There’s a new ingredient in local kitchens this summer. Kīpuka Mills recently received federal safe quality food certification for its macadamia nut flour.
Produced on the Big Island, the flour is comparable to almond flour and coconut flour. More potent than wheat flour, it’s also gluten-free and higher in protein.
Best of all, it tastes like roasted mac nuts.
Maria Short, co-founder of Kīpuka Mills and co-owner of Hilo’s Short N Sweet Bakery and Cafe, is excited to share macadamia nut flour across the islands.
“As a pastry chef, having something different and new to work with is phenomenal,” she said.
Kīpuka Mills started off selling mac nut oils. To ensure no part of the mac nuts went to waste, Short and her team used what was left of the nuts after the oil was extracted and turned it into flour.
“I’m first generation Filipino, and we don’t waste food,” Short joked.
There is no limit to macadamia nut flour. Restaurants and bakeries, including the Short N Sweet Bakery and Cafe, are already using it in everything from cupcakes to crusted fish.
“A friend of mine made fried chicken with it. He said it was the best fried chicken he’d ever had,” Short said.
Customers can find the flour at Island Naturals locations on Hawaiʻi Island and through FarmLink. Since the product has received federal certification, Short hopes to expand to more stores and give everyone access to her macadamia nut flour.
Kīpuka Mills is also working on a bottling line for its macadamia nut oil, as well as a line of sweet potato flour.
Short hopes to share her food with a wider audience. Above all, she believes everyone should be able to eat delicious, healthy meals.
“When someone comes into the shop [who] previously couldn’t eat anything from Short N Sweet, and they say, ʻOh my god, you guys have so much gluten-free stuff that I can eat,’” Short said. “I want that for everybody. I want people to know there’s room for everything.”
This interview aired on The Conversation on June 13, 2023. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1. This interview was adapted for the web by Emily Tom.
