Pau Hana Friday for August 1

Tasting Kauai

Sparrow Fontura’ says children are some of Powerhouse Creamery’s biggest fans. Daniel Lane Photo

In last week’s On the Farm column, we gingerly visited Kolo Kai Organic Farm in Moloaa, which specializes in growing turmeric and varieties of ginger.

In this week’s On the Farm, we visit Lawai Valley Mushrooms  and learn about kuditdit mushrooms.

Tasting Kauai Guidebook

The updated version of our restaurant guidebook will be available in late September, early October. The manuscript is in the hands of our editor and Dan has been busy designing a new look. He’s color coding each zone and including scenic and chef pictures. Besides 20 new restaurants, there are quite a few additions to the guidebook. Based on reader’s requests, we have expanded each listing and we have also included tips and added a “Central” zone as well. I’m really excited about this edition and I think you’ll be quite happy with it. We’ll let you know more as we get closer.

Travel the World

Mahalo to Katherine Belarmino of Travel the World for writing about her experience on our A Taste of Kilohana food tour. She got to try food she’d never had before and took some great pictures! Check out her story at “Tasting Kauai’s Tropical Fruits and Island Cuisine on a Hawaiian Food Tour.”
“The Tasting Kauai Taste of Kilohana food tour was a great opportunity to visit a famous Kauai landmark, taste some unusual tropical fruits, many of which I can’t find in my local grocery store, learn what a good mai tai tastes like, eat a fantastic island meal, and meet some fun fellow travelers.  Everyone left full and had a great time,” writes Katherine.

Friend Us Online

We’ve had folks inquire about where to find us online. We’re on Twitter at @TastingKauai and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TastingKauai. Be sure to check Tasting Kauai’s Pinterest page!

NEWS:

GMO rules ready

In “GMO rules ready,” in The Garden Island this week, the Office of Economic Development will be holding a public hearing on draft rules that could be used to implement Ordinance 960, which was passed by the Kauai County Council to govern genetically modified organisms and pesticide use by large ag companies.

New restaurant placards to alert diners to health violations

According to the L.A. Times story, “Hawaii’s new restaurant placards to alert diners to health violations,” the state’s health department has begun posting new color-coded placards to let customers know of potential risks before they ever look at a menu. The first placards will be found on Oahu, where inspectors monitor 6,000 businesses that serve food. The program will eventually extend to all 10,000 food establishments statewide.

Akamai Juice Co.

Akamai Juice Co. is heading to the Emmy Awards at the end of August as the first juice company to ever be asked to attend the gifting suite. In celebrating the 12 Emmy nominations “True Detective” received with island fresh juice in Hollywood, Akamai Juice Co.’s farmer friends are diligently growing the best of the best to get them there in juicy style.
Cas Schwabe, owner of Akamai Juice Co., says the company just bought their first barrel of organic island honey for the process. Schwabe is planning to take Magic Dragon, Keiki Love, Lilisnap, Cucumber Mint Slushy, Kauai Kolada, Wellness Shots and Hot Shots on the trip. A few members of Akamai’s “A-Team” will juice up the big stars Saturday, Aug. 23 at the Nokia Theater, just before the Emmy Awards air.
We chatted with Schwabe about the special connection she has to the stars of the “True Detective” series in “Akamai Food Fit for a Movie Star,” and how Akamai Juice Co. got its start at “Getting a North Shore Juice Buzz,” in Midweek Kauai.

Merriman’s Fish House

The Pakala Martini is new at Merriman’s Fish House. This delicious concoction is made with organic Ocean Maui Vodka mixed with Kauai Juice Company’s Akala juice blend.  The Akala juice is a blend of  strawberries, pineapple, pomegranate and seasonal berries and is loaded with antioxidants and digestive enzymes.
EVENTS:
Friday, August 1

Finally Friday

Joe Fox, chef at Kauai Beer Company. Marta Lane photo

• Brewer’s Salad $8 ~ Chopped organic romaine, pretzel croutons, confit garlic cloves, manchego cheese and an avocado-lime dressing. Suggested pairing: Lihue Lager, Nitro IPA

• Housemade Pastrami Plate $6 ~ Served with sauerkraut, pickles and mustard. Suggested pairing: Amber, Black Limousine
  

• Poutine Fries $10 ~ Beer-battered French fries smothered with slow cooked pork gravy and pork belly lardons, then topped with white cheddar cheese. Suggested pairings: Amber, Black Limousine

• Thai Beef Spring Rolls $6 ~ Featuring shredded slow cooked beef and carrots, scallions and ginger with a coconut Thai chili sauce. Suggested pairings: Amber, Austrian Chicken
  

