QUICK BITES
A foodie adventure on the Big Island

By Wanda A. Adams
Advertiser Food Editor

The Hilton Waikoloa Village on the Big Island's Kohala coast is jumping on the cultural tourism bandwagon with a series of culinary adventures next month that sound like a food-lover's ideal vacation activity. Among the activities planned for the monthlong "Kani Ka Pila, A Return to Paradise" promotion:

• "Kona Coffee Plantation and Chocolate Demonstration," 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 2, with executive pastry chef David Brown and a naturalist from the Hawaii Forest and Trail Co. leading a van trip through the Kona coffee country, with a stop for a gourmet picnic and a demonstration at Kailua Candy Co. $75 per person.
• "Classic Desserts Made Simple," 1-3 p.m. Sept. 9, is a step-by-step demonstration with champagne and port wine to complement the creations. $45 per person.
• "Upcountry Chef's Tour" will explore the paniolo country of Kamuela (aka Waimea) with executive chef Wilhelm "Willie" Pirngruber and naturalists from Hawaii Forest and Trail Co., including stops at Parker Ranch, area farms and a livestock company. A paniolo-style lunch will be served. $75 per person.
• "The Chef's Table," 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 23, is a back-of-the-house tour with Pirngruber, followed by a cooking demonstration and a four-course luncheon. $55 per person.

Advance registration is required and seating is limited. Call (808) 886-1234 or visit www.rtparadise.com. For room reservations or rates, phone (800) 445-8667 or visit www.HiltonWaikoloaVillage.com.

Also on the Big Island: Planners of the the upcoming Big Island Festival are seeking exhibitors for the Grand Pavilion Tasting Tent at the event, Oct. 31-Nov. 2, at Waikoloa Resort. Information: Lindsey Pollack, (808) 383-7690 or log onto www.bigislandfestival.com.

Food and wine event at Kea Lani

The Fairmont Kea Lani Maui is planning the seventh annual Kea Lani Food and Wine Masters Event Oct. 11-12 at the hotel in Wailea. This year's will be a salute to Hawai'i's nationally recognized chefs, featuring guests Alan Wong and Hiroshi Fukui.

The event includes daily cooking demonstrations followed by lunch and an evening wine tasting followed by dinner, all carried out in the Kea Lani's outdoor kitchen and chef's pavilion, a tented compound that forms both a completely equipped kitchen and staging area and a romantic "dining room."

Tickets are $45 for the morning class and lunch or $130 for the wine-tasting and dinner, or there are inclusive packages that include hotel accommodations that start at $499 a night for the all-suite hotel or its luxurious villas.

General event and ticket information and reservations: (808) 875-4100. Package room and event reservations: (800) 659-4100; ask about the Na Hoku Culinary Package.

A rose sparkler from Tedeschi

Maui's Tedeschi Vineyards has released its Rose Ranch Cuvée sparkling wine, produced by the traditional methode champenoise. It's said to be similar to Tedeschi's Maui Brut sparkler but with a delicate pink color. This isn't a new wine for Tedeschi, but it's one that the winery produces only in small quantities, and it's been only sporadically available. It's back now with a new label that refers back to the days when 'Ulupalakua Ranch, on which the winery stands, was owned by James Makee and called Rose Ranch for the rose garden tended by his wife, Catherine. Her favorite, a small cabbage-type rose known as the lokelani, became Maui's official flower. The Makees hosted lavish parties to which King David Kalakaua was invited; a cottage where he was entertained is next to the winery. The wine is available at island grocery and drug retailers and wine stores.

Send items of culinary interest to Taste, The Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802. Fax: 525-8055. E-mail: taste@honoluluadvertiser.com.