Sonia Tastes Hawaii

 

One of the perks of living on our island are all the truly wonderful little spots where you can drop by for a few minutes or a few hours just to let go and become one with your surroundings.

We recently attended the 7th Annual Avocado Festival in Kona and spent a couple of nights on that side of the island.

You can see more about the festival by clicking on links below.

After a leisurely breakfast on our last day, which we ate in our room balcony (we took our coffee pot and mugs with us and had bought some pastries the night before) we left the hotel to do a Costco run, mainly for cheeses and a little stop at the local market deli...then headed for home with a short stop at the Ulu La'au Park...a little mostly unknown jewel "off the beaten path" right in the middle of Waimea Town....where we enjoyed a little picnic lunch before continuing on our way home.

We picked up a delicious creamy shrimp salad, crackers, an assortment of cheeses and the mango-orange juice leftover from breakfast to enjoy a delightful picnic halfway home.  We love our collapsible cooler and it lives in our car.  Have cooler will picnic at the drop of a hat!  

Next time you drive around the island and come into Waimea, look for Ulu La'au Park - just off Hwy 190 (the upper road) on left as you approach the main Intersection of 190 and Hwy 19.  

The 7th Annual Avocado Festival on the Big Island

7th Annual Avocado Festival - Recipe for Avocado Kim Chee Potsticker

and from The Hamakua Times Newspaper:

An Avocado Kind of Day with recipes of the winning entries

 

 

 

 

2nd Annual Puna Breadfruit Festival & Recipe: Shrimp and 'Ulu Cakes

Photo: Hawaiian style quilting - the above design is one of the breadfruit and foliage patterns.  To learn more about the unique style of Hawaiian quilting scroll down to the glossary.

For the second year in a row, the Puna Breadfruit Festival was celebrated this past Saturday, March 2nd at Ho'oulu Lāhui, the site of Kua O Ka Lā Public Charter School at Pū'āla'a, located next to the 'Ahalanui Hot Pond Park in lower Puna on Hawai'i Island.

This year's theme 'Ulu a me Niu celebrated the pairing of breadruit and coconut and all of the educational and recreational exhibits prominently featured both.

The school campus is divided in two large areas; the one makai held all of the food related events such as the Pacific Islanders 'ulu pounding, opening and selling of coconuts for both the water and the delicious pulp, some so tender you could scoop out with a spoon.  Also on this side were the cooking demonstrations, cooking contest and the 'buffet kitchen' set up by Chef Casey Halpern of Cafe Pesto in Hilo who led a culinary team preparing and serving a delicious lunch composed of 'ulu croquettes, braised Big Island beef, 'ulu and cauliflower curry, 'ulu and heart of palm slaw with coconut mayo and a Big Island chocolate pudding dessert.  The lines in front of the buffet booth were long and although they moved along briskly, they lasted for hours, attesting to the deliciousness of the food!

Photo: Chef Casey Halpern of Cafe Pesto in Hilo

The rest of the culinary team who assisted in developing the menu were Chef Kanoa Miura of 'aloha Mondays' Catering, Chef Mark (Gooch) Noguchi of 'Pili Hawai'i' & 'Taste' in Oahu and Nat Bletter of 'Madre Chocolate'.

The mauka area campus which is just across the "Red Road" as the stretch of highway 138 is popularly called (due to the red cinders used in the paving of the road), holds the classrooms, green house, garden areas and a solar dehydrator housed in a bus, is where all of the lectures, educational events, keiki games, hula, music and entertainment were held. 

There were lectures, workshops, cooking demonstrations, music and hula; cultural exhibits, games for the children, face painting, quilting and other crafts; Hawaiian drum making, 'ulu pounding, coconut frond weaving and much more including a cooking contest.  All cooking contest entries were encouraged to combine both the breadfruit and coconut in their recipe entries. 