• Beer Brine Chicken Nachos $11 ~ Featuring Shredded Chicken over housemade tortilla chips with fresh shaved cheese. Suggested pairings: Amber, Austrian Chicken
  

• Pressed Caprese Sandwich $9 ~ Features house smoked mozzarella cheese, thick sliced balsamic glazed tomatoes, fresh spinach and a pesto spread on a fresh baked roll and served with housemade potato chips or a cabbage-kale slaw. Suggested pairing: Lihue Lager, IPA 2
  

• Beer Co. BLT $10 ~ With kiawe crusted fried green tomatoes, beer braised pork belly and fresh garden mustard greens and a tarragon aioli on a fresh baked roll served with housemade potato chips or cabbage-kale slaw. Suggested pairing: Amber, Austrian Chicken

• Cabbage and Kale Slaw $4

• Housemade BBQ Potato Chips $3

• Spent Grain Pretzels $3 ~ Made with the brewery’s spent grain by Judy Capertina of Haole Girl Island Sweets and served with house-made mustard. Suggested pairing: What beer doesn’t go well with a pretzel?

All menu items feature locally grown vegetables, herbs and fruits from Growing Strong Farm, Kauai Glory Farms, Wootens Produce of Kauai, Moloaa Organicaa and Kauai Kunana Dairy.
Saturday, August 2 and Sunday, August 3

Heiva I Kauai

Warung Bali’s Vegetarian Rolls with mint and avocado and Chicken Larb served in lettuce cups. Daniel Lane photo

Sustainable Kauai Garden Share

This month’s Garden Share will be held from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday, August 12, at Malama Kauai Food Forest, located at 5545 Kahiliholo Rd in Kilauea. After getting off Kuhio Highway at the Kalihiwai Ridge area, take the first left after Pepperwood Plantation, to the right of the dog park.
The concept of the Garden Share is the simple: Bring something you have and take something home you do not have.
Share in the bounty of Kauai’s gardens as everyone shares homegrown fruit, vegetables, eggs, herbs, honey, flowers, seedlings, plants and seeds. No worries if your garden is not producing as the group welcomes homemade treasures, food and supplies made from or for the garden or kitchen too.
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.
Wednesday, August 13

Kauai Farmers Union Meeting and Potluck

The Kauai Farmers Union will host a monthly local food potluck and education sessions at 6 p.m., Wednesday, August 13, at the Anahola Clubhouse, located at 3900 Kawelo St., in Anahola.
Topics include Legislative Updates & a Farm-to-Restaurant Panel Discussion.
Please bring a dish to share and talk story with family farmers, food producers, politicians, restaurants and other local food supporters! We always provide a range of speakers and information relevant to our mission of supporting the health of the family farms of Kauai. Visit www.kauaifarmersunion.org for more information.
Friday, August 15

A Culinary Romp Through Paradise

Various locations in Kapaa, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., $150

Susan Yount of Colorado enjoys fresh picked lychee on A Culinary Romp Through Paradise. Marta Lane photo

RumFest at RumFire

The Second Annual RumFest at RumFire Poipu Beach at Sheraton Kauai Resort kicks off at 6 p.m. Saturday, August 16, in the resort’s open-air Ocean Courtyard.
The event, which celebrates National Rum Day, will feature Hawaii rums, island music and heavy pupu. A silent auction will be held during the festivities to benefit the Kauai Humane Society.
Tickets for RumFest are $50 inclusive tax and gratuity and include a chance to win a variety of door prizes, and includes a 15 percent discount for one dinner at RumFire throughout August.
For more information about the Second Annual RumFest, or to make reservations, call 808-742-4786 or visit www.sheraton-kauai.com online.
Learn more about RumFire at “RumFire: Great Food, Drinks, View” in Midweek Kauai.
Sunday, August 17

Waipa Music and Mango Festival

The Waipa Foundation will host the second annual Music & Mango Festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, August 17, at Waipa’s Halulu Fishpond for a fun and relaxing day enjoying home grown live music, hands-on activities, and local artisans and crafts!
Island chefs and food vendors will offer amazing food inspired by the summer mango harvest! Also, there will be recipe contests and biggest mango contests, mango tastings, a silent auction, cultural and educational displays and many activities. Marta will be one of three judges for the recipe contest, which has categories for  pickled; appetizers/entree; jam/jelly/preserves; and dessert. For entry details, call 808-631-4112)
Bring a beach blanket and you can also enjoy some time on the west side of Hanalei Bay. Cost is $10 for adults over 18 and $1 for keiki.
One local vendor planning to be at the Waipa festival is Warung Bali, which will be serving up traditional Balinese plates featuring Mango Salads on all plates.
For more on Warung Bali, check out “A Taste of Bali on the North Shore,” in Midweek Kauai.
Saturday, August 23

