Frolic Foodie Advent Calendar: Local Kine Gifts for 25 Days of Giving
We wrap up our list of 25 ‘ono gifts with Kona coffee sake, a drool-inducing ornament and finally, chantilly in a jar.
‘Tis the week before Christmas, and we know you—yes, you—are still wracking your brain for that last gift for Auntie Foodie or the coworker who’s always chasing food trends. Or for your actual Advent Calendar. So here we are, with Part 5 of our five-part roundup of ‘onolicious local finds.
Most of these 25 gifts are edible or drinkable, others are foodie-themed. All are made in these Islands or sold at locally owned small businesses. You can find them online or at places on O‘ahu listed below. Happy giving and happy holidays!
SEE ALSO: The Ultimate Guide to Holiday Happenings on O‘ahu
Image: James Nakamura
Aloha Alfajores sandwich cookies
Photo: Courtesy of @alohalfajores
What’s to love: Andrea Smith’s pillowy-soft cookies crumble and melt in your mouth, interrupted only by the milky-sweet dulce de leche sandwiched in between. Alfajores are popular in Latin America; these draw from memories of Smith’s childhood in Colombia. Smith bakes and decorates each one by hand in ‘Ewa Beach: The tree is topped with white chocolate ganache; the stars are dipped in milk chocolate. Deadline to order is this week.
How much: Box of 3 for $15, box of 6 for $25
Where to find: Markets and pop-up events, including ‘Ono Grindz and Mākeke in ‘Ewa Beach, Honolulu Makers Market at Ala Moana Center, Holiday Pop-Up Shop at Pearlridge Center; check alohalfajoresllc.com for schedule and ordering
Islander Sake Mini Bottle Set
Photo: Courtesy of Islander Sake
What’s to love: Liliko‘i sake, a ginjo made with Big Island passion fruit, is Islander Sake’s best-seller. This holiday set pairs it with a junmai daiginjo and a new Kona coffee sake (yes, 100% Kona) from Hawai‘i’s sole sake brewery. Sake has always expressed locality—before pasteurization, small breweries supplied their own villages and towns. In South Kohala, brewer Chiaki Takahashi hews to this tradition, using naturally filtered artesian water and produce from local farms. This set of three 150-ml bottles is truly one of a kind.
How much: $43 online, prices may vary at retail shops
Where to find: islandersake.com, @islandersake
Aloha Veggie Kitchen Gluten-Free Rice Stollen
Photo: Courtesy of @aloha_veggie_kitchen
What’s to love: Stollen, a German Christmas treat (and lately, a Japanese one as well) isn’t easy to come by in Honolulu, making Aloha Veggie Kitchen’s version an extreme rarity. Made with Kubota rice grains, these are gluten-free, plant-based and free of refined sugars. They’re also delicious—crunchy with nuts and studded with rum-soaked dried figs and cranberries, the flavors gently warmed with cinnamon and nutmeg and cloves. Cut into half-inch slices and pop in a toaster oven to crisp the edges before biting in.
How much: $16
Where to find: Preorder by DM @aloha.veggie_kitchen, pickup Dec. 19 in ‘Aina Haina, Dec. 20 in Iwilei
Charcuterie Tree Ornaments
Photo: Maria Burke
What’s to love: What could be cuter than a charcuterie board Christmas ornament?! Complete with little seeded crackers, a wheel of brie and a bunch of grapes, this felt version spares no details. You can also find slices of pizza, bottles of wine, lobsters, avocado toast and more, all supporting fair trade for women in Khazakstan. Best part? They can’t break! You just have to convince your cats they’re not for them. —Maria Burke
How much: Starting at $16
Where to find: Olive Boutique, 43 Kihapai St., Kailua
Liliha Bakery World Famous Chantilly
Photo: Mari Taketa
What’s to love: First, the line item on the price list in the chill case: “World Famous Chantilly,” it reads, because no further words are needed. Second, it’s Liliha Bakery’s world-famous chantilly, for sale in a jar! Let’s face it, for some of us, the best part of a classic Coco Puff is the sassy dollop of chantilly frosting on top. And the chantilly cake, its rich layers of creamy butteriness interrupted by chocolate cake, is a sweet slice of nostalgia. Note: Needs to be chilled always.