This year's 1st Place Winner in the Appetizer category were delicious Shrimp and 'Ulu Cakes entered by Gwen Edwards from Kailua-Kona.

Shrimp and 'Ulu Cakes

 

1 pound shrimp

1 green 'ulu

2 Tablespoons fresh Big Island lime juice

2 Tablespoons mayo

2 chopped Big Island green onions

1/3 cup chopped Big Island cilantro

Salt and pepper to taste

1/3 cup flour

1 beaten Big Island egg

1 cup Panko

Vegetable oil

 

For Topping:

1 can coconut milk

Lime zest and cilantro for garnish (optional)

 

Peel, chop and steam 'ulu until soft.  Mash well with a little salt.

Sautee shrimp in a pan with a little oil and some salt and pepper until just pink, 3-5 minutes.  Remove shells when they have cooled and chop.

 

In a large mixing bowl, gently combine mashed 'ulu, shrimp, chopped green onion, lime juice, mayo and salt and pepper to taste.  Chill in fridge for about 30 minutes.

 

Using your hands, make patties with the mixture, a little larger than a golf ball, pressing to flatten.

 

Set up a dipping station with separate dish for the flour, egg and Panko.

 

Bring a skillet over medium high heat and add oil.  Dip each cake first in the flour, then egg, then Panko and cook in hot pan until browned on both sides.

 

For topping you will need to place your can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight.

 

Place a mixing bowl and beater in the freezer for a few minutes.  After milk has chilled for at least several hours, flip can over and open bottom.  Drain clearish liquid and place hardened coconut milk in the cold mixing bowl.  Beat on medium-high for 3-5 minutes or until stiff peaks form.  Use coconut whipped milk to top each cake.

 

Garnish with some lime zest and cilantro, if desired.

Note: among the judges' comments on this recipe, they all agreed that lime zest or even a touch of Hawaiian chile peppers would have given a bit of zing to the whipped coconut topping.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

~~~~~~~~~

GLOSSARY: 

'Ulu - breadruit

Makai - toward the ocean

Mauka - toward the mountain

Keiki - children

Hawaiian Style Quilting

Kapa or tapa cloth - see below

 

 

Photo: Kapa or tapa cloth being made by pounding the peeled bark of the 'ulu tree.

 

You can find out more information about the Kua O Ka La School, hosts of the Spring breadfruit festivals by visiting their website www.kuaokala.org plus all recipes from the previous breadfruit festival contests at Breadfruit.info in the Hawai'i HomeGrown Food Network site. 

The Breadfruit Festivals are a project of Ho'oulu ka 'Ulu. For more information, please visit www.breadfruit.info

More recipes will be shared in the next few days

To see previous posts regarding this festival click on the following link:

2nd Annual Puna Breadfruit Festival & Recipe: 'Ulu & Niu Soufflé

 

 

2nd Annual Puna Breadfruit Festival & Recipe: ‘Ulu & Niu Soufflé

The 2nd Annual Breadfruit Festival was celebrated this past Saturday, March 2nd at Ho‘oulu Lāhui, the site of Kua O Ka Lā Public Charter School at Pū'āla'a, located next to the ‘Ahalanui Hot Pond Park in lower Puna on the Island of Hawai'i.

This year's theme 'Ulu a me Niu celebrated the pairing of breadruit and coconut and all of the educational and recreational exhibits prominently featured both.

There were lectures, workshops, cooking demonstrations, music and hula; cultural exhibits, games for the children, face painting, quilting and other crafts; Hawaiian drum making, 'ulu pounding, coconut frond weaving and much more including a cooking contest.  All cooking contest entries were encouraged to combine both the breadfruit and coconut in their recipe entries.

 

This year's 1st Place Winner in the Entrée category also received the Best of Show and Healthiest Choice Awards.  The judges were impressed with how all of the flavors first seemed to meld together and yet as they tasted, they experienced little bursts of different flavors and textures.

The winning dish was entered by the students of the 'Aina Ola Culinary Class of Kua O Ka Lā Public Charter School led by their kumu Mariposa Blanco.

 

‘Ulu & Niu Soufflé 

1/2 cup grated raw ‘ulu

1/2 cup grated coconut

1/8 cup grated ginger

1/8 cup liliko’i juice

Zest of one lemon 

3 cups Ali’i oyster mushrooms

1/2 cup finely cut leeks

1 large red or yellow bell pepper, chopped

1/4 cup cilantro leaves 

1 cup fully cooked ‘ulu

1 1/2 cups coconut milk or cream

1/2 cup cream

4 eggs

Salt to taste