A Taste of Kilohana

Kilohana Plantation, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., $130

Guests Bonnie Ventis and Summer Stewart enjoy a Gaylord’s mai tai during A Taste of Kilohana. Daniel Lane photo

• Sake soaked Kauai Shrimp with Kailani mixed greens, Maui tropical pineapple, and sweet sesame ginger aioli
• Grass-fed Makaweli Meat Company beef tenderloin topped with port wine and a confit of Kauai’s Kaneshiro Farms pork belly and Island fresh Wasabi Crusted Opah with a lilikoi white wine vinaigrette, caramelized Ewa onion, jasmine rice, and a medley of farm fresh vegetables
• Rustic Wi and Molokai Uala Gallete

A portion of proceeds from Tasting Kauai’s food tours and book benefits the Hawaii Food Bank – Kauai Branch. To make reservations, visit A Taste of Kilohana. To see previous tours, check out our Facebook photo album. For a complete list of tour dates, check out our Kauai Culinary Tours Calendar.
Saturday and Sunday, August 23 to 24

Kauai Vegan Cooking Workshop

A Vegan Cooking Workshop will be taught from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, August 23 and 24,  by Vegan Fusion Certified Teacher Lisa Parker.
In this hands-on style workshop, you will learn how to prepare vegan feasts that will wow even the most omnivorous of your friends and family. The stellar gluten-free menu includes a selection of both cooked and raw food vegan cuisine
Day One

• Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms
• Creamy Broccoli Bisque
• Raw Pesto Pasta Puttanesca
• Coconut Curry Tempeh over Quinoa Pilaf
• Raw Chocolate Mousse with Macadamia Cream

Day Two

• Sun-Dried Tomato Flax Crackers with Cashew Cheese
• Raw Carrot Ginger Soup
• Coconut Spinach Rice
• Walnut Crusted Tofu with Golden Gravy
• Organic Mixed Greens with Toasted Pecan Vinaigrette Chocolate Dream Pie

Cost is $275 per person and includes recipe handouts and daily gourmet vegan feasts.
To register, please email info@veganfusion.com and mention Kauai Vegan Fusion Certified Teacher Class in the subject line. A welcome letter with additional information will be emailed once registration and payment is confirmed.
UPCOMING:
Wednesdays, September 3 to 24

Cooking Made Easy class

Chef Rafael Camarillo is going to be teaching a cooking class at Kauai Community College for people who want to get better in the kitchen.

• Night #1: Knife Skills, Kitchen Safety and Sanitation or “I don’t want yucky bacteria”..ewww.
  Kitchen safety and sanitation:  Learn why there is no running in the kitchen and why chefs say “behind!” Learn about salmonella, why wash my hands is a good idea and if there is a 10 second rule.In Knives, Knives, Knives offers a study in a variety and types of knives, from the chef’s knives to a serrated knife, along with what is the right knife to use and learn not to place your knife in a soapy sink.
• Night #2: No time to cook? Quick recipes as easy as 123
  Eggs as the perfect food: The egg has been called the perfect food, from its perfect shape to its protein packed punch! It is also versatile, from omelets to Eggs Benedict with hollandaise sauce, to a steak sauce that is truly a classic, the egg is inexpensive and demands respect, hail the egg!From the farmer’s market: Ever been to a farmer’s market? Have you seen the variety of fruits and vegetables that these local farmers grow with pride…have you ever said “what the heck kind of vegetables or fruit is that”! Explore and cook with some of these delicious fruits and vegetables.
• Night #3: “Eh what get fo eat?”
  Ever have one of those days when things are so hectic that you forgot to go to the store and when you get home it’s your turn to cook dinner!No worries we will cover that problem and solve it with ground beef, chicken that is finger lickin’ good, deep frying… it’s good for the sole (get it…I use fish sole instead of “soul”) and rice, rice baby. These are low cost dishes perfect for the family.
• Night #4: Simply Sweet
  Think desserts are hard to make? Well…yes and no, if you spent 10 years being a pastry chef then it would be easy for you, but I have not! So I am going to show how to make easy desserts at home. We are going to also explore NSA (no sugar added) desserts and other “healthier desserts.”

