Bob-Bob the miniature donkey has a star chef on his side — Alan Wong, who has taken up the cause of the little dude and other equine refugees from the Kilauea eruption.
Long story short, the equine program at the University of Hawaii-Hilo has taken in a group of displaced animals, caring for them at Panaewa Farm, which also is home to beehives central to Wong’s Adopt-a-Beehive Program.
Thus did the chef and Bob-Bob meet, and now he’s put together a “Benefit Bento for Bob-Bob” sale Sept. 24 to raise funds to care for the horses.
The only way to get a bento is to pay in advance from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday at UH-Hilo (go to the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource Management’s breezeway.) Cost is $10 (cash only). Pick up will be in the same spot the following Monday.
The bento deal may be geographically out of reach for most of us, but donations to support Bob-Bob and the equine program may be made through the UH Foundation .
Animals cared for through the program help agriculture students acquire skills needed to advance to veterinary programs in graduate school.
For those who can make it to the bento pickup: It includes tofu bites made with UH-Hilo honey, pipikaula steak and grilled mahimahi with honey- lemon miso. The dishes were developed by Wong in partnership with Sodexo, the campus dining service.
CREAMY CREATIONS
New at the Royal Hawaiian Center — Kokoro Cafe, opening Friday at the Paina Lanai Food Court.
Husband and wife co-owners Gil and Lisa Ann Shin specialize in taiyaki — ice cream served in soft, uniquely shaped waffle cones.
One showcase treat is the Shaka Boom, which can be filled with a choice of acai, vanilla, coconut or Dole Whip flavors.
Another: mochi waffles, served on sticks with a choice of toppings.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
IS IT SAFE TO EAT?
Whatever the effects of Tropical Storm Olivia on your household, the USDA’s post-storm guide to food safety is something you need — either now, or to stash with your emergency supplies for the next hurricane alert.
The advice is practical and critical, for example:
>> After a power failure, check frozen foods for ice crystals; if you find them, the food can safely be refrozen.
>> Most dairy products should be tossed if unrefrigerated more than two hours, but butter and hard cheeses should be OK.
>> Don’t eat any food that has been touched by floodwaters.
>> Good advice for next time: Freeze containers of water and put them in the fridge to keep food cool if the power fails.
Go to fsis.usda.gov and search for “Consumer Guide to Food Safety.” You can choose to read the guide online or download a PDF copy.