~~~

Preheat oven to 350 F

Grate the coconut and raw ‘ulu.  Lightly sauté them in coconut oil with the ginger, lemon zest and half of the liliko’i juice and set aside. 

Sauté half of the mushrooms and set aside, then sauté the bell pepper, leeks, cilantro and the remainder of the mushrooms. 

In the bowl of a food processor, blend the cooked ‘ulu, coconut milk, cream, the remainder of the liliko’i juice, salt and the sautéed mushrooms until smooth (you might leave out a few whole mushrooms to use as garnish).  Add the rest of the sautéed ingredients and mix well.  Add the eggs last and mix well.  

Pour into oven proof 8 x 10 dish or individual ramekins.  Sprinkle with the reserved sautéed grated coconut and ‘ulu and bake for 45 minutes.   Serve while still hot.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

 

GLOSSARY:

'Ulu - breadfruit

Niu - coconut

Liliko'i - passion fruit

Kumu - teacher, leader

~~~

You can find out more information about the Kua O Ka La School, hosts of the Spring breadfruit festivals by visiting their website www.kuaokala.org plus all recipes from the previous breadfruit festival contests at Breadfruit.info in the Hawai’i HomeGrown Food Network site. 

The Breadfruit Festivals are a project of Ho'oulu ka 'Ulu. For more information, please visit www.breadfruit.info

More recipes will be shared in the next few days

Trees

The recent sight of the magnificent old tree at the old Hawaiian Village and fishponds at Honu'apo by Whittington Park in Ka'u, had the poem by Kilmer floating through my mind...I remembered that I've taken several photos of gorgeous trees and started hunting through my photo files...

Here are just a few...

 

 

 

Trees

By Joyce Kilmer (1886-1918)

Poem written and first published in 1913

 

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.

 

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;

 

A tree that looks at God all day,

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

 

A tree that may in summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair;

 

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.

 

Poems are made by fools like me,

But only God can make a tree.

(C) all photos by Sonia R. Martinez

 

Another park...another picnic...

The old tree at Whittington Park - you can see a tiny bit of our picnic table on the far right...

My son and I participated in the 2nd Annual Breadfruit Festival at the Amy B. H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden in Captain Cook on the Big Island of Hawai'i this past Saturday.  This year's theme was 'The Breadfruit Fest Goes Bananas' and it was very interesting and a lot of fun...

I was involved in the Cooking Contest part of the event and Anthony was one of our several volunteers helping out at the contest tent...I will be writing more and sharing about the event and the winning contest recipes within the next few days...but in the meantime, I will share about our picnic in one of our island parks on the way home today.

A closer look at the old tree... our picnic table sat under it.

We left our hotel about mid morning and drove on the southern route of Hwy 11 toward Hilo...We first stopped at the South Kona Green Market which meets on Sundays and got some figs and a couple of other little things, and with what we already had in our "emergency picnic cooler", all we needed was some bread...which we picked up on our way when we passed through Na'alehu making a stop at the Punalu'u Bakery  to buy some of their delicious sweet bread and a couple of bottles of green tea flavored with mango and liliko'i (passion fruit)...Punalu'u Bakery bills themselves as the Southernost Bakery in the United States and I don't think anyone else can contest that title!

View from our picnic table - this is looking towards the ocean entrance to the fish ponds.

