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CTAHR in Action
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The Taste: CTAHR Celebrate Eight Delicious Years
The chefs of the 2003 Taste of the Hawaiian Range
Figure 1: The chefs of the 2003 Taste of the Hawaiian Range. Among the culinary stars featured this year were three James Beard award winners—Roy Yamaguchi, Alan Wong, and George Mavrothalassitis (Chef Mavro)—and planning committee members Willie Pirngruber and Miles Togikawa.

CTAHRs Dwight Sato and USDAs Francis Zee serve samples of the delicate green and black teas
Figure 2: CTAHR's Dwight Sato and USDA's Francis Zee serve samples of the delicate green and black teas that are grown on the Big Island at several CTAHR research stations.

The Kamuela vegetable display
Figure 3: The Kamuela vegetable display tempts a passerby with a rainbow of succulent tomatoes.

Attendees mingle with busy food preparers as twilight falls on the 2003 Taste of the Hawaiian Range, held at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel on the Big Islands Kohala coast.
Figure 4: Attendees mingle with busy food preparers as twilight falls on the 2003 Taste of the Hawaiian Range, held at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel on the Big Island's Kohala coast.

Organizers Rick Habein and Glen Fukumoto enjoy the success of the 2003 Taste.
Figure 5: Organizers Rick Habein and Glen Fukumoto enjoy the success of the 2003 Taste.
From the searing steaks to the sizzling Kona weather, the 2003 Taste of the Hawaiian Range was a hot ticket. A sell-out crowd gathered at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel to enjoy Hawaii's finest forage-fed meats and the Big Island's freshest produce expertly prepared by 34 chefs, including three winners of the prestigious James Beard Award. The annual celebration of Hawaii agriculture and cuisine warmed the hearts and stomachs of hundreds of Big Island residents and welcomed visitors from throughout the islands, the mainland, and Japan.


The Taste, a brainchild of CTAHR's Glen Fukumoto, Michael DuPonte, Burt Smith (now retired), and Milton Yamasaki, began in 1996 as a companion event to Cooperative Extension Service's Mealani Forage Field Day. The first Taste was held at Kahilu Town Hall in Waimea, with no budget, 12 chefs, 6 vendors; and about 20 rustic sawhorse-and-plank food stations that served 300 guests. From its humble beginnings, the Taste has grown to become one of Hawaii's premier food events. The 2003 Taste, which moved this year to the Kohala coast, featured 34 chefs, 22 vendors, and about 1,700 participants. Taste organizer Glen Fukumoto is enthusiastic about the Taste's new face: "This year was my 'dream' food festival, with nearly 70 food, vendor, and display stations—all on skirted tables—promoting our great agricultural products, excellent media coverage, Hawaiian music, all held on the beautiful grounds of the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel."


Remaining true to its field day roots, the Taste promotes Hawaii's forage-fed meats, including beef, pork, mutton, lamb, chicken, goat, bison, and elk. The chefs are challenged to use unusual cuts. From cheek to knuckle, tongue to tail, and tripe to "mountain oyster," each animal is used efficiently. Forage-fed meats benefit both producers and consumers. By finishing cattle locally on grasses and legumes, Hawaii ranchers are able to earn added profits while enhancing food security and preserving open space for people and wildlife. By eating locally grown meat, eggs, and milk, consumers support Hawaii agriculture and may also derive health benefits. Research has shown that grass-fed beef contains less fat and cholesterol and more vitamin E than does grain-fed beef. Forage-fed meat, poultry, and eggs are also better sources for omega-3 fatty acids, which lower risk for high blood pressure, heart attack, and some cancers and mental disorders. Meat and dairy products from foraging cattle are richer in conjugated linoleic acid, which reduces cancer risks.


CTAHR thanks the many people and organizations that volunteered and donated time, goods, and skills to the 2003 Taste of the Hawaiian Range, including the community members of the planning committee: Rick Habein, Gene Erger, Chef Willie Pirngruber, Charlie Goodness, Jack Dye, Jim DeLuz, Walter Preza, Gary Noguchi, Chef Miles Togikawa, Rollin Olson, and Lori Andrade. Thanks also to the CTAHR committee members: Milton Yamasaki, Merrissa Uchimura, Randy Hamasaki, Dwight Sato, and Michael DuPonte. Mahalo to the staff at the Mealani Research Station: Marla Fergerstrom, Kirk Rapozo, Lester Ching, Roy Ishizu, Lonn Ohigashi, and Kelly Asai. We especially wish to thank the County of Hawaii Department of Research and Development, the Hawaii Tourism Authority, and the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel for their help in making the 2003 Taste a success.


If you're feeling nostalgia for the 2003 Taste of the Hawaiian Range or regretting having missed it, take heart. This unique food bonanza will return in September 2004. We'll see you—and your appetite—next year.



Where can consumers buy Hawaii forage-fed meats?
You don't have to wait until next year to taste the Hawaiian range. Hawaii's forage-fed beef is on sale throughout the islands and on the Internet.

Hawaii:

  • KTA Superstores (island-wide; Mountain Apple Brand and Kamuela Pride beef products)
  • T. Kaneshiro Store (Honokaa)
  • Andrade's Meat Market (Honokaa)
  • Kulana Foods, Ltd. (Hilo)


Maui:

  • Long's Drug Stores (island-wide; Maui Cattle Company products)
  • Ulupalakua Ranch Store (Ulupalakua; Maui Cattle Company products)


Oahu:

  • Kapiolani Community College Farmer's Market (Honolulu; North Shore Cattle Company beef)


Kauai:
The stores listed below sell Island Fresh forage-fed beef.

  • Kojima's Store (Kapaa)
  • Wailua Country Store (Kapaa)
  • Medeiros Farms, Inc. (Kalaheo)
  • Ishihara Market, Ltd. (Waimea)
  • Andrade's Slaughterhouse (Kalaheo)


Websites for rancher direct sales:
www.kamuelapride.com
www.beefhawaii.com
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Posted on November 8, 2003