Ok, when I say “Hawai’i” what enters your mind? Beaches, Diamond Head, hula dancers, Pearl Harbor, whale watching, tikis, and palm trees are all good answers. But I’m willing to bet that of all of the Aloha State’s charms, its food doesn’t spring to mind (and a Mai Tai doesn’t count; it was invented in California in 1944.)
No longer. I would love to sing the highbrow praises of the 3rd Annual Hawaii Food & Wine Festival in Honolulu this September 1-9 (perfect for those not yet quite willing to let summer go). Hawai’i’s native and imported culinary traditions are incredibly rich and varied, but the state is so touristy you’d think Hawaiian pizza is as good as it gets.
For shame.
Culinary travel is a big deal these days, and for foodies looking for something new, the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival puts Polynesia on your plate. Events take place all over the city, headed some of legends of the industry. “Lunch at the Loi” is uniquely Hawai’ian: Hawaiian cultural practitioners from Papahana Kuaola and Paepae o Heeia welcome you to Heeia – an 800-year-old ahupuaa (ancient land division extending from the mountains to the sea) on the windward side of O’ahu. Participants get down and dirty in a loi (traditional taro field) to experience how time-honored concepts of stewardship are thriving in Hawai’i’s modern society, all with the majestic Koolau Mountains as the backdrop. You’ll come away with how to make pai ai (a kind of pounded food that is a native staple) and will enjoy other culinary treats from produce locally sourced.
A term you might hear in Hawai’i is “poi dog,” and this is usually a reference to islanders whose ethnic make-up is so diverse just about any nation can make a claim. It is also reflective of Hawai’ian cooking. The islands love rice, and Chris Cosentino of Incanto (San Francisco) draws on his Italian background while Sang Yoon of Lukshon (Los Angeles) from his Korean-Russian background to present rice with flair, rather than with a pat of butter.
From there, it’s a rollicking tour of California wines, New York pastries, and “Girls Got Game +1,” a morning class featuring an all-female superstar cast of chefs and farmers (plus Sven Ullrich of the Hyatt Regency Waikiki; he’s the “+1”) Girls Got Game +1 showcases dishes prepared by chefs from around the world and highlights women farmers in the Hawai’ian Islands. Morning cocktails from Chandra Lucariello(Southern Wine & Spirits) will complement each dish.
Tickets are on sale now at hawaiifoodandwinefestival.com, and are discounted through August 23. Steele Luxury Travel offers excellent flight upgrades to many islands in Hawaii. Contact us for details at [email protected]