey Brusnyk, assistant to Lewin. Daniel Lane photo
“Our garden is bursting with kale and collards so we’ll be using that as one of the vegetables in the kitchadis, as well as our gorgeous pumpkins. We are also growing many different kinds of herbs to supply ourselves and our Ayurvedic clients with the proper ingredients for the cleanse! We are growing burdock root as well as tons of parsley, which we use in some of the meal variations. If you would like to try a simple cleanse, click here for recipes and tips, or join our free call.
“The roses here are also blooming in brilliant reds and pinks. They smell so sweet we are placing them all over the house, especially in the kitchen and dining area.
“If you would like a tour of Durga Farms and to learn more about permaculture practices, please email durgafarms@halepule.com.”
GMO Free Kauai
Lopaka Baptista supports a GMO-free Kauai. Daniel Hashimoto photo
On Friday, January 10, three of the world’s largest agrochemical companies filed a lawsuit against the County of Kauai to block implementation of the recently passed Kauai Ordinance 960 (formerly known as Bill 2491). Syngenta, DuPont Pioneer Hi-Bred, and a Dow Chemical subsidiary filed the lawsuit in federal district court on Oahu.
Ordinance 960 establishes buffer zones around sensitive areas such as schools and hospitals, mandates disclosure of pesticide use, and instructs Kauaʻi County to complete a health and environmental impact study.
In November 2013, Ordinance 960 became law. It will officially take effect in August 2014.
In the lawsuit the chemical companies acknowledge that they, “chose Kauai because its climate is uniquely conducive to [our business] of developing innovative GM products for sale on the mainland and internationally.
Residents expressed frustration that the agrochemical companies have been unwilling to address the grave concerns of doctors and nurses, environmental scientists, teachers and parents over the constant use of a laundry list of pesticides.
Expressing widespread community reaction, Malia Chun called the lawsuit “shameful,” stating, “As a west side resident who is surrounded by the test fields of these companies, it is my basic human right to know what they are exposing me and my family to on a regular basis. Their actions prove that they do not value the health and well-being of our community, and are only interested in their corporate profit.
Dr. Vandana Shiva at the Kauai War Memorial Hall. Daniel Lane photo.
Earthjustice Managing Attorney Paul Achitoff noted, “The chemical industry has been using bullying and misinformation all along to try to derail this law. They consider their impacts on the health of Kauai’s residents as collateral damage. We look forward to defending Kauai’s families and its environment, and are confident justice will prevail.”
George Kimbrell, Senior Attorney with the Center for Food Safety, said “Kauai’s ordinance is a sound and well-crafted law. The industry’s challenge is without merit, and we will vigorously defend it.”
Maui has begun the process of hearing their pesticide disclosure bill, which you can support with an action email and petition below. Their bill is modeled very closely on Kauai’s bill 2491, and deserves our support. In addition, we continue to watch the ongoing developments regarding the lawsuit to block Ordinance 960 from being implemented (formally bill 2491), and there’s an article below regarding the chemical company’s lawsuit against the county of Kauai. There is also a whole package of bills coming up in the state legislature regarding GMOs and pesticides, and once we have a clearer picture of the bills and their numbers we will pass that along to you.
On Maui, the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee will hear the Pesticide Disclosure bill on Tuesday Jan. 28th.
Send in testimony supporting disclosure of pesticides being sprayed, notice that pesticides will be sprayed, buffer zones around schools, hospitals, homes and waterways as well as disclosure of GMO fields. Send your message to pia.committee@mauicounty.us. Make sure your subject line is: “Testimony re PIA-58 Jan 28th” Address it to “Chair Hokama”.
Below are additional action steps you can take as well as current articles on the state of GMOs and dairy farms in Hawaii.
Sign the online petition in support of the Maui bill.
“Don’t Let the Big Food Lobby Block State Labeling” by the Center for Food Safety.
“Numbers don’t tell the story” – The Garden Island newspaper reports on the release of voluntary pesticide numbers from biotech companies.
“Pesticide corporations bully Kauai” by the Pesticide Action Network.
“Fakethrough! GMOs and the Capitulation of Science Journalism” published in Independent Science News.
Dairy Farm proposal is no gift to Kauai residents.
EVENTS:
Saturday, January 18
Invasion: Little Fire Ants in Hawaii
In 2009, Waihee farmer Christina Chang was stung on the eye by a tiny ant at her home on Maui. She suspected, and the Hawaii Department of Agriculture confirmed, that this ant was the little fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata, never before found on Maui. The detection spurred creation of a new documentary, Invasion: Little Fire Ants in Hawaii.
