Taste Education with Surfing Goat Dairy on March 28th

Diabolic Goat Cheese, Surfing Goat Dairy

Mandalay, Surfing Goat Dairy

Ole, Surfing Goat Dairy

Napa Wraps, Surfing Goat Dairy

French Dream, Surfing Goat Dairy

Slow Food Maui welcomes Loc Armaund, Director of Sales and Marketing, Surfing Goat Dairy to the classroom at Maui Culinary Academy for its next Taste Education Series. Owned and operated by German expatriates Thomas and Eva Kafsack, Surfing Goat Dairy represents one of only two goat dairies in the state. It is located on 42 acres with almost two-thirds dedicated as pasture, giving the Dairy’s three bucks and over 100 does plenty of space to roam and forage. Attendees will learn a brief history of the dairy, the basics of cheese making, the health benefits of goat’s milk cheeses vs. cow’s milk cheese and different cooking ideas for each of the types of cheeses available from Surfing Goat Dairy. In addition, Surfing Goat Dairy will offer goat’s milk and its different cheeses including Quark, Fresh Cheese, Aged Cheese, and finish with their Goat’s Cheese Truffles.

Held on the last Wednesday of each month from February through October, the March session is scheduled on March 28 from 6 pm – 7:30 pm at the Maui Culinary Academy located in the Pāʻina Building at 310 West Kaʻahumanu Avenue at the UH-Maui Campus. Each session cost $15 for Slow Food Maui members and $20 for non-members. Advance reservations and payment required. Register online at www.slowfoodmaui.org and pay using Paypal. For additional information, contact Co-education Committee Chairs Chris Speere or Charlene Ka’uhane at

[email protected]

About Taste Education Series and Slow Food Maui: Taste Education is a nine-part “food focused” educational series presented by Slow Food Maui in partnership with the Maui Culinary Academy and Whole Foods Market Maui. Organized to honor people who grow and produce the food we eat, the series brings local food producers in our community to the forefront so others may learn about their work, how their product is made and where to find it. Held on the last Wednesday of the month form February – October. Slow Food Maui aligns with Slow Food USA to promote locally grown food & culturally diverse culinary practices for health, pleasure and Island food security. www.slowfoodmaui.org.

About the Maui Culinary Academy: Maui Culinary Academy offers Maui’s award-winning Culinary Arts Program in the 38,000 square-feet Pā’ina Culinary Arts Center at Maui Community College in Kahului. Hours: Pāʻina dining room: M-TR 7:30 am to 5:30 pm, Friday 7:30 am to 2:00 pm. www.http/mauiculinary-campusdining.com/index.html

Date: Wednesday, March 28, 2012 (Always Held on the last Wednesday of each month. Mark your calendars!)
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Place: Maui Culinary AcademyUH Maui College, Pa’ina Building310 W. Kaahumanu Ave., Kahului, Maui, Hawai‘i

Cost:
$15 for Slow Food USA members
$20 for non-members

Seating is limited. Advance reservations and payment are required. Please note that we cannot guarantee participation if payment is not received prior to the event date.

 

Taste Education: Helen Nielsen, Maui Natural Bee

Slow Food Maui Taste Education in partnership with the Maui Culinary Academy and Whole Foods Market Kahului
With support from the Maui Culinary Academy and Whole Foods Market Kahului, Slow Food Maui presents Helen Nielsen, Maui Natural Bee, as its featured guest for its Taste Education Series in February. The session will focus on the lives of honeybees and their efficiency, the benefits of consuming local honey and useful ways to use honey in kitchen and bath. A beehive will be on display (no bees) and honey tastings will be shared.

“After considering the plight of honeybees around the world, and the relatively healthy, isolated environment we have in southeast Maui, we started raising bees about three years ago,” said Helen Nielsen, Maui Natural Bee. “We currently have about 35 hives and we are completely energy independent, powering with solar and collecting rainwater.”

Maui Natural Bee provides local artisan honey and Kiawe and Christmas berry honey to the Maui community. The products are available at farmers markets or directly from Maui Natural Bee. To order, contact Helen at bees[at]maui[dot]net.

In addition to Maui Natural Bee, Nielsen is well known for her community work. She is one of the original founders of the Hawaiian Island Land Trust (HILT) and its current board president. As a business owner, Nielsen is active in many of Maui’s community projects, along with her husband Jonathan Starr. She divides her time between Wailuku and her energy-independent home in Kaupo.

Taste Education is a nine-part “food focused” educational series presented by Slow Food Maui in partnership with the Maui Culinary Academy and Whole Foods Market Kahului. Organized to honor people who grow and produce the food we eat, the series brings local food producers in our community to the forefront so others may learn about their work, how their product is made and where to find it.

