maui culinary academy

 

in anticipation of the "top chef" finale tonight (sam was my man and since he was knocked out last week all i have to say is go ilan!), today's post is all about the culinary scene in the islands which we all know is foodie nirvana. the maui culinary academy is just one of hawaii's top notch cooking schools and straight out of their test kitchen is a gourmet product line developed by the students.

the line ranges from raspberry wine jelly (made from tedeschi vineyards' raspberry remnants that would have otherwise been scrapped) to mango sugar & thai basil sea salt. you can find the line around the islands (i've spotted it at na mea hawaii at ward warehouse) or click over to tedeschi's website to shop online.

class act

also, an off the beaten path lunch idea is the school's pa'ina food court where you can taste what the students have been cooking in class that day. there are six choices including farm to table's locally grown menu, sushi at raw fish camp, and freshly baked pastries at the patisserie. for those who prefer to indulge in a fine dining experience, the class act serves a four course prix fixe lunch menu every wed & fri for $25 (reservations required).

anyhoo, back to "top chef" . . . the finale was filmed on the big island and last week's episode featured the contestants putting their spin on the traditional luau for chef alan wong's birthday bash. if you want to whip up sam's ono sounding haupia, click over to bravo's website which has just posted the recipes online.

honolulu chocolate company

chocolate truffles

hopefully, your love connection is as steadfast and true as the combination of valentine's day and a box of chocolates. if you really want to splurge, stop by the honolulu chocolate company at ward center and worship at the altar that is their chocolate filled glass case. their specialty is artisanal chocolates with everything from decadent truffles (on the last trip home, i sampled one with li hing powder) to chocolate dipped strawberries made just for valentine's to tempt your tastebuds.

if you can't get to their shop, an edited selection of goodies are available on their website however ordering is a bit old school since you have to either fax or call in your order. and remember that valentine's is the shop's second biggest day of the year so don't procrastinate if you want to treat your sweet.

mauna loa kisses

my bff sent up a bag of mauna loa macadamia nut hershey kisses for xmas which i have been patiently hoarding until valentine's day. the kisses are wrapped in mauna loa's signature blue foil with "aloha" printed on the paper plume. too cute and oh so yummy.

milk chocolate kisses are exclusive to the islands however there is one entrepreneurial soul selling them on ebay (with a markup, of course). if you are not in hawaii, your best bet is to add them to your wish list for the next care package or start hunting for the special dark chocolate kisses (a double whammy of omega 3's) which are only sold on the mainland.

mauna loa also has a limited edition gift tin on their website which seems to be the only way to buy them online.

liko lehua gourmet butter

guava jelly has been my toasty spread of choice since little kid time but the gourmet fruit butters from liko lehua sound like a yummy replacement. the all natural butters are whipped up on the big island in tropical flavors like coconut, guava, lilikoi, mango, pineapple and tahitian lime with no additives and are preservative-free.

click over to the recipes page for inspiration beyond the typical bread & butter combo and delight your tastebuds with lilikoi crepes or a mango cheesecake. you may want to pick up a sampler and do a taste test to find your favorite or stock up and save with liko lehua's promotion to receive a complimentary flavor when you order 5 flavors.

bubbies ice cream

 mochi ice cream + smud pie

years ago, my cousin scooped ice cream at the varsity bubbies and after hearing all the raves from the foodies in my family we made sure to hit it on our next visit home. bubbies has set up shop online at the gourmet food mall which means you don't have to wait until your next trip to hawaii to get your fix of their much beloved (and o list favorite) mochi ice cream. 

there are 19 flavors in all ranging from asian tropical standards like lychee, green tea & azuki bean to bite sized tastes of tiramisu, pistachio & chocolate/peanut butter. and, if you really want to surprise a friend going through bubbies withdrawal have an ice cream cake sent to their door.

you may get sticker shock when you see the prices online but it does include the cost of next day shipping. bubbies only ships on tue, wed & thu so double check your calendar and remember to place your order with enough lead time.