MEDIA RELEASE

The Breadfruit—From Tree to Table workshop is 8:30 a.m.-noon Saturday, May 10 at Hooulu Lahui, the site of Kua O Ka La Public Charter School at Pualaa in Puna.

The workshop is $12 per person and advance registration online is required. The workshop will be followed by a luncheon featuring breadfruit prepared by Chef Casey Halpern from Cafe Pesto.

The half-day Breadfruit—From Tree to Table workshop will assist Hawaii’s breadfruit growers in supplying grocery stores, restaurants and farmers markets with high quality breadfruit, and help chefs become more familiar with breadfruit handling and preparation in the kitchen.

Backyard growers and home users of breadfruit will also find the workshop pertinent to home and community use of breadfruit.

Topics and speakers include:

* “Tree to Table” — harvesting techniques, tricks and tools, and postharvest handling, presented by Ian Cole, Collection Manager, Breadfruit Institute of the National Tropical Botanical Garden

* “Beyond Sticky” — preparing breadfruit for use in a variety of dishes or for storage, presented by Shirley Kauhaihao, Hooulu ka Ulu.

* “Cultural Perspective” — Breadfruit and the cultural importance in Hawaii, presented by mahiai and educator Nick Kala Francisco.

* “Some Like It Sweet” — making dishes from ripe breadfruit, presented by John Cadman, Pono Pies.

* “Going To Market” — marketing and value added products, presented by Craig Elevitch, Hawaii Homegrown Food Network and Hooulu ka Ulu project.

* “Gourmet to Home Cooking” — exploring favorite local recipes and new ways to cook with breadfruit, presented by Mariposa Blanco of Kua O Ka La Public Charter School.

Kua O Ka Lā Public Charter School is a Hawaiian values-based charter school that believes in creating economic opportunities for the community through the production of value-added products from breadfruit and other crops.

Ike Aina — From the Seed to the Table is an agriculture and culinary arts program at the school that connects culture, agriculture and healthy eating.

The Breadfruit — From Tree to Table workshop expands this mission further into the community, exposing the community to possible economic opportunities derived from the cultivation and preparation of breadfruit.

During lunch, there will be a demonstration of how to make ulu flour from breadfruit dried in the solar dehydrator.

Breadfruit — From Tree to Table is presented by Hooulu Lahui, Kua O Ka La Public Charter School, and the Hooulu ka Ulu — Revitalizing Breadfruit project.

The workshop is funded through a grant from the county Department of Research and Development and with luncheon support from Cafe Pesto.

Advance registration is required. The workshop is $12 per person, and includes lunch.

To register, call 990-4243 or visit www.breadfruit.info