Sonia Tastes Hawaii

The Makahiki - or the original Hawaiian Time of Thanksgiving

 

Back since ancient times, hundreds of years before the Pilgrims even existed, there has been a Hawaiian custom of observing the Makahiki.

Makahiki means New Year (the Hawaiian greeting for Happy New Year is: Hau'oli Makahiki Hou) but it also signifies the period of time when the Hawaiians would put aside wars and work and celebrated the harvest and their blessing with cleansing, feasting, games and much more.

Unlike our own Thanksgiving, the Makahiki was not observed for just one day....it lasted between 4 to 5 months starting sometime between October and November and ending between February and March...it all depended on "The Pleiades", a cluster of stars that appears in the eastern sky close to sunset sometime in late October....the "Time of the Makahiki" lasted as long as you could see The Pleiades in the sky. 

The Makahiki was observed as an homage to their god Lono who was the god of fertility and abundance and though details of the celebration varied slightly from island to island, they all featured Lono as the center of the feasting.

We commonly call the Pleiades the 'Seven Sisters', although the cluster is composed of about 500 hundred stars unseen by the naked eye, and they usually appear in the sky during the harvest season and have been associated with harvest even as far back as during the time of Homer who mentions them in The Illiad written about 750 BC.  According to Robert Burnham's book (Celestial Handbook:An Observer's Guide to the Universe - 1978) they were seen in connection to the agricultural seasons of that time.

Burnham also points out that the name "Pleiades" may be derived from either the Greek word for "to sail", or the word "pleios" meaning "full" or "many".   

It is amazing to me that the early Hawaiians associated the "Pleiades" with full or many (plenty) and that they carried banners, which looked like sails made of kapa (tapa) cloth on poles as they progressed in processions from settlement to settlement all around the island in honor of Lono.

Some people even put the first mention of them earlier than that, but it has not been proved.

By the way, the name of The Pleiades in Japanese is "Subaru".  The Japanese telescope on top of Mauna Kea on the Big Island is appropriately called The Subaru.

A traditional Hawaiian Makahiki Blessing:

As it has been through time, may this season of Makahiki be a time of new growth and rejuvenation for you physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually.

To learn more about Makahiki, please click on the following links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makahiki

http://www.hawaii.gov/hidocs/makahiki.html

http://www.moolelo.com/ancient-celebration.html

http://www.kaahelehawaii.com/pages/culture_makahiki.htm

Hau`oli Lâ Ho`omaika`i - Happy Thanksgiving to All!

Sonia

Hamakua Alive!

As part of the 'Eat

Hawaii Island

Grown' challenge during the month of October, the first of what will turn out to be the annual Hamakua Alive! Fest was held Saturday, October 27th at the Pa'auilo Elementary and Middle School grounds in conjunction with the school's annual Blue & White Fundraising Fair.

Showcasing the bounty of the

Hamakua

Coast

, the event was exciting and a lot of fun, with early promises of becoming the foodie happening on the East side of

Hawaii Island

for years to come.

The idea for this event germinated several months ago from a conversation during a dinner party at the Hawaiian Vanilla Company dining room, where three farmer friends and their wives were discussing the growing issue of sustainability and the variety of foods that could be found already growing on the

Hamakua

Coast

.

As any of us who has planned any type of event knows, it takes more than just an idea and many people working together to make it happen. To this effect, several more people were contacted and as the idea caught on, several more meetings were held with more and more farmers and other food producers, chefs, food writers and interested parties joining in.

The result was Hamakua Alive! Each of the following farmers, growers and producers were there manning booths with samples and tastings of their products. Food samples ran from $1 to $3 each for what was more than generous portions.

Chefs from two of the Kohala hotels were performing magic preparing wonderful food using the locally grown products. I can attest that

the food was delicious!

Hawaii Island Goat Dairy from Ahualoa, owned by Dick and Heather

Threlfall was represented with an assortment of samples of their different flavored chevre; plain; dill-garlic, chipotle pepper, Tocoro (manzana) pepper and their best seller, macnut basil pesto.

Assisting Dick Threlfall was Jim Zampathas, publisher and creator of

Hawaii Conscious Living, a quarterly magazine, in partnership with his wife Nancy who serves as editor, was passing out copies of their

Fall 2007 issue. info@hawaiiconsciousliving.com

The High Country Protea Farm from Honoka'a owned by Anne St. Johns and Richard Berman was also represented with a beautiful arrangement using an assortment of protea and silver dollar eucalyptus.

