Sonia Tastes Hawaii

Cacao - From Tree to Chocolate

Chocolate making is spreading on the Big Island!

There are several farmers on Hawai’i Island planting varieties of Theobroma cacao trees that produce cacao seeds or pods from which cocoa and chocolate is made. The best known varieties are Criollo, Forastero and Trinitario which is a hybrid mix of both Criollo and Forastero.

 

The quality of the chocolate depends on the variety of the tree, and Criollo is considered the best chocolate producing trees.

I recently participated in a fun one-day chocolate making workshop that took us from harvesting the cacao pods to making the chocolate and all the steps in between.

 

We arrived at the site early on a beautiful, sunny but breezy morning and were given a short orientation talk by Tom Sharkey, the owner of the little farmstead and a coffee and cacao grower.

Our group got paired up in teams of twos, one picking the pods and the other carrying a burlap sack to put them in. As we walked through the cacao grove, Tom explained and demonstrated what to look for and how to pick. He explained how the trees need to be trimmed by cutting all but the main trunk as the little trees grew to make it easier to harvest.

 

 

The pods are harvested approximately every two weeks and the ‘ripe’ stage can be red, yellow, orange or mixed, depending on the variety of cacao tree. We harvested approximately 300 pods that morning.  

As sacks were filled and dumped into a wheelbarrow they were taken to the shed where the processing started.

 

We were taught how to open the pods by giving them one or two sharp blows with a mallet and how to shuck the pods by removing the placentas with the seeds. Each pod can contain anywhere from 30 to 40 seeds.

After all the pods were opened and shucked, the seeds were placed in a large plastic container with drainage in the bottom to collect the juices. We were given ice-cold juice from a previous harvest to taste and found it delicious. The empty pods are recycled as composting material and nothing is wasted.

 

 

After the juices are drained, the beans are placed in a different container to ferment for 5 to 7 days, turning them each day, making sure that the beans are heating up.

After fermenting comes the drying stage; the beans are turned onto a mesh bottom drying rack in a single layer, in a well ventilated area and stirred daily. This process can take up to 6 days, depending on heat and air circulation, but dryness can be tested by opening a bean.

 

 

 

The dried beans need to be ground or cracked using a machine called Crackenstein or for small batches just simply a rolling pin. Tom has a machine he rigged up to separate the dried husks from the nibs, but a regular hand-held hair dryer can be used when processing small batches.

 

When roasting small batches of nibs, set a toaster oven at 425oF and roast for 9 minutes, then down to 325oF for another 9 minutes and finally bring the temperature down to 259oF for 10 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To grind the nibs a large Champion juicer can be used or a peanut butter machine to turn the nibs into paste. The paste is then placed in a Santha wet grinding-mixing machine for conching, for 2 to 4 days, adding sugar and vanilla slowly after paste is liquefied (about 12 hours). At this point you may also add cocoa butter and lecithin (emulsifier), but we didn’t add anything but sugar and vanilla to our batch.

Sugar can be adjusted according to your taste. Our dark chocolate was made using 75% cacao to 25% sugar.

 

 

 

 

To temper, the chocolate should be brought up to 115 to 120 degrees, then removed from heat and cooled to approximately 82 F. Bring the temperature back to 88-90 degrees and maintain while pouring into molds by working quickly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Squirt bottles work well for pouring the liquid chocolate into the molds. To minimize air bubbles, first tap the squirt bottle and after pouring, tap the molds to remove as many bubbles as possible. Chill for about 15 to 20 minutes to set and pop loose from mold.

Each participant left on a chocolate high with a few packages of the chocolate and a potted one foot Criollo variety of cacao tree.

For more information on Tom Sharkey’s chocolate making workshops contact him at tshark@hawaii.rr.com Tom also runs Sharky's Cafe on the first block of Waianuenue Avenue in downtown Hilo

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary:

Cacao: the name of the tree and the pod, not to be confused with cocoa a product derived from processing the cacao beans

Nibs: the clean, roasted and slightly crushed cacao bean. The taste is slightly bittersweet and richer than the chocolate made from them.

Conching: the process by which the chocolate is processed to avoid grittiness by keeping the chocolate in a hot liquid state until completely smooth.

Tempering: the final process which gives the chocolate a satiny and glossy finish by removing all crystallization from the liquid.

Recommended reading:

The New Taste of Chocolate: A Cultural and Natural History of Chocolate with Recipes by Maricel Presilla

Naked Chocolate: The Astonishing Truth about the World’s Greatest Food by David Wolfe

Making homemade cheeses.........

