My Hawaiian Home

North Carolina Cole Slaw

2012-02-06T09:13:00.001-10:00

Part of our Superbowl Table included one of my favorite simple salads, North Carolina Cole Slaw. It paired perfectly with the chicken wings and other savory dishes. It is easy to make and disappears from the table quickly. It is also a "must" when serving East Carolina BBQ sandwiches... goes on top and as a side dish. And for those who care, this is a VEGAN dish.

Here is the simple recipe:

1/2 cup of cider vinegar
1/2 cup of white wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil (optional but I find it makes the salad smoother tasting)
4 tablespoons sugar or agave syrup
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons fresh cracked pepper
1 teaspoon celery seeds (optional)
a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon of Tabasco (optional)
1 head green cabbage

Mix all ingredients except the cabbage together and stir well till the sugar is dissolved.

Shred the cabbage. I use the slicing blade on my food processor, but you can slice by hand or with a grater that has a slicing blade. You do not want this to be grated in small pieces as with a creamy cole slaw.

20-30 minutes before serving toss the dressing with the cabbage and chill till serving time, toss again and add more black pepper.

Food Trip to Charleston

2012-01-29T06:16:00.002-10:00

Fried Chicken Skin with Honey and Hot Sauce from HUSK in Charleston, South Carolina

I was recently in Charleston, South Carolina for a few days visiting my friends Holly Herrick and Nathalie Dupree. Click on the title to see more.

They are both food writers and so we had some incredible food and lots of fun. The three of us dined at the newly famous Husk, which was amazing and quite a treat for a girl that lives on an island in the middle of the ocean. I have lived in the Low Country before and love it hugely. The food scene there has really been on the cutting edge for the last several years, with the trend as in most places, local seasonal ingredients. Husk sources everything from "the south" so they take local a little farther than most, but this also gives them an amazing array of products and produce to choose from. Every day the menu changes and every day you can see the menu of the day on their website. They are all archived too, so you can go back and see some of the very creative dishes that they served.

Here are some of the dishes we enjoyed at Husk:

Sweet Tea Brined Chicken Wings with Kentuckyaki Glaze and Scallions

Sweet Tea Brined Baby Back Ribs with a house rendered Chicharone

Rudder Fish on Rice Grits with Peas

Citrus Pana Cotta

BBQ Pig Ears in Lettuce Wraps

Pecan Tart

You can see more fun food pics from this trip on my food blog, The Sassy Spoon.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T04:51:00.001-10:00

2011 has come and gone. Time for a New Year! I wish you all the very best and know that this year holds some exciting changes ahead. I hope each of you has a year full of joy and love. It HAS to be better than 2011!

I am starting a new blog, just on food this year and hope it will become the basis for a book. It is called The Sassy Spoon. Starting this week I will be sharing recipes and food photos there. Come on over for a visit and follow the blog. It is hosted by Wordpress which I find to be a great format for blogging. I will still be posting here about life and food here in Hawaii and some posts may cross over.

Aloha from Hilo Bay.

Grilled Baby Bok Choy

2011-12-19T05:54:00.000-10:00

So simple and so delicious! Grilled Baby Bok Choy…

Baby bok choy is one of many Asian greens available here year round. In our farmer’s market a bouquet sized bunch of it is just $1. If you live on the mainland, you may have to wait for Spring to get fresh local bok choy, but it does grow everywhere in temperate months. It is also very easy to grow in the garden.

After you have soaked the bok choy in water and drained it, all you do is cut each baby bok choy in half and trim the thin upper leaves a little. Then drizzle with a simple lemon vinaigrette (1/4 cup of lemon juice, ½ cup of olive oil, a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, a pinch of salt and two tablespoons of agave syrup) and allow the bok choy to rest in the marinade. I also had some golden beets that I had roasted and I sliced them thickly and placed them in the marinade too.

Heat a grill on high and once it is good and hot, turn down to medium. Place the baby bok choy on the grill, being careful of flare ups because of the marinade. I keep a water bottle handy. It only takes about 2-3 minutes on each side, just till you see some grill marks, you want the greens with just a little crunch. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper to taste.

You can also use a more Asian marinade instead, but I like the freshness lemon adds to the dish. You could also use other baby Asian greens such as baby Tat Soy.

Happy Thanksgiving from Hawaii!

2011-11-24T08:02:00.000-10:00

Happy Thanksgiving from Hawaii. This morning we had a beautiful sunrise and I just wanted to share it with all of you. I have much to be thankful for, good health, a happy life, satisfying work and life in paradise. Mahalo to all of you for following my blog over the years.

The Best Carnitas EVER!

2011-10-24T07:47:00.001-10:00

I love carnitas. They are not something I make too often, because they are fried, but when I do make them they are something that is really special. For those of you who have only seen carnitas on a menu, they can be made a variety of ways. Carnitas basically means “little pieces of meat” and while they can be made with various cuts of meat (beef or pork) they are most often made using pork butt or shoulder. Some cooks like my friend’s mother when I was growing up in Southern California brown the chunks of pork in lard and then finish them off in the oven, others of the more banal variety cut up chunks of pork and simmer or braise them for a very long time until they resemble pulled pork. There are several kinds of rubs or marinades people use for flavor enhancements, but quite frankly nothing can be substituted for really long slow cooked smoked flavor and a finish in a bath of lard. You can use canola oil with excellent results, but lard ads another element of deliciousness.

Now, before you start ranting about how awful lard is for us, take some time to do some research. My blog on how to render lard is a good place to start. You never want to buy a solid white chunk or tub of lard, that has been processed & hydrogenated and it is as bad for you as Crisco. Home rendered lard is pure as the driven snow. And in this recipe, I only lost 1 tablespoon of lard in the cooking process… meaning that the pork was already cooked and therefore did not absorb much of the lard. Of course there was already some fat in the pork, as pork shoulder is a well-marbled piece of meat. And because it had already been through the smoking and braising process, much of the fat was extruded from the pork.

This recipe came about when I tried to recreate the taste of some carnitas I had eaten in Mexico when I went to cooking school there. I still kept the flavor profile in my mind after all of these years and decided to just go for it.

If you do not have a smoker, you can simply braise your pork, even try adding some liquid smoke in the braising liquid. If you do have a smoker, you want to smoke the pork low and slow. A pork shoulder is not a small piece of meat, so you can proceed with this process and use some of the pork for other dishes like pulled pork BBQ sandwiches. Or you can add shredded pork and wild mushrooms to reduced veal stock for a pork ragu. I cooked the pork and after braising pulled it and put it in tubs in the refrigerator to use for various things. There is just enough left to make one more batch of carnitas J.

You can look here to see my blog post from Manhattan on making home made tortillas.

Here is the recipe which I think you will find very easy, even though the cooking time is spread out over two days, the actual working time is not much at all:

Pierce a boneless pork butt and fill the slots with garlic cloves cut in half. Take your favorite rub or even just salt and pepper and rub all over the pork butt. Place in a smoker on low heat (225) for 8 hours.
Remove the pork from the smoker and refrigerate overnight. In the morning place the meat in a crock pot on a layer of potatoes, carrots and onions. If you do not have a crockpot, this can be done in the oven. Pour 2 bottles of root beer over the meat. The liquid should come up to the half way mark on the meat. If you need to add more, do so. Cover the pan and cook on low (250) for another 7-8 hours. Remove the meat from the pot and allow to cool.
Using two forks pull apart the meat. At this point it should almost fall apart. Choose how much you want to use for Carnitas and refrigerate the remaining meat for other uses such as pulled pork sandwiches.
Prepare all side dishes, garnishes and tortillas before frying the carnitas. I made homemade tortillas (but you can buy and grill some), guacamole, chopped cilantro and onions and carrots en escabeche. Another common garnish is radishes and lime. I also had some salsa verde that I used on the beans and carnitas.
Just before serving, heat lard or oil in a deep pan to 350 degrees. You will need about 2” of oil or lard and it will be discarded after cooking. In small batches, drop in the meat with a slotted spoon or spider. Cook for one minute and then flip over and cook for another. When the meat starts to get a caramel brown coating, remove it and drain on a rack. Continue on until you have cooked all of the meat. Serve immediately. J

Pomegranate & Blueberry Sourdough Pancakes

2011-10-18T06:37:00.000-10:00

Pomegranate Arils, Blueberries and Sourdough Starter… and suddenly there were pancakes! This recipe was one that simply came about out of happenstance. Those are usually the best kind.

After working diligently on my sourdough starter for the last several weeks, I am always trying to find new uses for it, as it needs to be fed daily and that means, “Use it or lose it” (More on my sourdough project and how you can make your own starter here). The starter must be divided daily (or better yet twice daily) and fed unless refrigerated to continue yeast production. This leaves me with about 1 ½ cups of starter every day. I have been baking different shapes of sourdough bread and experimenting with various kinds of flours and baking methods. I have used the starter in various recipes, batter for squash blossoms and pancakes are among the things I have found joy in creating. I no longer need recipes, I know the texture I need for bread and those needed for other things. And so Sunday morning I decided to whip up a batch of pancakes.

I had blueberries in the fridge, but only a handful. I had just harvested the arils from three pomegranates and put them in a bag. Generally from October to February I use the arils in a variety of ways, eating out of hand, in salads and my favorite way, in a glass of bubbly champagne.

It was a natural course of experimentation that brought me to wonder how the arils would do in the pancakes. Here is how I made them (keep in mind these amounts are approximations, I did no measuring):

1 ½ cups Sourdough Starter

1-1/2 cups bread flour

¾ cup of milk or buttermilk

2 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

½ teaspoon of salt

Whisk all together and allow to sit for 15 minutes, you may need to adjust the amount of liquid or flour to make a nice batter. I do a small test pancake to see if the batter is the right consistency. Sourdough pancakes are usually not thick, but you do not want them too thin either, especially if you are adding fruit.

Test Pancake

Heat a griddle and spray with non-stick spray

When the griddle is hot enough for water to bounce off of, you are ready to do the pancakes. You will need to work quickly. So have a warming drawer or a very low heated oven ready to hold the pancakes as you take them off of the griddle.

Pour about ½ cup of batter onto the griddle in one corner and again in another corner.

Onto each pancake add some blueberries and then fill in the spaces with pomegranate arils. Wait till tiny bubbles appear on the surface of the batter (about 1 minute) and flip carefully. Cook another minute and then lift a corner of a pancake to see how it is browning. It should be golden brown in some spots. If it is, flip it back over and then inspect the pancake to be sure it is done in the middle. Remove to the warming platter.

