QUICK BITES
Festival to include culinary seminars

By Wanda A. Adams
Food Editor

A partnership between travel organizations, destinations, activities and tourists services on the Big Island and the American Express Publishing has announced a new and sweeping effort that will include consumer, trade, food and wine and hospitality components and will be called the Big Island Festival. It's set for Oct. 30-Nov. 3 and will featuring culinary seminars, food and wine tastings, spa offerings, activities and Hawaiian cultural events with one signature event every day at a different Kohala Coast resort. The theme is "A Celebration of Diversity."

They're shooting for 2,000 in attendance the first year — including members of the American Travel Writes association and he American Society of Travel Agents, which are meeting on the Big Island that week — and hope to grow to 7,000 attendees eventually.

In April, check out the Web site, bigislandfestival.com, which is now under construction.

Importer to talk about fine teas

Tea, especially green tea, is a beverage of the moment and Lynette Jee, president of The Pacific Place, importer and purveyor of fine teas, is giving a presentation on the subject at noon March 16 at Macy's Ala Moana, in the fourth-floor demonstration kitchen. Jee is a member of the American Premium Tea Institute and regularly conducts tea instruction seminars.

Send items of culinary interest to Wanda A. Adams, Food Editor, Honolulu Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802. Fax: 525-8055. E-mail: taste@honoluluadvertiser.com