About this site
Mā'ona is Hawaiian for the condition of being satisfied from eating. It is both the action of eating one's fill and the state of bliss that follows. This site isn't about gluttony; far from it! It's about savoring the simple pleasures of food, whether prepared by myself or someone else.
Let's back up and start at the beginning. I was born in Texas, raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and since marrying that pretty lady in the photo, have lived in Wisconsin, British Columbia, Vietnam, Michigan and now Hawai'i. I share this not to catatog past residences, but to note that we are not Hawaiian, either by ancestry or birthplace. We are strangers in a strange land, seeing everything with the freshness of a child's eyes. A big part of this food blog is me exploring the culinary traditions of our new home. To really know and appreciate a place, you must steep yourself thoroughly in it. For me, food is one vital avenue for the learning process. Food combines cultural values, local ingredients, language and history all in one edible package. What's not to like about that?
I'm not limiting myself to just writing about things Hawaiian though. I love food too much for that, so I'll be dipping into whatever strikes my fancy: wine, food politics, restaurants, etc. -- sometimes irreverant, sometimes awestruck, usually with hidden typos despite my best efforts.
As much as I enjoy preparing and writing for this site, it comes second to both family and work. My work projects can be quite bursty, resulting in a sadly unpredictable posting schedule. Posts come when I have the mental reserves to write them, and in between I store up a list of new ideas as long as my arm.
I reserve the right to go back and modify old posts or delete comments for any reason whatsoever. In practice, both are rare. I try diligently to be fair, clear, entertaining and accessible. I try to strip some of the mystery from cooking, and to explain not only what happens, but why you should care. YMMV.
If you're brand new to mā'ona, you might enjoy a few of my favorite posts so far:
- The very first post: There's no such thing as a free lunch
- Pineapples for the masses! How to cut pineapple like a local
- A celebratory meal, almost missed, Valentines at Alan Wong's: A Dinner Drama in Four Acts
- Addictive, but legal? Moloka`i Hot Bread from Kanemitsu Bakery
Enjoy your visit!
Alan
alan@maona.net
Honolulu, Hawaii
I've been meaning to write an About page for mā'ona since the beginning, but could never quite find time to get to it. This post at Food Blog S'cool is what finally got me off my butt.
Hi Alan, nice to know something about you! I've been reading your blog for a while and I really like it, so it's nice to be able to put face(s) with name(s). Keep up the great blogging!
Alan, you have such a angelic family! I am a kid in UH (stranger to the land also) and I love your blog!
Mahalo and Kokua
Melissa and Vegimouse, thanks for the encouragement! My logs tell me people read this site, but I like putting names to the visits.
Hi Alan, just found your blog receintly and have been enjoying it greatly! I was born in Illinois but spent three years in Manoa Valley.I went to school at Chaminade for two years before realizing that, tho' I loved marine biology, I didn't want to do it for a living. I gathered up my nerve, went to one of my favourite restaurants and talked to their head chef. I must have impressed him with my heart, because, with no prior experience in professional cooking, he took me on as an apprentice. That was 25 years ago. I lived in Arizona for ten years and now back in Illinois and I still am passionately in love with cooking. The Hawai'ian spirit is still very much a part of my life. Distance won't change that. It's nice to be able to chat with someone who understands that. I don't cook professionally anymore (a bad back injury in an auto accident put an end to that) but I do cook at home and cooking, creating, enjoying the fruits of my labour, and talking to others who feel the same is as much a part of my life as breathing & singing. Love your site! I will be back for visits often. Aloha nui! Moira
Hi Alan,
Thanks for sharing your story with us. You know, I'm absolutely afraid of sharing too much on my blog because I'm very secretive about it. My family doesn't know, nor do any of my friends. I'd probably freak out if someone found out about it.
Even though I don't comment here regularly, I do stop by from time to time, just to see what you're up to. You're doing an excellent job...thanks for sharing!
Moira, I think I know what you mean about the Hawaiian spirit-- that's one of the many reasons we moved here. It's like I breath it in and it connects with things already inside of me. Those same indefinable things are also often missing in the mainland. An appreciation for 'aina? Care for family and friends? A celebration of relaxation and food? An open and giving posture to strangers? It touches on those, but is so much more I can't explain.
Reid, I thought long and hard before posting personal details. If you want to say something about your site but aren't comfortable sharing specifics, perhaps you could share general information. I think people are more interested in knowing what makes someone tick than their street address, y'know?
Aloha Alan!
