I finally saw The Descendants, the movie starring George Clooney that’s receiving Oscar buzz. The Descendants was filmed in Hawaii. The book was penned by a Hawaii author with a storyline that could only have taken place in Hawaii. Yet, it’s still not playing on Kauai, where I live, and won’t for another week. What’s up with that? Thankfully, it is playing on Oahu and has been since the movie’s nationwide premier on November 23, and that’s where I saw it.
I’ve reviewed the book--The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings--before and one of my city girl co-workers has already reviewed The Descendants, the movie. So, I won’t go into the movie here, even though, yes, I recommend seeing it. I also recommend reading the book. As with any movie adaptation, it’s generally good to read the book first, in my opinion.
What I do want to write about is something else uniquely Hawaii. Something I’ve never experienced anywhere else except Hawaii and, generally, in a movie theater: Hurricane popcorn.
Hurricane popcorn is, simply, buttered popcorn mixed with
arare (rice crackers) and
furikake (crushed bits of seaweed and some other seasonings).
The trick is in the mixing.
Here’s how it works.
1. Order your movie popcorn with butter.
2. Order the Hurricane mix.
3. Dump buttered popcorn into the plastic bag that comes with the Hurricane mix.
4. Shake it to coat the butter on as much popcorn as possible.
5. Add one-third of the Hurricane mix.
6. Shake.
7. Add another third.
8. Shake
9. Add final third.
10. Shake.
The taste is salty and sweet, crunchy and, depending on the furikake, spicy. And you can’t go to the movies in Hawaii without eating it.
Recently, I discovered the “health foods” version of Hurricane Popcorn at
Ala Moana Shopping Center. Although it’s called “Pollen Popcorn” there and comes pre-mixed, using organic popcorn, macadamia nut oil, nutritional yeast, dehydrated bee pollen, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and sea salt. It’s made in Hawaii by
North Shore Naturals.