Go ahead and Cut the Cheese

I love cheese, but more often than not Ireach for an all-purpose knife from the drawer and end up squishing the cheese instead of cutting it. This set of four knives from Cut the Cheese takes the guesswork out of which knife to use, while adding loads of modern style to your cheese plate. The knives sell for $24 from Red Pineapple at Ward Centre (593-2733).

— Donica Kaneshiro

Fancy peanut butter spreads to isles

For years I read with envy mainland food blogs that raved about Peanut Butter & Co., a New York City sandwich shop that specializes in untraditional and utterly delicious peanut butter flavors (think cinnamon raisin, maple, honey and even a spicy blend). As tempted as I was to order a jar or five, my wallet insisted I stick with whatever the local grocer had to offer. Imagine my supreme delight when Safeway suddenly began stocking two of PB&Co.’s top flavors: Dark Chocolate Dreams and White Chocolate Wonderful. Naturally, I bought two jars of the former, which tastes like a blended Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, only a zillion times better. PB&Co. prides itself on offering all-natural peanut butters without high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils or trans fats, which means you don’t have to feel quite as guilty when you indulge in the sumptuous chocolate-peanut butter blends. A jar is $5.99 at Safeway or $3.74 at Target; find more PB&Co. offerings at ilovepeanutbutter.com.

— Celia Kazumi Downes

Sea asparagus atop a salad? So good

In my world, where chocolate and coffee are daily requirements, serendipity means delicious food that is also nutritious. So you can imagine my delight at Wenhao Sun’s sea asparagus, cultivated year-round in saltwater ponds in Kahuku. The sea vegetable is loaded with vitamins A, B, B2 and B9 as well as folic acid. Each crunchy bite delivers a burst of saltiness, making it easy to incorporate into various dishes. Just rinse and snap off the end of the stem before adding to salads and poke or to top cooked seafood. My favorite preparation is also so simple: Combine with diced local tomatoes and maybe a little Maui or other sweet onion, and toss in olive oil. Sun sells sea asparagus at various farmers markets for $4.50 for a 4-ounce container, or two for $8, and also offers a pesto ($6), salsa ($6) and salad dressings ($8). Try the samples — you’ll be surprised at how ono they are. Also find sea asparagus at Foodland. Contact Sun at 779-2885 or wsun@marineagrifuture.com.

— Joleen Oshiro

Parody thrives via Internet videos

There’s a scene in "Downfall," a 2004 German film about the last days of Adolf Hitler, in which Der Fuhrer flies into a rage after learning that the forces he has counted on to save Berlin from the Russians aren’t coming. That scene has become the raw material for countless YouTube parodies such as "Hitler Learns He Cannot Divide by Zero" and "Hitler Doesn’t Like How Harry Potter Ends."

Almost anything can inspire a new parody: the death of Osama bin Laden, the outcome of sporting matches, Internet censorship. Some are cleverly written, others are infantile, but the selection is endless and it’s almost impossible to watch just one. The Hitler parodies and clips involving other characters from "Downfall" can be found at www.YouTube.com.

— John Berger

Hello Kitty luggage tags? Meow!

Most bags tend to look the same as they circle the airport baggage carousel. My Hello Kitty luggage tag helps me spot my suitcase at a glance. Plus, it’s adorable and has a sturdy wire to attach the tag. Available for $6.95 at Pink Box, Waimalu Plaza Shopping Center (455-8667).

— Nancy Arcayna