happy hale*days 08: toast giveaway!

with the holidays fast approaching, a welcome distraction from all the madness kicks off this week with a handful of delightful giveaways!

first up: the toast team has put their own spin on merrymaking with a holiday edition of their popular mini pops filled with sweet treats or savory local munchies. they make fantastic stocking stuffers (especially if that secret santa exchange has got you stumped) and cheery party favors to ring in the new year.

one lucky winner will score both yummy sets (retail: $44) to gift or enjoy all to themselves (your secret is safe with me).

• email your name & current hometown to: aloha [at] hapahale [dot] com by tue, dec 16th - midnight hst
• please put toast holiday giveaway in the subject
• one entry per person/household
• previous h|h winners are not eligible

hele back on wednesday for the winner and a preview of the next goodie to be given away.

p.s. email subscribers - simply hit reply and follow the above instructions to throw your name in the giveaway hat.

{update: winner list posted}

happy hale*days 08: kitchen edition

this will be short and sweet since thanksgiving plans have begun to distract me (on the menu: kalua turkey, garlic whipped potatoes, artichoke parmesan soudough stuffing & pumpkin pie with homemade whipped cream). since i am still gathering edible ideas, enjoy this abbreviated roundup of fun foodie finds for the kitchen!

1 - if you giggled with me at the popular sumo match salt & pepper shakers featured last year, you will be delighted with its 2008 successor - the adorable hawaiian kiss s&p set.

2 - grab the icing and bake up a united 50th state with a copper hawaii cookie cutter.

3 - add a bit of handmade style to tabletop offerings with ceramist marissa domanski's gorgeous swirl bowl (available at maui hands).

4 - edible hawaiian islands offers up page after page of behind-the-scenes peeks of hawaii's culinary community.

5 - delight your favorite paddler with wooden napkin rings carved in the shape of canoes and paddles from soha.

6 - the kcc culinary arts team puts a healthy twist on island style favorites with a dash of aloha cookbook.

wishing everyone a very happy thanksgiving filled with good eats made with love!

p.s. my inbox has been flooded with black friday sales news so check in tomorrow for the full scoop.

{update | nov 27th: whoops! number order has been corrected}

b is for bento

earlier this year, i was introduced to the bento goes kawaii phenomenon via enthusiastic blogs and flickr pages devoted to the art of playing with food (literally). who knew cafeteria cuisine could be so adorable?

and while i lack the patience to whip one up myself and would feel guilty decapitating such artfully prepared nibbles, readers up to the challenge may want to pick up a copy of the recently published hawaii's bento box cookbook which is filled with tips and tricks on how to transform your food into funtime.

the cookbook was inspired by the little lunches local chef turned sahm susan yuen began making for her little ones after noticing the delightful bento boxes prepared by the japanese moms at her daughter's pre-school. recipes include local favorites along with step-by-step instructions on how to make musubis in the shape of penguins and bears and owls (oh my!) and the intriguingly named char siu bunny bao.

bon appétit!

and the winner is . . .

melanie of san jose who will be enjoying many hot cups of joe with the aloha kona coffee gift basket on its way from the big island! many mahalos to all the readers who entered the giveaway!

congratulations, melanie!

aloha kona coffee giveaway

i suspect a few readers are feeling the tuesday morning blues so here's a little news that is sure to perk you up! a giveaway just for h|h readers compliments of the aloha kona coffee 'ohana who are treating the winner to two one-pound bags of their popular medium dark roast beans ($50 value) sustainably grown on their big island farm.

simply send along an email with your name & current hometown by 11:59pm on thu, sep 4th. the lucky winner will be announced on friday.

good luck!

p.s. if you have trouble with the link, please send the requested info to aloha [at] hapahale [dot] com and put akc giveaway in the subject.

{mahalo dana!}

{update: winner list posted}