Thought the Slow Food Movement was all stuffy and uptight? Au contraire! This month’s class session with Mixologist Melissa Panzarini, OCEAN Vodka and Mauicello will open your eyes to the fun of drinking liquor made with ingredients grown close to home.

Made in Maui

WAILUKU, Maui – Continuing with its Taste Education Series, Slow Food Maui presents the second session on Mixology, the art of making cocktails, with Melissa Panzarini, OCEAN Vodka and Mauicello. Always held on the last Wednesday of each month, the mixology session will take place on Wednesday, March 30, 6 pm – 7:30 pm, at the Maui Culinary Academy.

The session cost $15. Order by email at info@slowfoodmaui.org or by phone 808-243-2290. Walk-ins are welcome, however, reservations are highly recommended due to limited seating per session. For more information call Charlene Kaʻuhane, Slow Food Maui Education co-chair, at 243-2290.

Mauicello Martini

“We had an excellent turnout for the first Taste Education session featuring local coffee producers,” said Kaʻuhane. “We’re honored to present Melissa and two producers as we work to bring local producers in our community to the forefront so others may learn about their work, how their product is made, where to find it and more.”

“It’s inspiring to meet the people behind the product and craft,” said Chris Speere, Slow Food Maui co-chair. “This will be a fun session.”

Whole Foods Market Maui provides supplementary ingredients to implement the Taste Education series at Maui Culinary Academy.

In addition to the Taste Education monthly sessions, Slow Food Maui also sponsors Grand Taste Education will be presented at the 4 Annual Maui County Ag Festival, Saturday, April 2, 10 am- 4 pm. Tickets are on sale for $25 for the Grand Taste Education, which will run from 11 am – 3 pm. Purchase at mauicountyfarmbureau.org.

Upcoming sessions in the Slow Food Maui Taste Education series are:

• Wednesday, April 27 – Making sorbets and gelatos with Melissa McKelvey of Penguini Gelato in Pāʻia. Products are crafted from locally-grown ingredients in distinctive combinations such as Kafir-lime-coconut, lilikoi-mango and Olinda Plum and Ginger.
  

  Melissa at Penuinis

• Wednesday, May 25 – Chocolate tasting with Melanie Boudar of Sweet Paradise Chocolatier. Melanie will share her knowledge and love of chocolate. This is an overview of how to taste and evaluate chocolate, how to pair chocolate with a look at what’s happening in Hawaiʻi’s cacao industry.
• Wednesday, June 29 – Where’s the beef? Learn all there is to know about organic, grass-fed beef on Maui with William Jacintho of Beef and Blooms, Hawaiʻi’s first certified organic ranch.  Taste and compare Maui’s local product with other brands on the market. Get tips on how to prepare local, grass-fed beef products.
• Wednesday, July 27 – Taste Education goes on a field trip to Maui Brewing Co.  Owner Garrett Marrero gives the grand tour and tasting. Maui Brewing Co. is the only brewer and canner of craft beer in Hawaiʻi.
• Wednesday, August 31 – Got fish with Don Wakamatsu of Whole Foods Market, Maui. Join Don as he shares his fish knowledge – fish varieties, how to select, cut and prepare local, sustainable fish caught in Hawaiian waters.
• Wednesday, September 28 – Retired Maui Culinary Academy Chef Instructor Bobby Santos returns to the classroom to share his knowledge of raising poultry chickens. Having grown up with livestock his parents and grandparents raised and prepared fresh, he continues this food tradition.
• Wednesday, October 26th – Ralph Giles and Daniel J Southmayd, owners of Catering From Soup to Nuts, walk everyone through planning the perfect dinner party. These catering experts provide practical advice from meal planning and cooking to table settings and hosting etiquette and more.

About Slow Food Maui: Slow Food Maui aligns with Slow Food USA to support locally grown food & cultural diversity, culinary practices for health, Island food security and pleasure. For more information go to www.slowfoodmaui.org

About the Maui Culinary Academy: Maui Culinary Academy offers Maui’s award-winning Culinary Arts Program in the 38,000 square-feet Pā’ina Culinary Arts Center at Maui Community College in Kahului. Hours: Pāʻina dining room: M-TR 7:30 am to 5:30 pm, Friday 7:30 am to 2:00 pm. www.http/mauiculinary-campusdining.com/index.html