Pineapples star
at Maui festival

Have a pineapple-y day with pineapple carving demonstrations, pineapple olympics, pineapple recipes and a visit with Pineapple Man at the Maui Pineapple Festival. The festival, now in its fourth year, begins tomorrow and continues through Saturday at Kaahumanu Center on Maui.

For those with a sweet tooth, the "Pineapple Dessert Cooking Contest" will be held 11 a.m. Saturday. Amateur chefs will present their entries at Kaahumanu Center's central court to compete for a $100 gift certificate. For information, call 1-808-877-4325.

Say hello to Hank: Hank Taufaasau, a local artist, has made a new home for his paintings--Hanks Cafe Honolulu.

While surrounded by Taufaasau's Polynesian paintings, art and food lovers can relish the cafe's "pita deli" lunches, cappucino and espressos, a comprehensive wine list, variety of beers, Hanks Special Martini and Manhattans, non-alcoholic drinks, a "Pau Hana Pupu" menu and live entertainment.

The cafe/art gallery, which opens tomorrow, is located at 1038 Nuuanu Ave. Its hours are 11 a.m. to midnight Mondays through Fridays and 2 p.m. to midnight Saturdays. Sandwiches are priced at $5.95. For information, call 526-1410.

Excellence at Manele Bay Hotel: Chef Suzanne Tracht of Jozu, a Los Angeles restaurant, will create a dinner this weekend on Lanai which will show how the restaurant lives up to its name--Jozu is Japanese for "excellent."

Tracht will demonstrate her contemporary California-Pacific cuisine with a free cooking class, 4 p.m. Friday; and two signature dinners, 6-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday in Hulopo'e Court. Manele Bay Hotel's Executive Chef David Britton will join Tracht during the cooking demonstration and attendees will have a chance to taste the delicacies plus take home recipes to duplicate the morsels at home.

The two signature dinners will be accompanied by a glass of sake and have an optional sake pairing at each course. For those who want to try the various premium sakes, Andy Nakano, owner of the Jozu restaurant, will lead a complimentary sake tasting at 5 p.m. Saturday with a light buffet, information on the dozen sakes and tasting sheets. Dinners are ala carte with entrees beginning at $20. For reservations, call 1-800-321-4666.

"Flavors of Hawaii": The Royal Hawaiian Hotel's Executive Sous Chef Alfred Cabacungan leads another cooking demonstration as part of a series of in-store cooking demonstrations at Williams-Sonoma Inc. in Ala Moana Center. Cabacungan will prepare steamed little neck clams with Chinese black bean sauce and shiitake mushroom relish, and tempura zucchini blossom stuffed with Kona lobster fresh mozzarella cheese filling, noon-1 p.m. Friday. Attendees will be able to taste the chef's masterpieces and recipes will be provided. For information, call 931-8233.

Student cooking: James Huang presents a cooking class on "Simple Scrumptious Single-Pot Cooking, noon-1 p.m. Saturday at Henry's Market in Liberty House, Ala Moana. Huang is an advanced student at Kapiolani Community College's Culinary School. For information, call 941-2345.

Poke contest: Sam Choy's poke contest continues its island-wide search for the best poke with another qualifying competition being held Saturday at the Outrigger Kauai Beach. Winners from the qualifying competition will move on to the final round, which will be held on Sept. 27 at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel during the Sam Choy Poke Festival.

The festival will also have an 18-hole golf tournament and a concert by The Makaha Sons on Sept. 26. Tickets for the concert are $15. For festival information, call 1-808-880-3023. For reservations at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel or Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, call 1-800-882-6060.

Beer dinner: 3660 On the Rise has a new sit-down dinner. At 6 p.m. Monday, "drink" your way through a six-course meal starting with a Lieffman's Kriek served with appetizers. Dinner consists of Schneider Weiss Hafeweizen, Bishop's Finger Kentish Ale, Chimay Blue Cap and a Vanilla Porter, accompanied by a scrumptious menu. Top off the evening, with Samuel Adams Triple Bock and a cigar. For reservations, call 737-1177. Cost: $48 per person.

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