We decided to stop at Whittington Park.  This is a beautiful little park that is easy to miss, although it is by the highway.  At one time, this location was a thriving little village called Honu'apo (*) and the village residents cultivated fish ponds in the ancient ways of old Hawai'i.  The village was destroyed by a tsunami in 1868.  As time went by, a masonry pier was built by Honu'apo Bay to ship sugar cane, but in 1946 another tsunami destroyed the landing and wharf and only some pilings and a few trusses remain today.

View towards the entrance to the ponds from our table.

We found a table under a beautiful old tree.  We were not really prepared for a picnic, and had no tablecloth but when I stay in hotels around the island I usually carry one of my own pillows and I had a flowered print pillowcase we used as our 'tablecloth'.

Part of our picnic fare...hardboiled eggs, chèvre brie, Punalu'u sweet bread, longans, apples, mango chutney and mango and liliko'i flavored green tea...and the cooler had our figs and yogurt...see my pillowcase 'tablecloth'?

Besides our bread and iced green tea we had some hard boiled eggs I had taken with us plus a small wheel of chèvre brie; the figs bought at the farmers market just a bit earlier; a small bag of longans a friend had given us at the festival; marionberry yogurt, apples, and a jar of mango chutney given to us by another friend after the festival.  It was a feast!

The ocean entrance to the fish ponds

The day was sunny and breezy.  We walked around a bit before reloading the car...The location is lovely and we could have stayed there longer but friends were waiting for us in Hilo with an invitation for homemade cantaloupe and honeydew melon sorbet...

Tomorrow I will start sharing the recipes and photos of the Breadfruit Goes Bananas Cooking Contest entries.

(*) The live link about the village of Honu'apo was written by my friend Alan D. MacNarie for the Hawai'i Island Journal, a publication no longer in existence to which we both used to contribute.

 

 

 

A spot for tea

 

The invitation said 'Experience the Art & Pleasure of Tea' - on a recent Sunday, Slow Food Hawai'i hosted a tour and tea tasting at the Onomea Tea Company, a premier Hawai'i tea boutique farm where 100% certified organic, hand-crafted artisan tea varietals are grown, harvested and packaged.

 

 

Not sure what happened with this blurry bit...but this is a partial view of the upper tea planting - the Asian teas.

 

To make white tea, only the very single top bit is used.  The three leaf tips are used for green, oolong or black tea.  The bluriness persisted!

About 15 people, some from nearby areas and some as far as the Kohalas, got together to walk around the farm while hosts Mike Longo and Rob Nunally conducted a tour describing the plants, the process for growing and what to look for when 'tea picking'.

Rob and Mike are committed to growing tea organically and sustainably, with the least amount of external intrusion, even using the trimmings and waste of plants from the property for mulching the rows of tea plants.

Located on a bluff right above beautiful Onomea Bay, the tea farm is not only a working place but a place of beauty and relaxation - although the relaxation is the part enjoyed by the guests!

 

Tea is made from the top leaves of the Camellia sinensis, a member of the camellia family but with a very small and what most people would call an insignificant bloom.

The tea house is open on all sides offering breezes and a bit of respite - a section of the teas from India in the foreground.

The house sitting amid fields of tea

 

Tea settings at the table

 

The tray for the Gongfu Cha tasting - a Chinese style tea ceremony

 

During the tasting, tea was poured into the small, narrow 'aroma' cups which are then inverted over the small tea cups and then inmediately picked up to smell the lingering aroma of the tea left in the cup.

We learned that white and green tea contain more caffeine since the higher leaves of the plant - the tips - contain higher quantities of caffeine, and only the very tips are used for white and the tips and the next two leaves below are harvested for green tea. Oxidation changes the chemistry of the antioxidents in tea.