Serve with maple syrup and butter.

Notes: If you do not want to make sourdough starter you can use your favorite pancake recipe and use buttermilk instead of milk. This will add some of the tart taste that sourdough has, which will play on the sweetness of the fruit and syrup. Of course it will not have the complexity of sourdough. Another thing you can do with this recipe is play with various fruits. That is how I came to add the pomegranate. I think pomegranate/mango or pomegranate papaya would be excellent. I also have made ohelo berry pancakes… there are few limits on the fun to be had here.

Looking for more things to do with the wonderful pomegranate? Here is my recipe for Chiles en Nogada. And from my photo site, another thing you can do with the arils… add to bubbly!

Fresh Figs!

2011-10-04T08:27:00.001-10:00

It is fig season on the mainland! Here in Hawaii, we have fresh figs all year. This simple appetizer for fresh figs wrapped in prosciutto and stuffed with goat cheese in is both delicious and easy to make. You can also try other cheeses, brie works well too.

Remove the stem of fresh figs. Any kind of figs works for this, I used black mission figs this time, but I have done this using other varieties.

Make an X cut ¾ of the way through fresh figs.

Using a small spoon (I use a demitasse spoon) lightly pack the center of the fig with goat cheese. I used Puna Goat Cheese with tomato and basil in these. Add a pistachio or other nut to the cap of the fig.

Wrap in prosciutto, going around the fig at least twice with the prosciutto.

Place on a hot grill (you can also use a grill pan for this) and turn frequently. You only want to crisp the prosciutto, the inside of the fig remains uncooked and slightly warm.

Serve and enjoy the compliments!

Sourdough Battered Zucchini Blossoms

2011-10-02T08:16:00.000-10:00

Zucchini Blossoms (don’t limit yourself to just zucchini, you can also use other squash or pumpkin blossoms) make great little vessels for stuffing and can also be used for sautéing and making wonderful fillings for quesadillas and tacos.

I was wandering around our newest farmers market on Saturday. It is the Hawaiian Homelands Farmer’s Market. Everything there is grown on Hawaiian Homelands land. The products there vary greatly and since it is a new market, there are somewhat limited choices, but I really want to support this market and go every week. Each week I have found something wonderful, last week it was an amazing new variety of avocado, this week it was a woman selling zucchini blossoms! I have lived in Hawaii for three years and never once seen squash blossoms in any of our farmers markets. I was absolutely delighted when she sold me a huge pile of them for just $2! And then she sold me a grocery bag full of limes for $2 too! This is what I call a *SCORE*!

My first inclination when I have squash blossoms is to stuff and fry them. You can use a variety of things to stuff them, from crab to goat cheese. I decided on goat cheese because I have some local goat cheese that I bought at the Hilo Farmer’s Market. I have been making sourdough starter and it is in its seventh day, ready for anything from pancakes to bread. Why not use it for the batter on the squash blossoms?

You can find my sourdough starter recipe here. Once you get to day five, you will be able to do this recipe or make bread. It really is easy to make the starter, it only takes minutes a day. Follow the steps and then to 1 cup of starter add:

· 1 cup of flour

· About 2/3 cup of water, just enough to make a thick pancake like batter

· Lots of freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper to taste (about ½ tsp)

· About a tsp. of garlic salt

· Add some herbs if you would like. The garlic salt I use has parsley in it, but I have added chopped fresh parsley, thyme rosemary or sage to batter

Whisk the batter well. Allow the batter to rest about 20 minutes up to one hour. Stir well just before use. Prep the blossoms by taking finger sized pieces of cold goat cheese (I used a locally made version from Lava Rocks Puna Goat Cheese with spices and herbs in it) fill and lightly squeeze the petals of the blossoms around the filling. Place in refrigerator until ready to fry.

Heat canola oil in a deep pan to 350˚ F and dip a squash blossom into the batter, holding it by the stem making sure the entire blossom is covered. Swiftly move into the batter. Cook two at a time. Flip after about 1 minute. Cook till golden on both sides and drain. These are best served shortly after cooking but if you are having a party, they can be kept in a warming oven for up to 30 minutes. They can also be served with a variety of sauces. I cut the blossoms in half and served them with Thai sweet chili sauce.

Sourdough Starter Day 2,3 & 4

2011-09-28T18:06:00.001-10:00

Here is how we got to this point: Making Sourdough Starter
Day Two: While you may not notice much change at this point. I noticed a huge difference. In 48 hours my starter had already formed bubbles and increased in size by about 20%. Pour the contents of the jar into a mixing bowl and add 1 cup of bread flour plus 1/2 cup of room temperature pineapple juice. Mix until all ingredients are evenly distributed. Wash and dry your glass container and then scrape the mixture into the container. Mark and cover the container just like day one. Allow it to rest at room temperature for 24 hours.

Day Three: Boy did I see changes! My dough overflowed the jar overnight. It was a huge mess and I decided that the natural yeast in our area and the heat/humidity (78-81 degrees and 40% humidity) probably contributed to the action going on in my starter. I decided to work in a larger bowl for a while to elevate the chances of overflow.

You might be seeing some changes by now. The dough may have raised some and there might be bubbles. Regardless of whether you notice any fermentation or not, discard half of the mixture (or better yet, give it to a friend to cultivate), and mix the remaining half with 1 cup of bread flour and 1/2 cup room temperature filtered water (chlorine may kill some of the yeast). Wash and dry the glass container and scrape the mixture into the container. Mark and cover as before. Allow to rest at room temperature for 24 hours.

I divided my starter and made some pizza dough with one half using a teaspoon of yeast too. It had GREAT flavor. I am looking forward to the day when I do not need the yeast at all.

Sourdough Starter Day 1

2011-09-25T12:59:00.001-10:00

Two years ago I went on a baking adventure with 100 other food bloggers from around the world. We all baked breads from The Bread Breaker’s Apprentice by Peter Reinhardt. The impetus and inspiration for this blogging and baking adventure was a blogger from San Diego, Nicole Emmert Hamaker who has the fabulous food blog Pinch My Salt. Nicole is revisiting sourdough and inviting us to join along, and I in turn am asking my blog followers to do the same. Let’s jump on the fermentation wagon together and see what works together.

During the BBA days I did the sourdough starter and kept it going for over a year. And then partly because I live in a warm tropical climate where bread baking is not always conducive, and partly because my business was taking up more of my baking time, I finally threw out the starter.

There are several links on my blog to those baked goods. This is one of my Sourdough Posts from the BBA Days in 2009.

Here is how I made my starter. Today is “Day One”. It will be a few days till I will be baking with it, but I will have some to share in three days.

Sourdough Starter

Day One: In a medium sized bowl, add one cup of whole wheat or whole rye flour (I use organic dark rye) with 3/4 cup (6 oz/small can) canned pineapple juice (at room temperature) until all of the flour is hydrated. Spoon all of the mixture into a quart-size wide mouth glass container, such as a jar or glass measuring cup with plenty of head space, as this will eventually grow. Mark the level of the starter with a piece of tape or rubber band. Cover the container with some kind of breathable fabric; paper towel, cheesecloth, or coffee filter and tie or secure with a rubber band. Allow to rest at room temperature for 24 hours.

Day Two: You may not notice much change at this point. Pour the contents of the jar into a mixing bowl and add 1 cup of bread flour plus 1/2 cup of room temperature pineapple juice. Mix until all ingredients are evenly distributed. Wash and dry your glass container and then scrape the mixture into the container. Mark and cover the container just like day one. Allow it to rest at room temperature for 24 hours.

Day Three: You might see some changes by now. The dough may have raised some and there might be bubbles. Regardless of whether you notice any fermentation or not, discard half of the mixture (or better yet, give it to a friend to cultivate), and mix the remaining half with 1 cup of bread flour and 1/2 cup room temperature filtered water (chlorine may kill some of the yeast). Wash and dry the glass container and scrape the mixture into the container. Mark and cover as before. Allow to rest at room temperature for 24 hours.

Day Four: The mixture should have at least doubled in size at this point. If it seems to be sluggish and hasn’t doubled in size, allow it to sit at room temperature for another 12 to 24 hours. You could stir in a teaspoon of raw sugar if it seems to be sluggish. Otherwise, repeat instructions for Day three.

When we get to day five, we will continue together!

Cherry and Pistachio Biscotti

2011-09-24T06:57:00.001-10:00

I made this biscotti and wanted to share it with you all. The original recipe was in Bon Appetit Magazine. It called for oatmeal and vegetable oil, which I changed to polenta and olive oil. This is really a great biscotti and very easy to make.

Dried Cherry, Pistachio and Polenta Biscotti

Ingredients

· 1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

· 1 cup sugar

· 1/2 cup uncooked polenta (coarse grain is best)

· 1 tsp. baking powder

· 1/2 tsp. baking soda

· 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

· 2 large eggs

· 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

· 1 Tbsp. orange zest

· 2 tsp. lemon zest

· 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

· 1/2 tsp. almond extract

· 1 cup dried cherries

· 1 cup unsalted, shelled pistachios

Method

· Preheat oven to 350°. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine first 6 ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle. Blend on low speed for 30 seconds. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and next 5 ingredients. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; beat on low speed until combined, about 1 1/2 minutes. Fold in cherries and pistachios.

· Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Using floured hands, shape each dough half into a 16"-long log. Brush off excess flour; transfer logs to prepared sheet, spaced 5" apart. Flatten each log into a 2"-wide strip.
Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until browned and set, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack; let cool for 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 250° and arrange 1 rack in top third of oven and 1 rack in bottom third.

· Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer biscotti to a work surface. Using a serrated knife, cut each strip diagonally into 2/3"-thick slices. Arrange slices, cut side down, on baking sheets.

· Bake biscotti, rotating baking sheets halfway through, until crisp, about 40 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to racks; let cool. DO AHEAD Can be made 3 days ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Best Fried Chicken French Laundry Style

2011-09-05T07:35:00.000-10:00

Thomas Keller of the French Laundry fame serves this chicken at Ad Hoc every Tuesday. This is quite simply the best fried chicken ever. I have tweaked it a bit from the original recipe after making it a few times. Less bay leaves, added peppers, fresh turmeric, honey in the buttermilk and some other changes. The brine maintains texture and flavors the chicken. It is delicious hot or cold. The buttermilk and honey impart a tang and sweetness. The coating fries perfectly if you maintain the temperature of the oil.

You need to start this ahead of time, it takes two days to make. The first 24 hours is brining in the refrigerator, but the active time for frying the chicken is no longer than any other recipe of fried chicken.

