Kawate Seed Shop is next door to the Kino‘ole Farmers Market, where we bring our produce on Saturday mornings.
All I knew is it always existed and it always will exist. I do not go to the crackseed shop very often; it is enough for me to know that it is there.
But my salivary glands do not forget. They start to work before I even bite into a li hing mui or honey lemon. Hawai‘i without crackseed is unimaginable.
Crack Seed Center is an online store that sells crackseed (in case you cannot get to Kawate Seed Shop in Hilo), and they have a good explanation of what the stuff is.
What on Earth is Crack Seed?
Crack seed, a popular local snack in Hawaii, comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, and flavors. Also known as Li Hing Mui or See Mui, crack seed is actually a variety of dehydrated and preserved fruits. If you’ve never tried this local favorite, read on!
Why Preserve Fruit?
Before canned goods were available, merchants heading west across the rugged terrain of China carried dehydrated fruits to supplement their meals of plain rice. The salt in crack seed was useful for long distance travelers in several ways: besides replenishing the salt lost by the body in perspiration, it also helps the body retain water and lessen muscle cramps.
The concept of fruit preservation is simple: salt absorbs the natural moisture in fresh foods and inhibits the growth of germs that need water to survive. Salted seeds can be stored for extended periods of time. Moreover, crack seed had the desired illusion of quenching thirst. Read more here.
If you come by the Kino‘ole Farmers Market one Saturday morning, remember you can also stop in to Kawate Seed Shop.