ma'onatag:maona.net,2007-11-13://22010-05-24T19:02:56ZHawai'ian: Satisfied after eating; to eat one's fill.Movable Type Publishing Platform 4.01Roasted Beets with Walnuts and Goat Cheesetag:maona.net,2010://2.9342010-05-24T16:39:47Z2010-05-24T19:02:56ZCheck out those amazingly freshtabulous greens from my Ma'o CSA box Growing up, the only beets I knew were boiled -- or even worse -- reheated from a can. The nicest thing that could be said was that they retained...alanhttp://ritari.org/
Check out those amazingly freshtabulous greens from my Ma'o CSA box
Growing up, the only beets I knew were boiled -- or even worse -- reheated from a can. The nicest thing that could be said was that they retained some of their color, even after the flavor had all boiled away.
It wasn't until I began roasting beets that I began to truly appreciate them. Roasting concentrates the sweetness and adds earthy overtones. The rich red color deepens and darkens as the root cooks to tenderness. Roasting brings out the best in beets.
When selecting beets, you want small to medium roots with healthy greens. Stay away from beets that have had their tops removed. Grocers remove wilted greens to hide how long they've been sitting on the shelf. Besides, you'll want greens for this recipe. (Feel free to supplement with other dark, leafy greens to increase recipe volume.)
Credit where credit is due: I first learned this recipe years ago from a beet farmer. I don't know if it originated with him, or if he was passing along from somewhere else.]]>
Roasted Beets with Walnuts and Goat Cheese
Prep time: 1 hr 15 min, mostly unattendedServes: 3-4 as a side
4 medium beets, with greens attached
1/3 c. walnuts, coarsely chopped
2 shallots, sliced paper thin
1 T. olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 c. goat cheese
3 T. olive oil
2 t. balsamic vinegar (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Beets are comprised of three main segments: the leaves, the stems and root. Cut the leaves off at their base and set aside. Next, trim stems from the beet roots, leaving about one inch of stem attached to the roots. This recipe doesn't use the stems, so feel free to boil them for use as a dye, or just toss them in a compost pile.
Scrub your beets well, but don't bother peeling them until after they cook. Trim any hairy roots from the main beet root then individually wrap each beet in aluminum foil. Roast beets in oven for one hour, or until a fork easily slides through. Remove beets from the oven, and when they are just cool enough to handle, rub the skins off with a paper towel. Slice beets into thin rounds and set side.
Toast walnut pieces in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant. Set aside to cool.
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same skillet and saute shallots until crisp, about four minutes. While the shallots are cooking, tear the greens into large pieces. Wash them well, but don't shake dry. Add damp beet greens to the skillet and saute until wilted. Salt and pepper to taste.
To assemble, lay greens on a platter and overlay with sliced beets. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil and 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar. Crumble goat cheese. Sprinkle walnuts.]]>
Come for the food, stay for the foodiestag:maona.net,2010://2.9332010-05-18T20:17:38Z2010-05-25T01:00:17ZI began blogging out of love for food, but keep blogging because of the people I meet. Don't get me wrong, my appreciation for cooking and eating grows hand-in-hand with my knowledge. The more I learn, the more I love....alanhttp://ritari.org/
I began blogging out of love for food, but keep blogging because of the people I meet.
Don't get me wrong, my appreciation for cooking and eating grows hand-in-hand with my knowledge. The more I learn, the more I love. But the most unexpected benefit to writing about food has been crossing paths with like-minded foodies. Food brings people together, and foodies in particular are among the most interesting and gracious people I've met.
Reid, Kathy, Robyn and I met for an evening of dining and conversation. Our evening began at Town, where Executive Chef Ed Kenney and Chef de Cuisine Dave Caldiero presented an eleven course family-style feast. I think there may have been an additional course or two planned, but towards the end we were absolutely stuffed (in the best possible way) and ran out of steam. Highlights of the meal included pillowy gnocchi -- a regular on the menu -- and local rabbit prepared five ways. Bonus: Town cook Mark Noguchi snapped Dave breakingdown our rabbit.