In my house it is for special occasions, as each piece is about 500-700 calories depending on if you eat the skin (and WHY wouldn't you?).

For the Brine:

1 gallon water
1c kosher salt
1/2cup of honey
1/2 cup raw sugar
2 bay leaves
2 heads of garlic cut in half
¼ cup yellow mustard seeds
1 finger of fresh turmeric grated (2 Tablespoons of ground turmeric if you cannot find fresh)
1 small hand full of whole black peppercorns
2 large stalks of lemon grass bruised
5 large rosemary sprigs
1 bunch thyme
1 bunch parsley
Zest, juice and rind of 3 Meyer lemons
5 habanero chiles cut in half
4-6 # of chicken parts (Split breasts are quite large these days, so if you find yours extra large, use a cleaver and cut each breast in half)

For Frying:
6c flour
3T garlic salt
5T onion powder
2 T paprika
4t cayenne
1T fresh black pepper
2t kosher salt (I use smoked Hawaiian salt)
6c buttermilk
12c peanut oil (or freshly rendered lard)

Method:

Place all of the brine ingredients in a large pot and heat till the sugar and honey melt. Remove from stove and allow to cool. To speed this process up, you can use ¾ gallon of water and then add 4 cups of ice cubes after cooking.

When completely cool add chicken parts. Refrigerate for 12-24 hours.

Mix together the honey and buttermilk.

Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry with paper towels

Add to the honey and buttermilk and allow to soak for at least one hour and up to 12 hours.

Heat the oil/lard in a very large deep pot to 300˚, try to maintain this heat during cooking, do not let the oil get too hot.

Mix together the flour and seasonings in a large pan.

One piece at a time, take each chicken piece out of the buttermilk mixture, coat with flour, shake off excess and then dunk again in the buttermilk and coat again in flour.

Set the chicken pieces on a large baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Allow the chicken to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to one hour.

Start frying, two to three pieces at a time, do not crowd the chicken. It would be even better to do it one piece at a time so the oil maintains the 300˚ temperature, but that is time consuming. Use a candy thermometer to maintain the temperature as close to 300˚ as possible. When the chicken is golden brown (about 12 minutes for legs and thighs, 7 minutes for ½ breasts) use an instant read thermometer to check doneness. It should read 160 ˚. Remove and place on a sheet pan in a warming oven no warmer than 120 degrees.

Serve while warm.

La Dolce Vida @ The Four Seasons

2011-08-28T09:35:00.001-10:00

I was invited to attend a really special event at the Four Seasons Hualalai (recently voted the #1 resort in all of Hawaii by readers of Travel and Leisure) called La Dolce Vida: the Sweet Life. It was a fund raiser for the Kona Hospital sponsored by HI Luxury Magazine and the Four Seasons.

It was a beautiful night on the grass near the Beach Tree. The music was incredible and the weather was perfect. We had a glorious sunset and met up with some great friends who came to the event. It was great to see part of my Four Seasons Ohana there too. But the star of the night was the FOOD!

The event was a showcase of the trip that Chef Nick of Beach Tree and his sidekick Chuck a.k.a. “Carlos”, restaurant manager made last spring while the restaurant was closed for repairs from the Tsunami. They toured wineries and restaurants in California’s Central Coast and then made their way to Italy where they wined and dined and cooked throughout their trip. They brought back more than just memories. The foods and wines that they experienced on their trip were shared with the lucky people at the event. Several stations were set up and we nibbled and sipped our way around them.

Chef Nick is a buddy of mine. I spent a day with him last fall and he even taught my friend Janet and I how to make his mother’s special recipe of gnocchi. You can read more about that, including the recipe here.

At the event I even got to meet some of my Facebook friends who I had not met in person before. They came to the event after I posted about it. One of them is beautiful Joy who is a talented hula dancer.

If you are on the Big Island, you must make a visit to the Four Seasons Hualalai and have lunch or dinner at Beach Tree where you can partake in some of Chef Nick’s Italian Inspired menu items made with mostly local ingredients. His wild boar ragu is to die for. Beach Tree is one of the best places to watch the sunset on the island.

Wordless Wednesday: This Mornings Sunrise on Hilo Bay

2011-08-10T07:37:00.000-10:00

Hilo Orchid Show Photos

2011-08-08T07:48:00.001-10:00

The Hilo Orchid Show was one of the best ever this year. Here are some pictures of my favorite orchids. I was too busy to do a full photo shoot because I had a booth there selling my ceramics.

Wordless Wednesday: Cookin' in the Kiln

2011-08-02T16:51:00.000-10:00

Cuban Black Beans Cuca’s Way

2011-07-18T15:15:00.000-10:00

Cuban Black Beans Cuca’s Way

Basic Beans

1 # Black Beans

2 Quarts Water

1 ham hock

2 poblano chiles, stemmed and seeded, cut into 1” squares

2 habanero peppers cut in half (be sure to dig these and the bay leaves out later)

8 garlic cloves peeled and smashed

1 tablespoon salt ( I use smoked sea salt)

2 bay leaves

Sofrito:

6 slices thick cut bacon sliced into ½ inch pieces
2 red onions peeled and cut into ¼ inch dice
½ Bell Pepper, stemmed and seeded, cut into ¼ inch dice
Optional: Jalapeno or poblano peppers, stemmed and seeded, chopped.
½ cup of green olives sliced
Spice mix: Toast 2 Tablespoons Cumin Seeds, 2 Tablespoons Coriander Seeds and place in a spice mill, grinding till finely blended. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
1 cup dry sherry
¼ cup raw sugar

Prepare the beans:

·
Place the beans in a large soup pot, cover with water and soak overnight.
·         Add the ham hock, pepper, garlic, salt and bay leaves to the pot with the beans. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer covered for 1 hour or until the beans are tender. If any scum forms skim it off. Remove the habaneros & bay leaf.

Finishing the Beans:

·
In a frying pan, heat the olive oil add the bacon till the fat is rendered and the bacon begins to caramelize (4-5 minutes.) Add onion and bell pepper. Stir until slightly softened. Then add the garlic, olives & spice mix. Continue stirring for another minute. Add the sherry and cook another 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.
·
Remove the meat from ham hock & add the meat to the beans. Discard the bone. Add the sofrito to the beans along with the sugar. Stir to combine.
·
Return the beans to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the flavors blend, 10 minutes or so. Turn off the heat and allow to rest and cool slightly.
·         Use an immersion blender or potato masher to mash about ¼ of the beans. Simmer again till the sauce resembles thin gravy.

Serve with cilantro and onions.

Silent Sunday: Best thing I ate this week

2011-07-03T06:36:00.000-10:00

Goat cheese ravioli with corn butter, fresh corn broth, edamame, baby mushrooms, corn & lobster at Manta

Basque Peppers stuffed with Crab

2011-06-20T09:23:00.000-10:00

Basque Peppers Stuffed with Crab

Pimentos del piquillo de Lodosa rellenos de txangurro

A recent dinner party based on the Basque Region of France and Spain and the Sierras of California and Nevada netted some amazing food. This was one of
the dishes I prepared.

The Piquillo Chile is one raised in the region. It is not spicy, though it is really flavorful. It can be used red or green. In this dish I used some fresh green ones that I had grown and some canned red ones from France. If you cannot find them Anaheim Chiles would be a suitable substitute. Pimento peppers are a little more difficult to source fresh, but they could also be used.

To prepare raw chiles remove the core and stem carefully, then grill or broil till charred on all sides. Place in a plastic bag for 5-10 minutes to steam and then carefully remove the skin. This recipe is for about 8 peppers. You can also use canned peppers in a pinch.

Crab Stuffing:

You will need to cook a live crab in a pot of water with 2 fresh leeks, 1 carrot and ½ of an onion. Add cayenne pepper and get water to a boil, and then add the crabs, boiling for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool and pick the crab meat out. This recipe needs about 1 ½ cups of crab meat.

Olive oil & Butter (just enough to sauté)

1 small red onion finely chopped

1 carrot finely chopped

4 Tablespoons Tomato Paste

3 cloves of garlic finely minced

1 jigger of Cognac (not brandy)

1cup sherry

Spices to taste (I used about 1 tablespoon of herbs de Provence and fresh black pepper)

½ cup fish stock

6 Tablespoons of cream

2 tablespoons bread crumbs

Sauté the onions & carrot till the onions are translucent.

Clear a hot spot in the center and add the tomato paste and stir then stir it into the aromatics, do the same with the garlic.

Add the sherry and cognac and deglaze the pan, then add the cream, bread crumbs spices and stock. Add crab and allow the mixture to cool.

Fill the prepared peppers with the stuffing, being careful not to tear the delicate peppers. If you have some left over you can also put it on toast points and broil.

The sauce:

Take one of the prepared peppers and chop finely.

In a sauce pan add the pepper and ¼ cup of cream and ½ ounce of sherry.

Warm, through for about 5 minutes, stirring.

Pour into a blender and puree.

Pour the sauce on the peppers and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Naan and Crispy Okra Raita

2011-06-16T11:03:00.000-10:00

Last night we had a simple supper. I had planned on making curry, rice, two chutneys and a raita to go with homemade naan. However while watching the Stanley Cup we had some popcorn and that filled us up, so I modified the menu. I made the naan because I had already started the dough earlier in the day and the beautiful Okra I purchased at the Farmer’s Market was calling me, so I made a Crispy Okra Raita. That is all we had for supper along with some carrot pickles I made a month or so ago.

Indian Breads have always been a passion of mine, along with the many chutneys and riatas that go so well with them. Naan is my “go to” simple bread. I like to change it up with various flavors, carmelized onions, roasted garlic, poppy seeds etc. Last night I added roasted garlic and smothered them in melted ghee and then sprinkled on some of my smoked salt.

Here is the Naan recipe and the Crispy Okra Raita recipe. Tonight I will be making pumpkin curry and rice along with more naan and the raita and a coriander and mint chutney.

Naan (home style)

©Devany Vickery-Davidson 1999

This is a thick home-style Naan, my favorite kind. There are many other varieties of Naan, much like pizza with different shapes and thicknesses. I would call this recipe “basic Naan”. It is easily baked in a very hot oven, of course, a Tandoor is ideal for making these, but since few Americans have a Tandoor, or even a wood burning oven like I do, I would suggest a few hints for baking. I have even made these on a gas grill before and they came out fantastically. In my Viking Convection Oven, there is a setting beyond basic convection, it is convection bake. In this mode the convection oven is working and the broiling element also kicks in. It is an effective way to bake breads and pizzas, but to prevent too much browning you need to put only one tray in at a time and it should be on the middle rack. So, I am assuming you have a conventional oven and want to make naan. It can be done.

