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For guests staying long
enough to use the Hale Iki kitchen and to sample the wonderful variety
of foods available on the island, we recommend a visit to the Farmers' Market in
Hilo. Even if you don't intend to cook anything, the market itself is an
adventure. This market is held every Wednesday and Saturday. Get
there by taking Kilauea into Hilo and turning right at Mamo. Or take
Highway 11 straight down past the airport turn off to Kamehameha and
turn left. The Farmers' Market has a wonderful array of native fruits
and vegetables, flowers, fresh caught fish, home baked goods, macadamia nuts,
and candies. Look for white pineapple in summer and early fall (there is
a pineapple peeler in one of the kitchen drawers at the Hale Iki). White
Pineapple is a hybrid that seldom gets to the mainland, but it is sweet
as sugar without the acidity, a real Hawaiian treat. Ask the fish vender
for Ono, a flavorful white fish. Ono means delicious in Hawaiian and it
is well named.
Across the street from the market is a sort of flea market with a wonderful array of native crafts, an excellent spot to shop for gifts to take home. On the way back down to Volcano, stop at the KTA or the Sak-n-Save supermarkets in the big shopping center on your right. Turn at Pu'ainako. The meats and fish at either place are incredible. Try some Char Siu chicken or pork to take home and broil or grill. Char Siu pork is good sliced small and lightly fried with green onion. Pour beaten egg over it to make an omelet. While you are there, check out the poke (pokee) counter where you can taste a dozen kinds of marinated raw fish tidbits before you buy. Staples and perishables are good and inexpensive (by Hawaiian standards). Pick up a loaf of Hawaiian Sweet Bread to make superb French toast. Try the new variety made with guava juice for a more colorful breakfast treat.. If you turn left at Pu'ainako you will find yourself at Prince Kuhio Plaza, a huge shopping mall where you can find anything you need. Further up the hill is Kea'au (kay a ow), with a hardware store, supermarket, laundromat, malt shop and some small restaurants. Uphill from Kea'au is Kurtistown with a general store, ATM, fishing equipment, and gas. Next is Mountain View, whose only claim to fame is an excellent small bakery where you can get delicious little pies if you get there early enough. Best known are their Stone Cookies, almost always available. There is a Sunday morning market at Cooper Center, on Wright Road going toward Hale Iki. It starts around 7:00 a.m. and is usually sold out by 10:00 a.m. or even sooner, so it is important to get there early. Pick up home baked treats for breakfast, salads, breads, cookies, soups, entrees; enough to stock the little frig for a week. And if you are looking for something to read on the long flight home, there is also a bookstore. There are two well-stocked general stores as well as a hardware store and a gift shop (up over the hardware store) in Volcano village. You will want to explore these at your leisure. |
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