(Photo credit) - Chef Olelo pa'a Faith Ogawa with her mobile phone...

 

I attended a fun all day cheesemaking class yesterday in Waimea, offered by Vicki Dunaway who works with Dick and Heather Threfall at their Hawai'i Island Goat Dairy.

 

We donned aprons and hairnets and after reviewing the packed full folder-packets Vicki had put together for us, we got started with the cheesemaking process.

 

(Photo) Olelo pa'a adding renet to the feta mix

 

We made several cheeses in class - cottage cheese, feta, havarti and camembert, but the camembert didn't turn out so it was added back to the whey from the other cheeses.

 

(Photo) Feta cheese in molds 

 

My share of the feta cheese was brought home and set to brining in a 10% salt to water mix.  I will be packing it in olive oil and adding fresh rosemary, garlic cloves and some of the red hot Hawaiian chile peppers to it.

 

Several members of the class took half gallon jars of whey home to make ricotta with.  I took 2 half gallon jars. 

 

(Photo) Filling half gallon jars with whey after the class.

 

I started to make my ricotta when I got home - it was a very primitive set up since I had to use my meat thermometer to make sure I reached the right temp for the whey/milk combination and my meat thermometer shaft was not long enough to just clip on the edge of my stockpot... I had to hold the thermometer with one hand and stir with the other...hot work...but I got it done and to the mix I added the bit of salt and then apple cider vinegar...and made ricotta!

(Photo) Vicki during class 

 

Ratio of whey and milk to acid for ricotta = 2 gallon fresh whey - 1 quart milk - 1/4 cup acid (lemon juice, lime juice or apple cider vinegar)

 

I started with about 1 gallon of fresh whey (Ph of about 5) and added 1/2 qt no fat milk - if you want it creamier use whole milk or add a tablespoon of cream -  and 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar

Heat to 200 degrees slowly on low temp - use a long shaft thermometer that you can clip on lip of stockpot - stirring often.

 

(Photo) is it cheese yet? 

 

It took a while of stirring the whey, milk combination to reach the 200 degrees needed and since my thermomether is a meat one and not one of the ones with long shaft, it was ackward to hold it with one hand over the edge of the stockpot and into the liquid to get a constant reading....but I will certainly be investing in a proper thermometer now....

At about 140 degrees add salt. I used less than a Tbsp. ...
Continue heating and stirring periodically until it reaches 200 degrees.  do not let it boil

Turn off and add acid (lemon juice, lime juice or apple cider vinegar- I used the apple cider vinegar) and stir.

Let it sit a while

Prepare a colander lined with layers of cheesecloth and set it over a grid (I used one of my cookie cooling racks) or an oven rack - and set it over a larger container to catch the whey dripping - I used a large glass bowl.

Start laddling the mixture into the cheesecloth covered colander and keep adding as it drains - let it sit a few minutes. You can squeeze it to drain more but I didn't want a very dry ricotta so I let it retain some moisture.

 

(Photo) my ricotta - I got about a pound of ricotta for my gallon of whey and milk  mix.

The leftover whey I saved to add to our dog Phoebe's food - she loved it!  If you have chickens or livestock mix it with their water.  According to one of the attendees, a couple of days after starting to mix whey in the water for her chickens, the eggs were actually bigger and better.

I bought a cheesemaking book and will be trying my hand at others...  I'm strting with the easier ones...!  I think either mascarpone or queso blanco will be next...

Taste of Puna 2010

After a one-year hiatus, the Taste of Puna Cookoff was held once again this past May 15th.  Sorry I'm late with this post, but my computer was giving me all sorts of troubles and finally died....but you don't want to read about that...You want to know about the contest!

The entries in all three categories were all beautiful and delicious...the judges had a very good time tasting and it was hard to choose winners. 

Carl Okuyama,owner of Foodland in the Kea'au Shopping Center and founder of the Taste of Puna some 13 years ago; Valerie Ferrari, Director of Marketing for the shopping center and Steve Hansen, the 'Big Island Event Guy' did a great job of planning and coordinating this fun event.

The Taste of Puna stresses the use of Puna grown, raised or produced foods, and recipes were judged not only by taste, presentation and creativity but also by the use of locally grown products.

The Pupu Category:

1st Place - Noel Morata with his beautiful Fluffy Ravioli, Bok Choy and Papaya - these flat raioli were deliciously delicate and almost like 'stuffed crepes' with a papaya sauce drizzled over them.  This dish was a very elegant presentation.

2nd Place: Amanda Fergerstrom with her innovative Aunty Tita's Island Taco - fresh lettuce served as the wrap under the veggies which composed the filling.  Light and tasty topped with an avocado slice.  I would have loved a squirt of lime over it!

