During our tour, Dave Power of the Feral Pig passes out the Corn ‘n Oil made with Koloa Rum. Daniel Lane photo

Tasting Kauai

On July 1, we were thrilled to be mentioned in a USA Today special report, along with many excellent Kauai-based businesses. In it, reporter Dawna Robertson said, “If you’re craving a culinary romp, Tasting Kauai serves up a farm-to-fork fest with all the trimmings. You pluck tropical fruit at Kilohana Plantation’s orchard, savor Kauai flavors in a four-course lunch at Kauai Marriott Resort, and end the half-day fare affair schmoozing with a Kauai-based artesian beverage maker.”
Speaking of our tours, we have been fortunate enough to expand. Our Culinary Romp Through Paradise  tour is usually booked solid, so we spoke with our partners and we can now bring more people along. We are also meeting with some folks on Monday to design a new tour that will be offered once a week. I’ll let you know how that shakes out.
For our July 12 tour, I am happy to say we have two unique additions. First, Duane Shimogawa, a Kauai rancher who’s  grass-fed beef is available at Ishihara Market and Sueoka Store, will join us for lunch. He’ll give a short talk about his beef, and then we get to have some for lunch! Grass-fed beef is better for you and the planet than conventional beef, and requires different cooking techniques so this is and excellent opportunity to ask the rancher and  executive chef Higa questions!
We’ll end the tour at The Feral Pig, where Bob Gunter, president of Koloa Rum Co., will talk about Koloa Rum. We were fortunate enough to have him on last month’s tour, and not only is his passion for Koloa Rum infectious, but his knowledge of making small batch rum is extensive. If you’re here, and you’re into rum, you’ll really enjoy meeting Bob. Since we can accommodate more people, we still have spaces available. Call us at 808-635-0257 for more information or reservations.
Normally, our tours alternate between The Feral Pig and Nani Moon Mead. We’re sticking with The Pig, but beginning in August, we will visit Oasis on the Beach. Oasis is ocean side and the menu is peppered with local produce, meat and fish. It will be a refreshing way to end the day! Koloa Rum will also join us there. Our first Oasis tour is on August 16, which is also National Rum Day. Oasis owner Stefan Mandel and mixologist Joel Downs will help us celebrate with a special Koloa Rum cocktail. I’ll let you know what two cocktails we’ll be drinking as soon as they let me know!

Hawaiian Kukui Brand Mai Tai made with Koloa Rum. Daniel Lane photo

Koloa Rum Co.

Our congratulations goes to Koloa Rum Co. because the Caribbean Journal named Koloa Rum one of the 10 best rums made in America! They say, “As we’ve written before, Hawaii could be a big rum hub in the future, and it will if it keeps producing rums like the aforementioned Sammy’s and Koloa, a chocolatey rum from the island of Kauai.”

Makana Terrace

On July 22, Koloa Rum and Makana Terrace are presenting a tasting menu designed with Koloa Rum. There will be rum drinks paired to a multi-course menu and I’ll share the details with you as soon as they come in. In the meantime, you can peruse the new summer menu at Makana Terrace plus upcoming events and menu changes for Nalu Kai and Kauai Grill. Makana Terrace general Manager David Putnicki tells me he is picking up a few bottles from Koloa Rum on Sunday. He and chef de cuisine Antwon Brinson will sample them and begin to develop a menu. “We will have a menu by the middle/end of next week,” David says, “with drinks and food and pricing!”

A rainy day at the market. Photo courtesy of Jude Huber

Kauai Sugarloaf White Pineapple

“I am thrilled to report that after launching my website, www.kauaisugarloaf.com, we have been very busy shipping Kauai Sugarloaf White Pineapple all over the continental United States,” says Jude Huber, who along with her husband Paul, own and operate Hole in the Mountain Farm. “We even shipped some to Oahu. Additionally, I am now regularly attending the Kauai Culinary Market, a gourmet farmers market at the shops at Kukuiula, which begins at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. I am also now attending the Kauai Community Market at Kauai Community College which begins at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday. Shoppers will be treated to plenty of free samples at either market, but if you are hoping to purchase a Kauai Sugarloaf White Pineapple, you should come early as I have been selling out rather quickly. I attend markets rain or shine,(proof is in the pictures)
“The rambutans are starting to flower, and we are expecting to begin harvesting those in December.”
 

Uncle Mikey’s Dried Fruit

“Great things happening at Uncle Mikey’s,” says owner Mike Stewart. “Foodland has been consistently selling out and new stores are coming on board weekly including Port Townsend, WA, Portland, OR, and Newport Beach CA.
“Lanikai Juice Co. on Oahu is private labeling. But the most exciting thing, other than mango season, is that Chocolate-on-a-Mission on Oahu is dipping our dried pineapple in chocolate, with international consumption potential. We also learned that Uncle Mikey’s has now reached 23 countries. It is a lot of work but we are pleased at the positive feedback we receive.”