We tasted three different teas, and each was tasted in several different 'brewings' using the same leaves for each brewing.   What follows are my own and others impressions of each tasting.

Whole Leaf Green - 1st brew: Beautiful light green color, delicate grassy aroma and taste...someone mentioned it reminded them of the smell of fresh garden peas.  2nd brew: stronger flavor and aroma, a bit more astringent.

Dark Oolong - 1st brew: golden color, sweeter taste with a hint of vanilla.  2nd brew: less 'sweet' and deeper aroma.  To me the taste reminded me of 'sun heated grass'.  3rd brew: much darker amber color, very astringent aftertaste but the first taste is a bit mellower than in the 2nd brewing.

Whole Leaf Black - 1st brew: a bit more oxidation, deeper amber color, much stronger in aroma.  Higher acidity but a smoother taste.  Someone compared it to a caramel malt, but I could taste hints of sugarcane or molasses.  2nd brew: mellower taste, smoother with no acidity.  3rd brew: darker color, much mellower but no hint of sweetness left.

The brewed tea leaves can be used in cooking.  The most popular dish made with brewed tea leaves is the Lahpet or Burmese Tea Salad, but the leaves can also be added to quick breads such as nut or banana breads.  Rob bakes a delicious tea bread and he shared the recipe with me a few years ago for a previous blog post and you can find the recipe by clicking on the link at the bottom.

The sweets  served with our tea were compliments of Short n Sweet bakery in Hilo; delicious liliko'i and shortbread bars, German chocolate bars and a Hilo bars made with macnuts.

The gates to the property are the work of Big Island artist Henry Bianchini and were the inspiration for the labels used by Onomea Tea Company.

 

Find Rob Nunally's Tea Bread recipe here: Afternoon Tea on Onomea Bay

For more information, please visit Onomea Tea Company and like their Facebook page

Join Slow Food Hawai'i on their Facebook page

 

Hawai'i Tropical Fruit Growers - A recent tour to a tropical fruit orchard

 

Almost ready to harvest rambutan

 

As part of the recently held 22nd Annual Hawaii International Tropical Fruit Conference on several of the Hawaiian Islands, the Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers- East Hawai'i Island chapter conducted a tour of the Onomea Orchards, owned by Richard and Jenny Johnson.

Ken Love, the HTFG president, came over to our side of the island and brought Dr. Roberto Coronel of the RC Fruit Conservation Farm in the Philippines and Chef Ernest Miller, who holds the title of Lead Instructor Master Food Preserver with the University of California Cooperative Extention in LA.

Obviously, a couple of us taking pics were missing from this group photo.

 

A group of about 18 to 20 people met in Hilo on a beautiful sunny morning for the drive to the orchard, where we met Richard Johnson, who then proceeded to take us on a tour. 

Richard Johnson, owner of Onomea Orchards, conducting the tour

 

After the tour we went back to our vehicles and we all broke for lunch...later meeting at the Komohana Agricultural Research Station where Dr. Coronel and Chef Ernie shared their presentations.

Starfruit trees were covered in blooms.

 

Dave Longacre the HTFG - East President summed it up quite nicely and with his permission I share his comments:

"What a great day we had on the Hilo Farm Tour and the post-annual conference presentations in the afternoon.  HUGE Mahalo to Richard and Jenny Johnson of Onomea Orchards for hosting a big bunch of us at their gorgeous house and orchards"

"The immense productivity of Onomea Orchards' carambolas, longans, mangosteens, and myriad other fruits is testament to their hard work to maintain a spectacular orchard.  Add to that a beautiful house and outbuildings and a mesmerizing pond filled with lotus blossoms - well, it is inspiring to say the least"

Inside of a mangosteen.

 

"More big thanks to YOU, the attendees, for the thought-provoking questions and commentary that everyone offered;  I know it stimulated a lot of thinking about our own orchards, whether commercial or in our backyards"

