Eat the Street

 Madre Chocolate decided to join the party down at 555 South Street to sell some chocolate. 

On the last Friday of every month, a few dozen of Oahu's best food trucks converge on one site to throw down. 

 This event was so much fun. Frequented by the good folk of this fair island, every one of them a localvore and, it seemed, every one a chocolate addict.  We enjoyed interacting with smiling customers all evening.

 I didn't venture to far from our tent... We had to literally "hold down the fort" because of high winds.

 Thanks to the thoughtfulness of my friends and co-workers, sustenance was provided. Abby greeted me with a delightful cool beverage. Dave, who has been teaching me the secrets of chocolate, brought me a salted watermelon and cream Ono Pop. It reminded me of feta and watermelon salad, but much sweeter. Very nice! 

When I did step out, it was directly to the Tacos Vicente truck to trade chocolate bars for tacos. A plate of tacos el pastor and another of tacos de pollo. Pretty darn authentic and !Muy Sabrosas! 

Nate rode around on his "choco-bike" or "sample cycle" doling out chocolate samples and selling bars. You can see a great shot of it here.

 The highlight of the evening was by far this little spectacle.

Yes, that is my boss fire breathing.

I love my job.

Kailua Farmers Market

 I had rumblings in my stomach and not one enticing thing in the house to eat. I also needed some leafy greens for tomorrow's packed lunch. Conveniently enough, the Kailua Farmers Market was this evening. I headed over to the parking lot at Long's Drug where the market is held every Thursday from five o'clock to seven thirty. I took a few turns around the and stalls. Dodging prams, dogs, walkers, toddlers and some bleary eyed market goers who seemed to be in zombie mode on the hunt for what I am sure must have been the Lau lau... or maybe the scent of beignets bubbling in hot grease had them in a trance. Either way, I was definitely putting my defensive strolling skills to use.

  

After purchasing some gorgeous Pink Ginger flowers, a bag of sunflower sprouts and a head of lettuce, I decided to buy an assortment of heirloom tomatoes from Big Wave Flavor Tomatoes, along with a slice of their grilled pesto and tomato pizza. Oh Boy! Their pizza is one of my favorite treats at the market. It is always delicious, with the freshest tomatoes and basil, a crispy, crunchy, olive oil soaked crust that has just a little char from the gill. You can't go wrong with a classic like that. The folks that work the booth are so kind and friendly. A few extra tomatoes always seem to find there way into my sack AFTER the nice lady weighs them.

"A few samples", she says.

 

 I find that this has not been my most productive visit to the market. Usually I come home with enough food for a week or more. Bags spilling over with herbs and greens, sacks heavy and bulging with papaya, bananas, jalapenos, calamansi limes, green variegated lemons. 

Things seemed a bit slow, less vendors and not so much of the lovely fruits and veggies that were abundant through out the winter months... But I am happy with the "'maders" (as my mom would say rather than "tomatoes") and the rumbling in my tummy is quieted... For now...

(Did you know the Pink Ginger plant was brought to Hawaii from Tahiti in 1979?)

On News Stands Soon!

My husband and I just got word that our wedding day will be featured in Seattle Metropolitan Bride & Groom Magazine. This is very exciting news! Any excuse to relive that beautiful and enchanting day makes me...drool...

Tony Asgari captured the soul of our sunny, October wedding day on San Juan Island through his artful eye with stunning photography. Look for more of these images (not JUST of what we ate) in the summer/fall issue of SMB&G, out in June!

 This is chocolate. This is Madre Chocolate.I devoured this bar last night. I found myself waxing poetic whilst eating this bar. I thought I had better snap a photo before it disappeared, and post a little tribute to this bitty piece of heaven.

I poured this bar on Wednesday after Nat had conched and refined the  cacao beans. This was an experiment, part of many batches of raw bean bars that Nat(one of the two chocolate makers who employ me) had been mixing up. I am in love with this chocolate.

When I unwrapped the chocolate from the cellophane I was hit with an unexpected and distinct waft of maple.  I love maple syrup.... Then that mellowed and what I experienced with the first bites was to me, nothing less than experiencing a work of art. A work of art I could taste and feel and ingest. How nice!