3rd Place - Lisa Velez with a local kine version of 'Taco Dejas' - a combination of Puerto Rican and Hawaiian ingredients plus their own garden tomatoes, ginger, limes and onions,  The masa for the pastry made use of taro flour.

 

The Entree Category:

1st Place - Peter Kaluna with a delicious Mauna Loa Morning brunch combination - almost a bit too much to eat, the judges could not get enough.   The French Taost was made with thick slabs of Hawaiian sweet bread dipped in egg batter and then in a mixture of chopped macadamia nuts, flaked coconut and ground up Corn Flakes all mixed and toasted.  Served along with the French Toast were Purple Sweet Potato Hash and "Lava Rocks" Goat Cheese, Puna "Best Bee's" Honey and Vanilla Creme Anglaise.  A carved papaya served as container for a rich Kea'au Papaya, Banana and Spirulina Smoothie.

2nd Place - Graciano del Mar with Ohelo Berry Coconut Shrimp - the use of ohelo berries was inspired in this delicately creamy and delicious shrimp presentation.

3rd Place - Bill Eger and a Paniolo Style Old Fashioned Meat Loaf, Mashed Potatoes and Salad - I loved the meat loaf cooked in the old fashioned black cast iron Dutch Oven. The mashed potatoes were very creamy and the use of their Mountain View home grown combination of Tellicherry black and red pepper gave it a distinct flavor.  The side of salad included watercress also grown in his home garden.

The Dessert Category:

1st Place - Sunserene Queveda with a wonderful Pumpkin Creme Brulee.  By far the best pumpkin flan or creme brulee I've ever tasted.  Sunserene grew the pumpkins herself and then roasted it to get a nice flavor.  I'm sure the creaminess and smooth texture was also due to the use of her own chikens' freshest eggs. 

2nd Place - Tiari Correa with her Guavalicious Guava Cheesecake - a combination of shortbread and cheesecake plus the creamy guava filling gave this delicious dessert three distinct textures.  A drizzle of guava syrup added a final touch.

3rd Place - Shane Hanaoka's ono Banana Liliko'i Upside-Down Cake - The youngest contestant has a bright future in the culinary world.  Shane is a first year student at the Hawai'i Community College School of Culinary Arts in Hilo.  Imua, Shane!

I know my fellow judges had as hard a time as I just tasting the entries.  The dishes were all so good we wouldn't have minded eating every last bit of each!

Notes from the Herbal Garden

Two of my favorite pastimes are cooking and gardening, which seem to go together. When you plant an herb garden, you get double the satisfaction!

Living in Hawai'i , you can plant an herb garden at any time, but this seems to be the perfect time of year to start one. The nights are a little cooler, the sun is still hot in the daytime and we should soon start getting some refreshing rain. If you don’t have the patience to wait for seeds to sprout, get cuttings that you can root in a glass of water or buy plants at your nearest nursery.

If you do go the seed route, my son came up with an ingenious idea so the birds would not get the seeds before they could sprout. We had some old wood framed window screens which he used over the seed plantings and just propped them up with big rocks on each corner. This way, when the first sprouts come up, they still have room to grow without getting mashed down. This system also serves as protection during heavy rains.

Planting herbs in raised beds seem to give them the drainage many herbs need to thrive. It is also an easier way to harvest them. Mints and other invasive type herbs do better in containers where you can control the spreading. Herbs are usually tough and trouble-free, but pests and diseases do sometimes attack. Pinching off affected parts is a quick and effective control measure.

Using fresh herbs in cooking is as old as the first time someone thought that a certain piece of green leaf would go well with a certain other ingredient.  Of course, the amount of herbs used in recipes is a matter of personal taste, but when following a recipe that calls for either dry or fresh herbs and you need to substitute, use this rule of thumb conversion: 1 tablespoon of fresh equals one teaspoon of dry.

When making stews or any recipe that needs to cook for several hours, you can avoid cooking out the fresh or dried herb flavor, by adding it in the last stages of cooking.  On the other hand, when preparing foods that will chill, you should do the opposite and add the herbs several hours in advance to give the flavors time to meld.

When cooking with herbs that are tough (Cuban or Caribbean oregano for one and bay or laurel leaves) or have woody stems and you want to use the whole stem, such as rosemary or even thyme, crush the herbs a bit and place them in a stainless steel mesh tea ball which you can then insert or drop into the cooking pot.  I have several sizes I use for just this purpose.  You can fish out the whole thing and not have to pick the herbs out before serving the dish.  

