Highlights from Cochon Island

Cochon Island took place at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel this past weekend, and as promised, it was a full-on pork fest featuring five chefs and five pigs. From drinks to desserts and everything in between, pork found it's way into most every bite. Below, five memorable highlights of Cochon Island (let's hope they make this an annual event!):

Mark Noguchi plates his lechon over luau stew

1. There were many dishes I enjoyed seconds of, but the only one I ate three times was Mark Noguchi's crispy, crackling lechon over luau stew with onions and lomi tomatoes.

Honey-glazed and bacon-topped malasadas

2. Malasadas fried to order. The pastry team at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel didn't make ordinary malasadas, but ones liberally glazed with Kiawe white honey, and topped with Berkshire bacon caramelized in maple syrup. Golden and decadent, three-bite wonders.

Lifting the pig out of the imu

3. Right as the sun set, a 150-pound pig was dug out from the imu, plated and ready for everyone to dig in. This was as fun to watch as it was to eat.

Lard croissant sandwiches with mortadella

4. Tiny lard croissants from Ed Kenny of town. These were warm, super flaky, flecked in sea salt and stuffed with housemade mortadella. What more could you ask for?

Ham-bone ice cream sandwiches

5. In addition to turning out one of the best savory dishes of the night, Noguchi also made ice cream sandwiches—one big scoop of ham bone ice cream paired with crunchy lard and marshmallow cookies. Perfect ratio and texture, the best way to end the night.