Monkeypod Jam

Tortilla Republic is now using Monkeypod Jam’s Lilikoi Simple Syrup and Roselle Simple Syrup in signature cocktails along with their papaya vanilla jam for breakfast. Yum!

Jason Sessions and Kahau Manzo at the 2012 Red Clay Jazz Festival. Daniel Lane photo

The Westin Princeville

We have bittersweet news from the Westin. Kahau Manzo, executive chef and food & beverage manager, has gone to the Big Island. We wish him luck on his new endeavor and welcome Jason Sessions in his place. Sessions was promoted from sous chef at Westin’s Nanea.

The Market at Common Ground

The Market at Common Ground has closed because they want to focus on making the Garden Cafe successful. At this point, they do not feel like The Market is the best use of their resources. On July 2, most of the items in The Market were part of a clearance sale, which includes the shelving and furniture. If you have any questions, please send requests to Stephanie at info@cgkauai.net or call 808-828-2192.

“Fire in the Sky” shot at Kauapea Beach on Kauai’s north shore. Daniel Lane photo

TripAdvisor

This year, TripAdvisor gave out their first Travelers’ Choice Awards, which were chosen by millions of travelers. Kauai was voted the second best island in the United States, right behind San Juan Island, Washington. Mahalo to those of you who voted for our beloved island!

GMO Pesticide Bill 2491

“I have joined Gary Hooser’s strategic planning task force to get Bill 2491 passed,” says Louisa Wooton, who along with her husband, son and daughter-in-law, own and operate Kauai’s only organic dairy farm called Kauai Kunana Dairy. “The Bill will be heard at a Public Hearing on July 31, after passing unanimously on first reading by the Council last Wednesday. I am hoping that you can include information on your Food For Thought Page. The most important thing now is to build numbers and momentum within the community. The opposition is rich, influential, powerful, and every bit as determined to see this Bill crash and burn.
“The web-site for this effort is Stop Poisoning Paradise. There is a lot of information and it is being updated constantly.
“We need lots and lots of moms, teachers, nurses, doctors, lawyers, etc. to speak up and submit testimony to The Council, write letters to the media, and sign the petition online. Testimony should be sent to counciltestimony@kauai.gov.
“The most important and relevant testimony will address the 18-tons of restricted use pesticides being dumped on the island annually. Right now, there are really no controls to restrict the use of these chemicals next to schools, hospitals, neighborhoods, beaches, etc. While the Bill does include a moratorium on expansion and a ban on open-air testing of GMOs, the big issue is the damage to the environment and people from these quantities of chemicals. If you check out the list at the website above, just search engine some of these products and your hair will stand on end!!”
For more information, read Council to hear GMO bill today,  GMO bill draws split crowd, and GMO bill clears first reading. Click here to read Bill 2491.
EVENTS:
Friday, July 5 through Sunday, July 7

Kauai Kau Wela Summer Festival

This event begins on July 5 Friday at 5 p.m. at Kukui Grove Shopping Mall. Join the winning Tahitian dance group Tamatea Nui o Kauai center stage. There will be a keiki royal court by Punana Leo, Ilima Hula Studio, Polynesian crafts and displays. This year’s festival features Solo Hula and Tahitian dance competition and Tahitian drummers.
Hula and Tahitian competitions will be held at Kukui Grove Shopping Mall Center stage on July 6 from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The event concludes on July 7, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Kamokila Hawaiian Village. There will be an ukulele competition, entertainment, Polynesian crafts, Hawaiian food, ancient chants, hula, Tahitian dancing, activities, games and canoe rides. For more information, call 808 822 5929.
Saturday, July 6

Old Town Kapaa Art Walk

Of course, the first Saturday of every month is the Old Town Kapaa Art Walk. Hundreds of people come and enjoy local food and art. On July 6, Art Cafe Hemingway will present ARTPOETRY by resident poet Dorianne Allister Winkler.
 

Lunch on our tour includes dishes such as Kauai Fresh Farms salad with local pork belly and chef’s garden vinaigrette. Daniel Lane photo

A Culinary Romp Through Paradise

Various locations in Kapaa, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., $130
Tasting Kauai’s Culinary Tour offers an intimate glimpse into the Garden Island’s culinary scene. We start with a farm tour and learn about 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. Our last stop is at The Feral Pig where the Koloa Rum Co. will give a presentation about the award-winning rum. Afterwards, we’ll have two cocktails at The Feral Pig featuring Koloa Rum and seasonal produce. You can read what LandingStanding said about this tour, or visit our Kauai Culinary Tours page. We have a Facebook photo album that shows how much fun the tour is, and our 5-Star TripAdvisor reviews. Chef Higa donates proceeds from his portion of the tour to the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen. For a complete list of 2013 dates, check out our Kauai Culinary Tours Calendar. Call 808-635-0257 to make a reservation.
Sunday, July 14

8th Annual CKTV Golf Tournament Fundraiser

Wailua Golf Course, 7 am.m to 1 p.m., $100
A day of fun, food and good times on the beautiful Wailua Golf Course. Proceeds from the tournament enable the Chiefess Kamakahelei Media Production students to showcase their talent and knowledge in national competitions. For more information, call 808-241-3200.

