A Lesson in Taro
Miso-glazed salmon, kalo soba and slaw at a taro-centric lunch at Heritage Restaurant and Bar.
When a contingent of Maui Visitors and Convention Bureau officials visit the Bay Area, they always bring a delicious taste of the islands.
Last week, they brought something extra special — a lesson in taro.
Invited media, including myself, were treated to a 6-course lunch at Heritage Restaurant and Bar in San Francisco in which almost every dish featured taro (or kalo, as the Hawaiians call it) in some way, shape or form.
As Kawika Freitas, director of public and cultural relations for Old Lahaina Lu’au and Hoaloha Farms, explains, “We want to make kalo the next Brussels sprouts.”
With an even bigger grin, he added: “Poi to the world!”
Taro illustration by Kawika Freitas.
Indeed, if you only know taro from the pounded luau staple that often gets a bad rap by tourists, then you don’t really know taro.