Exploring Kauai Archives

Carrot Coconut Lemongrass Bisque

Chef Helen of Hanapepe Café and Bakery has been gracious enough to share her Carrot Coconut Lemongrass Bisque Recipe for this unique and lively soup.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups dark miso paste
1/3 cup fresh ginger crushed or ground
2 Tbsp minced garlic
3-5 stalks crushed lemongrass
12 cups cold water

8 Kafir Lime leaves
5 lbs carrots, peeled and cut into pieces
2 cans coconut milk
Red curry paste or sriracha

Place the first five items in a soup pot and bring to a slow simmer. Turn off heat and let sit for one hour covered with a lid. Add the Kafir Lime leaves to the pot and stir. Strain the mixture and discard everything but the broth. Add the carrots to the broth and then cook until soft. Blend with a hand-held blender or in a Quisanart. Add the coconut milk and curry paste or sriracha to taste and warm the soup again. Do not boil. Serve and Enjoy!

Keeping Kauai Green and Sustainable

Exploring Kauai, Kauai News

Eco-Tourism is a relatively new concept in the world of tourism, though it’s gaining popularity and for good reason. Eco tourism, or sustainable tourism, is a concept that is began in the 1950’s, but has started to become more popular in the early 1990’s with the upsurging of the planetary green movement. Concentrations on lowering the negative impact of tourism is becoming more and more important as we are starting to see the ramifications on non-renewable, or slowly renewable, resources especially in remote and delicately balanced environments.

Kauai, being one of Hawaii’s smallest islands– only 25 miles wide by 33 miles long – is particularly susceptible to long term and irreversible environmental damage should the over 1 million tourists that visit Kauai’s shores and inland rain forests treat the island carelessly. With a local consistent population base of only about 60,000, it’s easy to see how much responsibility lies on a a relative small number of people to care for such a large influx of human needs and travel desires.

Fortunately, the Hawaiian islands and Kauai in particular have a strong community dedicated to Eco-tourism, and the Kauai County Government has formally adopted a Sustainable Tourism Program to better assist the tourism industry in this endeavor. Through this program, businesses are offered encouragement, education, and incentives to find ways to lessen their environmental impact, and offer services and accommodations in an environmentally conscious manner.

Practicing and supporting sustainable tourism is the surest way to ensure that Kauai will be around indefinitely as the unique, geographically stunning and environmentally diverse island that it is today. As a visitor, there are many things you can do that can make a measurable and positive difference to the island of Kauai. Shopping for locally made products, supporting small businesses, supporting our agriculture by shopping at our local farmers markets and treading lightly of our natural landmarks, that have a rich history and cultural importance.

As of January 11, 2011 Kauai adopted a law that requires all retail establishments to provide recyclable paper bags or reusable bags to their customers. This will reduce the significant impacts of plastic checkout bags on the environment, which include litter and an increasing burden on our islands landfill and threats to marine life. We encourage all locals and visitors to bring their own reusable bags while shopping.

Recycling Locations

Check out our Kauai Recycling Page for locations and maps. Do your part to keep Kauai sustainable. Kauai Recycling Bin Locations are located in the following locations:

Kilauea Behind the Mini Golf 5-2723 Kuhio Hwy
Kapaa the end of Kahau Road past the Kapa’a Skate Park: 4900 Kahau Rd
Lihue in the back of the K-Mart parking lot 4303 Nawiliwili Rd
Poipu in the Brenneke’s Parking Lot: 2100 Hoone Rd
Lawai Post Office: 2-3675 Kaumualii Hwy
Eleele at the Eleele Shopping Center
Waimea at the Waimea Canyon Park: 4643 Waimea Canyon Drive
Kekaha at the Kekaha Landfill 6900-D Kaumualii Hwy

We all need to do our part to keep Kauai the Kauai we know and love.
Kauai thanks you for your efforts, which are of hugely collective importance.

Malama ‘Aina (care for the land)

Kauai Farm to Table Dining

Exploring Kauai, Local Eats and Flavors

I head north along Kuhio Hwy toward Kilauea and catch the splash of a breaching whale out of the corner of my eye. Winter is here. I reflect on how amazing these creatures are and how the ocean is their lifeblood. I don’t pull over to watch, I am on my way to dinner with Outstanding in the Field. I am excited about the evenings event. Dinner on a farm, “Restaurant Without Walls”, where local chefs pair up with a local farm to create a meal. The concept seems novel, the idea romantic and the opportunity unique.

