Today while shopping for ingredients for Sukiyaki at Nijiya Market I noticed quite a few "Local Kine Stuffs". Luckily, I had my camera, and took a few photo's of the "stuffs".
One of the most important "local" cooking ingredient for me is 'Alaea, a red/orange sea salt:
From what little I can remember; this type of unprocessed seas salt is mixed with red clay which enriches it with ferrous oxide. The Hawaiians used to reserve it for important feasts and ceremonies, and the salt was said to hold special medicinal properties. The salt has a mellower salty taste, with a touch of sweetness. This is an indispensable ingredient for my Kalua Pork and Poke. Alaea also adds a nice flavor to steaks, and grilled meats. The price at Nijiya is quite high, and I'll usually pick mine up at Marukai, but it's good to know that I can get some if I'm in a pinch.
Hawaiian (sea) Salt is also sold at Nijiya:
And there's actually two brands available, "Kama'aina" and "Old Time". I've never used Kama'aina brand, and have always used Old Time; don't ask me why – it's just brand loyalty. In the 1800's salt provided income to the Hawaiians. If you're interested in a Food Anthropologists take on salt, or Hawaii's Culinary Heritage, Rachel Lauden has a interesting book called The Food of Paradise
In the "snack" isle I found two items of interest. The first were the boxes of Kauai Kookie:
I've actually started to see this in other Asian Markets in the area. I'm really not much on sweets, so this didn't make much of an impression. The other item did though:
I was amazed! They actually had Diamond Bakery Saloon Pilot and Soda Crackers. Diamond Bakery was founded in Hawaii in 1921, and is probably the only company that still makes Saloon Pilot crackers; large, round crackers which I understand was based on Hardtack and sea biscuits. Ah, Diamond Bakery Saloon Pilots, the sweeter Cream Crackers, and the crispy Soda Crackers, were staples of my "small kid time", back home. These soda crackers are not as light and crisp as the standard saltines that most are used to, but thicker, and better designed to withstand the humidity. I'm sure most kids from Hawaii would remember sucking and chewing on Soda Crackers and mushing them up in your mouth, calling your Mom or some other victim, opening your mouth to show the world its contents!!! I didn't buy any because of the price. And frankly, a case of crackers would probably last me a decade; I'm better off buying the single packages from Marukai, but the memories were nice.
One final little story that I'm sure some will relate to. Soda crackers and 7-up was one of the universal treatments for Gastrointestinal ailments (I'd put it in simpler terms, but it would be kinda gross) when I was growing up. 7-up, or any carbonated beverage was not the norm in the household of my youth, so I'd actually not feel so bad when I got sick, since then I'd be able to drink some "soda". Another "special" elixir of my youth was 7-up with a special "medicine", which was the treatment for chest colds and such. Well I never found out what the medicine was, but it sure made me feel nice and warm, and most of all made me sleep comfortably. Fast forward about a decade. While at a party, a friend of mine hands me this "sissy-drink", telling me to try and taste this, that it's not really half bad. So I take a sip, and something goes off in my head. This really tastes familiar….then "Damn, this is my medicine-drink"!!! So I asked them what is it that I'm drinking. It was Southern Comfort and 7-up! Tasted terrible, but exactly like my medicine. It's really funny if you knew my Mom. She was a a complete teetotaler, and allergic to alcohol. How she figured this would work was beyond me. But it sure worked, I guess…..