ByGeorge F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
Honolulu Waldorf School student Katie Rian created the cover,
above, for "Ka Mea 'Ai 'Ono Loa: Delicious Foods
from the Honolulu Waldorf School."
But if you read between the lines full of cups and teaspoons, what you might walk away with is a bit of history, psychology and sociology. The student of cookbooks quickly learns that the way we eat is the way we are.
This is especially true of the community cookbook, one of the more homespun phenomenons of the information age. Even in this category of books, there is a subcategory of cookbooks being produced in schools.
With public funds running scarce, schools have been pressed to be creative in their fund-raising efforts. At Pearl City Highlands Elementary School, which has just released "Another Taste of PEACHES," computer illustrated by students, instructor Sandra Hikichi said, "We've sold chili, pizza, held craft fairs. We've had to become entrepreneurs instead of just being teachers."
Funds raised by the cookbook help the school with its goal of becoming completely wired with computers. "It's a slow process," Hikichi said.
When the war ended, the women didn't stop publishing their recipes, merely switching beneficiaries to hospitals, churches, orphanages and veterans' groups.
"Food seems to tie everyone together, especially in Hawaii," said Karen Yoshina, an Iao Intermediate School English teacher and member of the school's cookbook committee.
For "Renaissance of Recipes: A Cookbook of Island Favorites," she said, "We asked for dishes that were either handed down through the generations, or something their family had developed."
The cookbook is a result of an 8th grade honors assignment and an oral history project for 7th graders. Students interviewed and taped grandparents, parents and other senior relatives and family friends, resulting in histories that have been copied and distributed among family members.
Although these family histories have been reduced for the sake of brevity to a single line introducing recipes, many times this little bit of information is enough to paint a warm, often humorous picture of family life on Maui.
More importantly, one is witness to the living process of evolution. It's clear how, in a place as diverse as Hawaii, culinary traditions can't help but become as "chop suey" as people.
Agnes Cravalho, a staff member at Iao wrote of a Watercress Soup recipe, "My Portuguese uncle married a Japanese woman, and auntie introduced her in-laws to some of her specialties, including this soup, which has become a family favorite."
Student Rebecca Kiili wrote of Fried Bananas on Ice Cream, "A long time ago we had some bananas that no on ate, so my dad decided to try to make them into dessert. He fried them with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. He served them on a bowl of ice cream and it was a success. Now, whenever we have spare bananas, he fries them for us."
Community cookbooks also offer a strong dose of reality, with recipes reflecting the way people cook, instead of the way some professionals thinks they should cook. After all, would anyone expect a student to sit down with an instruction book and paint the Mona Lisa?
So instead of Beef Wellington, there is "Super Good Chili" and "Onolicious Hamburger" in the Highlands Ohana Cookbook, as well as three kinds of meatloaf - "Supreme," "Teriyaki" and "Barbecue Style." And 100 years into the future how will people remember Hodge Podge, as shared in the cookbook by C. Watanabe? What is it? Well, it's made by browning a pound-and-a-half of hamburger, stirring in onion and celery, then simmering the mass with three cans of Campbell minestrone soup, 2 cans of pork and beans, tomatoes and seasonings.
And if it's big-name chefs' recipes that you want, a few do sneak in. Beverly Gannon of Haliimaile General Store offers Portuguese Steamed Clams and Avalon restaurant's Mark Ellman serves up Ceviche Maui Taco Style and Ahi and Taro Salad in "Renaissance of Recipes."
In "Ka Mea 'Ai 'Ono Loa: Delicious Foods From the Honolulu Waldorf School," Jim Gillespie, chef for 3660-on-the-Rise offers a recipe for Macadamia Nut Crepes with Fresh Strawberries, while Alan Wong of Alan Wong's Restaurant contributes Seared Peppered Ahi, Crispy Slaw and Soy Vinaigrette.
Roy's Restaurant is represented by chef Gordon Hopkins' Mixed Mushrooms with Soft Polenta and Walnut Oil, while Sam Choy, head of his own restaurant empire, brings in dessert of Pineapple Haupia.
The books are not without flaws by professional standards. "Another Taste of PEACHES," for instance, offers no serving sizes, and availability of that information is spotty in "Renaissance of Recipes."
In a trade-off, you do get treasured family recipes, some written out for the first time.
If communities and individuals don't preserve these recipes they may be lost to future generations and some recipes just shouldn't be lost. For instance, Reed Anderson-Teshima wrote in the Renaissance cookbook, "I couldn't stop eating the manju my great grandmother used to make. Sometimes my stomach would be full, but my taste buds weren't."
Following is Anderson-Teshima's great grandmother's recipe, as well as recipes from three more school-produced cookbooks.
Note: None of the books have nutritional analyses, so we have provided them, and in many cases we added or recalculated the serving sizes.
1-3/4 cups shorteningIn a mixing bowl, combine shortening, butter or margarine, flour and salt. Mix with a pastry blender or by hand. Stir in milk and 2 tablespoons of the evaporated milk. Combine well.
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine
5 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt (optional)
3/4 cup milk
1 small can evaporated milk
1 can tsubushi an (coarsely ground red bean paste)
Pull off pieces of dough and flatten in palm of hand. Place 1 teaspoon tsubushi an in middle. Fold dough around to enclose. Flatten. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat, making remainder of manju. Brush tops with evaporated milk. Bake in a preheated 425-degree oven for 20 minutes.
Makes approximately 30 small pieces.
Approximate nutrition analysis per serving (without salt): 220 calories, 14 grams fat, 4 grams saturated fat, 5 milligrams cholesterol, 35 milligrams sodium; 110 milligrams sodium with salt.*
5 pounds chicken pieces, rinsedMix all the ingredients together except chicken. Slit chicken pieces and marinate in mixture a few hours or overnight, turning once.
1 6-ounce can frozen guava
nectar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup oyster sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until cooked.
Approximate nutrition analysis per serving (boneless chicken with skin): 270 calories, 13 grams fat, 4 grams saturated fat, 90 milligrams cholesterol, 530 milligrams sodium. For boneless, skinless chicken: 180 calories, 2 grams fat, no saturated fat, 80 milligrams cholesterol, 540 milligrams sodium.*
1 pound hamburger or ground turkeyBrown the meat with onion and taco seasoning. Add water. Add canned ingredients and simmer for about 1/2 hour.
1 small onion, chopped
1 package taco seasoning
1 cup water
1 16-ounce can kidney beans, drained
1 16-ounce can corn, drained
1 16-ounce can stewed tomatoes
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce or tomato soup
1 bag or tortilla chips
1 to 2 pounds grated cheese
Serve soup over crushed tortilla chips and top with cheese. You can add sour cream and olives as garnish.
Serves 8 13-ounce servings.
Approximate nutrition analysis per serving (with beef): 530 calories, 32 grams fat, 20 grams saturated fat, 100 milligrams cholesterol, 1,250 milligrams sodium. With turkey: 480 calories, 27 grams fat, 17 grams saturated fat, 105 milligrams cholesterol, 1,246 milligrams sodium.*
5 pounds chicken wingsMix all ingredients and marinate overnight. Fry in hot oil till brown. Makes 8 servings.
1 package Noh's Kim Chee mix
1 egg
1 cup flour
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Approximate nutrition analysis per serving: 350 calories, 23 grams fat, 6 grams saturated fat, 80 milligrams cholesterol, 1,050 milligrams sodium.*