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Cara cara marmalade with fresh ginger. Daniel Lane photo. Aletha Thomas, owner of Monkeypod Jam, is in her shop’s kitchen cutting rounds of cara cara oranges. The deep orange flesh perfumes the air. She puts them in a pot, covers them in water and leaves them to sit overnight. In three days, they will transform into a thick marmalade mixed with…

There are more than 60 wines at Palate Wine Bar. Daniel Lane photo Palate Wine Bar is a terrific place to relax with family and friends and enjoy esoteric wine, craft beer, or sake, and share cured olives, imported cheese, cured meat and handmade flatbreads. There are more than 60 wines at the small bar, which opened last…

Beans in the cacao pod are soft, sweet, and a little tart. Daniel Lane photo The Big Island Chocolate Festival is in its fifth year, and the gala’s theme is Lavalicious-A Chocolate Salute to the 100th Birthday of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Indulge in both savory and sweet temptations prepared by top chefs and chocolatiers while watching award-winning…

Nora, Paula’s sister, along with four other chefs cook authentic Thai food at Bangkok Happy Bowl. Daniel Lane photo Fresh, flavorful and delightfully aromatic is how I describe the Thai food at Bangkok Happy Bowl. Inside, color abounds in the half Thai, half Japanese restaurant. After opening in the Poipu Shopping Village last October, the…

Award winning craft beer and locally sourced pupus at Big Island Brewhaus. Daniel Lane photo Tom Kerns, owner of Big Island Brewhaus, sits across from me at a picnic table on the bar’s lanai. His wife, Jayne, and their cook, Dan Leishman, sit on either side of him. Inside, boisterous conversation punctuated by laughter pour…

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there! We know the big day isn’t until Sunday, May 8, but we wanted to give you a head start. My mother lives in Colorado, and I miss her lovin’ tremendously. I know that she’s surrounded with love and I hope you feel the love in your…

Copper Bar’s panoramic views of Kaunaoa Bay. Daniel Lane photo We stopped by Copper Bar at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel on the way back from Kailua-Kona. It was a picturesque day: balmy, breezy and beautiful. Our car was full of gifts, including chocolate from the Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory, as well as chocolate covered coffee…

St. Louis BBQ Ribs take three days to make and won “People’s Choice” and “Best in Meat” at the 2015 Taste of Hawaii. Daniel Lane photo. The Bistro in Kilauea. Daniel Lane photo Lush landscaping and plantation-style decor give The Bistro an easy charm. Located near the Kilauea Lighthouse, the causal restaurant has been serving…

Tasting Kauai and Zendy Web Studio just released an app for our Kauai restaurant guide. The interactive mobile app is available for iPhone Tasting Kauai’s restaurant guidebook app makes it easy to find good eats on Kauai. Image by Zendy Web Studio. and Android smartphones and tablets. I’ve been wanting to convert our restaurant guidebook…

Coast Grille Nicoise ($17) with a one-minute fried egg, garden arugula, Big Island tomatoes, Molokai black salt, seared ahi, Molokai sweet potatoes, cucumber, haricot vert, Kalamata olives and wild lilikoi vinaigrette. Daniel Lane photo Coast Grille, Westin Hapuna Beach Resort’s signature restaurant, offers a view of Mount Hualalai and Hapuna Beach along the Kohala Coast on…

Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa is one of those resorts you can get lost in. Not in a scary sense, but in a dreamy, “I have everything I need” sense. The resort fronts Poipu Beach and sits on fifty oceanfront acres. Classic Hawaiian architecture blends with lush landscaping that includes open courtyards and pristine…

The main entrance at The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort. Photo by Daniel Lane. It’s easy to see why U.S. News & World Report awarded The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort the “Best Hotels in Hawaii and The Big Island” in 2011 through 2014. The main entrance is flanked by towering royal palm trees. A swath of…