Big Island Candies A shortbread cookie brand from the Big Island of Hawaii and only available on Oahu at the Ala Moana Center. New box designs are released each season, making them perfect for gift-giving. The crispy texture and buttery flavor of these high quality shortbread cookies make them a “must-have! Some fans say, “I have to have them here! This year, in honor of the Merry Monarch (the highest competition in Fla.), the brand sold an ube flavor, but another new type of cookie was released, one never seen before by the brand. The box is quite plain, and the cookies are not particularly fresh in appearance. The catch is that it is an “innovative shortbread cookie that tastes twice as good in one,” but I thought, “These well-made cookies are often not so good,” and then I took a bite and found …… that they were delicious! The center of the cookie dough is chocolate macadamia nut shortbread, and the sides are macadamia nut flavored. One side is coated with chocolate. And at $19.50 for 19 cookies, this is a new seasonal product at a good price for this brand.
Honolulu Cookie Company A classic cookie brand that is “easy to buy, delicious, and a sure bet” since they have stores all over Waikiki. Celebrating its 25th anniversary this spring, the company announced a collaboration with local Hawaiian artist Jana Lam to sell never-before-seen designs. The box depicts Jana Lam’s floral collection, which expresses Hawaii through bright colors. I immediately purchased these as a gift for a friend, and the moment I handed them to her, her face lit up with delight. 18 sheets in 8 different colors for $19.95. There are also 4 pieces in a tin for $6.95 and a box of 12 for $14.95. Sales are limited and will end when supplies run out. Cookies are the most popular Hawaiian souvenir, but if you choose a “seasonal” or limited-time-only product, it will make a great gift that adds a little something extra to your usual souvenirs. Incidentally, Big Island Candies will give you one stamp for every $5 spent, and when you accumulate 20 stamps, you can get $5 off. Honolulu Cookie Company has recently discontinued this stamp card system and introduced a new one. When you sign up at the store, you get one point for every $5 thereafter, and when you accumulate 40 points, you get 10% off. Regardless of which brand you choose, you can accumulate quite a few points when buying in bulk, so I would definitely take advantage of this system. Yoko Osawa is the editor-in-chief of Lighthouse Hawaii, a lifestyle magazine published in Hawaii. In Japan, she worked as a radio announcer, writer and editor before moving to Hawaii in 2012. She moved to Hawaii in 2012 and has been involved in editing newspapers and Hawaii guide books. She loves Hawaii’s beaches and beer.
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