The Long Ears Coffee Company also from Honoka'a was represented by their owners Wendell and Netta Branco with an assortment of coffee and coffee tastings, mugs, T-shirts and other products their company produces.

The Hawaii Tea Society was well represented by two tea growers and producers;

The Onomea Tea Company of Papaikou booth was manned by partners Rob Nunally and Mike Longo offering tastings of a variety of the teas they have been growing and processing at their farm overlooking beautiful

Onomea

Bay

. At this time they offer oolong, black and green tea and hopefully soon they might be able to produce enough of their delicious white tea to offer for sale.

The Mauna Kea Tea Garden located on the slopes of

Mauna Kea

in the

Waimea area was represented by owners Kimberly and Takahiro (Taka) Ino. Three of their teas were offered for tastings.

JJ Meat Market in Honoka'a owned by David de Luz was represented by Jill Mattos, general manager and her husband Roy Mattos, Dougie, Ku'ulei and Lita, showing an ample selection of beef cuts from 100%

Hawaii Island

grown grass feed beef. Their booth was offering samples of teriyaki beef on sticks and spam musubi as a plate lunch.

The musubi was part of the fund raising effort by the school.

Volcano Island Honey Company owned by Richard Spiegel of Honoka'a was showcasing their certified organic and rare white honey. Displayed were samples and tastings of the original plain white and also Winter

Honey; White with Ginger, White with Liliko'i, White with Lehua

Blossom honey and also beeswax tapers.

The Hawaiian Vanilla Company of Pa'auilo was represented by husband and wife team, Jim and Tracy Reddekopp displaying an assortment of both culinary and toiletry products made from their own

Hawaii Island

grown vanilla beans including Roselani Hawaiian Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Hawaiian Vanilla Lemonade and Hawaiian Vanilla Coffee.

As main organizer and chair for the event, Jim was also busy running all over the campus tending to every minute detail and sharing duties with Hawai'i County Councilman Dominic Yagong as part time emcee.

The Hamakua Heritage Mushroom Farm of Laupahoehoe owned by Robert and Janice Stanga showcased samples of their Brown Hon-shimeji, Pepeiao, Kea Hon-shimeji, Grey Oyster and Ali'i Oyster mushrooms. 

Anchoring between the Vanilla Farm and the Hamakua Mushroom booths was Executive Chef James Babian from The Grill, The Fairmont Orchid Hotel's signature restaurant. His rich and earthy Hawaiian Vanilla Lobster Bisque and the Sautéed Hamakua Heritage Mushrooms were big hits with the crowd.

The Wailea Agricultural Group owned by Michael D. Crowell and Leslie

Hill is located in Wailea, between Honomu and Hakalau on the lower eastern slopes of

Mauna Kea

. Growers of several tropical fruits including Meyer Lemons, avocados, lychee, and rambutan among others, they are also the largest grower of fresh heart of palms in

America

.

Their booth was offering two dishes created by Sous Chef Will Queja from the Four Seasons Resort. Heart of Palm, Watercress and Baby

Bok-Choy Kimchee and delicious Crab, Sweet Corn and Heart of Palm deep fried fritters served with a drizzle of Thai Spicy Sweet Chile

Glaze.

As part of the event there was a pie and jams and jelly recipe contest. One of the rules was that locally grown fruit had to be used in the recipes presented for judging.

The judges for the contest were Councilman Dominic Yagong, Chef James Babian and Anthony Mathis. The judges seemed to be having a very good time tasting the offerings. Anthony, who is my son, later mentioned that even with just small tastings he was later bouncing off the walls due to all the sweets….!

Winners of the contest and prizes were:

Pies & Cakes Category

1st Place - Christine Young – Liliko'i Cheesecake - $100.

2nd Place - Emma Reddekopp - Hawaiian Vanilla Pumpkin Spice Pie -$75.

3rd Place

- Elizabeth Glenn – Liliko'i Cream Pie - $50.

Jams & Jellies Category

1st Place - Pat Anderson – Liliko'i Plus - $100.

2nd Place - Noah Glenn - Keanakolu Apple Butter - $75.

3rd Place - Mistuko Uyeda – Liliko'i Butter - $50.