As if dinner wasn't enough, we relocated to Nobu Waikiki to complete our evening. (Tactically, this was a brilliant move, as it gave our food a chance to settle!) Pastry Chef Rachel Murai crafted a one-of-a-kind dessert tasting menu for us. Each dessert was art on a plate, beautiful to behold. As I've said elsewhere, Ms. Murai creates the most inspired desserts in Hawaii. Smart, and lick the plate good.
Nobu photos all courtesy of Robyn, because hers look awesome.
Even with such amazing desserts, I reached my physical limits by the end of our tasting. We ate so much good food.
And I'd do it all again in a heartbeat. The invitation is open: hit me up if you want to break bread together. It doesn't matter if you're local or just passing through, and it certainly doesn't need to be anything as extravagant as the evening depicted above. Plate lunch or haute cuisine, I feast off of sharing the table with fellow foodies.]]>
Fractal Broccolitag:maona.net,2010://2.9322010-03-16T06:31:16Z2010-03-16T06:34:10ZRomanesco broccoli from this week's CSA box....alanhttp://ritari.org/
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First Time Roasting Coffeetag:maona.net,2009://2.9312009-12-23T00:48:19Z2009-12-23T02:03:21ZGreen / unroasted coffee beansIt really was as easy as everyone assured me it'd be. The hardest part of roasting my own coffee was finding green (unroasted) coffee beans at a reasonable price. Locally grown Kona beans run $13 -...alanhttp://ritari.org/
Green / unroasted coffee beans
It really was as easy as everyone assured me it'd be. The hardest part of roasting my own coffee was finding green (unroasted) coffee beans at a reasonable price. Locally grown Kona beans run $13 - $25 per pound; more than I want to pay while I'm still learning. Plenty of places sell high quality green beans starting at about $5 per pound, but then only offer 2-day air shipping. There's no way I'm paying $25 to ship five bucks in beans!
Fortunately, Dean's Beans ships their organic, fair trade beans in flat rate USPS boxes, up to five pounds for $10.35. I ordered their Mexican green beans ($4.50/lb), described as, "Large and smooth, make for easy roasting. Mellow and sweet, slightly acidic. This is such a well-rounded cup, good for any time of the day."
I roasted this first batch in the oven. Other methods offers more even roasting, but also require more in the way of equipment. I wanted as simple as possible for an inaugural batch.
Oven roasted coffeeI am by no means a coffee roasting expert, although I've drank more than my fair share. Hopefully my notes will communicate how easy the process is, and encourage you to research and roast your own.
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. While it comes up to temp, spread beans evenly on a cookie sheet, fairly close together. I was able to fit 3/4 lb. on a medium cookie sheet. Once the oven is hot, roast the beans, stirring them with a wooden spoon every two minutes. I noticed the beans around the perimeter of the pan darkened faster, so I worked those in to the center as I stirred. The more you stir, the more consistent your roast will be, but it's harder to keep the oven at full temperature.
After about 8 minutes, the beans will make a quiet popping sound as their moisture escapes. You can see them shift and roll in the pan as they pop. This is known as "first crack," and indicates an internal temperature of about 400 degrees. At this point the beans may smoke quite a bit, and you'll see the skins of the beans peel off and float around. This is all normal. My first crack occurred at 13 minutes, which makes me think I let too much heat out while stirring.
Viennese roast, before removing chaff
The popping will settle down for a few minutes, then start up again. "Second crack" is the one that tells you your roasting is nearly complete. The beans are now at ~425 degrees, and roasted to a medium brown "City" style roast. I kept going about 3 minutes longer until I could see some of the beans begin to look oily, the equivalent of a Viennese roast. Once they were at a color I thought looked appealing, I removed the beans to a colander and swirled them around to cool them and separate and chaff. Your beans are done!
I've heard mixed opinions on how soon you should brew freshly roasted beans. There was a coffee roaster in Madison, Wisconsin who swore that beans were at their best within the first thirty minutes of roasting, and noticeably different after just half a day. Others say you should wait a day for the beans to fully develop their flavors. I was impatient and brewed a pot as soon as the beans were cool.
