Utah Mecca Of Hawaiian Food

Utah is known for many things - great skiing, the Great Salt Lake and great Hawaiian food. It's true. This landlocked state is now famous for producing  island treats It's like a taste of a sunny paradise in the middle of the mountains.

Priya Krishna, a regular contributor and author of Ultimate Dining Hall Hacks, wrote this unique and interesting article for today's New York Times Food section.She interviewed the force behind the Hawaiian food movement, brothers Kalani and Kimo Mack. Their restaurant , Mo Bettahs (it means the best in  local  Creole Pidgin dialect) is in Salt Lake City and it's one of the most popular out there How did the food get there in the first place? Thank the Mormons. The first missionaries went to the islands in the 1840's , trying to convert islanders to their religion.It is why now Polynesia is rife with them.The islands host six temples and several church sponsored schools. Many modern missionaries are sent there for two or three years and develop a taste for Hawaiian food.They miss the variety and different flavors. Mo Bettahs satisfies that culinary  itch  The brothers came into it by happy accident. Mormons themselves, they moved to Salt Lake City in 2008 because the cost of living was cheaper than the islands along with being Mormon. There were no job prospects and the brothers were more beach bums than academics. They brainstormed coming up with ten ideas, including selling tents and  creating kiosks for people to download Ipod songs.

The third idea - running a restaurant resonated with them. There was only one problem - the Mack had no clue on how to run a restaurant but knew they wanted to make their favorite foods. Fortunately they had their Hawaiian - Korean mother's recipes and their work experience at the exclusively Hawaiian chain, Zippy's  One menu must have was the  popular plate lunch , consisting of a multicultural meal of meat, rice and macaroni salad!It was a staple of the 19th century sugar plantations, Other dishes offered are chicken katsu, a kind of fried chicken with a panko crumb coating.and kahlua pork, shredded pork  butt  seasoned with liquid smoke and Hawaiian sea salt.There's also the more familiar shrimp tempura and pulehu steak, a strip rubbed, again, with Hawaiian sea salt, garlic and sugar. What's surprisingly is there is no shaved ice - the cool treat the Obamas made popular and haupia, a kind of custard made with coconut  milk,cornstarch, sugar  and waterMaybe the brothers will expand their menu to include these in the future or even set up a separate but connected stand  Still Utahans love the food, thanks to Kalani's campaign on Facebook and the missionaries longing for Hawaiian food. There will be six more branches opening up in Utah and one in Idaho. Nevada and Missouri are also on their radar too.

Utah seems like an unlikely place for katsu chicken and pulehu steak,. Yet the Mack brothers are making sure it's a standard  in a landlocked state.It's a chance to enjoy paradise in the Beehive State.

Healing Meals

One of the most saddest and maddening events of the summer was the Charlottesville march .It was a ridiculous and grossly archaic show of prejudice. We need to come together and the best way is by food. It unites us more than anything. A meal that heals is the best kind possible bandaid. We overlook our differences as we come together to  sample our society's different foods and flavors.

If a mayor, principal, or college president is looking for a way to unite , then look no further than a community table. Hosting dinners, lunches and/or end of season barbecues is a great way of getting people of all backgrounds together. It starts with research and organization. Create a multicultural committee where all voices are heard and dietary issues are discussed. Another good idea is getting religious leaders involved. They may want to host it at their church, synagogue, or mosque to reinforce community.If not, then think about campus halls, cafeterias or even gyms. There can even be entertainment by different ethnic groups so that others can be exposed to customs and languages. If it's outdoors (and towns should consider their local parks for a community gathering) then have games and competitions for the kids to come together and enjoy.The community get together can also be done on a smaller basis. Try block parties , using the same principles  of a varied committee to oversee food and entertainment.

What is great about a community gathering is the introduction to all sorts of foods, especially if its'a pot luck. People get to try such diverse dishes as kim chi and satays, while enjoying such classics as hot dogs and cole slaw. Those who usually stick to all American fare will enjoy a change of pace with curries and paellas. It's a wonderful introduction for the more adventurous home chefs to experiment with different flavors such as za'atar , sriracha, or garam  masala.Keep in mind that there will be restrictions. Mormons are not allowed to imbibe in any spirits and this also  includes coffee and caffeinated tea. Jews and Muslims may  also have restrictions depending on how religious they are. Be aware of these and do not offend.Also some may be vegan so have veggie dishes on the ready too. Alcohol may seem a good idea however too such may create the opposite of the dinner's intention. Someone may get drunk and mouth off about one group - something no one wants to see happen. End with favors to take home - (Oriental Trading Company has some neat ones that would go at any multicultural gathering).Another idea is to create a cookbook with a variety of dishes to take home.

We are a country sadly coming apart. We need to be united again and that can come with a good meal and good conversation. Let food heal us.