Ka`u News Briefs May 14, 2011

Japanese hula dancers celebrate with Ka`u Coffee Festival goers.  Photo by Julia Neal

Ka `Ohana O Honu`apo seeks public comment
at Honu`apo Park tomorrow afternoon.

A DRAFT OF THE HONU‘APO Wetlands Habitat Restoration Plan will be presented for public review at the park Sunday. Ka ‘Ohana O Honu`apo and the county Department of Parks and Recreation invite comments from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. The plan is the next step in implementing Honu`apo’s Resources Management Plan. It will also be available for comment at the Ka`u Coffee Festival ho`olaule`a today. For more information, call Ka `Ohana’s executive director Lehua Lopez-Mau at 929-9819.

HOTEL OCCUPANCY WAS FLAT across the state in the first week of May, Pacific Business News reported. Big Island hotels saw a 4.3 percent drop from the same time last year. O`ahu was the only island that saw an increase in occupancy, rising only one percent from last year.
     While the other islands’ room rates increased, the average rate on the Big Island dropped by more than 13 percent compared to last year. 

Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder from Lana`i brought a halau and dances,
backed up by Cyril Pahinui and Big D.  Photo by Julia Neal

THE KA`U COFFEE FESTIVAL is going on all day until almost sunset with coffee tasting, a coffee recipe contest, and entertainment. The lineup includes Cyril Pahinui, the award winning One Journey band from Ka`u High School, Bolo, Lorna and Maryann Lim, Debbie Ryder from Lana`i with her halau, some of them all the way from Japan, Brittany Paiva, Moses, George and Keoki Kahumoku, the Ka`u `Ukulele Kids, Hands of Time, Tony Salvage, Lori Lei’s Hula Studio, Gene Akamu, Bobby Koanoi, and emcee Skylark, assisted by Miss Ka`u Coffee Brandy Shibuya. 

     The Ka`u Coffee Court will ride through Pahala on a colorful float they made last night and reign over the festival. Coffee tasting is at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The Ka`u Coffee Recipe Contest takes place at noon. Farm Tours are all day.

Moses, Keoki and George Kahumoku, Jr. played at the
Ka`u Coffee Festival.  Photo by Julia Neal

     Tomorrow, learn about coffee production, quality and marketing at the Ka`u Coffee College from 9 a.m. to noon at the Pahala Community Center. There will also be farm tours.

CRYSTAL MCINTOSH IS THE OVERALL WINNER of the Ka`u Coffee Recipe and Taste of Ka`u Contest at Pahala Community Center. Here is her recipe for strawberry mocha trifle:

     Brownies: 1 cup butter, melted; 2 c. sugar; 4 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla, 2/3 c. cocoa, 1 1/3 c. flour, 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 c. white chocolate chips, Ka`u macadamia nuts chopped, ½ tsp baking powder, ½ tsp. salt, 1 c. Ka`u coffee, Hershey’s syrup, 1 pint whipping cream, 6 Tbs. sugar, 2 tsp vanilla, 5 c. strawberries soaked in 2 c. melted strawberry jam.
     Garnishes: 1 Ka`u strawberry, 2 chocolate leaves (1/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips melted + 2 Ka`u lemon leaves, clean) 

Crystal McIntosh is the overall winner
of the Ka`u Coffee Recipe and
Taste of Ka`u Contest.

     Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 13X9 pan. Stir butter and sugar until blended. Beat in eggs, then vanilla, until well blended. Stir in cocoa, mixing well. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into small bowls; stir together. Add flour mixture to chocolate batter, mixing until smooth. Stir in semi-sweet and white chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts. Bake 25-30 minutes or until firm. Cool, then cut into 1-inch cubes. Place half of brownie cubes on bottom of large glass bowl. Brush with coffee, then drizzle with Hershey’s syrup. Layer ½ of strawberries using slotted spoon, then ½ of whipped cream. Repeat layers, garnish with strawberry and chocolate leaves. 

     Whipped Cream – beat whipping cream and sugar in chilled bowl until stiff. Add vanilla in last minute of beating.
     Chocolate leaves – brush melted chocolate onto 1 side of clean leaves until covered. Freeze overnight or until firm. Peel off lemon leaves.

COMPETITORS AGES 13 AND OVER can participate in a surf meet this weekend at Kawa. The event includes surfing and body surfing competitions for males and females.

KILAUEA DRAMA & ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK is holding auditions for their July presentation of Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta Patience. They are looking for five women, five men, a chorus of maidens and dragoons of all ages. Auditions take place at Kilauea Military Camp Theater in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park on Monday and Tuesday starting at 6:30 p.m. Contact Suzi Bond at 982-7344 or kden73@aol.com.