Aloha Friday Recipe: Tropical Itch

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This modern cocktail is served with a backscratcher in the glass. If you cannot get your hands on Lilikoi (passion fruit) juice, just substitute a mix of your favorites.

1oz Vodka
1oz Light Rum
1/2 oz Orange Curacao or Grand Marnier (Triple Sec will substitute)
3 – 4 oz. Passion Fruit Juice (Or get creative!)

Shake well and pour over ice. Garnish with fruit and the backscratcher!

Recipe courtesy of HawaiianLuauParty.com

Please drink responsibily this New Years Eve and have a great 2008!

For the keiki…

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The keikis (kids) are home on Christmas break, that doesn’t mean they need to let da brain go mushy right?  Well they can learn AND have fun with this activity sheet on sharks provided by the Maui Ocean Center.   They can learn interesting facts and do mazes and puzzles too!  Just give it a second to load as it’s a PDF and print it off for some sneaky educational fun!

Click here for the activity sheet!

Mele Kalikimaka to True Aloha readers!

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Christmas

I wanted to wish all of my readers a very Mele Kalikimaka! (Merry Christmas…as if it needed an explanation!) I hope you all are enjoying a day with family and/or friends and remembering the true meaning of the season. Have a wonderful holiday and see you tomorrow!

Green Tip of the Day

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Mele Kalikimaka and Merry Christmas! 

Don’t forget to have a bag that you put all of your paper recyclables in over the holidays.  All of the wrapping paper, gift boxes and plastic packaging adds a LOT to the landfills this time of year!  Do your part to continue your recycling efforts and spread the aloha to our aina! (land)

Aloha Friday Recipe: Coconut Pie

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Ingredients:

2 C Milk
3/4 C Sugar
4 Eggs
1 C Shredded coconut1 tsp Vanilla
1/4 C Soft butter
1/2 C Bisquick

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into a large 9″ DEEP DISH, buttered pie pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hr. This recipe will make it’s own crust.

Recipe courtesy of AlohaWorld.com

UH football team to sign autographs on Oahu

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Anyone on Oahu Saturday may want to head over to see our Warriors before they’re busy with holiday and Sugar Bowl business!  Article below courtesy of the Honolulu Star Bulletin:

University of Hawaii football players and coaches will be available for autographs on Saturday, Dec. 22, from noon until 1:00 p.m. on UH’s soccer field, which is adjacent to the football practice field.

Fans requesting quarterback Colt Brennan’s autograph will be limited to one item with his signature only. Items will not be personalized or include special notes. He will also not pose for photos in order to accommodate as many fans as possible with autographs.

This will be the final time before the Allstate Sugar Bowl that UH players and coaches will be available for autographs and public appearances.

Rally to help save Koloa’s monkeypod trees

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About 16 of Koloa’s historic monkeypod trees that have been standing for 80 years are about to be cut down to accomodate a retail center.  If you live on or are going to be visiting Kauai this Saturday, please attend the rally to show your support to save these gentle giants!  If you cannot attend, contact info is listed below.

WHAT:
Demonstration to “Save the Monkeypod Trees”

WHEN:
Saturday, December 22nd, from 10:00am – 5:00pm

WHERE:
Koloa across from Lappert’s Ice Cream Shop

TARGET:
People from the Knudsen estate to write to:

The owner is:
Eric Knudsen
PO BOx 415
Verdi NV 89439

The developer is:
David Nelson
Nelson Development
6960 Orchid Lake Rd suite 200
West Bloomfield MI 48322
email: dnelson@nelsoncos.com

FOR INFO:
Koloa Community Association
Carol Ann Davis-Briant
phone: 808-742-6523, 742-2111
email: carolanndavis@hawaii.rr.com
write: 2381 Kipuka Street, Koloa HI 96756

Farmers Market listings

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If you haven’t had the culinary adventure of going to a Hawaii farmers market, you are missing out.  So many wonderful produce items, spices and arts and crafts await you.  The state has a plethora of markets to choose from. 

If you’re planning a trip to the islands, make stopping by one of these gems part of your itinerary.  Many foods are organic and you’ll be supporting the local economy!  For a list of many local farmers markets, click here.

Remembering one of the last great tiki bars

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front.jpgWhile growing up in Columbus, Ohio going out to a really fancy restaurant was a big thing.  It was an even bigger thing when you got to go to the Kahiki Polynesian Supper Club.  (I encourage you to click on the link and go to the Kahiki Supper Club Video in the bottom right corner to see the inside of this historical building.)  Now this tiki bar was in it’s heyday back in the 60′s and 70′s and it never really updated…ever.  But the kitschy appeal as time went on made it that much more fun.  I remember going there for my birthday once, for prom, for family gatherings and my first really fancy date with my husband.   The outside of the building was beautiful and resembled a war canoe.  Large Easter Island statues stood on either side of the entrance with their “hair” aflame every night.  As you walked in, there was this really cave-like entrance with a black light and the water that ran down the lavaesque walls looked like milk.  To the right was the gift shop, which I loved to stroll around as a kid and then the Beachcomber Bar.  To the left were the restrooms which had huge clamshell sinks ala old Coco Palms style and portholes.  If you walked a little further, there was a staircase leading down to the disco which later became the banquet/party rooms.  Man, if you were able to sneak down there it was just the coolest thing as a kid.  Right in front of you is this big fountain shaped like a head. 

