Kauai Cooking Class Travelogue

On Friday, July 16th, I flew over to Kauai to meet Sharleen and Arthur Isoshima who generously hosted my first cooking class on Kauai. The two of them are genuine ambassadors of the aloha spirit.

They secured a perfect place for the class, the Jam Room at Kukui Grove in Lihue. In addition to the wonderful students, I was surrounded by late greats, which I found comforting. (Did you know that John practiced macrobiotics?)

Shar and Art helped me gather the ingredients for the class from Papaya's Natural Foods in Kapa'a. I always enjoy seeing what other stores have to offer outer-island and this is a well-stocked one. The majority of the produce we were able to find local and organic. Later that day, I was very blessed to meet Kim Thich, a long-time macrobiotic practitioner who recently moved from the east coast with his wife to Kauai, and we all sampled a few of the items from his very beautiful and healthy organic garden.

The Introduction to Macrobiotics class was incredibly fun and I am grateful to all who came and spent their Saturday morning learning. (below is Shar's photo)

The following day, Shar and Art treated a few of us to a whirlwind adventure on the west side of the island! We went to a salt loi to see how Hawaiian families traditionally harvest sea salt, Hanapepe for taro and sweet potato chips, the Kauai coffee plantation, to Waimea Canyon, and to Koke'e State Park. Everything was breathtaking!

(the last photo here is April's)

On the way back to drop me off at the airport, we had pupus and drinks at the Grand Hyatt. This is a photo of the lettuce wrap I ordered.

I'd really like to thank Art and Shar again for their generosity and hospitality in inviting me over

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