Maui Brew Fest Beer Dinner Menu

This year’s Maui Brew Fest Beer Dinner includes the cuisine of the New Americas, created by CACTUS Kailua’s very own Chef-Owner John Memering. The special menu features Chef John’s selections, paired with specialty craft beers from Maui Brewing Company. The dishes and the craft beers feature locally-sourced ingredients.

The event takes place Friday, May 17 from 6-9 PM at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center in the Morgado Hall and Lanai. Proceeds benefit the Maui Arts & Cultural Center’s art, educational and cultural programs. Hope you can join us for this exciting event.

Along with the unique libations, we will be featuring the cuisines, sights and sounds of Mexico all weekend long.

Come celebrate our first anniversary and Mexico’s independence! Call (808) 261-1000 now to reserve a spot; hope to see you again!

The five-course tasting menu is priced at $65 or $95 with wine and cocktail pairings for each course. The menu can be ordered prix fixe with or without drink pairings or ala carte. View the menu…

Highlights of the evening will include “talk story” sessions with members of the Hanohano Heʻeia collaborative who are working together to restore the ahupua’a of He’eia as ‘Āina Momona, a land of abundance and plenty, through a combination of traditional and contemporary management strategies.

Come and enjoy a sumptuous meal and gain additional perspective on how important Hawaii’s agriculture is to our island’s future.

Seating will begin at 6PM and tables are available throughout the evening by reservation only. For additional information, please call Cactus at 808-261-1000.

About Hanohano He’eia

Hanohano He’eia is a collaborative between Paepae O He’eia, Kāko’o ‘Ōiwi and Papahana Kuaola highlighting the rich agricultural, horticultural and aquaculture resources within the ahupua’a of He’eia, O’ahu. Hanohano He’eia serves as a vehicle for encouraging meaningful discussions of contemporary regional Hawaiian culture-based management. Our three He’eia-based community organizations have distinct missions and areas of focus, however, we all recognize and appreciate the hydrological, ecological and cultural linkages that connect us. Hanohano He’eia has collaborated on events such as the Hawaii Food and Wine Festival and various other food related events and hosts a bi-monthly restaurant and food industry workday within the region.

To learn more about the organizations that comprise Hanohano He’eia, visit:

Paepae O He’eia: www.paepaeoheeia.org

Kāko’o ‘Ōiwi: www.kakoooiwi.org

Papahana Kuaola: www.papahanakuaola.com

Join us beginning February 21 for the cuisines and cultures of Brazil as we celebrate “Carnival.” We will be putting our unique spin on this special celebration with the sights, sounds and especially flavors of Rio De Janeiro’s “Carnival.”

Experience all of the flavors of Carnival from street foods, such as the classic Mortadella torta and coxinha (potato and yucca croquettes with sweet or savory fillings). Sample classic Brazilian dishes like Churrasco style barbequed locally raised beef, pork, seafood and house made sausages. Also try our unique Feijoada with Farofa, Pao de Queijo (Brazilian cheese bread) and Vatapa (shrimp and seafood simmered in a spicy cashew, coconut sauce).

Here’s a few representative dishes available during our Carnival celebration:

Arepa (Brazilian Corn Cake): with Kiawe smoked Hamakua mushrooms and spicy Malagueta chilé salsa

Churrasco Mixto: Kauai lamb loin chop, Shinsato Farm’s pork shoulder and house made linguisa sausage

Along with the cuisine, we will be offering our signature Sangrias, as well as cocktails like the classic Caipirinha made with Cachaca (Brazilian rum made from sugar cane).  With the spirit of carnival in mind, we have created several signature drinks like the Brazilian Sangria with fresh local fruits and an early favorite the “Lilikoi Caipirinha” made with fresh, local passion fruit.

The celebration begins February 21^st and will run through March 3^rd, with lots of food and beverage specials available for both lunch and dinner.

The classic pisco sour is shaken over ice and strained. This excellent frozen version, made in a blender with ice, is a popular favorite.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minute

Ingredients: 

•  1/2 cup sugar
•  1/4 cup water
•  1/2 cup key lime juice
•  1 1/2 cups pisco
•  3 egg whites
•  1 1/2 cups ice
•  Angostura Bitters

Join us on Valentine’s Day for the cuisines and cultures of Mexico. We will be putting our unique spin on the recipes from Laura Esquirel’s bestselling novel and motion picture “Like Water for Chocolate,” a love story set in Mexico that revolves around the happenings in one family’s kitchen and the power of cooking with love.

