big island bee & la tour bakehouse

As I was trying to figure out what to bring back as omiyage, I came across these cute packages of honey.

There are 8 sticks in each package and are sold for about $3 (plus tax, prices vary at different stores) each.

8 = hachi (ha-chee) in Japanese which is also the same pronunciation for bee...I'm not sure they intended to make that connection but I thought it was cute...

another item I picked up for friends is the Furikake Puffs by La Tour Bakehouse, which are sold at all La Tour Cafes.

These are $3.50 (plus tax) and would recommend picking these up at the main location in Iwilei--they have the most inventory, though the parking lot is kind of a pain to get in and out of.

I hope the friends I give these to will enjoy them.

mauna kea tea

Glad I got to check out the Made in Hawaii Festival.

All kinds of food items, clothing, knick knacks and crafts that are made in Hawaii.

Jam packed with all sorts of vendors.

I'm glad I got to pick up this green tea made by Mauna Kea Tea.

The tea is grown on the slopes of Mauna Kea and is organic.

Can't wait to share this with Satoshi.

kona red

Tried this cold brew by Kona Red, which I believe is a local company that uses the nutrients from the coffee berry and infuses it into their coffees.

I enjoyed this, smooth.

It's a 3-day weekend here...today is Admissions Day, the day Hawaii became a State.

Have a nice weekend.

big island coffee roasters

Last summer when I went to Hilo, I picked up Big Island Coffee Roasters' Puna Kazumura, which was a medium roast coffee.

While we enjoyed this, I was interested in trying their Medium Dark blends...

So on this trip back, I ordered their Road 1 Espresso (medium dark) and Stout Heart Dark (dark).

Can't wait to try these.

taste test

This past summer, I received two different beef jerky chips.

One from Mich, which is made by Chyler's and sold at Side Street Inn (on the left).

And one from Jalna's cousin, V, which is made by Paradise Jerky (on the right).

Chyler's was crisp but "softer" than Paradise Jerky.

Flavor-wise both were good!

I won't say which was better than the other because they were both delicious and good in their own way.

Thanks for letting us try these Mich & V!

snackage

We've been enjoying these Island Indulgence Okoshi that I received from Jalna's cousin, V.

Super light and I like that they don't stick to your teeth.

Thank you!

kokohead foods smoked ahi spread

Have you tried this yet? I don't know what I was looking at online but a picture of this came up...and then I needed to try it.

Apparently, it was developed by Chef Kevin Hanney who is the owner of 12th Avenue Grill and Koko Head Cafe and has been around for 18 years?! (where have I been?)

I called around and found it at Tamura's (another place is R. Field inside of Beretania Foodland). (Before you go to buy this, please call to make sure they have some)

It really is nice with the smokiness and creaminess.

This spread/dip went nicely with lavosh.

Of course, now I want to try re-creating it (smoked ahi (tuna), mayo, tamarind, onions, anchovies, chili pepper, garlic, salt)

I'm flying out today.

It was a shorter trip than in the past, but I got to spend time with family, meet up with a lot of friends and eat out at some of the places on my list.

The weather was often pretty miserable with the humidity and heat. Traffic was a nightmare at times.

I was often the "dinner" for mosquitos and I was also reminded "loudly" several times that "Kat, you do not tan".

I know it is hurricane season here, but I hope Hawaii's weather stablizes soon, it is definitely killer without an a/c.

Be well everyone.

Talk to you from the other side of the world.

snackage

I don't quite remember when I bought this but had put them into my refrigerator so they wouldn't spoil with the awful heat of Osaka's summer.

These are "tropical" tasting...lots of pineapple and nuts (mac & almond), kind of like a bite-sized chewy granola bar.

A nice thing is that they are "made in Hawaii".

I hope to pick up more varieties the next time I'm in Hawaii.

made in hawaii

Love this "foodie" tote I got from my Aunty M.

It's made by Gary Fujimoto of P55dle, who silkscreens the print and sews each item too.

I also love that this is "made in Hawaii".

Thanks Aunty!

made in hawaii

Growing up, we were allowed to eat pork rinds...sometimes.

My mom policed what we ate, so we weren't always allowed to eat "junks".

These days, she's let her guard down and lets us eat pretty much whatever we want.

I recently came across a local company that has started making their own pork rinds.

Pork Grinds Hawaii, fries them up and adds different flavorings to them.

You should know that in Hawaii what we call "grinds", most others call "eats".

