Food and New Products Expo 2010

every year (multiple times a year? i never seem to notice), Hawaii has the "Food and New Products Expo". it is basically a samplers heaven. there are TONS of vendors, all selling foods, crafts, cleaning products, jewelry, cooking supplies, and all kinds of different things. it is overload. you need at least a couple hours to look at everything. i like to go every once and a while to check out the new things Hawaii has to offer (some of my descriptions have links, so click away!)........

ONO POPS - locally made popsicles with local flavors. some are plain (strawberry lemonade, Kona Latte), some are LOCAL (POG, Lilikoi-Passion fruit, Pineapple Li-Hing), and some are just funky (dark chocolate chinese five spice, Ume Thai Basil, Kula Strawberry Maui Goat cheese... yes, goat cheese.....). i tried the Pickled Green Mango flavor. the flavor was good, but the texture was just waaaaaaay toooooo gritty!! my friend had the watermelon-hibiscus and that was good. light flavor, and the texture was how a popsicle should be - solid and smooth. if you try, be careful of which one you pick - its either hit, or miss.

PUERTO RICAN CHILI ROLLS - I'll be honest with you - i completely forgot what these are actually called. i know they LOOK LIKE fried egg rolls, but they are not. they were from a Puerto Rican vendor and the name of these things reminded me of "pastele" - but that is not what these are obviously. the insides are filled with a chili type mixture with olives.... see the next pic:

this thing, whatever it was, was pretty good.... i wish i took a pic of the sign!! oh well, next time.

MOISTURE BALLS - this product (not food) i've seen before. i find it interesting how people take SUPER OLD products that have been around longer than i have, and market them differently. the public is then tricked into thinking they are buying a new product, when in fact, they are buying something that simply went out of style 10 years ago, but is now making a come-back. my search for the new continues......

MYSTERY MEATS - these things....... caught my eye. not my appetite. just my eyes. know what they are? take a guess:

A - 50 year old hot dogs

B - greasy egg rolls

C - petrified reconstituted Twinkies

D - none of the above

i really hope you guessed none of the above. these things are in fact "Cheeseburger Hot Dogs". i showed my friend, and she said "i dont know why, but i want to try that".

i looked at her like this O_O

we ended up NOT trying these things - and i'm pretty glad we did not. no regrets here......

CHIMNEY CAKE - what is this? this is a pastry i've been waiting to try for forevers. i first saw them at a function in China town a long, long time ago.... i've seen them around frequently, but never got the chance to try it b/c they were either really busy, sold out, or i had no cash on me. what is a chimney cake? its a Hungarian pastry, also known as "Kürtőskalács" and it is also delicious. if you get a chance, try one! i got a cinnamon one, but they also have original, pecan, chocolate sprinkles and rainbow sprinkles.

its HOLLOW! and good.... especially when its warm :D

ok folks, thats it. has anyone tried anything new? what should i be on the lookout for?