Lots to celebrate!
Cookbook update, Poi Dog Huli sauce sale (use code HULI25 at poidogsauces.com), and the return of Aloha Pickles
On Friday, I turned in my manuscript for Hawai’i’s Table. There’s still a long way to go: rounds of edits, weeks of shooting stretched out between September and October, and the design of the book…but it exists! 246 pages. Written mostly within the space of seven months.
It was daunting at first, then quickly became smooth sailing as I mapped out schedules for filling in the blanks of recipes, headnotes, stories, and essays. It has taken me most nights and every weekend, which also explains my absence from this platform. I wish I could be the kind of cookbook author who documents the process through video, but my brain had to go through so many somersaults throughout the day, flipping from Inquirer food writer writing about other people’s food to dissecting and explaining and bringing my own to life, that I could only sink into writing.
Anyway, we’re celebrating in a couple ways (full celebration to come next year, Fall 2027, when the book is actually due to come out).
Poi Dog Huli is on sale! It is my pride and joy in the sauce world. Use code HULI25 for 25% of single bottles of Huli until Aug. 9. Code is only for our website, poidogsauces.com and there’s no limit to bottles. This is our first sale and I hope you try it — primarily as a chicken marinade (don’t be shy, marinate your chicken for a good two days then roast or grill it. Instructions are on the bottle). But it’s also great as a hot dog sauce, dipping sauce, marinade for any other protein or vegetable. It’s vegan, gluten-free, and really umami-rich due to miso and mushrooms. Burlap and Barrel Chinese 5-spice makes it extra special and fragrant.
Aloha Pickles, our collaboration with Fishtown Pickles is back this Thursday! And we’re having a wild pickle party at Post Haste to celebrate. There will be Mochi Nori Fried Chicken, Spam Musubi, Spicy Poke, a whole bunch of dishes from the cookbook, and so many dishes that use Aloha Pickles (like fried Aloha Pickles!). Reservations on OpenTable.
As my manuscript is going through edits, I’m looking forward to having a single tract food writer mind for a few days.
Here are some pieces I’ve written for the Inquirer recently:
Third-generation owner ushers in a new era for Philly’s Ba Le Bakery, July 2026
Philly’s kitchen professionals endure one heat wave after another, July 2026
Middle Child’s BLT season starts tomorrow. This is how they prepare for the frenzy. July 2026
The Philly bars that keep secret stashes of Chartreuse, June 2026
Would you try this cheesesteak-flavored olive oil? We did. June 2026
Philly chefs are leading a brunch renaissance, July 2026
After bankruptcy and a kiln disaster, Felt and Fat is remaking itself, June 2026
A new Graduate Hospital ice cream shop is all about big flavors and little wins, July 2026
A budget-friendly omakase restaurant has opened on Broad Street, July 2026
🎉
Congratulations! Can’t wait for the book to come out!