Punahou Carnival

I know Punahou Carnival happened a month ago, but I was just reminded of it... My parents came to visit recently and I sent my dad home with some of Punahou Carnival's mango chutney. He called to tell me that he had forgotten to pack it into his check-in luggage, and when airport security told him he couldn't carry it on, he thought about just leaving it behind (after I had waited in line for an hour for it!). But one of the security officials stopped him and lectured my dad on the rarity and fame of The Punahou Carnival Mango Chutney. In short, he told him that the chutney was no less precious than gold--he didn't know how my dad got his hands on a jar, but now that he had it, he was responsible for it. He ushered my dad out of line to retrieve his already checked-in bags and to carefully stow away the precious cargo.


These stories are why I love Hawaii--the combination of aloha and deep appreciation for food. I once brought a salad on the plane, forgetting about the little container of dressing. I offered to throw it away, but security was shocked at the idea of eating a salad without dressing. If only you had a Ziploc baggie, they lamented. But I didn't, and so they proceeded to ask all the passengers in line behind me for an extra baggie. They found one, and on my flight, I enjoyed a well-dressed Caesar salad instead of just plain lettuce. I do think the TSA rules are silly, but if we have to abide by them, Hawaii's TSA does so with great compassion.

In the end, is Punahou Carnival's mango chutney really worth all the hassle? I say yes. Not necessarily for the taste alone, but because of the traditions, the legends, the lore, the stories it evokes for so many people.