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Cookie champion

An old favorite from the cookie jar won a first place ribbon for Merle Woo in a baking competition Saturday at the Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin.

The bake-off celebrated the new year, with entries served at a dinner that night. The winners in five categories were put up for bid in a silent auction.

Woo's Cornflake Cookie recipe won the cookie category, incorporating chopped dates and the flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg for a unique approach.

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BETTY SHIMABUKURO / BETTY@STARBULLETIN.COM Merle Woo's Cornflake Cookies have extra crunch.

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Other winners were Jane Kobayashi's Energy Bars (bar cookie category) and Mary Tanouye's Southern Pecan Pie (pies). Lei Ann Onishi won both the homemade and semi-homemade cake categories for her Scrumptious Sour Cream Coffee Cake and Yummy Chocolate Cupcakes. Semi-homemade means the recipe could incorporate a cake mix.

Cornflake Cookies

Merle Woo

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking power
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup chopped dates
8 ounces cornflake cereal

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Cream butter, then mix in sugar and egg. Add vanilla.

Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add to butter mixture. Fold in nuts and dates.

Roll teaspoonfuls of dough in whole cornflakes. Bake 18 to 20 minutes. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Nutritional information unavailable.

Mardi Gras celebration

Fat Tuesday is a name that seems to justify all forms of indulgence, and in that spirit the Nuuanu Merchants Association presents its annual Mardi Gras Block Party, 6:30 to 10 p.m. Tuesday.

New Orleans-style food and drink will be provided by Hank's Cafˇ, Indigo Restaurant, Tea at 1024, Murphy's Bar & Grill, Dixie Grill, North Shore Farms and Starpoint Cafˇ.

Entertainment will be provided on two stages; a costume contest will be judged at 9 p.m.

The celebration takes place on Nuuanu Avenue, from Pauahi to King Street.

Partial proceeds will benefit the Nuuanu Merchants Association and the Hawaii Children's Cancer Foundation.

Lions at the markets

A Chinese lion dance greets the Year of the Rooster at this week's farmers' markets.

Thursday's night market in Kailua features both new year's and Black History Month celebrations, with a lion dance at 6 p.m. and the blues guitar of Dion "Boogie" Scott after that. Deb's Ribs and Soul Food will offer a menu of ribs and southern specialties.

Market hours are 5 to 7:30 p.m. in the Kailua Town Center parking garage.

The Saturday Farmers' Market at Kapiolani Community College will mix new year's with Mardi Gras, with a lion dance at 8 a.m. and a Cajun breakfast served by Murphy's Bar and Grill and featuring alligator sausage and alligator chili.

The market is open from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. in KCC's Diamond Head parking lot.

Call 848-2074.

Building dinner

The Home Building & Remodeling Show -- Thursday through Sunday at the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall -- will feature these cooking demonstrations:

Friday: Brian Nagai of Sergio's Italian Restaurant teaches "Risotto 101"; 6:30 p.m.

Saturday: Gordon Lum of Gordon Biersch, Ahi Poke Hash Cake, noon; Richard Viernes of Centerplate and Paradise Cove, Arare-Crusted Shrimp, 4 p.m.; Kelvin Ro of Diamond Head Market & Grill, Mushroom Burger and Diamond Head Torte, 6 p.m.

Sunday: Patrick Yamaguchi of Centerplate, Ahi Tartare on Crispy Flour Tortilla, 1 p.m.

Opus straight up

A vertical tasting in the world of wine offers an opportunity to explore one type of wine in deep, deep, depth.

Fujioka's Wine Merchants is offering a vertical of Opus One at 5:30 p.m. today at Formaggio in the Market City Shopping Center.

Winemaker Michael Silacci will lead the tasting of Opus One vintages from 1995, 1996, 1997 and 2001.

Cost is $50. Call 739-9463.

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