I arrive early to meet the guest farmer chef and staff. I am greeted by Tim O’Connor Host farmer. He politely asks me to park at the top of the freshly mowed pasture. I park, grab my camera and head over to introduce myself. Tim welcomes me to Olana Farm and gives me a little background on his vision and history of the farm. He has had the property for twelve years and has lived on it full time for the past seven.

The farm is beautiful. The house sits at the top of a gentle sloping hill, manicured and flourishing with life. Off in the distance the views of the Pacific. Tim tells me that he sells his produce at two of the weekly local farmers markets as well as to local restaurants. I am impressed by the pure organization of his garden beds of produce, herbs and fruit.

From the top of the farm nestled between the neatly planted rows of greens and citrus fruit sits a long table set with white linens and wine glasses. So simple and elegant is the contrast of green and white. An outdoor covered work area has been been transformed into a kitchen. The Kiawe wood burning grill, the crisp January air, and the natural surroundings make this a comfortable working space. Chef Aaron Leikam and Todd Oldham are busy prepping for the meal. I ask Aaron how he ended up on Kauai, he simply replies “It was serendipitous!”

I meet Leah and the crew, who In the past year alone have created over 87 farm to table dinners across the United States, Europe and now Hawaii. The team is busy making signs, putting the final touches on the table and setting up the service tables for the evening events.

I love the behind the scenes of what undoubtedly will be a spectacular event. A band of dark clouds is slowly moving in from the west. This is not the usual weather pattern, and a drastic change to the past two weeks of cloudless skies and light air. This is a brave time of year to hold an outdoor event on the North Shore of Kauai. There is no back up plan.

Casual and relaxed, Jim Denevan, founder and visionary of Outstanding in the Field, arrives on the farm just before the first guests start to arrive. He has been surfing. He had to catch just one wave and what surfer can resist the call of a Hawaiian surf session.

The evening starts off with a glass of Kava, not the ceremonial root found throughout the South Pacific, but in the form of a sparkling wine. Glass in hand we are given a tour of the farm, a history of its beginnings and future vision. Our pleasant and educational stroll ends at the beautifully set table in the field.

The night is a gracefully choreographed work of art. The creative vision, a farmers endeavor and a skilled passion for creating a meal that not only nourishes and is visually exquisite,but also tells a story. A simple story.

Outstanding in the Field will be hosting two more events in the Hawaiian Island this month. tickets are available through their website.

Kauai Mini Golf

Exploring Kauai, Kauai Events and Festivals

Perfect Winter Weather on Kauai

Exploring Kauai, Kauai Beaches

How would you feel this time of year if you could say, “Yeah, we had a couple of weeks of blustery rain and wind and the temperatures fell into the low seventies, but the last couple weeks have given us perfect winter weather. The wind has died down, the skies are clear as a bell and the ocean is crystal clear and calm at least on the South Shore.” I’ll tell you how I feel, SPOILED! The last week of December and the first week of January have been as close to perfect as it can get.

So what’s the downfall of perfect weather?

Salt Pond Reef

Well, the dishes are piled in the sink, I need to do the laundry, the car is covered in dirt and the fridge is empty because I don’t ever want to waste a perfect day. Instead of doing my chores, I have taken my son snorkeling at Lydgate Park, gone on a hike, played Mini Golf in Kilauea, gone tide-pooling at Salt Pond Beach Park, had a beach day at Baby Beach and took my son on a play date at Poipu Beach Park.

Lydgate Beach Park

Want to hear how SPOILED we actually are on Kauai. Yesterday, I took my son snorkeling and we both wore wetsuits because the 75 degree water was too cold for us. Of course we were the only ones on the entire beach wearing wetsuits. We’ve been here so long that our blood has thinned. Everyone else was sporting bikinis and surf trunks and soaking up the beautiful Kauai weather. Where else can you enjoy these kinds of days on the beach in your bikini in January.

So, if you are looking for a good place to thaw out in January, this is it. The beach is always a great place to be on Kauai, but Kauai has a ton of other attractions and activities that will help you take advantage of the perfect winter weather.

Hiking Kauai’s Alakai Swamp

Exploring Kauai, Kauai Hiking

Boardwalk Stairs along Alakai Swamp Trail

Hiking on Kauai is one of the best activities you can do with your family. And one of our family favorites is the Pihea Trail Kilohana Lookout. So to end the year we set off to Kokee with friends and family to do just that, Hike into the mist and the bogs of the world’s highest rain forest, The Alakai Swamp and Wilderness Preserve.

