For the last three years, Asiga — the CHamoru word for salt — has been satiating cravings by offering plant-based ice cream and specially roasted coffee.
Asiga owner Tano Lizama decided to take things up another notch by creating a special menu for Mes CHamoru.
"We're pushing our local ingredients, so it's a lot of local flavors, local dessert flavors," said Lizama.
Island favorites like lemmai (breadfruit), laguana (soursop), avocado, and local honey are just some of the ingredients used in creating delectable desserts.
"We have a latiya parfait that uses a lemonchina shortbread and cacao nibs. It's a vegan style parfait, but it's hard to believe it's vegan when you try it," stated the owner.
Lizama also took local breadfruit, known as lemai, and created a plant-based ice cream topped with local honeycomb.
The LaguaNUT is a blend of sour sop, hibiscus tea and coconut milk.
"It's super smooth and creamy," Lizama said. "The Bee G ice cream has local honey, ginger, lemonchina shortbread and coconut milk."
"The Alageta has local avocado and coconut milk. We do this one with some chocolate too."
While the plant-based ice cream is delicious on its own, the Asiga team also created some baked goods for Mes CHamoru including a lemonchina olive oil cake that is dairy free and proving to be a crowd favorite. It is available every Thursday and Saturday.
Lizama said they also serve a lemai bread that is drizzled with local honey.
"Everything we do is seasonal. If it's available, we'll cook with it. it's a great time right now with mango and lemai. It's a good time for us and it's a good time to come by Asiga," Lizama stated.
