“Ono” Hawaiian Food
What the heck is “’ono” Hawaiian food? Well, the Hawaiian word ‘ono means delicious or tasty (there’s another ono Hawaiian word, but later on that), so that’s what this post is all about; delicious Hawaiian food.
If you’re on your first (or even second) jaunt to Hawaii, Hawaiian style food is probably still pretty much a muddled subject to you. Mostly, because there’s a lot of myth and misunderstanding about the food of Hawaii. Much of this comes from the menu mix of traditional Hawaiian, Asian, Filipino, and Portuguese recipes.
So, in the interest of clarity, I’m offering the following ….
Traditional Hawaiian Food
Poi (poy) Made from the thoroughly cooked, mashed, corm of the Taro (Kalo in Hawaiian) plant. Traditionally, Poi is not mixed with other foods, and is eaten by twirling one or two fingers (never three; greedy, eh?) in a bowl of Poi, then popping what’s collected in the mouth. OK, in modern times, not so much, but it is usally offered as a side dish. I’m a slob, and I like to mix it with my rice.
Kalua pig (kah loouh …. hey, you know how to pronounce pig) Traditionally, and the only authentic kalua pig is cooked in an underground oven called an imu. The heat source is hot rocks, and much of the unique flavor comes from salt, and wet banana and ti leaves. So, you folks who go to a lu’au where the pig is cooked in a pit are treated to the real deal, no matter how much other imitation stuff is going on. (Note: The word kalua literally means "to cook in an underground oven" and also describes the flavor of food cooked that way).
Lu’au Thoroughly steamed young Taro leaves … also what a festive event is called. A very popular party dish is lu’au steamed with coconut milk and some kind of fish, meat or fowl. “Eh, you like squid lu’au?“
Laulau (think “bow wow“ …only with L’s) Lau is the Hawaiian word for leaf, so laulau is two leaves. This is a handy little food package consisting of a single portion of meat (usually pork) and butterfish wrapped in lu’au (taro leaf), then wrapped in ti leaf … the aluminum foil of the Pacific. Then the whole package is thoroughly steamed. When served, you unwrap the ti leaf and set it aside … please, please don’t eat the ti leaves. You wouldn’t eat aluminum foil, right? Many local people sprinkle little bit “peppah watah” on.
‘Uala (Hawaiian purple sweet potato) You’ll find this tasty tuber at lu’aus, and most places where they serve “Hawaiian plate.“ This is an ancient food item, and it is believed that it was brought to central Polynesia circa 700 AD, possibly by Polynesians who had traveled to South America and back (or vice versa), and spread across Polynesia to Hawaii.
Limu (seaweed) This is such a big category it would take several posts just to touch on the highlights. Suffice it to say that native Hawaiians … as well as most of the prominent local cultures of Hawaii … have enjoyed limu as part of their basic diet for literally thousands of years. It’s eaten in raw, cooked and dried form, and is very nutritious.
Fish …….Whew! this is getting kinda long. I’ll finish up with my usual, then return midweek with another post on the “ono” foods of Hawaii. Some recipes, too.
News Flash: Running out of ideas for that November ’09 vacation? To get inspired Check this out.
Fun Facts About Hawaii: As such, in the State of Hawaii there are no governments below the county level. So, don’t look for the City Hall in Hilo.
Any questions? Please leave a comment.
Aloha a hui hou
Emergency Notice for September Oahu Activities
If this post seems to be propelled by caffiene controlled text … you’re right! Holy Gopher, it’s all about September, and September is already here!
OK, let’s get to it.
Big Bash! HAWAII FOOD & WINE PARADISE
No, that’s not a misprint. "Paradise" is the operative word here. I’ll have to admit I’m not attending due to the lack of a certain vital ingredient … MONEY!
Anyway, the event is from September 11th through the 13th, in and around the Kapolei area (all the way out H1 to the north).
I’m giving away the farm here, but I want to get the news out, so unleash your wallet and read this. And if you need a roof over your head, here’s some possibilities. A couple of the lower priced properties are sort of doggie, but I’m not going to say which ones, ’cause they know where I live!
Let’s hustle along here.
Hawaiian Quilts for Visiting Quilters
If you’re going to be on Oahu between September 13 and 21, and are a quilter, or quilting fan, be sure to Visit Kahala Mall for a major quilting event. Kahala Mall is at 4211 Waialae Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Hawaii’s Master Quilter, Carol Kamaile (Kah my leh) will be displaying her designs as an important part of Kahala Mall’s "Shop with Aloha" event.
This is a big event in honor of Aloha Festivals, and features live entertainment and demonstrations that celebrate the arts, music and culture of Hawaii, past and present. If you’re new to Hawaii, this is a great way to get plenny Hawaiiana all in one place.
Oh, and did I mention it’s open to the public and free of charge.
QUILTING DEMONSTRATIONS AT KAHALA MALL Saturday, 9/13 10am-2pm, Sunday, 9/14 10pm-2pm, Wednesday, 9/17 5pm-9pm, Friday, 9/19 10am-2pm, Saturday, 9/20 10am-2pm; and final day, Sunday, 9/21 1pm-5pm
AND THAT’S NOT ALL. During this awesome event, you’ll be treated to a prestige fashion event where you’d normally pay big bucks for admission.
Here it is.
Hawaiian Monarchy Collection … Fashions from Hawaii’s Golden Age.
Imagine. The royal clothing of Queen Kaahumanu (Kah ah hoo mah new) , who presided, for all purposes, as the Queen Regent of Hawaii from 1820 until 1832; Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, who envisioned the Kamehameha Schools; and many, many more.
This elegant fashion show is limited to September 13 only at Center Court of Kahala Mall at 2pm.
OK, here’s a link to the Honolulu Advertiser article that tells all about this very special "Shop with Aloha" event.
Aloha a hui hou
Airlines That Fly to Hawaii …
… provide easy access to to all the major islands and airports.
Wait a minute! Does it seem like I’m giving waaaay to much attention to air travel? Ok, OK, this’ll be the last post … for a little while … about airlines, cheap airline tickets , and stuff like that. Except for updates.
Last post I talked about the demise of Aloha Airlines, but neglected to note the passing of another great airline service to Hawaii,ATA Airlines. Bruddah, did I love those guys. ATA, for me always delivered the goods. I took numerous trips out of Maui, and later from Hilo on the Big Island when ATA resumed service there in … ummm, I think it was 2006. They had a great connection with Southwest in Oakland, then on to Albuquerque (my second home). Why is it that so many of the good guys get cut?
Moving on, below is a list of the airlines that provide service to Hawaii from the Mainland (that’s the really big island called the “lower 48″). Not all airlines fly to every major airport in Hawaii, so check your schedules.
- American Airlines
- Continental Airlines
- United Airlines
- Northwest Airlines
- Hawaiian Airlines
- Delta airlines
Don’t forget you can island hop to any of the Hawaiian Islands by using the services of the local airlines. Again, not all go to each island.
- Hawaiian Airlines
- Island Air
- go!
- Marjet
- Pacific wings
- Mokulele Airlines
Yeah, I know, airfares are going up due to fuel costs, etc., but shop around, you’ll be suprised what you find. Remember, you’ll always find great airlines that fly to Hawaii.
Aloha a hui hou