Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1905-05-05
POI SUPPLY THREATENED.
The Famous Hawaiian National Dish
imperiIled by an insect.

The Famous Hawaiian National Dish
imperiIled by an insect.
Poi, the famous Hawaiian national
dlsh,' said George P. Cooke of Homo
lulu. Yale student, who was born in
the island paradise, as also were his
parents and grandparents, lis becom-
ing less and less eaten and will soon
pc a thing only of tradition. The
quality of the article we are now
able to get is far below that of form
er years.
The chief cause for the falling off
IN the use of poi is a small insect
which has lately made it's appearance
in the island. These insects have
attacked the roots of the taro plant,
from which poi is made, with almost
as disastrous effects as those left
upon cotton in the South by the boil
Weevil, and, as is the case with the
cotton pest, it is equally difficult to
handle.
I'm the past poi has been the princi-
pie vegetable food not only of the
natives but of the American and
European families as well. In fact,
SO general has been its use that it
has largely taken the place of bread.
No meal has been considered COM
plete without poi, and it makes it's
appearance on the table three times
the South.
1.-THE American families prepare it
by first pounding it into pulp and
then baking it in an oven or frying
1t in small cakes. The usual native
style Of preparation is by boiling.
"They first pound it into a pulp
and then set it out to dry, when it
becomes a fine -four. This flour will
keep for several weeks, and when the
native wishes to dine he brings forth
calabash, holding perhaps a half
gallon, and to the poi -four adds
water until it reaches the desired con-
sistency The natives eat little else
besides poi.
"They always eat it with their fing-
ers, and would speedily lose caste if
they used fork or spoon. The Hawaii
an Classics poi in three grades-one-
finger, twofngers and tnree-fingers
The three-fngers variety is quite thin
and requires extreme dexterity, be-
ing attempted only by experts in this
style Of eating.
1.-THE veriest novice could success.
fully negotiate the one-fngers grade,
it having the consistency of paste.
The two-finger poi can be eaten by
anybody after a little practice, and
is the vogue.
Americans there eat poi with their
fingers, too, just like the natives,
that is, if they are camping out. But
of course at home it is served in the
ordinary way.
"The taro plant grows with COM
paratively little care, which just suits
the native Hawaiin, who is proverblal
for being the LATEST man on earth. 1t
has been cheap and within the reach
of all but the inroads of the insect
have been so great that it is getting
quite scarce, and the native ekes out
his supply by mixing flour with it,
which has injured the original flavor.
Nothing that we have in this coun-
try occurs to me that will convey an
idea Of the taste Of this delightful
dish. 1t is a trifle sour, perhaps re
sembling yeast to a certain extent,
but with a flavor peculiarly it's own,
and one for which it is not hard to
aoo,7iro an annette Newcomers or
tourists to the islands are not long
there before they eat it with as much
relish as the natives themselves
New York Sun.