Invasive species introductions to Hawaii often end in regret and a list of should-haves. This film, produced by the Maui Invasive Species Committee, aims to change the result of the arrival of little fire ants in Hawaii. Featuring videography from award-winning film makers Masako Cordray and Chris Reickert, this half-hour film examines the biology, impacts, and potential solutions to the spread of little fire ants through interviews with scientists, farmers, and community on the Big Island reeling from the impacts of this miniscule, but devastating, ant. Viewers will learn how to identify and report new infestations, helping to protect Hawaii from this small stinging ant.
The Waihee site is on target for eradication. However, little fire ants have recently been detected moving between islands, raising concern about the establishment of new infestations. On Hawaii Island, the little fire ant is now widespread in the Hilo area where efforts are focused on educating landowners about control options. Infestations are now occurring on the Kona side as well. Research on effective control continues by the Hawaii Ant Lab, a joint project of the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) and University of Hawaii. The little fire ant on Kauai is contained within a 12-acre area under active control by HDOA.
The film will premiere on Maui January 8th at the McCoy Theater at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center. Doors open at 5pm. An awards ceremony and panel discussion will follow the screening. Food and beverages are available for purchase on site beginning at 4:30pm.
Screenings on other islands will follow. Please RSVP to miscpr@hawaii.edu to reserve a seat. Below is the current screening schedule:
Maui: January 8, McCoy Theater and the Maui Arts and Cultural Center, 5 p.m.
Oahu: January 13, Cafe Julia at the YWCA, 1040 Richard St, 4:30 p.m.
Kauai: January 18, Kauai Community College Performing Arts Center, 5 p.m.
Hilo: TBA (February 18)
Kona: February 19, Aloha Performing Arts Center, 5 p.m.
The film will also air throughout the state on KITV:
Sat 1/11 630-7PM
Sunday 1/12 9-9:30AM
Sat 1/19 4-4:30PM
Sunday 1/20 10:30-11P
Funding and support for the film was provided by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture, County of Maui-Office of Economic Development, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Hawaii Community Foundation-Pikake Fund, Maui Electric Company, Alexander and Baldwin Foundation, Tri-Isle RC&D. MISC and the Hawaii Ant Lab are collaborative projects of the Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit.
Tuesday, January 21
Wailua Monthly Garden Share
Lydgate Beach Park, 5 to 6:30 p.m., free
Sustainable Kauai’s monthly Garden Share is simple: bring something you have, take something home you do not.
Share in the bounty of our gardens: homegrown fruit, vegetables, eggs, herbs, honey, flowers, seedlings, plants and seeds! Garden not producing? No worries, bring homemade treasures, food, and supplies made from or for the garden or kitchen
Please bring bags, paper towels, etc. to take things home with you. Any items remaining at the end of the event will be donated to the food pantry or community garden. To register, visit the Sustainable Kauai Meetup page.
Friday, January 24
Lunch on the beach after A Taste of Kauai, Yesterday and Today. Daniel Lane photo
A Taste of Kauai, Yesterday and Today
Waipa, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., $115
Tasting Kauai’s north shore tour is a magical tour that’s part luau, part agritourism and part ecotourism. Our exclusive tour takes place at Waipa, which is nestled in the Hanalei Valley and is a National Wildlife Refuge. Guests explore a vast loi (taro garden) fed by auwai, or irrigation system, that supplies water from mountain streams, and learn about significant foods, growing methods, and overall Hawaiian agricultural and land management concepts and complexes in ancient times and their transition to today. Afterwards, guests sample Hawaii’s staff of life three ways.
Lunch changes seasonally and is made with vegetables grown in onsite gardens, locally sourced meat or fish, and mamaki tea with lemongrass and mint. Guests eat ohana (family) style while enjoying the beauty and breezes of Hanalei Bay. Proceeds from this tour benefit the Hawaii Food Bank – Kauai Branch, help to restore native plants and preserve and perpetuate Hawaiian culture through education. For more information, visit A Taste of Kauai, Yesterday and Today, or visit check out our Facebook photo album. To make reservations, call 808-635-0257.
Saturday, January 25
Bamboo Workshop
Kauai Nursery & Landscaping, 9 to 10 a.m., free
Workshop is in the educational building to the right side when you pull into the parking lot area.Learn how to grow, harvest and cook with non-invasive bamboo. You can learn more about KN&L and cooking with bamboo in my article “Foraging For Edible Shoots“.
Wednesday, January 29
Outstanding in the Field farm dinner. Jeremy Fenske photo
Farm to Table Dinner
Kauai Kunana Dairy, $190
Outstanding in the Field returns to Hawaii this Winter to stage five family-style feasts at five farms on Maui, Kauai, Hawaii and Oahu. The roving farm-dinner troupe, which has inspired pop-up supper clubs across North America and around the world, is partnering with four island chefs and an Oahu-born chef who’s made his mark in San Francisco’s culinary scene.
