Books: A Foodie’s City

A new book by Joan Namkoong covers everything Island-food-related, from the ubiquitous use of shoyu to the history of the saloon pilot cracker.

"Food is a reflection of who we are in Hawai’i, a melting pot of ethnic groups whose diversity is shared at the table," writes Joan Namkoong in her new book, Food Lover’s Guide to Honolulu (2006, Bess Press; $14.95). You may know Namkoong as our food editor at HONOLULU Magazine; she is also a freelance food writer, co-founder of The Compleat Kitchen stores and a force behind many of O’ahu’s farmers’ markets.

Food Lover’s Guide to Honolulu reads as both a reference guide and a love note, scribbled on a grocery list, to the Islands. Namkoong comprehensively covers farmers’ markets, supermarkets and specialty stores, provides recipes and shopping tips, and gives listings for cooking classes. You’ll also find restaurant suggestions, ranging from the meticulous cuisine at Chef Mavro to a humble okazu ya in Kalihi.

The book would make an excellent gift for a visitor, but also offers insider culinary information for locals, too. Who knew, for example, that you can locate gefilte fish here, at Mazal’s Kosherland? As with her previous books—Go Home, Cook Rice and Family Traditions of Hawai’i—Namkoong strives to preserve and celebrate the food and culture of the Islands. You can find the book at www.besspress.com and at book stores throughout the Islands.

DRIVING WHILE MALE
	138 Number of fatalities resulting from car accidents in Hawai’i in 2004. 98 Number of victims who were male.	115 Number of suicides in Hawai’i in 2004. 89 Number of victims who were male.	29 Number of deaths caused by assaults in Hawai’i in 2004. 23 Number of victims who were male.
Source: State Department of Health, Office of Health Status Monitoring, compiled from 2004 death certificates.