We tried their furikake and their teriyaki. The furikake was way too salty for us, you'd definitely need a beer with this one.

And we liked the teriyaki because it was a sweet-salty combo.

They are more like "puffs" though you may come across some hard bits.

At $4 a bag they are a bit pricey, but they are made locally, a good thing.

Pork Grinds Hawaii
P.O. Box 12114
Honolulu, Hawaii
Phone: 808.387.7467

made in hawaii

I checked out the soap place that reader Sandy had mentioned, Kona Soaps (I hope this was the right place).

I purchased 3 of their bars...Mauna Ua (means mountain rain in Hawaiian)(Tangerine, Litsea & Papaya seed)
'Ehu Kai (means sea spray in Hawaiian) (Lemongrass, Palmarosa & Seaweed)
Kilakila (means majestic in Hawaiian) (Lavender & Ginger)

The bars are $6.50 each but if you "go green" (no box) then they take off $.50 for each.

Not bad, since they still send them to you in a paper package.

I thought their wrapping with the raffia and wooden charm was neat too, can't wait to try these.

Kona Natural Soap Company
P.O. Box 39114
Keauhou, Hawaii 96739

made in hawaii

I prefer dark roasted coffees, so I was interested in trying Kauai Coffee's Single Origin Koloa Estate.

When you open the bag, you can smell the richness of the coffee.

The acidity seemed to be high, but I enjoyed the full body.

made in hawaii

Ordered more Filthy Farmgirl soaps...love their fragrances!

Most are made in Hawaii, though there are some made in Vermont.

Also love that they give you 1 free whenever you order over $12...and shipping is FREE! (to anywhere in the US) gotta love a company that gives free shipping to Hawaii!

things I'm liking

Well, there was no snow this weekend, not even a flurry, but the wind was fahreezing cutting through everything and anything you were wearing...still hoping for a white Christmas, though I know Satoshi is not.

So many things to post, so little time, so I'm putting them all in a "things I'm liking" post...starting off with the 400 grams of La Mere Poulard's chocolate chip cookies. Not liking that it is 100 grams less than her buttery sables, those are 500 grams.

Kinda liking Italy's Crik Crok chips...while I liked the flavor, the texture reminded me of crunchy Pringles and there was just way too much salt.

The kinoko tartine from Anri...a fourth of a baguette slathered with white sauce, lots of mushrooms and cheese.

Earlier this year, I tried the chocolate kakinotane which Kameda and Meiji collaborated on, this time they added almonds.

I would have enjoyed this more had the almonds been covered with chocolate too, seemed out of place.

Maisen's tamatoro menchikatsu pocket sandwich...whew, a mouthful to say.

Tamatoro is a shortening and fusing of two words: tamago (egg) torori (oozy)

Menchikatsu is a hamburger deep fried

Even though this sandwich was sitting out, the egg was still oozy.

This sandwich was huge, delicious and only 399 yen. (I would've liked a little veg in there but it probably would have made things a bit soggy)

Love socks with toes (not exactly sure what they call them in English).

I heard that they keep your feet warmer than regular socks because each toe is covered, kind of like gloves for your hands.

Oh and if you happen to have athlete's foot (I don't) it is perfect for keeping each toe from touching each other and spreading germs...

MUJI sells these socks that are made in Japan.

Another company, Tabio sells socks with toes that are made in Japan too.

I didn't know this but sock making is a large industry in Nara prefecture, Tabio and MUJI's socks are made there.

The pink socks are a perfect style for wearing ballet type flats.

Keith's chocolate chip and macadamia nut cookies. We received these from my parents and have been enjoying them with coffee. (thank you!)

It looks like there are quite a bit of crumbs at the bottom of the bag, which I'm looking forward to sprinkling on ice cream.

Kinder's Happy Hippo Cacao...a wafer filled with milk creme and hazelnut creme.

Delicious and cute.

Gingerbread crunch by The Cookie Kitchen, we also received these from my parents.

Be careful, don't break a tooth, these are kinda on the hard side, the spices are so festive. (thank you!)

La Mere Poulard's crepes dentelles...thin thin wafers rolled into a little stick of sorts then covered with milk chocolate.

These stay very crisp because of the chocolate...yum!

And lastly, Antenor's black sesame pudding.

Not very aesthetic but very delicious, nutty from the sesame.

Bummed that they used a plastic bowl though.

What have you been enjoying?!

made in hawaii

If you have been reading this blog for awhile, you know one of my obsessions is soap.