More information on Cooking Made Easy classes is available at www.Kauai.edu online.
Saturday, September 6

A Taste of Kilohana
Kilohana Plantation, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., $130

Tasting honey tangerines while Kai explains the unique tropical fruit. Marta Lane photo

• Sake soaked Kauai Shrimp with Kailani mixed greens, Maui tropical pineapple, and sweet sesame ginger aioli
• Grass-fed Makaweli Meat Company beef tenderloin topped with port wine and a confit of Kauai’s Kaneshiro Farms pork belly and Island fresh Wasabi Crusted Opah with a lilikoi white wine vinaigrette, caramelized Ewa onion, jasmine rice, and a medley of farm fresh vegetables
• Rustic Wi and Molokai Uala Gallete

A portion of proceeds from Tasting Kauai’s food tours and book benefits the Hawaii Food Bank – Kauai Branch. To make reservations, visit A Taste of Kilohana. To see previous tours, check out our Facebook photo album. For a complete list of tour dates, check out our Kauai Culinary Tours Calendar.
Saturday, September 27

Westin Princeville Jazz and Wine Festival

Westin Princeville Wine & Jazz festival. Daniel Lane photo

Sunshine Farmers Market in Kapaa. Daniel Lane photo

Farmers Market Tour

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. 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 mangoes 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. Becoming familiar with growing seasons insures your dollars are spent on local 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. To make reservations, visit our Farmers Market Tour page.

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 and local crafters sell their wares. There’s also stilt walkers, classics cars, live music and entertainment. The Right Slice sells fresh-baked pie by the slice or whole. Midnight Bear Breads makes pizza fresh from a wood-burning oven. Aloha Spice Company serves samples of their Hawaiian sea salt and spice blends on grilled chicken. These spices quickly add fantastic flavor without a lot of calories and make wonderful gifts of aloha.
Haole Girl Island Sweets sells a variety of hand-made butter croissants, including grilled chicken and portobello mushroom seasoned with Aloha Spice Company blends. Other croissants are filled with local fruit, nuts, honey or vegetables. Samples are given just outside the parking lot, in front of the darling Aloha Spice Company building. 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. The Right Slice will be serving up pies and slice all night, net to Hula Girl. Kickshaws will also be there serving delicious food. Art Cafe Hemingway and Java Kai open a new exhibit and serve food late.
A designated parking area is located at 4451 Lehua St., on a 3-acre spot next to Restore Kauai and Specialty Lumber. Cost to park in the lot is $3.

Saturday Street Food Tasting

Join the Street Food Tasting from 6 to 8 p.m., every Saturday at Kukui’s on Kalapaki Beach restaurant at the Kauai Marriott Resort in Lihue. Cost is $35 and includes samples of:

• Chinese Roast Pork on a bao bun with hoisin sauce and cilantro
• Local style Makaweli Steak Taco
• Chicken Tikka Kebobs with Spiced Curry Chickpeas
• Pot Stickers with Yuzu Ponzu sauce and Fried Noodles
• Cali Inside Out Sushi Roll
• Spicy Ahi Poke Bowls, and local sweets including:
• Butter Mochi
• LIlikoi Panna Cotta and
• Koloa Rum Cake

Kauai Culinary Market at Kukuiula Shopping Village in Poipu. Daniel Lane photo

Art Walk at Kukuiula

The Shops at Kukuiula, 6 to 9 p.m., free
An evening of fine art, fine dining and live music under the stars at The Shops at Kukuiula the second Saturday of each month. See May 10 listing for this month’s details.
Dining options include Merriman’s Fish House, Josselin’s Tapas Bar & Grill, Tortilla Republic, Dolphin Sushi, Living Foods and Lappert’s Hawaii. Plus, enjoy jazz outdoors by Hank Curtis and Steve Dubey and Latin rhythms by Manuel Mendes and Cary Valentine.

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.

Art and Wine Thursdays

Art and Wine Thursdays includes an art reception by Kauai based artists such as Donia Lilly, with original pastel, acrylic, and mixed media paintings from the “Oceans” and “Moons” and “Memories” series, along with prints and greeting cards. Wine tastings have included Buena Vista The Count Cabernet 2008; St. Francis Chardonnay 2009; Matanzas Creek Sauvignon Blanc 2011; Sonoma Cutrer Chardonnay 2011 and Lyeth Meritage 2010. Light appetizers of cheese, fruit and vegetable crudités are also available. Includes a coupon for a 15 percent food discount at the Naupaka Terrace with the purchase of any dinner entrée.

Truck Stop Thursday

Kauai Beer Company, 5 p.m.
Every Thursday, Kauai Beer Company invites three food trucks to serve food. Trucks park along the curb, the sidewalk is converted into a patio and hundreds of people enjoy food, conversation and each other. Since the trucks change every week, it’s a great opportunity to try something new. For a listing of this week’s trucks, check out Kauai Beer Company’s Facebook page.
 

Photos for this blog post were contributed by Daniel Lane of Pono Photo.