IcisiMi: Hawaiian Sweets Nearby

5.19.2011

Hawaiian Sweets Nearby

Cost Plus World Market has new Hawaiian Sweets under their Weekly Features!

Oh how I wish I was back there. I still am on THEIR time.

I don't like that many of the country of origins for the "hawaiian" snacks are not from the US.
I do like that they have Li Hing Mui mango snacks.

The nice Vietnamese man at the shaved ice store educated us on the powder.

Sweet, tart and sour 

are a few words to describe the peculiar red-pink powder.

A local surfer-type was in the shop and said the local kids put it on everything, and even eat the powder plain. It actually reminds me of a snack my grandparents would eat. Dried prunes covered in that red-pink powder. Of course, being a kid, prunes are gross, old people snacks are gross, anything that wasn't Koolaid or msg crackers or goldfish or uncooked ramen or by chef boyardee was gross. Oh my adolescent naivete. I didn't want to have anything to do with it. The refined spirit of adventure that comes with age made me try it. Someone had the powder showered on his shaved ice.
And the verdict was... interesting, not bad.

The middle-aged surfer dude was right, locals do love the stuff.
Locals grocery stores (not the tourist ones) had snack aisles filled with everything covered in the powder - various dried fruits, sour patch kids, different gummy snacks, etc. They must love it! Who knew island flavor is the same as old Chinese grandparents.

I hope this stuff stays at World Market for awhile.
My World Market picks!