How much: $8.50
Where to find: Liliha Bakery, multiple locations
SEE ALSO: HONOLULU Magazine Team’s 2024 Holiday Gift Guide
Graphic: James Nakamura
Almond Tree Toffee
Photo: Courtesy of Almond Tree and Karyssa Costa Photography
What’s to love: Crunchy and nutty with just the right amount of toffee, Almond Tree’s chocolatey toffee bark is addictive. Handmade locally in small batches, it comes in milk or dark chocolate, with almonds or mac nuts, and in seasonal flavors with peppermint and cinnamon. Our policy of rigorously sampling to see whether something is worth recommending somehow resulted in an entire 8-ounce bucket of dark chocolate Kona coffee almond toffee disappearing before we could photo it. And yes, even though we found another photo, we’re still going back for more.
How much: Mac nut flavors $20 for 8 ounces, 36 for 16 ounces; almond flavors $15, $26
Where to find: Farmers markets, pop-ups (check @almondtreehawaii for schedule), ChefZone at 2888 Ualena St.
Coopmonsters hair claws
Photo: Courtesy of Coopmonsters
What’s to love: First, there were hair claws shaped like Spam musubi and shave ice. Then came claws that looked like taiyaki fish snacks and matcha soft serve swirls. And they’re still coming. Now, Coopmonsters claws include shapes like White Rabbit candies, lemon peel gummy bears and sakura kakimochi—with no sign of slowing down. Pet owners can find some of the same designs on Coopmonsters’ leashes, poop bags and mini hair claws for very good dogs.
How much: $15 mini, $16 regular hair claws
Where to find: coopmonsters.com, check @coopmonsters for pop-up schedule
Kailua Seasoning Co. mini packets
Photo: Maria Burke
What’s to love: Kailua Seasoning Co. has been making favorites like Hapa Blend, a mixture of pa‘akai, black pepper, mustard, ancho chiles and oregano for a while. With spice blends ranging from Crack Seed, a twist on everything bagel seasoning made with pa‘akai; to Banzai, a sweet and smokey mix good on just about everything; to the lemony dill Florida Fish, you can pick out a packet for just about every foodie friend. The shop on Uluniu Street also carries mini sizes of your favorite salts and spices, plus gift sets and products from other local producers too. —Maria Burke
How much: Starting at $7.99
Where to find: 402 Uluniu St., kailuaseasoningcompany.com
Sweetheart Farm liliko‘i butter
Photo: Mari Taketa
What’s to love: This tangy, creamy-sweet butter from Hawai‘i Island comes with a story that’s plenty sweet. When Sadie Yu’s baby brother came down with epileptic seizures, the family spent weeks at a time at the Ronald McDonald House in Honolulu, where Ka‘ohe was hospitalized. Her parents’ inability to work during these times added to their stress, so Sadie did what she could—she started selling eggs laid by the family’s chickens. That grew into Sweetland Farm and this: Sadie’s liliko‘i butter. She’s 11 years old now, a student at Kamehameha Schools – Kea‘au. Little Ka‘ohe, diagnosed with a genetic condition, has begun treatment. And this liliko‘i butter is still helping out.
How much: $6 for 3 ounces, $10 for 6 ounces
Where to find: sweetheartfarmhilo.com
Jules + Gem winter boba candle
Photo: Mari Taketa
What’s to love: Makes us smile every time we open it. First, it’s boba! Second, not just boba, but a new, glammed-up winter boba scent. These soy and coconut wax candles are hand-poured in small batches in Kaka‘ako and feature scents Jules + Gem’s cofounder missed most while away from Hawai‘i, especially her favorite foods. Forget Christmas pine candles, eggnog candles, yadda yadda, this is the one your boba tea addict will crave.
How much: $14 for 2-ounce candles
Where to find: julesandgemhawaii.com, retail outlets including House of Mana Up
Graphic: James Nakamura
Aloha German Bakery Christmas cookies
Photo: Mari Taketa
What’s to love: Vanillekipferl (crescent cookies) and zimtsterne (cinnamon stars) are traditional German holiday cookies perfect for an Advent calendar. We love the use of organic flour, cane sugar and ground nuts, the buttery gentleness of the crescents and crunchy nuttiness of the stars, and mostly, that they carry the memories of baker Cecilia Tanya Koch’s childhood in Germany. Find them along with Koch’s other cookie offerings this season, all with subdued sugar levels except for the coconutty macaroons.