I immediately noticed that freshly roasted coffee has a brighter taste and is more aromatic. The color of the brew was on the light side, but the proportions were correct for a full flavored cup. Small amounts of volatile oils were visible floating on the surface. This first batch was an unqualified success!
I did notice that the coloration of my final beans varied slightly, due to the challenge of constantly circulating beans in an oven. Next roast, I think I'll attempt the air popper method, which promises more consistency but without investing in specialized (expensive!) roasters.
Related links:
→ Sweet Maria's offers a wealth of home roasting tips and supplies. This was the site that was first recommended to me by fellow roasters. It appears they may offer affordable shipping options now, but they didn't when I needed it most.
→ The temperature and color chart at Seven Bridges Cooperative helped me know where to aim with my roast.
→ Dean's Beans provides organic, fair trade green beans along with reasonable Hawaii shipping options and friendly service.]]>
Milestones and the Ma'o CSAtag:maona.net,2009://2.9302009-12-20T17:15:11Z2010-01-08T02:39:59ZMy food history is marked by milestones. I don't always recognize them in the moment, but looking back, certain events helped shape who I am. Among the earliest of these milestones were the regular Sunday dinners at grandma's house. The...alanhttp://ritari.org/
Trillium Haven Farm. In a nutshell, Community Support Agriculture (CSA), is an arrangement where members pre-purchase fractions of a farm's harvest, usually on a monthly or yearly basis. The farm uses those payments to finance operations, and in return supplies each member with a weekly box of produce. When the harvest is poor, the box will be light. When times are good, it overflows. On average, members receive a diverse stream of fresh, organic produce at far less than market rates.
We joined Trillium Haven because we thought it would save us money while encouraging us to eat more fruits and veggies. What we didn't realize is how profoundly the experience would change us. It's cliche, but there is something almost spiritual about knowing the people that have toiled and sweated for your food. This is "buy local" on steroids. A community gathers around the CSA, brought together by our weekly deliveries. I can ask questions and swap recipe ideas not just with the farmers but with other members.
Each new weekly box provided a playful challenge, "how the heck do we use all this before it spoils?" Meals became a game of combining often novels ingredients in new and creative ways. We were eating better and having fun. When we moved to Oahu almost six years ago, we knew we'd want to connect with a new CSA community, but never found the right fit... until now.
Maʻo Organic Farms has launched a beta test of their own CSA. After much begging and pleading, we secured a spot midway through the trial run. Check out our first box, pictured below, weighed in at 11.5 lbs. It was loaded with carrots, two kinds of beats, basil, cilantro, parsley, endive, fennel, green onion, a bag of mesclun salad mix, pak choi, tat soi, lemons and oranges.
My first Maʻo CSA delivery
Our second box a week later swapped out a few items, but added arugula, two kinds of eggplant, kale, komatsuna, purplette onions, radishes, tangerines and turnips.
During the beta test, boxes run $30/week. That's about the total I might spend on produce during a good week, for less volume. This box is superior in every respect: it's all organic, tastes better, and hasn't been shipped across an ocean.
So far I'm quite impressed with the professionalism of the Mʻo operation. (Good farmers don't always run smooth CSA operations. The skillsets are different.) After-work pickup at centrally located V-Lounge is easy, with staff from the farm present to talk story and answer questions. Each box was neatly packed with a sheet listing the contents, offering a word from the farm, and providing a few recipes for the box contents.
Because the items are all freshly picked, even delicate herbs last the entire week between deliveries. In the first two weeks, I've been able to use everything in the boxes before it spoiled. I'm still making up my mind about the particular mix of items. The breadth and variety are nice, but the amount of each item is just enough to prepare a single dish. I wonder if sometimes it'd be preferable to have less variety but more quantity of each. I'd like to see a few more boxes before I'll know for certain.
Overall, I'm loving being part of the Maʻo beta run. CSA membership is been the natural progression and coming together of my food past -- the love of cooking, the creativity of food, the importance of knowing where our food originates, the power of food to bring people together -- while appealing to our frugality and a desire to eat well.
