The Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and KTA Super Stores both turned 100 in 2016. A milestone like that for two Big Island institutions certainly deserved some cookies.
So KTA, under its Mountain Apple brand, introduced bags of Lava Cookies in five types: passion fruit, Kau coffee, taro, cranberry-oatmeal and Red Hot (chocolate-macadamia nut with chili peppers). For each bag sold, KTA donates 10 cents to the national park.
The stores’ executive vice president, Derek Kurisu, said the cookies are a small way of recognizing what the national park and the ongoing Kilauea eruption mean to the island, from drawing visitors, to their scientific and cultural contributions.
“The volcano’s been very good to us,” Kurisu said. “It really drives this island.”
Last year the cookies raised more than $1,600 for the national park.
KTA’s Mountain Apple brand develops products grown, processed or manufactured in Hawaii, the first being fresh milk, introduced in 1992. It has grown to more than 200 products from more than 50 vendors.
The thin, crisp Lava Cookies are produced for KTA by Punalu‘u Bake Shop in Naalehu.
They retail for $3.47 per 5-ounce bag but are on sale now for $2.97. Find them at KTA’s Big Island locations, Punalu‘u Bake Shop or online at shop.ktasuperstores.com.
— Betty Shimabukuro, Star-Advertiser
KOHALA FARM SETS DINING EVENT
Outstanding in the Field brings its communal al fresco dining experience to Primal Cuts Ranch in North Kohala on Jan. 7 as part of its winter tour of warm-weather locales.
Kohala is actually the second Hawaii event of the tour — a Jan. 6 dinner at Kualoa Ranch, featuring chef Andrew Le of The Pig & the Lady and Piggy Smalls, is sold out.
Outstanding in the Field bills itself as a traveling restaurant without walls, hosting farm-to-table dinners right on the farms.
Guest chef for the Primal Cuts event, set for 2 p.m., will be Noah Hester of Kamuela’s Puako Provisions & Catering.
At Primal Cuts, farmers Jessica Wieloh and Jim Pedersen raise grass-fed sheep and beef cattle, along with tropical crops such as breadfruit, coconuts, papayas, bananas and hot peppers.
Cost is $225, including a reception, farm tour and four-course meal with wine pairings. Visit outstandinginthefield.com.
KONA BREWING HITS MILESTONE
Kona Brewing Co. sold its 5 millionth case of beer last week, the first time the brewery has it that mark in a single year.
The brewery, founded in 1994 in Kailua- Kona, sells a core lineup of three beers nationally, with additional seasonal offerings. Its newest year-round beer, Kanaha Blonde Ale, launched locally this year.
In 2018 the company plans to break ground on a $20 million, 100,000-barrel sustainable craft brewery in Kailua-Kona.
In a statement, Cindy Wang, senior brand director, credited the achievement to “our team and our worldwide community of fans.”
