This book does an excellent job of answering the question: "What is Hawaiian food?"  As anyone who has visited the Aloha state knows, Hawaii is truly a melting pot, and Hawaiian cuisine is a harmonious blending of all these diverse influences.  Shirley Tong Parola first introduced mainlanders to the Hawaiian food she grew up with when she set up a hibachi stand outside a Nashville theatre where her husband was working.  Later, she teamed up with daughter Lisa Parola Gaynier to open the Diamond Head Cafe in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  This book is a way of both thanking loyal customers and sharing their love of Hawaiian food with other readers. 

One tip: don't skip the introductory sections.  The book is spiced with interesting tidbits, such as the ethnic makeup of the state to a quick lesson in speaking Hawaiian (a is "ah" and i is "ee").  One of the more interesting pieces of trivia I learned was that Waikiki actually means "dirty water" - hard to believe if you've ever had the pleasure of taking a barefoot stroll along its soft white sandy beaches.  In addition, the authors answer common questions about Hawaiian food, such as what do native Hawaiians eat, and why Spam is so popular.

Of course, compelling as the narratives are, ultimately the most important feature of any cookbook is the recipes.  Appropriately, the authors begin with breakfast.  One of my favorite memories of Hawaii is enjoying a leisurely breakfast in our hotel restaurant, filling up on macadamia nut muffins, fresh pineapple, congee and eggs, all washed down with copious amounts of strong Kona coffee.  Just pouring over the book's recipes started my tastebuds watering - there are a varied assortment of recipes for muffins, hotcakes and congee, all featuring traditional Hawaiian ingredients such as poi, pineapple or coconut.  There's even a recipe for Malasadas (Portuguese Doughnuts).  The same variety is found throughout the remaining sections covering everything from salads to main dishes and desserts.  An added bonus is the menu and recipes for a traditional Hawaiian luau, complete with instructions on roasting a pig - all that's missing is the imu (lava rock)!  The sidebars accompanying the recipes are loaded with extra tidbits of information - from choosing a mango to the history of tempura.  

One of the aspects of Hawaiian cuisine that I find intriguing is how pure the traditional ethnic recipes have remained. For example, the Chinese recipes for MaPo Dofu and Hot and Sour Soup found in this book could have come straight from a chef working at any Szechuan restaurant. Then again, other recipes demonstrate the fusion of traditional Polynesian and multicultural cuisines that also make up modern day Hawaiian cooking.  Who would have thought of using sweet and spicy hoisin sauce in a salad dressing for example, or making a pie with a tofu filling?  And I was surprised to learn that Haupia, Hawaiian Wedding Cake, is actually a Chinese steamed sponge cake topped with coconut rice pudding.  

Below is a sample recipe for Aunt Florence's Mochi Chicken, a fried chicken dish named after the rice flour with which it is made  (mochiko is the Japanese name for glutinous rice flour).  Another must-try recipe from the book is Oriental Paté, a flavorful adaptation of the traditional chicken liver appetizer.    

Aunt Florence's Mochi Chicken 

Yield: about 40 pieces

Ingredients
2 pounds boned chicken 
1/2 cup mochiko flour (glutinous rice flour - available in Asian markets)
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup soy
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, beaten
1 stalk of green onions, chopped fine
4 cloves garlic, minced

Directions: 
Bone the chicken and cut into plump finger-size nuggets and set aside.  Combine the remaining ingredients and mix well.  Add the chicken.  Marinate overnight.  Deep-fry at 350 degrees, keeping the pieces from sticking together.  Drain the nuggets of excess oil.  Serve mochi chicken as a main dish with fried rice, potato salad, or macaroni salad, as you would any other fried chicken.  It is also great as an appetizer because it is a perfect finger food. 

Suggested dipping sauces: pineapple or mustard sauce, hot mustard, or sweet and sour sauce