Big Island Candies Coffee Dark Chocolate Covered Brownies

 Disclosure: Complimentary product was received for review purposes.  

If you are a coffee fan, you'll love Big Island Candies' Coffee Dark Chocolate Covered Brownies!  This is one of many 

new products the Hawaii Island-based business launched recently.  If you're familiar with their magnificent brownies (I'm personally addicted to the 

Milk Chocolate Covered Caramel Brownie with Hawaiian Sea Salt), you know how decadent they are!

This delightful blend of chocolate and Kona Coffee is almost reminiscent of a mud pie!  

Find this and more Big Island Candies confections in stores and online at https://www.bigislandcandies.com/.

Read More

Da Bald Guy Food Truck

Parked at the Kahuku Sugar Mill,@dabaldguy_foodtruck serves local-style breakfasts and plate lunches, and even offers desserts!

Smoked Meat

Teriyaki Furikake SPAM

Chop Steak + Grilled Onions

Boneless Braised Kalbi with Eggs and Rice

Garlic Butter Shrimp

I had the Smoked Meat, and I thought it was just okay.  I did really like the mac salad.  I wished I got the Furikake Teriyaki SPAM - my littlest loved it!  My middle son enjoyed the Shrimp, and my oldest like the Kalbi.  My husband said the Steak was "all right." 

Chocolate Cake

Strawberry Soda Cake

Coconut Butter Mochi

Banana Pudding

Carrot Cake

Fortunately, the desserts were amazing.  The Banana Pudding was my favorite.  The Strawberry Soda Cake was another fave!

Each dessert was just $5, and they were enormous servings!

Read More

Grocery / Convenience Store Finds

Sometimes grocery stores and convenience stores offer really good, yet really underrated foods.  I was very surprised with how many people commented on the Salt & Vinegar Wings from Foodland and how much they loved them.  

I received a few other grocery store recommendations to try since then, and would love to get more food finds recommendations from grocery and convenience stores.  Let me know if you have any! 

Read More

Bubble Art

Over the weekend, the littlest and I had fun with Bubble Art!  I actually tried Bubble Art five years ago at a media event, where we used this technique to customize our own plates!  

We simply filled plastic cups with about 1 T of acrylic paint, 1/2 c water, and 1 t dish soap.  You can eyeball the quantities and adjust as necessary.

Mix everything up in the cup with a straw, then blow!

Blow until lots and lots of bubbles start overflowing from the cup, and "pour" the bubbles onto paper.

When the bubbles pop, they leave a fun design!

We're turning these into note cards to send to loved ones!

Read More

Big Island Candies Coconut Brownie Mochi

  Disclosure: Complimentary product was received for review purposes.  

Big Island Candies recently released the Coconut Mochi Brownie - a delightful combination of two popular sweets.  

The Coconut Mochi Brownie is chewy, and definitely has more of a mochi texture than a brownie texture, but it sure is yummy!  It has a very nice coconut flavor!

I used the mochi brownie as a base for a sundae - and the kids loved it!

Find this and more Big Island Candies confections in stores and online at https://www.bigislandcandies.com/.  

Read More

Salt & Vinegar Wings at Foodland

I've heard so much about the Salt & Vinegar Wings at Foodland, and I finally gave them a try!

I used their Foodland to You service to pick up some groceries, as well as the Salt & Vinegar Wings and a couple of other deli items.

Salt & Vinegar Wings

I thought they were good - they were very tasty, but I still like the Fried Chicken so much more.

I've been a fan of their Fried Chicken for a while now, and I especially love the Korean Chicken!

Korean Chicken

Potato Wedges

And of course, I love the huge Potato Wedges!

I love that Foodland has expanded their grab-and-go type food offerings, but the Fried Chicken and Potato Wedges are two of my faves!

Read More

Keiki in the Kitchen Goes Virtual for Halloween at #HFWF20

Keiki in the Kitchen^® returns to Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival (HFWF) with virtual food and fun for Halloween 2020.

On Saturday, October 31, 2020, HMAA Presents Keiki in the Kitchen^® hosts Dress Up & Decorate with #HFWF on Zoom at 3:00 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to wear their Halloween costume and follow along with celebrity chefs and bakers to decorate Halloween-themed cupcakes.
 