Maʻo will be opening up CSA membership wider in early 2010. Please contact me if you think you might be interested and I'll be happy to put you in touch with the coordinator.
Update January 7th: the Honolulu Weekly has a good article as the CSA opens more membership spots.]]>
Smoked Turkeytag:maona.net,2009://2.9292009-11-23T05:27:36Z2009-11-24T06:49:47ZSmoking a turkey is surprisingly easy. Yes, you need to keep an eye on the temperature throughout the day and add charcoal as needed, but that's about it. Growing up, my family always had big Thanksgiving dinners with family and...alanhttp://ritari.org/Smoking a turkey is surprisingly easy. Yes, you need to keep an eye on the temperature throughout the day and add charcoal as needed, but that's about it.
Growing up, my family always had big Thanksgiving dinners with family and friends crowded around a long chain of card tables. We'd cook one turkey in the oven, and then smoke another in the backyard. I picked up a sale turkey last week and tried it for the first time myself, using a box smoker (pictured) I picked up at Home Depot for $60. Slow smoking works adds so much flavor yet doesn't dry out the turkey -- no brining or elaborate herbs and spices needed!
I used kiawe wood for my smoke and it worked well, but conventional wisdom is to use mild fruit wood like apple or cherry. Use whatever you can get your hands on, including bags of pre-chipped hickory or mesquite from City Mill.
Smoked TurkeySpecial equipment: a smoker
wood chips
12-15 lb turkey, thawed
olive oil
First, plan ahead. It takes 2-3 days to thaw a frozen turkey in the refrigerator, or 6-8 hours in cold water. After the turkey is thawed, pat it dry with paper towels and then let it rest in the fridge for another 3-4 hours to overnight. This dries the skin out so that the smoke adheres better. On top of all this, you should plan 30 minutes per pound for cooking. A 12 lb. turkey smokes for six hours! Adding it all up we get 3 days in the fridge + overnight drying + six hours to cook: about three and a half days!
Early on Thanksgiving Day, soak your wood chips in a bucket of water for about an hour before you start cooking. Wet wood == more smoke.
Light your coals. In your smoker, you ideally want your coals on the lowest level. Above that, I have a rack with a metal bowl of water to help regulate the temperature. The water isn't required, but it helps prevent burning and keeps the turkey moist. (If your setup can't accommodate a water bowl, push all the coals to the outer edges so they aren't right under the turkey.) At the top of your smoker, you want a wire rack for the turkey itself.
When the top coals are showing white ash around the edges, rub down the turkey with olive oil and set it on the rack. Toss a handful of wood chips on the coals and close up the smoker. Your goal is to keep the temp around 230 degrees. Open the vents or add charcoal to increase the temp. Add wet wood chips or close vents to decrease the temp.
Add wood chips whenever the smoke wanes during the first two hours. After that point, you don't need to worry about smoke. Too much smoke is overpowering. Instead, worry about keeping the temperature up by adding fresh charcoal as needed.
The turkey is done when an instant read thermometer reads 165 degrees when inserted deep into the thigh. DON'T OVERCOOK IT. Overcooking dries the turkey out. Nobody wants turkey jerky for Thanksgiving. Remove that bird from the smoker and let it rest for 30 minutes before carving. Enjoy!
Related posts:
→ Oven Kālua Turkey, if you're in the mood for melt-in-your-mouth
→ Top Ten Reasons Thanksgiving is Better in Hawaii
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Unagi Donburi with Eggtag:maona.net,2009://2.9282009-11-19T22:36:17Z2009-11-19T23:40:02Z Cooking relaxes me. The meditative rhythm of the kitchen slowly rolls back the chaos of work. Tweak the seasonings, sear a little hotter this time, maybe spill a little on the floor. The reward is in the smiles as...alanhttp://ritari.org/
Cooking relaxes me.
The meditative rhythm of the kitchen slowly rolls back the chaos of work. Tweak the seasonings, sear a little hotter this time, maybe spill a little on the floor. The reward is in the smiles as people eat. I begin to unwind.
