Da Kine Star-Bulletin staff and wire services

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Beer book provides look into history of Hawaii suds

With all this talk about Primo beer being back in town, some historical perspective is in order -- and there's plenty of that to be found in Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi's "The Hawai'i Beer Book: Bars, Breweries & Beer Cuisine."

A collection of facts, figures and trivia about Hawaii's sudsy history, the book also offers recipes for dishes made with beer, lessons in beer-and-food pairings and a guide to local microbreweries.

And no such accounting would be complete without mention of Primo. Things you might not know: In 1969, Primo held 70 percent of the local beer market, selling 2 million cases; Primo cans were the first all-aluminum cans anywhere, but their lining was insufficient and once 23,000 cases had to be thrown out because of a metallic taste.

Intrigued? "The Hawai'i Beer Book" (Watermark) sells for $15.95. Tsutsumi will appear in these book signings:

» Friday: 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., Bestsellers, Bishop Street
» Dec. 29: Noon to 1 p.m., Barnes & Noble Kahala Mall
Jan. 5: Noon to 1 p.m. Borders Pearlridge and 2 to 3 p.m. Borders Waikele
Jan. 12: 2 to 3 p.m., Borders Windward Mall
Jan. 26: Noon to 1 p.m., Borders Ward Centre

Neiman Marcus hosts book signing

Kevin Garvin, co-author of "Neiman Marcus Taste: Timeless American Recipes," will sign copies of the cookbook from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday in the Ala Moana Center store.

"NM Taste" (Clarkson Potter Publishers, $45) is a collection of favorite recipes in the 54-year history of the chain's in-store restaurants.

Look for Garvin, executive chef and vice president of the chain's restaurants, in the gift gallery on the third floor.

Cooking with Sam

Chef Sam Choy offers a holiday cooking class, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

Learn to make three dishes, then taste them with wine from the Wine Stop.

The menu: Shrimp Cake with Shiitake Creamed Orzo, Stuffed Pork Chops with Mushroom Pan Gravy and Sweet Potato Crunch in Haupia Soup.

Cost is $145. Call 735-7788.

Into the imu

Kailua High School opens its imu again, this time for a New Year's benefit for the baseball program.

Trays of food will be accepted from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Dec. 28 and tucked away for an all-night steam underground in an imu on campus, tended by students, faculty and alumni. The food comes out luau-ready the next morning.

Purchase space in the imu for $15 per tray. Thawed, seasoned meats (pork butt or whole turkeys work well), as well as sweet potatoes, taro and luau leaf should be placed in large disposable aluminum baking trays sealed in foil. Weight limit is 25 pounds.

To reserve a space, send checks payable to Friends of Kailua High School Baseball and mail to Kailua High School, 451 Ulumanu Drive, Kailua 96734. Write "Attention Corey-IMU" in the lower left corner of the envelope.

Enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope, which will be returned with a confirmation ticket and number. Include your telephone number.

Reservations due by Dec. 21. Call 781-9362 or 728-7389.

Recipes wanted

Do you have a way with tomatoes? Put your skill on the line in the Hamakua Springs Tomato Recipe Contest.

Submit a recipe by Jan. 30 in the category of entrée, soups and bisques, or preserves and condiments.

First place winners will collect $350 each, second place, $300; third place, $250.

The Top 5 recipes will be prepared by students at Hawai'i Community College for tasting by judges, headed by chef Alan Wong.

For full contest rules visit www.hamakuasprings.com. E-mail entries to contest@hamakuasprings.com or mail Hamakua Springs Recipe Contest, 421 Lama St., Hilo 96720.

Making a difference through art

Children of all ages showed what they could do to make their community a better place in the Department of Education and Castle & Cooke Hawai'i's "Make a Difference" poster contest.

More than 6,000 students from 101 Oahu schools entered the contest. The children's artwork showed that a issues such as vandalism, tourism, homelessness, sustainability, drugs, war and more, were on their minds.

Last month, cash prizes were awarded to winners in four grade categories. Schools with the most participation were also awarded $500 each.

The first place winners are:

» Kindergarten to second grade: Christopher Valdespino, Shafter Elementary School

» Grades 3 to 5: Roxy Gonzalez, Mililani Mauka Elementary

» Grades 6 to 8: Kiana Ringuette, Kailua Intermediate School

» Grades 9 to 12: Jan Takamatsu, James Campbell High School

A 2008 calendar featuring top three winners in each category will be distributed to full-time DOE teachers and administrators.