In 2010, Chef Alan Wong and Professor Lorna Tsutsumi at the University of Hawaii at Hilo started a program that allowed the community to engage in student learning.
Members of the community are able to buy a beehive and the students enrolled in a UH-Hilo beekeeping course at the Hilo Agricultural Farm in Panaewa take care of the hive.
They write periodic updates to the adopters on the health and status of their hives.
Once a season, the adopters are invited to the farm to see their hive, meet the student caring for their hive, tour the bee grounds, learn about the student projects and enjoy honey food samples.
Chef Alan Wong greets the adoptees and personally thanks them for their support of the program and their commitment to bee awareness and sustainability.
Now in its 13th year, the program has awarded over $30,000 to the beekeeping program.
This year, beekeeping students Valerie Zbesinskii and Elizabeth Schmitz were awarded $1,000 scholarships.
Featured chefs, along with Chef Alan Wong, were renowned Chef Allen Hess of FORC (Farmer Ocean Rancher Cook), Chef Brian Hirata of Na‘au and Sodexo, and Dr. Lauren Tamamoto of Kapiolani Community College.
Samplings included:
• Hot and sour chili honey shrimp by Chef Alan Wong
• Korean spicy pork shoulder by Chef Brain Hirata
• Slow-roasted lamb tacos and honeycomb mocktail by Chef Allen Hess
• Scallops with house-made bacon, honey and macadamia nut baklava by Sodexo
• Ice dreams paletas by the Ice House at Alii Ice
• Fresh ginger ale by Chris Jacobson
• Grilled oysters with AW sauce, smoked honey pork with bok choy by JAG
• UHH greens with KCC/AW honey lime dressing
• Honey caramel, honey ulu sprinkles, with Roselani ice cream by Dr. Lauren Tamamoto of KCC
The Adopt-A-Beehive program would not be possible without the dedication of Professor Lorna Tsutsumi. She does not like the limelight and has the students and the beehive program always as her main focus. Her total commitment is what makes this program such a success. You may say she is the “Queen Bee!”
Here is the recipe for the honey lime vinaigrette:
Honey Lime Vinaigrette
Chef Alan Wong
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (or 6 ounces) UHH honey
1/2 cup (or 3.5 ounces) cider vinegar
5 tablespoons (or 2-3/8 ounces) soy sauce, Kikkoman preferred
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
2-1/2 tablespoon minced green onion (one stalk)
1 teaspoon sesame oil, Kadoya brand preferred
1 teaspoon sriracha
4 tablespoons (or 2 ounces) lime juice, freshly squeezed
2 cups canola oil
Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix well until all the honey is dissolved. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Here is another recipe from Chef Alan Wong using honey:
“Char Siu” Lamb Chops with Kim Chee-Lup Cheong Fried Rice
Serves 8
Marinade:
1-1/4 plus 2 tablespoons hoison sauce
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup sherry
2-1/2 teaspoons minced ginger
1-1/4 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons kecap manis
2-1/2 tablespoons Chinese five-spice powder
Lamb:
2 racks or 1,500 grams of lamb, Frenched, cut into individual chops
Garnish:
Kim chee-lup cheong fried rice
Prepearing the marinade: In a large bowl, combine the hoisin, sugar, honey, sherry, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, kecap manis, and Chinese five-spice powder and blend well.
Marinating the lamb:
Add the lamp chops and marinade overnight, covered, in the refrigerator.
Grilling the lamb:
The next day, heat a grill. Cook the lamb chops over high heat, about 2 minutes per side, basting before turning the chops over. When the lamb chops are cooked to desired doneness and the sugars in the basting sauce have caramelized, remove from the grill.
To plate:
Serve 2 chops per person, accompanied by the kim chee-lup cheong fried rice.
Kim Chee-Lup Cheong Fried Rice
Makes 8 servings
1 cup jasmine rice
1 cup Uncle Ben’s converted rice
2-1/2 cups water
2 eggs
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3/4 cup 1/4-inch pieces bacon
3/4 cup finely diced onion
2 lup cheong, cut into 1/8-inch diagonal pieces
1 cup drained kim chee, roughly chopped
1 cup lightly packed, thinly sliced green onions
Koser salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Rinse the jasmine and converted rice. Combine with the water and cook in the rice cooker. When the rice is cooked, transfer it to a baking pan, Using a fork or spoon, cut through the rice in alternating directions to aerate the rice so that it stops steaming and becomes fluffy. Chill the rice completely in the refrigerator.
Beat the eggs in a small bowl. Heat a small skillet over medium-hig heat, add a little oil and scramble the eggs. When the eggs are cooked, remove from the pan and set aside.
When the rice is well chilled, mix in the oyster sauce, sesame oil and soy sauce.
In a wok or large saute pan over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until it is halfway done. Add the onion and lup cheong. When the bacon becomes crispy, add in the rice, eggs and kim chee, tossing the ingredients so that they are well mixed. Once the rice is heated through, add the green onions. Season with pepper and add salt if necessary. Serve at once.