Crossroads Pihea and Alakai Swamp Trail

The Pihea Trail can be reached from Pu`u o Kila at the end of Highway 550 or if you have access to a four-wheel drive you can start from Mohihi Road Camp 10. The 3 1/2 miles into Kilohana Lookout is a combination of trails, wooden boardwalks, a river crossing, and hundreds of wooden steps up and down, (two-hundred seventy is our count one way). Rain panchos, a warm jacket, ample water, and a picnic lunch are recommended for the list of what to bring. Some of the kids in our group chose bare feet as their preferred footwear, but good hiking boots are suggested. The weather report called for blue skies, but it is always best to go prepared for anything.

Wrapped in our warmest gear (sweatshirt and cheap plastic ponchos) with temperatures dropping into the high 50s, this was as close to a winter wonderland that our Kauai Keiki would experience this Christmas season. Clear skies were needed to view the North Shore and Hanalei Bay at the end of the trail, but secretly the idea of the thick clouds hovering over the bogs and boardwalks of the swamp is what I was looking forward to. Where else on Kauai can you hear, ” I’m walking through the clouds!”

Ohia Blossom

Moss along trail

Thick moss in every shade of green covers the branches and trunks of the trees, vibrant red blossoms of the ohia trees, and the songs of the ‘elepaio, an endangered bird that is endemic to Kauai, are all part of the magic this hike offers. As we headed further into the forest of rare plants and birds the skies would tease us with moments of warm and blue and then quickly shroud us in a blanket of mist.

Laua`e FErn

Rainbow over Alakai Swamo

For years this was a trail for hunters and scientists who braved the muck and soggy bogs for a view of Kilohana. It is hard to imagine how this trail was traversed by Queen Emma in 1871. With a wish to see Kilohana and the Hanalei Valley, Queen Emma valiantly rode by horseback from Waimea into the muggy rainforest. At the edge of the swamp, she dismounted her horse and preceded to hike the remainder of the way to the vista on a makeshift boardwalk of moss-covered logs and ferns. On a clear day at the end of the trail, one is rewarded with views of Wainiha Valley, Hanalei Bay, and occasionally even beyond Kilauea Lighthouse. Today would not be one of those clear days, but each time we visit the heart of Kauai we are reminded how diverse, wild, beautiful, and special a place we live. For more Kauai hiking information check out Kauai.com/hikes

Kauai Fireworks bring in the New Year!

Exploring Kauai, Kauai Events and Festivals

Every New Years Eve, my son looks forward to seeing the aerial fireworks display in Poipu. This free event is held at Poipu Beach Park on the South side of Kauai, drier weather, family friendly facilities and a beautiful palm lined backdrop, is the perfect location for this outdoor event. The popularity of this event can make parking a little tricky. If you plan on attending an event like this in the future, you can either get there early, walk from your resort, or park along the side of Poipu Road and walk in. We chose to hoof it.

This year, the celebration included a Kauai Musicians, food booths and a Keiki tent. Festivities began at 5:00pm with entertainment by Alyson’s Anthem. The Music Fest continued to rock into the night with some of the hottest local bands like the Papa’a Bay Boys, Sashamon and Revival. The event culminated in a spectacular aerial fireworks display that began promptly at 9:15 giving families ample time to get home safely to ring in the New Year.

The celebration is sponsored by the Poipu Beach Resort Association and numerous local businesses. This is a family friendly event that brings local and visitors together to ring in the New Year. Unlike the New Year’s Festivities in New York where folks are bundled up in the freezing weather, Kauai people are sporting shorts, tank tops, sandals and big smiles. The mood is social and friendly, and local families are often handing out poppers and sparklers to any kids who are lacking. It was indeed a festive and enjoyable Kauai style New Years celebration on the South Shore.

Kauai.com wishes you and your family a happy, healthy and prosperous 2012!

Christmas Day 2011 Kauai Message in a Bottle

Exploring Kauai, Kauai Beaches

Finding a message in a bottle is one of those things that stirs up stories of sea adventures, long lost love, serendipity and chance. And this time of year there is always a bit of nostalgia surrounding stories of such things. On Christmas Eve of 1996 my husband Thor proposed to me with a message in the bottle. This happened off our tiny beach catamaran, with a blue moon Christmas Eve on Kauai. Before the proposal in the bottle there were years of build up and anticipation about a real message in the bottle that he had sent from a sailboat, at the equator, between Mexico and the Marquesas. During this time I lived in Costa Rica, he was sailing the Pacific. Thor always told me that during our time of traveling, separately for a year, he tried to contact me by mail and phone with no luck. So he tried Bottle Post.

