CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM M is for Makaha
Sons (and Sam)
Louis "Moon" Kauakahi and Jerome and John Koko -- the Makaha Sons -- provide the music. The irrepressible Sam Choy provides the recipes. The result is a how-to guide for putting on a luau, even if you're in a poi-deprived part of these United States.
"A Hawaiian Luau with Sam Choy and the Makaha Sons" (Mutual Publishing, 2003, $29.95) is a cookbook-and-CD combo that provides recipes for the luau table and music to play during the party. The music is a collection of Makaha Son's favorites, such as "Round in Waikiki" and "Hopoe," as well as the luau standards "Lahaina Luna" and "Blue Hawai'i."
The bulk of the recipes come from Choy's many other cookbooks. Included are all the luau staples, even poi from scratch, plus many types of laulau and poke, and some of Choy's more upscale Pacific Rim dishes. Photographs are plentiful and there's lots of background on the luau tradition.
The book also lists ways to substitute for things such as taro leaves, for those trying to luau-it-up far from Hawaii, making this a good gift for mainland friends.
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