NEW TREATS ON ICE

Magnolia Ice Cream & Treats shops are throwing coming-out parties on Saturday and Sunday for a new line of products.

Magnolia’s Ultimate Summer Re-Treat takes place from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Kapalama Shopping Center shop and 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday at Ka Makana Alii mall in Kapolei.

The events will feature meet-and-greet sessions with social media influencer FynestChina, known for his comedic skits, as well as music and prize giveaways.

But central to all will be the frozen treats, introduced in the shops in May, that expand on Magnolia’s signature halo-halo desserts.

These include the Mais Con Hielo, with creamed corn, shave ice, cheese ice cream and cornflakes; and I Lava Lychee, with lychee ice cream, mochi, azuki beans, shave ice and a fresh lychee.

Also new: Magnolia Sliders, ice cream sandwiches that put ice cream between slices of Filipino pan de sal. The first 25 people at Saturday’s event will receive free sliders. On Sunday, early birds get a free Ohana Banana, a banana halo-halo.

DISCUSSION DISSECTS A CULINARY REVOLUTION

Maybe you don’t think a fancy restaurant has much impact on your life, save the special occasions that bring the family together at places like Alan Wong’s or MW Restaurant. But in fact, the decisions chefs make about what they serve, and therefore, what local farmers grow to fulfill their menus, eventually does impact what’s available to the rest of us at grocery stores and farmers markets.

This relationship between chefs and farmers is what fueled Hawaii Regional Cuisine more than 25 years ago, when a dozen Hawaii chefs started a food movement by committing to using fresh, locally grown and raised food. Those ingredients helped shape their cuisine, and in turn their food helped support Hawaii agriculture.

The Hawai‘i Agricultural Foundation is spotlighting the food movement in Eat Think Drink: Hawai‘i Regional Cuisine — The Evolution of Agriculture in Hawai‘i, an event from 6 to 9 p.m. July 18 at the ‘Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach.

The event is perfectly timed with the recent release of “Hawai‘i Regional Cuisine: The Movement That Changed the Way Hawai‘i Eats” by Samuel H. Yamashita (University of Hawai‘i Press), a history professor at Pomona College in California who grew up in Kailua. Yamashita will share excerpts from his new book.

Food industry veteran Dean Okimoto will then moderate a panel discussion featuring Jehu Fuller of Makaweli Meat Co., Michelle Karr-Ueoka of MW Restaurant and Shin Ho of Ho Farms.

At 7 p.m., guests can enjoy dishes made with locally sourced ingredients by such top chefs as Karr-Ueoka, Chris Kajioka of Senia, Andrew Le of The Pig & the Lady, Colin Hazama of The Royal Hawaiian and David Lukela of ‘Alohilani.

Tickets are $65 in advance; purchase through onorevolution.com, or $75 at the door.