Live entertainment was provided by a mother and son duo from Kea’au; talented 16 year old ukulele prodigy Kris Fuchigami and his mother Keiko at the electric keyboard. Keep your eyes and ears open for more from this talented young man.

Lots going on in Hamakua and I predict this event will grow every year....If you're a farmer, grower or producer of any food product in

Hamakua, please make plans to join in next year.

Already the date is set for October 25, 2008 - Harvest Moon!

Mark your calendars and for more information, please contact:

Jim Reddekopp at the Hawaiian Vanilla Co. - 776-1771

Heart of Palm and Garden Salad

We recently attended a wonderful food event nearby which I predict will become "the foodie event of East Hawaii" very quickly. 

I will share more on this a bit later, but I wanted to share this salad which I made with Hawaii grown heart of palm I received as a gift from our friends Michael and Leslie who own Wailea Agricultural Group not too far from us.   Leslie and Michael's company had a booth at the 'Hamakua Alive' event. 

First, let me explain, there are some varieties of heart of palm that to get to the edible part you need to chop down the whole plant, thus killing it, which never made sense to me.  The heart of palm grown and sold by Leslie and Michael is from the peach palm, which sends out 'shoots' around the main palm trunk, and these shoots are what is cut, so the palm continues to grow and produce without having to be killed. (*)  I will write more about heart of palm in the near future, but today I just wanted to share this wonderful salad.

(*) CORRECTION: Michael was here this morning and he corrected my impression of how the heart of palms were harvested.....

Actually it is the main trunk that is cut, but there are always several keiki (baby) plants coming around it to renew themselves, so using this variety is a sustainable way of harvesting...    Eat your heart and grow it too.... ;-)

Heart of Palm and Garden Salad

1 stem fresh heart of palm

a couple of handfuls of spinach (*)

a handful of pineapple sage leaves

a scattering of pineapple sage blooms

Liliko'i (passion fruit) vinaigrette

(*) I used a combination of Malabar and Moluccan (Dawn Dewa or Sambung Nyawa) spinachs from our garden.  The pineapple sage leaves and blooms also came from our garden.  The passion fruit vinaigrette was also made from fruit collected from our yard.

Pick and wash the greens early in the morning.  Pat dry with paper towels and refrigerate stored in separate ziplock bags until ready to put the salad together.

Slice the heart of palm stem in thin slices.  Store, covered in refrigerator until ready to assemble the salad.

Scatter the Malabar spinach around the platter.  Take bunches of the Moluccan (Dawn Dewa) spinach and cut into a thin chiffonade (*).  Scatter some over the Malabar spinach and save some to scatter over the sliced heart of palm.

Scatter some of the pineapple sage leaves over the two other spinachs.

Place the sliced heart of palm on top of the greens and then scatter a bit more of the chiffonade of Moluccan (Dawn Dewa) spinach and a few more pineapple sage leaves on top.  Scatter the red blooms of the pineapple sage over all.  Drizzle with the liliko'i (passion fruit) vinaigrette.

For instructions on how I make my passion fruit vinaigrette check the blog entry for the Demo at the Farmers Market

(*) A chiffonade of greens is actually any fresh greens that have been cut in thin ribbons.  To make a chiffonade, take a handful of green leaves: basil, lettuce, cabbage, spinach, etc. and loosely wad up under your hand over a cutting board.  With a very shap knife (I like to use my Santuko knife) and with rocking motions, cut across the wad of greens to make thin slices to form the ribbons.

As you can see, it makes a very festive salad.  It was also very ono (delicious) or like we sometimes say in Hawai'i, onolicious!

Hawaiian High Tea at the 'Imiloa Cafe

The pleasant custom of taking a leisurely tea in the afternoon was adopted by Hawaiian Royalty between the mid and the late 1880's even though it had long been the practice of the British families who first settled in our islands in earlier years.  There are several hotels and Inns around the different islands who continue the tradition of serving a Hawaiian High Tea to this day.

Although to the British the term High Tea refers to an evening meal, to the Hawaiian Royalty who adopted the custom if meant a very substancial repast consisting of a big assortment of fancy finger foods and decadent desserts, and that is how it is still known today.

 

On a recent Sunday afternoon we attended a Hawaiian High Tea at the 'Imiloa Cafe.  The event was a collaboration between ‘Imiloa Café, Joseph Figaroa of the Figaroa Collection on

Kiawe Street

in

Hilo, who was exhibiting his new line of handbags,

and Kate Johnson, a tea expert and importer of tea from all over the world.