There was always a bit of intrigue surrounding his story. “What did it say?” …He would never reveal. “Where would it end up?”….probably on a deserted reef, and “Would it really be found?”… highly doubtful. Well crazier things have happened and did. We were married six months later.

Now the story could end here with a romantic proposal and happily ever after, but there is more. A week after our wedding a letter addressed to my maiden name arrived at the home of my parents on Kauai. With not much thought to it I opened the letter expecting it to be a congratulations from one of the friends I had met it my years of traveling. As soon as I opened the letter it was clear that the sender of this letter was not from anyone I knew, but they seemed to know me. Included in the letter was a xerox copy of a hand written note and a photo of a barnacle crusted wine bottle. The question from the sender was, “Are you still best friends?”

James King from Surfers Paradise, Australia found the bottle. A bottle that was sent years before from the sailboat at the equator, between Mexico and the Marquesas and the only wine bottle aboard a small sailing yacht headed to Fiji. This glass bottle would be the courier of a message that would be delivered four years later, after traveling 5,000 miles by way of wind and ocean currents, and the more amazing part is that Mr. King found it within days of our wedding.

So part of our Christmas Day on Kauai is always spent on the beach, and yesterday was no exception. The strong winds of the past week had died down and the sun was shining. So we packed up our kids and headed to the beach for some sun, surf and beach exploring.

After fun in the waves Thor took the kids on a beach walk along the same stretch of coast, where 15 years earlier where we got engaged. Today a new chapter in the message in the bottle story was added. Thor the sender of our message in a bottle found his own barnacle encrusted bottle and message. There was no cryptic message of long lost love, no S.O.S from a deserted island, just a lone business card from a T.Hunter from Chino, California. The Christmas day discovery was enough to ignite excitement and nostalgia in all of us.

When we got home we emailed T. Hunter ( a lot faster than bottle post) to find out his story. His bottle was sent only months ago from the coast of California and included some jabs and teasing from friends. He said he would appreciate it we would send it on to further destinations. So to carry on the fun experiment we too will send this off with an additional note and T. Hunters business card. Hopefully to be found again and spark intrigue in someone else on a far away shore.

This story is a reminder to myself and others to Dare to Dream and Believe in the impossible.

Stranger things have happened!

Happy New Year!

Holiday Lights, a Kauai Tradition

Exploring Kauai, Kauai Events and Festivals

A great Holiday activity on Kauai is to amaze your family with a winter wonderland in a tropical climate. Despite the summer weather, Kauai residents get into the Christmas spirit with outstanding displays of holiday lights. There are numerous displays to be found around the island, just take a drive and you are sure to be dazzled. For those of you looking for more specific locations, keep reading.

The located inside Kauai’s Historic County Building is a tribute to Auntie Josie Chansky and her Christmas house in Kapaa. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 6-8pm through Christmas Eve, your family can participate in this spectacular island-style holiday celebration.

Highlights include: the “SPAM Can Tree”, and the “ Surfin’ Santa’s Sleigh” pulled by roosters. Auntie Josie is known for recycling ordinary items like six-pack rings, egg cartons and toothpicks to make extraordinary holiday decorations to share with the children of Kauai and beyond. The display has become a Kauai tradition but was missed last year when the County Building was being remodeled.

Neighborhood displays are also popular and plentiful and have become somewhat of a social event. If you are passing through Kalaheo, there are several elaborate displays that are sure to delight you. An entire neighborhood behind the old CampHouse Grill is lit up with thousands of lights, the Polar Express, the Nutcracker House, vintage Snowmen, and of course, Santa is on hand to hand out lollipops to the Keiki. That Santa sure gets around! Just turn mauka on Opu Road and look for the lights.

If you are coming from Lihue, don’t forget to wave to Santa on the roof of the famous Lawai Christmas house, just past the intersection of Kaumualii Highway and Koloa Roadd. On the East Side, the Wailua House Lots also boasts a Christmas Street where nary a house declines to participate.

As a reminder, when visiting lights displays, please drive slow as children and families are walking the streets, be courteous to the residents and their driveways and of course, don’t forget your camera. Happy Holidays!