Yet there are days when even cooking sounds like too much work. You know the ones? Computer crashes, unreasonable people, impossible deadlines and nothing goes right. At the end of it all I want to collapse. It's on those days that I reach for my easiest dinner recipes. Unagi donburi, literally "eel rice bowl," can be prepped in the time it takes to cook up a pot of rice and it requires only common items from a Japanese pantry (soy sauce, dashi, mirin, rice), plus prepackaged eel.
Unagi kabayaki (grilled eel in a sweet sauce) is generally sold frozen in Japanese groceries. I picked up an 8 oz. package for $5 at Marukai and held it in the freezer until I needed a quick and easy meal. It kinda defeats the purpose if you have run out shopping for unagi in order to make "quick" and "easy," so buy a package in advance and just hold onto it.
Traditional unagi donburi consists simply of eel over rice. I like to add egg and scallions to turn this into a one bowl meal. Other variations could add shiitake mushrooms or bamboo root. My son likes green peas in his. Whatever floats your boat -- the whole point of this meal is to restore you.
Unagi Donburi with EggServes 2-3
Start your rice cooking. Wait a few minutes, because you don't want to finish the eel before your rice is ready. Now would be a good time to set the table, or depending on how bad the day was, crack open a cold one.
Once the rice is well on its way, heat the water, mirin, soy sauce, dashi, sugar and scallions to a simmer in a small skillet. Any optional variations like mushrooms, bamboo or peas should also be simmered with the stock to ensure they have enough cooking time.
Once the stock begins to boil, add the unagi. Cook 30 seconds, then pour eggs over top and cover with a lid. Cook one minute then serve immediately over rice in large, deep bowls. If there's any sauce left, drizzle that over top. Add a dash of shichimi tōgarashi for heat.
Then you can put your feet up, knowing that even the worst of days can't keep you from eating well.]]>
Makahiki Beginstag:maona.net,2009://2.9272009-11-17T17:47:27Z2009-11-17T19:43:54ZThe rise tonight of Nāhuihuiamakaliʻ (known in English as the constellation Pleiades) marks the beginning of the Makahiki in Hawaii, a four month celebration of the harvest, and a time of renewal and rest. Wars were forbidden to allow chiefs...alanhttp://ritari.org/
Pleiades) marks the beginning of the Makahiki in Hawaii, a four month celebration of the harvest, and a time of renewal and rest. Wars were forbidden to allow chiefs to freely move around the islands collecting tribute to Lono, the god of the harvest, and to allow the people to come together for feasts and sports. In modern times, the arrival of Makahiki is greeted with small ceremonies and reenactments around the island that attempt to preserve and perpetuate a small piece of the past for future generations.
Happy Makahiki!
Related posts:
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Restaurant Week 2009tag:maona.net,2009://2.9262009-11-16T08:18:26Z2009-11-16T03:51:49Z November 16-22, 2009 "The second annual Restaurant Week Hawaii will be a seven day celebration of the cuisine scene in Hawaii. From fine dining to fast-food, participating restaurants will feature special menu items, promotions and discounts. Diners can sample...alanhttp://ritari.org/November 16-22, 2009
"The second annual Restaurant Week Hawaii will be a seven day celebration of the cuisine scene in Hawaii. From fine dining to fast-food, participating restaurants will feature special menu items, promotions and discounts. Diners can sample Hawaii's newest restaurants, dine at old favorites and taste a variety of exceptional dishes now being prepared by Hawaii's chefs using locally grown produce. Restaurant Week is a reminder that Hawaii is a culinary destination with top chefs, farm to table dining, wonderful wine and a lot more to discover and explore.
