Taste Education: Helen Nielsen, Maui Natural Bee

Slow Food Maui Taste Education in partnership with the Maui Culinary Academy and Whole Foods Market Kahului
With support from the Maui Culinary Academy and Whole Foods Market Kahului, Slow Food Maui presents Helen Nielsen, Maui Natural Bee, as its featured guest for its Taste Education Series in February. The session will focus on the lives of honeybees and their efficiency, the benefits of consuming local honey and useful ways to use honey in kitchen and bath. A beehive will be on display (no bees) and honey tastings will be shared.

“After considering the plight of honeybees around the world, and the relatively healthy, isolated environment we have in southeast Maui, we started raising bees about three years ago,” said Helen Nielsen, Maui Natural Bee. “We currently have about 35 hives and we are completely energy independent, powering with solar and collecting rainwater.”

Maui Natural Bee provides local artisan honey and Kiawe and Christmas berry honey to the Maui community. The products are available at farmers markets or directly from Maui Natural Bee. To order, contact Helen at bees[at]maui[dot]net.

In addition to Maui Natural Bee, Nielsen is well known for her community work. She is one of the original founders of the Hawaiian Island Land Trust (HILT) and its current board president. As a business owner, Nielsen is active in many of Maui’s community projects, along with her husband Jonathan Starr. She divides her time between Wailuku and her energy-independent home in Kaupo.

Taste Education is a nine-part “food focused” educational series presented by Slow Food Maui in partnership with the Maui Culinary Academy and Whole Foods Market Kahului. Organized to honor people who grow and produce the food we eat, the series brings local food producers in our community to the forefront so others may learn about their work, how their product is made and where to find it.

Date: Wednesday, February 29 (Always Held on the last Wednesday of each month. Mark your calendars!)
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Place: Maui Culinary AcademyUH Maui College, Pa’ina Building310 W. Kaahumanu Ave., Kahului, Maui, Hawai‘i

Cost:
$15 for Slow Food USA members
$20 for non-members

Seating is limited. Advance reservations and payment are required. Please note that we cannot guarantee participation if payment is not received prior to the event date.

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Prices:

Note: “Members” are those who have paid for their annual membership through Slow Food USA. Membership lists are checked at the door. If you are not a member, but would like to become one, please join Slow Food USA using their membership form.

If you would rather not use PayPal, please use our contact form to reserve your seat instead.

Kula Fields Shows Us How To Prepare Chard

Slow Food Maui Chair Roxanne Tiffin shows us how to make chard
Our current Chair, Roxanne Tiffin of Kula Fields, is often asked how use the chard that she supplies in her boxes. In this video, she gives us a quick lesson in one of the easiest, most delicious preparations of this wonderful vegetable.
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For the full recipe, visit the Kula Fields website ->

5th Annual Maui County Agricultural Festival Coming Up Soon

A celebration of agMaui County AgFestriculture’s vital role in the economy, environment and lifestyle of Maui, the 5th Annual Maui County Agricultural Festival is coming up on April 7, 2012.   Held on the lūʻau grounds of Maui Tropical Plantation in Waikapū, Maui’s prime event to raise awareness about local agriculture on Maui invites Maui to talk story with the people who grow our food and their industry allies, to discover what agriculture means to our communities and ʻāina, to taste fresh flavors, and to have fun. Hosted by Maui County Farm Bureau in partnership with the County of Maui Office of Economic Development, and supported by generous sponsors, the festival provides the one-stop experience of the wondrous impact of agriculture in day-to-day life.

The Grand Taste Education presented in partnership with Slow Food Maui is an ag festival highlight featuring Grown on Maui edibles by farmer and chef teams and a program of presentations from 11 am – 2 pm. Chefs include: Sheldon Simeon, Star Noodle and Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop; Jojo Vasquez, The Banyan Tree at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua; Ryan Luckey, Pineapple Grill Kapalua Resort; Ivan Pahk, Cane & Taro at Whalers Village Fine Shops & Restaurants; Scott McGill, TS Restaurants – Hula Grill and Duke’s on the Beach; JoeyMacadangdang, Roy’s Restaurant; Riko Bartolome, Asia Vous; Isaac Bancaco, Humuhumunukunukuapuaʻa at Grand Wailea; Brandon Shim, Tommy Bahamas at The Shops at Wailea; Marc McDowell, Makena Beach & Golf Resort; and Tylun Pang, Kō at The Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui. Grand Taste Education tickets on sale by Slow Food Maui for $30 before April 5. $5 from the sale of each ticket purchased here will be donated to Slow Food Maui and earmarked for its agricultural education programs.

Grand Taste Education is held on Saturday, April 7, 2012 from 11 am – 2 pm.  Admission includes 12 tastings and one bottle of water. Please print your paypal credit card confirmation of payment and bring it the event. Your name will be on the paid list and you will be approved to enter the Grand Taste Education area. No refunds after March 30, 2012. Free admission to the Maui County Ag Festival.