Date: Wednesday, February 29 (Always Held on the last Wednesday of each month. Mark your calendars!)
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Place: Maui Culinary AcademyUH Maui College, Pa’ina Building310 W. Kaahumanu Ave., Kahului, Maui, Hawai‘i

Cost:
$15 for Slow Food USA members
$20 for non-members

Seating is limited. Advance reservations and payment are required. Please note that we cannot guarantee participation if payment is not received prior to the event date.

5th Annual Maui County Agricultural Festival Coming Up Soon

A celebration of agMaui County AgFestriculture’s vital role in the economy, environment and lifestyle of Maui, the 5th Annual Maui County Agricultural Festival is coming up on April 7, 2012.   Held on the lūʻau grounds of Maui Tropical Plantation in Waikapū, Maui’s prime event to raise awareness about local agriculture on Maui invites Maui to talk story with the people who grow our food and their industry allies, to discover what agriculture means to our communities and ʻāina, to taste fresh flavors, and to have fun. Hosted by Maui County Farm Bureau in partnership with the County of Maui Office of Economic Development, and supported by generous sponsors, the festival provides the one-stop experience of the wondrous impact of agriculture in day-to-day life.

The Grand Taste Education, presented in partnership with Slow Food Maui, is an ag festival highlight featuring Grown on Maui edibles by farmer and chef teams and a program of presentations from 11 am – 2 pm. Chefs include: Sheldon Simeon, Star Noodle and Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop; Jojo Vasquez, The Banyan Tree at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua; Ryan Luckey, Pineapple Grill Kapalua Resort; Ivan Pahk, Cane & Taro at Whalers Village Fine Shops & Restaurants; Scott McGill, TS Restaurants – Hula Grill and Duke’s on the Beach; Joey Macadangdang, Roy’s Restaurant; Riko Bartolome, Asia Vous; Isaac Bancaco, Humuhumunukunukuapuaʻa at Grand Wailea; Brandon Shim, Tommy Bahama at The Shops at Wailea; Marc McDowell, Makena Beach & Golf Resort; and Tylun Pang, Kō at The Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui. Grand Taste Education tickets on sale by Slow Food Maui for $25 before April 5. $5 from the sale of each ticket purchased here will be donated to Slow Food Maui and earmarked for its agricultural education programs.

We Need Volunteers at Kihei Elementary School Garden on November 12

Kihei Elementary School GardenSlow Food Maui is sponsoring one of the Work and Learn Days at the Kihei Elementary School Garden on November 12, and we need volunteers! Work starts at 8:00 a.m. and they usually finish up about 11:00 a.m., but people don’t need to be there the whole time.

Here is what is expected from sponsors:

  • Bring local, healthy snacks for about 20-25 people. (Fresh fruit, baked goodies, etc.) Nothing too fancy as they are in the garden! There are no kitchen facilities available.
  • They’ll supply water, but if we want to bring some other drinks, that’s great. They’ll supply cups, napkins, plates and silverware (as needed.) Finger food usually works the best!
  • They love it when their sponsors get dirty with them in the garden. Please bring hat and gloves, and wear close-toed shoes.
  • Be prepared to tell people about Slow Food Maui and how they can get involved.
  • They usually have a mix of community volunteers, teachers, parents and kids.
We need your help! Please contact us if you’re able to lend a hand for this great cause!

Catering from Soup to Nuts at Taste Education

Chefs Ralph Giles and Daniel Southmayd of Catering from Soup to Nuts and Vineyard Food Company held a fabulous Taste Education session on Planning the Perfect Dinner Party at the Maui Culinary Academy last night. While sharing their vast experience and wisdom from years in the restaurant and catering business, the audience was treated to some amazing appetizers throughout the evening.

Special thanks to Whole Foods Market Maui for providing light refreshments for the session, and to the Maui Culinary Academy for hosting the event.

Taste Education – Planning the Perfect Dinner Party – October 26

Catering from Soup to Nuts and Vineyard Food Company

Slow Food Maui’s next taste education session celebrates food culture and island hospitality with a session devoted entirely to planning the perfect dinner party. Led by Ralph Giles and Daniel Southmayd, co-owners of Catering from Soup to Nuts, these talented event planning and culinary professionals share their expertise by offering practical advice for meal planning and cooking to table setting and hosting etiquette. Held on the last Wednesday of each month, the October 26th session, held from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at the Maui Culinary Academy is purposefully planned to help attendees prepare for the busy holiday season.

