Decorate like a pro
Pastry chefs from The Royal Hawaiian are leading decorating classes in December, with a portion of the proceeds going to Susan G. Komen Hawaii Race for the Cure.
>> Dec. 19: Chef Miki Iwai leads a session on making a gingerbread Christmas tree out of star-shaped cookies and a snowman-themed cocoa mix in a Mason jar.
>> Dec. 21: Create a wreath out of cupcakes with chef Kristie Sagara.
The chefs will cover piping icing and other decorating techniques. All participants will take home their Christmas tree or wreath.
Class begins at 10 a.m. in Regency Ballroom I. Cost is $45 per class. Children 5 years and older must be accompanied by an adult. Reservations: 931-7912 or RH.Guest Experience@LuxuryCollection.com.
Sample rare Maui tea
A very rare tea grown on Maui is the showcase brew of the new afternoon tea service at the Halekulani.
Haleakala, from Maui Tea Farm, is among 12 tea options offered at Orchids (3 to 4:30 p.m. daily) and the Veranda (3 to 5:30 p.m.).
Only a few pounds of the special tea come to market each month, and it is only available at the Halekulani’s resorts in Waikiki and Okinawa. Also available is Maui Tea Farm’s caffeine-free mamaki tea.
Other selections run from smoky Kiawe tea to a floral Jardin Rouge to the vanilla-scented Orchid Blend.
Tea service, including pastries and sandwiches, is $44; the two Maui teas cost $8 extra. A $55 option includes Champagne.
Reservations: halekulani.com/dining or call 923-2311.
Doughnuts for a cause
Dunkin’ is throwing a party Saturday to mark the end of a two-month campaign to raise $10,000 for Make-A-Wish Hawaii through the sale of special doughnuts.
The Ualena Street shop is hosting an afternoon of kid-friendly activities — face painting, glitter tattoos and balloon art — from 2 to 5 p.m. The first 50 guests will receive coupons for free coffee at Dunkin’ for a year.
Donations to Make-A-Wish will be collected in a final push to make the goal amount. Dunkin’s Joy in Childhood will match up to $2,500, and Dunkin’ will give each donor $1 off any drink or doughnut purchase.
The shop, at 3270 Ualena St., will also be collecting for new, unwrapped toys for Santa’s Workshop at Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children.
Beloved oatcakes return to their source
The Original Hawaii Oatcake — which gained a devoted following in the 23 years it was sold at Starbucks — can now be found where it originated, the Honolulu Baking Co. in Kakaako.
After a brief stint at Costco outlets that ended a month ago, owner Yuri McPhail is taking orders for her high-fiber, low-fat cakes.
The 3-ounce cakes come in a six-pack for $12.99. Orders must be placed via email — oatcake@honolulu baking.com — for pickup at the bakery, at 523 Ahui St., from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays.
LAST CALL: TOP 5 RECIPES
Friday is the deadline for ordering the “By Request” Top 5 recipes of 2019, a benefit for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s holiday charity, the Good Neighbor Fund, to assist families in need.
How to order:
Cost is $5 for each set. For four sets, send $20. You can’t cherry pick one recipe for $1; it’s an all-for-one deal.
For each set, include a stamped, self-addressed, legal-sized envelope (4-by-9 inches). For four sets, send four envelopes. A standard 55-cent stamp per envelope is adequate.
Send checks made out to the Good Neighbor Fund to “By Request Top 5,” Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu, HI 96813.
No fax, phone or email orders.
If you’d like to include an extra donation, we’ll pass it on, just be clear about how many recipe sets you want.
The recipes: Easy Guava Bars, based on the version served at Guava Smoked; Curry Chicken Apple Salad, as made at Diamond Head Market & Grill, served in a papaya half; Butter-Biko Mochi, the merger of a Filipino sticky rice cake and Japanese mochi; Wailana Coffee House Pancakes, for all those who still miss the venerable Wailana; Napolitan Ketchup and Bacon Spaghetti, a tasty surprise that’s oh-so-economical and oh-so-easy.
Quickbites is a weekly listing of dining events. Email items to crave@staradvertiser.com.
