2004 Media Releases

BIG ISLAND SHOWCASE KICKS OFF KTA SUPER STORES KONA COFFEE RECIPE CONTEST SLATED FOR SUNDAY NOVEMBER 7 AT OHANA KEAUHOU BEACH RESORT

Kona, Hawaii's Big Island-KTA Super Stores Recipe Contest slated for Sunday, November 7 at the Ohana Keauhou Beach Resort has added a Big Island Showcase to kick off the recipe contest. The Big Island Showcase from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. will demonstrate and share samplings of Big Island local products used in daily cooking preparations.

Big Island Showcase
Dessert lovers will be treated to Dining In Chef Carolyn Deal's tasty samples of Tropical Dreams Kona Coffee Ice Cream topped with chocolate ganache. The chocolate ganache is comprised of local products including Kona Brew Company's Kaiwe Bourbon Coffee Stout, dark roasted Kona coffee from Kona Coffee & Tea Company and dark chocolate from The Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory. Chef Cathy Barrett of Kailua Candy Company will share her luscious 'Kona Coffee Swirls' also using local Big Island products. Kona Coffee & Tea Company and The Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory will also treats guest to yummy samples.

Kona Brewing Company will display their seasonal brew Kiawe Bourbon Coffee Stout. Chef Carolyn Deal will share her recipe 'Drunken Kona Coffee Kalua Pork’' featuring the seasonal brew and Kona coffee. Paul Heerlein of Chef Paul's Catering will compliment the Kalua Pork dish with a Kona Coffee BBQ Grilling & Dipping sauce.

KTA Super Stores Kona Coffee Recipe Contest
The KTA Super Stores Kona Coffee Recipe Contest has four divisions-amateurs, high school students ages 13-18, culinary students and keiki 12 years and younger. The amateur, high school and culinary students may compete in two categories-entrée, and dessert. The keiki are limited to the dessert category.

For a recipe contest entry application contact Carolyn Deal at 322-6855 or visit the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival web site at www.konacoffeefest.com.

The Kona Coffee Recipe Contest winners will be announced at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 7.

This year's judges include Steve Arakaki, Hualalai Grill by Alan Wong; Hilton Waikoloa Village Executive Pastry Chef David Brown; Ohana Keauhou Beach Resort Executive Chef Steve Marquard; Ashley Nakano, Four Seasons Hualalai; Regency at Hualalai Executive Chef Ann Sutherland, and Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa Executive Chef Ben Takahashi.

The Kona Coffee Recipe Contest is a signature event of the 34th annual Kona Coffee Cultural Festival. The 2004 Kona Coffee Cultural Festival button is your ticket to the recipe contest and tasting.

For more information or recipe contest images contact Jeannette Vidgen at (808) 326-7820.

Contact: Jeannette Vidgen
Current Events
Phone (808) 326-7820 Fax (808) 326-5634
jvidgen@current-events.com

KONA COFFEE CULTURAL FESTIVAL HEATS UP THIS FALL
WITH FULL SCHEDULE OF FUN

KONA , HAWAII ’S BIG ISLAND – Toast the roast at the 34th annual Kona Coffee Cultural Festival with this year’s theme “Kona Coffee – Our Treasured Legacy” from November 5 – 14, 2004 . The cultural smorgasbord of Kona’s coffee heritage offers more than 30 Festival events, including 100% Kona coffee, two parades, contests, tastings, art exhibits, farm and mill tours and more!

The International Lantern Parade kicks off the 10 days of Kona coffee fun with an exciting line up of community groups. Follow the parade to an evening of Kona coffee, food and local entertainment with the Cultural Program.

During the festivities plan to tour working and historic Kona coffee farms for a first-hand look at the cultivation and processing practices that keep Kona coffee a gourmet favorite. Appreciate the hardy lifestyle of Kona’s coffee pioneers with a visit to a 1920s coffee homestead at the Kona Coffee Living History Farm.

