by Rose Cruz Churma
A combination of cookbook and culinary history, this book offers a new look at rice, a staple in Hawai`i’s kitchens, and reflects the diverse cultures of the residents that comprise the islands.
In Chapter One, “Rice Chronicles,” the author provides cultural ties and little-known facts about rice. Included are snapshots of the cultural and historical significance of rice to four of the first immigrant groups that came to the islands to work in the sugar plantations: China, Japan, Korea, and the Philippines.
Some of the rice tidbits offered in this chapter is the establishment of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) by the New York-based Ford and Rockefeller Foundations in 1960.
Located on 470 acres in Los Banos, in the province of Laguna, IRRI is a non-profit organization focused on rice research, education, farming technology, and genetic diversity of rice. The institute also maintains offices in 17 countries in Asia and Africa.
Another interesting rice trivia is that the state of Arkansas is the largest producer of rice in the United States, accounting for 50% of the total US harvest—followed by California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Texas.
Rice used to be planted in Hawai`i from 1860 to 1960. Rice ranked second to sugar until 1910 in terms of acreage and generated income but fell into decline soon after.
Chapter Two is devoted to the history of sake in Hawaii. Hawai`i’s first sake brewery was established at Pauoa Valley on Oahu in 1908. By 1986 it was named Honolulu Sake Brewery but closed down in 1992. Commercial sake brewing would return to the islands only in 2020.
Chapter Three is on “The Business of Rice” with emphasis on the sake shops that sprouted around the state, one of which was the Islander Sake Brewery which debuted in March 2020, two days before the country would be shut down due to the pandemic.
Another interesting tidbit on rice was the opening of The Rice Factory in Kaka`ako by a Japan-based entrepreneur in 2016. About 10 milled-to-order rice varieties are available and come from different prefectures in Japan. After choosing a rice variety, the consumer can determine how the rice is milled—or what percent of the bran is removed.
For brown rice, only 10% is removed to 100%—if white rice is the choice. The more processing the rice goes through, the more nutrients are removed.
Chapter Four is a collection of personal anecdotes on rice from folks with diverse backgrounds. One of the contributors is an immigrant Filipina who described how she adjusted to her new life in America. One of the dishes was lelot, a Filipino rice soup of chicken, lemongrass, ginger and fish sauce, as prepared from her native Pampanga province. It is also called arroz caldo in other regions of the Philippines.
Chaper Five “rice-ipes” covers a whole range of dishes from soups and salads to sweets and drinks and everything in between. Instead of just a straight-out recipe, each contributor also adds an anecdote about the dish.
My contribution was how to make palitaw a Filipino dessert made of sweet glutinous rice flour (called malagkit), sugar, and fresh grated coconut. I recalled how friends who were completing their dissertations at the University of Hawai`i hosted their wedding reception at a tea room in Manoa.
The bride decided to reduce the cost of the wedding reception by making the tossed green salad and the dessert. Her choice for the dessert was palitaw—since we both knew how to make it, was easy to make and light on her budget.
The book launch for this second volume was held at Hawai`i’s Plantation Village (HPV) in Waipahu on the first Sunday of November 2024.
The diversity of Hawai`i’s residents was showcased beautifully by the size of the multi-ethnic audience who attended and by the nourishment that was served—all made of rice but from the different ethnic groups that we recruited to work in Hawai`i’s plantations.
The author, Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is an award-winning travel journalist. She is the author of 13 books on Hawai`i. A graduate of Kalani High School, her former classmates were on hand to cheer her on and take photos as mementos to mark this special occasion. Also attending were the dependable volunteer docents of HPV who have kept this valuable museum and community center relevant and unique.
The first volume was issued in 2011 and is still available in most local libraries. This second volume will be available at local outlets such as Walmart or similar in time for the holiday season. Until supplies last, it can also be bought at HPV.
The book is a wonderful addition as a collectible to local families and to former Hawai`i residents who long for home – having rice as the main staple for each meal.
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