When harvesting your herbs, they can be preserved for months in the freezer.
You need to wash and dry them first, by laying on double layers of paper towel and then patting dry with more towels.  Place them in freezer bags. 

Some of the best herbs for freezing include tarragon, basil, dill, chives and parsley. Parsley, perhaps the most commonly used of all herbs, is also packed with Vitamins A and C.  When you eat the little piece of fresh parsley that is garnishing your plate, remember that it not only serves as decoration, but it can also be used to freshen your breath after eating.

The best herbs to dry at home are bay leaves, marjoram and oregano.  The microwave is the handiest method to use for herb drying at home.  Wash them well and pat them dry before placing the leaves between layers of paper towels.  At the lowest setting, zap them for about three minutes.

The most popular herbs to plant seem to be basil, rosemary, chives, parsley,
cilantro, mint, oregano, tarragon and thyme.

(c) Sonia R. Martinez

(Parts of this article first appeared in the Hawaii Tribune Herald of Hilo - September 14, 2004)

Is it a yellow orange or a Meyer Lemon?

About 6 years ago we bought two little citrus trees in one gallon pots. One was supposed to be a Mexican lime and the other a Meyer lemon. We planted them close together due to space limitations and my son wanted to have more or less “one tree trunk” producing two kinds of citrus.

They grew, but nothing happened at all until year before last when one of them flowered. We had no idea which one. Although it had quite a bit of blooms, it produced only one fruit by Christmas of ‘08, but it was enough to determine it was the Meyer lemon. The Mexican lime has never bloomed at all.

Last year, the little tree bloomed all over and we have been able to harvest quite a few lemons – 13 big lemons so far and we still have another 14 left on the tree.

The 13 lemons yielded almost 6 and half cups of juice!

The Meyer lemon tree (Citrus x meyeri 'Meyer') aka Valley Lemon in Texas, was named for Frank Meyer who introduced the tree to the United States while working for the USDA in China in 1908. After a virus infected the trees in the ‘40s, the trees were banned as a precaution since the virus could possibly attack other citrus varieties.

Lucky for us, a new and hardier version of the Meyer was discovered and the tree re-introduced in 1970 and went on to become a favorite in the home garden or patio, since they grow so well in large pots.

The shape of the Meyer lemon is rounder than other lemons, almost as big as an orange and the flesh is orange-yellow in color.

The fruit can be used as you would that of any other lemon, but it will have a distinctive and milder taste. At the end I list some ideas for using the fruit. I found them by doing a search on the Internet and through discussions with some of my Internet foodie friends.

As I mentioned above, our little harvest yielded a lot of juice. Some I froze in ice cube trays to then save in freezer plastic bags to use in iced tea or for cooking. Some I froze in small sized plastic bags and ended up making lemonade with the rest.

 
Meyer Lemon Lemonade

2-1/2 cups Meyer lemon juice
2-1/2 cups simple syrup
12 cups cold water

To make the simple syrup you need to bring to a boil equal portions of sugar and water until sugar dissolves completely. Do not boil for long or the syrup will get too thick.

Mix all ingredients well and pour into a pitcher or a cold drink dispenser jug and refrigerate.

I love to serve it with a sprig of spearmint.

Limoncello
Limoncello is a lemon liqueur that originated in the Amalfi coast of Italy and has become quite popular in the States. The lemons used there are traditionally Sorrento lemons, which are huge yellow lemons with a lot of juice, but almost any lemon zest can be used.

Zet or peel from 2 pounds of lemon – yellow part only
4 cups of 100 proof vodka
3 cups sugar
3 cups water

When peeling or zesting the lemons, be careful to peel the yellow only. If by chance you get some of the white pith, scrape it with the edge of a spoon. The white pith will give your liqueur a bitter taste.

Steep the peel in four cups of 100 proof vodka in a large bowl covered with a tea towel or cheesecloth for one week at room temperature. Make simple syrup by stirring three cups of sugar and three cups of water in a large saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves; cool. Add to the vodka mixture and stir. Strain the liquid into bottles; seal and chill the limoncello for one month. Pour into small glasses and enjoy!

YIELD: Not supplied
SOURCE: Bon Appetit, May 2002

Limoncello Spritzers
The recipe for the spritzers is one my friend Diane shared in her family blog. The photograph is also courtesy of Diane.

Ice cubes
Seltzer water
Limoncello

Place ice cubes in a pitcher and add Seltzer and Limoncello (1 1/2 cups Seltzer to 1 1/2 cups Limoncello for 2 drinks).
Stir and serve in wine goblets.
Garnish with lemon slice if desired.