Ralph Giles, owner and chef, Catering from Soup to Nuts is a self-taught chef who has a passion for great food and fine dining. His cuisine is a unique blend of classic American, Continental, and Pacific Island flavors. After 18 years of special education teaching, he entered the catering field and managed catering companies in the Greater Boston area. He has owned his own catering companies both in Boston (RG Catering) and currently on Maui. Daniel J. Southmayd, owner and administrator, Catering from Soup to Nuts studied baking and cooking in the Boston area, and has held management and administrative positions with Barnes & Noble, Maui no ka ‘oi Magazine, and RG Catering. He has also studied music and works as a writer.

Whole Foods Market Maui will provide light refreshments for this taste education session.

Date: Wednesday, October 26
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Place: Maui Culinary AcademyUH Maui College, Pa’ina Building310 W. Kaahumanu Ave., Kahului, Maui, Hawai‘i
Cost: $15

Advanced reservations and payment required.

Bobby Santos Taste Education Poultry Session Photos

Maui culinary legend Bobby Santos presented a great master class in poultry at last night’s Taste Education session at the Maui Culinary Academy.

Grown on Maui $5 Challenge – Mahalo and Winners!

Basil Pound Cake from Riko Bartolome ~ Photo by Peter Liu

Mahalo to everyone who joined us at the Grown on Maui $5 Challenge held September 17 at The Class Act at the Maui Culinary Academy. We were fortunate to eat so many wonderful dishes including a Papaya Beef Salad, a gluten-free Molokai Sweet Potato Quiche, local venison and pasta, local squash pasta, local pumpkins, Maui Cattle Co roast and more. People came from all parts of Maui – Upcountry, Kihei, West Maui, North Shore and Central Maui – to celebrate regional, locally-grown food, and our cherished food traditions. We took the challenge and made meals for $5 or less per person. Days later, weʻre still amazed at the variety of food we ate. How was that ono-licious Basil Cake with Vanilla Starfruit by Riko Bartolome? Whip cream anyone (big smile)?!

Congrats to the fan-favorite winners: Most Colorful first place Elena Rego and second place Shannon Wianecki. Most Original first place to Susan Teton Campbell and second place to Riko Bartolome. Best Taste first place to Annette Niles and tied for second Roxanne Tiffin and Ann Marie Burtell. The Best Use of Local Ingredients first place to Roxanne Tiffin and tied for second place Sue Tengan and Shannon Wianecki. Most Creative use of $5 first place to Ann Marie Burtell and second place tie to Susan Teton Campbell and Sue Tengan.

Saturdayʻs gathering was also Slow Food Mauiʻs Annual Membership Meeting. Two big announcements. The first is Slow Food Maui is an official chapter of Slow Food USA.  Everyone is encouraged to join Slow Food USA and elect to be a member of the Slow Food Maui Chapter. Secondly, Chair Susan Teton Campbell announced the election results for the 2012 – 2014 Slow Food Maui Board of Directors. Congratulations to Roxanne Tiffin – Chair, Melanie Boudar – Vice Chair, Melissa McKelvey – Secretary, Charlene Kaʻuhane – Treasurer, and Dania Katz and Aimee Singer, Co-Membership Chairs.  A big mahalo to the 2009-2011 board - Chair Susan Teton Campbell, Vice Chair Jana McMahon, Secretary Dania Katz and Treasurer Charlene Kaʻuhane. The new board will start December 1, 2011.

Elena Rego, Ann Marie Burtell, Roxanne Tiffin, Susan Teton Campbell, Annette Niles

Elena Rego, Ann Marie Burtell, Roxanne Tiffin, Susan Teton Campbell, Annette Niles

Susan Teton Campbell, Roxanne Tiffin, Shannon Wianecki, Sue Tengan and Riko Bartolome

Susan Teton Campbell, Roxanne Tiffin, Shannon Wianecki, Sue Tengan and Riko Bartolome

Taste Education: Poultry with Bobby Santos September 28

Bobby SantosContinuing with its Taste Education Series, Slow Food Maui presents its eighth session: Poultry with Bobby Santos. Here is an opportunity to learn all there is to know about poultry, which is defined as:

  1. Domestic fowl in general, for example, chickens, turkeys, ducks, or geese, raised for meat or eggs
  2. 2. The meat of domestic fowl such as chickens and ducks.

Retired Maui Culinary Academy Chef Instructor Bobby Santos returns to the classroom to share his knowledge of raising chickens and other domestic fowl. Having grown up with chickens, ducks and pigeons, Santos knows, first-hand, how to care and raise domestic poultry. He is also an expert in poultry fabrication (butchering) and a practitioner of traditional food practices and culture.