"A portion of the proceeds from Restaurant Week Hawaii will support the Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Diamond Head."]]>
Our Own "Victory Garden"tag:maona.net,2009://2.9252009-11-15T07:21:23Z2009-11-16T03:52:53Z Having grown up on flavorless cardboard tomatoes from chain supermarkets, the switch to locally grown tomatoes was glorious. No big surprise, but tomatoes suck when they're picked early, preserved with chemicals then shipped several thousand miles. Local tomatoes, picked...alanhttp://ritari.org/
Having grown up on flavorless cardboard tomatoes from chain supermarkets, the switch to locally grown tomatoes was glorious. No big surprise, but tomatoes suck when they're picked early, preserved with chemicals then shipped several thousand miles. Local tomatoes, picked ripe, are like a completely different fruit.
You can't get any more local your own front yard. We grew the Green Zebra tomatoes pictured above on a rocky cliff face below our driveway, a mere 20 feet from the front door, alongside collard greens, Manoa lettuce, scallions, various herbs, eggplants, jalapeno peppers, Okinawan sweet potatoes, radishes, beets, and a pathetic little coffee bush.
We started our garden last year when funds got tight and food prices soared. Much like the victory gardens of World War II, our little patch was a way to make sure we could continue to eat well even if we reached a point where we couldn't afford all the produce we'd like. I'm happy to say it never got that dire, and I'm also happy to realize that--for the first time ever--the cost savings of eating our own produce outstripped the costs of growing it. Growing our own vegetables is delicious and economical.
We'll plant another garden next year. This time around, it won't be because we're cheap, but because we want real tomatoes again.]]>
The Discipline of Writingtag:maona.net,2009://2.9242009-11-14T02:00:36Z2009-11-16T03:41:41Z Q: What do you call a writer who doesn't write? A: ... ... anything, but not a writer. There are few vocations that are so obsessed with right now than writing. If you're an electrician and you retire, you...alanhttp://ritari.org/
Q: What do you call a writer who doesn't write?
A: ...
... anything, but not a writer.
There are few vocations that are so obsessed with right now than writing. If you're an electrician and you retire, you become a retired electrician. No one thinks twice--once an electrician, always an electrician. You're still a parent even after the kids move out. People will call you a doctor long after your license to practice expires.
I don't know why writing is different, but I hear a judgemental subtext when my published friends greet me, "Are you writing anything new?" There's always a good reason why not, but my excuses fall on deaf ears. For them, you're no longer a writer unless you're actively working on something; otherwise you're a dilettante. Writers must write or face silent condemnation and censure from their peers.
The problem is never a lack of inspiration -- ideas are pounding at the door -- but instead the most underestimated skill in writing: discipline. In the words of Norman Mailer, "Being a real writer means being able to do the work on a bad day." Regardless of how many compelling ideas I have, or how crazy work may be, or whether or not I think I have the energy, I'm not a writer unless I practice the discipline of writing, without which even my best ideas are stillborn.
I recognize that the next evolution of this food blog is to practice the discipline of writing, even when I'm busy or tired. I must be disciplined to draw out the ideas even when it's hard or I'm beat. And then like a muscle, the activity of writing becomes easier the more I do it.]]>
Quick Bitestag:maona.net,2009://2.9232009-08-08T16:06:54Z2009-08-10T16:47:13ZTwo quick items of note: Eat Local Aug 8-15 Kanu Hawaii is encouraging everyone to eat local for a week, starting Aug 8th (today!). Their stated goals are to get people to think and develop new values, which in turn...alanhttp://ritari.org/
Eat Local Aug 8-15
Kanu Hawaii is encouraging everyone to eat local for a week, starting Aug 8th (today!). Their stated goals are to get people to think and develop new values, which in turn has led them to encourage more stringent guidelines than when I did my own locavore week last year.
Kanu Hawaii challenges you to eat strictly local: nothing produced outside Hawaii, including spices, oils, etc through August 15th. Try to it as an exercise, but be aware that it isn't practical for much longer than that for most of us. Even hundreds of years ago, when travel and economics made locavore eating the norm not the exception, there were roles for Chineses tea or Indian spices. Does that make them bad? Yes, when they crowd out local alternatives and force a fragile dependence on transpacific shipping. But there can be room for imported goods, in moderation.
Wrestle with eating local to find the balance that works for you. My own guiding values are to seek local alternatives when they exist, and weigh the decision more carefully when they do not. Regardless of what you decide, you'll see the supermarket through better eyes for having taken an "eat local" challenge.
