Kulolo, if you have never tried it, is baked taro with grated coconut, a local dessert still considered a delicacy.
Kulolo used to be hard to find — a truly rarefied treat. You had to go to the right Hawaiian church’s luau or a certain cousin’s graduation party. You had to have a tutu, auntie or neighbor who made it and didn’t mind sharing some with you. Nowadays you can find it at the farmers market or make your own using a powdered mix from one of any number of stores.
Highway Inn flies in fresh kulolo from Kauai most Thursdays for sale at its Waipahu and Kakaako locations. The traditionally made, dense, moist, luxurious kulolo will be there if the planets have aligned just so. Traffic and delivery drivers’ schedules can affect delivery.
Should you get lucky, try it. It is the real deal, and you will not be limited to just a tiny square of it served on a pressed-paper luau tray.
Kulolo at Highway Inn is market-priced; call ahead to confirm it’ll be there — 954-4955 (Kakaako), 677-4345 (Waipahu). The recorded greeting is lengthy but hilarious.
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Erika Engle, Star-Advertiser
Better for bagels than a knife
A sandwich spreader is far superior to slender-bladed butter knives for making sandwiches or preparing bagels.
The broad blade makes quick work of evenly distributing mayonnaise, mustard, cream cheese or any creamy topping.
Its serrated edge can thinly slice meat or cheese, trim off crusts for picky sandwich recipients and then cut the resulting sandwich in half. The bagel shown was split, spread and cut with the simple but superior tool.
It sells for less than $9 at ChefZone, but it also is available online. Search for “sandwich spreader” or “spatula spreader.”
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Erika Engle, Star-Advertiser
Food truck fun
Honowai Elementary School is hosting a food truck rally Saturday as the school year winds down, as sort of a “Have a nice summer!” event for the Waipahu community it serves.
Honowai Principal Kent Matsumura realized that families turn out to school events in a big way whenever food is involved, so he enlisted the help of student services coordinator Roslyn Kanae. She put together a food-centric event in August that welcomed families to the new school year. It was so successful, they planned another.
This time nine trucks will be in attendance: Aloha Pops, All Kine Grindz, Beyond Burgers, Crazy Country Corn, Five-O Hawaiian Style Smoked Ribs, I Love Tacos, Kiawe Pizza, Moe Joe’s Stir Crazy and Uncle Lani’s Poi Mochi.
The event runs 4 to 8 p.m. at the school, 94-600 Honowai St. Additional parking will be available at Kaleiopuu Elementary in Village Park, 94-665 Kaaholo St., with shuttle service between the schools. Visit facebook.com/honowaifoodtruckrally.
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Joleen Oshiro, Star-Advertiser
Teacher feature
Where would we be without teachers? Those folks who have a career in the classroom make their mark in big and small ways every day, from the lives of individual students to our very society.
So, on Teachers Appreciation Day on Tuesday, take an apple for the teacher — or better yet, a pastry. It’ll go with the free coffee Jack in the Box restaurants will be giving away to educators throughout the day.
With an ID or pay stub, teachers can enjoy a regular-size hot or iced coffee, compliments of the restaurant.
Get a cup for yourself, then make a toast to that favorite teacher you’ll never forget — we all have one.
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Joleen Oshiro, Star-Advertiser