Little gems:  Georgie Fong's coconut water (deelightful on a very warm day), Shirley "Charley" Black wearing two right-foot boots (and one of them was her husbands' boot.  I am not making this up.);  Bob Ernst's magnificent mustache and vigorous support of "orga**ic" (I know he meant organic) farming;  Sonia Martinez and I discovering we have been living in practically the same places for years and never knew it,  plus plenty more!

Dr. Roberto Coronel and Chef Ernie Miller in front of a very prolific longan tree.

Finally, wonderful presentations from Dr. Roberto Coronel, who opened our eyes to some fantastic Philippine fruits that really need to be considered here, and Chef Ernie Miller, whose energetic (I want what he eats for breakfast!) talk on the history of food preservation was a reminder of just how recently our American society lost touch with the value of food preservation such as canning and jars, and what opportunities there are for us to tap back into this skill with our multiple exotic fruits.  

Rambutan starting to ripen.

None of the day's events would have occurred without HTFG President Ken Love's tireless effort to bring the post-Conference "roadshow" to those of us on the neighbor islands who missed the main conference, and also our very own Cooperative Extension Agent Mark Nickum's thorough logistical coverage for the afternoon presentations. THANKS Ken and Mark!"

Ripe abiu.

I am definitely looking forward to the next HTFG - East event!

Hawaii Tropical Fruits Growers is a statewide association of fruit growers, packers, distributors and hobbyists dedicated to tropical fruit research, education, marketing and promotion and was incorporated in 1989 to promote the tropical fruit grown in the state.

For more information click HTFG

Picnic at Carlsmith Park - Hilo

 

Our little group of friends likes to get together 'just because' and enjoy little imprompty picnics in different parks and areas of Hilo.   This time Galyn was the planner and he chose the Carlsmith Park in the Keaukaha area of Hilo.  

Besides the 'usual suspects'...Galyn and Trevella, Brenda and Kevan and of course, Anthony and nyself, we had two visiting couples join us for our little picnic this past Thursday.

Friends from Arizona were again visiting our area for several weeks and we asked them to join us.. Linda and Howard Hinz have participated in our potluck picnics in the past and I was so glad they could join us again.

 

Anthony, Sonia, Galyn, Trevella, Brenda, Linda, Kevan, Howard, Mary Ann and Andy.

 

Andy and Mary Ann Galligan from Pennsylvania are long time readers of this blog...when they planned to be visiting the island they contacted me and said they hoped we met in person...so we invited them to join our little group.

The day was gorgeous, the park is always beautiful, the food was good but the company was wonderful!

I made gazpacho, guacamole and we brought Anthony's favorite chips; Galyn and Trevella brought delicious deli cuts and bread for sandwich fixings, including a wasabi cheese that was to die for... Brenda and Kevan brought some of their delicious homemade wines and cut papayas in yogurt with a touch of hot sauce...Andy and Mary Anne made Elena Ruz Sandwiches, about which they had learned reading the blog...and Howard and Linda brought a lovely cake which was quite "spirited"...  

It is always amazing that although we don't asign dishes, no one brings the same thing!

I love getting together with friends, old and new... Linda and Howard...mahalo for the wild rice and the blood orange infused olive oil!  I'm addicted to that stuff!  Andy and Mary Ann, mahalo for the lovely quilted Amish potholder, the 'Landscaping for Wildlife in Pennsylvania' book (Anthony has started reading it already!) and the Amish country postcards.

Just another day in Paradise!

Picnic in the park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Farmers, CSAs & Farmers Markets of the Big Island of Hawai'i

 

The Ho’oulu Community Farmers Market, located on the grounds of the Keauhou Beach Resort/Outrigger Hotel - Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i Island.

