Stock socks with local sweets

TENTH OF 12 PARTS

SOMETIMES great things come in little packages, such as these last-minute gifts of food that would make perfect stocking stuffers or grab-bag items.

» The newest addition to Mutual Publishing's "Little Hawaiian Cookbook" series is "Holiday Gift-Giving Recipes" by Muriel Miura. The book contains more than 40 recipes for homemade cookies, candies, jams, spice mixes, bottled sauces and vinaigrettes and other munchies.

It also includes tips on wrapping and creating decorative baskets and boxes. Also new in the series are "Tastes and Flavors of Mochi," "Tastes and Flavors of the Big Island" and "Tastes and Flavors of Maui." All these pocket-sized books are available at bookstores at $7.95.

» There's a new cookie in town and local themes are part of its appeal.

Good Kine Cookie Co. recently opened a kiosk at Ala Moana Center (third floor near Centerstage) and at Restaurant Row. The bakery's hand-iced sugar cookies come in fun forms of hibiscus and plumeria blossoms, ukulele, honu, pineapple, geckos and shaka signs. The most popular so far is a 4-inch shaka with yellow icing and a big "Mahalo" in the middle.

Cookies are sold by the piece in a gift box for $5.50, or gift tins of a dozen cost $48. They can be custom-ordered for special occasions with personalized greetings.

» Five beautiful shell-shaped pieces of artisan chocolates fill each tin of Malie Kai Chocolates. The candies reflect owner Nathan Sato's dream to produce fine chocolate in Hawaii using nothing artificial. They come in dark chocolate with tropical fruits and nuts or milk chocolate with macadamia nuts and orange essence.

Malie Kai chocolates are available at specialty gift stores including Neiman Marcus, Na Mea Hawaii, Compleat Kitchen, Executive Chef and Pat's Island Delights.

TOMORROW: Gift cards serve a valuable function