tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62085832010-02-07T16:37:27.075-10:00Free range thoughts on the finest ingredients, cuisine, and fine dining in Hawaii.Larrynoreply@blogger.comBlogger196125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208583.post-28629863799962563842010-02-07T16:37:00.001-10:002010-02-07T16:37:27.132-10:00

by Larry Geller Wouldn’t it be great if food stamp users could buy healthy, freshly picked produce at the Farmers Markets? The technology is here now. A startup called Square is taking credit card payments already, with no startup fee and no hardware cost. At present, an iPhone is needed, but they promise more connectivity options in the future. Yes, it works through a cell phone. Watch this

Larrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208583.post-85184237561196466752010-01-13T17:59:00.001-10:002010-01-13T17:59:07.605-10:00

by Larry Geller Most genetically modified seed corn is produced in Hawaii, where a large majority of all the corn grown is raised expressly for the production of genetically modified seeds. [Pacific Business News, Genetically modified corn is on the rise, 9/7/2004] Hawaii-grown corn, big business or not, may be bad business for the state. A recent study is getting to the point GMO opponents have

Larrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208583.post-82598022864071761702010-01-02T17:43:00.001-10:002010-01-02T17:46:19.018-10:00

by Larry Geller As you may remember from her famous run-in with the cattle industry in 1996, Oprah Winfrey exclaimed on her show about mad cow disease, "It has just stopped me cold from eating another burger!" So she was sued. She ultimately won, but that suit underlined the risk involved in taking on the meat industry in this country. One little slipup and you’re in trouble. Perhaps that figured

Larrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208583.post-53309305905713594032009-12-10T21:08:00.001-10:002009-12-10T21:14:14.735-10:00

by Nanette GellerI was thrilled to see that The Hawaii Cattleman's Association will be bringing red veal to the KCC Farmers Market again this Saturday, 12/12. If you aren’t a vegetarian I urge you to give it a try (http://www.hfbf.org/farmersMarketKCC.shtml). If you can’t make it to KCC, R. Fields at Foodland Beretania carries it as well.My mother was French so we ate veal pretty often. Not just

Nanettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12873186344624403153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208583.post-85765891449826257932009-11-21T18:35:00.001-10:002009-11-21T18:35:44.667-10:00

The former Weyerhaeuser corrugated container plant should be the home of a new Ba-Le restaurant and plant by March 2010. The building is to be shared with Island Flooring Co. which joined with Ba-Le Restaurants in purchasing the property earlier this year. The building is on the corner of Nimitz Highway and Alakawa Street. The new restaurant should do well, given its proximity to Home Depot, the

Larrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208583.post-1555488854426453262009-10-06T12:46:00.001-10:002009-10-06T12:46:32.190-10:00

by Larry Geller Unbelievable. But if it is in the New York Times, it must be true. Condé Nast will close Gourmet magazine, a magazine of almost biblical status in the food world, it was announced on Monday. Gourmet has been published since January 1941. Also being shut down are the Condé Nast magazines Cookie, Modern Bride and Elegant Bride, according to an internal company memo that also was

Larrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208583.post-81487182973668982642009-10-05T16:34:00.001-10:002009-10-05T16:34:26.056-10:00

by Larry Geller I was going to write about the New York Times blockbuster article, E. Coli Path Shows Flaws in Beef Inspection, which is a long, tough look at the meat industry and the USDA. But I see that David Shapiro has beat me to it. Please click over and read Where's the beef? You don't want to know. Good, it would make me sick all over again if I had to summarize that NY Times story. I’ll

Larrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208583.post-39694364462341491232009-08-22T21:10:00.001-10:002009-08-22T21:10:49.898-10:00

by Larry Geller A nationwide study of mercury contamination in fish released on Wednesday found this dismal result: Scientists detected mercury contamination in every fish sampled in 291 streams across the country… About a quarter of these fish were found to contain mercury at levels exceeding the criterion for the protection of people who consume average amounts of fish, established by the U.S.

Larrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208583.post-49272838426074616002009-08-02T18:22:00.000-10:002009-08-02T18:22:00.973-10:00

by Larry Geller Last night we went to Kahala to see the movie Food, Inc. and then to do a little shopping at Whole Foods. Let me tell you, after watching that documentary, it was hard to decide whether or not to buy that piece of chicken we were thinking of for dinner later in the week. The FDA is not protecting us against the contamination that appears to be rampant in modern American

Larrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208583.post-43089022634274571362009-07-19T09:45:00.001-10:002009-07-19T09:45:53.809-10:00

by Larry Geller Today, July 19, 2009, is doyo no ushi no hi in Japan, a day in summer for eating eels, or unagi. It’s a tradition going back centuries. On this day in Japan it’s an imperative to eat unagi for lunch or dinner. It’s said to be “stamina ryori,” or health food, and doyo no ushi no hi is aimed to occur at about the hottest time of the summer in Japan. There may be more than one in a

Larrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208583.post-36942364055943548742009-07-07T23:21:00.001-10:002009-07-07T23:21:13.657-10:00

by Larry Geller Remember Michelle Obama’s great idea to grow a White House garden and keep it organic? She even resisted pressure from the pesticide lobby to spray their poisons on it. Unfortunately, something happened on the way to the realization of the First Lady's good intentions. Recently the National Park Service discovered that the White House lawn, where the garden was planted, contains

Larrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208583.post-55781911903010565652009-07-06T16:04:00.001-10:002009-07-06T16:13:59.584-10:00

by Larry Geller Check out this July 1, 2009 article from the New York Times Magazine, Street Farmer, describing the achievements of Will Allen, a MacArthur Foundation Genius Award winner: Like others in the so-called good-food movement, Allen, who is 60, asserts that our industrial food system is depleting soil, poisoning water, gobbling fossil fuels and stuffing us with bad calories. Like

Larrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208583.post-62367522943811329152009-05-17T09:49:00.000-10:002009-05-17T11:01:52.082-10:00

by Larry Geller A scary article from the New York Times, Food Companies Are Placing the Onus for Safety on Consumers (May 14, 2009) should be of particular concern to Hawaii consumers. Because of the length of the distribution chain, by the time food gets to us, any little buggers hitchhiking along have had a chance to party and prosper. Like flying here on United used to be, free drinks,

Larrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208583.post-33590989550890670332009-04-25T22:13:00.001-10:002009-04-25T22:13:00.311-10:00

by Larry Geller Check these out next time you are at the KCC Saturday Farmers Market. (click for large enough to read) Greg has set up a few tables to enjoy these classy omelets in comfort. Technorati Tags: Hawaii, Honolulu, KCC Saturday Farmers Market, farmers market, Blue Lotus, Blue Lotus Farms del.icio.us Tags: Hawaii, Honolulu, KCC Saturday Farmers Market, farmers market, Blue Lotus, Blue

Larrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208583.post-79203684480948959912009-04-22T09:58:00.001-10:002009-04-22T09:58:40.318-10:00

by Larry Geller Send out for scotch, boil me a crabCut me a rose, and make my tea with the petalsJust hang around, pick up the tabNever out think me, just mink mePolar bear rug me, don't bug meNew Thunderbird me, you heard meI'm getting hungry, peel me a grape [Peel Me a Grape, Written by David Frishberg] Now, that’s luxury. To get someone to peel your grapes for you. In Japan, peeling grapes

Larrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208583.post-29260820440480153782009-02-06T11:30:00.001-10:002009-02-06T11:30:06.795-10:00

by Larry Geller A story in today’s Advertiser, Local milk back in stores, brings welcome news. An important piece of information was omitted, though, and it’s one you need to know about if you buy “local” milk at your favorite supermarket. Hidden at the very end of the story continuation is this incomplete revelation: Most milk imported from the Mainland, while it can be characterized as being

Larrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208583.post-22172689468126806222008-12-08T14:02:00.001-10:002008-12-08T14:02:13.209-10:00

by Larry Geller I have always admired a well-run kitchen. After all, we go to a restaurant for an enjoyable eating experience. If they’ve forgotten part of an order, if there’s a long wait, if it comes out cold when it should be hot, or if the dessert is microwaved and soggy, it makes it tough to enjoy. On the other hand, when something is expertly prepared, seems to pop right out of the kitchen

Larrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208583.post-33294501064518933422008-11-23T21:12:00.001-10:002008-11-23T21:12:17.056-10:00

by Larry Geller It seems that almost everyone on the planet has tried Mark Bittman’s no-knead bread. The original recipe was in the New York Times article of November 8, 2006, The Secret of Great Bread: Let Time Do the Work (recipe here), and there’s a video which will explain the whole thing to you (although Bittman’s recipe differs from the video, it’s close enough): I’m guessing that if I

Larrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208583.post-68248390610074162042008-11-17T21:17:00.001-10:002008-11-17T21:17:17.317-10:00

by Larry Geller We were thrilled to learn that Kookie is back in Honolulu, and this time with her own Thai restaurant and exciting new menu. Kookie’s Thai Kitchen opened Friday (Grand Opening will be Sunday, November 23) in a completely redecorated location on Middle Street, near Rose St. We rushed right over, eager for the flavors we remember from when she was the creative chef behind Club New

Larrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208583.post-71270284444795356652008-11-15T12:36:00.001-10:002008-11-15T15:28:14.221-10:00

Some supermarkets have jacked up prices more than others on a particular item. It’s hard for the consumer to tell whether increases are due to the higher cost of ingredients or just plain price gouging. When the manufacturer shrinks the product, it’s easier to detect. Tropicana, which makes a not-bad fresh (not from concentrate) orange juice which we’ll buy when it is on sale and Florida

Larrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208583.post-60299557544649750462008-10-12T08:28:00.001-10:002008-10-12T08:28:58.155-10:00

by Larry Geller Hawaii has not dealt with charges that it permits cruel treatment of animals shipped here for food, and then covers it up by sticking “Island Produced” labels on the packages. The cruelty was revealed in a video produced by the Handle with Care coalition and highlighted again in an August, 2008 story in Honolulu Magazine. But the cruelty continues today. The Handle with Care

Larrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208583.post-72255931752396910682008-08-15T17:22:00.001-10:002008-08-16T11:08:29.486-10:00

by Larry Geller Just a word to oyster lovers. I suggest not buying oysters at Costco unless the box is sealed shut. We were over there today and observed three teenage boys going through the boxes of oysters in the refrigerator cabinet. They were opening each box and handling and inspecting each oyster! Of course, we called this to the attention of nearby staff, but they took a long time

Larrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208583.post-21808797589731272342008-08-03T20:11:00.001-10:002008-08-03T20:11:02.734-10:00

This is the second and (I believe) last eel alert for this year. Please see Eel Alert #1 for details. According to the Japanese calendar, Tuesday, August 5, 2008 is the second Doyo No Ushi No Hi for this year. When I visited Don Quijote, they were amply supplied with frozen 9.5 ounce imported eels. So no excuses. You’ll also need a little bottle of unagi no tare (eel sauce) if you’re out. Or, of

Larrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208583.post-77356424131196120972008-08-03T14:43:00.001-10:002008-08-03T14:43:19.434-10:00

We skipped the Bishop Museum shindig last weekend, but that meant no farmers’ market shopping. Instead, we took a step back and shopped a little at Kokua Market (which has some of the same local produce that’s at the KCC Saturday Market) and at Costco. This weekend the market is back at KCC, and so were we. And it feels good. Here’s why. Costco has a bag of mixed color bell peppers that we used

Larrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208583.post-33887017459771166932008-07-31T21:10:00.001-10:002008-07-31T21:10:34.899-10:00

Congratulations to this well-respected goat farm on Maui. From today's Star-Bulletin story: Surfing Goat Dairy on Maui now also has the distinction of becoming the first Hawaii-based producer to receive the Certified Humane Raised and Handled label from Virginia-based nonprofit group Humane Farm Animal Care. To qualify for the label, farms must meet precise standards for the treatment of farm

Larrynoreply@blogger.com