Summer Jam Kick Off Party

Mahiko Lounge, 5 p.m., $10
Mike Young and friends will perform in the Gaylord’s courtyard. Will cocktail and pupu service is available from the lounge. Summer Jam Series highlights local musicians and bands every Sunday afternoon.

Healing Horses, Kauai Summer Gala at the Hukilau Lanai

6 to 9:30 p.m., $50 adults, $25 kids 4 to 14
This event benefits Healing Horses and the fundraiser includes pupu, dinner, dessert, no host bar and live music.
July 18 – 20

18th Hawaii Coffee Association Conference and 5th Cupping Competition

Kauai Beach Resort
Offering a full lineup of informative activities, this annual event attracts statewide coffee industry growers, processors, roasters, wholesalers and retailers. The gathering is also open to the public and the 2013-2014 season marks the 200th anniversary of coffee cultivation in Hawaii. For more information, Read our “Hawaii Coffee Association Hosts Annual Cupping Competition on Kauai” blog post.

Oahu resident Tara McKellar samples three preparations of taro. Daniel Lane photo

A Taste of Old Kauai

Waipa, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., $115
Tasting Kauai’s north shore tour is part agritourism and part ecotourism. We visit Waipa, one of 67 watersheds homesteaded by the first Polynesians, which remains undeveloped. This one-of-a-kind experience was designed by Tasting Kauai and the Waipa Foundation especially for those who wish to learn about traditional agriculture systems, endangered wildlife, and enjoy real Hawaiian food while saturated in Kauai’s rugged beauty.
Waipa is nestled in the Hanalei Valley which is a National Wildlife Refuge and endangered birds flourish here. We explore a vast loi (taro garden) fed by auwai, or irrigation system, that supplies water from mountain streams.
At the “Poi Garage” we learn about Hawaii’s staff of life: taro, or kalo as it’s called here, and guests sample cooked taro corms, poi and kulolo, a traditional dessert made with coconut.
We tour the farm and learn how Waipa teaches kids about the circle of life through farm animals and gardens. Continuing through the property, we’ll learn the difference between native, canoe and introduced plants, while we walk to the Halulu Fishpond.
Lunch, prepared by Waipa’s chef, changes seasonally and is made with vegetables grown in on site 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 go to restore native plants and to preserve and perpetuate Hawaiian culture through education. For more information, visit A Taste of Old Kauai, or visit check out our Facebook photo album. To make reservations, call 808-635-0257.

Polynesian Revue & Fire Dancing. Photo courtesy of Koloa Plantation Days

Koloa Plantation Days

This signature event invites visitors, cowboys and locals down to an amazing lineup of family fun, great food, beer garden and an exciting bull riding competition.
Known as the toughest sport on dirt, the bull-riding showdown will be the first of this magnitude on the island of Kauai. Bull riders and hand-picked bulls are coming from around the state of Hawaii to compete for the $2,000 prize purse provided by Kalapaki Joe’s. Get ready for an awesome display of man verses animal as each rider tries to stay on the bull for the eternal 8 seconds.
For more information, visit the Koloa Plantation Days website.
Friday, July 10 to Saturday, July 20

Lihue Hongwanji Bon Dance Festival

Lihue Hongwanji, 5 to 10 p.m., free
Join in a celebration of Japanese dance, fun, games, crafts and food. Food for purchase include Japanese food, local specialties such as andagi (fried doughnuts, flying saucers and shave ice. There will be games for children and locally made crafts for sale.
Dinner plates start 5 p.m., and food booth open at 6 p.m. Country Store opens at 6 p.m. and the Bon Dance is from 7:30 to 10 p.m.
For more information call 808-245-6262 or visit www.lihuehongwanjimission.com.
Saturday, July 20

Princeville BBQ and Movie in the Park

5 to 9:30 p.m., Prince Albert Park, free
Bring your blankets and beach chairs and join the north shore community for a BBQ and free family Movie. BBQ plates cost $5, and are sold at 5 p.m. The movie begins at dusk. Sponsored by the Princeville Events Committee.
Saturday, July 21

Haku Workshop

10 a.m. to 2 p.m., $35, National Tropical Botanical Gardens
Join Elvrine Chow for a haku making class in the meadow near the at the National Tropical Botanical Gardens’ gift shop. Call 808-742-2623 to enroll.
ONGOING:

Sunshine Farmers Market in Kapaa. 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.