The guests tasted seven tea blends during the event and each blend was explained by Ms Johnson as the staff served at the tables.

 

The tea selections were:

Pink Palace Garden Palace: Black & Green tea- Jasmine & Earl Grey notes.

Hunwal: 2nd Flush Estate Black Tea

Russian Caravan: a Toasty (smokey) Black Tea

Mim: 2nd Flush Estate Darjeeling

CO2 Decaffeinated Assam: India Black Tea

Creamy Earl Grey: Sri Lanka Black Tea with hints ofBergamot and Vanilla

Rainbow Rooibos: South African Rooibos harmoniously blended with Cornflower and Calendula Petals

Each table was decorated with a glass bud vase and a ceramic or porcelain tea pot.  A printed card listing the tea selections was also available on each table.

The delicious food was the inspiration and creation of ‘Imiloa Café Chef Rebecca Cook and her staff using as much of the Big Island's produce and products as possible.

 

Chef Cook’s passion for food becomes obvious as soon as you tasted the goat cheese tarts, sausages wrapped in curried puff pastry, choux paste tidbits filled with crab salads, mini scones with fresh cream and delicious mini Russian tea cakes.

 

Small open face sandwiches were made with local poi and guava bread garnished with thinly sliced cucumbers and tissue paper thin slices of Hamakua grown tomatoes.

The 'Imiloa Cafe is located at the 'Imiloa Astronomy Center just above the University of Hawaii at Hilo Campus.

Easy Thanksgiving Dessert

Pumpkin Mousse

One of my foodie internet friends, an American who lives in Lebanon shared a version of this recipe a few years ago.  It has since become one of our traditional desserts for Thanksgiving or any other Fall event dinner.

The original recipe called for vanilla pudding.  I have since started using a combination of vanilla and butterscotch puddings which everyone seems to like better. I have also been using homemade whipped cream instead of the cool whipped topping as originally given.

1 large package instant sugar and fat free vanilla pudding
1 large package instant sugar and fat free butterscotch pudding
3 cups of skim milk
1 (29 oz) can pumpkin puree
3 cups homemade whipped cream or (12 oz) tub lite cool whipped topping
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (optional)

Get all the ingredients together before hand as the pudding will set quickly and you don't want to waste time hunting for anything.

Mix pudding with skim milk; when almost set (which will be almost instantly), quickly fold in all the other ingredients, being careful to not overmix the whipped cream as you fold it into the pudding mix.

Serve in individual wine glasses or in a clear glass pedestal bowl and sprinkle pumpkin pie spice on top, if using.

Yield: 16 - 20 servings

For another ono pumpkin recipe suitable to serve as an appetizer at anytime during the holidays find the Spiced Pumpkin Dip

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!

Sonia's Mango Lassi Recipe

Recently my friend Linda Kane asked if I would be willing to make a little video for a place called Expert Village. 

Expert Village posts a list of topics they are interested in and the videographer selects from this list a video they want to shoot, submits it to EV for approval and on receiving approval, has 2 weeks to turn the assignment in...

We decided on the Mango Lassi, since it was something that was fairly easy, for our first project, really good and the mangoes at the market are gorgeous. 

The only thing I dislike about the site, is that they don't show the whole video as a 'seamless movie' but in segments and each segmet starts with the introduction of the 'expert'...in this instance, me.  So in each segment you will hear the same introduction....Aloha my name is....

The video can be seen at the following site, but a short cut to the recipe itself is here

Sonia's Mango Lassi Recipe

From that site, you can then scroll down and then choose any of the segments you wish to see...

I tried to take a still shot from the video and use PhotoShop to enlarge it, but it made it all out of focus....... I inserted one here from the video, without altering, but the quality is still very fuzzy.

If you try the recipe, I hope you enjoy it.  The ice cream is really, really good!

Linda did a great job with the shooting and editing of the video...believe me....you would agree with me if you had been there to see the bloops....

A Taste of the Hawaiian Range Food Festival

Anthony and I were able to attend the 12th Annual Mealani's A Taste of the Hawaiian Range Food Festival this past Friday evening, September 28th, held at the Hilton Waikoloa Village.

