Tastes and Tides
Menu
  • Features
  • Tidepool
  • About the Magazine
Menu

Poi to Plate Lunch: The Story of Hawaiian Cuisine 

Posted on September 30, 2024September 30, 2024 by Tastes And Tides

Written by Matt Dursum

On June 4, 1976, a double-hauled canoe named Hōkūle’a pulled into Papeete Harbor, Tahiti. Over 17,000 people greeted Captain Kawika Kapahulehua, Micronesian navigator Mau Piailug, and their crew. The Hōkūle’a traveled 2,500 miles of open ocean from Hawaii to Tahiti, guided solely by a star compass, the sun, the wind, and the shifting currents. 

When the Hōkūle’a returned to Hawaii on July 26, its voyage, organized by the Polynesian Voyaging Society, proved that ancient Polynesians navigated the entire Pacific and discovered Hawaii long before modern navigational instruments were invented. It ignited pride in Polynesian culture throughout the islands of the Pacific and fueled a movement in Hawaii that honored the legacy of Hawaiian cuisine. 

Photo by Luke McKeown

To talk about modern Hawaiian cooking, you have to peel back its layers of immigration, starting with the Polynesians. In their double-hauled canoes, they brought pigs, chickens, and edible plants such as taro, sugarcane, banana, and breadfruit to Hawaii. On the islands, they discovered native ingredients like Hawaiian salt, limu, and kukui nut. 

“Hawaiian Food is simple but slow. Kalua pig, fish, taro, etc. took time, but was healthy and simple.”

In the first Hawaiian kitchens, people wrapped meat in taro leaves and grilled it on stones or steamed it, creating a tender and flavorful dish called laulau. Along with smoked pork, salted fish, and seaweed, laulau became one of Hawaii’s earliest entrées and is still popular today. “Hawaiian Food is simple but slow. Kalua pig, fish, taro, etc. took time, but was healthy and simple. The main ingredient was Hawaiian salt for flavor,” says Lanai Tabura, actor, writer, and host of Cooking Hawaiian Style. 

Ancient Hawaiians had no rice, bread, or potatoes. Instead, their carbohydrates came from poi. In Hawaiian kitchens across the islands, cooks prepare poi the same way the ancient Polynesians did over a thousand years ago. First, people gather taro, a large tuber vegetable with a slightly sweet and nutty flavor, and boil it until it’s soft. Next, the soft taro is mashed with water, usually on a large pestle and mortar called a papa ku’i ‘ai, until it becomes a mochi-like mash. Restaurants such as the Waiahole Poi Factory in Oahu top their poi with huge portions of laulau or kalua pig, similar to the meals the ancient Hawaiians enjoyed. 

Poi, Luau salmon, Kalua pork, Pipikaula ribs and Lau lau –Photo by Emily Leung, source: Flickr, license CC BY-SA 2.0

Hawaii’s food culture developed around the concept of Pili, the Hawaiian word for connected. Pili refers to the bond between communities, the land (aina), and the sea (Ke kai). 

With Pili as inspiration, ancient Hawaiians developed complex food systems to support up to a million people living on the island chain with finite resources. Systems such as the loko iʻa fishponds provided sustainable food that could last through disasters and food shortages. 

“Definitely, the immigration to Hawaii for the sugar plantations changed the menu for Hawaii.”

As advanced as the ancient Hawaiians were in food production, nothing could prepare them for the changes coming in the 18th century. In 1778, a ship full of European colonizers led by Captain James Cook pulled into Waimea Bay, Oahu. This first contact with the outside world devastated the islands. Diseases ripped through communities, killing hundreds of thousands of people and leaving the islands vulnerable to invaders. 

In an act to bring the islands together for strength and security, King Kamehameha I formed the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810. Lāhainā, on the west coast of Maui, was chosen as its capital. Shortly after the islands unified, the first waves of missionaries arrived, bringing their Christianity, cuisine, and profit-driven agricultural industries like sugar with them. 