You will need unglazed quarry tiles if you do not have a wood burning oven. Or there is a bread insert you can buy that is made of ceramic material to hold in heat for baking. You can buy this online at a variety of cooking sites.

If you do not want to invest in tiles or an insert, you can try it on a VARY heavy baking pan, or better yet, use your grill or a heavy duty griddle.

I use an old sourdough starter for all of the breads I bake. I will give this recipe for making Naan with yeast instead. I bought my original sourdough starter at Bobolink Dairy in New Jersey.

2 teaspoons dry yeast (organic if you can find it)

½ cup of warm water (no hotter than 115˚)

1 cup of organic yogurt (I make my own, but if you want to buy it, look for a Greek style or Middle Eastern brand).

1 cup of boiling water

5 cups of whole wheat or unbleached organic flour (depending on how rustic you want the loaves to be)

2 tablespoons of ghee or olive oil

1 tablespoon of sea salt

6-8 tablespoons of sesame or poppy seeds or crushed garlic, depending on the flavor you want.

In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over the warm water and stir to mix.

Put the yogurt in a bowl and gradually stir in the boiling water & let cool for about 15 minutes, if using a thermometer it should be about 110 ˚. Thius far, your mixture is called a sponge.

At this point, mix the yougurt mixture and the yeast mixture together. Stir (or I use a Kitchen Aid Mixer) approximately 3 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time. Continue adding more flour & kneading as needed to make a smooth and elastic, but slightly wet “sponge”.

Cover and let stand for one hour or more.

Sprinkle the oil and salt on to the sponge. Mix in the remaining flour, about ½ of a cup at a time to make a smooth dough. Continue kneading till the dough is smooth and elastic (either by hand or Kitchen Aid). If the dough is too sticky, add more flour slowly.

Oil a large bowl. Put the dough in it and turn to coat the dough with oil. Cover and let rise for about 1 hour.

Punch down the dough and divide it into 4-6 pieces, depending on how large you want the naan. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to 6 inch or so discs. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven and tiles to 450˚ if you are using them. If you are using a baking pan, pre-heat it too. If you are using a wood burning oven, bring it to 500˚. This can also be cooked directly on a grill, but it will not be as moist inside and does not keep well when done in that manner.

I use a Pizza Peel, but if you do not have one, a large sturdy spatula will do. Lightly flour it and roll out the dough on to it, making about 6 X 8 rectangles or teardrop shapes. Use a razor blade to cut a few slashes in the top of each loaf.

Slide the dough on to the grill or baking sheets and bake each for about 5 minutes. When you take them out of the oven you can add sesame, poppy or other seeds or crushed garlic with butter.

Crispy Okra Raita inspired by Ruta Kahate in her book 5 spices, 50 dishes

Ruta Says: “Oddly enough, children in India love okra.” But it’s hardly surprising; whether sautéed, fried or stuffed, the vegetable is prepared in a way that makes its texture pleasing rather than gooey. In this recipe, for instance, the okra becomes crunchy and addictive on its own; stirred into spiced yogurt, it is even better. This can be eaten on its own, or served with thalipeeth or naan.

Ingredients:

8 ounces fresh or frozen, cut okra

1 small red onion, chopped

6 tablespoons canola oil, divided

1 cup plain whole or low fat yogurt

¾ to 1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon sugar or jaggery grated

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

Method:

Wash the okra and towel dry each one thoroughly. Slice into ¼ inch-thick rounds. If using frozen okra, do not thaw.

Heat 5 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is very hot, add the okra & onion, toss and let sizzle. Toss occasionally. The okra will slowly crisp and turn brown. Note: frozen okra may not crisp as well, this is OK, just be sure to brown it well. Once all of the okra is well browned, remove to a paper towel lined platter and set aside till ready to serve.

Make the tad Crispy Okra Raita

My friend Ruta Says: “Odly enough, children in India love okra.” But it’s hardly surprising; whether sautéed, fried or stuffed, the vegetable is prepared in a way that makes it’s texture pleasing rather than gooey. In this recipe, for instance, the okra becomes crunchy and addictive on it’s own; stirred into spiced yogurt, it is even better. This can be eaten on it’s own, or served with thalipeeth.”

Ingredients:

8 ounces fresh or frozen, cut okra

6 tablespoons canola oil, divided

1 cup plain whole or low fat yogurt

¾ to 1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon sugar or jaggery grated

1 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 teaspoons mustard seeds (I use a mixture of brown and yellow)

Method:

Wash the okra and towel dry each one thoroughly. Slice into ¼ inch-thick rounds. If using frozen okra, do not thaw.

Heat 5 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is very hot, add the okra, toss and let sizzle. Toss occasionally. The okra will slowly crisp and turn brown. Note: frozen okra may not crisp as well, this is OK, just be sure to brown it well. Once all of the okra is well browned, remove to a paper towel lined platter and set aside till ready to serve.

Make the tadka: Whisk the yogurt with the salt (to taste) and sugar place the cayenne and tumeric in a small pile on the raita, but do not stir in. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a butter warmer or small skillet over high heat. When the oil begins to smoke, add the mustard seeds, covering th pan with a lid or spatter screen. After the mustard seeds stop sputtering, pour the hot oil directly on top of the cayenne and turmeric powder. This cooks the powdered spices without burning them. Do not stir the dressing in yet.

For presentation prior to serving, place the crisp okra on top of the dressing. Stir the okra and dressing into the yogurt while serving.

Serves 2-4

ka: Whisk the yogurt with the salt (to taste) and sugar place the cayenne and turmeric in a small pile on the raita, but do not stir in. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a butter warmer or small skillet over high heat. When the oil begins to smoke, add the mustard seeds, covering the pan with a lid or spatter screen. After the mustard seeds stop sputtering, pour the hot oil directly on top of the cayenne and turmeric powder. This cooks the powdered spices without burning them. Do not stir the dressing in yet.

For presentation prior to serving, place the crisp okra on top of the dressing. Stir the okra and dressing into the yogurt while serving.

Serves 2-4

Orange/Mac Nut Cinnamon Rolls with Buttered Rum Icing

2011-06-12T17:55:00.000-10:00

Orange/Mac Nut Cinnamon Rolls with Buttered Rum Icing

This is the recipe my Great Grandma Wolf made and served me when I would spend the night at her house in Glendora, California. I have taken liberties by adding the mac nuts and the rum. When I was a little girl my Great Grandma Wolf would give me buttered rum Lifesavers to keep me quiet in church, so the flavor is homage to her. These freeze well and can be re-heated. You can also make and proof the dough the night before and then refrigerate the dough. If you do this, it will take about 2 hours for the rolls to rise in their second fermentation.

My friend Janet Montrose enjoying brunch on the lanai

Prep Time: 2-3 hours (depending on rising time)

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

· 1-1/2 packages (about 3-1/4 teaspoons) dry yeast

· 1/4 cup warm water

· 1/2 cup shortening, lard or butter (I usually use home rendered lard)

· 1/3 cup raw sugar

· 1-1/2 teaspoon salt

· 1 cup milk scalded

· 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon or orange zest

· 1 egg

· 4 to 5 cups sifted flour

· 1/3 cup chopped macadamia nuts

· Softened butter (about 1/3 a cup, maybe a little more)

· brown sugar (or I used a combination of male sugar and vanilla sugar)

· cinnamon

Frosting

· 1 cups powdered sugar

· ½ cup mascarpone cheese

· 1 teaspoon vanilla ( I make my own)

· 5 Tablespoons good quality rum

Method:

Add the warm water to the yeast and soak 10 minutes.

Scald milk; pour over the shortening. Add sugar, zest and salt and cool to tepid. Add the dissolved yeast and beaten egg. Add 4 cups flour adding one at a time beating after each addition.

Dough should be soft yet firm enough to handle. Knead on floured board until elastic and smooth. Avoid too much flour. Turn dough into well oiled bowl. Let rise for 1-1/2 hours.

Softly press dough down and shape into a rectangle. Roll dough out into a rectangle about 18 inches wide and 8 inches tall. Cover with the soft butter. Layer with a generous layer of sugar (brown or a combo of vanilla sugar and maple sugar.) Sprinkle on cinnamon and evenly distribute the nuts. Roll up jellyroll fashion.

Using a piece of thread or dental floss cut off slices about 1-1/2 inches thick. Place slices in a full side sheet pan lined with a silpat pad (or you can spray the pan with PAM.) Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until rolls fill the pan generously. This should take about an hour.

Bake in a 350 degree F oven about 20 - 30 minutes. Do not over bake rolls. Make sure the center rolls are cooked all the way through by testing with an instant read thermometer. It should read about 200 degrees. Allow to cool at least 15 minutes.

For the Frosting:
Using a mixer with whisk attachment whip the mascarpone, then add the powdered sugar and rum. Whip till fluffy. Spread over warm rolls as soon as they are placed on a plate to let the frosting melt and run into the rolls.

First Direct Flights!

2011-06-10T09:30:00.000-10:00

A big ALOHA was bestowed upon all 160 passengers aboard United Airlines inaugural flight from LAX to Hilo. The 737 landed and was given a water filled welcome by two Hawaiian Fire Trucks who created a welcoming wall of water with their water cannons as the plane taxied to the gate.

This was a very special event for those of us who live in Hilo. The daily flights to Los Angeles and weekly flights to San Francisco not only make it easier for us and our friends/family to get to and from the mainland, but these flights bring visitors directly to our side of the big island of Hawaii. The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority estimates the new flights could bring 40,000 additional visitors to Hawai‘i Island and may generate about $50.6 million in visitor spending annually.

After landing, Hawaii Mayor Billy Kenoi boarded the plane and welcomed the passengers, then grabbed an armful of leis and started presenting leis to the passengers as they deplaned.

Captain Lance Lau piloted the first flight. He was born and raised in Hilo, so it was a homecoming of sorts to him. He is a flight instructor for United/Continental Airlines in Houston. Captain Lau was honored to take the captain’s seat for the inaugural flight to his home town and arrived looking like a movie star.

This family from Hilo booked tickets immediately when they went on sale for the grandmother and son living in Los Angeles.

Down in the arrival lounge, Mayor Kenoi, Miss Aloha Hawaii, Tatiana Boteilho, and Big Island Visitors Bureau Executive Director, George Applegate were among the dignitaries welcoming passengers. Members of the community were in the reception area along with musicians and hula dancers. Shiny red gift bags were awarded to each passenger arriving in our lovely city. Hilo Coffee Mill gave the passengers a taste of Hilo’s best coffee while they were at the luggage carousel.

