The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1897-04-16
POI tL0I HAWAII.
Native Kanaka Food to Be Tried
in This Country.
A Handy Article of Diet That Will
Come as = Boon to the Busy
Housewife How II Is
Prepared.

nounces tine arrival at that port of q
consignment of poi for the Chicago
market. There are 200 bags of stuff
it comes in the form of -four.
This is the first shipment of poi to
the United States, though the name i:
familiar to most persons, by reason OF
the great volume of misinformation
that has been published about it.
AS matter of fact, poi is a porridge,
made of -four obtained by grinding the
roots of tara, or taro. This latter is !;
plant grown in most of the PolynesiaI
islands, especially in Hawaii. 1t.
scientific name is alocasia macrorhiza
but that is never whispered in Hawaii
being not necessarily for publication
but merely guarantee of good faith
The plant grows to the height of about
two feet in small beds, which are so con
structed that they may be flooded, IS
rice fields are. The tops are used by til:
natives us pot herbs, but the root O.
the matter" as the Scotch preachers
say, is the portion underground whenct
comes the poi.
|
America should be watched with inter
est. This is the age when good house
wife is expected to serve to her dys
| peptic husband new cereal for breal
| fast every morning in the year, as tn
lwifc CT the Bedouin Arab was expected
to rce-alc her lord and master in respec'
| of the date.
To the distracted housewife poi vii
come as a boon. True, 1t is not cereal
strictly speaking, but it is n practica
| foundation for "mush," and that is TIL
main thing. Persons suffering from :
certain class of disorders, includin.
some dyspcptics, may not toy with pc
because OF its excessive richness
starch, but in the main the stuff is harm.
lcss--as witness the splendid health
| the IIawaiia ns-at least before the mis-
| sionaries came.
a very pretty sight it was in thot
DAYS TO observe the pretty Kanaha girl
in primcyal grab grinding the tara roo
upon stone as the wife Of the Mexican
neon stii. grindB the corn for her hu'.
| bands rejection. 1T least am told 81
in my day at Honolulu the native won
,n wore Mother Hubbnrds," and wcI'
.lrcady civilized to the point of di:
liking housework.
Still there was plenty of poi to be he
and still is, doubtless. 1t is serve
for breakfast at the Royal IIawnii;.
l,otcl-which hosiery must, OF cours'
iavc u new and republican name b:
his time. And there had my lrs
aste OF the stuff. 1t WINS served aftcl
| ,,c orangcs-delightful oranges o
.uaho!--und saw the resident whites
.ooding their portions with cream nnt
ovcring it with sugar. They said they
,ked it, but admitted it was an acquired
| astc.
did not stay long enough to acquire
he taste. The mush was piniSish il
uc--a most unhealthy looking pink
nd siclSish III taste. was content t.
| % able 20 say l had tasted it. Thu
lanal.as may have it for all OF me
,ut there is no accounting for tastes.
Later on l had the fortune to en-
,omrter poi in circumstances much NOR
/ early hu ndiultis mo ~ 49, - - ''
9r feast given by his majesty, the lat
KnlaCrua, Of insanity, but most jovia
memory. This was on the WAIKIKI
each, a paradise, where eating is
rofaration, except by the kings OF
| ,,crs, anyway.
At this function poi was served, us oil
.hc table OF the lowliest native, Ia ia
4 rough ware, and eaten. as the low J.
ativcs eat it-with the finger. Motto
not fingers, but finger. The indc'
igit of the right hand thrust into tn
inl, and quiycring mess, bent Mt tn
proper angle, turned about and tho
irought forth, with portion Of the pc
edhcrirg to tho upper joint, by whicl
t was thrust into the mouth.
Looking back at it'thc process seem
welt. yes, nasty. But at the time, as
remember, it was not so, but, indeed
quite the contrary. Tastes change a
we'll rs Giffer-it may be that.-N. y
Herald.
/ ---------
nhe nIcycIe Face.