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

 

 

 

 

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

 

Saturday, April 13th was the day for the yearly awaited 7th Annual Avocado Fest presented by the Sanctuary of Mana Ke'a Gardens. 

As it has grown through the years, this event has been held in different places in the Kona area, and this year it was held on the front lawn of the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa in Kona. 

In this contest there are only 1st place winners in each of three categories: Guacamole,

Entrée and Dessert, but there is an award for the Best Overall entry and the People's Choice which is voted on by the public in the tasting after the formal judging takes place. 

The following criteria is used for judging each recipe and each one has a potential of receiving from 0 to 5 points, (0 of course, would not even merit a point, 1 would be poor,  2 fair, 3 good, 4 very good and 5 superior or outstanding), for a total of 30 for a perfect score.  Every point in each criteria used in judging counts towards the total score: Creativity, Taste, Texture, Presentation, Use of Local Products, Use of Organic Products. 

Some wonderful entries might score high in some of the criteria and 0 or very low in others.  It takes a savvy contestant to create an entry that can score well in each.

Winners in the 7th Annual Avocado Festival recipe contest:

Guacamole Division:
Robert Block of Captain Cook with his 'Blockamole'
Entree Division:
Brenda Cloutier of Hilo with her Chilled Avocado Cucumber Soup
Dessert Division:
Maggie McDermott of Tropical Edibles Nursery, Captain Cook with her Avocado Pie
Best Overall:
Terrilee Erickson of Kailua-Kona with her Avocado and White Chocolate Truffles
People's Choice:
Renn Giblin of Ohana Farm Orchards in Captain Cook with her Avocado Flan with Hamakua Mushrooms

 Prizes were gift certificates from Kealakekua Ranch Center, Ltd., Island Naturals Market & Deli and Choice Mart. 

The following recipe did not place, even though it was delicious. 

(Photo credit: Gwen Edwards, Kailua-Kona)

Avocado Kim Chee Potstickers  

For potstickers:

1 package locally made potsticker/gyoza wrappers  (you'll need about 50)

1 ripe Big Island avocado (*)

1 fresh egg

1 cup locally made kim chee

1 chopped Big Island green onion

1/4 cup chopped Big Island cilantro

1/4 cup chopped Thai basil

1 Big Island lime

Salt to taste

About 6 Tablespoons coconut oil

 

For dipping sauce:

(Adapted from For the Love of Cooking)

1/2 cup Hawaiian shoyu (**)

1/2 cup water

4 Tablespoons rice vinegar

4 teaspoon Hawaiian sugar

4 teaspoon sesame oil

1 chopped green onion

 2 chopped garlic cloves

1 teaspoon chopped ginger

(Photo credit: Gwen Edwards, Kailua-Kona) 

Make dipping sauce first, so it can marinate.  Combine ingredients in a mason jar and shake well.

In a small bowl, combine and mash avocado, chopped herbs, lime juice and salt.

In a food processor, pulse kim chee until shredded.

In another small bowl, beat the egg.

Working one at a time, fill each wrapper with 1 teaspoon avocado mixture and 1 teaspoon kim chee.

With your finger, put a little egg on edge of wrapper, fold over and press to seal.

In a skillet over medium heat, add about 1 teaspoon coconut oil.

Cook 6 – 10 potstickers at a time - do not crowd in pan.

Cook covered for 2 minutes, flip and cook another 2 minutes uncovered.

Repeat until all potstickers are cooked, adding coconut oil as needed.

Serve with dipping sauce and enjoy!

Source: Gwen Edwards of Kailua-Kona

 

Sonia's notes:

(*) When making this at home, remember that our island avocadoes are larger than the Haas normally found on the mainland.

(**) Shoyu is the Japanese word for soy sauce and commonly used in Hawai'i 

 

~~

 

To read more about the 7th Annual Avocado Festival and the winning recipes for Guacamole, Entrée, Dessert and Best Overall, check my monthly column "Tropical Taste" in the Hamakua Times, which should be on the stands the last week in April or on-line at http://hamakuatimes.com; click on the 'purple' Monthly Columns tab and find Tropical Taste.

 

