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Spirit
of Aloha | Articles
| Aloha Shorts | September/October
2007
Aloha
Shorts
News
and Notes from Around our World
Reef Life
If you’ve ever marveled at Hawai‘i’s turquoise-and-bronze-hued coastal coral reefs, or snorkeled through their bountiful schools of colorful fish, you’ll enjoy getting to know them better in the generously photographed, informative, 20-page report titled The Living Reef, which has just been produced by The Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i. This thoughtful brochure, written by noted marine experts, highlights the biological, economic and cultural significance of Hawai‘i’s coral reefs and the more than 7,000 species of marine life they support. The report also describes modern threats to these precious environments and ways we can help protect them. You can download the entire beautifully illustrated report at www.nature.org/hawaii Or, while supplies last, you can ask for a copy at The Nature Conservancy at 923 Nu‘uanu Ave., in Honolulu. |
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Air Fair
Organizers of the 44th National Championship Air Races and Air Show, scheduled for Sept. 12-16 in Reno, Nev., expect a quarter-million people to show up to see aerobatic performers, the Canadian Forces “Snowbirds,” and stock and modified World War II powerhouses that can reach 500 miles per hour. It’s one of the world’s great air fairs, and it’s all about aviation reality, with speed, grace and thrills galore.
This year, Aloha Airlines Capt. Bruce Mayes, a Reno Air Races participant since the early 1990s, will fly a T-6 aircraft and take particular delight in creating a smoke stream that’s used to identify racers to the crowds as they come down the “chute.” Mayes, a former Army and Coast Guard helicopter pilot, holds eight national and eight world records in single-engine aircraft, jets and helicopters, and, for the record, also flies the fire-rescue helicopter for the City and County of Honolulu.
Of course, Reno is one of Aloha Airlines’ prime Mainland destinations. We hope you’ll take to the air with us to get to this phenomenal air show. More information at www.airrace.org
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Bags
in the
Sun
Growing up on the island of Kaua‘i, Meleana Blaich used to lie on her grandmother’s large lauhala mat and feel the warmth of the sun on her body. This was a special inspiration that she has transformed into a series of one-of-a-kind handbags with colorful Hawaiian touches, influenced by celebratory flower lei, rays of the sun and special straw fabrics. All of Meleana’s handbags are custom made to order from a selection of styles and fabrics. “Each fabric has its own history, and thus so does each handbag,” she says. Contact her at sales@meleana.com or telephone 753-6185. |
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A Dinner to Remember
The Kapalua Wine & Food Festival has long been noted for special culinary events. In 2007, the Winemakers Dinner, prepared by Bon Appétit and San Francisco Magazine 2005 Chef of the Year Michael Mina and hosted by Master Sommelier Fred Dame, was the talk of Maui and beyond. For those who couldn’t get into the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, event, which was priced at $450 per person, SPIRIT OF ALOHA is pleased to reprint the menu and wine pairings:
Osetra Caviar Parfait, Traditional Garniture
Billecart-salmon Brut Blanc de Blanc—
(Chadderdon-Nunzio)
Kona Kampachi Crudo, Pickled Strawberries,
Grains of Paradise, Mint
Gaston Huet, Vouvray Le Mont Demi Sec 2005—
(Chadderdon-Nunzio)
Butter Poached Lobster, Sweet Corn Crepe,
Thai Coconut Reduction
Domaine Ramonet, Chassange-Montrachet
Boudriottes 1995
Crispy Skin Sonoma County Duck, Cinnamon
Couscous, Golden Raisins, Foie Gras
Armand Rousseau, Le Chambertin 1988
Rib Roast of Kobe Beef—Braised Zabuton, Horseradish Mashed Potatoes, Savoy Spinach, Whole Grain Mustard
Chapoutier, Ermitage Pavillion 1990
Banana Tarte Tatin, Maple Sugar Ice Cream
Kiralduvar, Tokaji Aszu 6 Puttonyos 2000
(Chadderdon-Nunzio)
A good time was had by all. |
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| Photos: Darrell Ishii |
How to Add Spice
to Your Life
On many Saturday mornings from 7:30 to 11, a woman named Ka‘iulani Cowell sets up an outdoor kitchen at the Farmers’ Market at Kapi‘olani Community College in Honolulu and starts cooking up a spice storm with such delicious dishes as Ka‘iulani Chicken Curry Wrap, Curry Fried Rice with Cranberries, Vegetable Coconut Curry and Kona Coffee Ribeye Steak. With Ka‘iulani, spice is the name of game, because she makes her own. Ka‘iulani Spices, which she calls “just-right rubs,” have been handmade fresh in Hawai‘i since 2004. In the manner of a well-kept secret, Ka‘iulani blends 22 exotic spices into five different seasonings, after roasting them to maximize their flavor, then grinding them individually and blending them in perfect proportions, without using MSG, preservatives or chemicals.
