Innovation ensures crisp pork rinds
Once in a while a game-changer arrives on the food scene. I am talking about Lowrey’s Microwave Pork Rinds. Hyperbole? My husband and other chicharrones lovers would disagree. The man is a pork rind fiend and is often disappointed with store-bought bags of stale curls that have the taste and texture of Styrofoam. Lowrey’s microwave innovation ensures hot, crisp pork rinds that snap, crackle, pop in your mouth every time. But until they become a thing, finding them at grocery and variety stores may be hit or miss. I bought a pack for $1.59 at a Maui Foodland and also saw them at the Moiliili Longs. Mmm, pork rinds.
—Christie Wilson
Ben Allison’s music blends genres
I discovered bassist/composer Ben Allison’s album "The Stars Look Very Different Today" when Seth Markow played it on his HPR-2 jazz show. (Markow’s day job is as a Honolulu Star-Advertiser copy editor.) The song was so intriguing that I purchased the album for $12 on Allison’s website that same night. The gamble paid off. Call his music "jazz" if you will, but he draws on a wide variety of genres.
Listen to the album straight through as Allison intended and it’s a journey through a musical landscape that includes elements of surf rock, techno, synth pop, tropical "world music" percussion, 1960s sci-fi film scores and something that sounds like pigeons cooing. Some introspective banjo picking along the way adds a touch of Americana to the mix. Listen to the songs for free at www.benallison.com and tune in to "The Real Deal With Seth Markow" from 8 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
—John Berger
A few additions improve rice paddle
How do you make a better rice paddle? It’s so simple, so humble and so functional. But now we have an improvement: what locals are calling the SUP rice paddle. The base is fashioned into a little stand to keep it upright so the paddle won’t pick up any crumbs, germs or other stuff on the table. This one, which costs $2 at Don Quijote, also comes with angled braces on its backside so it can lie on the top of your rice cooker without touching it.
—Steven Mark
Regain dewy skin with repair cream
I’m head over heels for First Aid Beauty’s Ultra Repair Cream, a rich, hydrating, fragrance-free cream made of botanical antioxidants that turned my relentlessly dry skin — even my face — plump, soft and dewy once more. (Eczema sufferers laud the cream for relieving irritation and itching.) Using it is a pleasure — it’s never tacky or oily, just soothing. Prices at Sephora range from $12 for a 2-ounce tube to $39 for a 12-ounce jar. At qvc.com the deals include two 12-ounce jars for $55 and four 4-ounce jars for $44. Even with pricey shipping to Hawaii, it’s a bargain.
—Joleen Oshiro
Enjoy peanut flavor with less fat
I came across PB2, Bell Plantation’s powdered peanut butter, at Walmart and was intrigued by its claim of "85 percent less fat calories than traditional peanut butter." I checked my jar of Jif’s reduced-fat creamy peanut butter, and the math worked out — 100 calories from fat compared with PB2’s 13 calories in a 2-tablespoon serving (in total calories, it’s 190 for Jif versus 45 for PB2). The preservative-free product is made with roasted peanuts, salt and sugar — no saturated fats.
While I don’t care for PB2 in creamy form on bread (the directions say to mix 2 tablespoons of powder to 1 tablespoon water), I do enjoy baking with it and mixing it in smoothies. I can’t wait to make peanut sauce with it the next time I eat Thai noodles or chicken. A co-worker also suggested sprinkling the powder on the jelly when making a PB&J sandwich, and I want to try dusting homemade truffles with the powder, too. With so little fat, does that mean I can eat more?
Both varieties, PB2 and PB2 with premium chocolate, are available in 6.5-ounce plastic containers at Walmart for $5.98.
—Michelle Ramos
5 Things We Love is a shortlist of newly discovered stuff you have got to see, hear, wear, use or eat. What are you loving this week? Send a brief description of your latest favorite thing, where to find it and how much it costs, along with your name and contact info to features@staradvertiser.com.
