Digital Cookbook Supports Kona Historical Society

Digital Cookbook Supports Kona Historical Society

Kona Historical Society is looking to refresh the spirit, inspire culinary creativity in the kitchen, foster connections and raise funds through the release of a digital copy of its Portuguese Heritage Cookbook.

Starting today (Friday, Sept. 18), the public can purchase the Portuguese Heritage Cookbook for $25 through Kona Historical Society’s online store at https://konahistorical.org/shop-1. Compiled and published in 2005 by the Society, this community cookbook of yesterday features simple recipes showcasing Portuguese cookery and historic photographs from the Society’s and others’ collections. Portuguese food can be characterized as “plain and hearty food of the common people.” Over 50 recipes are shared, including soups, casseroles, bread, desserts, and condiments.

“This cookbook was developed years ago to enhance our annual Portuguese Festival. We collected popular recipes from Kona community members to make the cookbook a true reflection of the local flavor found in Kona,” said Programs Director Kuʻulani Auld.
Proceeds from this digital-only cookbook will benefit Kona Historical Society, providing additional funding and essential support for the nonprofit’s daily functioning and virtual education programs. Funds will also be used for the protection and stewardship of the Society’s collections and historic sites. Kona Historical Society, like other museums and cultural institutions, have lost substantial revenues while remaining closed and adhering to the safety precautions and state- mandated limitations associated with this pandemic.

“This cookbook supports a really important cause: the preservation of our stories. Objects like this cookbook help us to remember and tell our stories. They help us see how our unique histories and contributions shape our community and to realize and reflect on the commonalities that bind us together,” said Community Engagement Manager Carolyn Lucas-Zenk. “Among the homey dishes and humble baked goods, this cookbook is an opportunity to discover traditions in our community and find kinship and pride amongst the flavors and techniques that are most fundamentally part of our home. The featured historic photos showcase the specialness of our collections and utter beauty. However, the true beauty lies in the people who gifted their well-loved, carefully kept recipes in this cookbook. These precious recipes allow us a chance to disappear into another time or at least into our kitchens.”

Kona Historical Society is releasing its Portuguese Heritage Cookbook in conjunction and celebration of its new virtual program series, From the Collection, which highlights the Society’s archives, its historic sites, and people, places and things in our community. The last Wednesday of every month, program viewers will discover unseen objects from the Society’s collections, learn how to care for family heirlooms, get behind-the-scenes sneak peeks of historic sites, and hear Kona stories. The first installment, “Bread, Baking, and ‘Kneading’ a Community,” begins at 1 p.m. Sept. 30 and will be live streamed on Kona Historical Society’s Facebook Page and on Zoom. To register and watch this free program, go to: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_tGoZYLZNT0aG5ab79mOKpQ

“We try to offer as many resources and programs as we can for free at Kona Historical Society, but they all have a cost. Purchasing this digital download will help support our new From the Collection series,” said Public Programs Manager Audrey Blair. “For our first From the Collections program, we are diving into the archives to find stories about baking and community in Kona. Since the recipes found in the cookbook come directly from Kona families, it felt like the perfect time to reintroduce it.”

Upon purchase, customers will receive a link to a printable PDF of the Portuguese Heritage Cookbook, which will be emailed to them and remain accessible for 24 hours after purchase. For best experience, Kona Historical Society recommends printing the cookbook in color, folding, and stapling to create a beautiful booklet.

Kona Historical Society is a community-based, nonprofit organization and long-standing Smithsonian Affiliate that has spent the past four decades collecting, preserving and sharing the history of the Kona districts and their rich cultural heritage within Hawaiʻi. For more information, visit www.konahistorical.org. To get the latest updates regarding the Society’s programs, historic sites and special events, “LIKE” Kona Historical Society on Facebook.

If you would like more information about this topic, photos, or to schedule an interview, please email Community Engagement Manager Carolyn Lucas-Zenk (carolyn@konahistorical.org) or Programs Director Kuʻulani Auld (kuulani@konahistorical.org). For general information about our organization, visit www.konahistorical.org.