England is revered for their fish and chips, down south loves their collard greens, and here in Hawaii, we’ve got Poke. Pronounced Poh-kay which means to cut or to slice, this popular pupu (appetizer) is as much a part of Hawaii as the hula.
Poke was originally prepared by native Hawaiians by slicing ahi tuna / yellowfin and seasoning it with sea salt, seaweed and ground kukui nut. Modern day poke is still made with yellowfin, but has evolved to include lobster, crab and other treasures of the sea. You’ll even find vegetarian poke made with tofu.
The passing of time has not only seen poke include other types of seafood; thanks to the melting pot of cultures that make up the fabric of Hawaii, the seasoning has been kicked up a notch as well. Gone are the days of simple sea salt and seaweed poke. Today’s varieties offer a more flavorful twist with ingredients like soy sauce, ginger, citrus, and of course “secret sauces”. Throw in some extras like tomatoes and sweet Maui onion and you’ve got yourself a very fine poke indeed!
Here in Hawaii we are so obsessed with our poke that we’ve even got an entire festival devoted to it! Started in 1992, the Poke Festival is the brain child of Chef Sam Choy who is also the author of a cookbook dedicated to the same. The festival includes cooking classes, tastings, poke recipe contests and more.
If you’re wondering where you and your taste buds can go to sample this Hawaiian specialty, check out our post on how Hawaii’s cuisine measures up against the rest of the nation. Kona’s Da Poke Shack actually took the top spot on Yelp’s list of best places to eat in the entire country, and what do you think their specialty is? You guessed it, poke!
I just wanted to let you know that our stay on Oahu at Honeyed Jade was amazing. My family was blown away by the beauty of the house and the kindness of the Property Manager. We loved the house cockatoo, Lola. She was the life of the party! Thank you to you and Iris for all your help and professionalism. It was greatly appreciated.
If you are looking for the Perfect House in the Perfect Location with the Perfect Hosts
If you are looking for the Perfect House in the Perfect Location with the the Perfect Hosts, you could not possibly find a better Maui Vacation Rental.
From the moment we contacted Sunny, our every need and desire to create a dream trip was effortless. She took care of shopping, dinner reservations and answered every ‘stupid’ question like a true professional.
Any small issue with the house was taken care of promptly by Eric. Always polite and understanding to our requests, he fixed things in a flash!
And the Home….
Gorgeous
Great Location on the Beach
Plenty of room(s). We had 7 people.
Great Amenities
Clean
Modern electronics and Wifi
Everything
The Best of Maui!
Harvey & Sandy P
You Were a Delight to Work With
We had a wonderful time at Sail Away and I recommended Hawaii Hideaway to dozens of people. You were a delight to work with and I will definitely use you again the next time we rent a home in the islands.
Roseville, CA
Like a Dream
Bliss doesn’t even describe our experience. It was almost like a dream. We are ready to do this again with Hawaii Hideaways – you guys are the best. Everything was perfect!!!