Held on the last Wednesday of each month, the September session will take place on Wednesday, September 28, with a new format and schedule (see below). As always, the session will be held on the second floor in the Pāʻina Building, home of the Maui Culinary Academy.

Advanced registration and payment is required prior to September 28th. Contact Slow Food Maui to register.

5:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. Part One: Introduction to poultry breeds and raising and caring for poultry. Presenter will share techniques and demonstrate steps to slaughter home grown poultry. Attendees in part one must attend part two. Cost: $20 members / $25 non-members. Limited to 20 people.

6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Part Two: Introduction to chicken poultry and fabrication. Attendee will learn the parts of the chicken and the presenter will offer cooking tips. Attendees will taste Maui- raised chicken paired with Grown on Maui salad. Cost: $15. Maximum 45 people (includes 20 from part one).

Whole Foods Market Maui will provide Grown on Maui salad to complement the chicken sample prepared by Bobby Santos. Whole Foods Market Maui has been a proud sponsor of the Slow Food Maui Taste Education Series since the series began in February 2011.

The final session in the 2011 series is scheduled on Wednesday, October 26th. Ralph Giles and Daniel J Southmayd, owners of Catering From Soup to Nuts, will walk guests through planning the perfect dinner party. These catering experts provide practical advice from meal planning and cooking to table settings and hosting etiquette and more.

What’s For Dinner? Farm to Table Dinner at Market Fresh Bistro

Market Fresh Bistro Garden Salad ~ Photo by Dania Katz

Kula Fields has partnered with Chef Justin Pardo of Market Fresh Bistro for their Farm to Table Dinner on Thursday, September 22, 2011 at 6PM.

Chef Pardo will creatively transform the contents of the Kula Fields Box into a delectable meal that showcases the bounty that our local farmers grow. Reservations are recommended. Call 808-572-4877 to reserve your spot. Located at 3620 Baldwin Ave., Suite 102A Makawao, HI 96768

Hope to see you there!

Originally posted at Kula Fields

Take The $5 Challenge September 17

Take The $5 Challenge September 17

Slow Food Maui is having its second annual general meeting at the Maui Culinary Academy’s Leis Family Class Act Restaurant located in the Pāʻina Building at the UH-Maui Campus on Saturday, September 17, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. where anyone interested can sign up for membership and learn more about the organization.

In addition, we are gathering for a Grown on Maui $5 Challenge Potluck. This free event is open to the general public. Participants are asked to bring an individual slow food meal for five dollars or less, or a potluck dish to serve any number of people at $5 per serving.

Why $5? Slow Food Maui joins Slow Food USA Chapters with a Day of Action where people can attend any one of the hundreds of slow food gatherings nationwide. Participation is easy. To take “The $5 Challenge” simply pledge to cook a slow food meal for five dollars or less, or attend a local event.

What if $5 is too much for me and my family? We recognize that $5 is actually not a small amount of money – but it is the cost of a typical fast food “value meal”, so we figured that was a good starting place for cooing up a meal that reflects your values.

This campaign hopes to find ways to make eating “slow” easier, while also acknowledging what makes it hard. Understanding the hard part and how to fix the hard part… is the hard part. And it’s where we’ve all got out work cut out for us.

Attendees to the Maui potluck are asked to bring their own plate, utensils, napkin and beverage. In addition to the $5 requirement, Slow Food Maui seeks dishes featuring Grown on Maui produce, products and/or proteins. Prizes will be given to fan-favorite dishes, voted on by all attendees. Parking is free. RSVP to charlene[at]SlowFoodMaui[dot]org.

Frequently Asked Questions:

  1. What’s the goal of the day?
 The goal is to take back the ‘value meal’ – because slow food shouldn’t have to cost more than fast food. We’re asking people to share what they do in their kitchens and with their families to cook fresh, healthy food on a budget. Together, we’re learning what works, what doesn’t, and what needs to change in order to make good food affordable and available for everyone.
  2. What will people do that day?
 Get together with friends, family, and neighbors for slow food meals that cost less than $5 per person. You can sign up or find a local $5 meal at Slow Food USA. The meals can be potlucks, dinners, workshops, or anything else – as long as it’s less than $5 and you register it online. No meal is too small.
  3. Who can organize a meal?
 Anyone! Many of the $5 meals are being organized by Slow Food chapters across the country, but anyone can organize a $5 meal and register it online.
  4. What if I’m busy on September 17?
 You can take the $5 Challenge any time! Take the pledge in order to show your support, and we’ll send you $5 cooking tips and updates on the campaign.