Hilo was once the second most busy airport in Hawaii. The introduction of overseas service to General Lyman Field (now Hilo International Airport) in 1967 initially met with success. Joining United Airlines and Pan American Airways in providing nonstop service to Hilo from the west coast of the U.S. were Braniff, Continental, Northwest Orient, and Western Airlines. The number of overseas passengers flying through Hilo peaked at 313,428 in 1971 and remained between 250,000 and 300,000 for most of the decade. Beginning in 1979, however, overseas passenger traffic began to fall steadily, leading one carrier after another to suspend service to Hilo. By the mid-1980s (when the sugar industry left East Hawaii) overseas traffic had fallen by such an extent that United Airlines, the sole remaining overseas carrier, terminated scheduled service on December 1, 1986. The number of overseas passengers travelling to Hilo had declined in each of the previous eight years. During the first eleven months of 1986, United Airlines had served a mere 20,914 passengers in Hilo. Hilo would be left without a direct connection to North America for nearly two decades.

In 2006 ATA began direct flights to Hilo from Oakland and the flights were well filed accepted. ATA even had to use larger aircraft because demand for the flights was so high. However, in just 2 years ATA filed for bankruptcy and once again Hilo was left with no direct flights from the mainland.

When Continental merged with United there was at last an announcement of new service to Hilo. The flights were highly anticipated and there was a huge turnout at the airport to welcome the first flight.

ALOHA to all of those landing in our lush green beautiful town which is blessed with old Hawaii traditions, beautiful waterfalls, amazing flora and fauna, an active volcano and an abundance of culture and art.

If you are interested in visiting Hilo, drop me an email and I will forward you a packet of information about our area. There are some great deals on United from LA and San Francisco in September and October!

Happy Birthday to the Shops at Mauna Lani!

2011-06-07T11:50:00.001-10:00

The Shops at Mauna Lani will be celebrating its fifth anniversary at the Mauna Lani Resort on Hawaii Island Sunday, June 12 with festivities from 1 to 4 p.m.

Live entertainment includes the Te `E`a o Te Turama Polynesian dance halau (group) and popular musicians “Tava & Friends”, and the “Pomai Brown Ohana”. It’s an event the entire family will enjoy with numerous Hawaiian cultural activities also planned, including: coconut weaving/husking, lei making, hula lessons and ipu (gourd) making.

The pastry chefs at Tommy Bahamas are preparing their signature Pina Colada Cake for all guests to enjoy at the end of the day.

The Shops at Mauna Lani opened in June 2006 and quickly gained high marks as a premium luxury shopping destination on Hawaii Island’s Kohala Coast. The Shops at Mauna Lani also are a large part of the Big Island Film Festival as event hosts and sponsors

In addition to the many lovely shops and a grocery store, the center is home to three outstanding restaurants—

Monstera Noodles & Sushi, is a hip, casual "izakaya-style" restaurant offering Japanese pub food and sushi from owners Norio Yamamoto and Wes Monty. Yamamoto is a successful sushi chef with more than two decades of experience with discriminating employers such as Ritz-Carlton, Mandarin Oriental and The Fairmont Orchid (where he had a restaurant named after him.) The restaurant caters to the residential market with a menu built upon fresh local ingredients.

Monstera’s Hours
Lunch 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Dinner 5:15 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Phone: 808.887.2711
Website: www.monsterasushi.com
Location: Upper Level #111

At Ruth’s Chris Steak House, you’ll always find exceptional steaks, selected from the top 2% of the country’s beef and served sizzling hot -- with heaping sides of warm ambience and comfortable elegance.

Sizzling Prime Time Menu
Experience their exclusive "Prime Time" menu. The complete meal starting at $39.95 (plus tax and gratuity) includes a choice of Steak House Salad, Caesar Salad or Louisiana Seafood Gumbo, followed by a choice of Ruth's Chris signature eight-ounce Petite Filet, Stuffed Chicken Breast or the Chef’s Fresh Island Fish selection.

Diners may upgrade their meal to the $46.95 entrée options and select from the 11-ounce Filet, Veal Chop with Hot and Sweet Peppers or 16-ounce Ribeye Steak. All Prime Time meals provide a selection of one personal side dish from the following: mashed potatoes, steamed white rice, creamed spinach or sautéed mushrooms. And, of course, the three-course meals include dessert with a selection that includes ice cream, sorbet or the signature bread pudding with whiskey sauce.

This menu is available nightly from 5 - 6 p.m. (Holidays from 4 - 6 p.m.). Reservations are highly suggested. (The menu is available in Hawaii only and not valid with any other discount, promotion or offer.)

Happy Hour
Nightly 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Enjoy an amazing assortment of appetizers and drink specials in a beautiful lounge or outside on the lanai. Menu offerings include a variety of appetizers starting at $6.00++.

Phone: 808.887.0800
Website: www.ruthschris.com
Location: Upper Level #121

Tommy Bahama’s Restaurant & Bar is a unique celebration of the islands offering a relaxed escape from the hustle and bustle with truly inspired cuisine. From signature dishes such as Tommy’s World Famous Coconut Shrimp, San Juan Shrimp and Scallops, and mouth watering Pina Colada Cake, to an array of Tommy Bahama Rum cocktails, this is the place to take a break with good food, drinks and shopping. So whether you come in with friends for ‘Island Time’ (Tommy Bahama’s take on happy hour), take a mini-vacation for lunch or dinner, or book your next event in one of our large dining rooms, let Tommy Bahama’s turn the island experience from wishful thinking to a reality.

Open daily 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas day.
Island Time Happy Hour available Everyday 4pm-6pm

Phone: 808.881.8686
Website: www.tommybahama.com
Location: Upper Level #101

For more information see their website: http://www.shopsatmaunalani.com

Hilo Bay Cafe

2011-06-02T15:09:00.000-10:00

This post is going to be mostly eye candy. I just finished up a photo shoot for SHAPE Magazine at Hilo Bay Café. Here are a few of the dishes that were the stars of the day…

The new Spring/Summer Menu is out and of course there are the daily specials. Come on by and have a taste and let me know what your favorites are.

Its a Wrap: 2011 Big Island Film Festival

2011-05-26T06:34:00.003-10:00

The Crowd awaits films at the Fairmont Orchid

I was lucky enough to get a dream photo assignment as the photographer for the Big Island Film Festival held at the Shops of Mauna Lani and the Fairmont Orchid from May 11^th through 16^th. The films were fabulous, the actors, directors and producers were available and fun to work with. The accommodations were awesome of course. There were several receptions and events included in the film festival and I was lucky enough to get to attend all of them. This of course resulted in massive amounts of photos which I am still editing. The important ones are in this post and my recent post after the Mayor’s Reception and opening ceremonies.

The Film Makers at the Big Island Film Festival Mayor Billy Kenoi is up in the bushes

Hilo Girl, Kristina Anapau

Sunset at the Fairmont Orchid

Twelve films received Golden Honu Awards at the 6^th Annual Big Island Film Festival at the Awards Brunch on Sunday. Best Feature went to “Queen of the Lot,” starring Tanna Frederick and Noah Wyle, written and directed by Henry Jaglom, produced by Rosemary Marks.

The winners of Best Short, Audience Choice Short and Audience Choice Feature with Leo Sears

Sarah Wayne Callies and Leo Sears

Kristina Anapau and Leo Sears

Celebrity actresses Sarah Wayne Callies, raised on Oahu (“The Walking Dead”) and Hilo’s own Kristina Anapau (“Black Swan”) were present to receive special “No Ka Oi” awards from Big Island Film Festival Executive Director Leo Sears.

In this clip, Sarah Wayne Callies talks about how she was cast for The Walking Dead and what it is like filming it:

And in this clip, Kristina Anapau talks about her early years in the music industry and how she made the choice to strictly be an actress. She went from wanting to be the next Madonna to a part on General Hospital which catapulted her career into film roles:

Winners were selected from 63 entries from across the country and around the world, including 10 made in Hawai’i. The made-on-Maui film, “Get A Job,” starring Willie K, Eric Gilliom, Augie T, Henry Kapono and many other top Hawaiian entertainers, won 2011 Audience Choice Feature.

“Get A Job” was screened twice, the second time being at the Best of the Fest event at The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai’i Plantation Estate, along with Henry Kapono in concert and Audience Choice short “The Historian Paradox.”

Henry Kapono

Eric Gilliom hugging Henry's Guitar

Henry Kapono and Eric Gilliom performed at the Best of the Fest event. Here is Henry Kapono in concert singing Hi'ilawe :

Here is the full list of the award winning films. Look for them at theaters near you. “Get A Job” will be coming to the Honokaa People’s Theater soon, and will play at Hilo’s Palace theater this summer. Stay tuned for exact dates on my facebook page. “The Historian Paradox” may be made into a feature length film. You can find descriptions of each film as well as the names of the film makers at the BIFF Website.

2011 Big Island Film Festival Golden Honu Awards:

Actress “No Ka Oi”

Sarah Wayne Callies

Actress “No Ka Oi”

Kristina Anapau

The Barbara Award

“Regular Kids”

Best Family Short

“The Green Tie Affair”

Best Animated Short

“Bait”

Best Hawaiian Short

“Layover, On the Shore”

Best Foreign Short

“Futility”

Best Student Short

“Thief”

Best Short

“Wounded”

Best Family Feature

“Trainmaster II: Jeremiah’s Treasure”

“Best Student Feature”

“Farmer’s Tan”

Best Hawaiian Feature

“Get A Job”

Best Foreign Feature

“The Drummond Will”

Best Feature

“Queen of the Lot”

Audience Choice Short

“The Historian Paradox”

Audience Choice Feature

“Get A Job”

Get a Job won Best Hawaiian Feature and Audience Choice Feature

Historian Paradox won Audience Choice Short

Film Lovers come in all sizes!

Big Island Film Festival Opens!

2011-05-13T09:09:00.000-10:00

Last night Hawaii Island Mayor Billy Kenoi and his staff put on a spectacular reception along with partners Kenwood Winery and the Fairmont Orchid Hotel. Film makers from across the country joined in the celebration of the opening of the Big Island Film Festival.

May 11^th-15^th the Big Island will feature an array of short and independent films for the viewing pleasure of the people of Hawaii and her guests visiting from other islands and the mainland. Luminaires of various distinctions will present and share their films in the casual and aloha friendly environment of the Shops of Mauna Lani and the Fairmont Orchid Hawai’i.