Sugar cane – Photo by Clyde Robinson, source: Flickr, license CC BY 2.0

Sugar is labor intensive and Hawaii’s decimated population was not enough to run the growing plantations. Under the Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society and the foreign landowners’ request, the islands opened to foreign labor. “Definitely, the immigration to Hawaii for the sugar plantations changed the menu for Hawaii,” says Tabura. Immigrant workers from China, Japan, the Philippines, Korea, Mexico, Portugal, and Puerto Rico came to work the plantations between 1800 and 1900. “They brought all their specialty foods, and we adopted them.”

The communal nature and concept of Pili led to the different ethnic groups sharing their recipes. Plantation workers replicated the comfort food of their homelands with local ingredients and adopted other flavors and techniques. People ate poi with Portuguese bread, Chinese noodles, or Japanese rice balls. Chinese immigrants created manapua, meaning ‘delicious pork thing’, made with shredded pork marinated in soy sauce, five-spice powder, vinegar, and sugar, stuffed in a pillow-like bao bun.

Photo by Karsten Winegeart

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Hawaii entered a series of conflicts that would change its cuisine and society forever. The first conflict started when missionaries and white plantation owners put Queen Liliʻuokalani under house arrest. Her brother David Kalākaua, ascended the throne for 13 years until an armed mob aggressively forced him to sign a new constitution, taking away Native Hawaiian rights to their land and giving the islands to the white missionaries and plantation owners. When Queen Liliʻuokalani was freed, she traveled to Washington, D.C. to plead for help just as the U.S. entered the Spanish-American War. Seeing Hawaii as the perfect location for a military base to expand American control of the Pacific and take Spanish territories, President William McKinley annexed the islands under the control of the United States and ended Hawaiian sovereignty. 

“The war introduced us to canned food like spam, Vienna sausage, etc. They became staples because they were cheap and even free.”

As a military outpost for the U.S., Hawaii received waves of settlers from the mainland and U.S. territories such as the Philippines. The islands were marketed as a beacon of tropical life, fun in the sun, surfing, and beach culture. Americans brought their breads, burgers, and love for meat to the islands, creating a new mainland-inspired diet.

SPAM Musubi – Photo by Lorie Shaull, source: Flickr, license CC BY 2.0

As more mainland Americans settled in Hawaii looking for the perfect life, the world entered WWII. In 1941, several squadrons of Japanese aircraft attacked the American Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, bringing the U.S. and Hawaii into the global conflict. “The war introduced us to canned food like spam, Vienna sausage, etc. They became staples because they were cheap and even free,” says Tabura. 

After the war, SPAM Musubi entered the scene. Based on traditional Japanese rice ball recipes, SPAM Musubi takes SPAM marinated in soy sauce and places it on a ball of short-grain rice wrapped delicately with a bow of nori. 

Hawaiian Plate Lunch – Photo by Arnold Gatilao, source: Flickr, license CC BY 2.0

One of the biggest Hawaiian food traditions to come out of the war was the plate lunch. Two scoops of short grain rice — the kind popularized by Japanese immigrants in the late 19th century — plated with a protein, often Japanese-style chicken katsu and Hawaiian macaroni salad, simply called mac salad. Unlike dishes like Loco Moco, Hawaiian mac salad’s origins are poorly documented. “Some say the missionaries, most say World War II. With the influx of military visitors and cheap meals, the mac salad was introduced and became part of the plate lunch,” says Tabura. 

During the late 20th century, each island created signature dishes. “Molokai is famous for its bread, Maui for Guri Guri ice cream. Oahu — the malasadas donut, Kauai — old school saimin, and the Big Island — coffee, mac nuts, and Loco Moco,” says Tabura. A variation of Chinese noodle soup, called saimin, became a 20th-century classic, with toppings like kimchi, Japanese fishcakes, Portuguese linguiça sausage, and SPAM.

Photo by Dustin Belt

Today, Hawaiian food is global, with Hawaiian-inspired restaurants, TV shows, and cookbooks bringing the flavors of Hawaii to people who’ve never set foot on the islands. “Hawaii is such a huge destination of celebration. Not only are the guests intrigued by our culture, which I believe a big part is food, but with all the big chefs and TV shows coming to film, you can see how it has evolved,” says Tabura. 

