Hawaii

This three ingredient lunch is a snap to prepare on a busy afternoon in Maui, using more of our tropical farmer’s market produce from down the street. The baked purple taro is topped with braised kale and good quality parmesan cheese. Like a tiny sweet potato, the purple taro cooks very quickly. Just 2 or 3 minutes…

Last time I was in Maui, we went to the very elegant Old Lahaina Luau – complete with tropical drinks, leis, pit-roasted pork and lots of music and dancing. On this trip, Rob and I stumbled in accidentally to the hula show at the Lahaina Cannery Mall when we stopped for sandwiches at the market next door.…

Continuing our theme of working through the local Hawaiian produce: I made mango scones for breakfast on Sunday morning. Given that I’m not much a baker, I started with this easy scone recipe using Bisquick. I used most of a mango to make half a cup of fruit, but next time I would double the…

We have LOVED staying at Haley’s place in Kihei for these past few weeks. Having a real house – with a cat even – makes a vacation feel extra special. She’s so lucky to call Maui home and we’re so lucky that she is a generous and kind hostess! Haley just recently moved in to…

Rob and I stumbled across a very cool store in Wailuku: Native Intelligence opened 5 years ago with a mission of promoting Hawaiian culture and artisans. It’s an elegant shop with beautiful and unique stock. Everything from fresh leis in intricate designs to woven mats made with Hala tree leaves and complex feather crafts. A must-see…

I started chipping away at all that tropical fruit on Saturday morning with an impromptu yogurt parfait made with the flavors of Maui. The challenge: find a way to use the tart and intense yellow passion fruit. It was too much to eat on it’s own. And, to use up the rest of the yellow…

Outside the gates to Ioa Valley State Park is a fun free park that celebrates Hawaii’s diverse emigrant cultures.  Even the Korean statues are fun at Kepaniwai Heritage Gardens. If you’ve read Sarah Vowell’s Unfamiliar Fishes or other books on Hawaiian history – you know that modern Hawaiian culture is a melting pot that starts…

We took the day off from the beach and headed to the hills for a short hike around Maui’s Ioa Valley State Park. The entrance to the park (with a $5 fee for parking) looks straight out of Jurassic Park, with a dramatic waterfall and misty tropical forest. A paved trail inside the park takes…

How well do you know your tropical produce? Can you identify all 13 of these fresh fruits and vegetables from the local produce market in Maui? Leave your guesses in the comments below. I had a fun excursion to the farmer’s market stand in Kihei this morning. Regular produce at the grocery stores here can…

I cut up my toes on a rock while snorkeling at the beach today, so instead of our usual badminton match at sunset I made a fancy dinner.  The local market had freshly caught opah, or moonfish, belly for sale. That is one cheery looking fish! The opah steak was too good to broil, so…