Photo: Taken by Chef Allan Okuda in front of the HCC-Hilo School of Culinary Arts booth.

The Taste has become the showcase for our many Hawaii Island ranches, farms and food producers of all kinds and since its inception in 1996, it has increased so much in size, participation and attendance that through the years it has had to move to different and larger venues.

 

Photo: The Big Island Grill on Kuakini Hwy in Kailua Kona used a huge wok and bamboo steamer to prepare their assigned meat - which was ground beef. 

Attendance last year was about 2,000 and by the crowds we saw, we figured it had to be either that many or even more this year.

Photo: Chef George Mavrothalassitis of Chef Macro's Restaurant in Honolulu was assigned appropriately enough, lamb for his special dish.

The event is sponsored by the Cooperative Extension Service of the University of Hawaii at Manoa's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) as a celebration showcasing not only the naturally grass fed Hawaii grown beef, but also all of the bounty grown in our fertile 'aina.

Photo: Assorted heirloom tomatoes from the Hamakua Springs Farm in Pepe'ekeo.

 

Photo: Coffe and tea display from the Hawaii Coffee Company.

Most everyone in the world now knows that this island grows coffee, but most know only of Kona coffee....but there is wonderful coffee grown in three other regions on this island!  Also tea, vanilla beans and cacao beans which are used right here on the island to make chocolate!!!

Over 30 chefs from Hawaii Island and Oahu restaurants participated in the event, as well as the culinary students from both the Hilo and the West side campus of the Hawaii Community College School of Culinary Arts.  The chefs are challenged to prepare the various cuts of meat assigned to them by luck of the draw....from sirloin to chuck and hamburger and including tongue, tail and tripe.

Other meats fetured and also raised on the island are chicken, lamb, mutton and pork.  Island grown abalone was introduced at this event for the first time.

Photo: Ada Pulin, owner of Tex's Drive-In in Honoka'a, cutting the dough for malasadas.  Tex's is a must stop for us when driving to or from Kona side for some scrumptious Portuguese donuts called malasadas.

Photo: Frying the malasadas in a huge wok.  Once done the pillow-like malasadas are drained then filled with fruit fillings or custards.

The largest event of it's kind in the State of Hawaii, it is not only educational but a celebration of what our island has to offer by highlighting the diversification of crops and by the many value added products that make use of our island's bounty.

Part 2 will follow in a few days!

Traipsing through a new Farmer's Market

We had read not long ago that a new farmer's market had opened in Hilo but had not been able to visit it until this past Saturday.

The Kino'ole Farmers Market is open on Saturdays from 7 AM to Noon at the Kino'ole Shopping Plaza (old Sure Save market location) at 1990 Kinoole Street, and the corner of Kahaopea Street.

Photo: Bok Choy - Chinese Cabbage

Featuring only 100% Hawaii grown produce and products, grown or made by the actual farm or seller, it is a lively and colorful, although still small, market sponsored by the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation.

One major convenience is that since it is set in an area of the plaza's parking lot, there is ample parking space all around the cluster of individual seller booths and tents.

Photo: Dwight Sato demonstrating how to dry steamed fresh tea leaves in a wok.

Free cooking demonstrations are presented each week with convenient benches for attendees to sit while watching. 

This past Saturday, Dwight Sato, agricultural extension agent from the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, with an electric steamer, a wok, a piece of muslin cloth, a laundry scrubbing board, a basket and an electric pot in which to heat the water, demonstrated how easy it is to steam and dry fresh tea leaves to make small amounts of brewed tea from your own little bushes growing in the garden.

Photo: Rambutan

The demonstration scheduled for September 29th at 9 AM will be by the Tamaka Farm featuring their aquaculture grown Chinese catfish.  I was requested to do a small demo for Saturday, October 6th, and plan to make a grilled Japanese eggplant salad served with herbed Big Island chevre (creamy fresh goat cheese).

Photo: Chayote aka Mirliton

 

The booths ran the gamut from fresh veggies and fruit to potted plants, deliciously fresh Okinawan donuts and a variety of value added food products.

Photo: Calamansi or calamandin - small sour Philippino lemons

In this last category we ran into our old friends Aaron and Vinel Sugino and their ono Blue Taro label cookies, chips and snacks from Hakalau

 

Photo: Aaron Sugino of Blue Talo Label

PK Snacks also from Hakalua was there selling a wonderful array of lavosh, pies, cookies, macnut brownies, their own honey and assortment of fruit butter spreads.