In far-away places like Brazil and South Africa, you can find restaurants specializing in poke. In its basic form, poke was around in pre-contact times. Ancient Hawaiians seasoned raw fish with Hawaiian sea salt, seaweed, and kukui (candlenut). In the 1960s and 1970s, fueled by the growing popularity of sushi and Japanese cuisine, chefs and home cooks around Hawaii started experimenting with this classic dish. Chef Sam Choy is credited with inventing the poke bowls’ final form in the 1970s. Choy bought fresh ahi tuna, cut it up into cubes, marinated it in a soy sauce and sesame seed oil-based sauce, and topped it with edamame and other flavorful extras. The dish is now Hawaii’s biggest culinary export. 

Poke – Photo by Sebastian Doll

As the world’s tastebuds transfix on Hawaiian cuisine, more locals are looking back to their roots. Groups such as Kua are pushing to bring back Native Hawaiian community-based solutions to its food problems, such as the reliance on food imports, which make up roughly 90% of food on the islands. Local chefs and celebrities are also doing their part to bring Hawaiian cuisine and food production back to its roots, without sacrificing the layers of contributions made by the groups of immigrants who came to the islands for a better life. 

Since its maiden voyage, the Hōkūle‘a sailed around the Pacific, from Hawaii to Tahiti, and to the distant shores of Rapa Nui, the furthest island in the Polynesian world. Like the Hōkūle‘a voyages, Hawaiian cuisine has ignited a movement of pride in Hawaiian culture, culinary history, and the old ways of sustainable agriculture. 

The Hawaiian saying, “E pū paʻakai kākou,” meaning ‘let’s share salt together’ refers to the bond people can have with strangers over food. Hawaiian cuisine from SPAM musubi, poke, and kalua pork, was formed from a bond between different groups of people who call the islands home. 

News

Tidepools

Overhead photo of a wave breaking on the sand

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

tastesandtides

To all of the women out there who make the world a To all of the women out there who make the world a better place.
.
The women who fight for a better world. The women who never give up. You are everything, today and always.
.
Happy International Women’s Day
.
.
#tastesandtides #internationalwomensday
#womenmaketheworldbetter
We’d like to take a minute to wish you a Happy N We’d like to take a minute to wish you a Happy New Year from us at Tastes and Tides! 🌊
.
Whether you scored epic surf, enjoyed the meal of your life, or spent tons of time with friends or family, we hope this holiday season was extra special 🌊
.
We’d like to thank our readers for tuning in this year. This was our first year, and we had 10 feature articles full of epic stories driven by wonderful people. Thank you to our leads for participating in interviews this year. And a thank you to our Tidepool writers for sharing your stories with us! 🌊
.
We took a break for the holidays but we’re coming back in 2025 with new features from the worlds of good food and good surf 🌊
.
New year, new stories at Tastes and Tides. 🎉🌊
.
.
.