Diane used Meyer lemon slices from her garden for the garnish.
NOTE: The above amounts are per the recipe by Michael Chiarello, but Diane and her daughter found they liked more Seltzer mixed into the drink than called for. She also thinks that a touch of mint would be a nice addition.

YIELD: 2 drinks
SOURCE: Diane Willis
If you like home style Italian food, try Diane's Un Saludo a las Cucinas de Italia blog http://asalutetothekitchensofitaly.blogspot.com

You can also find Diane’s recipe for Limoncello Cheesecake in the following blog link: http://asalutetothekitchensofitaly.blogspot.com/2010/01/limoncello-cheesecake.html

If you have more lemon peel than you need for making limoncello:

Other tips for using Meyer Lemons –

*From my friends Diane in California and Deb in Georgia –Use a vegetable peeler and save the peel before juicing the lemons. Freeze the peels in small snack size bags. When lemon zest is needed, just take the needed amount out, defrost, mince and you will have fresh lemon zest to use in baking and all types of recipes.

The Meyer Lemon peels can be candied as well. They are really tasty and make pretty decorations for cup cakes, cakes, tarts, and other pastries.

The following are by Amy Scattergood Los Angeles Times Staff Writer in the January 16th, 2008 issue.

* Infuse your favorite olive oil with Meyer lemon peel: Warm a cup of olive oil and the peel from 2 lemons over very low heat for 15 minutes, then allow cooling for half an hour. Strain and pour into an antique bottle with a tight stopper.

* Make Meyer lemon vinaigrette with extra virgin olive oil, Meyer lemon juice, a splash of champagne vinegar, sea salt, cracked black pepper and a little lemon zest.

* Add Meyer lemon peels into a jar of honey and allow to sit for a few weeks; the peel will perfume the honey while it slowly candies in the jar.

* Perfume your sugar bowl by stirring strips of Meyer lemon peel down into the sugar.

* Make hollandaise sauce with Meyer lemon.

* Whisk the zest of a few Meyer lemons into your favorite meringue recipe.

* Throw the peel of a Meyer lemon on the grill before cooking shrimp.

* Peel a whole Meyer lemon in one continuous long strand and drop the peel into a mug of hot chocolate.

Banana Macadamia Nut Bread

The original recipe is for use in a bread machine.  I don't have one so I made it by hand. If you use a bread machine, add the ingredients in the order given in the original recipe.

The following is how the original recipe reads, below is how I made it. I did
not make the Chocolate Banana Spread.

Banana Macadamia Nut Bread

1/2 cup water
1/3 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 medium)
1 Tablespoon butter - softened
1 egg white
2 cups bread flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1 3/4 teaspoons regular active dry yeast or 1 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Follow your machines instructions. Serve with chocolate banana spread.

Chocolate Banana Spread

1/3 cup mashed ripe bananas
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips -- melted

Mix together.

Yield: 1 lb loaf
Source: Unknown

By Hand Method:

1/2 cup warm water (120 F)
2 Tablespoons sugar
1- 3/4 teaspoons SAF instant yeast

1 Tablespoon butter - softened
1 egg white
1/3 cup mashed ripe Brazilian Apple banana

2 cups bread flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chopped and toasted macadamia nuts

Mix the sugar and yeast in the warm water in the measuring cup
Mix the butter, egg white and mashed banana in a small bowl
Mix the flour, salt and mac nuts in a larger bowl

Mix the butter, egg, banana mixture into the flour mixture and add the yeasty
water. Mix well

Spray the bread mold with Baker's Joy and add granulated sugar to coat all sides
and bottom. Pour in bread mixture and fill in all sides. Let it rest for about
10-15 minutes. It almost doubled.

Bake in 350 F preheated oven for 35 - 40 minutes.
Let it cool for about 5 minutes and turn over onto a cooling rack.
Slice and serve.

My observations:
The crumb was very nice and the granulated sugar coating on the mold gave it a
slight nice little crunch on the outside. Not much, just enough.
The banana taste did not come through as much as I would have liked, even though
our little bananas are very sweet. I think it needed more.
The macnuts gave it a nice texture.

I will make this again but next time I will add more bananas.

Holiday Gifts from the Kitchen

It might seem a bit early to think about Holidays Gifts, but actually this is the perfect time to start making your Gifts from the Kitchen.

Here are a few easy ideas that can get you started.