“Each time we come to Hawaii, we’re blown away by the variety of exotic fruits and vegetables that grow on the islands,” says OITF founding chef and artist Jim Denevan. “We always discover something new, and once again we’re looking forward to working with some of Hawaii’s most exciting chefs. And we’re excited to bring one of our favorite San Francisco chefs back home to the islands!”
Join guest chef Ron Miller, executive chef and owner of Hukilau Lanai in Kapaa in Kilauea for dinner at a long graceful table set at Kauai Kunana Dairy. Last year at Olana Farm, guest chef Ron Miller of Hukilau Lanai served a dessert that several guests said was the best thing they’d ever tasted. This year, we set up Ron’s field kitchen at the Wooten family’s Kunana Goat Dairy, a source for some of the ingredients of that perfect dessert.
Outstanding in the Field stages outdoor dining events across North America and around the world, placing its long signature table at country farms and ranches, in urban gardens and sea caves, on mountaintops and sandy beaches. Wherever it goes, OITF’s mission is the same: To re-connect diners to the land and the origins of their food and introduce them to the local farmers and food artisans whose good work brings nourishment to the table. Ingredients for the meal are often sourced within inches of diners’ seats. After a tour of the host site, everyone settles in: farmers, ranchers, fishermen, food artisans and guests serving each other at the communal table.
Since 1999, when Denevan did his first farm dinner in his hometown of Santa Cruz, Calif., Outstanding in the Field’s culinary caravan has staged more than 500 “table to farm” events, welcoming nearly 60,000 guests for family-style feasts in the U.S. and Canada as well as Europe and South America.
Outstanding in the Field events start with a glass of wine and welcome hors d’oeuvres, followed by a tour of the host farm and a four-course meal paired with wines. Ticket prices are all inclusive. Events start at 2pm and end after sunset.
For more information, and to reserve a seat at the visit the Outstanding in the Field website.
UPCOMING:
Pineapple fields at Kilohana Plantation. Marta Lane photo
Saturday, February 1
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. Tasting Kauai donates a portion of the proceeds to the Kauai Branch of the Hawaii Food Bank.
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. Proceeds from this tour benefit the Hawaii Food Bank – Kauai Branch, help to restore native plants and preserve and perpetuate Hawaiian culture through education. For more information, visit A Taste of Kilohana, or visit check out our Facebook photo album. To make reservations, call 808-635-0257.
Basis of Raw Food Preparation
A series of five classes, one a week, will demonstrate how to make raw meals. Each class will cover a specific method and includes recipes using local ingredients. New and experienced raw cooks will find practical applications to the unique unfoldment of vibrant food experiences.
With a basic structure and a savvy approach to resources it is effortless and fun to turn local abundance such as noni, coconut, turmeric, and citrus into tasty recipes that become a sustainable foundation of thriving in Living Local Food Lifestyle. The wonderful treats prepared with these mana-rich foods will turn everyone on to the nourishment from the land.
Classes consist of deomonstrations, tastings, Q&A’s and original recipes to take home. Click here to register for one raw food class or all five.
Breezy and beautiful gourmet lunch and cooking demonstration at the Kauai Marriott Resort. Daniel Lane photo
Friday, February 14
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. We conclude this tour oceanside at Oasis on the Beach, an east side farm to table restaurant. Koloa Rum Co. will begin with a presentation of the locally made, small batch, award-winning rum. Mixologist Joel Downs with make two cocktails with Koloa Rum and fresh, local ingredients.
For more information, visit our Kauai Culinary Tours page or 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. Call 808-635-0257 to make a reservation.
Sunday, February 16
28th Annual ACF Breakfast
Kauai Community College, 7 to 11 a.m., $15 ($18 at door), children $5 (5 to 10, under 5 free)
Every year, the students at Kauai Community College prepare a massive breakfast for the public.This year is the 28th Annual American Culinary Federation (AFC) Breakfast Fundraiser, and proceeds go towards student scholarships and classroom improvements. For example, KCC needs funds to install a commercial imu pit (underground oven) so students can learn how to employ a traditional Hawaiian technique.
