Island Treasures: South Kona Macadamia Nut Company—South Kona
By Aja Hannah
Meris Farwell, a soft-spoken and petite woman, hand scoops a bag of Tamari-flavored macadamia nuts. Flavored with shoyu (soy sauce), the reddened nuts drop into 4oz and 8oz packages. Each package of South Kona Macadamia Nuts is hand packaged by Meris, her husband Brad, or local seasonal labor in her farm’s kitchen.
During the packing season, Meris will frequently stand in the same position, perching over a sleek silver table and marking her products in a weathered notebook. Above her, a large rectangular window breathes a view of the City of Refuge, Kealakekua Bay, and miles of outstretched Pacific Ocean. The same view is printed on each hand-placed label of mac nuts.
South Kona Macadamia Nut Company sits on 11 acres of sprawling greenness and macadamia nut trees, most of which started from seed more than 30 years ago. From these trees, the nuts are picked at just the right height of moisture. The biggest are then sorted out for retail use and their shells are cracked open, revealing a creamy-white center. The commercial grade nuts—the best ones—are chosen as they bob in a restaurant-sized sink full of water.
Afterward, the chosen nuts undergo a special South Kona Macadamia Nut Company process. The nuts are dried at a lower temperature, dehumidified in order to keep the flavor of the nuts “raw” and fresh. The rest of the process remains a company secret. In the end, the process leaves the enzymes of the nutritious nuts unchanged. In contrast, a traditional macadamia nut processing method will dry the nuts at lower moistures and roast the kernels at higher temperatures.
It is following this secret process, that the nuts’ fates are chosen. To be eaten straight or salted, to be crushed or seasoned.
Salted Mac Nuts Lightly salted with sea salt, the nuts are packaged in 4oz, 8oz, and 16oz sizes.
Unsalted Mac Nuts Left natural and distinct, the dehumidified nuts are packaged in 4oz, 8oz, and 16oz sizes.
Macadamia Nut Butter Ground from the same high quality nuts, the butter is packaged in an 8oz jar.
Honey-Mac Spread The spread is made sweet and thick with 100% Hawaiian Lehua honey and mac nut butter. A citrus smell floats out from each 9oz jar.
Tamari-Flavored Mac Nuts Excess nuts flavored with tamari, a soy sauce from Japan. The taste lingers on the tongue, unique and reminiscent of fried rice.
Macadamia Nut Oil Extracted from dehumidified nuts, the oil is delicate and bottled in 8oz glasses. The oil can be used on salad dressings and as cooking oil.
South Kona Macadamia Nut Company
808.323.3696
mfarwell@southkonamacs.com
SouthKonaMacs.com
