Aloha, big hula pie!

I VIVIDLY remember my very first bite of hula pie. For someone who is an ardent savoury tooth, I was surprised to find this Hawaiian dessert so incomparably delicious. As big as the plate the dessert is served on, this confection made famous in the 1970s almost outshines the spectacular waterfront location of Hawaii's Waikiki Beach, where it's served.

Originally created at sister eatery Kimo's on Maui in 1977, the hula pie at Duke's Waikiki - a tiki bar named in honour of Duke Kahanamoku, the father of modern-day surfing - has a cult following that reaches beyond the Hawaiian Islands. The towering dessert created by the TS Restaurants group has become so popular it's trademarked and is now available at all of seven of its restaurants in the US state.

If I were to reverse engineer the hula pie, I'd start with the chocolate Oreo cookie crust, followed by a layer of whipped cream, a huge wodge of macadamia nut ice-cream and a drizzle of chocolate fudge finished with a pelting of toasted macadamia nuts.

As someone who, as a matter of course, asks locals for restaurant ideas, fossicks around food markets for fun and buys hot sauces from around the world as souvenirs, my reason for a reverie on the hula pie is simple: the very idea of that layered confection transports me straight back to the islands that I so love.

In fact, four years after my first visit to Waikiki, I can still recall the giddy joy of sitting down with friends at Duke's, located at the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort, being handed a spork (half spoon, half fork) and giggling with childish anticipation along with every sweet spoonful.

The lure of this dessert goes beyond the fact it's so dreamy and delicious. It also epitomises both the joy of eating and the generosity of Hawaiian hospitality.

Next time you find yourself in Hawaii, do yourself a favour and tackle a cracking slice of hula pie. dukeswaikiki.com

Picture: Jaxon Communications