Hawaii's Multicultural Food World

1901 Vine Street,Philadelphia PA 19103

08 March, 2022

Description

The poke bowl: an emblem of Hawaii's diverse food scene “Manapua, Pepeiao, Pork Hash!” went the rhythmic chant of Hawai’i’s famed Manapua Men, who served steamed buns and enormous dumplings in the sugarcane plantation era and later, Spam Musubi, fried noodles and plate lunch from lunchwagons. Learn about the variegated histories of all these dishes, developed after many generations of immigrant workers of Hawai’i lived, worked and started families together through the eyes of Kiki Aranita. Designed to inform curiosity as well as future travels, this program will increase participants' familiarity with the various cultures and cuisines that contributed to Hawaii’s diverse food scene. This session will focus on the poke bowl: How did the treatment of fish evolve into what we now know to be a poke bowl? Why do you see a prevalence of Japanese ingredients in a poke bowl? – These are some questions that will be addressed while Kiki demonstrates how to make the dish and we taste her Chili Peppah Water (available on-site for $8.50). All proceeds from ticket sales go towards supporting the Culinary Literacy's Center programs for youth, neighborhood engagement, and English language learning. Free tickets are available for SNAP eligible families and for anyone who cannot afford the fee right now but would still like to participate. Please email [email protected] for more information. In compliance with guidance from the City of Philadelphia Department of Public Health, masks are required at all times, except when eating or drinking, and seating is limited. Please contact [email protected] with any questions or concerns. Kiki Aranita spent seven years as co-chef and owner of Poi Dog, a restaurant and catering company that served Hawaii’s local food. She closed its Center City Philadelphia location in July 2020 but has kept the brand alive in large-scale pop ups and retail sauces rooted in the restaurants’s Hawaii-style cuisine. In addition to running a busy fast-casual storefront, she has catered many large-scale events and fundraisers in Philadelphia and around the U.S., and is skilled in food writing, recipe development, and content creation. For years, her goals involved celebrating the underrepresented cuisines of multicultural origins and collaborating with other chefs. She is also a culinary instructor, and adjunct professor at local Philadelphia institutions, where she teaches recipe development, Hawaiian food culture, Chinese food cooking seminars, and frequently appears on scholarly panels. Every bite of food we eat tells a story. Here’s ours: The Free Library is advancing literacy in Philadelphia in a unique and innovative way—with a fork and a spoon. Cooking and eating are educational acts and provide opportunities to learn math, science, languages, history and so much more. Using cooking as the vehicle for learning, the Culinary Literacy Center advances literacy through food and cooking around a communal table. Opened in 2014, the Culinary Literacy Center is the first space of its kind in a public library and serves as a model for libraries worldwide. The Culinary Literacy Center is based in our kitchen classroom at Parkway Central, but we offer programming at nearly all of our neighborhood libraries. Culinary Literacy Center programs teach healthy cooking, build community, and promote civic dialogue. Pull up a seat at our table and see what’s cooking at the Free Library of Philadelphia!