Mai Tai at Red Salt in Poipu's Koa Kea Resort. Daniel Lane photo

Happy aloha Friday everyone!

After traveling all night and into the morning, I finally landed at Denver International Airport. As I exited the plane and walked into the bright light of the airport, I heard someone call my name. A smile warmed my heart as I saw my mother and father, with their friend Susan, waving me over. My mother handed me a dozen red and pink roses, and Susan put a paper lei around my neck.

I’m in Colorado for the next two weeks, celebrating my family on Mother’s Day. Today’s Pau Hana post will be shorter than usual, because I need to get upstairs and help mom make breakfast. Aloha all you mothers out there, mahalo for your special, one-of-a-kind love!

NEWS:

Tasting Kauai Culinary Tours

Our dream team has been assembled, and our first culinary tour is lined up. We have designed a full day of foodie fun, with our favorite farm, chef and bartender. This tour is an authentic taste of Kauai!

Koa Kahili, owner of Garden Island Chocolate. Daniel Lane photo

8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Meet at Garden Island Chocolate Farm in Kapaa
Nestled at the foot of the Makaleha Mountain range in the Kahuna Valley, a 26-acre sustainable farm grows 80 varieties of tropical fruit including mangosteen, sugarcane, and coconut. Tour the orchard and taste seasonal fruit right from the tree. See chocolate trees, taste cacao fresh from the pod, learn about growing and making artesian chocolate, and how terrior, or a region’s soil and climate, effects taste.

The tour concludes with a chocolate tasting, and guests compare handcrafted Garden Island Chocolate to other gourmet chocolates. There will be an opportunity to buy chocolate, honey from the farm, and beeswax candles, so bring cash if you think you’ll want to buy something. Garden Island Chocolate is the only chocolate company on Kauai to handcraft “bean to bar” chocolates, and the second in the U.S. to do so.

For more information, read about the Garden Island Chocolate chocolate making process, and growing chocolate.

Kauai Marriott Resort executive chef Guy Higa. Daniel Lane photo

11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Meet at Kauai Marriott Resort, Lihue
Island Lunch Tasting at the gorgeously landscaped Kauai Marriott Resort. Explore local cuisine and dine in the outdoor courtyard with executive chef Guy Higa. A cooking demonstration with fresh, Kauai grown ingredients will be held before lunch. Lunch includes:

• Kauai Fresh Farms Grilled Eggplant and Lettuce Salad with Chef’s Garden Herbs and Kauai Honey Vinaigrette
• Wild Wailua Fern Shoots, Kauai Fresh Farms Tomatoes and Pulehu Kauai Grown Shrimp.
• Kaneshiro Farms Roast Pork, Okinawan Yaki Soba Noodles
• Chef’s Garden Lilikoi Cream Brulee

Click here to see examples of executive chef Guy Higa’s food.

Dave Power of The Feral Pig. Daniel Lane photo

1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Meet at The Feral Pig, Lihue
Sip a Hawaiian inspired cocktail made of Koloa Rum and Kauai grown produce while Jeanne Toulon of the Koloa Rum Company shares what it takes to make small-batch, award-winning rum. Sip another cocktail while Dave Power, owner and bartender of The Feral Pig teaches you how to make it, and shares the story behind these cocktails. Recipes included.

Here’s a little insider tip. When it comes to handcrafting cocktails, Dave is, well, he’s a geek about it. There is no better way to describe it. He squeezes fresh citrus and smashes ice to order, and his cocktails are a perfect balance of sweet and tart.

Read about The Feral Pig or the Koloa Rum Company here.

The tour is on June 15, and will cost $100. We are in the process of designing a Culinary Tours page for this website, and you’ll be able to make a payment via Pay Pal. In the meantime, if you would like to attend please email info@tastingkauai.com

EVENTS:

Saturday, May 12

Put Your Best Slippah Forward

The walk will start at 7:00 a.m. at the Historic County Building and take walkers through Lihue on a 2.9 mile route. Join the group at 6:30 a.m. for coffee, warm up Zumba exercise and safety briefings.  At the end of the walk, participants can enjoy entertainment, prize drawings and breakfast prepared by resort chefs from the Grand Hyatt Kauai, Starwood Hotels Kauai, Kauai Marriott, Marriott Waiohai and Kauai Beach Resort. Forms are available at all four Ace Hardware stores on Kaua’i and at all Menehune Food Marts. For more information on the 2012 Hawai’i Lodging and Tourism Association Kaua’i Visitor Industry Charity Walk and related events, please call (808) 827-8726 or email denise.wardlow@westin.com.

Sunday, May 13 – Mother’s Day

Art Cafe Hemingway

Mothers receive a free yogurt with purchase. For more information, see the Art Cafe Hemingway article in this week’s MidWeek Kauai.

Grown

4 to 8 p.m., Cafe Coco

Grow Culture is constantly evolving and our venues have had such resounding support from the community we gave them a direction with Grown, a pop-up restaurant for the community. Being able to “pop-up” when the talent and inspiration are aligned provides a uniquely real dining experience. Localized sourcing of ingredients and applauding the artisanship in both the field and kitchen have and will continue to enable us to provide intriguing and delicious meals.

The next Grown dinner will be at Cafe Coco for Sunday Supper. Enjoy a relaxing meal in the outside dining area as the sun sets. Chef Chris Kulis’ offerings from Capische restaurant in Wailea, Maui. Chris with partner Tarah Principato will be providing homage to the relaxed feel of early Sunday evenings accompanied by the sounds of Jeff Caldwell. These comfort food inspired offerings will be provided as a four course menu for $50 plus tax and gratuity. No added charge to BYOB. Grow Culture makes meals using local ingredients and their peak of perfection, so every meal is a mystery except for one thing, the always taste delicious, and the offerings are unique and satisfying.

Wednesday May 16

Lotus Fudge Tasting

Sample Lotus Fudge at Hoku Natural Foods, and look for a line of mac nut butters and truffles, in stores soon. For more information on Lotus Fudge, be sure to read about them in the May 16 issue of MidWeek Kauai.

Whew! This lack of oxygen has made me kind of dizzy, and sleepy. I think I need a nap before mom, dad and I run some errands. Have a wonderful Mother’s Day everyone!