Orchids and papayas made a statement in the booth from the Volcano Isle Fruit Company from Kapoho; potted herbs and fruit plants from the Moongarden Farms from Mountain View and avos, chayote, limes, rambutan and strickingly beautiful Hilo Rainbow lemons from the OK Farms located almost right in Hilo by Rainbow Falls.

Photo: Hilo Rainbow Lemons from the OK Farms in Hilo

Vinel Sugino was passing around samples of cooked Aremo, a small Japanese taro being sold by another vendor.  Of course I bought some and prepared them at home that same evening.

Photo: Aremo - small Japanese Taro

Did I forget to mention that each vendor supplies door prizes which are given away throughout the morning to lucky attendees who take time to fill out little entry forms?

Photo: Andagi - delicious, fresh deep fried Okinawan Donuts

Visit the above and several other sellers, attend the demonstrations and win prizes at the Kino'ole "Hawaii Grown" Farmers Market every Saturday morning from 7 to noon.

Photo: Buttery Avocadoes

Whatever you buy here will be fresh from the farm and will not have accumulated more travel miles than you!

Photo: Small Island grown sweet pumpkins

If interested in setting up a booth, please contact Rusty at 938-4545 or through dperry@papayas.net

Photo: Veggie, herb and fruit tree vendor Moongarden Farms

(c) Sonia R. Martinez

Labor Day Picnic at Kalopa Park

This past Monday, Labor Day, we went on a little picnic to Kalopa Native Forest State Park  located about 20 miles north of us . 

Kalopa is a beautiful 615 acres of temperate forest at about 2000 ft elevation at the lowest part and 2575 at the highest....and located 3 miles mauka (up mountain) from Highway 19, (the Beltline road that goes around our island) and just about 4 miles south of Honoka'a.

Although there is a sign at the bottom of the road up to the park, not many visitors (tourists) seem to come up to the park....mostly locals.  There are several log cabins that can be rented, a camping site and ample picnic grounds.  It is always cool and you can see and hear quite a few birds....and even see pheasants running around the grounds. 

Photo: At the entrance....taken a bit too fast as there was a vehicle coming out of the park and our car was blocking the way ;-)

Since this was an impromptu plan, we packed a very simple picnic and of course, my camera...  Pimento cheese spread for sandwiches which we made there, hardboiled eggs, pineapple rings ( yes, canned believe it or not, from our emergency closet stash, which we rotate often) and a huge fresh mango for dessert which Anthony expertly cut into three portions.

Anthony & Becky at our picnic site

Photo below: Near our picnic site

After our lunch I took a stroll to explore a  neaby trail where I found a beautiful patch of fern and what looks like a small type of magnolia tree.  Although most plants have signage, I could not find what this pretty little tree was.  The growth pattern, texture and shape of the leaves look like magnolia. 

The tender budding leaves are pink and green.  They were very beautiful.

The park is part of a nature preserve and several native species can be found.  You can find a couple of hiking trails, one longer and one shorter.  The shorter loop trail is an easy 0.7 mile stretch through densely tree canopied areas.

 

Above - Kahili Ginger Bloom - so named because it resembles the yellow feather kahili standards used during the processions of Hawaii ali'i (royalty)

Above- Miniature Hibiscus - the open flower is no bigger than a silver dollar in diameter!

Above - Looking up through palm tree canopy

 

Above - Delicate looking Keo Keo (white-white) hibiscus.  This is also a small variety.

Above - Hapu'u  or Hawaiian Tree Fern - Below - unfurled tree fern frond. 

The tender unfurled tree fern fronds are edible!

Above - Single petal red hibiscus

Above - small cluster of terrestrial orchids

Above - as I returned from my little walk, Anthony & Becky were still talking!

Above- Sonia....exhausted after the hike...!

Above - on the way out to the parking lot, Anthony spotted monstera fruit up high on a tree.  I will be writing about Monstera Fruit soon, as I will be experimenting with recipes.

On the way back home after our picnic,  we spotted a little group of guava trees, loaded with ripe fruit and near enough to the road for easy pickings...so I did a U turn, went back closer to the place and parked on a grassy slope just off the road....we had a couple of plastic bags in the car so we loaded them up with all we could get.  I used the guava to make marmalade.  More about this and recipe later!