All-inclusive Halloween Cupcake Kits are available for pick up at designated Foodland Super Market and Sack N Save stores on the Island of Hawai‘i, Maui and O‘ahu on Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31. The Halloween Cupcake Kit includes:

• HFWF Treat Street trick-or-treat reusable canvas tote
• HFWF Keiki in the Kitchen^® reusable utensil kit
• Three (3) vanilla cupcakes and three (3) chocolate cupcakes
• Four (4) 12″ pastry piping bags
• Four (4) assorted disposable pastry tips
• Four (4) assorted frosting containers in orange, black, green and white
• Variety of decorations including Halloween sprinkles, non-perils pearls and assortment of Halloween candies

 
See full list of participating stores at www.HFWF.me. Kits may vary based on availability.
 
After the decorating activity, the finalists of the Hawai‘i Gas Presents Localicious^® Recipe & Video Contest will be introduced. Then, the winners of each age category and People’s Choice Award will be announced.
 
“We are proud to bring Keiki in the Kitchen® back as a virtual event on Halloween this year as one of the highlights of HFWF20,” said Denise Yamaguchi, CEO of Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival. “With COVID-19, there may be limited opportunities children to “trick-or-treat” and do other fun activities so we felt it was important to create a fun Halloween event that where families could dress up, interact with celebrity chefs and other children, while also making some cool and spooky treats.”
 
HMAA Presents Keiki in the Kitchen^®: Dress Up & Decorate with #HFWF
October 31, 2020
Zoom, 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. HST
 
Cupcake Decorating with #HFWF chefs – Put on your best Halloween costume and pick up your Decorating Kit at designated Foodland Super Market stores, complete with a #HFWF Treat Street trick-or-treat reusable canvas tote, reusable utensil kit, six (6) cupcakes, frosting, toppings and more! Hosted by Adam Richman, the virtual party invites keiki to decorate spooky Halloween cupcakes with celebrity chefs as they offer decoration tips and tricks!
 
Hawai‘i Gas^® Presents Localicious^® Recipe & Video Contest – Meet the six (6) Hawai‘i Gas Presents Localicious^® Recipe & Video Contest finalists and see their locally-inspired dishes. One contestant from each grade category (Grades 4-8 and 9-12) will be announced as the winner, along with the People’s Choice Award winner!
 
Admission to HMAA Presents Keiki in the Kitchen^®: Dress Up & Decorate with #HFWF is free with registration. Ticket holders may purchase their ticket to include the Halloween Cupcake Kit for $35, which includes the decorating kit and gift bag from Foodland Super Market stores. HFWF is providing free access to families to ensure all keiki can have an enjoyable and safe Halloween celebration. If they do not add the kit, families can purchase or make their own cupcakes and supplies. Learn more and reserve cupcake decorate kits online here.
 
Additionally, Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival (HFWF) launches ticket sales today for its next virtual Armstrong Produce Presents Cook & Drink Along with #HFWF: Perfect Steak & Bourbon with Chef Lance & Jen Ackrill. Thursday, October 29, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. HST, ticket holders can join this virtual Zoom class for a step-by-step lesson to cook pan-roasted rib eye with chef Lance Kosaka. Mixologist Jen Akrill will create two Maker’s Mark® Bourbon cocktails to pair.

Attendees on O‘ahu can purchase the meal kit for two with the prepped ingredients for pick up from 53 By The Sea, day-of the event. The kit includes the rib eye, with Mama’s Relish — made from a medley of Ho Farms tomatoes, lemon and chili relish — a side of crispy Brussel sprouts and lemongrass jasmine rice. The steak kit can be purchased with or without the Maker’s Mark® Bourbon cocktail kit.

Tickets to Perfect Steak & Bourbon with Chef Lance & Jen Ackrill start at $135 with the kit for two people, inclusive of taxes and fees, available at www.HFWF.me. Quantities are limited. Proceeds will benefit the Kokua Ag & Culinary Fund, which supports the agricultural, culinary and hospitality industries that have been affected by COVID-19 in Hawaiʻi.

Those who wish to join the event without the meal kit and bourbon can register for the virtual class ticket for $25, inclusive of taxes and fees. A list of ingredients will be shared with these ticket holders to purchase ahead of time and participate live.
 
Stay connected with the Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival via www.HFWF.me or follow HFWF on Twitter/Instagram @HIFoodWineFest and Facebook at hawaiifoodandwinefestival for more information on upcoming events.
 

Read More