Pau Hana Friday for August 8

Tasting Kauai

Scott Kessinger, Dave Power and Adam Watten in front of the bar at The Feral Pig. Daniel Lane Photo

The Feral Pig celebrates their three year anniversary with a special farm-to-table dinner after their Hawaiian-style pub food gets a fine dining touch in “Freshening up the The Feral Pig,” in The Garden Island.

In the On the Farm column last week, we visited Lawai Valley Mushrooms and learned about kuditdit mushrooms.

In this week’s On the Farm, Marta meets with Moloaa farmers as they meet up with local politicians to generate funding for new irrigation systems.

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:

Processing Passion fruit

Our friend Celeste runs the gourmet farmers market at The Shops at Kukuiula. She used to be a writer for Cook’s Illustrated Magazine and worked in America’s Test Kitchen. Marta and Celeste were talking about processing passion fruit, — also known as lilikoi — and Marta said she blends up the seeds to break apart the juice sacs, and then strains it.
She said her favorite way is to run them through an OXO Food Mill. Well, we got ours today and it works like a charm! Mahalo Celeste!
Here’s a post Marta wrote about lilikoi and how she used to process it: https://www.tastingkauai.com/abundance-lilikoi-kauai-glory-farms/

Powerhouse Creamery

Powerhouse Creamery owner Sparrow Fontura says of her newest flavors, “Got choke Lilikoi n Soursop. Look for these flavors at the Waipa market next week.
Sparrow also noted that she recently combined Kettle One Vodka and Pineapple CocoWater Sorbet to make three-ounce cocktails with an ounce of vodka, and ounce of Pineapple CocoWater Sorbet, and an ounce of Lilikoi juice. “They were quite the hit!” she says.
Marta visited with Sparrow last week for the article, “Powerhouse Creamery puts a chill on hot, steamy days,” in The Garden Island. Afterward, Sparrow wrote that she forgot to mention her participation in the Kilauea Art Night since its fruition and was even on the original invite list of 20 vendors.
EVENTS:
Friday, August 8

Finally Friday

Kauai Beer Company brewers (from left) Eric Burda, Jim Guerber, Justin Guerber and Nate Yahnke. Daniel Lane photo

• Brewer’s Salad $9 ~ Chopped organic romaine, pretzel croutons, confit garlic cloves, manchego cheese and an avocado-lime dressing. Suggested pairing: Amber, Austrian Chicken

• Housemade Pastrami Plate $8 ~ Served with sauerkraut, pickles and mustard. Suggested pairing: Amber, Austrian Chicken
  

• 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, 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: Amber, Austrian Chicken
• Beer Brine Jerk Spiced Chicken Tacos $11 ~ Chunk tomatoes, fresh spinach, queso fresca and a papaya chutney on fresh housemade tortillas and served with housemade potato chips or a cabbage-kale slaw
  Suggested pairing: Amber, Austrian Chicken
• Green Pork Sandwich $11 ~ Cured and smoked pork loin thinly sliced, smothered in a green chili herb chimichurri with caramelized onions and fresca cheese on a fresh baked Midnight Bear roll. Served with housemade potato chips or cabbage-kale slaw. Suggested pairing: Amber, Austrian Chicken

• Cabbage and Kale Slaw $5

• Housemade BBQ Potato Chips $5

• 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.
Sustainable Kauai Meetups
In August, Sustainable Kauai’s Meetups include:
Tuesday, August 12

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 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Wednesday, August 13, at the Anahola Clubhouse, located at 3900 Kawelo St., in Anahola.
Agenda:

Please bring a dish to share and talk story with family farmers, food producers, politicians, restaurants and other local food supporters. The Kauai Farmers Union provides a range of speakers and information relevant to the mission of supporting the health of the family farms of Kauai. Visit www.kauaifarmersunion.org for more information.
Wednesday, August 13

Laau Lapaau

Discover the healing plants of Hawaii with Gabriel Monaghan, N.H., as he launches a series of classes to teach Laau Lapaau, the study of Hawaiian healing plants.
The first session is free and will be held from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, August 13, at Hale Halawai Ohana O Hanalei, the community center located next to the soccer fields.
The session will launch a series of 12 classes on herbal healing for $180 per person. For more information, call Gabriel at 808-826-4004 or visit www.facebook.com/HawaiianHerbalHealing online.
Friday, August 15

A Culinary Romp Through Paradise

Dave Power teaches guests how to make handcrafted cocktails on A Culinary Romp Through Paradise. Daniel Lane photo

National Honeybee Appreciation Day

America’s beekeepers cannot survive for long with the toxic environment EPA has supported. Daniel 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

