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.

In The Hawai‘i Beer Book: Bars, Breweries & Beer Cuisine, a guide to Hawaii’s vibrant beer scene, Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi shares the history of beer in the Islands, takes the reader to local craft breweries and explains the basics of home brewing.

This 192-page book also includes more than two-dozen delicious recipes incorporating beer, suggestions for food-and-beer pairings, listings and reviews of local bars and restaurants to aid in seeking out the perfect pint, and fun beer trivia.The comprehensive resource section lists everything from beer books and events to breweriana clubs and podcasts.

A DASH of Aloha: Healthy Hawai‘i Cuisine and Lifestyle by Kapi‘olani Community College (KCC) is a book about eating, not dieting. This unique guide introduces the easy-to-use DASH (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) eating and activity plan, which teaches readers how to lead a healthy lifestyle combining good eating habits and regular physical activity.

Ron Takahashi, chairperson of the Culinary Arts Department at KCC, explains, “A DASH of Aloha is about taking the simplest steps to incorporate healthful rules of thumb into your daily routine, with the long-term goal of achieving a healthier lifestyle. The recipes are based on local tastes, and emphasize eating Island-grown, fresh ingredients, simply prepared to get the greatest benefits.”

The Hawaiian Islands are known worldwide for gourmet coffee from the Kona Coast, but real aficionados know that in Hawai‘i, Kona coffee is only the beginning. The only place in the United States growing coffee as a commercial crop, the Aloha State hosts a thriving industry encompassing 11 major regions on five islands—producing more than seven million pounds of coffee in 2007 valued at over $30 million. The Hawai‘i Coffee Book: A Gourmet’s Guide from Kona to Kaua‘i is the first-ever comprehensive overview of the Islands’ most recognizable and highly coveted product.

Coffee scientist Shawn Steiman’s revealing book is the definitive work on the subject, including a region-by-region guide and flavor profiles of the major varieties cultivated in the Islands. Hawai‘i is unique as a coffee-producing center: Whereas most coffee is consumed far from its origins, Hawaiian coffee is drunk and sold in local cafes and stores. It’s an environment that provides a unique vantage point for bean-and-brew guru Steiman’s overview of Island coffee history, from modest beginnings on O‘ahu—not Kona as many might assume—to current-day production systems, as it makes its way from bean to cup, farm to coffeehouse.

Ten years after Chef Chai Chaowasaree opened his first restaurant, Singha Thai Cuisine in Waikiki, he opened his second restaurant, the much acclaimed Chai’s Island Bistro at Aloha Tower. What would he do to commemorate his second decade as a prominent figure in Hawai‘i Regional Cuisine? Why, put together his long-awaited guide to contemporary cuisine: The Island Bistro Cookbook, a collection of more than 90 recipes from his two award-winning restaurants.

At last, Chef Chai shares the secrets behind his unique brand of Pacific Rim cooking—from Butternut Squash Bisque to Pad Thai Noodles with Crab Claws to his signature dish, Kataifi and Macadamia Nut-Crusted Black Tiger Prawns. Chaowasaree is a founder of Hawaiian Island Chefs, the organization promoting homegrown agriculture and aquaculture. He hosts the popular television cooking program “Dining Out with Chai” and has earned numerous culinary honors, including the America’s Top Tables award from Gourmet magazine.

Besides its distinctive aroma, lavender boasts time-proven health, beauty and culinary value; its use has been well documented for some 2,500 years. The Maui Book of Lavender, a new lavender-scented release from Watermark Publishing, traces the herb’s historic uses in Hawai‘i and abroad, as it unveils the unique agribusiness story of Maui’s Ali‘i Kula Lavender.

A scenic farm with a diverse crop and product line, Ali‘i Kula Lavender perches high on the slopes of Haleakalā, where lavender plants stretch across the hillside in a sea of purple, green and silver. A dry, sunny region on the volcano’s leeward flank, Kula is an ideal place for growing lavender—a drought-resistant plant that requires rich soil, full sun and well-drained southwest-facing slopes.

Stunning photography and useful information on lavender crafts and home uses, as well as 40 recipes incorporating lavender, make this hardcover book a treasure for gardeners, home crafters, cooks and anyone else who appreciates a little lavender in their life.