 The texture is creamy, the melt is not instant but it is quick and it creates a silk sheet like tongue feel. This is a dark chocolate and yet it was so creamy, subtle and smooth, it was as easy to eat as it is to drink a glass of chocolate milk, but still had all the complexities of dark chocolate.

The flavor is fruity jam, vanilla and some thing so earthy and yet ethereal I found myself transported to the land and the villages where I imagine this bean comes from. (Not that I have ever been to South America)... But I could smell the jungle, decaying fruit and plant matter buoyed by clouds of steamy oxygen. Mineral scents of sun warmed rocks at the base of a waterfall.Ozone and rain turning dusty roads to mud. 

I don't know, maybe you can't get this simply from a bar of chocolate. Maybe I am a hopeless romantic, especially when it comes to food - But I hope you will be able to find out for yourself soon. I hope we get to produce this special bar!

You hear food some times being described as a drug, understandably. If food is a drug, then chocolate would be Ecstasy and this would be the best trip I have ever had. (Not that I have ever been on ecstasy either!)

Good Times...

Dear April and Aimee,

Thank you for visiting me on Oahu. I know it rained a lot while you were here, but I felt the sun shine in my heart the whole time! 

    

Waialua Cocoa Beans

 

 Photos courtesy of April Hogue's cameras

Malasadas

What do you do on a rainy day in Hawaii? The only answer I have to  this conundrum is- Malasadas.

 

You can find this Leonard's Malasadas truck in the Lowe's parking lot at Waikele.

 Malasadas are a Portuguese treat made with a yeasted dough, deep fried and tossed in sugar. We ordered 6 of these tossed in cinnamon sugar. Pleasantly chewy on the out side, fluffy, soft and piping hot inside. In the old days the Portuguese would make malasadas just before Lent to use up all of those sinful ingredients in the pantry, like sugar and Lard.

Coffee Talk

My favorite part of the day. Coffee time.

 It is of utmost importance to never over heat your coffee water. When I hear stirrings in the kettle I remove it from the heat before the water has a chance to boil. If the H2o is too hot, it will scorch the beans and the outcome will be a bitter cup-o.

 Sali Herr ZASENHAUS! En tasse cafe, bitteschoen! This little beauty is the perfect conical burr grinder for those of you who, like me, love the ritual of making your daily mug-o. Herr Zassenhaus is also a design marvel. I am always happy to see him sitting on my counter. Also handy, it's sides are curved and it is meant to be grasped between your knees whilst grinding.... I was introduced to the Zassenhaus by Ariel's dad Pablo. This reminds both Ariel and I of the warm kitchen back in NH full of friends and family and the smell of waffles and Iris' maple syrup... Pablo found his grinder at an antique shop and bought it for maybe ten bucks. If you do not have that kind of luck, you can order one here http://www.sweetmarias.com/sweetmarias/grinders/manual-grinders/zassenhaus-knee-mill.html

 Now, one of my favorite ways to make two cups of americano style coffee, is with a Moka Pot. I like my stainless and ceramic version. But this method tends to scorch the beans.

 The reservoir in the bottom is filled with water and only rises up through the grounds when it starts to boil. It is such a pretty pot, but the results are hit or miss.... So an unbeatable way to prepare a perfect cup of coffee is with this:

 The AeroPress.  The AeroPress makes an espresso like shot then you add hot water for an americano style coffee libation. If you are only after one or two perfect cups in the morning, you can't go wrong with this guy. As Alex Vehorn says, "It's a mud shooter."

Oh boy! Beans! I have never seen a bad bean come out of Useless Bay Coffee Co. Roasted in Langley on Whidbey Island and named after the bay I grew up on. Next time you are in Langley, WA stop in their cafe for an americano and one of their fantastic grilled sandwiches. They also have one of the best patios with live music during the summer months. http://www.uselessbaycoffee.com/

My very first blog post, ever.

May Day! May Day! It is the first day of May and in honour of the old druid spring rituals of re potting  house plants and acquainting your cacti with new succulent friends... I am doing just that.

This pretty little guy (who was given to me by Jenny Quill) will meet his new pot-mates...

                               I purchased two glossy leafed Gardenias. I have always wanted to have gardenias and now that I live in this tropical clime, I can. They smell so fresh and sweet in the cool morning air before the full humidity and heat of a Pacific Island day sets in.

After initial introductions, I think they will get along well!