This yearly event, as well as the Mango Festival, is organized by Dr. Randyl Rupar, president of the New Thought Center of Hawai'i.

~~~

Coming up!

 

5^th Annual Mango Festival – is tentatively planned for Saturday, July 20^th, 2013 presented by the Sanctuary of Mana Ke’a Gardens and will be hosted by the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa unless something changes between now and then – There will be a Mango Cooking Contest - for information on participation, please contact Randyl Rupar - randyldna@earthlink.net  - Phone: 808/936-5233

 

The 7th Annual Avocado Festival on the Big Island

This past Saturday we attended the 7th Annual Avocado Festival presented by the Sanctuary at Mana Ke'a Gardens.  This year the event was located on the front lawn of the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa.

A potpourri blend of vendors, music, hula, food, agricultural demonstrations and panel discussions, as well as a recipe contest, and lots of visitors all stirred together to contribute to a fun day dedicated to one of our most versatile fruit...the amazing avocado!

Following is the list of winners in the 7th Annual Avocado Festival presented by the Sanctuary of Mana Ke`a Gardens this past Saturday, April 13th 

Photos for BlockAmole, Chilled Avocado Cucumber Soup and Avocado Truffles courtesy of Fern Gavelek of Fern Gavelek Communications, Holualoa, HI.  Photo of Avocado Pie courtesy of Diana Duff of Tropical Edibles Nursery in Captain Cook, HI

Guacamole Division:
Robert Block of McCoy Plantation, Captain Cook with his 'BlockAmole'
Entrée Division:
Brenda Cloutier of Hilo with her ‘Chilled Avocado Cucumber Soup’
Dessert Division:
Maggie McDermott of Tropical Edibles Nursery, Captain Cook with her ‘Avocado Pie’
Best Overall:
Terrilee Erickson of Kailua-Kona with her ‘Avocado and White Chocolate Truffles’
People's Choice:
Renn Giblin of Ohana Farm Orchards, Captain Cook with her ‘Avocado Flan with Hamakua Mushrooms’

Prizes were gift certificates from Kealakekua Ranch Center, Ltd., Island Naturals Market & Deli and Choice Mart.

 

(Photo courtesy of Fern Gavelek, lf Ferm Gavelek Communications in Holualoa)

 

Avocado Flan with Hamakua Mushrooms

This recipe entered by Renn Giblin of Ohana Farm Orchards in Captain Cook, won the People's Choice Award.  Unusual and delicious!

For the Flan:

2 Tablespoons butter for ramekins

1 ripe avocado (*)

1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or to taste

1 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup whole milk

3 large eggs

 

Preheat oven to 325 F.  Generously butter six 6-ounce ramekins and place in a roasting pan.

 

Combine cream and milk in a bowl. 

Scoop the flesh out of the avocado and put it in a food processor bowl with 1-2  tablespoons of the cream mixture and 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and some garlic powder to taste.   Purée until very smooth, about 2-3 minutes.

Force the purée through a coarse sieve to remove lumps.  Measure out 1/2 cup strained purée into a bowl and whisk in the eggs, then remaining cream mixture.  Strain through a fine sieve for the finest texture flan.  divide among ramekins.

Bring a kettle of water to boil.  Place the roasting pan in the oven and add enough boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of ramekins.  Bake until the custards are almost completely set (the center should still wobble, but not be liquid), about 25-30 minutes.

Using tongs, transfer the ramekins to a wire rack to cook for about 30 minutes.  Serve warm, at room temperature or cool.  Flans can be refrigerated in ramekins up to 1 hour); dip bottom in hot water to loosen before unmolding , if needed.

For the Mushroom Topping:

1/2 stick unsalted butter

10 ounces assorted Hamakua mushrooms (Ali'i, oyster, etc)

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest plus 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Coarse salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions, about 6

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 Tablespoons roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Lemon wedges and fine strips of lemon zest for serving (optional)

When ready to serve the flan, melt butter in a large skillet over high heat until foamy.  Add mushrooms and lemon zest; season with salt and pepper.

Sauté until mushrooms are golden brown and tender, stirring once or twice, 2-3 minutes.  Stir in scallions and sauté for one more minute.  Add cream and cook for a minute.  Stir in parsley and lemon juice.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

 

Serve flans with sautéed mushrooms and lemon wedges.  Garnish with lemon zest strips if desired.

 

(*) When making this at home, remember that our island avocadoes are larger than the Haas normally found on the mainland.

 ~~~

I will be sharing a recipe for "Avocado Kim Chee Potstickers" tomorrow.

~~~
 

To read more about the 7th Annual Avocado Festival and the winning recipes for Guacamole, Entrée, Dessert and Best Overall, check my monthly column "Tropical Taste" in The Hamakua Times, which should be on the stands the last week in April or on-line at http://hamakuatimes.com; click on the 'purple' Monthly Columns tab and find Tropical Taste.

This yearly event, as well as the Mango Festival, is organized by Dr. Randyl Rupar, president of the New Thought Center of Hawai'i.

 ~~~

Coming up!

5^th Annual Mango Festival – is tentatively planned for Saturday, July 20^th, 2013 presented by the Sanctuary of Mana Ke’a Gardens and will be hosted by the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa unless something changes between now and then – There will be a Mango Cooking Contest - for information on participation, please contact Randyl Rupar - randyldna@earthlink.net  - Phone: 808/936-5233

 

 

 

 

 

 

2nd Annual Puna Breadfruit Festival & Recipe: ‘Ulu Mac Pesto Pupu

Photo: Different sizes of breadfruit - hand shown for size comparison.

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 was the host for the celebration of the 2nd Annual Breadfruit Festival this past Saturday, March 2nd.

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. 

Photo: Weaving coconut fronds - weaver's hat is also woven from coconut fronds.