Sixtythree films are being presented, something for everyone. Ten of the films featured in the lineup were made in Hawaii, four of them from the Big Island. Do check out the full offerings and schedule here. Join us for a day or a weekend of interesting and entertaining films. The films shown at the Shops of Mauna Lani every evening are all free (thanks to the generous support of the Shop of Mauna Lani) and family friendly!

This is the sixth year of the festival, which grows every year. Film makers are engaged in various workshops and round tables while at the festival and John Mason, Film Commissioner for Hawaii will do a talk story/interview with Hawaii Five-O insiders Angie LaPrete, renowned film and TV producer and Chico Powell, Film and TV Production Accountant on Thursday, May 12 at the Shops at Mauna Lani at 6 pm. This event is open to the public and is free.

The highlight of the Mayor’s reception was when Kahu Danny Akaka, Cultural Historian, at Mauna Lani and Christof Leudi, General Manager, of the Fairmont Orchid Hawaii blew two Pu (Hawaiian Conch Shells) in perfect synchronization in each direction then performed a chant and blessing together to open the festival. Christof Leudi has immersed himself in Hawaiian Culture, coming far from his homeland in Switzerland. It was very special for me to be part of this ceremony.

Meanwhile, please do join us in Kohala this week as we celebrate films of outstanding quality and great interest. More pictures and video clips to come over the next 5 days.

Hakone Buffet at the Hapuna Prince Resort

2011-04-29T05:50:00.000-10:00

Stone Crab Claws

The Hakone Buffet at the Hapuna Prince Resort on the Big Island’s Kohala Coast is a delightful dining experience. I visited the newly re-opened space with two friends recently and was dually impressed with the restaurant’s interior and the food. Service was impeccable even though a buffet is not usually something that requires much service. Our server was extremely helpful and had been working at the hotel for 12 years. At the buffet, platters were rarely empty; they were swiftly replaced so that all of the guests had access to the myriad of foods available. The steamed washcloths were presented to us were a lovely touch.

There was a slight challenge in finding the restaurant for those of us who had never been there before. It is only open for the Buffet on Saturday nights, which I hope they change soon. I would love to come there for more meals. I frequently stay at the Hapuna Prince and I would enjoy being be able to dine here several times during my stays. We did locate it and once inside were impressed with the interior. Rich woods and sumptuous banquettes line the room with tables & soji screened dividers placed at the proper distance for enjoying one’s meal. We never once encountered someone else’s dinner conversation even though the place was nearly packed with diners. The feeling you get there is a hushed one; you almost

want to speak in a small voice while dining there in a sense of reverence of the space.

Fresh Somen Noodles

The theme of the buffet is Japanese and Hawaiian food. The Chef and his staff go all out with their creativity using local seafood, produce and ingredients whenever possible. While agreeably a little import here and there is appreciated, as with the huge blocks of under lit ice featuring mounds of steamed shrimp and stone crab claws.

Shrimp and Stone Crab Claws

I have learned with buffets, it is far better to use a small plate and only put a few things on it at a time. You may have to make a few more trips back, but the food is far more enjoyable when eaten in courses and when things are not piled on a plate and commingled. Hakone offers typical large Japanese lacquer trays as well as large and small plates to procure food from the many stations.

Salads and Pickles

I started with the On Ice & Chilled Station featuring the Peel -n- Eat Shrimp, Stone Crab Claws served with Cocktail Sauce, Clarified Butter and Lemon. Also featured here was a really fantastic version of Cucumber Namasu. I went back three times for that, the flavors were perfectly balanced. There was some traditional and very good island style Ahi Poke from fresh local fish. The Ogo (Tomato/Onion Salad) was bright and crisp. There was the local style Potato-Mac Salad and Braised Potato with Goma (sesame sauce.) Somen Noodles were served with a dipping sauce along with a Green Salad with Sweet Onion Dressing, lovely soft Chilled Local Tofu with Daikon and Ginger , spicy Cabbage Kim Chee, some incredible Spicy Bean Sprouts that I went back for more of, a lovely selection of Assorted Japanese Pickles which are among one of my favorite food finds in Hawaii. There was also a dish of Spiced Local watercress and Hawaiian Style Tako Poke.

Local Fresh Silken Tofu

Sushi Maki

Pacing oneself at a buffet is important. It is too easy to take large portions and end up full midway. I was a trouper when it came to pacing myself. just little tastes of this and that. There is a nice spread of sushi which has been scaled down in size to small mini rolls & sashimi which were quite tasty. The sashimi was also exquisitely fresh and clean tasting.

Clams in Sake Black Bean Butter

And then you come to the hot foods… Tempura and Things. Perfectly cooked Shrimp & Vegetable Tempura with Dipping Sauce made me smile. My favorite tempura vegetables are sweet potatoes and green beans and being able to select my own was a treat. Usually when you order Tempura, the chef decides what veggies you get. Here I could just have my favorites. There was Tri-Tip Teriyaki Steak, Green Onion Tonkatsu, a beautiful Chefs Day Boat Fish Composition, Local Style Grilled Shoyu Chicken, some awesome Steamed Clams with Sake-Black Bean Butter, Chicken Katsu, Assorted Dim Sum Baskets with Hot Mustard Sauce, one of my favorite things: Traditional Miso Soup w/ Garnish and of course a huge pot of steamed rice.

Local Fish in Cashew Butter Sauce with Local Tomatoes and Red Scallions

Katsu Chicken

Dim Sum

For dessert (as if there was room) there was a huge table laden with Chef Ross’ Mochi Selection, beautiful Sliced Tropical Fruits and Assorted Mini Pastries. At the table tea was served with these and we shared little bites because we were so full.

The Buffet is available only on Saturday evenings from 6pm to 9 pm. Cost is $54.00 for adults and Children are $27.00, excluding tax & tip.

Menu items and prices are subject to change without notice. Reservations are suggested (the place was completely sold out the night we went.) Call (808) 880-1111 for reservations.

Lucanian Ancient Roman Sausages

2011-04-21T04:54:00.000-10:00

Our cooking club had an Ancient Roman Dinner, complete with Togas. My addition to the dinner was Lucanian Sausages. I used a Kitchen Aid Mixer with the meat grinder and sausage attachment. If you do not have the luxury of these appliances the meat can be ground in a food processor or finely minced by hand and the sausages can be hand stuffed using a pastry bag, though this method is not ideal. Natural casings were obtained at Hilo’s Sack n Save. We are fortunate to have a store that provides these casings, otherwise I would have had to order them online. My guess is that the large Portuguese population here uses a lot of casings for making sausage. Juniper berries can be found in the bulk spice section of most health food stores. They can also be sourced online.

Lucanian Sausage Recipe

This sausage was brought back to Rome by soldiers who had served in Lucania, located in the heel of southern Italy, probably around 200 B.C.

4 pounds pork shoulder cut in 1” cubes
½ cup of pine nuts
¼ cup black peppercorns
¼ cup pink pepper corns
3 tablespoons cumin seeds
3 tablespoons fennel seeds
30 bayberries or juniper berries (if available)
2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked salt
1 teaspoon chopped fresh or dried rue
2 teaspoons dried savory
1 tablespoon oregano
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup fish sauce
¼ cup honey
sausage casings

Grind meat using the large die on the grinder
Toast pine nuts and set aside, be careful not to burn
If you are using natural casings, they are preserved in salt and should be rinsed several times in water, including the inside. Do this by attaching the sausage filling ring to a length of sausage, then fill with water, then squeeze all of the water out. Then soak the casings in water for at least 20 minutes, finally rinse and place in a clean bowl.
Toast the seeds, pepper corns and juniper berries, allow to cool
Using a mortar and pestle, grind the seeds etc. to a rough consistency
In a large bowl add the ground meat, the seeds, herbs, parsley, fish sauce, honey, salt and pepper.
Using a 2-3 foot or so length of casing, push the casing over the sausage filling funnel on the sausage stuffer. Tie the end of the casing and secure with kitchen string. Have a large needle handy in case of air bubbles. If you get an air bubble, poke it. Run the machine on the #6 setting to fill the sausage. If you do not have a sausage stuffer, put a 1/2 inch plain tube in a piping bag and 1/2 fill with the mixture; do not put too much in at one time or it will be difficult to squeeze. Take the open end of the skin, pull it over the tube and push down repeatedly until the majority of the skin sits like a collar half way down the tube. Grip this with your finger and thumb and slowly release the skin as you squeeze the bag. Stop squeezing well before the skin runs out, leaving 2-3 inches of skin to allow for shrinkage. It will take some practice before you get this procedure right.
I like to work with 2 foot sections of casing, filling it completely, but not too tightly, then twist each length of sausage into the size of sausage you want. In this case I was serving many people so I made smaller sausages. I also tied each twist off with kitchen twine because I was smoking the sausages and they have to hang for that.
If you are able to smoke the sausages, tie them to the top rack and suspend in cool smoke for 5 hours. You can add a smoke box to a grill if you do not have a smoker. After smoking, grill the sausages briefly till the outsides are caramelized.

Red Chile Enchiladas

2011-03-26T08:17:00.000-10:00

I love any kind of Mexican Food. I spent a good deal of my life in Mexico. These Enchiladas are also typical of what you might find in New Mexico where they grow and dry some of the world’s best mild chilies. The secret is in the sauce, simply made but dense and complex at the same time. Give it a try! I usually double this recipe and make enough to freeze. It just makes so much sense when making a mess and when a dish freezes as well as this one does.

Ingredients:

20 dried New Mexico or California Chiles (look for supple ones that are dark red in color)

4 tablespoons canola oil and more for softening the tortillas

15 cloves of garlic cut into chunks

¼ cup of fresh lime juice (about 2-3 juicy limes)

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

2 tablespoons sugar or agave

Sea Salt to taste

Crushed red pepper to taste (just a pinch)

1 dozen fresh corn tortillas

1 cup grated cheddar

2 cups grated queso fresco or jack cheese

1 cup of goat cheese crumbled

1 large red onion finely chopped

1 can of chopped green chilies (fresh is better if you can find them)

1 can of sliced black olives rough chopped

½ cup chopped cilantro

¼ cup finely crumbled cojita cheese (parmesan can be substituted in a pinch)

4 green onions sliced, tops included

Mexican Crema (if you have a Hispanic Market you can find it there, if not thin some sour cream with cream or use Crème Fraiche

Method:

Pre-Heat Oven to 450˚

Take Chiles and cut off the stem end, empty of seeds and veins.

