toast holiday giveaway

since this fab-u-lous toast giveaway was under wraps when last friday's sales sheet was posted, i am delighted to finally reveal the 2009 edition of the cheers mini pop gift set!

i am loving the punchy labels which add just the right touch of holiday happiness to toast's snack-sized bottles which are filled with crunchy island delights like peanut crackers, hot arare with peanuts, milk chocolate covered almonds, mini nori maki arare, and dry roasted macadamia nuts. yum!

while the gift set is currently available as a pre-order only, one lucky oahu reader has the chance to score the festive gift set (retail: $25) right this moment!

here's the scoop on how to enter:

• email your name & current hometown to: aloha [at] hapahale [dot] com by thu, nov 12th
• please put toast cheers giveaway in the subject
• one entry per person/household
• fyi: oahu peeps only, please

winner will be announced on friday.

good luck!

{update | nov 11th: please note winner must be able to pickup gift set at toast's studio in kaimuki}

the good table

a friend recently shared a tip about the good table, oahu's first "synchronized dining event" hosted at over 50 restaurants around the island to benefit lanakila's meals on wheels program. gather up friends and family to fill tables of 4 to 6 to nibble on prix fixe menus whipped up by some of the hottest kitchens favored by local foodies.

take a peek at the list of participating restaurants and book your reservation by oct 6th to reserve a table. prices tag starts at $120 for casual spots like j.j. dolans and go up to $2500 for more fancy eats.

• when: thu, oct 22nd - 6p
• fyi: a portion of the meal is tax-deductible

p.s. other ways to support lanakila include the adopt-a-senior program, donating everyday necessities, and ordering handmade leis from the kupuna wellness center. indie biz owners may also want to explore the social enterprises service which offers screenprinting, embroidery, product packaging & more via its vocational program.

sweet peek: cake works

chocolate hazelnut crunch

i was thrilled to discover that honolulu pastry chef abigail langlas took over the old mary catherine's spot last year. this exceptionally talented lady of cakes grew up baking away in her family's big island kitchen eventually leaving the islands for culinary school in england. an apprenticeship at the four seasons london followed then abi continued on to france to perfect her considerable confectionery chops before returning to hawaii to dazzle diners at alan wong's.

my first introduction to abi's delightfully decadent creations was through my wedding floral designer who insisted abi's cakes were not too be missed. intrigued, the fella and i immediately booked an appointment to meet the best kept sweet secret in town. at the time, abi spent her days as the pastry chef at the honolulu coffee co. filling the case with perfectly composed desserts and baking up wedding cakes on the side.

one bite of abi's chocolate hazelnut crunch cake (shown above) and we were both smitten. happily, she was game to indulge the mister's request to craft two layer petite cakes as table centerpieces (chocolate hazelnut crunch and green tea-rimisu, shown below). to this day, our wedding cake(s) still receive happy reviews from the foodies on our guest list.

green tea-rimisu

our petite & scrumptious wedding cake! (top right)

lucky for us, an impromptu visit to the bakery case to reminisce over bites of our wedding day confections has been an unexpected bonus. once upon a time that case was tucked in the back of the honolulu coffee co.'s ala moana outpost, however we finally found our way to cake works' new storefront over the summer and it looks like our little secret is finally out.

take a peek at the gallery of sweets at the official cake works website or stop by and say hello!

• where: 2820 south king street
• shop hours: mon to sat, 9a to 7p & sun, 9a to 6p

p.s. my own little wedding cake can be found in the online gallery (or in the photo collage above, top right corner). a very happy surprise!

sneak peek: made in hawaii 2009

the made in hawaii festival kicks off tomorrow so here's my annual sneak peek of fresh island goodness ready to woo you at the blaisdell this weekend!

1 - new label one hula girl transforms everyday style staples with a little razzle dazzle.

2. delight both little ones and their mod mamas & papas with personalized blankets, burp cloths and onesies handmade by it's mine baby.

3 - designer janine spalding of mahina pearls crafts lovely compositions to conjure your inner sea goddess.

4 - lather up with kona natural soap's calorie-free cocoa bars handcrafted with chocolate grown on its big island farm.

5- artist joseph dwight recreates island scenes out of stained glass which are the perfect complement for any modern surf shack.

6 - the traditional tapa aloha shirt receives a delightfully graphic update with tutuvi's handprinted textiles.

7 - hawaii island gourmet products continues to make atebara potato chips from the original 1930's recipe while sourcing 'ulu, taro, sweet potatoes and ginger from local farms for their line of salty and sweet snacks.

8 - umi blends offers up their secret island style ingredient for a perfectly seasoned teri burger.

9 - nibble your way to do-gooder status with the yummy treats (furikake lavosh, anyone?) made by rainbow falls connection since 100% of sales fund programs to lift big island kama'ainas out of poverty.

10 - the north shore's old sugar mill brand sweetens your day with chocolate confections harvested from its back yard.

11 - everything tastes better with butter especially when it's the artisanal offerings by waianae's naked cow dairy (be sure to sample the macadamia nut honey & toasted coconut).

p.s. be back later with a special mih sales scoop!

and the winner is . . .

andy from vancouver, bc! is it wrong to envy that toast's adorable woodland creatures heart stumps will be calling lovely british columbia home soon?

many mahalos to everyone who dropped their name into the proverbial hat. all four limited edition favor designs can be found in toast's online shop as well as at their kaimuki studio:

• where: 3434 waialae avenue, suite 3, kaimuki
• shop hours: m / w / f / sat - 12p to 6p

congratulations, andy!

{mahalo jeremy & michelle for spoiling the h|h 'ohana with your fabulous designs!}