Nani Moon Mead uses fresh Kauai ingredients. Daniel lane photo

April 27 – May 4

Happy Aloha Friday everyone!

If you haven’t already, check out our MidWeek Kauai stories about kids cooking after school in Kapaa, and daikon at One Song Farm.

Speaking of One Song Farm, this week will be the last time you can buy their produce. They are closing their market garden, and moving to a new location, where they will be focusing on seed saving and garden workshops. Stop by the Kapaa farmers market this Wednesday and share your aloha.

I was surfing Facebook this morning, and I saw all these yummy specials, so I thought I’d share today’s tasty treats:

Art Cafe Hemingway

Lunch special: Salmon, or tomato relish and goat cheese quiche.

Sugar Mill Cupcakes

Coconut Creme Brûlée, Hula Pie, Mai Tai, Strawberry Mochi and Dulce de Leche. Check out the free tasting on May 17.

Nani Moon Mead

Kauai’s mead makers are bottling Pineapple Guava Sunset today. Stop by between noon and 5 p.m. for a sample.

Mark’s Place

Salads: Grilled chicken breast over greens, served with a creamy Italian dressing – $8.50
Togarashi crusted salmon over an Asian style quinoa salad and baby greens, creamy oriental dressing – $9.25
Entrees: Oven roasted BBQ 1/2 chicken – $9.25
Chili with franks – $8.25
Grilled shutome served with a lemon caper butter sauce – $10.25
Dessert: Strawberry jello cream cheese pie – $3.50
Today’s Pau Hana Special: (Available after 4pm – feeds 4) Beef cutlet with gravy, steamed white rice, potato macaroni salad and pineapple crumble bars (35.95)

NEWS:

Kauai Coffee

Kauai Coffee went under new ownership last year. Massimo Zanetti Beverage, USA operates the estate, processing facilities and markets, sells, and distributes the Kauai Coffee® brand throughout the United States, and internationally through its subsidiary companies. Now that the dust has settled, those of you on the Mainland should be able to buy Kauai Coffee® at your local grocery store.

Hula Baby Biscotti

There is good news for the Hawaiian Islands. Our favorite Hula Baby Biscotti can now be bought on Oahu and Big Island. We are happy to see them expand, while we still try to pick a favorite. I can’t decide between the Pineapple Lime Lavender or, Nuts for Rosemary, while Dan struggles to choose between Chococomacs and Island Butter Mint. Do you have a favorite?

Kauai Agrotuorism

Jude holding a cluster of rambutan at the market. Daniel Lane photo

Agrotuorism in Kauai is getting some press. Last Sunday, the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune gave readers a taste of Kauai. Reporter Russ Parsons wrote about the vacation cabins at North Country Farms, owned by long-time organic Kauai farmer Lee Roversi. The chocolate tour at Steelgrass Farm was highlighted, as well as Joe Halasey who is another farmer we love.

Russ got his facts wrong when he wrote about the Hanalei Farmers Market, which is in Hanalei on Saturdays. The Tuesday market in Waipa is totally different. The Garden Cafe, one of our favorite farm to table restaurants also got a mention. We are thrilled to see Kauai’s farmers, markets and restaurants get recognized for their excellent products! We were especially pleased to see rambutan farmer Jude Huber’s picture in the Chicago tribune article.

EVENTS:

Saturday, April 28

American Cancer Society, Relay for Life

5:15 p.m. to 6 a.m., Hanapepe Soccer Field

This is an incredible fund and friend raiser for Kauai’s American Cancer Society that is part concert, part dance-mania, and all about honoring those who have moved on from cancer and those that still survive the fight. They represent HOPE! The bands currently slated are The Quake, Revival and Second Nature.

Chip in by purchasing yummy baked goods, delicious dinners, and fun items while educating yourself about prevention of all kinds of cancer.

Event runs from 6 p.m. through the next morning at 6 a.m., as the teams experience the long haul of a cancer patient’s journey.

Saturday, April 28

Kauai School Garden Network

5th Graders in the Wilcox Hydroponic Greenhouse. Daniel Lane photo

Natalie “Hiwahiwa” Joyce-Maeda, garden coordinator for several Kauai schools, and Colleen Carroll, Malama Kauai’s director of the Kauai School Garden Network, will hosting their first Kauai School Garden gathering at Wilcox School. Garden Teachers will receive a free copy of Big Ideas Linking Food, Culture, Health and the Environment, Center for Ecoliteracy.

Over the past two years, Wilcox has implemented a variety of garden programs, and visitors will be able to taste, touch and smell what’s growing. At 9 a.m., there will be a demonstration in the hydroponic greenhouse followed by beverages made from garden harvests. At 9:45 a.m., five examples of grade specific will be shown. These gardens are tied to classroom learning such as life cycles, pollination, and plantation culture. The morning ends at 10:45 a.m. with healthy snacks. To RSVP, call Colleen at 808-828-0685, extension 13.

North Shore Health & Wellness Fair

10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Church of the Pacific

This free event includes six, hour-long workshops for alternative health and wellbeing. If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about Hawaiian medicinal herbs, check out Gabriel Monaghan’s Laau Lapaau class at 2 p.m.

Food booths include baked goods such as chocolate macadamia nut baklava and ice cream by Grateful Gecko, Ayurveda Superfood, and Livacious Raw Vegan Food.

UPCOMING:

Saturday, May 5

Put Your Best Slippah Forward

Countdown to Charity Walk Event
10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Kukui Grove Center Stage

This event will feature entertainment, a silent auction, walker recruitment, and displays from several non-profit organizations that the Kauai Visitor Industry Charity Walk supports.

Cinco De Mayo, Kauai Style

Paco’s Tacos Kapaa truck will be at Rob’s Good Times Grill. There will be a Kachi Kachi (Puerto Rican merengue) band from 7 to 10 p.m. with Wally Rita & Los Kauaianos. Of course, there will be Mexican beer and tequila specials. If you haven’t had a bite to eat at the Kapaa location, give it a try. This is delicious fast food that’s good for you, with an ocean view.

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 Kauai and at all Menehune Food Marts. For more information on the 2012 Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association Kauai Visitor Industry Charity Walk and related events, please call (808) 827-8726 or email denise.wardlow@westin.com.