Homemade Vanilla Extract
Add a few vanilla beans, some whole and some split to vodka, rum or brandy.  I prefer a dark Jamaican rum since the "sweetness" of the rum gives the extract a smoother, richer taste.  Keep in a dark cool place for at least a month, shaking every once in a while.  You can reuse the beans.  The bottles I used this time can turn into candleholders after the vanilla is used.

To re-use the beans in a new batch of vanilla, just keep in the bottle and add more vodka, rum or brandy.  You might have to add a bean or two more.  To save for other uses, the bean should be air dried before you store it so it will not mold.

Vanilla Sugar
Insert one or two split vanilla beans in a jar of refined sugar.  In just a couple of weeks the sugar will be perfumed with the vanilla scent and taste.  You can reuse the beans.

Vanilla Beans
I tied 6 vanilla beans with red raffia and made little gift bundles.  Place each bundle in a small zip-lock bag or wrap in clear or colorful Saran wrap.

Liliko'i (Passionfruit) Vinaigrette
Cut passionfruit and scoop out seeds and pulp.  Place in a saucepan with small amount of water and enough sugar to make a syrup - about 1 cup sugar per 1 cup liquid - bring to a boil and cook until the pulp starts loosening.  Pass through a fine mesh colander or sieve.  Add distilled white vinegar.  Taste depends on how tart/sweet you like your vinaigrette.  Bring to a boil.  Cool and store in a clean bottle or jar in refrigerator.  Decant into decorative gift bottles just before you assemble your basket.

Hawaiian Sea Salt with Alae and Red Pepper Flakes
In one of our bulk markets, I found some plastic containers of Hawaiian salt with alae (red clay).  I bought a large container and mixed it with a large container of red pepper flakes.  I then filled smaller seasoning jars I had been saving for the purpose.

Lemon-Ginger Jelly
I have to fezz up that I did not make the jelly myself this year.  I found some delicious jellies at one of the recent craft fairs in which we participated and bought some to give as gifts.

I would have preferred to have used Hawaii grown vanilla beans, but could not purchase in bulk from the nearby vanilla farm in time to start preparing the gifts.

For information on buying vanilla in bulk, please visit

www.vanilla.com
www.arizonavanilla.com   

Making your own coffee liqueur is fun, easy and rewarding.  It is also a great project to do about a month before the Christmas holidays and give as gifts to family and friends.

We like to collect pretty bottles through the year.  You can find many in yard or garage sales.  After a while, you will start noticing pretty bottles everywhere!

Kona Coffee Liqueur

2 cups finely ground Kona coffee beans (strong, full-bodied blend such as French Roast or espresso)
3 cups boiling water
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon glycerin (*)
4 vanilla beans, split   
3 cups vodka

Combine ground coffee and water in a bowl and mix thoroughly.  Strain immediately through cheesecloth into a saucepan.  Add the sugar, both granulated and brown, and heat for 5 minutes on low heat, stirring constantly, just until mixture begins to steam, do not let it come to a boil.  Remove saucepan from heat and let cool. 

Stir in the glycerine and vodka and pour into clean glass jars.  Add vanilla beans making sure to include the seeds, seal and store in a cool dark place for at least 30 days before using.

Decant into individual gift bottles, tie a pretty ribbon on the neck and tie a card with the recipe if you wish.

(*) Vegetable based glycerin (95.5% USP Kosher)  can be used in food applications.  You can find it in most pharmacies. 

YIELD: 1-1/2 pints

SOURCE: "Coffee... the Frisky Berry!," Come Join the Feast column by Sonia Martinez for the Hawaii Tribune-Herald of Hilo, Hawaii, February 2003

 

ROSEMARY BUTTER

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves, removed from stem

1/2 teaspoon orange or lemon zest or grated rind

1 Tablespoon white wine or lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red chile pepper

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

4 ounces unsalted butter (1/4 pound - 1 stick), softened

Mix all ingredients until well blended.

They can be rolled into logs and wrapped in plastic wrap. Can be frozen.

Put a frozen pat/slice on roasted chicken, a freshly grilled steak, baked potato, and while grilling shrimp or prawns.

NASTURTIUM BUTTER

4 ounces unsalted butter (1/4 pound - 1 stick), softened

12-18 nasturtium flowers - rinsed and drained - chopped small

3-4 fresh chives (optional) - chopped small

2-4 fresh nasturtium leaves or a few sprigs fresh parsley - chopped small

Mix all ingredients until well blended.

They can be rolled into logs and wrapped in plastic wrap. Can be frozen.

Put a frozen pat/slice on roasted chicken, a freshly grilled steak, baked potato, etc.

I wanted to combine cucumbers and the Green Zebra tomatoes I had received as gifts from a friend's farm with onions and garlic I already had.  I added a few of the little red Hawaiian chile peppers from our garden.