Some of the recipes from the book we are featuring that evening:

•  Chilés Nogada: roasted chilés stuffed with Kauai lamb, pomegranates, raisins and almonds in a walnut and Big Isle goat cheese sauce
• Tita’s pan roasted North shore Quail with rose petal Molé: fresh quail stuffed with Pacific spiny lobster, hominy, and house made Chorizo. Molé of fresh rose petals, chestnuts, macadamia nuts, red chilés and Leihua honey
• Cream fritters with Mexican chocolate and Lilikoi sauces

Our regular menu will be offered along with our special Valentine’s Day menu this evening.

Seating will at begin at 5:30 and tables are available throughout the evening by reservation only. Call 808-261-1000 to confirm your spot for a unique and memorable celebration.

8, 8-10 ounce oven safe soufflé cups and a large rectangle cake pan large enough to hold all of the Soufflé cups.

Caramel ingredients:
1½ cups granulated sugar
2 Tbls. Light corn syrup
½ cup water
1 thumb sized piece of fresh ginger
1 Chilé de Arbol*, split in half and seeds removed

Custard ingredients:
2 cups organic, whole milk
2 cups organic, heavy cream
1 teaspoon, toasted and ground allspice
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
1 Big Island vanilla bean, split in half length wise
6 local, whole large eggs
6 local, large egg yolks
3 cups pureed Jackfruit

Caramel instructions: put the sugar, water and corn syrup in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Gently stir mixture and increase heat to high; swirl the pan over the heat until the syrup begins to take on a light amber color, about 10 minutes. When the syrup takes on a dark amber color, remove from heat, add the ginger and chile and carefully pour about an ounce and a half of the syrup into each of the dishes. Make sure the bottom of each cup is completely covered with the caramel and discard the ginger and chilé.

Custard instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees, then fill a teapot with water and place it over medium high heat. Combine the cream, milk, sugar, salt, cinnamon stick, allspice and vanilla bean in a small saucepan over medium-low fame, stirring occasionally. Place the eggs, egg yolks and jackfruit in a large glass or stainless steel mixing bowl and whisk ingredients together until pale yellow in color. When the cream mixture reaches a simmer (180-190 degrees), pour about a cup of the hot cream mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Slowly incorporate the remainder of the hot milk into the eggs, whisking constantly. Pour the custard through a fine sieve into a large measuring cup, then pour an equal amount into each of the caramel-lined soufflé cups. Place the pan with the cups on the middle oven rack and carefully pour the boiling water from the teapot into the pan until it reaches half-way up the cups to create a water bath.

Bake uncovered for 35-45 minutes until the custard is barely set and still has a slight jiggle. Carefully remove from oven and let the flan cool in the water bath until cool enough to handle. Wrap each flan with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving, preferably overnight.

To serve: Using a paring knife, carefully run the knife around the edge of the cup; avoid cutting into the flan. Place each serving dish over the soufflé cup and quickly invert the two so that the soufflé cup is now on top and upside down. Give the cup a slight jiggle to free the side of the flan from the cup and carefully lift off the cup. Garnish with some dry roasted Jackfruit seeds, seasonal fruits and flavored whipped cream.

*Chilé de Arbol are small, slender dried Mexican chlié that can be found in the Hispanic section of most grocery stores. Most medium-spicy dried chilé may be substituted.

Join us for lunch and our first Meet the Artists of Kailua series event, featuring Rebecca Snow demonstrating “How to Paint a Palm Tree.” The prix fixe luncheon ($40) will offer an entree of your choice (fish tostada, chicken arugula salad, roasted veggie torta, cubano, hamakua mushroom tacos, or al pastor tacos), a non-alcholic drink (hibiscus limeade, frozen lemonade, or ice tea) and a scoop of gelato for dessert. Rebecca’s acrylic and watercolor originals can be seen in Kuloko Gallery in Waikiki and on the walls of CACTUS.

Call 808-261-1000 to reserve your spot; spaces are limited for this exclusive event.

Download Tiempo Mucho Gusto Menu