Flavors of Hawaii
During your visit to O`ahu, you'll be introduced to a lot of foods you normally don't see on the Mainland. There's a lot of Japanese, Chinese and Filipino influence in our cuisines, such as the custom of having white, sticky rice with every meal. Here's a guide to help you discover and enjoy all of Hawaii's unique flavors:
Maui Onion: This sweet juicy onion is mostly grown in Up-country Maui and is known for its mild taste – real Maui onion lovers have been known to eat them like apples! Large, yellowish with a flattened top, Maui onions are available year-round on all of the islands.
Saimin: A noodle soup with pork slices, egg, green onion and fish cake. Saimin is offered for breakfast, lunch and dinner at many local restaurants and even at McDonalds.
Poi: This thick, paste-like starch made from taro root is a staple in the Hawaiian diet. Poi is low in fat and protein and is usually sold at grocery stores and small markets. It comes in plastic bags or round plastic containers with lids. Poi is an acquired taste, kind of like Vegemite to Australians. In Hawaii, it is often a baby's first food.
Li hing mui: Preserved Chinese plum. Usually sold as a flavored snack or as a flavor of ice cream or shave ice.
Lomilomi salmon: Raw diced salmon mixed with tomatoes and onions, usually served with a plate lunch.
Loco moco: A hearty, artery-clogging breakfast dish consisting of a hamburger patty covered with a fried egg and served over white rice with a generous serving of gravy on top.
Shave ice: (not shaved ice) A Hawaiian snow cone made with shaved (not crushed) ice and then topped with the syrup of your choice. It looks like a snow cone but the difference is that a snow cone has coarse ice shavings that don't allow for the syrups to stick to the ice as well. Pick one flavor – mango, li hing mui, pineapple, lilikoi, guava, Kona coffee or bubble gum, for example – or a rainbow flavor concoction. You can even get a "snow cap" of sweet cream piled on top.
Kalua pig: Tender pork, cooked in an imu (underground oven) and frequently served at luaus or with plate lunches.
Plate lunch: A plate lunch consists of a meat such as kalua pig, lomilomi salmon or teriyaki chicken, served with white rice and macaroni salad.
Poke (pronounced "po-kee"): A raw-fish relish usually made with ahi tuna and then mixed with chopped tomatoes and onions.
Malasada: A Portuguese doughnut found at roadside stands or in bakeries.
Portuguese sausage: A spicy sausage usually served at breakfast as a side-dish or as an ingredient in an omelet.
Haupia: Coconut pudding served as a dessert.
Pupu (pronounced "poo-poo"): This means appetizer or starter. It's always fun to tell newcomers to the island that we love to have "pupu parties."
Pog: A mixture of pineapple, orange and guava juices. This fruity concoction is what they'll probably serve you on the airplane flight over to O`ahu.
White rice: This starch is commonly served with breakfast, lunch and dinner and comes with soy sauce (called shoyu).
Fish of Hawaii
Mahimahi is also called dorado or dolphinfish (not the mammal!). It's a moist, flaky, mildly flavored, sweet, light pink fish that turns white when cooked. Mahimahi is mostly available in the spring (March through May) and fall (September through November) and this tasty fish ranges between eight and 25 lbs.
Opah is called moonfish. For a long time, Opah has been thought to be good luck so it was only given away, never sold. Opah is a non-schooling open-ocean fish so this tasty treat is not caught in great quantities. Opah has four types of flesh. The flesh behind the head is orange-tinged, the flesh toward the belly is a pinkish color and the cheeks are dark red. All of these cook to white. The flesh inside the breastplates of the opah is a bright red color that turns brown when cooked. Opah is most frequently available from August through December.
Monchong (also called bigscale pomfret) is becoming more popular in Hawaii restaurants. Monchong ranges in size from four to 25 pounds, with fish over 12 pounds preferred for cooking. Its high fat content makes it an excellent fish for broiling, baking or sautéing. Monchong is mostly available in the months of May through September.
