NORTH HAWAII — North Hawaii is fortunate to have many artisans who are devoted to their craft, be it food creations or unique handmade items with a tropical twist. As the second part of the series, North Hawaii News elves
NORTH HAWAII — North Hawaii is fortunate to have many artisans who are devoted to their craft, be it food creations or unique handmade items with a tropical twist. As the second part of the series, North Hawaii News elves have researched more readily available holiday gift options made by local purveyors with stories of their own.
Fruity flavors
Growing up in Illinois, Debbie Choo remembers her mom preserving and canning everything the family ate. So it seems only logical she would emulate this.
Choo moved to Hawaii 40 years ago, and to the Big Island 20 years later, and immediately began making jams, jellies, butters and vinaigrettes from the island’s tropical bounty.
“I work with whatever fruit is in season,” she said, using those grown on her Kapaau property and what she gets from local sources throughout North Kohala.
Choo used to make her treats just for family and friends but then started giving them out as gifts. When people began calling her to place orders, her business — Kohala’s Finest LLC — was born.
Choo enjoys being creative, which has resulted in a wide variety — and typically more healthy — products. For example, she currently sells a fruit spread that is all fruit with no sugar or artificial sweetener. The spread, made from Hawaii’s apple bananas, white pineapple and freshly grated coconut “is delicious and very popular,” Choo said.
She also created a POG jam which evolved when students in her jelly making class brought in lilikoi, oranges and guava from their yards.
While Choo works full time for the State of Hawaii, Judiciary, she devotes her spare time to making her award winning products. Her lilikoi butter won first place at the Kohala Country Fair, and lilikoi vinaigrette took first place in the salad dressing competition at a Kohala Chili Cooking Challenge.
Choo sells her products at the Saturday Hawi Farmer’s Market and seasonal craft fairs. They are also available at Lilikoi Cafe in Waimea and Bamboo Restaurant in Hawi.
She gives customers mouthwatering suggestions on ways to use her products. Her lilikoi butter, which is creamy and slightly tart, is an excellent fruit dip and can be spread on waffles, bagels, pancakes, French toast and crackers. When added to regular frosting it is works well on carrot cake, and mixed with a little regular butter, shoyu and wasabi paste it makes for a tart and tasty fish sauce. The lilikoi jelly makes an ideal glaze for chicken, turkey and fish, while the jam can be used on pork ribs.
Kohala’s Finest LLC products are just $9 across the board.
Artistic gourds
Jelena Clay has been making unique and intriguing art for most of her life. Because she has lived in Hawaii for the past 30 years, the islands are a big part of it.
Clay says the Hawaiian culture — deeply rooted in nature — is her primary influence. She also has worked with the hula arts community for many years, so her work is a culmination of these island experiences.
While Clay is a mixed-media artist who paints acrylics and oils, 20 years ago her repertoire expanded to include gourd art.
She embraces the entire organic process, beginning with collecting the gourds and then cleaning and drying them. She finds them herself or gets them from friends and residents who grow them.
After the gourds are cleaned and dried, the magic begins. Clay using various processes to transform the gourds into works of art including pyrography (wood burning), stains, dyes, acrylics and clay.
“Basically anything that works on wood or leather, works on gourds,” she said. “Each gourd is unique and has its own personality.”
Clay can usually see exactly what she wants to make as soon as she holds the gourd.
“The color and shape speak to the image I create,” she explained
This time of year, gourd ornaments made by Clay are particularly popular, especially those with a Hawaiian theme. She makes hula girls, and skinny tropical fish. To color them she uses various inks and acrylics. Ornament prices average $24-$30.
Clay’s work is displayed at the Kawaihae Harbor Gallery and at As Hawi Turns. She also shows her work in the Banyan Gallery in Hilo and at Plantation Living Interiors in Kona. The Volcano Art Center Gallery has represented her work since 1993.
A self-taught artist, Clay says she gave it up once to pursue other things but that didn’t last.
“I have to do art work, there’s just no doubt about that,” she said. “We’re all given a talent for a reason.”
Nutty goodness
What started as a small macadamia nut farm in Honokaa in 2005 is now a value-added business with a certified kitchen, gift shop and five full-time employees. Owned and operated by Linda and Mike Watson, Ahualoa Farms produces more than dozen products sold in their Honokaa store and elsewhere.
The Watsons were semi-retired and living in Arizona when a yearning to live again in Hawaii came to mind. Mike had fond memories of Oahu from his years there as a teenager and young man in the 60s and 70s, but they weren’t sure they wanted to live on the crowded Oahu of today.
Then a perfect spot on the Hamakua Coast opened up and the Watsons were Hawaii bound.
In the middle of a busy work week leading up to Christmas, Linda reflected on the success and growth of their business.
“In 2007, we were doing just one local farmer’s market with our seasoned and roasted macadamia nuts,” she recalled.
Once they started wholesaling, the business moved into an incubator kitchen in Paauilo, and in 2013 the Watsons purchased their own building in Honokaa at the east end of town. Their products are also sold at Waimea Town Market at Parker School, numerous farmers markets on Oahu, through 60 wholesale accounts and a thriving online business.
They’ve also entered the coffee market.
“We’ve planted coffee on our small farm and we’re now selling 100 percent Hamakua coffee along with our macadamia nut products,” Linda said.
In addition, Ahualoa Farms makes salad dressings, honey macadamia nut butter, flavored sugars and pancake mixes. They also press their own macadamia nut oil, make macadamia nut flour and partner with a local bee keeper to bottle honey.
One of their more unique products is macnell, which Linda describes as “Nutella, only better.”
To make all these products, farm employees are in the kitchen more than 60 hours a week.
“We’re very proud of the products we make,” Linda said. “We use locally grown ingredients whenever possible, and there are no artificial flavors or preservatives in any of our products.”
Gift boxes featuring a variety of delectable goods from Ahualoa Farms are available for holiday gift giving. Prices for individual products start at $5.
