Diamond Bakery, maker of the perpetually popular soda crackers and Saloon Pilots for 100 years, isn’t content to rest on its laurels.
The Kalihi factory introduced two new lines — sweet Hawaiian Biscuits and savory Hawaiian Bites — in May and June, and customers are taking the bait. The new products were snatched up fast, and have become hard to find, but stores should be restocked by the end of the month, said Maggie Li, sales and marketing director for Diamond Bakery.
The new sweet biscuits are a twist on Royal Cremes. Lilikoi and guava flavors sell out fastest; they also come in lemon and blueberry. Saltier varieties are based on soda crackers, perfect for dipping, and come in cheddar-Parmesan, chili pepper, toasted sesame and plain (called original).
Li described the biscuits and bites as thinner, lighter and a lot crispier than their traditional versions, as younger generations prefer the different texture and shape. They start at $2.99 for 4-ounce snack bags, so it’s possible to give them all a try.
They can be found in Long’s Drug Stores and Times Supermarkets, among other locations, or online at diamondbakery.com.
— Pat Gee, Star-Advertiser
Seminars bring wine and wisdom
Those who attend the wine seminars held annually as part of the Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival will sample dozens of rare and highly allocated wines, as well as the wisdom of their producers.
Wine program director Warren Shon, executive vice president of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of Hawaii, has released this year’s lineup. The seminars are scheduled back to back on Oct. 27 at the Halekulani resort, starting at 9 a.m. and limited to 50 participants each.
>> Somm — The Gang of Four: In the 1980s four winemakers from Beaujolais in France turned to traditional techniques to create wines widely acknowledged as the best in the region. They became known as the Gang of Four. The current generation of winemakers representing three of those legendary producers — Jean and Agnes Foillard (Domaine Jean Foillard), Charly Thevenet (Domaine Jean-Paul Thevenet) and Mathieu Lapierre (Domaine Marcel Lapierre) — will host this seminar, along with Antoine and Nicholas Robert (Domaine Robert-Denogent). Cost is $125.
>> Burgundy — Through the Glass of Domaine Robert-Denogent: A tasting of multiple vintages of world-class chardonnays from Robert-Denogent, in the Pouilly-Fuisse appellation in France, hosted by the winemakers. Cost is $125.
>> The Art of Food and Wine Pairing — A match made in Germany: Chef Masaharu Morimoto will serve dishes designed to show how well German wines pair with complex Asian flavors. Guest winemakers will be Johannes Hasselbach (Weingut Gunderloch), Johannes Haart (Weingut Reinhold Haart) and Andrea Wirsching (Weingut Hans Wirsching).Cost is $150.
The festival comprises events on three islands. Oahu events begin Oct. 24. For a complete schedule and tickets go to hawaiifoodandwine festival.com.
— Star-Advertiser staff