I love buying the kind that smells citrusy, musky, clean...bigger bonus is if it is locally made.

I recently saw an article in the "Honolulu" magazine and they mentioned Filthy Farmgirl as a locally made soap.

I went online and ordered the "small" size because they didn't quite specify how big their bars were, these were US$3 each.

Anyway, another thing I like about this company is that they have free shipping! If you live in Hawaii, you know that free shipping is a rare thing.

I think International shipping will cost you something, but you should check their site to be sure.

So, I ordered 6 different bars and another bonus, they gave me a sample bar for my order over US$12.

Most of their bars are made on the Big Island (the Island of Hawaii) and it seems like some with goat's milk are made in Vermont.

When I chose the bars I chose the ones with "made in Hawaii" on their labels...they smell incredible and I can't wait to try them.

Do you have any obsessions?

more local stuff

I've ordered from Ali'i Kula Lavender before and love their products.

So, while I am back in the Islands, I ordered some of their soaps (Lavender soap & Lavender Coconut with goat milk) and their (lavender, lime and mango) lip balm (sounds good enough to eat, yeah?) to take back with me. (UPDATE: the lip balm is really good even in cold weather, it stays soft and easy to apply with a brush, plus the lime fragrance is really delicious.)

Check out this rainbow that I saw from my Aunty's place, can you see the reflection in the window too?

It's Aloha Friday here, hope your weekend will be a good one.

buying local

Are you trying to buy local? Me too, especially when it comes to bringing back omiyage (souvenirs) for family and friends in Japan. Sometimes I want to bring back more than just the "usual" chocolate covered mac nuts or coffee.

I had heard about both of these from Leigh's site, Hapa Hale and found them at Down to Earth recently-- Honey Girl Organics Lip Balm and Bubble Shack soaps. I can't wait to try both products and I hope the people that I give them to will like them also. (UPDATE: the Honey Girl Organics Lip Balm is good but gets hard in cold weather. I guess it takes some warmth from your hands to get it soft before using.)

Another thing I heard about on Leigh's site was Taro Delight. This company makes dips made with taro and other ingredients like olive or sun dried tomatoes. I bought the "taronaise" which tastes like hummus and is great on plain tortilla chips. (I think this would also be good in a sandwich.)

Another thing we tried from the same company was "taro poke". This poke doesn't use fish though, just taro, onions, ogo (seaweed) chili, soy sauce and some sesame seed oil. Both items goes great with beer too. (We had both of them at our Super Bowl party yesterday, sorry the picture doesn't really do it justice.)

I got the taro items at the KCC Farmers Market, it was a rainy day on Saturday, but despite the showers, everyone was out in full force. (and a few minutes later, the rain came down in buckets!)

Despite the rain, there was lots to see, sample and take in. If you have a chance, you should check out this market, parking is free.

lavender

Do you like lavender? I was never really into it until I moved to Japan. There is a lavender farm called Farm Tomita in a little town called Furano in Hokkaido. Hokkaido is the most northern island in Japan. To see this lavender farm during the summer is really breathtaking. Just hillsides and fields of purple! After Satoshi and I experienced this, we decided that our next goal was to see the "real deal" in Provence, France (hopefully soon!!).

About 5 years ago, I had heard about a lavender farm on the island of Maui. My aunty recently went for a tour and lunch there. The farm is called Alii Kula Lavender. Kula is an area on the island of Maui that is known for their Maui onions. These onions are really sweet (I think they are like the Vidalias).

Anyway, ever since I tasted the Cranberry-Lavender Campagne (farmhouse) bread from Abientot in Minoo, I have been wanting to get my hands on some edible lavender. I checked out the markets and gadget shops in Hawaii then surfed the internet and could only find it on the Dean & Deluca website...but, I was not about to pay an arm and a leg for the shipping & handling (mainly because the continental U.S.'s S&H is WAY cheaper than Hawaii or Alaska's...aren't we the same "country"?)

After hearing about my aunty's recent journey and how they had all kinds of lavender products, I went to see if they had a website and they did! I was surprised at how many things they have! I really wanted to order more things but held myself back (a bit...) I got the lavender scone mix, the culinary lavender and a lavender-verbena goat milk soap. The postage was reasonable and it came within 2 days!

When the postal delivery person came and handed me the box you should have smelled the fragrance wafting from the box...it was just heavenly!

Can't wait to make some lavender food things!

Alii Kula Lavender
1100 Waipoli Road
Kula, Maui
Phone: 808-878-3004