Mahalo for stopping by, reading my blog and leaving a comment!
I have been enjoying looking around yours and have already bookmarked it....
Mahalo nui
Sonia on the Big Island
Sonia, likewise! Aloha no.
Hi Alan,
I found your blog by chance but was drawn to it by the beauty of your photos. I work for Bon Appetit Management Company and we do onsite food services at places such as Yahoo, Cisco, Intel, as well as many university. I sometime have to create a fyler for a cafe to use and I am constantly looking for food pictures. I found alot of them online at dreamstime.com for $1 a picture. Do you post your pictures on sites like that? What do I need to do to use some of your food photos?
Thank,
Eva
Eva, if you have specific photos you'd like to use, just let me know. All the photos on this site are freely available under a creative commons non-commercial license. That doesn't exactly help in your case because you're talking about a commercial application, but I'm open to discussing specific allowances. Thanks for your interest!
hey alan (and family!),
val and i heard about your site from bev... great info and pictures! we love it! and congrats on your 'soup'! great stuff on the site... we're definitely going to have to try many of the local places you have listed! God bless! ...the sugawas
Dave, thanks for stopping by. I didn't realize for a long time that Val has been nuturing a site of her own. Very cool!
Aloha, e Alan, Just happened onto your site while surfing the net and I wonder if you can help this displaced Kane'ohe homesick-like-heck girl living all da way ovah hea in Virginia!!! I'm soooo ono for butter rolls. You know da kine, right? Da kine like you can find in any bakery (including Safeway, Times, etc) that is soft and sorta looked like they were baked in a muffin pan cuz dey have a "domed" top? I've scoured the 'net and all my island cookbooks and I cannot find a recipe for it. Doesn't have to be from Liliha Bakery - anything that will get me started in the right direction will do. I've lost count of how many "butter roll/yeast roll/never fair softest ever roll" recipes I've tried from the net. Aue - not even close - lol. E kokua mai (HELP!!!)
TIA!
me ke aloha, Kai
Kai, I know the roll you're talking about, but unfortunately don't have any clue how to recreate them. My attempts have all results in bread more suitable for building rock walls or chucking at rats. What you really need to do is convince an aunty to fedex you some!
Aloha e Alan, I found your blog while surfing the net for sweet potato haupia pie recipes. I've been based off island (or off those islands, at least) for a decade now, but am helping host a visiting school group from Moloka'i in a couple days and wanted to welcome them with something happily familiar. I ended up reading through quite a few of your posts because I enjoyed your tone and style so much! It sounds like you are approaching Hawai'i with true gustatory relish and enjoying every new delight that a stroll through Chinatown or local potluck brings. Made me homesick!
Apelila, you're hosting a group from Molokai? How cool. I hope the pie greets them with a little aloha.
hi alan!
i ran into this website through facebook and i love it! read your most recent post about csa... a box of fresh veggies sounds so awesome and yummy! do you know if they would do like a smaller portion box for cheaper?
mele kalikimaka to my favorite family in kaimuki. :) hope you are enjoying the holidays!
love,
eun ho
Aloha Eun Ho! The fresh veggies are awesome. I checked with Ma'o and they said they're not planning on offering a smaller share within at least the next six months, but that some people have been sharing boxes with friends or family. Maybe that would be a good option?
Alan
So happy I found you again! I have written to you before but on a different site. I have been trying to find the one on Hawaiian TI plants. I recently retired, but didn't get you web site before I left. Have spent countless hours trying to find it. Would appreciate it if you could let me know that site. Now I'll two of my favorite sites, recepies & TI plants. Mine are doing great, but getting too big. Got any thoughts on them.
Thanks,
Mary Ann in Illinois
Mary Ann, welcome! I'm honestly not sure which site you are referencing. I visit and comment on quite a few sites that line up with my interests, and it's been long enough now that I can't remember where all I've been. If you figure it out, please let me know!
p.s. Is there such thing as a ti plant that's too big? The bigger the better! Actually, if you have multiple stalks coming up from the same plant, you can break the plant right above the lowest stalk and it will survive. Then take the broken piece and half-submerge it horizontally in fresh water for a week or two until it sprouts. Presto! Another ti plant.
Two hours of searching, but I found the site I found you on before. Search engine was TI plants background. It has mostly TI plant information. I purchased 3 small plants and now have re-potted it twice. It now has 6 plants and the first 3 are 8" from my ceiling. Love them. I started one from a log, and it's doing great too. Thanks for all you information
Mary Ann