Summer is here and it is time for the annual Summer Reading Program at Honokaa Public Library, today through July 6. It is easy to do: “Just come into the library, sign up, and read books.”
Summer is here and it is time for the annual Summer Reading Program at Honokaa Public Library, today through July 6. It is easy to do: “Just come into the library, sign up, and read books.”
There are three programs: one for children up through sixth grade, “Dream Big — READ”; one for teens in grades through 7-12, “Own the Night”; and one for adults, “Between the Covers.” All participants will receive weekly incentives; the teen program will have a library drawing for an iPod shuffle; and the adult program will have an island drawing for an E-Reader. Hope to see you at the library. For more information, call the library at 775-8881.
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It wasn’t just herbs and vegetables that grew Wednesday morning, May 9, at Mala‘ai. Inspiration, excitement and community spirit kept popping up during a roughly two-hour interactive cooking demonstration led by Four Seasons Resort Hualalai Executive Sous Chef Nick Mastrascusa and his culinary team as they taught 25 eighth-graders in Kara Onaka-Winters’ business class how to make sweet potato gnocchi with Hawaii Island brown butter and sage — a dish that will be on the menu sometime this month as a special fundraiser at the resort’s Beach Tree restaurant.
Mala‘ai, Waimea Middle Public Conversion Charter School’s garden, was lucky enough to have a visit from the crew of the Beach Tree Restaurant at the Four Seasons Hualalai. Under the guidance of Chef Mastrascusa and his stellar team, the students learned how to make u‘ala (sweet potato) gnocchi, with a butter sage sauce. Featuring almost all local ingredients (just the flour and parmesan weren’t from the Big Island), the recipe was too good not to share! Read all about their visit here: http://www.westhawaiitoday.com/sections/news/local-news/resort%E2%80%99s-pasta-dish-fundraiser-supports-waimea-middle-school-garden.html
The school is very grateful to the Beach Tree Chefs, both for sharing their passion for cooking with the students and for taking Mala‘ai-grown u‘ala and eggs back to their restaurant to prepare and serve this delicious dish — aka “little pillows of heaven” — to Hualalai guests.
All the income this amazing dish generates will be gifted to Mala‘ai too! Truly a delicious win-win!
And speaking of delicious, our students have been working with Chef Susan Tuason almost this entire year. Under her guidance, students have become expert at using knives and creating simple, nutritious and totally delicious dishes using freshly harvested produce. Better yet, they have been encouraged to take what they’ve learned home to share with their families. Chef Susan and her husband, also an executive chef, are leaving the island this summer for a new culinary assignment.
A reminder: “Art and Sol” — the annual summer solstice benefit auction — is coming up fast on Sunday, June 10, at Merriman’s! This is the school garden’s “bread and butter” fundraiser that keeps Mala‘ai flourishing, and this year’s event is shaping up to be a great one. Wonderful items include a hand-painted wheelbarrow by Arsenio Macaraeg, beautiful kapa by Roen Hufford, dinner for eight by Island Thyme Gourmet, a signed ukulele by Jack Johnson (who also just visited us out at the garden) and much much more. Buy your tickets today at: http://www.malaai.org/
Founded in 2003 and operating since 2005, Mala‘ai is a private, nonprofit program funded from donations and grants. It was created to address the disconnection between children living in today’s fast-paced, consumer-oriented society and their lack of awareness of food origins and production. Waimea Middle supplies the land, water and students, who are engaged in various outdoor physical and academic activities that teach how to plant, harvest and cook nutritional foods, said Patti Cook, the school’s spokeswoman.
Approximately 4,500 pounds of food was harvested last year from the 3/4-acre garden. The food is used at the school, but also regularly shared with students’ families, Village Burger and the community via farmers markets, Cook said.
Fourteen-year-old Kate McGuiness thought it was “cool and amazing” a private resort chose to raise money for an important program that helps students like her understand the origins of their food, as well as how the food they eat impacts their bodies and the world around them. She said their fundraiser not only furthers the purpose of getting healthier foods into schools, but also raises the public’s awareness about eating healthy, fresh foods daily and supporting healthy food systems like school gardens and farms. She would like the money raised to go toward making Mala‘ai’s outdoor kitchen even bigger and better.
Constant encouragement could be heard, punctuated by floured high-fives exchanged during the activity.
For 14-year-old Markell Marquez, the best part of the demonstration was interacting with Mastrascusa and his team. She said they helped give her more confidence to pursue a culinary industry career. Since the fifth grade, she has wanted to become a chef.
Carol Yurth’s column is published every Sunday and spotlights activities on the Hilo-Hamakua coast. She welcomes items for her column. Reach her by mail (46-1240 Kalehua Road, Honokaa HI 96727) at least 10 days before the requested publication date, call her at 775-7101, or e-mail waiukahe@interpac.net.