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Meet Steve Fiore and the Passion Behind Rooted & Refined Living

My passion for single-origin foods and finely curated products has evolved over decades. It began with organic loose-leaf tea and small-batch dark chocolate, and each year I’ve explored a new corner of the kitchen including imported Italian olive oils, single-origin spices, local honey, maple syrup, and freshly milled flour, to name a few. More recently, this love of quality has extended beyond food to include cookware, hand-blown wine glasses, a favorite bread knife, and even bath towels.

While I have been toying with this idea of creating a website (or maybe someday a retail store) for many years, it wasn’t until recently on a trip to Kauai that my son, Michael, suggested this would be a great time to share my passion with the rest of the world. We had just finished a 3-hour tour of a cacao farm at Lydgate Farms and not only got to taste the cacao pulp (fruit) and beans (early version of chocolate), but we sampled apple bananas (that is the actual name of the banana), dragon fruit, soursop (yup, we never heard of it either), white pineapple, honey, and even peppercorns right off of the pepper plant. It was an amazing experience and the best tour I have ever experienced.

 

My hope is I can transfer my passion, along with the curated set of products I have researched in depth and personally use to give you a jump start on your own personal journey.

Enjoy!

Steve Fiore

"Elevate Your Sensory Experience"

The image captures a moment of pure tropical relief. You can almost feel the beads of condensation on the chilled green husk and hear the hollow tap of the straw against the shell. The man's bright blue shirt mirrors the intensity of a clear island sky, while his broad smile reflects the refreshing, nutty sweetness of a first sip after a long trek.

Me drinking a fresh coconut in Kauai

A panoramic sensory feast where the salty sea spray meets the towering, emerald-cloaked cathedrals of Kauai. The jagged, ancient ridges of the coastline provide a dramatic, vertical rhythm against the soft, turquoise ripple of the Pacific. The group's shared joy is framed by the primeval grandeur of the cliffs, creating a feeling of smallness and wonder in the face of nature’s scale.

From Left to Right:
Matthew, Michael, Steve (me), Emma, and Mary Beth

June 2025

Nā Pali Coast Sea Caves Raft Expedition from Nā Pali  Riders Tours (one of the best adventure tours we have taken)

The Rooted and Refined Living Standard:

In a world of mass-produced goods, I believe in the Rooted & Refined Living standard. Every product featured on this site is personally used by my family and me to create an elevated sensory experience. In addition, the topics I cover for Lifestyle Tips and Health & Wellness Ideas are all incorporated into my daily routine. If it isn’t in my home and I don't practice it myself, it isn't on this site.

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