Gastronome
I am the worst when it comes to shopping for the holidays. Every year I tell myself I’m going to start early, but I ultimately end up procrastinating (#storyofmylife).
So, I’ve begun to look for gifts that are memorable and fun, but don’t require endless hours at the mall. Not surprisingly, I’ve found that food makes a really great present.
This Christmas, Metro‘s first, my gift to you is a brief guide of some food items on my shopping list. (If you’re on my recipients list, I apologize for ruining the surprise.)
In addition to what you see here, there are a few gift suggestions not included because they’ve recently appeared in Metro. The first is Nani Kore, a locally made kimchi that appeared in our Nov. 26 issue. Then, there is a great list of wines master sommelier Patrick Okubo provided in the Dec. 3 issue. You can read more about both at metroHNL.com.
1. SPUN PARADISE COTTON CANDY CO.
spunparadise.com
I love cotton candy. Love it. So when I heard about this Hilo-based company, I was instantly excited.
Flavors range from Lychee and Coconut to Blue Raspberry and Strawberry. Plus, Spun Paradise utilizes only natural flavoring methods to create its cotton candy, which is made with organic evaporated cane juice.
“I really wanted to create something totally new and unique in Hawaii,” says owner Danna Eady.
It took every ounce of willpower to refrain from eating an entire container of Lilikoi all at once. Though, really, the same could be said of all the other flavors I tried — Coconut, Sea Salt Caramel and Pineapple. (I’ve hidden the leftovers under my desk to save for our next Metro staff meeting — that’s how much we loved it.)
You can find Spun Paradise at Primo Popcorn, Eden in Love and Polynesian Cultural Center. This sugary confection also may be shipped free to outer islands.
2. HONOLULU COOKIE COMPANY
honolulucookie.com
No one has ever been able to resist a cookie from Honolulu Cookie Company (trust me, Metro staffers finished an entire box in just a few hours).
This holiday season, the company is teaming up with the Shane Victorino Foundation with its Flyin’ Hawaiian gift box — $2 from each box sold goes to the Shane Victorino Foundation.
“Proceeds … will go toward our long-term goal of improving youth baseball facilities in Hawaii,” explains foundation executive director Kari Uyehara.
The box includes 16 shortbread cookies in eight classic flavors, and is only available at Honolulu Cookie Company’s Ward and Ala Moana locations, or online.
To make things even more fun, 18 boxes will include an official autographed baseball card from Shane Victorino.
Or, for a taste of the holidays, select from any number of products from its Holiday Collection. Items like the medium Mele Quilt gift box feature four of the company’s newest peppermint flavors: Peppermint, Chocolate Peppermint, White Chocolate Peppermint and Dark Chocolate Peppermint.
3. A KOREAN KITCHEN
mutualpublishing.com
I really enjoy spending time in the kitchen. It’s my cathartic release after a long day. But Korean recipes in particular have always been challenging.
In Joan Namkoong’s A Korean Kitchen, I’ve found a glimmer of hope.
The book features 45 recipes from the second-generation Korean and former food editor of The Honolulu Advertiser. You’ll find just about everything, from mandu and different sauces, to more complex items like kimchi.
The recipes hail from Namkoong’s family, and they’re accessible and easy to follow. Perhaps the greatest insight she shares is this: “All Korean cooks have their own versions of each dish and their own ways of seasoning.”
So, don’t be afraid to use each recipe as a guide and expand from there.
Namkoong’s book is the first in a series of cookbooks intended to explore Hawaii’s ethnically diverse cuisines. The two newest additions are An Okinawan Kitchen by Grant Sato and A Portuguese Kitchen by Wanda A. Adams.
4. ADOBOLOCO
adoboloco.com
Living in Bend, Ore., Tim Parsons was unable to find Filipino food in the area. So, he resorted to cooking his own and created Adoboloco.com, where people from around the world could share their recipes.
Then, a few years ago, Parsons and his family moved to Maui. In 2011, they started a garden, planting Jalapeno peppers as part of a home schooling project. With the leftovers, he created a sauce that quickly grew popular with his family and friends.
These days, Adoboloco can be found nationwide, and offers more than just its Jalapeno sauce. Others include Habanero and Hawaiian, which features Hawaiian chili pepper.
In stores, it can be found at Red Pineapple and Down To Earth, among a few other locations.
