COVID Conversations: Chris Kajioka
Despite the various Covid related setbacks that has affected the state of Hawaii, Chef Chris Kajioka remains optimistic in the face of adversity. The week Kajioka was set to open his new restaurant, Miro Kaimuki, a state-wide order forced many businesses to close. Kajioka and his team quickly adapted to the state mandated take-out only regulations, and has, in many ways, been able to thrive.
Q&A: Paul Roberts
Despite his accolades – winner of the prestigious Krug Cup and the first Texan to become a master sommelier – Paul Roberts just wants you to drink good wine. “There’s no need to tell people what they like is wrong,” says the chief operating officer of famed Colgin Cellars in Napa Valley. “Now that I’m running a winery, I realize there are people who love our wines and some who don’t, and that’s OK.”
A Day in Kailua
Filled with bike paths, ocean adventures and delicious food, Kailua is a perfect spot to explore, whether you are a Hawaii local or a visitor looking for an adventure. While these activities can be done socially-distant, our recommendations are mostly for post-COVID-19 experiences. Here’s how Hashi would spend A Day in Kailua.
Georges Mavrothalassitis: Maitake Mushroom and Sumida Watercress Salad
Maitake Mushroom and Sumida Watercress Salad by Chef Mavro’s Georges Mavrothalassitis
Olive Oil: Explained
As the healthiest fruit juice, olive oil is a high quality “flavor-enhancer,” which can be used on a variety of dishes. Brian Foster, co-owner of Island Olive Oil and certified olive oil sommelier, is an expert on oil from farm to table. Island Olive Oil gathers its oils from orchards in Chile, Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey and other places with Mediterranean climates, where olive trees thrive. After the olive oil is pressed, it goes through two stages, sensory analysis and chemical analysis, to determine its quality.
Q&A: Michael Silacci
In the mid-70s, viticulturist and winemaker Michael Silacci spent three months camping on the Kaanapali coast of Maui, the first stop of what would become a journey of self-discovery that ultimately led him to France and his lifelong passion for all things wine. Turns out, Maui is where Opus One founders Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Robert Mondavi met a few years earlier to discuss this unique venture.
Jenny Chamberlain: Hudson Valley Foie Gras Stuffing
Hudson Valley Foie Gras Stuffing by Jenny Chamberlain
Foie the Win!
Before caviar. Before truffles. Before lobster. There was foie gras — a lustrous delicacy most commonly associated with French cuisine. Dating back to an incredible history in Ancient Egypt, foie gras was first appreciated and practiced by the pharaohs. Fast forward through a complicated history through Europe and Jewish cuisine to 1983, to when The New York Times announced the foie gras debut in the United States, where before only cooked foie gras was sold in cans due to import laws.
The Food that Binds Us
Papua New Guinea has over 800 unique languages, making it the most linguistically diverse place on the planet. Most of those languages have never been written down, leaving entire island-bound people groups isolated from the modern world. Isolated from language, isolated from religion, isolated from progress. To celebrate the completion of their language 27 years later, the islanders planned a feast unlike the island had ever seen.
Connecting Farmers and Chefs
HFWF celebrated Paina on the Pier for three years in support of the Festival’s goal of raising awareness about supporting local farmers, ranchers and fishermen to ensure the food security of the Islands. Nearly 85 percent of food in Hawaii is imported.
“Our goal was to connect local farmers with the different chefs and vendors who are part of the Festival,” says Les Apoliona, land asset manager at Kamehameha Schools, which, as the state’s largest private landowner, sponsors this event. “It’s about local agriculture and buying local and creating an impact.”