The Hawaii Traveler » food

Oh Poi!

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:24:18 +0000

If you’ve read or heard anything about the culinary customs of old Hawai’i, you’ve no doubt heard about poi.
What it is:
Poi is a starch made from taro root, breadfruit, or sweet potato that has been cooked, pounded into a paste, and fermented. It’s usually eaten with the fingers, and should accompany some other serving, such as meat.

Poi was used in the old days as a way to make more palatable meats cured and preserved with salt in the absence of refrigeration. Today it’s used as a thickener for Hawaiian foods, such as soups, stews, and sauces.

The food poi is sometimes confused with the fire-juggling art of the same name. If your poi is on fire, don’t eat it.

Where it is:
The only place I’ve seen it sold with any kind of frequency is at the Hasagawa General Store in Hana. It’s also served at luaus, mostly as an obligatory part of any Hawaiian meal. The truth is you probably won’t want it and don’t need it at a luau, much less make it yourself, so my suggestion is to try it if it’s offered to you as an act of good etiquette, and then move on to the tasty stuff. Paste is paste, which you probably ate plenty of back in Kindergarten.

Other poi-related foods and dishes that you might actually like include:

Deep fried taro puffs
Poi cocktail (milk with poi)
Taro chips

Have you recently tried poi? Write in or comment with your experience.

Photo by Flickr–Creative Commons, by Ebonabri

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

Spam: The Other Sushi

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:53:43 +0000

Spam katsu, a traditional Japanese dish, with a modern twist

You may have heard about Spam Jam on Oahu, and the Hawaiian obsession with beef jerky. And now there’s an entire cookbook dedicated to Hawaiian recipes involving everyone’s favorite pork product (you know you love it): Spam. In Muriel Miura’s Hawaii Cooks With Spam, now you can join the islands in its Spam enthusiasm anytime.
Miura’s menu of Spam delicacies even include a recipe for Spam Nori Maki Sushi, which you can find at NPR, where she was interviewed. Not only are Pan-Pacific recipes honored, but you’ll find everything, from around the world, all the food that sticky and sweet, hot and spicy. But with Spam.

And to think that there are those who say that spam is evil.

Photo by Flickr–Creative Commons, by dtweney

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

August Events Around the Islands

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 23:46:44 +0000

BIG ISLAND

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE PACIFIC
Hilo’s annual celebration of all things Hawaiian. For more information call the Japanese Chamber of Commerce at (808) 934-0177.

KAUA’I

GARDEN ISLAND ORCHID SHOW
An orchid show of hundreds of varieties for those who want to buy, or those who want to learn about orchid culture or cultivating them. In Lihue at Vidinha Stadium. For more information call (808) 742-0333.

MAUI

WHALERS VILLAGE MAUI ONION FESTIVAL
Enjoy the fun and the food based on this world-famous vegetable. Activities include cooking demos and an onion eating contest. Includes farmer’s market and music. At Whalers Village in the Kaanapali Resort. For more information call (808) 661-4567 or (866) FUN-N-SUN.

OAHU

KEIKI (CHILDREN’S) FUN FAIR
Open to the public, and free, the fair is hosted by the Honolulu Shriners Hospital for Children, and is held on the front lawn of the hospital (Punahou Street.) Includes pony rides, a petting zoo, face painting, games and prizes for kids, refreshments and entertainment, tours of the hospital and a prize drawing. For more information call Duke Gonzales (808) 951-3606.

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler