Laurie Carlson is president of the Slow Food Oahu convivium and, of course, founding publisher of Honolulu Weekly. She often wears both hats in the course of a single day and sees sides of these islands few of us are exposed to, so it’s no surprise that, when asked to hew to a narrowly drawn question about food, Carlson’s responses were boundless.

Picky Popo

Our local Chinese grandmothers (and other discriminating tutu and aunties) are the arbiters of good food in Hawaii. Those ladies know what’s good and where to find it. They are one of the forces that make Chinatown bustle on Saturday mornings. Our fussiest eaters are quick to know when fish is old and where to find the best, freshest and cheapest Chinese parsley. If more of Honolulu’s residents were as picky as these clever tutu wahine, our food would be better.

Chinatown

As much as it’s wonderful to have all of our new farmers’ markets, Chinatown is still the heart of Honolulu’s food culture. If you’ve ever lived on Maui or in Kona, you will have come to appreciate Oahu’s Chinatown all the more. Just imagine, no dim sum, no lei stalls, no acupuncture or herbal medicines, no fresh noodle. Where else in Hawaii can you find so many choices for bao, smoked duck and now fresh fruit smoothies?

Maui sugar

Maui, unlike the rest of our islands, hasn’t forsaken the cultivation of cane sugar. Ko is a canoe plant brought originally from Asia by Pacific voyagers centuries ago. Look around older local neighborhoods and you can still find it growing in a little clump in a corner of the yard. In Chinatown, they press it and make sugarcane juice, used as a health supplement throughout Asia. It’s great that at least one kitchen staple is grown in our state.

Back to the garden

If you recently saw trendsetting first lady Michelle Obama with hoe in hand, you also know that if there wasn’t already a movement to grow vegetables in home and community gardens, there soon will be. The University of Hawaii Outreach College had to add more classes after filling all spaces in its spring and summer gardening workshops. Seed companies are running out of seeds; demand is up 20–30 percent this year. If you don’t have a yard, try to get a community garden plot (try Community Garden Coordinator Nathan Wong at 522-7063). If you have a yard but don’t have any idea where to begin with a garden, there are now several companies providing gardening services–check out [foodscapeshawaii.com] and [ediblelandscapeshawaii.com] for details. UH has many other helpful services including the Cooperative Extension Service and Pearl City Urban Gardening Center.

‘Okole maluna (Bottoms up)!

Maui Rum is produced from sugar from the last remaining Hawaiian sugar mill in Puunene, Maui. These are presently the only spirits actually distilled and made from start to finish in Hawaii. Any other distilled products claiming local provenance are simply fancy marketing strategies.

Haleakala Distillers is a joint venture of Haleakala Ranch and Maui Process Technologies. It is owned and operated on Maui by a kamaaina family. They’ve been in business since 2003 and have already made their mark by winning seven medals in the past four years at both national and international competitions.

The best sipping rum of the five varieties was the Maui Dark Rum. Similar to the lighter Maui Plantinum but far richer in flavor, this has clear overtones of molasses and and nuts. It lends itself well to culinary and mixology experiments.

Kimo’s Da Bomb Extreme Rum has won several medals. Interestingly enough, the high proof of this rum, 156, makes it difficult to transport to the mainland. It is outlawed even in checked luggage because it is so flammable, so don’t try to take it off island unless you’re sailing. We liked this rum with its floral notes–but it is a specialty product at 75 percent alcohol. If you’re looking for an over-proof rum, this is a good one. You could also use it as an antiseptic in an emergency.

These rums are a notable exception to the declining production of local food and drink. This is a great opportunity to enjoy a Hawaii liquor from a company with deep Hawaii roots. We should be sipping locally and encouraging more innovative ventures like Haleakala Distillers. Imagine what they might do with some of our excellent local coffee beans and cacao!

Indigo Eurasian Cuisine