Lively competitions highlight the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival. Join the Kona Coffee Picking Contest where everyone from keiki (Hawaiian for children) to professionals is invited to hand pick the ripest Kona coffee cherries. There’s even a division for first-time coffee pickers!

At the Kona Coffee Cupping Competition a panel of international judges sort, sniff, and slurp samples of 100% Kona coffee to determine the Kona coffee farm with the winning Kona coffee flavor. Meet the judges and taste the offerings of Kona coffee while viewing the talent of local artists in a Kona coffee art exhibit.

One of the tastiest Kona coffee competitions challenges professional chefs, amateur cooks and keiki to create innovative Kona coffee entrées, desserts and beverages at the Kona Coffee Recipe Contest. Meet the competitors, congratulate the winners and taste the food flavors enhanced with Kona coffee.

The Kona Coffee Cultural Festival also hosts a scholarship pageant, which qualifies the winning contestant to compete at the Miss Hawaii Scholarship Pageant. Former Miss Kona Coffee, Carolyn Sapp, won the coveted Miss Hawaii pageant and went on to win the Miss America crown later that year.

The 34th annual Kona Coffee Cultural Festival celebrates its 176-year coffee tradition with the theme “Kona Coffee Our Treasured Legacy” from November 5 – 14, 2004 . Enjoy more than 30 Festival events including contests, tastings, ethnic foods, two parades, a scholarship pageant, farm tours, art exhibits, an outdoor concert, golf tournament and more! There’s something for everyone at the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival.

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For more information on this year's Kona Coffee Cultural Festival visit the web site at www.konacoffeefest.com or call Current Events at (808) 326-7820.

For digital images of the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival, contact Jeannette Vidgen at (808) 326-7820 or via email at jvidgen@current-events.com

Contact: Jeannette Vidgen
Current Events
Phone (808) 326-7820 Fax (808) 326-5634
jvidgen@current-events.com

TASTE THE KONA COFFEE DIFFERENCE AT THE KONA COFFEE CUPPING COMPEITION

KONA , HAWAII ’S BIG ISLAND – Does Kona coffee grown in North Kona taste better than Kona coffee grown in South Kona? Does shade-grown Kona coffee taste better or organic Kona coffee? What does a cup of 100% Kona coffee taste like? The answers are revealed at the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival’s Kona Coffee Cupping Competition held on Wednesday, November 10 and Thursday, November 11, 2004 at the Ohana Keauhou Beach Resort.

Only coffee grown in the fertile Kona coffee belt is entered at this two-day competition. All entries undergo the same milling and roasting process by a single miller and roaster to ensure the same top quality. Then it’s up to a panel of international judges to taste each entry and determine which entry best represents Kona coffee’s winning flavor. The top 15 Kona coffee entries make the cut on the firs day of the competition, with the competition brewing higher on the second day, when the Kona coffee farm producing the winning gourmet flavor is revealed.

According to long-time judge John King of Harold King & Company in the United States , the flavor of Kona coffee is best described as having an overwhelming floral fragrance, a mellow sweetness and subtle wineyness with a medium, mellow body and delicate and floral acidity.

During the competition, appreciate Kona coffee’s reputation as a gourmet specialty enjoyed worldwide by tasting the difference. While the competition is on, complimentary gourmet Kona coffee is offered from the participating farms for a free tasting. Learn to “cup” by inhaling the aroma of the brew while slurping a mouthful and swishing it in the mouth so that it hits the back of the tongue where bitterness is best detected. Kona coffee should never taste bitter.

In conjunction with the contest, there is also a display of coffee artwork produced by local artists. The public is invited to vote for a favorite Kona coffee artist in a People’s Choice Award presentation.

The Kona Coffee Cupping Competition is a signature event of the 34th annual Kona Coffee Cultural Festival. A 2004 Kona Coffee Cultural Festival button grants entrance to the Kona coffee tasting competition.

For more information contact Current Events at (808) 326-7820 or visit the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival web site at www.konacoffeefest.com.