#tastesandtides #newyears #goodfoodgoodsurf #holidaygreetings
We’d like to wish a very happy birthday to one o We’d like to wish a very happy birthday to one of our co-founders, the one and only, @mattdursum 🎂 
.
Matt is the voice behind our features. From finding stories and interviews to compiling tastings and food guides. And of course, he brings our passion for surf.
.
All of his hard work and dedication is so appreciated. We wouldn’t be able to do it without him! 🌊 
.
.
.
#HappyBirthday #HappiestOfBirthdays #BeachBirthday #TastesandTides #BirthdayShoutout
Surfing from Gualala Point to Shelter Cove is not Surfing from Gualala Point to Shelter Cove is not for the faint of heart. 
.
Mendocino County’s surfers endure cold water, violent currents, and spine chilling wildlife sightings. 
.
When the elements come together, this stretch of coast offers some of the state’s best waves.
.
For the county’s winemakers, chefs, and foragers, the unpredictable ocean and its bounty are something truly special. 
.
.
.
#tastesandtides #mendocinocounty #northcoastwine #californialiving #norcalwine #norcalsurf
We’d like to wish the happiest of birthdays to o We’d like to wish the happiest of birthdays to one of our co-founders @samanthademangate 🎂 
.
Samantha is in the driver’s seat of our digital magazine. 
.
From designing our art, layouts and articles, to handling logistics, promotions, and editorial calendars, this small two person operation wouldn’t exist without her 🌊
.
.
Big thanks and hugs from us at Tastes and Tides! 
.
.
#tastesandtides #birthdayshoutout #scorpiobirthdays #ilovescorpios
Imagine perfect waves, mouthwatering coastal cuisi Imagine perfect waves, mouthwatering coastal cuisine, and a welcoming spirit like no other.
We traveled to West Ireland to celebrate the ocean-minded business owners who call it home.
.
.
From Bundoran’s @foam.bundoran to Sligo’s @loughgillbrewery and @sligosurfexperience, you’ll meet the surfers and business owners who live in this remote and world-famous surfing region.
.
Check it out at TastesandTides.com
.
Link in bio 🏄
.
.
2nd photo by Mickey Smith
.
.
#tastesandtides #bundoran #sligo #westireland #irishwaves #surfinginireland #irishbeer #irishcafeculture #visitireland
🍍 POI TO PLATE LUNCH - The Story of Hawaiian Cu 🍍 POI TO PLATE LUNCH - The Story of Hawaiian Cuisine 🍍
.
We’re taking you to the islands of Hawaii to discuss the layered evolution of Hawaiian cooking 🌺
.
From the ancient Polynesian voyagers who purposely discovered the islands to the later waves of immigrants who came post-contact, Hawaii’s cuisine tells a unique story 🌺
.
Check out Poi to Plate Lunch: The Story of Hawaiian Cuisine at Tastes and Tides 🌺
.
Link in Bio 🌺
.
.
. 
Second photo by Luke McKeown
.
#tastesandtides #Hawaiiancuisine #Hawaiianplatelunch #Hawaiianfood #Hawaiianpoi #Hawaiihistory #historyofhawaii
The Pacific has some of the most sought-after fish The Pacific has some of the most sought-after fish on the planet, but there’s one in particular that’s overlooked and under-appreciated. 
.
Of course, we’re talking about bonito. This medium-sized fish is related to tuna and mackerel and packs tons of flavor. 
.
It’s also a sustainable fish to catch, with a healthy population throughout the Pacific.
.
In Japan, bonito is known as katsuo 鰹. It’s the base for the famous smoked bonito flakes used in dashi soup stock. It’s also grilled over burning straw in a popular dish called katsuo-tatake. 
.
Hungry yet? We hope so. 
.
.
.
#bonito #katsuo #katsuotataki #fishingforbonito #bonitodishes #sashimi #tastesandtides
Today, we’re taking you to Brazil to try its zes Today, we’re taking you to Brazil to try its zesty and refreshing national cocktail, the caipirinha 🍋‍🟩
.
To make a caipirinha, you need cachaça, a Brazilian spirit made from raw sugar cane, similar to rhum agricole 🍋‍🟩
.
Next, you need whole limes and sugar, preferably high-quality organic cane sugar 🍋‍🟩
.
To make the drink, simply muddle the limes and sugar in a glass, add cachaça and ice, and shake or stir it depending on your preference 🍋‍🟩
.
Foods such as grilled shrimp and fish pair magically with the caipirinha’s earthy and citrusy profile 🍋‍🟩
.
If it’s a beach day celebration, get your hands on some cachaça and try one of these magical cocktails 🍋‍🟩
.
.
.
.
#tastesandtides #caipirinha #braziliancuisine #flavorsofbrazil #cachaça
For our newest feature, we head to the coast of Fl For our newest feature, we head to the coast of Florianopolis, Brazil to meet the mind behind Ratones Craft Beer @ratonesx 
.
From home brewing on his grandparent’s farm to opening one of the island’s most successful craft breweries, follow the story of brewer, business owner, and surfer Vitor Capella on his journey to creating the brewpub and brand Ratones 🐀 
.
Check out The Beer Rats of Brazil’s Magic Island at tastesandtides.com - LINK IN BIO 🍺
.
2nd photo by @samanthademangate 
3rd photo by @brunoabrev 
.
.
#tastesandtides #craftbeer #brazilbeer #floripa #brazilsurf #craftbeerjourney #brewpub
This month, we’re excited to bring you Island Wi This month, we’re excited to bring you Island Within, a personal essay by Stacey Otte 🐚
.
Otte tells the story of her adventurous move from the Midwest to Catalina Island, CA, and how life by the sea connected her to nature and influenced her life’s work 🐚
.
Check it out at TastesandTides.com by clicking on the link in our bio - ISLAND WITHIN - TIDEPOOL 🐚
.
We feature monthly personal essays in our TIDEPOOL section. All are written by people with a connection to the coast, whether that be through surf, cuisine, or more. If you have a story you’d like to share, contact us 🐚
.
.
.
#tastesandtides #tidepool #shortstories #talesfromthecoast #coastalliving #catalinaisland #catalinacalifornia #catalina
This week, we’re pairing a classic: Wine and Piz This week, we’re pairing a classic: Wine and Pizza 🍕