As you enter the restaurant, there are various huts named after the Hawaiian Islands, things like puffer fish lights on the ceiling, high back wicker chairs, heavily varnished tables and booths that sat you either on the aquarium wall or the “rainforest” wall.  The centerpiece of it all was a HUGE 80′ tall mask fireplace.  It looked downright evil yet entrancing.  Now before my honeymoon in 1996, this was my only exposure to “polynesian” culture.  Now that we’re more than well versed in many aspects of Hawaii and Polynesian tradition, we know that some things weren’t exactly representative of Hawaii.  Like I don’t remember hearing steel drums in Hawaii…ever.  But they have a wonderful steel drum band there.  The food is more Chinese, American and I suppose a tad of what is now known as Pacific Rim but nowhere were there real Hawaiian dishes like a plate lunch, kalua pig, huli huli chicken or any of the things you’d come to expect on a regular menu at a local restaurant.  But there were “tropical” dishes so I suppose that’s close enough as you’re going to find in the midwest!  The rainforest side of the restaurant was basically a pipe over the windows that would leak during the “storm” while the “wild birds” (aka-sparrows and robins and a few other birds) flew around.  Do I wish they had more authentic representations of the islands?  Sure.  But whatcha gonna do?  Well, if you’ve got big business in the form of Walgreen’s breathing down your neck because you’re sitting next to a CVS pharmacy, then you take your business of 39 years and fold the restaurant.  Yes, this beautiful restaurant that lumbered over our city since the 60′s and intrigued everyone to react whether positive or negative, to its closing day was reduced to rubble so Walgreen’s could compete next to CVS.  It was an atrocity.  We went for our last dinner in it’s final, crowded weeks when everyone came from cities near and far to say their alohas to this central Ohio landmark.  The owner was sure they would reopen downtown on the riverfront but this did not match our mayor’s vision for the city and he would not green light the project.  It saddens most central Ohioans or anyone whose ever been there because they’re a dying breed and our dreams to seem to be on hold for ever seeing Kahiki restaurant reborn.  Kahiki Foods, their frozen food subsidiary, have done incredibly well and can even be seen in Hawaii grocery stores.  But for those who crave Kahiki’s restaurant menu, what is a person to do?

Well, you head on up to Hilliard, Ohio (northwest central Ohio) to Tropical Bistro where the chefs and employees of Kahiki, with the blessing of Kahiki bigwigs, now prepare the exact same menu!  Some of my personal faves are the crab puff pupu, Hong Kong Steak, Malagasy Chicken, the Tahitian Mermaid *yum!*, Islander Flaming Beef Teriyaki and Teriyaki Chicken.   They have a great lunch buffet if you want the basics.  My only complaint is the Pina Passion drink is served in a ceramic pineapple and they used to be served in a whole pineapple which was half the fun.  One of the highlights of this wonderful restaurant is their ukulele player Francis who lived in Kona and played for Jamesons.  He is a delight, filled with aloha spirit and loves to talk story. 

Aloha and A hui hou Kahiki.  We hope your treasures will one day be unveiled to bring your ambience and menu together again.  Mahalo Tropical Bistro for allowing the Kahiki loyalists to have a place to go to reminisce and make new memories as well!

Update:  Sadly The Tropical Bistro has closed.  It was in a horrible location and we knew it wouldn’t last long there.  One can only hope they might choose a new location but I won’t hold my breath.  Sigh.

(To see the heartwrenching pictures of Kahiki being dismantled, click here)

Kahiki Restaurant picture courtesy of Kahiki.com

Green Tip of the Day

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Buy Reusable and Long Lasting Items

Products that can be reused are cheaper in the long run than those you throw away and buy over and over again. Goods that are designed to last a long time are also cheaper in the long run than those that wear out quickly. A family can save $1,000 each year buy buying reusable and long lasting products.

  • Use rechargeable batteries in toys, flashlights, radios. You can save $200 a year by using rechargeable batteries instead of disposables in one cd player used two hours a day.
  • Use cloth diapers instead of disposable diapers. You’ll save $600 per child by using a laundry diaper service instead of disposable diapers.
  • Use a real camera instead of disposable ones. If you take 24 pictures each month you will save $144 each year.
  • Many families spend over $260 each year on paper towels and napkins. Switch to cloth napkins, sponges, and cloth towels or wipes.
  • Use washable plates, cups, and silverware for parties and picnics instead of disposable products.
  • Use an electric razor or hand razor with replaceable blades instead of disposable razors.
  • Buy high quality/long life tires. They cost less per mile traveled and reduce the problem of disposing of used tires.
  • Use a washable commuter mug for your morning coffee and eliminate a Styrofoam or plastic cup every day.
  • Bring bags to the market, either cloth ones or your old paper and plastic ones. Many markets will credit your bill for using your own bags. When buying only a few items, don’t take a bag.
  • Clean and service your appliances, computers, tools, and cars so that they will enjoy even longer lives. And, before you replace them, check to see if they are repairable. Consider sharing equipment that is used infrequently such as hedge clippers, pruners, fruit pickers, or chain saws.

Tips courtesy of Earth911.org

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