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 Second Place Winner in the Appetizer Category was an 'Ulu Mac Pesto Pupu and the winning dish was entered by Jesse Imgrund of Pahoa.

'Ulu Mac Pesto Pupu

  

'Ulu

Macadamia nuts

Tomatoes

Red Pepper

Garlic

Onion

Coconut

Sea Salt

Spices

 

Bake 'ulu in fire or 450 to 500 F oven for 1 -2 hours wrapped in ti or banana leaf. Peel, dice and pound or grate to a flour consistency

 

Soak macadamia nuts for 12 - 24 hours then dry completely in 105 to 110 degree oven.  Grind them to flour consistency.

 

Mix the 'ulu flour, macadamia flour, tomatoes, peppers, garlic, onions, salt and spices to a creamy consistency and bake in small loaves at 350 F until a toothpick comes clean, approximately 40 to 60 minutes.

 

For Mac Pesto:

 

Macadamia nuts

Fresh basil

Garlic

Mac oil

Sea salt

 

Soak and dry the macadamias as for the pupu above.  In a blender or food processor, blend or pound in a mortar all ingredients together until creamy.

 

Top the small loaves with the pesto.  Slice the loaves to serve.

 

Yield: 16 servings

Photo: Keiki activities included several boards of konane (see glossary below)

GLOSSARY: 

Ulu - breadfruit

Mac - macadamia nuts

Keiki - children

Konane - ancient Hawaiian board game played with black and white stones

 

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 read the previous posts and recipes please click on the following links.

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

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

 

 

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

Farmer Appreciation Day at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai

 

 

Remember back in the day when any recipe featured in a magazine or cookbook was called “Hawaiian Something or Other” if it had pineapple in it? 

We sure have a come a long way, baby… 

A bit over 21 years ago a group of 12 innovative chefs from all around the Hawaiian Islands started a food revolution when they went directly to the farmers and asked them to grow certain things for them.  

The farmers enthusiastically responded, knowing they would have a guaranteed buyer for their crops and the chefs enthusiastically started developing recipes using these locally grown ingredients…and that, in a (macadamia) nut shell, is how the Hawai’i Regional Cuisine movement got started.

Hawai’i Regional Cuisine celebrates not only the foods the farmers or local fishermen can provide, but also incorporate the cuisines of the varied ethnic groups of people who have made these islands home. 

More and more island chefs work hard at developing a close relationship with the farmers and other purveyors of the ingredients they need to develop the dishes that will eventually be enjoyed by locals and visitors alike in what is also being called a “Farm to Table” movement.  

One of the leaders in this movement is Executive Chef James Babian of the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai on the Kona Coast.  His approach is to embrace what he calls the ‘seasonal, regional and artisanal’ concepts of food and cooking by using as much as possible island sourced; from locally harvested sea salt to several whole carcasses of grass-fed beef each month. 

Chef Jim and his staff purchases from 160 different farmers, fishermen and other purveyors of locally grown or sourced ingredients…and for the last three years, to show their appreciation to their suppliers, they have hosted a Mahalo Farmers & Chefs Symposium and Lunch on the second Wednesday of November.

This was the first year that I didn’t have any conflicting events happening on ‘the day’ and was able to attend.  

The ballroom tables were beautiful decorated with centerpieces made from assorted vegetables, mushrooms and orchids and one wall held bins of colorful produce provided by the farmers.  Below the bins, there was a veritable Smörgåsbord of salad ingredients which I failed to photograph.

The food was displayed on stations around the ballroom where lunch was served and outside the ballroom where chefs had set up an outdoor kitchen and several entrées and side dishes where being prepared.

The food was simply but spectacularly presented with each dish’s ingredient able to capture the highlights.  Lots of ‘little dishes’ with just enough to make you want more…but then you had to taste the next little dish…and the next…and the next!

 

Three different appetizers; roasted multicolored beets and goat cheese, thinly sliced kampachi sprinkled with kiawe smoked sea salt and ‘ahi with perfectly sweet grape tomatoes. 

Several platters of cut or sliced fruit; passion fruit, star fruit, pineapple, dragon fruit and longans.

Perfectly cooked slices of grass-fed beef, ravioli, rice and braised bok choy, mahi mahi with citrus, and a delicious ‘stratta’ of sweet potatoes…I'm sure I forgot to name a few more!

 

Although there were several wonderful looking desserts, I managed to limit myself to one…the delicious Hawaiian chocolate drink served in a shot glass and plated with two mini round malasadas ‘floating’ on a slightly sweet purée of passion fruit.

During the lunch, Chef Jim presented his “Wish List” of produce and other ingredients he would love to have for next year.  To read more about the event and to see the “Wish List”, please read my feature article for the Hawai’i HomeGrown Food Network.

Farmer Mahalo Day at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai. 

Chef Jim, the hotel and his staff do it right! 

Showing appreciation to their suppliers keeps everyone happy and satisfied but also makes everyone realize that there might be just a little bit more we all can do to help our island become more sustainable.

 

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