For old school Italian pizzas with rich tomato sauce, thin oven-baked crust, and topping such as pepperoni or anchovies, reach for a bottle of Chianti, Chianti classico, touriga nacional, or your favorite sangiovese 🍕
.
Veggie pizzas shine when paired with a light-bodied red wine such as bonarda or cold-climate pinot noir 🍕
.
White pizzas with creamy sauces and cheeses are high in decadent fats and low in acidity, something tomatoes provide. For these pies, look to sparkling rose champagne or prosecco 🍕 
.
For the most polarizing pairing of all, match your pineapple pizza with a crisp riesling 🍕 
.
And for the ultimate curve-ball, why not put down the wine and switch to sake. From crisp ginjo styles to junmai styles, sake and pizza pairings can be nothing short of divine 🍕 
.
.
#tastesandtides #winewednesday #winepairingwithpizza #pizzaandwine #sakeandpizza #ピザと日本酒
For this week’s Wine Wednesday, we’re pairing For this week’s Wine Wednesday, we’re pairing oysters with our favorite wine 🦪
.
Oysters come in a variety of sizes and flavors. Atlantic oysters are usually saltier with brine and seaweed flavors. Pacific oysters come sweeter with more green vegetable and melon notes 🦪
.
For both types of oysters, try pairing a white wine, champagne, or junmai and junmai daiginjo sake 🦪
.
Wines such as silvaner, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, and moscato d’asti work magnificently with these delicious bevalves 🦪
.
.
#tastesandtides #oysterpairing #winewednesday #wineandoysters #ostrasyvino #champagneandoysters
It’s time to say congratulations to Caroline Mar It’s time to say congratulations to Caroline Marks (USA) @caroline_markss and Kauli Vaast (France) @kaulivaast for winning Olympic gold yesterday. 
.
A big congrats to Tatiana Weston-Webb (Brazil) @tatiwest and Jack Robinson (Australia) @jackrobinson72 for silver and Johanne Defay (France) @johannedefay and Gabriel Medina (Brazil) @gabrielmedina for bronze. 
.
Although there were lulls, many lulls… Teahupo’o once again delivered the goods. 🙏
.
And we're already looking forward to what LA brings in 2028! 
.
.
#tastesandtides #olympicsurfing #teahupoo #tahitisurf
Sometimes, surfing comes at a cost and other times Sometimes, surfing comes at a cost and other times, it can help get us through our darkest days. Follow the story of farmer, surfer, and waterman Jesse Hersh in our feature, The Water’s Still My Friend. 
.
In it, Hersh takes us through his journey from becoming a wave-chasing farmer to overcoming a tragic surf accident. 
.
Read it at Tastes and Tides (link in bio).
.
Follow Jesse Hersh’s music and life updates @opaleyeyishai
.
.
.
#tastesandtides #surflife #santacruzsurf #santabarbarasurf #mentalhealthawarness
Have you been watching the Olympics at Teahupo’o Have you been watching the Olympics at Teahupo’o? We sure have, and it’s not disappointing. 
.
Although it hasn’t been the death-defying left-handed slabs we’re used to seeing, Teahupo’o has been delivering the goods for the games. 
.
Teahupo’o is located on Tahiti’s south shore and focuses southerly wave energy on its reef. The wave that forms is a true spectacle of thermodynamics and life-threatening power. 
.
This is the second year surfing’s been in the Olympics and compared to the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, we’re seeing the athletes square off in waves of consequence. 
.
Tune in today and before the end of the waiting period on August 5 to see the action.
.
.
#tasteandtides #olympicsurfing #teahupoosurf #endoftheroad #surftahiti
Farmer and surfer Jesse Hersh follows his passions Farmer and surfer Jesse Hersh follows his passions of surfing, music, and organic farming.
.
Even after a tragic surfing accident, the longtime surfer's love of the ocean is as strong as ever.
.
Check out Hersh's story now on Tastes and Tides (link in bio - THE WATER'S STILL MY FRIEND)
.
.
2nd photo by Mohamed Navi
.
#tastesandtides #santacruzsurf #organicfarmingpractices #oceanhealing #growyourownfood
We’re revisiting Lima, Peru today for a tasty ce We’re revisiting Lima, Peru today for a tasty ceviche recipe 🐟
.
RECIPE
.
Take sushi-grade white fish like red snapper and cut it into cubes. 
.
In a blender, add 1 cup of lime juice, garlic, ginger, chili pepper slices, salt, and a few cubes of fish. Blend it to create the rich leche de tigre marinade.
.
Marinade your fish in the leche de tigre and add a sweet potato that’s been boiled in seasoned water—we love to use cloves! 
.
Add some corn, thinly sliced red onions, and more fresh chilis for extra spice.
.
After 15 to 30 minutes, your ceviche is ready to go! 
.
Garnish with lettuce and your favorite leafy greens.
.
.
.
#TastesandTides #PeruvianCuisine #PeruvianCeviche #Ceviche #CevicheRecipe
SPOT GUIDE—Santa Cruz, CA This week, we’re he SPOT GUIDE—Santa Cruz, CA