Ka‘iulani studied at the Cooking School at Kapi‘olani Community College and the Culinary Institute of America in New York City. She was also a Hilton Hotel chef in Guam and worked in the kitchen at the Stanford Court Hotel in San Francisco. She sells her spices, with recipes, at many local markets and some restaurants in Hawai‘i, and her gaily decorated gift pack includes four spices: Kona Coffee, Chinese 5 Spice, Hawaiian Spice and Exotic Curry. “These are the spices that everyone loves in Hawai‘i,” says Ka‘iulani, “and now chefs are beginning to find out how fresh and delicious they make food.” More information at 946-9202.
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Win a $25 Gift Card from Crazy Shirts!
Between July 1 and August 31, all passengers on every Aloha Airlines Hawai‘i-bound flight from the Mainland have a chance to win a $25 gift card from Hawai‘i Crazy Shirts in our continuing family-friendly onboard game. Sometime during the trip, flight attendants will pass out a printed game piece with three questions. The answers are found in this issue of SPIRIT OF ALOHA. Answer the questions correctly, write your name and seat number on the game piece and return it to your flight attendant. A winner will be announced before landing, and awarded the gift card.
All passengers will also receive a coupon good for 10 percent off at any Hawai‘i Crazy Shirts outlet. So, let the game begin! |
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MUSIC:
Listen Up
•Israel “Iz” Kamakawiwo‘ole—Wonderful World: In life and death, Iz is the heart and sweet voice of Hawaiian music. This new album, produced by Jon de Mello, Mountain Apple’s chief executive, is a 12-song collection of previously recorded work that blends Kamakawiwo‘ole’s ‘ukulele with orchestra. Says Brickwood: “Iz was a dear friend of mine. This collection is a labor of love, an embellishment of some original ideas. Iz was probably not ready for anything orchestral, but this is still all about a man and his ‘ukulele, and it’s a very respectful CD.” (Mountain Apple Co.)
• Pilioha—Pilioha: This young, award-winning group, hailing from the Kalihi area of Honolulu, features first cousins Glenn Mayeda Jr. (bass) and Gary “Kalehua” Krug Jr. (rhythm guitar), along with Kamuela Kimokeo (lead guitar), a suitable family trio for an album with a strong family emphasis. Half the songs are original compositions, and Brickwood notes that “the group has a lot of musical experience in spite of their youth. They’re certainly an up-and-coming group, with great musicality and guitar work.” (Pilioha Records)
• Weldon Kekauoha—Ka Lehua ‘Ula: Weldon’s 1999 debut solo album received three Nā Hōkū Hanohano nominations and won “Most Promising Artist” in 2000. His new CD, which speaks of love for his family and the beauty of Hawai‘i, includes hula favorites, original compositions, playful renditions and reverent songs of praise to love and land. Brickwood says, “You can cover a lot of ground with this nice solid combo. Weldon has always been well-respected in the industry as both a sideman and a frontman.” (‘Ohelo Records)
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Books
• The Art of the Board
-According to Ben Marcus—-surfer, writer and former associate editor of Surfer Magazine—there are more than 20 million surfboards worldwide, ridden by 4 million surfers. In a beautiful labor of life, love and energy, he has compiled the first actual history of this ocean icon (ancient Hawaiians surfed in homage to the sea’s gods), from oldtime wave-riding redwood planks to the lightweight, vacuum-sealed technological marvels of the present. The Surfboard (2007, Voyageur Press, St. Paul, Mn.) features stunning studio photographs, historical prints and engravings, and close-ups of surfboards, which show the evolution of the board from Hawaiian koa to Mike Hynson’s four-fin Twinzer and Gary Linden’s hand-shaped agave Swallowtail. Fascinating and essential, even if you don’t go near the water.
• Food from the Sea Chef Michael Gallagher, with the Sea House Restaurant at the Nāpili Kai Beach Resort on Maui, has been an inspiration to locals and visitors who love seafood. His original recipes, which he says are easily re-created in home kitchens, are now collected in The Maui Chef Seafood Cookbook (2006, Island Heritage, Honolulu). From Maui Avocado Crab Cakes with Hawaiian Chile Pepper-Ginger Aioli to Pan-Seared Pāpio with Lemon Caper-Liliko‘i Butter Sauce, Gallagher puts you right in the middle of the best flavors of the Pacific and the Pacific Ocean.
• Hair of the Poi Dog, and Other Drinks Mark Sullivan, who learned the art of mixology in Vermont, then came to Hawai‘i’s Big Island to tend bar in 1990, has now put almost everything he’s learned about cocktails into a handsome book, Hawaiian Tropical Cocktails (2007, Mutual Publishing, Honolulu). The stars of the collection are the Hawaiian fruits and other agricultural products that he has skillfully blended into his drinks, which include Leaping Lizard Sangria, Punahou Punch, a Virgin Bananarama and ... well, you get the idea. Cheers and bottoms up!
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