How much: Both cookies $10 for a bag of 10
Where to find: Online at alohagermanbakery.us; Mele Kalikimaka Marketplace on Dec. 14 and 15; Thursday Makiki, Saturday Kaka‘ako and Sunday Kailua (next to Castle Adventist Health) farmers markets
KōHana Rum barrel-aged coffee
Photo: Mari Taketa
What’s to love: Our favorite way to start the day is with the slightest hint of happy hour. Barrel-aged coffees, like this collab between ChadLou’s Coffee Roasters in Kailua and Kunia’s Kō Hana Hawaiian Agricole Rum, deliver a whiff of spirit and a soft, smooth sip. Locally grown and roasted beans go into recently emptied rum barrels that are rotated, letting the beans absorb the essences of rum and oak.
How much: $25 for an 8.8-ounce bag
Where to find: Kō Hana Rum, 92-1770 Kunia Road, and online at @kohanarum.com
The Hawai‘i Book of Rice, Volume 2
Photo: Mari Taketa
What’s to love: Local writer Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi published The Hawai‘i Book of Rice in 2011. Now, here’s the sequel—ripe with stories, colorful histories of the grain in different cultures, and 101 recipes from anyone and everyone including a Who’s Who of leading chefs around the Islands. The book is an interesting, colorful read and a treasure trove of old-school and nouveau recipes including roast chicken with wild rice stuffing, and Mom’s chichi dango.
How much: $22.95
Where to find: bookshawaii.net, Barnes & Noble
Photo: Mari Taketa
Aloha Kine Creem Crackers
Photo: Courtesy of Diamond Bakery
What’s to love: These classic crunchers have taken new local forms—from adorable shakas and slippers to shave ice and rainbows—with the same mildly sweet, creamy taste. We’ll be dipping them in our hot chocolate and milk this holiday season.
How much: $2.69 online, price may vary in stores
Where to find: Diamond Bakery Factory Store (756 Mo‘owa‘a St.), various retailers, diamondbakery.com
Maui Chili Chili Oil Bubu Arare
Photo: Mari Taketa
What’s to love: It’s spicy—but only mild kine. It’s crunchy—because bubu arare! And we just really like saying Maui Chili Chili Oil Bubu Arare. This is a new iteration of the made-on-Maui condiment we’ve been seeing everywhere the last couple of years, infused with garlic and Maui onion and a huge amount of crunch. Its compact size makes it perfect for an Advent calendar or care package. We found plenty of jars at House of Mana Up last week; this week, two of its three O‘ahu stores had sold out. Call ahead or buy online.
How much: $10 for a 3-ounce jar
Where to find: Stores including Foodland and House of Mana Up and online at mauichilichilioil.com
SEE ALSO: Christmas Pop-Up Bars to Get You in the Holiday Spirit
Graphic: James Nakamura
Bakin’ Me Krazee Banana Bread
Photo: Courtesy of @bakinmekrazee
What’s to love: There are lots of banana breads from all kinds of pop-up bakers, but Bakin’ Me Krazee’s is our far-and-away favorite. Moist, but not mushy; firm, but not dense; and rich from ripe bananas, but not overly sweet. This year, owner Malyssa is bakin’ her sumptuous loaves in various flavors and selling them in festive Christmas boxes. —Diane Seo
How much: $6 to $12 for Christmas boxes
Where to find: @bakinmecrazee
Dis-and-Bark Shiny Shave Ice Dog Toy
Photo: Courtesy of @disandbark
What’s to love: First, we love a clear mission statement, like Dis-and-Bark’s “local dog toys for local dogs.” And second, shiny shave ice! Strawberry Lickikoi juice cans! And a lifted pickup truck with detachable cooler! Dis-and-Bark expanded from an online mom-and-pop to three retail locations with plush toys for dogs that may be even more irresistible to their humans. There’s also a maile lei dog toy, a manapua truck with detachable manapua, and a 4-pack of Pawlicken whose plush green bottles each contains a tube squeaker.