Aloha!

 

As some of you know, I write a monthly feature article about a different farmers market, Farmer and/or CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Farmers on this island for the Hawai'i HomeGrown Food Network site.

 

There is an official market day on this island every single day of the week except for Mondays and Thursdays! 

 

You can catch up with all Big Island Farmers Markets, Farmers and CSA features I've shared to date by clicking on the following links.

 

The number after the # symbol is the edition of the HHFN newsletter where the article can be found, but if you click on the live link it takes you directly to the feature or article.

 

Farmers Markets Features

 

1 #15 - Kino'ole Farmers Market - Hilo

 

2 #16 - Under the Banyans - Hawi

 

3 #17 - Farmers Market at The Mill - Mountain View

 

4 #18 - Waimea Homestead Farmers Market

 

5 #19 - Keauhou Farmers Market - Keauhou, Kona

 

6 #20 - Volcano Farmers Market - Volcano Village

 

7 #21 - Waimea Town Market at Parker School

 

8 #22 - S.P.A.C.E - Pahoa/Kalapana

 

9 #23 - South Kona Green Market - Captain Cook

 

10 #24 - Maku'u Farmers Market - Puna

 

11 #25 - Ho'oulu Community Farmers Market - Kona

 

12 #26 - Kekela Farm Market - Waimea

 

13 #27 - The Mid-Week Market at Anna Ranch

 

14 #31 - The Farmers Market at the King's Shops

 

15 #33 - Keaukaha Pana'ewa Farmers Market

 

16 #41 - Waimea Mid-Week at Pukalani Stables

 

 

CSA - Community Supported Agriculture Features

 

1 #28 - Ohia Fields CSA

 

2 #29 - Adaptations CSA

 

3 #30 - Ka 'Ohi Nani CSA

 

4 #32 - Island Goode's CSA

 

5 #36 - Big Island Farm Fresh Food CSA

 

Farmers:

  

1 #40 - Fox Forest Farm

 

2 #42 - Coast View Aquaponics (next upcoming feature)

 

 

Health Food Stores:

 

1 #34 - Island Naturals Market & Deli

 

2 #37 - Abundant Life Natural Foods

 

Other articles:

 

1 #9 - Hamakua Alive! Festival Report

 

2 #16 - Cooking from the Garden - Mala'ai

 

3 #26 - Revitalizing 'Ulu (Breadfruit) from Root to Fruit 

 

4 #32 - A Breadfruit Kind of Day!

 

5 #38 - Sam Choy's 2012 Keauhou Poke Contest

 

Enjoy! and if you live on the Big Island or if you travel here on vacation, make it a point to visit some of our fabulous farmers markets or contact the nearest CSA farmer near you for weekly fresh produce!

 

Sonia

Something was smelling pretty tasty in Hilo....

For the 6th year, Hilo has hosted a BBQ Cook-Off and this year's event got under way yesterday, Tuesday 3rd with the judging of the Poke and Chili competition.  Today was the turn of the BBQ Chicken, Pork Spare Ribs, Pulled Pork and Brisket.

The event is sanctioned by the International Barbeque Cookers Association and serves as the Hawaii State BBQ Championship drawing competitors from around the island, the state and even from the mainland.

 

The commuter parking lot between Bayfront and Kamehameha Avenue served as the setting for the event.  We didn't count how many tents were set up but there were at least 20. Several restaurants and quite a few individuals were drawing crowds with the delicious aromas wafting all over the area.  We parked on the socker field across the way and could smell the combined aromas all the way before we even got out of the car.

 

The winners of this contest will represent the State of Hawaii in the World Championship Invitational Barbeque Competition in Lynchburg, Tennessee in October of this year.

The day was clear, sunny with a nice breeze blowing from the bay.

 

As we were walking along we met quite a few friends we hadn't seen in a while... and it was fun to people watch.

 

Anthony got recruited to serve as one of 10 judges in the BBQ Pulled Pork contest.  He got to taste 16 different entries.  He was invited to participate again next year.

 

 

We picked up some pulled pork and BBQ chicken to bring home for our dinner this afternoon.  We could not stay to wait for the results of the competition but wish luck to all of them.

Wishing everyone a very Happy and Safe 4th of July!