I was always told that before you preserve garlic in oil or use them when making pickles you needed to first blanch them in vinegar so that the natural sulphur will not cause them to turn green and harvest botulism.  Some experts say that you only need to do it when preserving them in oil.  I do it anyway, just to be on the safe side.

For an easy way to peel the garlic without damaging the cloves, I first take apart the whole head and drop the cloves in rapidly boiling water to blanch for about 3 to 5 seconds, stirring them constantly to make sure they just don't float to the top and lay there.  Take them out of the boiling water with a skimmer and plunge them in cold water.  After cutting the root end off, the skins will slip right off, leaving you with clean smelling hands!

Sonia's Refrigerator Pickles

6 cups white vinegar

4-1/2 cups sugar

2 Tablespoons Hawaiian sea salt

White peppercorns

3 large cucumbers, thinly sliced

3 medium onions, thinly sliced

3 medium Green Zebra or other green tomatoes

1 head of garlic, separated and peeled

Hawaiian red chile peppers

 

Wash your glass containers and lids thoroughly and place them in a large pot of boiling water.  Keep them on boil for a few minutes and turn the heat off but leave them in the hot water until ready to use.  I like to use the canning jars with the glass lids that clamp on.

 

Process the garlic cloves by blanching them in the boiling water and peeling them.  Set aside.

 

In a large stainless steel or non-reactive saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar and salt.  Bring to a boil and boil gently for about 1 minute, or until sugar and salt are dissolved.  Remove from heat and add the peeled garlic cloves and stir in the hot vinegar mixture for about 1 minute, then remove them with a skimmer and set aside.

While your jars are still hot, drain and wipe briefly with a clean cloth. 

 

Put a few peppercorns in the bottom and start layering your sliced cucumbers, onions and green tomatoes.  Remember to stick a few of the processed garlic cloves and a few chile peppers here and there as you fill your jars.  Add a few more peppercorns.

Wipe the rims thoroughly and seal them tightly.

 

When cool, store in refrigerator.  They will keep for several weeks.

Demo at the Farmers Market

I was recently asked if I would do a food demo at the new Kino'ole Farmers Market.  Of course, I accepted.  We were set up to do two demos that same morning, Saturday, October 13th...one at 8:30 AM and the other at 10:30 AM...both were of the same recipe.

Since this market is strickly handling island grown products, I made sure that the recipe included mostly locally grown or produced ingredients.

The recipe I chose is one we used to do during grilling cooking classes when we ran the Akaka Falls Inn Cooking School.  Simple, fast and everyone seems to like it. 

Quantity and selection of the ingredients depends on what is available.  The dressing for the salad can be whatever your favorite dressing might be.  I chose my own Liliko'i Vinaigrette (see recipe below).  This amount of eggplant can make generous servings of salad for 8 -10 people.

Grilled Japanese Eggplant on Local Greens and Herbed Chevre

4 Japanese eggplants sliced at a slant - unpeeled

1 bottle Italian salad dressing or make your own

Assortment of salad greens and leafy herbs

1 pound container fresh chevre (soft goat cheese)

1/4 cup chopped and roasted macadamia nuts

Freshly ground peppercorns (optional)

Dressing or vinaigrette of your choice

Layer the sliced eggplant pieces in a plastic tub or container.  Pour the salad dressing over it, cover tightly and invert to make sure all of the eggplant slices are evenly coated.  Store in refrigerator at least for 2 hours or overnight.  Turn the container over a couple of times, if you think about it...

Anthony grilled the marinated eggplant slices in a large George Foreman table grill until they were nicely cooked through and had good 'grill markings' on them.

To assemble the salad, I chose a red tipped leaf lettuce, some Dawn Dewa 'spinach' (aka Moluccan 'spinach') which I cut into a chiffonade, finely cut chives and Thai basil leaves.  I then added the grilled eggplant slices and spoonfuls of pesto-macadamia nut chevre. 

You can find the chevre (soft goat cheese) in an assortment of flavors from the Hawaii Island Goat Dairy in Ahualoa.

The whole thing was then sprinkled liberally with the chopped and roasted macadamia nuts and drizzled with Liliko'i (passion fruit) Vinaigrette.

Liliko'i Vinaigrette

We have a couple of wild vines growing on the property and during season, I collect a few everyday.  I cut them in half, scoop out the seeds and pulp and save in a plastic container in the refrigerator until I have a full container.

Strain through a stainless steel mesh sieve, pushing with a wooden spoon to get as much of the juice and pulp as possible and collect it in a glass or ceramic bowl.

