What is Hawaiian Food?
The term "Hawaiian Food" can be confusing, or intriguing depending on how you look at it. We conducted an informal poll to see what type of food the public thinks of as Hawaiian. The largest comment was pineapple, second was Kabobs. Having a personal relationship with Hawaiian food I found this insight interesting because neither Kabobs nor pineapple are native to the Hawaiian Islands. It's worth mentioning coconuts are another food item not indigenous to the islands. Kabobs, more accurately Shish Kabab, originate in the Middle East. Pineapples were originally from Paraguay and were brought to Hawaii in 1813 by Don Francisco de Paulka y Marin, a Spanish advisor to King Kamehameha. Not even the famous Hawaiian Pizza is from Hawaii. It was invented by a Canadian Pizza maker in Ontario, Canada. I would classify Hawaiian cuisine into four categories, Commercial, Modern, Traditional and Historical. These are not official classifications, but make a good way to ex...