Choy gets novel with new book

Chef Sam Choy takes a new approach with his latest cookbook, "AlohaCuisine," which hits bookstores this week.

Choy's first cookbooks were full-size coffee-table books; his recent ones were smaller, spiral-bound, kitchen-friendly. "AlohaCuisine" (Mutual Publishing, $24.95) takes the middle road -- at 9 inches square, it's got room for big, glossy photographs, but it's still spiral-bound so it'll lie flat on the counter while you cook.

Choy will sign copies at noon Saturday at Barnes & Noble Ala Moana.

The store is hosting a book fair for Waipahu Elementary School that day -- when buying Choy's book or any other, ask for a voucher and Barnes & Noble will donate a part of the sale to the school.

The recipes in "AlohaCuisine" largely reflect Choy's Hawaiian background, with a range of luau foods, but he also offers much in the local-style tradition -- Da Wife's Bean Soup, for example. "At family gatherings, it's the wife's soup or mine," he writes. "My soup always has leftovers; her soup is always gone."

Also look for Sam's Original Shoyu Chicken, Papa Choy's Beef Tomato and the more upscale Furikake-Kakimochi Crusted Ahi Steaks.

For those not lucky enough to live Hawaii, the cookbook may be ordered through www.mutualpublishing.com.