This week, we’re headed to Santa Cruz, California. 
.
Santa Cruz is a wave-rich city at the northern end of Monterey Bay, just over an hour from San Francisco. 
.
The city is home to ancient redwood forests, organic farms, and year-round surf. 
.
Its most famous waves include Pleasure Point, Steamer Lane, and the Hook. 
.
From breweries such as Humble Sea Brewing Co to the beloved Zoccoli's Delicatessen, the small city is full of delicious food options after a long cold-water surf session. 
.
Stay alert for July’s Feature Article, which is taking place in, you guessed it, Santa Cruz, CA. Dropping on Thursday, July 25th.
.
.
Photos by Saira Ahmed
#tastesandtides #santacruzsurf #santacruzcuisine #santacruzca #californiasurf #montereybay
For this week’s spot guide, we’re taking you t For this week’s spot guide, we’re taking you to Tofino on Vancouver Island, Canada. 
.
The coves, reefs, and beaches near the town pick up long-period swell throughout the year. Waves are consistent and suitable for all levels—just bring a thick wetsuit. 
.
Tofino has a thriving food scene with casual family-run eateries for dungeness crab to award-winning high-end dining featuring ingredients like local gooseneck barnacles and smoked kelp. 
.
Don’t miss Tofino Brewing Company @tofinobrewco for local craft beers and Tofino @tofinodistillery for artisanal spirits. 
.
.
#tastesandtides #vancouverisland #vancouverislandsurf #canadasurf #canadiancraftbeer #canadiandistilleries
Follow on Instagram

Good food and good surf.

It's really just that simple.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Contact Us

Privacy Policy

Terms and Conditions

All content ©2024 Tastes and Tides LLC
Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}