Opakapaka, or pink snapper, is a melt-in-your-mouth fish with clear, pale pink flesh. Most opakapaka caught in Hawaiian waters are between one and five pounds, but can grow up to 12 pounds. Opakapaka are caught all year round in depths of 300 to 500 feet, but are most abundant in the last half of the year.
Onaga is also called longtail snapper or red snapper. It ranges from one to eight pounds and, when cooked, is moderately firm and moist. Onaga is most commonly caught from July to December.
Uku, commonly known as grey snapper or jobfish, is also a delicate, moist fish. It is most commonly found in the summer months when other snappers are less available.
Aku, also called skipjack or bonito tuna, is caught all year long and usually weighs between four and 15 pounds. Larger aku, sometimes weighing up to 30 pounds, can be found in the summer months. Aku has a firm flesh that is deep red in color. It can be prepared and eaten raw or, when cooked, the flesh becomes light. Aku can be baked, broiled or grilled and is commonly used in sashimi, sushi or poke.
Shutome (whose Hawaiian name is A u Ku) is also called broadbill swordfish and has a firm texture and mild taste that makes it ideal for broiling, poaching, stir-frying or baking. Shutome is most commonly found from May through October.
Ahi is the Hawaiian name for two tunas that are similar in appearance. Big-eye tuna is a more plump variety with a larger head, while yellow-fin tuna has long, bright yellow fins. Ahi weigh between 10 and 250 pounds. Both fish have firm red flesh that turns white when cooked and are excellent when broiled, baked or sautéed. Top grade ahi has a higher fat content and is considered perfect for sashimi and sushi. Big-eye tuna is most commonly found from October through February, while yellow-fin is seen from April through September. Toro, sashimi from the belly portion of the ahi, is oily and succulent. When available, it is a delicacy.
Tombo is albacore tuna and has light pink flesh. It is the lightest and mildest in flavor of all tunas. Tombo usually weighs in at 40 to 80 pounds, while those over 50 pounds are most desirable. It is available primarily during the months of April through September.
There are two types of marlin (Hawaiian name is Au) found in the islands – Pacific blue marlin is called kajiki and striped marlin is known as nairagi. Kajiki is most frequently caught in the summer and fall months while nairagi is caught mostly in winter and spring. The flesh of marlin varies with each fish but ranges from clear pink to amber or orange-red and they all turn white when cooked.
Hebi is also called shortbill spearfish and usually weighs between 20 and 40 pounds. It has an amber-colored flesh that is similar to marlin but not as firm. Hebi is most commonly found between January and June.
Ono is also known as wahoo and is one of the most common fish you'll see on menus. The ono is a strong, slender fish with a firm yet flaky texture. It is often called the "chicken of the sea" due to its mild taste. People who say they "hate fish" admit to liking ono. It is best sautéed, baked, grilled or broiled and is fabulous as "fish and chips."
Kampachi and moi are relatively new to the Hawaiian menu. Both are farmed in open-ocean cages off the shores of the Big Island and O`ahu. Kampachi is similar to hamachi and has a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Moi is often steamed Chinese-style or fried crisp.
O`ahu Farmers' Markets
These aren't your typical neighborhood farmers' markets! Welcome to a cornucopia of exotic fruits and vegetables, brilliant flowers, locally-grown meats and a hodge-podge of other tropical treats. Don't be surprised to see such items as: low fat fruitcake with gogi berries, island ginger ale, Egyptian-style lunch plates, dried snacks like pickled mango, Maui kaki and marlin, sweet Maui onion rings, taro-based products like spreads and wraps and lots of orchids For more information, contact the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation at tel. 808-848-2074 or at www.hfbf.org.
There are three major farmers' markets associated with the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation.
Honolulu
On Saturdays, the Farmers' Market at Kapi`olani Community College (below), 4303 Diamond Head Road, tel. 808-848-2074, is held from 7:30 am to 11 am. Check out the website at www.hfbf.org/FarmersMarketKCC.html (it changes every week) to see the day's specials along with a detailed list of all participating vendors and their location at the market.
Kailua
Kailua Farmer's Market, www.hfbf.org/FarmersMarket-Kailua.html, is held every Thursday from 5 pm to 7:30 pm at the Kailua Town Center Parking Garage (behind Longs Drugs).
