Game Night calls for Chicken Wings

By David Hu

I always look forward to game night. Sometimes it’s Scattergories, Taboo, poker or games on the Wii. While the games change, the one constant, besides fun, is food. Finger foods are the way to go – just make sure there are ample napkins.

One of my favorites for game night is Peanuts and Beer Chicken Wings. While people often think of using beer in batter-fried foods like fish and chips or onion rings, beer is a very versatile ingredient that can be used in stews, marinades and even dips.

After the wings are baked, the liquid will be thin so it’s important to reduce it by boiling to get a thicker, sauce-like consistency, making for deliciously sticky wings.

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A Slice of Summer

By Andrew Hunter

Fruit’s a big deal in our house. Ben and Nick can eat an astounding amount of strawberries, grapes, mangoes, apples and oranges. But they know that none of it compares to eating a “gynormous” wedge of watermelon on a hot summer afternoon.

The boys have pretty simple expectations … it should be cold, juicy and refreshing. While watermelon is indeed perfect to quench their thirst with its sweet juice, it also has a more complex culinary side. Watermelon is perfect foil for sweet herbs, citrus and even salty cheese. So cut your kids and their friends a wedge as big as their heads and save the rest for a delicious summer salad for your more refined palates.

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Fish Tacos – the Perfect Meal for One

By Lori Powell

Fish Tacos...where have you been all my life! They are so delicious and so fast. Must-haves are good tortillas, great wild-caught fish and herbs. The rest is garnish!

I was developing a fish recipe and had some leftover cooked…yes, leftover fish can sing and this filet did.

Fill a good-quality taco shell with some great leftover or fresh-cooked fish, fresh herbs (fill with whatever you have on hand in the garden or otherwise...improvise, improvise), lovely, perfectly ripe avocados and some fresh lime and dinner is…so glad I stayed home!

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Happy Birthday Rhode Island! A celebration of Quahogs, Coffee Milk and Cabinets

By Katie Barreira

The holiday weekend was full of commemorative festivities. In addition to yesterday’s observance of Memorial Day, on Saturday, the smallest state in the union celebrated a big birthday, number 221.

It was May 29th 1790 when Little Rhody, the last remaining colony of the original 13, became a state. And how better to rejoice in Rhode Island’s coming of age than with a tribute to the region’s delightful culinary peculiarities?

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Reflecting on Memorial Day

My Uncle Hiroshi Matsukawa died fighting in Italy during World War II. He was part of the decorated Japanese-American 100th Infantry Battalion.

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And while that was a long time ago and he died before I was born, for me, Memorial Day will forever be linked to childhood memories of somber ceremonies at the Veteran’s Cemetery in Hilo that my family attended each year in his honor. The snap of rifles in salute, their explosive discharge, the bugler playing mournful Taps, flowers and leis lovingly placed at every headstone, the Stars and Stripes fluttering in the wind – all are part of my Memorial Day remembrance.

In 1970, Steve’s younger brother Patrick Hu died in Vietnam and is buried at Punchbowl, National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. And young men and women continue to fight and die for our country today.

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