Using a hot flat skillet, toast the chilies for a few minutes on each side, then cover with boiling water or broth if you have it. Allow the chilies to reconstitute for about 15-30 minutes.

Heat the oil in a 12 inch skillet add garlic and seeds. Toast for about 2-3 minutes.

In a blender place the chilies and broth along with the garlic and seeds. Puree till no chunks are visible. Add lime, sugar, salt and red pepper. Puree again. Strain through a sieve using the back of a spoon to push through the pulp. Place in the skillet and warm up. Reserve.

Take the cheddar and jack cheeses and mix together. Reserve about a ¼ cup. To the larger bowl of cheese, add the goat cheese, onion, olives and cilantro. Mix together. This will be the filling for your enchiladas.

In a small skillet add some oil and briefly warm the tortillas. You only want the tortillas to soften, not get crispy. Drain on paper towels.

In a baking dish (unless I am serving more than two people I do this in small dishes and freeze one or two.) add a ladle of sauce. Dip the tortilla in the sauce and then add a generous hand full of filling, squeezing to compact. Roll into a tube shape and place in the pan seam side down. When the pan is full, top with additional sauce and a bit of the reserved cheese mixture. When all pans are full, place in the oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

To serve place 2-3 enchiladas on a plate, sprinkle with the cojita cheese, crema and chopped green onions. This goes well with a nice crisp salad.

Wasabi Grilled Mahi Mahi with Grilled Brussels Sprouts

2011-03-24T01:00:00.001-10:00

This simple dinner can be done on the grill in a matter of minutes. The sprouts take about the same amount of time as the fish. You can also use Ahi Tuna for this method. We are fortunate to have an abundance of fresh local Mahi Mahi and Ahi in Hawaii. If you live in a land locked location, you may use frozen defrosted mahi mahi fillets.

Preheat your grill and then turn the flame down to medium

The Fish

2 filets of Mahi Mahi

Sweet Soy Sauce (Available in Asian Markets, also known as Kecap or Indonesian Soy Sauce.)

Wasabi Paste in a Tube

Dark Sesame Seeds

Place the fish on a plate, coat with the sweet soy sauce on both sides. Place on a medium grill for 3 minutes, flip and then spread about a tablespoon of wasabi on the filets. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and finish cooking, about another 3 minutes.

The Brussels Sprouts

This is my favorite way to make Brussels sprouts. It is simple and fast and retains fresh flavor and nutrients.

12-15 Brussels sprouts stem end cut off and then cut in half

Olive Oil

Smoked Salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

Crushed Red Pepper

Place the sprouts in a bowl, toss with a generous amount of olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste. Keep in mind that when grilling a good bit of the seasoning sticks to the grill, so be generous in seasoning.

I usually serve this with coconut rice. It would also be great with mashed potatoes. I also sometimes serve this with grilled pineapple, as shown.

Blood Orange Polenta Upside Down Cake

2011-03-19T12:52:00.000-10:00

Blood Orange Upside Down Polenta Cake

This cake was inspired by one featured in the March 2010 issue of Bon Appétit

You actually bake the cake in the frying pan. This recipe is also made Gluten Free by exchanging the all purpose flour for a 50/50 mix of soy and rice flour.

Ingredients

Cake:
7 tablespoons sugar, divided, plus 3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
3 unpeeled small to medium blood oranges
3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
½ Cup polenta
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs, separated
6 tablespoons half and half

Special equipment: Ovenproof 10-inch-diameter skillet with 2 1/2-inch-high sides

Method

For the cake:

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Combine 6 tablespoons sugar and 3 tablespoons water in 10-inch-diameter ovenproof skillet with 8-inch-diameter bottom and 2 1/2-inch-high sides.Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup is golden amber (not dark amber), about 4 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and whisk 2 tablespoons butter into caramel. Set aside.

Using a sharp knife, cut oranges into 1/16- to 1/8-inch-thick rounds. Remove and discard any seeds. Arrange orange slices, overlapping slightly, in concentric circles atop caramel in bottom of skillet.

Whisk flour, polenta, baking powder, and coarse kosher salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat 3/4 cup sugar, remaining 6 tablespoons room-temperature butter, and vanilla in another medium bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with milk in 2 additions, beating batter just until incorporated.

Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/3 of egg whites into batter to lighten, then fold in remaining egg whites in 2 additions. Drop batter by large spoonfuls atop orange slices in skillet, then spread evenly.

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in skillet 10 minutes. Run small knife around cake to loosen. Place platter atop skillet. Using oven mitts, hold platter and skillet firmly together and invert, allowing cake to settle onto platter. Cool cake completely at room temperature before slicing.

Four Seasons Hualalai Renovations

2011-03-16T08:14:00.001-10:00

Nobody loves the Four Seasons Hualalai more than I do. And I wanted to share this information with you all. There have been some pretty crazy rumors going on about the property’s damages from the storm. Basically, the damage was to the landscaping and pool areas. No major structural damages were sustained. There is still work to be done to bring the property back to the pristine and polished place that it is known to be. And because the Four Seasons Hualalai is committed to absolute tranquility and the best possible experience for their guests, they have decided to stay closed for the next several weeks to make all repairs without any kind of disruption to their guests. This is obviously something that will cost the resort a huge revenue loss. Their guest standards are more important to them than the bottom line. In the end, this commitment to guest experience is what makes them what they are, a notch above all other Hawaii resorts and a favorite destination for people around the world who want to come to Hawaii.

I am looking forward to the re-opening with great anticipation! There is no doubt that I will be among the first people to be sipping a cocktail and watching the sunset at Beach Tree once it is re-opened. I will be posting updates and photos on my Facebook Page soon. Meanwhile, here are a few pictures I have taken at the resort:

For more looks at my experiences at the Four Seasons Hualalai click here . here and here.

Here is the official press release, just sent out:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOUR SEASONS RESORT HUALALAI TO REOPEN ON APRIL 30

Closure allows proper restoration of resort following tsunami damage

KONA, HAWAI‘I (March 16, 2011) – Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Ka‘upulehu, the first and only AAA Five-Diamond and Forbes Five-Star resort on Hawai‘i Island, will reopen on April 30, 2011. The reopening follows a six-week closure caused by the earthquake generated tsunami resulting from the recent earthquake in Japan.

The Resort sustained damage from the storm surge, bringing water, sand and debris onto the grounds, mainly affecting pool areas, landscaping, a restaurant and 12 guest rooms and suites.

Resort staff has been instrumental in the early clean-up efforts, and will remain so throughout the restoration. The Resort intends to keep all staff employed in various capacities wherever possible.

“We had planned on opening the Resort earlier, however upon further inspection and damage assessment, we determined it best to sustain the closure until April 30, in order to limit impact on the guest experience,” says Robert Whitfield, general manager of Four Seasons Resort Hualalai. “While there is no significant structural damage, we are well aware of what our guests desire and

our need to provide that experience at the highest level possible. This additional time will allow us to polish the property in the fashion it is known for. We’d like to thank our guests for their understanding and outpouring of support, as we bring this place back to perfect form.

Our thoughts continue to be with those directly affected by this tragedy.”

All guests with reservations prior to April 30 are being contacted by the reservations team to make alternate arrangements, which include re-booking at a later date, or staying at the Resort’s sister properties on Lana‘i and Maui, and other Four Seasons properties around the world.

For more information and reservations, please call (800) 332-3442 or visit

www.fourseasons.com/hualalai.

Hawaii Island Embraces Roller Derby!

2011-03-14T09:06:00.001-10:00

I know that most of my posts are about food, but some are about Hawaiian Culture and our island has whole heartedly embraced Roller Derby, hence it qualifies as a Hawaii Lifestyle Report. The Paradise Roller Girls have become Hilo's Sweethearts. Their second bout Saturday night was another sell out at the Hilo Civic Auditorium. The ladies on quads rocked the house. And that house was extremely diverse; everyone from Bikers to Red Hat Ladies filled the 3,000 seats and Standing Room Only in the Civic. Families sat above rows of wheel chairs and handicapped people. TuTu’s and Uncles cheered alongside teenagers and toddlers. In short, this sport has captured the hearts of our town in a big way.

The contenders last night were the Kauai's "Garden Island Renegade Rollerz." And while the Paradise Roller Girls put on quite a show in the end, Kauai rolled away with a win of 131 to 101. This was only the second bout for the Paradise Roller Girls and they put on quite a show.

Roller Derby is not what it was in the 1950’s and ‘60’s, nor what it was like in the brief resurgence it experience it enjoyed in the 1980’s. Today’s skaters have better skates, wheels and safety equipment. The Roller Girls work diligently at honing skills and being in top physical condition. I have been following them for many months, attending their practices and bouts. These ladies are serious athletes who sacrifice time and energy for the team. There are strict rules in today’s bouts and there may be some playful banter, but there are none of the staged fights or faked falls that there were back in the day. Gone too is the banked track. Roller Derby is done on flat tracks here.

Last night’s bout actually began well before the official time of 6 pm. The two teams arrived at the Civic at noon to prep and practice. Vendors started arriving at around 2 and the tailgate parties began at 2:00. The doors opened at 4:00 and the stadium filled quickly with the fans.

There was pregame entertainment of dancers and a brief education of how the game is played and then the fun began in earnest.

The Kauai team was decked out in pink and wearing some interesting accessories.

The Roller Girls also had some very cool looks going on.

Both teams removed their helmets and solemnly sang along with the National Anthem.

I guess the refs and scorekeepers did not get the memo about removing hats!

At half-time we were entertained by more dancers, a fun fan contest which was one by a very athletic young lady who had competition of hot teen girls dressed in retro outfits in the Paradise Team colors as well as a flag waving Darth Vader, There was also a contest to dress up as a Roller Girl as fast as possible and then run around the rink. And we were treated to a Ballet Folklorio dancer! It was an eclectic and fun break from the action.

When the bout resumed the Paradise Roller Girls came very close to evening the score, but the Kauai team had an edge with their tiny bombshell The Tamminator playing jammer scoring right and left when she was not sitting in the Penalty Box for breaking a rule or two. The Garden Isle was well represented with a strong team including Captain Pussy Go Score, Pink Poundcake, Miss Isle Launcher, The Warden and Kaiser PermaMento & Clamity Crush among others.

Several of the Paradise Roller Girls were not only “Dressed for Success” but showed their stuff on the rink. Von Schlappenbitch , D’evilD Megs , Ava Tart, Smash Yo Face Stace , Fyrefly Fatale, Captain Anita Whiskey and Reba Smack N Flyer were star players in the bout and supported by the rest of the team and a huge battalion of support staff. Coach Irish-I-Was Bashin’ Ya led the support staff with panache.