Out of the Kitchen, On to Your Couch
Michael Pollan, of Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food fame, has a new article in the New York Times Magazine on the decline of cooking in America, Out of the Kitchen, On to Your Couch. Industrial manufacturing, the demands of dual-income modern life and even the spectator sport of Food Network all share culpability in the steady marginalization of the act of cooking our own meals. There's only one sensible response: cook more!]]>
Hank's Haute Dogstag:maona.net,2009://2.9212009-07-18T18:03:04Z2009-07-19T01:50:03ZI found a seat in the crowded cafe and pulled out my notebook to write about a recent visit to Hank's. The woman at the next table couldn't contain herself, "You're a writer? What are you writing about?" "Haute dogs....alanhttp://ritari.org/
Hank's. The woman at the next table couldn't contain herself, "You're a writer? What are you writing about?"
"Haute dogs. I write about food."
"Hot dogs?" She wrinkled her nose. "Do you have to?" And then the floodgates unleashed. "You know who makes the best hot dogs? Costco! Those Polish dogs are soooo good! You should write about those."
That was just the start. The barrage of unsolicited advice continued, about Yankee Stadium hot dogs (they have the best condiments), Redondo's hot dogs (that red is scary), raw onion on dogs (most common cause of food poisoning!), old hot dog jingles (sung, of course) and even pigs in a blanket (kids love 'em!).
Finally she caught her breath, "Is this helpful?"
Helpful? Try overwhelming, and yet it was a timely reminder of how seriously we take our hot dogs. When you grill up a wiener at home, you're not just prepping a meal but tapping into a shared affection for hot dogs dating back to the 15h century when Viennese frankfurters were first served for the coronation of Maximillian II, the Holy Roman Emperor. They were quite literally food fit for a king.
Since then, hot dogs have embraced a more populist role in American society, providing happy eats at ballgames, birthdays and barbeques. According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Americans consume 7 billion hot dogs between Memorial Day and Labor Day alone -- an average of 818 per second -- and that's not counting other types of sausages. In the words of Hank Adaniya, hot dogs are, "feel good food. There are certain anchors, the salt, the spice. You smell that hot dog and BOOM it takes you back to memories of past dogs. They're comfort food."
Hank's Haute Dogs, Coral St.
Hank knows what he's talking about. As owner of Hank's Haute Dogs, he's been serving up hot dogs with a gourmet twist since 2007, and was recently named one of the Top 10 New Places for Hot Dogs in the nation by Bon Appetit magazine, the only Hawaii eatery to make the list.
Step in to their small storefront in Kakaʻako and you can sample not only a classic Chicago ($4.75) or Polish dog ($5.25), but also more unusual fare made from alligator ($8.30), foie gras ($9.50) or lobster ($10.50). There's even a Fatboy ($5.95), wrapped in bacon and deep-fried.
Chicago hot dog
Let's start with the Chicago dog ($4.75). Hank flies in those hot dogs and a bright green relish from Chicago for an authentic Windy City experience. The dog is served in a soft poppyseed bun then buried under diced onion, yellow mustard, the dayglo relish, tomato, a dill pickle spear, celery salt and sport hot peppers. Keep a napkin handy. The most recent time I ordered this dog, the sport peppers were unusually large and overpowering, but I just pulled one off to eat on the side. This is a hot dog that satisfies the craving for a classic dog.
Lobster dogFor those seeking a more creative meal, there's the lobster dog, a housemade combination of lobster, shrimp and scallops garnished with garlic aioli, relish and pickled takuan radish. The casing has a nice snap as you bite into it, like any good hot dog should, but the similarities to a typical ballpark frank stop there. The inside is smooth, almost creamy, with a buttery lobster flavor. It's not quite the same as dining on lobster tail on fine china, but you don't have to don a sports coat to eat this one. The takuan and relish provide balance to the rich seafood of the dog.. It's the most expensive item on their menu -- more than twice the price of a Chicago -- but worth a try just because it's so different.
