Join Kau Kau: Cuisine & Culture in the Hawaiian Islands author Arnold Hiura at two upcoming events in May. Mother’s Day is right around the corner…a personally dedicated book makes a great gift!

Anyone who’s spent any length of time away from the Islands—or sent a care package to a homesick college student—knows: Hawai‘i folk feel strongly about the tastes of home. It goes beyond craving a familiar food. It’s a comforting connection that resonates in our souls.

“Saimin” is a contraction of the Chinese words “sai” (thin) and “mein” (noodle). Saimin noodles are unique in that they contain eggs and are curly and slightly chewy when cooked. The popular staple (see photo page ii) dates back to the plantation era, when it cost 10 cents for a large bowl, 5 cents for a small one, at Waipahu’s Shiroma Saimin stand in the 1930s. Saimin is served alongside hot dogs and burgers throughout the Islands—only in Hawai‘i is it found on the menu at Jack in the Box and McDonald’s. Hamura’s Saimin Stand on Kaua‘i was even recognized by the prestigious James Beard Foundation as one of America’s Classics in 2006

Kau Kau: Cuisine and Culture in the Hawaiian Islands by Arnold Hiura, an upcoming release from Watermark Publishing, will be in stores January 2010.

But you can pre-order an advance copy now for holiday delivery via the publisher’s Web site or enter to win a copy in a series of weekly drawings via Facebook and Twitter.

Watermark Publishing has launched an online giveaway contest to promote upcoming release Kau Kau: Cuisine and Culture in the Hawaiian Islands by Arnold Hiura.

One winner will be selected each week at random to receive a copy of Kau Kau. The contest runs Nov. 2 - Dec. 18, 2009. Kau Kau will debut in bookstores in January, but can be pre-ordered at the publisher’s Web site, www.bookshawaii.net.