All in all, we were treated to an exciting night of slammin’ and jammin’ and good clean fun. It was more than just entertainment; it was the biggest thing to hit Hilo since the Tsunami!

Dungeness Crab, Corn and Potato Chowder

2011-03-10T14:22:00.001-10:00

This recipe is inspired by one made by the Blue Mermaid Chowder House and Bar in San Francisco provides a take on a typical dish enjoyed in THE City. This dish -- California Dungeness Crab and Corn Chowder -- was recognized three times in the creative category of the Schweppes Great Chowder Cook-Off.

I did not use the cilantro pesto garnish, but instead used siracha sauce instead for a kick. I also used prosciutto instead of bacon and added it to the top instead of incorporating it. The cilantro pesto garnish is prepared separately. Instructions are included after the main recipe. To serve this dish, place the chowder in a bowl, add 1 to 2 ounces of crab meat and garnish with the pesto (or siracha) and prosciutto.

Ingredients

· 4 ounces Applewood-smoked bacon

· 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter

· 2 cups corn cut from the cob

· 2 yellow onions, diced

· 1 Pasilla chile, diced

· 1 Jalapeño pepper, split in half, seeds removed

· 2 celery stalks

· 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

· 1 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning

· ½ tsp. chipotle powder

· 4 sprigs thyme, stem removed, leaves chopped

· 1 fresh bay leaf

· 1 quart crab or chicken stock

· 2 lbs. Kennebec or Yukon Gold potatoes, ½" diced

· 1 ½ cups heavy cream

· 2 oz. cream cheese

· ½ teaspoon fresh ground white pepper

· Kosher salt to taste

· 1 lb. fresh Dungeness crab meat

· 1 bunch cilantro, diced and chopped

· ½ cup olive oil

Cooking Directions

Chowder

Over low heat, add the smoked bacon (or prosciutto) to a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot. Slowly render the fat and then increase the heat to medium to make the bacon crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside. Leave about half the bacon fat in the pan.

Add the butter, and sauté the corn. After 4 to 6 minutes, remove the corn from the pan.

Add the onion and sauté for about 4 to 6 minutes until translucent. Be careful not to brown it.

Add diced chile and sauté an additional 4 minutes, and remove from the pan.

Add celery and sauté 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and continue to sauté for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, then add the onion, corn, pasilla and bacon to the celery.

Add Old Bay, Chipotle powder, split Jalapeño pepper, thyme and bay leaf. Just barely cover the vegetables with crab stock and then add the diced potatoes. Increase the heat to high and boil the potatoes for about 4 minutes. The goal is to soften the outside of the potato to help thicken the chowder, while keeping the potato al dente. Add 3/4 cup of crab and stir.

Add the heavy cream and cream cheese. Stir for two minutes and then remove from the heat. If you need to thicken the chowder a little more smash a few of the potatoes against the side of the pot.

Adjust the seasoning with salt and fresh white pepper. Remove the Jalapeño pepper before serving.

To serve put a few pieces of crab in the bottom of the bowl, add the chowder, top with the bacon/pruscuitto, and drizzle the Siracha or Pesto

Cilantro Pesto

1 bunch cilantro, washed, dried and chopped

Approximately ½ cup of olive oil

Purée ingredients in a blender. Serve as a garnish on top of the chowder.

2011-03-08T09:02:00.000-10:00

KĪLAUEA'S LATEST ERUPTION HAS ALL EYES ON HAWAI'I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK

Hawai'i Island, Hawai'i (Mar. 8, 2011) - Kīlauea volcano's new eruption site, which suddenly cracked open on Sat., Mar., 5, continues to spew lava through fissures on its east rift zone, following the dramatic collapse of Pu'u Ō'ō crater's floor.

Fiery curtains of orange lava - some as high as 80 feet - have been captured on video and in photographs the last few days, shooting up from fissures that extend more than a mile between Nāpau and Pu'u Ō'ō craters. The eruption is in a remote area of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park and is not accessible to the public.

While the park and most of its popular overlooks remain open, HVNP has closed Chain of Craters Road, all east rift and coastal trails, and Kulanaokuaiki Campground for public safety. Park rangers are sharing the latest real-time videos, photos and information at Kīlauea Visitors Center and Jaggar Museum, much to the delight of visitors to Hawai'i's largest national park.

The Federal Aviation Administration reduced the temporary flight restriction (TFR) above the newly active fissure area on Mon., Mar. 7, making it easier for flight-seeing passengers to get a bird's eye view of the molten lava from 1,500 feet above.

Residents in neighboring towns like Mountain View reported seeing a reflective red glow from the lava in the clouds on Sunday night.

"It's definitely an exciting time to visit Hawai'i Island and our World Heritage Site. Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park has always been a must-see experience for visitors," said George Applegate, Executive Director of the Big Island Visitors Bureau. "It's a perfectly safe experience to enjoy our changing volcanic action if visitors heed Park and Civil Defense officials," he said.

Pu'u Ō'ō is not the only crater on Kīlauea to "bottom out" recently. At Halema'uma'u crater, the previously rising lava lake within the vent suddenly dropped over the weekend. A brilliant red glow is sometimes visible after dark, and rocks continue to cascade down crater walls, creating occasional-to-frequent loud rumblings audible from the overlook at Jaggar Museum.

"Park visitors are very happy," said HVNP Superintendent Cindy Orlando. "There's a steady stream of cars coming in, and they absolutely love the real-time action our rangers are sharing with them."

Orlando said that park visitation is up, but that it's difficult to attribute the increase to one specific source, such as the recent volcanic events, an improving economy, or the start of a vigorous Spring Break season.

Outside of HVNP boundaries and down near sea level at the County of Hawai'i's Kalapana Lava Viewing Area, the flow has temporarily halted its march across the surface towards the ocean. On the evening of Sat., Mar. 5, molten lava was very visible on the pali (cliffs) and coastal plain, tantalizing onlookers as it disappeared and reappeared through an underground network of lava tubes. County officials reported there was very little if any molten lava visible from Kalapana on Sunday and Monday. However, a significant red glow from the new fissure activity was illuminating the clouds after dark.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Conditions near the viewing area can change at any time depending on the direction and volume of the lava flows. That's part of the thrill - this isn't Disneyland. The area will be closed if visitors' safety is ever in doubt. When conditions are right, the popular Kalapana viewing area boasts not only stunning vistas of the planet birthing, but also convenient parking and port-a-potties. And admission is free.

Currently, viewing and parking hours at the Kalapana overlook are 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Visitors must be parked by 8 p.m.

For the latest conditions at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, visit www.nps.gov/havo or call (808) 985-6000. The latest information for the County of Hawai'i Kalapana viewing area is available on the Lava Hotline: (808) 961-8093. The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory'sKīlauea status updates can be found at http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/activity/kilaueastatus.phpand live webcams at http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/cams/.

Photo courtesy of USGS/Hawaiian Volcano Observatory(HVO)

Big Island Visitors Bureau Media Contact:

Jessica Ferracane, Irondog Communications, (808) 895-5740, jessica@irondogpr.com

Hilo Bay Cafe with Wasabi Prime!

2011-03-06T09:03:00.000-10:00

Hilo Bay Cafe's Parmesan Custard with Roasted Eggplant and Red Peppers

Last Wednesday I had the pleasure of dining with 2 friends, one old and one new at Hilo Bay Cafe. The Big Island Visitor's Bureau is hosting a group of travel writers this week and one of them is blogger Denise Sakaki who writes the blogs Wasabi Prime and Jaunty Magpie from her home base in Washington state. The other one is my long time friend Jessica Ferracane who owns the PR Firm Irondog Communications and lives here on the Big Island. Jessica works closely with the Big Island Visitor's Bureau and they graciously hosted our evening at Hilo Bay Cafe so we could talk story about all of the good things on the big island.

The plan was to start with a few appetizers, and move on to a full dinner, but after Chef Joshua Ketner brought out a plate of his fabulous Beef Carpaccio we had to have more of that....

And so we grazed on several small plates instead.

Portobella Wellington with roasted asparagus and mashed potatoes

If you are ever in Hilo, a "must do" is a meal or two at Hilo Bay Cafe and do not forget to try a Jalapeño Martini! The food is mostly local, organic and exquisitely prepared. And if you are lucky enough to live here, let me know when you want to meet up for a meal or cocktails! You can also find Hilo Bay Cafe on Facebook where there are more pictures, menus and specials listed frequently.

Aloha from the Orchid Isle~

Romanesco Pasta with Sweet Corn

2011-02-20T12:06:00.001-10:00

Romanesco Pasta

I love the look of this interesting vegetable. Romanesco is bright green, beautiful, almost jeweled looking. While this broccoli has only been available in US markets for a few years, Romanesco broccoli was first documented in Italy (as broccolo romanesco) in the sixteenth century.

This is a simple recipe for an incredible pasta dish. You can use any pasta, I used some penne this time. You could also use cauliflower or tightly formed broccoli for this dish.

If you are not lucky enough to live in a place like Hawaii where we get fresh sweet corn all year, you can use good quality frozen corn for this.

Ingredients:

1 head of Romanesco

2 heads of garlic with the tops sliced off

Olive oil (you will need about 4-5 tablespoons for roasting and 2 for sautéing.

2 small red onions or shallots sliced thinly

2 ears of fresh corn cut from the cob

½ cup heavy cream (optional)

¼ cup VSOP Cognac (optional)

Crushed red pepper, coarse black pepper and salt to taste

½ # thick pasta cooked al dente (reserve ¼ cup of pasta water)

Preheat oven to 350. Use a silpat pad or parchment paper to line a large baking sheet.

Cut up the Romanesco florets in large chunks and toss in olive oil with a little salt and pepper, then pour on to the baking sheet. Add the two garlic heads and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake for 30-45 minutes until the garlic is soft and the Romanesco is starting to caramelize. Set aside.

Put the pasta water on to boil.

In a large skillet add remaining olive oil, corn and onions with a pinch of salt. Stir and heat till the onions start to get soft. Squeeze the roasted garlic into the center of the pan, stir well and then add the Romanesco. Stir and add the cream if using. Cook for a minute till cream starts to thicken. Add the cognac & simmer for 1-2 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon or spider, add the pasta to the pan and stir. If needed, you can add a little pasta water to the pan.

Serve with freshly grated parmesan and crushed red pepper.