Love is like a mango. Daniel Lane photo

Common Ground

The staff at Common Ground in Kilauea wrote to express their mahalo for all of the support over the years. With their business flourishing, the restaurant is planning to expand their hours starting August 19, they will begin offering a light family dinner from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays.
Book Your Next Event/Meeting/Party at Common Ground by emailing [email protected] or calling the cafe at 808-828-2192.
Thursday, August 21 to Sunday, August 24

KCFB Farm Fair

On Thursday, August 21, the Kauai Beekeeper’s Association in partnership with the Kauai County Farm Bureau, will host the Fourth Annual Kauai Honey Tasting on the opening night of the KCFB Farm Fair.
This open and non competitive tasting is a showcase of local honey and the producers who bottle it.
The Honey Tasting will commence in the Ag Demonstration tent near Vidinha Stadium and the petting zoo shortly after the opening ceremonies.
For more information on the Honey Tasting, please contact Jimmy Trujillo at 346-7725.
Friday, August 22

Makana Terrace at The St Regis Princeville Resort

Makana Terrace offers views of Mount Makana (seen in the upper left) and Hanalei Bay. In fact, all restaurants at the St. Regis Princeville do! Daniel Lane photo

• Bacon Wrapped Scallops
• Seafood Custard, Warm Seaweed Salad, Lemongrass Espuma
• Vouvray, Château Vigneau Loire Valley, France

Appetizer

• Contemporary “Lau Lau”
• Taro Pork Belly & Soy Roasted Butter Fish
• Garlic Infused Sticky Rice, Steamed Bok Choy, Kombu Broth
• Sequana ‘Sarmento Vineyard’ Russian River Valley, California

Entree

• Steamed Opakapaka
• Crispy Seafood Ravioli, Caponata, Lemon Basil Vin Blanc
• Tempranillo, Tinto Pesquera Ribera del Duero, Spain

Dessert

• Koloa Rum Pineapple Tipsy Cake
• Wasabi Cream
• Brachetto d’Acqui, Banfi ‘Rosa Regale’ Piedmont, Italy

Dining at Makana Terrace is such a special joy, as Marta discovered in “Sunset Dining at Makana Terrace” in Midweek Kauai.
Saturday, August 23

A Taste of Kilohana

Enjoying a locally sourced lunch in the private dining room and meet the executive chef. Marta Lane photo

• Pan seared shoyu-ginger marinated grass-fed Makaweli Top Sirloin Poke served in a lumpia bowl with Asian slaw and finished with a sweet-spicy sesame aioli
• Island fresh seared ahi served with coconut infused ulu and Maui onion, a medley of fresh hoio, squash, zucchini, and red onion with a Wasabi Mirin Beurre Blanc and Kabayaki drizzle
• Kauai Honey and goat cheesecake tart with lemon crema sauce, fresh whipped cream and candied macadamia nuts

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 [email protected] 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 washing 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?This class will resolve that problem and with ground beef, chicken that is finger lickin’ good, deep frying… it’s good for the sole 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 it’s not. So Chef Rafael Camarillo is going to show how to make easy desserts at home along with exploring no sugar added desserts and “healthier desserts.”

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

A Taste of Kilohana

Earl and Sue enjoy fresh pineapple after touring an exotic fruit orchard. Marta Lane photo

• Pan seared shoyu-ginger marinated grass-fed Makaweli Top Sirloin Poke served in a lumpia bowl with Asian slaw and finished with a sweet-spicy sesame aioli
• Island fresh seared ahi served with coconut infused ulu and Maui onion, a medley of fresh hoio, squash, zucchini, and red onion with a Wasabi Mirin Beurre Blanc and Kabayaki drizzle
• Kauai Honey and goat cheesecake tart with lemon crema sauce, fresh whipped cream and candied macadamia nuts

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 20

Papaya’s Community Appreciation Day

Papaya’s Natural Foods and Cafe will be hosting their Fifth Annual Community Appreciation Day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, September 20.
Every year, this event centers around International Peace Day, in order to help spread the message of celebrating the beautiful Kauai community in the most harmonious way the staff at Papaya’s know, which is gratitude.
Papaya’s will be giving away free plate lunches, storewide prizes, tastings and demos! Community vendors, local businesses and non-profits are invited to to set up booths filled with free giveaways and information.
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.

Roy’s Poipu hosts Tasting Tuesday

Poipu, 5:30 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, $25
Every Tuesday in the courtyard, Roy’s Poipu will serve pupus and a tasting of five wines.

• August 5: “Cruising California”  featuring wines from Napa Valley to Santa Barbara
• August 12: “Pretty Pinots” featuring Pinot Noirs from around the world
• August 19: “Five Fundamentals” featuring the five main styles of wine
• August 26: TBD

For reservations, call 808-742-500

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.