Culinary Creations Infused with Ka'u Coffee

Lorilee Lorenzo won first place in the Student Pupu category with Ka'u Coffee Pulehu Steak. Pictured with 2014 Miss Ka'u Coffee Queen Amery Silva and Miss Holly K. Photos by Jesse Tunison

Peggy Kilkenny receives one of her two prizes
from Miss Ka'u Coffee Amery Silva.

Masako Sakata won first in Adult Pupu
category. 

The Ka'u Coffee Recipe Contest, the second of several events during the ten-day 2015 Ka'u Coffee Festival, drew a variety of creative cooks to the Ka'u Coffee Mill in Wood Valley Saturday (April 25, 2015) afternoon in the hopes of winning prizes of up to $300. Miss Holly K, of Native-FM, DJ-ed the event.

Each Division, Adult or Student, offered contestants three Categories to enter: Pupu (appetizer), Entrée, and Dessert. Three winners were selected from each category by pre-selected judges. All entries were required to be original creations containing coffee grown in the Ka'u district.

Miss Ka'u Coffee Amery Silva and Miss Holly K present the
prize for first place in Adult Dessert category to Cathy Haber.

Masako Sakata took first place in the Adult Pupu category with Ka'u Coffee Beans. Melia Taganas came in second place with Tortilla & Coffee Dip, and Peggy Kilkenny, third place with Ka'u Coffee South of the Border Enchilada Sauce.

Adult Entrée first-, second- and third-place winners were Peggy Kilkenny with “Pig Pickin” in Paradise; Melia Taganas with Teri-Coffee; and Austin Kilkenny with Ka'u Coffee Rubbed Short Rib Spicy Noodle Trifle.

In the Adult Dessert category, Cathy Haber won first place with her Ka'u Coffee Macnut Tart. Tianna Hauanio came in second with Ka'u French Macaroons. Sunerene Quevedo’s Ka'u Coffee Panna Cotta and Melia Taganas’ Kahlua Coffee Cheese Cake tied for third.

OMG! It's Mocha-Tastic was Melia Okimoto's first-prize 
winning entry in the Student Dessert category.

Student winners were Melia Okimoto with her OMG! It’s Mocha-Tastic in the Dessert category and Lorilee Lorenzo with Ka'u Coffee Pulehu Steak in the Pupu category.

This official Ka'u Coffee Festival event, hosted by Ka'u Coffee Mill and the Edmund C. Olson Trust II, was free to enter or attend.

Join us for our upcoming 2015 events: Miss Ka'u Coffee Pageant (April 26), Ka'u Mountain Water Hike (April 29), Coffee & Cattle Day (May 1), Ka'u Star Gazing (May 1), Ho'olaule'a - Main Event (May 2), Coffee College (May 3). See our main site for more information: kaucoffeefestival.com.