This event has been touted as “Kauai’s Biggest and Best Brunch” so wear your stretchy pants and feast on all you can! The serious eaters bring a cardboard flat to carry their food. There will be eggs Benedict, scrambled eggs, Portuguese sausage, ham, steamed rice, hash browns, omelets cooked to order, pancakes and pastries all make by KCC students. Kauai Coffee will be there serving their coffee as well as Meadow Gold juice and milk and Kauai Springs Water. Tickets are available at:
- Kalaheo Cafe & Coffee Company
- Kauai Coffee Visitors Center
- Koloa Fish Market
- Mark’s Place, Puhi
- Fish Express, Lihue
- Sole Mates, Kapaa
- Pono Market, Kapaa
- Kauai Community College, cafeteria
ONGOING:
Friday, February 7 – Saturday, February 22
Master Food Preservers course
Applications are being accepted for the Master Food Preservers course taught by Ken Love in partnership with the Waipa Foundation. Participants who successfully complete the course will receive certification as a Master Food Preserver. This hands-on training program is designed to explore value-added food production and support the necessary skills for a career in the food manufacturing industry. The class will engage participants in the development of specialty, niche food products to realize economic gains utilizing Kauai grown produce and farm products as a way to create more competitive “shelf ready” foods. This is valuable training for farmers, food distributors and others in the “farm-to-table” food chain.
The training series is instructed by Ken Love, a University of California Cooperative Extension Master Food Preserver.
All participants will be updated in the latest principles and procedures of food manufacturing including such areas as proper food handling and sanitation, knife skills, basic food science, food fermentation, jelly and jam production, pressure canning, meat curing and food preservation in a professional kitchen setting.
Attendance of all classes is mandatory to achieve certification. Space is limited, so reserve your spot as soon as possible.
Below, please find the dates of the class. Please note that all classes will run the entire day, beginning at 8 a.m. and ending at 5 p.m. Included is a 1 hour break for lunch. In order to receive certification, attendance is mandatory for all dates.
To apply, please email your RSVP and contact information to Kalen Kelekoma at kalen@waipafoundation.org. The cost of the course is $200 and includes all course materials as well as certification. A 50 percent deposit is due by January 31st, with the balance due on or before the first day of class. Space is limited, and applicants will be accepted according to criteria set by the Waipa Foundation.
Class Dates:
- February 7,8. (Friday, Saturday)
- February 13, 14, 15. (Thursday, Friday, Saturday)
- February 20, 21, 22. (Thursday, Friday, Saturday)
Saturday Feb. 8 – Saturday, March 8
Introduction to Aquaponics Systems
Kauai Community College, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., five Saturdays, $165
I met the instructor for this class when I first covered aquaponics in Kauai Midweek for a story called “A Growing Trend in Aquaponics“. Bernie Tsao launched the Aquaculture Technology Training program at the University of Nations, Kona, where he was the director for 11 years. Today, he is the Aquaculture and Aquaponics instructor at KCC, and provides consultation services to the community, including the Hyatt, which is considering implementing its own aqua-culture system. Aquaponics is the integration of aquaculture and hydroponics. It is a closed cycle bio-integrated system becoming the cutting edge technology of intensive food production. To register, call 808-245-8318.
Farmer John Wooten holds a jackfruit. Daniel Lane photo
Farmers Market Class
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. I saw friends at the farmers market who were visiting from Colorado. As we hugged and said hello, I saw a table full of near-rotten mangos. It was still snowing in Denver and my friends were excited about the big, beautiful tomatoes they just bought. Their faces fell when I told them they were not grown on Kauai. I felt bad for them, and was inspired to offer this 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. Customers unfamiliar with the seasons can insure their dollars are spent on local products by learning how to identify locally grown 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. For reservations, call 808-635-0257.
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, local crafters sell their wares, and there’s stilt walkers, classics cars, live music and entertainment. The Right Slice sells fresh-baked pie by the slice and whole and Midnight Bear Breads makes pizza fresh from a wood-burning oven. parking is tricky. Aloha Spice Company be sampling Kiawe Smoked Garlic Salt (one of Tasting Kauai’s favorite flavors) on grilled chicken, along with Pele’s Smokey Coffee Rub on grilled chicken.
Haole Girl Island Sweets will sell a variety of hand-made butter croissants including grilled chicken and portobello mushroom seasoned with Aloha Spice Company’s Chicken and Pork rub and pulled pork seasoned with Luau BBQ.. Samples will be given just outside the parking lot, in front of the darling Aloha Spice Company building. Haole Girl Island Sweets will be next to the Aloha Spice Co. booth serving croissants filled with Aloha Spice Company’s BBQ Luau rubbed pulled pork, as well as chicken and others filled with local produce and cheese. 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.
Art Walk at Kukuiula
The Shops at Kukuiula, 6 to 9 p.m.
Join The Shops at Kukuiula for an enchanting evening of fine art, fine dining and live music under the stars on the second Saturday of each month.
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.