In a sauce pan bring the juice and sugar to boil.  Amount of sugar depends on your own taste and acidity of the fruit.  When it boils, turn it down and reduce it to intensify the flavor.  Add small amount of white vinegar, again to taste.  Let it cook at a slow boil for a few minutes, turn the heat off and cool.  Store in glass cruet or sealed carafe in the refrigerator.  It will last several weeks.

 

The finished salad!

Gifts from the Kitchen

For years we have been putting together holiday gift baskets for several friends and neighbors.  We collect unusual bottles, baskets and vintage linens or make large napkins with colorful tropical fabrics to line our baskets.

I recently made several of the gifts from my kitchen which will be included, along with cookies and homemade holiday breads in this year's baskets.

A couple of months ago I ordered about 100 vanilla beans from a mainland company to use in several gifts this year. See ordering information below.

Homemade Vanilla Extract
Add a few vanilla beans, some whole and some split to vodka, rum or brandy.  I prefer a dark Jamaican rum since the "sweetness" of the rum gives the extract a smoother, richer taste.  Keep in a dark cool place for at least a month, shaking every once in a while.  You can reuse the beans.  The bottles I used this time can turn into candleholders after the vanilla is used.

To re-use the beans in a new batch of vanilla, just keep in the bottle and add more vodka, rum or brandy.  You might have to add a bean or two more.  To save for other uses, the bean should be air dried before you store it so it will not mold.

Vanilla Sugar
Insert one or two split vanilla beans in a jar of refined sugar.  In just a couple of weeks the sugar will be perfumed with the vanilla scent and taste.  You can reuse the beans.

Vanilla Beans
I tied 6 vanilla beans with red raffia and made little gift bundles.  Place each bundle in a small zip-lock bag or wrap in clear or colorful Saran wrap.

Liliko'i (Passion Fruit) Vinaigrette
Cut passion fruit and scoop out seeds and pulp.  Place in a saucepan with small amount of water and enough sugar to make a syrup - about 1 cup sugar per 1 cup liquid - bring to a boil and cook until the pulp starts loosening.  Pass through a fine mesh colander or sieve.  Add distilled white vinegar.  Taste depends on how tart/sweet you like your vinaigrete.  Bring to a boil.  Cool and store in a clean bottle or jar in refrigerator.  Decant into decorative gift bottles just before you assemble your basket.

Hawaiian Sea Salt with Alae and Red Pepper Flakes
In one of our bulk markets, I found some plastic containers of Hawaiian salt with alae (red clay).  I bought a large container and mixed it with a large container of red pepper flakes.  I then filled smaller seasoning jars I had been saving for the purpose.

Lemon-Ginger Jelly
I have to fezz up that I did not make the jelly myself this year.  I found some delicious jellies at one of the recent craft fairs in which we participated and bought some to give as gifts.

I would have preferred to have used Hawaii grown vanilla beans, but could not purchase in bulk from the nearby vanilla farm in time to start preparing the gifts.

For information on buying vanilla in bulk, please visit

www.vanilla.com
www.arizonavanilla.com   

Kona Coffee Liqueur

Making your own coffee liqueur is fun, easy and rewarding.  It is also a great project to do about a month before the Christmas holidays and give as gifts to family and friends.

We like to collect pretty bottles through the year.  You can find many in yard or garage sales.  After a while, you will start noticing pretty bottles everywhere!

Kona Coffee Liqueur

2 cups finely ground Kona coffee beans (strong, full-bodied blend such as French Roast or espresso)
3 cups boiling water
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon glycerin (*)
4 vanilla beans, split   
3 cups vodka

Combine ground coffee and water in a bowl and mix thoroughly.  Strain immediately through cheesecloth into a saucepan.  Add the sugar, both granulated and brown, and heat for 5 minutes on low heat, stirring constantly, just until mixture begins to steam, do not let it come to a boil.  Remove saucepan from heat and let cool. 

Stir in the glycerine and vodka and pour into clean glass jars.  Add vanilla beans making sure to include the seeds, seal and store in a cool dark place for at least 30 days before using.

Decant into individual gift bottles, tie a pretty ribbon on the neck and tie a card with the recipe if you wish.

(*) Vegetable based glycerin (95.5% USP Kosher)  can be used in food applications.  You can find it in most pharmacies. 

YIELD: 1-1/2 pints

SOURCE: "Coffee... the Frisky Berry!," Come Join the Feast column by Sonia Martinez for the Hawaii Tribune-Herald of Hilo, Hawaii, February 2003