The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1910-03-18
POI IN HAWAII.
This Peculiar Food Is TO the Nayive a.
Bread Is 70 Us.

OFcdo ~ 10 rs.
What bread is to the American or
European poi IS TO the native Ha-
waiian. No meal is complete with
out il, and for the great majority
Of the natives it forms the princi-
pal article Of diet. While they prob
ably could at the present time live
without this accustomed dish, the
time once was, before the advent Of
the whites to the islands and the in
PRODUCTION Of new foods, that hfe
without it would at beast have been
precarious.
Poi is made from the tuberous
root Of the taro plant! i species Of
the caladium family, tf' which the
well known elephant ear plant IS
also member The tuber, which
averages in size that Of large
sweet potato, IS baked and after
ward pounded up with water until
smooth white paste Is obtained,
much resembling q wheat -four
paste, except that the color is a
pale pink Or purple. dependent
upon the variety Of taro used. This
pase is allowed TO slightly ferIhent.
or souri, Wien it Is ready for Ese
In oldon times each family prepared
its own pei. tile work being done by
tho mcn. IS in fact were. most other
coohing operations. AT The present
time no factories in which machin-
cry crll- the taro and mixes it on
a large scale have largelyJupplant-
ed tie o'l hand method. The Chi
nese of the territory have come to
be tile caling manufacturers of the
prod act
Many US the white residents of
the islam eat POI to almost the e1-
tent rs tie natives, but the taste is
largely acquired. and strangers sell
dom care lor it. Poi has a high
food value, and, since it formed the
principal article Of diet Of the old
HawaIlns. some persons have cred
tied it with the splendid physical
development Of the race.
Poi was always eaten from wood
en- bowls. or calaba.hes, and was
convcsel 10 the mouth BY the fin
gers. one. two or three being en-
plorel, according 10 the consistency
Of tile food. which also establishes
a q 'rna,ion Of one, two or three
finger pol White poi eaters now
usually erp.oy a fork or spoon in
le of fn crs, although il is still
com essen in tie highest fami-
l'g- f native dinners, or luaus.
az v.-ea snires and forks are Ia
boocd ard fingers only used. There
is as ml D etiquette among the Ha- +,
wai'a be eating with the fingers as
with moiern table implements, ana
tie GRACEFUL notion by which a por-
ton of poi is twisted upon the%n-
gors arl transferred to thefHSuth
would not shock the sensibilyiss Of
tie mo roenel An invitstian to !
q rlai h. at which poi, baked pig, !
fsh ak in leaves and cocoanut in /;
garn forms form the principal .
part ol tile menu. Is something that :,
+ a'wav- -ked forward TO BY every !
visitor n iawaii and always pleas +
intlY rel nbered afterward.
Some lie ago there hvcd a gen. s
lcnar q rl0.cnt habits VINO spent i
.h llle ing among his friends. c
ng out las welcome il c
on -hborhood lie thought n
q wo "a slt an old Qtaker friend i
ole tHc ~ miles distant. On his 4
rira' Ao cordially received BY n
D. Cfnsrs. who, thinking the Wis il
tcr A1d 9Een much pains to come G
0 far % &c him, treated him with a Il
reat d.e. III attention and polite o
.ess f.r sese.al days. As the gis- o
.5r t4 no signs 81 leaving, the n
lsaA lle uneasy but bore il y
-ita .ierre until the eighth daE, Il
To him:
th ! arm afraid thee VIII
el ain. :
"Dh. SHALL" said The visitor. /
7 have ed my visit very much
ld shall certainly come again."
"Hut," SAID the Quaker. III thee
VII never leave how can thee come
gain Philadelphia Ledger.
TIE Eternal Feminine