The sequel to The Advertiser's best-selling 150th anniversary cookbook is here! "The Island Plate II," published by Island Heritage, reached stores here late last week. The book features recipes repeatedly requested by Advertiser readers (lemon crunch cake, Mrs. Tyau's dressing, Dobash cake and all its cousins, Hunky Bunch mango bread, Mrs. Ige's andagi and more) as well as specialties from my own kitchen.

Unlike its predecessor, this book is not being sold at The Advertiser; it will be in bookstores and online at such retailers as Amazon.com. However, we are planning to sell a limited number of copies of both the original "Island Plate" and "The Island Plate II" at the Kapi'olani Community College farmers market on Dec. 20. I'll be on hand to autograph books. I'm also doing a signing Friday at 6 p.m. at Barnes & Noble, Kahala.

— Wanda A. Adams

FASCINATING FUSION

JAPAN CHEF MASAHITO UEKI AT KAHALA

Chef Masahito Ueki of MASAA'S, a trendy restaurant north of Tokyo, is guest chef at The Kahala Hotel & Resort's Kahala Food & Wine Classic this weekend, and his work proves that East-West fusion is not a tired idea. With movie-star good looks and a solid grounding in both Asian and European classical techniques, Ueki characterizes the rising chefs that the quarterly Kahala events are meant to showcase. And he also proved he can perform under pressure: After U.S. Customs embargoed his ingredients, he and Kahala executive chef Wayne Hirabayashi punted, making a run to Whole Foods, with delicious results. Information: 739-8760, foodandwineclassic@kahalaresort.com.

— Wanda A. Adams