Mililani
Mililani Farmers' Market, www.hfbf.org/FarmersMarket-Mililani.html, is held every Sunday from 8 am to 11 am at the Mililani High School in Central O`ahu.
Made on O`ahu
One of my favorite aspects of traveling is discovering locally made products. It's my way of helping out the local community while obtaining a product that can't be found anywhere else in the world!
Here are some of Oahu's best:
Alan Wong's Restaurant in Honolulu serves Waialua Chocolate, from the only farm in the country that produces chocolate. The delicacy is made on Oahu's North Shore and has a very deep flavor – lots of berry and it's nonacidic. You can pick up your own bars of Waialua chocolate at the Dole Plantation in Central O`ahu.
North Shore Soap Factory, 67-106 Kealohanui Street, tel. 808-637-8400, www.hawaiianbathbody.com, is located on the North Shore in the town of Waialua. The factory makes body washes, aromatherapy body mists, bath salts, lomi lomi oils and lip moisturizers, all from original recipes using no harsh chemicals, detergents or petroleum-based ingredients. The factory is inside the retail store, so when you're at the North Shore, check out this fascinating shop.
To get to the North Shore Soap Factory from Hale`iwa, head down Waialua Beach road and turn left on Goodale Avenue. Turn right on Kealohanua Street and you are at the front gate of The Waialua Sugar Mill, a.k.a the North Shore Soap Factory. The soap factory is open from 9 am to 6 pm Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 pm on Sunday.
The Soap Box, tel. 808-284-6170, www.soapboxhawaii.com. Husband and wife duo Steve Cromwell and Jo Ann Takushi began making soap out of their home in O`ahu about nine years ago and their hobby soon became a small business. They make the soap by hand and the translucent glycerin soaps come in many vivid colors and scents. Some have loofahs embedded inside of the soap. Contact them by phone or on the website to find out more about how to get your hands on some special soap and lotions.
The Tea Chest, tel. 808-591-9400, www.teachest.com, info@teachest.com, opened in 1995 as a distributor and catalog retailer of fine teas and accessories. To promote the business, owners Byron and Satomi Goo went to craft fairs, trade shows and any event that would allow them to set up a booth and promote the tea. Goo discovered that more people were interested in iced tea than hot tea. Eight months later, after much trial and error, the company introduced a Passionfruit iced tea and, later, Mango, Strawberry Guava and `Ohelo Berry teas. In 2001, the company opened a Tea Bar in Downtown Honolulu called Tea Chest Hawaii. If you can't make it back to the islands soon, the teas are available though their Internet site.
Plumeria Rain, www.plumeriarain.com, tel. 808-391-4443. Tina Ortogero and her son Zachary create handmade tropical-inspired bath and body products from their home in Kailua. Some of their products include a jojoba lotion spray that is infused with Kukui nut oil and is light and easily absorbed. They also offer a Hawaiian-style hand sanitizer. The duo use essential oils from flowers such as pikake, pakalana, pua kenikeni, turberose and plumeria.
Lanikai Bath and Body, www.lanikaibathandbody.com, tel. 808-262-3260, shown below, is the brainchild of Gloria Garvey and Brook Gramann. They have an impressive selection of body washes, scrubs, soap, bath lotions, oils and a conditioning shampoo made with local ingredients.
The Honolulu Cookie Company, tel. 866-333-5800, www.honolulucookie.com. In 1998, Keith and Janet Sung began baking light, crisp shortbread cookies and, since then, have created a great following. For many locals and tourists, their cookies are a holiday must. Only the best ingredients are used and the cookie company now offers eight flavors: Butter Macadamia Nut, Chocolate Dipped Macadamia, Pineapple Macadamia Nut, Kona Coffee, Triple Chocolate Dipped Chocolate Macadamia Nut, Mango, Lilikoi and White Chocolate Kona Coffee. The Honolulu Cookie Company has nine store locations in Hawaii (seven in O`ahu) or you can purchase goods on their website.
