free shipping at ali'i kula lavender

click over to ali'i kula lavender's online shop today to enjoy complimentary shipping on all orders over $50. while aromatherapy may be the first thing that comes to mind when one pictures a field filled with the lilac hued bloom, ali'i kula lavender has partnered with local artisanal foodmakers to create an array of treats enhanced with lavender's signature floral flavor.

stock up on gourmet goodies made with the maui grown lavender and explore a culinary world of lavender infused lilikoi jelly, chocolate brownies, strawberry syrup and more.

bon appétit!

happy hearts mochi

chocolate haupia

it seems there is a new mochi lady in town. the original mochi lady whipped up gourmet versions of the japanese confection in her little cottage that had folks lining outside her door in the wee hours of the morning. luckily for customers, her secrets have now been passed on from the master mochi maker to her apprentice, the new proprietress of happy hearts mochi.

as evidenced by the photos, each piece is made by hand to create sweet delights like chocolate haupia, peanut butter, hazelnut coffee haupia, and strawberry when in season. it is mochi which has been elevated to a little luxury treat and reminds me of the artistry found in the glass cases of a patisserie or chocolatier.

bento sampler haupia

happy hearts mochi is available by advance order (minimum 2 days notice) and in numerous configurations to satisfy your guests be it for a family potluck, office party, or wedding. and, since it has been proven to be especially popular during new year's and other holidays, make sure to mark october 1st on your calendar to guarantee your holiday order is in the books.

take a peek at the rest of the ground rules and the ever important price list before placing an order for your next celebration.

made in hawaii 2007 - foodie edition

it seems everyone has an ono secret family recipe that created a big enough foodie following among family, friends, neighbors and co-workers to inspire the more entrepreneurial souls to whip up bigger and bigger batches to satisfy demand.

for those who don't find themselves in waipahu very often, the made in hawaii festival is your chance to stock up on a fresh bag of ishiharaya senbei which have been made by the same family since 1920. alas, it's a strictly old school operation so the only way to score a bag of their delicate tea cookies online is to click over to zippy's website.

both top chefs and home cooks agree - sea salt harvested from the pacific has earned its place in the pantry as a favorite finishing salt for everything from poke to artisan bread. family owned 4j's (who keeps it all in the ohana) adds a bit more zip to dishes with their doctored up 'alaea and plain ol' sea salt in flavors like kiawe smoked, maui onion and hawaiian chili pepper. you can get your salty fix via menehune mac which stocks the most extensive selection online or at pat's island delights (fewer flavors but more competitive pricing). hit the stockist list to find the shop near you.

while the neighborhood bakery seems to be going by the wayside in the islands to make room for yet another big box store (which, save for hokulani and cake couture cupcakes, i find a bit perplexing considering all the hip bake shops popping up from coast to coast on the mainland), kapuakea satisfies the sweet tooth by baking up old fashioned treats like banana poi bread, lilikoi lemon bars, and kona fudge brownies. all of kapuakea's baked goods are made fresh to order (fyi - online purchases are shipped out only on tue & wed) and are free of preservatives. discover the story behind kapuakea over at mid-week.

next up: a sneak peek from a few h|h favorites!

malie kai artisan chocolates

i have a confession to make. sometimes the goodies i bring back to the mainland never find its way to its intended recipient. such was the case with the gourmet tin of handmade chocolates by malie kai. curiosity finally got the best of me the other day, and i dared to release them from confinement in the name of, um, research.

inside i discovered delicate shell shaped chocolates with a fruity (or nutty) surprise in the center. the tin held only five chocolates so restraint is key to make them last a few days. of course, they do have a gourmet price to match, but mk chocolates would certainly impress your friends if you have the willpower to resist temptation.

malie kai also makes fancy chocolate bars in flavors like kona coffee cappuccino and lemon macadamia nut. all of malie kai's confections are made with guittard chocolate and all-natural ingredients like freshly roasted kona coffee.

island stockists include neiman marcus, red pineapple and pat's island delights which also carries an edited selection online for those who must satisfy their sweet tooth with the click of a mouse.

radical sabbatical

ever dream of starting a new life on your very own artisan farm? before you ditch your 401(k), consider testing the waters and signing up for an internship at hawaii island goat dairy which is looking for volunteers to assist in whipping up their award winning goat & feta cheeses.

if you are willing to exchange some sweat equity (i.e. tending to the herd, milking duties, farm maintenance) for room & board, you will be immersed in the age old craft of cheesemaking so long as you can commit to farm living for 2-3 months.

the honoka'a dairy specializes in mouth watering goat cheeses with flavors like smoked guava, dill & garlic, and basil macadamia pesto, and counts hawaii's top chefs like alan wong & daniel thiebaut as some of their biggest fans. big island goat cheese is plated at many of the islands' best restaurants (merriman's, café pesto, as well as many luxe resort eateries), however foodies on a budget can find fresh batches of cheese not already spoken for at the waimea farmers market and a few big island food shops.

check out the full stockist list (and learn even more about life on a farm) via hawaii island journal's visit to the dairy earlier this year.