How much: $12 to $30
Where to find: Multiple locations, disandbark.com, @disandbark
Aliyoko Holiday Okoshi
Photo: Courtesy of @madebyaliyoko
What’s to love: When we recently gifted baker Alison Yokouchi’s aji amarillo cashew okoshi and her apple cardamom okoshi, the feedback we got was filled with superlatives. “She is a fantastic baker and the okoshi is award-winning! Both flavors are outstanding!” one friend texted. Formerly a pastry chef at Halekulani Hotel, Yokouchi dreams up intriguing flavors for her rotation of Japanese puffed rice snacks, which she sells via Instagram direct messages and at pop-up events at Ethel’s Grill. —Diane Seo
How much: $10
Where to find: @madebyaliyoko
CocoNene Christmas Tree Ornaments
Photo: Gregg Hoshida
What’s to love: Tree ornaments from CocoNene are designed and made in Hawai‘i on lightweight birchwood. Dozens of Island themes include this trio (Onions on poke bowl? Check. Gravy on loco moco? Check. And those rice grains!), plus a hula girl gingerbread and a smiling Spam musubi. And we love that they’ll fit in any Advent calendar or Christmas card.
How much: $14
Where to find: Multiple locations, coconene.com, @coconenehawaii
Pau Hana Co. drink mixers
Photo: Tev Media
What’s to love: Bartender Tyler Yafuso’s cocktail mixers combine local flavors with a sustainable push. The three flavors—li hing lemon, liliko‘i lime Hawaiian chile pepper, and pineapple lime lemongrass—use excess produce from local farms; recipes on Pau Hana Co.’s website suggest mixing them with locally made spirits. They’re equally good in mocktails.
How much: $15
Where to find: drinkpauhana.com, @thepauhana.co
SEE ALSO: Shake It Up With Pau Hana Co. Drink Mixers
Graphic: James Nakamura
Maika‘i Guava Li Hing Gummies
Photo: Mari Taketa
What’s to love: The chew on these gummy bears is not too sticky, not too bouncy, but juuust right. Add the guava tang and generous bits of peel, and you can see why this was a hit at our staff meeting. Props for packaging in a jar and not a bag. Note: We were so excited, we started eating before we remembered to take a photo.
How much: $6.99 for a 6-ounce jar with Maika‘i card through Nov. 26, then $8.39
Where to find: Foodland and Foodland Farms stores
Hawaiian Krunch Granola
Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino
What’s to love: Someone who travels a lot told us this makes good omiyage, so we tried it out. Verdict: Canoe crops do make good granola! Flavors balance coconut, honey, warm seasonings and mac nuts with crunchy niblets of ‘ulu, kalo and ‘uala (our fave because it comes with cacao nibs). Handmade in small batches in Upcountry Maui.
How much: $17.99 for a 10-ounce bag in stores; $34.99 for a sampler pack of three 5-ounce bags or $39.99 for a sampler gift box at hawaiiankrunch.com
Where to find: ChefZone, Farm Link, hawaiiankrunch.com
Info: hawaiiankrunch.com
SEE ALSO: The Snack You Didn’t Know You Needed: Hawaiian Krunch Turns Canoe Crops Into Granola
Jana Lam Kakimochi and Chex Mix Coasters
Photo: Courtesy of Jana Lam Hawai‘i
What’s to love: These two-sided coasters are hand-printed at Jana Lam’s small studio in Kaka‘ako. A third layer sandwiched in between adds stability. We love that these are made from leftover scrap material, meaning less waste. And it’s kakimochi and Chex Mix!
How much: $38
Where to find: janalam.com
Food, Ka Mea ‘Ai
Photo: Mari Taketa
What’s to love: Written in conversational English and ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i, this picture book introduces keiki ages 1 to 5 to the names of local foods like mango and noodles. Part of Resi Suehiro’s six-book Little Island Readers series, whose other topics include recycling, shave ice and endangered animals. Maika‘i loa!
How much: $10.95
Where to find: Da Shop, Bess Press
Photo: Mari Taketa
SEE ALSO: Da Shop’s Greatest Hits: Volume 1
Kvasir’s Mead
Photo: Courtesy of Village Bottle Shop
What’s to love: New meads from Hawai‘i Island—Kvasir’s started out in Mountain View in 2021—are made from the family’s generations-old Polish recipes. Ingredients come from Big Island beekeepers and natural farmers, and each mead comes with a story (our current fave: Yeastie Boys. Read it on the website.) In stock at Village Bottle Shop in Kaka‘ako are 500-ml bottles of Yeastie Boys, a banana-longan mead; White Rabbit, a banana-vanilla mead; and Dark Horse, a medieval black or bochet mead.
How much: Dark Horse $25.99, White Rabbit and Yeastie Boys $28.99
Where to find: Village Bottle Shop in Kaka‘ako
Info: kvasirsmead.com
