Field Notes

Notes from the Pacific pantry.

Long-form notes on traditional Polynesian foods, the people who grew them, and how to put them on your table this week.

A spread of traditional Polynesian foods — fresh fish, taro, breadfruit, sweet potato, coconut, and tropical fruit

Notes

Why Pacific Nutra — A Letter on Launch Day

Three thousand years ago, a system of eating reached the islands of the Pacific that fed millions of people with almost no chronic disease. In two generations, it was nearly lost. Pacific Nutra exists to put it back on the table.

2026-05-23

Mashed taro served in a bowl, garnished and ready to eat

Ingredients

What Is Taro? The Root Vegetable at the Heart of Pacific Cooking

Taro is one of the oldest cultivated plants on earth and the cornerstone of the traditional Polynesian diet. Here's what it is, how to cook it, and why it matters.

2026-05-21

A Hawaiian poke bowl — cubed raw ʻahi tuna over rice with sesame, green onion, and furikake

Recipes

The Poke Bowl: History, Tradition, and How to Make One at Home

Poke didn't start as a restaurant trend. It's been a Hawaiian staple for centuries. Here's the history, what makes a real poke bowl, and how to build one in your kitchen.

2026-05-20

Squares of haupia — traditional Hawaiian coconut pudding — served on a plate

Recipes

Haupia: Hawaii's Traditional Coconut Pudding

Haupia is a traditional Hawaiian coconut pudding made from just three ingredients. It's been served at luaus for centuries — and it's one of the easiest desserts you'll ever make.

2026-05-19

A halved fresh coconut showing the white flesh and clear water inside

Ingredients

Coconut Milk, Coconut Oil, Coconut Water, Coconut Aminos: What's the Difference?

Coconut appears in five different forms in a Pacific kitchen — and each one does something completely different. Here's a plain-language guide to which is which and when to use each.

2026-05-17

Longevity

The Polynesian Diet: Why Pacific Islanders Once Lived Longer

Before processed food arrived, the diets of Tonga, Samoa, and Hawaii produced some of the lowest rates of heart disease ever recorded. Here's what was actually on the table.

2026-05-12

A whole breadfruit on a wooden cutting board, sliced open to show the starchy white flesh

Ingredients

Breadfruit: The Superfood Hawaiians Have Eaten for 3,000 Years

Roasted, it tastes like a cross between a potato and fresh-baked bread. One tree feeds a family. Here's everything you need to cook with breadfruit at home.

2026-05-10

A bowl of traditional Hawaiian poi — smooth, lavender-grey fermented taro paste

Ingredients

What Is Poi? A Complete Guide to Hawaii's Original Superfood

Poi is fermented, mashed taro — Hawaii's original staple food. Here's how it's made, what it tastes like, and why a probiotic root paste might be the most useful thing in your fridge.

2026-05-08