Hawaii Childrens Books – Christmas Gifts with Aloha

Exploring Kauai

Complete Hawaiian Reef Fish Coloring Book

New release by Lindy Shapiro

Searching for the perfect gift for a young child can be confusing. All those bright and shiny plastic toys are attractive and are sure to capture a child’s attention and enthusiasm on Christmas morning. Giving a child a book, however is giving a gift that keeps on giving. A book may be overlooked on Christmas morning, but think about the valuable quality time that books give to parent and child each night when reading a bedtime story together. Then there is the gift of literacy. Books will be returned to again and again and is some cases cherished so much that they are passed down to future generations. Whether it be storybook or non-fiction book and the discovery of new fascinations, books are the clear choice for the perfect gift. Below are some new releases and a few classics by Hawaii authors.

Moon Mangoes by master storyteller, Lindy Shapiro

Moon Mangoes is an instant classic inspired by the inquisitive mind of the innocent child. Capturing the spirit of every child’s imagination and combined yearning for and fear of independence, Moon Mangoes explores the what if back-and-forth exchange between child and parent, and the magical before-bedtime hour when anything is possible and love is constant.

Read a great review of this book on the Hawaii Book Blog.

Knuckles, The Hound of Hanalei by Susan Dierker

Follow Knuckles the Hanalei Hound on his journey from the animal shelter to his new life on the beach in this beautifully illustrated children’s book. Author Susan Dierker has also included a Hawaiian Glossary to help children learn some Hawaiian words that are used in the book.

On Vacation with Tutu by Lynne Wykoff, Illustrate by Tammy Yee

For Kainoa, Nani, and little Mehana, being on vacation with Tutu means no bedtime, no baths, and no cleaning up. Being on vacation with Tutu is going to be the best fun ever–or is it? As Tutu’s mynah bird Akamai says, “Tutu is smarter than you think.”

If in the market for children’s books, don’t forget some of the local favorites like Goodnight Hawaiian Moon by Kauai author, Dr. Carolan, or bedtime story Benny the Beetle by Carol Peacock. Open the door to the underwater world with Kauai author, Monika Mira’s, The Complete Hawaiian Reef Fish Coloring Book.

A Kauai Christmas Vacation

Exploring Kauai

So you are on Kauai for Christmas. Maybe you want to get a little tree for the
family—but all of your decorations are back on the mainland! You don’t want to go
crazy and buy a bunch of the same things you have back at home! What a dilemma.
Here is what we did one year. We searched through Kauai’s unique and fun souvenir shops and craft fairs to get our goodies.

Seriously, it was a cute tree!

One string of lights (Long’s Drugs)
Two clumps of key chains including surfboards, ukulele, palm trees (they come in bunches of 7 to 10)
Lei—various types
Flowers for the hair

Put it all together and Voila’! You have a fun, nicely decorated Kauai Christmas tree containing knick-knacks to take back to the mainland to give to friends, co-workers, nieces, nephews, cousins and anyone you may have forgotten. “Oh, we brought this little key chain from Kauai, just for you.”We rounded out the tree with a few distinctive Hawaiian ornaments from Hilo Hattie’s in Lihue. Those we took home for ourselves.

Living here more full time now, we are collecting some unique Christmas treasures and the tree has more traditional decorations—but we still have two keychains—for family tradition.

Banana Joe’s Local Kauai Fruits

Exploring Kauai, Local Eats and Flavors

A bright yellow Hawaiian hale sits off the highway to your left as you are heading up the road towards Princeville or Hanalei. An unassuming sign heralding “Banana Joe’s” is visible on the side of the driveway. It is a classic, old-fashioned fruit stand you don’t want to miss! Ten years ago was the first time we went inside Banana Joe’s to find a perfect white pineapple. It is a special dessert pineapple that only grows in the summer—usually. We found so many fun things in the little market we almost forgot the pineapple!
They have local produce with strange sounding name like rambutan, lychee, and jack fruit plus many others. They also carry multiple types of bananas—well, it is Banana Joe’s! There are also jams, syrups and fresh made smoothies. You’ll find local citrus from lemons to pomelo. The fun thing is that they never mind explaining all the different things they carry. “This tastes sort of like….” or “That might be a little tart.”

There was one farmer who had some of the white pineapple in November. They knew. They know quite a bit about Kauai and keep on top of things growing around the island. After 25 years in business they have made a place for themselves among local people and visitors alike.
Look around outside. You might see some of those exotic treats growing on the trees!
One of our first stops when we arrived ‘on island’ was Banana Joe’s to stock up on fresh fruit and vegetables. Now that we are living here, we make sure we take guests to the little yellow fruit stand for local color and island specialties.