12th Annual Taste of Puna Cook-off Results

Grand Prize Winning Recipe

Department of Health - Healthy Living "Fruits and Veggies - Good Choice!" Winning Recipe

Best of Category winners
	1) Coffee – James Turpin of Mt. View, who planted Blue Mountain coffee from Jamaica at his Hawaiian Blue Mountain Estate in Hawaiian Acres,
	2) Salad - Kara Adanalian, “Isaac Hale Caesar”;
	3) Entrée – Brad Hirata – “Miso Glazed Kapoho Menpachi on Wilted Mt. View Watercress with Puna Papaya Curry sauce”;
	4) Dessert – Andrew Jackson – “Puna Passion Fruit Mango Dessert with Lime Sauce”;
	5) Beverage – Elijah Reed – “Elijah’s Super Smoothie Surprise”. 1 papaya, 1 banana, 1/4 c pineapple, 1 c natural apple juice NO added sugar   Freeze Fruits before blending Blend and enjoy!
Best of Show winners
	Donna Williams-Crane – Kiawe Smoked “Piggy Back Ribs with Paniolo Poke”
	Harry Pomerleau – “Maoli Haupia”
	Gina McQuire – “Puna Fresh Fruit Salad”
	Kaleo Adams – “Hawaiian Chili Pepper Ice Cream”
	Graciano Delmar – “Lava Rock Fresh Mahi Salad”
	Lovey Grants – “Lychee Guava Swirl”
	Sherri Carden – “Donkey Fudge Cake”
	Marie Souza – “Puna’s Coconut Delight"
	Kalei Seawater – “Curried Cilantro Deviled Egg Salad”
	Millie Conol – “Puna Dream Cake”
	Alany Edner - Glazed Sweet Potato.
Honorable Mention winners
	Steviann Hill – “Puna Moon Pie”
	Lucky Friend – “Maku’u Makina Slaw”
	Meka Kaiser – Gaspacho Ala Puna!;
	Leilani Kainoa and Rosie Colon – Papaya Dreamin Cake
	Rosa Ahrens – Liver Pate
	Rose Acevedo and Gabe Olson – Puna Style Mole
	Angela Mangano – Pele Smoked Pig Ti Leaf Tamales with Coconut Fire Water
	Jay Fincher – Puna Caturra Coffee
	Ludivina Eder in the entrée category

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Judging this year’s competition was celebrity judge Howard “Dash” Dashefshy – KHNL-TV New 8, Alan Okuda – Hawaii Community College Hilo - Food Service Program Director, Margie Hanselman – Taste of Puna two-time grand prize winner; Audrey Wilson – Columnist and gourmet cook, Hawaii Tribune Herald; Lee Harlow – Volcano House, Denyse Temple – Puna News, Katherine Patton – Hilo Coffee Mill; I’oane Kekahuna – Maku’u Framer’s Association; and Puna’s County Council members – J Yoshimoto, Emily Naeole, and Bob Jacobson. 

This community event was made possible by the contributions by various business, community, and government partnerships.  More business and community sponsorships increased the event’s purse to over $5,000 in cash prizes.  Title sponsors of the event are Puna Fresh Foods, Wiki-Wiki Mart, Keaau Shopping Center, County of Hawaii Department of Research and Development, and Maku’u Farmers Association. Sponsoring the salad and entrée categories is Cal-Kona Produce.  Hilo Coffee Mill is sponsoring the Coffee and Beverage Categories.  The event’s co-sponsors include: W.H. Shipman Ltd, Meadow Gold Dairies, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, 7-Up, Paradise Beverage, Rainbow Inventory Services, O’Keefe Bakery, Asia Trans, Suisan, Pepsi, Liberty International, HRC Company, Better Brands, and KWXX B-97, as well as many business exhibitors.  Prizes donors included Millennium Restaurant, Margie Hanselman, and Hilo Fish Company.

The event committee members included: the Puna Girl Scouts – Liz Salfen, Best Friend Camp – Ida Smith, Photographer - David Yee, Valerie Ferrari – Keaau Shopping Center, Paula Kekahuna – Maku’u Farmers Association; Kawelo Kong-Kee - event emcee; Kale Albert - Video; Richard Nelson – Hawaii Bizlink; and Sure Save Store’s staff Robert Keliihoomalu, Marvin Park, Alex Fernandez, Kanani Niles, Lori Kalama, Lorraine Kobayashi, Ty Kodani, Faunette Lake, Glen Arakawa, Jenny Hamada, Amy Okuyama, Imelda Castaneda, Angela Robertson, Wes Perreira, Danielle Jerves, former branch manager Sharon Raniada.  Event coordinator was Carl Okuyama – for further information call (808) 937-4392 or visit www.suresave.com.

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Carl Okuyama
Event Coordinator
Taste of Puna
16-586 Old Volcano Road
Keaau, Hawaii 96749
Cell:         (808) 937-4392
Phone:  (808) 935-9680
Website: www.suresave.com
“Sharing the taste of Hawaii with the World”