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FLEDGLING FARMERS START SMALL
A science club at Washington Middle School will debut its hydroponic lettuce Friday at its Goodies & Grinds Farmers Market, Haunted House and Cinema Under the Stars festivities.
Club members, interested in greenhouse and hydroponic gardening, began by planting papaya and eggplant seedlings for organic farmer Ted Nakamura. Now the first batch of their own Manoa lettuce will be harvested for the event, said Jason Akamine, a science teacher and club adviser.
Nakamura will add to the bounty with his own okra, papaya and eggplant.
Akamine said the school’s farmers market is part of his vision to develop an entrepreneurship program at Washington Middle that explores opportunities in agriculture.
The market opens at 2:30 p.m. at the corner of South King and Punahou streets. Enjoy snacks, a haunted house and a movie on campus through 6:30 p.m. The school is at 1633 S. King St.
GET YOUR GREEK ON
The approach of Hurricane Lane in August forced the postponement of the annual Greek Festival, but the time has come again for dancing, music and baklava.
The festival thrown by Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Pacific takes place from noon to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at McCoy Pavilion in Ala Moana Beach Park.
Show up for a heavy dose of traditional Greek specialties — spanakopita (spinach pie), gyros, souvlaki (kebabs), loukaniko (sausage), a variety of salads and pastries. Vegans can choose a no-meat meal.
New on the menu this year: the Santorini Sundae of vanilla ice cream with crumbled baklava, fasolakia (Greek green beans) and horiatiki salata (a village salad).
Wash it all down with Greek beer, ouzo and wine, including retsina, a wine with ties to ancient Greece.
Take some of the bounty home with a visit to the market and bazaar for Cretan olive oil, olives, herbs, grape leaves, cheeses, jams, pasta and more.
It’s not all about the food, though. Partake of dancing, live music and kids crafts.
Admission is $3. Proceeds benefit the church and other local charities. Go to Greek FestivalHawaii.com for an entertainment schedule and full list of foods to be sold.
LEEWARD STUDENTS HOST DINNER WITH VINO CHEF
Twice each year, culinary students at Leeward Community College put their training to the test, hosting a dinner with a guest chef. They plan, make purchases, cook and handle dinner service in the LCC fine-dining room, the Pearl.
The fall dinner, Nov. 2, features chef Keith Endo of Vino Italian Tapas & Wine Bar. Endo’s five-course menu includes several Vino favorites: Stracciatella, a fresh cheese made of mozzarella and cream, with lemon and prosciutto; pesto- marinated Kauai prawns and kabocha ravioli; and crispy Kona kampachi with squid-ink linguine. The main entree is crispy pork belly with smashed fingerling potatoes, Swiss chard and grilled alii mushrooms (served with Sella & Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna “Riserva”). Dessert of Waialua chocolate and hazelnut budino (an Italian pudding) ends the meal.
Reservations are being taken for seatings from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Cost is $70; $85 with four wines paired by master sommelier Chuck Furuya.
Call 455-0298 or email tlbenave@hawaii.edu.
WINE FEST YIELDS DONATIONS
Maui’s Kapalua Wine & Food Festival, held in June, distributed a record $30,000 in donations to local charities.
Kapalua Maui Charities, the oversight body for the festival, last week announced distributions including $10,000 to the Maui Community College culinary arts program and $10,000 to Puu Kukui Watershed for its preservation work.
Smaller amounts went to other community service groups and to Lahaina Strong, which provides Hurricane Lane recovery and relief assistance.
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