Thought for Food

Nourish your senses with locally-inspired gourmet books.

Omikase

New this month in paperback, D.K.’s Sushi Chronicles from Hawaii has plenty of seafood, beef and dessert recipes from Dave “D.K.” Kodama, chef/owner of Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar. But his “sushi classes” in the beginning of the book really shine, with “Sushi 101: The Basics” and “Sushi 202: Makizushi” teaching everything you’ll need—ingredients, technique, presentation—to whip up sushi with confidence. For example, you can dazzle guests at your next dinner party with a Mango and Crab Salad Hand Roll with Thai Vinaigrette. $24.95 from Ten Speed Press, www.tenspeed.com.
 

Appetizer

Whet your appetite with We Go Eat: A Mixed Plate from Hawaii’s Food Culture. This anthology from the Hawaii Council for the Humanities is designed to go with a tour of the Smithsonian’s traveling exhibit “Key Ingredients: America by Food.” Read what our state’s top food writers—Dave Choo, Betty Shimabukuro, Joan Namkoong—have to say about local lifestyles, via our plates. There’s also fiction and poetry from Island writers, including Amalia Bueno, John Wythe White and Cathy Song. Whether it’s oxtail soup or working in a pineapple factory, this book has it captured as a good story told. The exhibit “Key Ingredients” is at the Maui Community College through April 12; you can buy the book there for $10 or at local bookstores for $14.95.
 

Hearty Fare

Dig into stick-to-your-ribs dishes like bacon- wrapped meatloaf, a recipe in Hawaii Cooks & Saves ($15.95). The book, by author Muriel Miura, makes the most of her background in home economics. She fires back at the recession with simple, inexpensive meals that can be prepared quickly. www.mutualpublishing.com.
 

Doggie Bag

If your dog is looking longingly up at your table, treat him to one of the all-natural, vet-approved treats in Paws Through Paradise. This canine cookbook, $24.95, from the Hawaii Doggie Bakery, isn’t new, but the recipes—for treats such as mini manapuas and poi dog pretzels—sound so good, you might start looking longingly down at your dog’s dish. Find it at www.hawaiidoggiebakery.com.