Alligator dog
The alligator andouille dog was mildly disappointing, but only because I was expecting a more defined alligator taste. By the time it's spiced up New Orleans style then served with tomato-onion relish and horseradish cream it could just as easily be pork and no one would know the difference.
The trick with gourmet hot dogs, according to Hank, is pushing the boundaries, but "not too far." Mess with the basics too much and people get grumpy. If lobster and alligator dogs sound too adventurous at first, you can't go wrong with a chili dog ($5.95, not pictured), topped with mild housemade chili, diced onion and cheese. Where other chili dogs can be excessive, drowning everything in greasy chili and a mountain of cheese, Hank's version is an exercise in restraint. Just the right amount of chili, cheese and onion in proportion. It's no surprise Chef Mavro calls them a favorite.
Of course no hot dog is complete without a side of fries. Hank's fries are twice cooked, nice and crispy. For an extra 50 to 75 cents, pickup a dipping sauce: wasabi tobiko creme, garlic aioli (my fave), curry ketchup or chipotle mayo.
Hank's, WaikikiBuilding on the success of the Kakaʻako location, Hank opened a second location in the International Marketplace, introducing Waikiki tourists to his dogs without making them trek half-way across town. Honestly though, the second location simply doesn't compare. It lacks a proper kitchen, so most everything is trucked over from the main store and reheated as needed. For that you pay slightly higher prices, and for a limited menu. There's no fatboy, no lobster dog, no rotating daily specials. On my most recent visit, the fryer was acting up so I couldn't get my fries. The Waikiki location is okay if you're in the area and craving a good dog, but other than that the original location better captures the soul of the hot dog.
And really, that's what it's about: the heart and soul of the hot dog. I asked Hank why he sells hot dogs, knowing full well that everyone will compare him to the buck fifty Polish dogs at Costco. His answer sums it up perfectly, "They're comfort food. They bring you back to your childhood. I try to stay authentic to that, while bringing a new perspective." You pay a bit more than Costco, but how do you put a price on soul?
Hank's Haute Dogshttp://www.hankshautedogs.com/
(808) 532-4265
Cash only.
Waikiki
International Marketplace
2330 Kalakaua Ave.
Honolulu, HI 96815
Sun. - Sat. 11am - 9pm
Other sites:
→ Lunch Time Grindz made a quick lunch stop
→ A Passion for Food - was a little underwhelmed by what she got for the price
→ An older Star-Bulletin write-up talks about the original opening of the Kakaʻako location.
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More Hawaii Food Blogs and Blue Hawaii Lifestyletag:maona.net,2009://2.9132009-07-10T23:54:35Z2009-07-15T06:53:51ZSome newer Hawaii food blogs have sprung up, but most of the list below are established sites I've neglected to list in the past.alanhttp://ritari.org/
list in the past.
Chef Mavro blogs a mix of seasonal updates to his restaurant menu, interspersed with media events and articles written about him.
Haute Blog - The blog claims to be the place to learn news about special deal, events, etc, but is turning out to be a place for Hank (of Hank's Haute Dogs) to talk about one of his favorite things: hot dogs, of course.
My Hawaiian Home - Not exclusively about food, Devany writes about food and life on the Big Island. I particularly enjoyed her travelogue of a recent journey down into Waipiʻo Valley for a Slow Food feast.
My Island Plate - I can't think of anyone who has been writing as long about food in Hawaii and with as much understanding as Wanda. Her steps for making a bright, smooth parsley sauce are just the kinds of tips I need to become a better cook.
Naturally! - Local macrobiotic Chef Leslie Ashburn shares about local food events, as well as her insights on healthy cooking/living. Before reading her site, I was unaware that people have been rediscovering limu varieties previously believed to be extinct.
Parkrat - I feel almost stalker-ish reading Parkrat's chronicle of where and what he eats around town, but it can be a great way to discover new eats.
A Place for My Taste - "We all frequent restaurants - all of us do. It's one of our favorite things in life, don't you think?" Craig shares his experiences dining in Hawaii and beyond. We both share a fondness for Liliha Bakery.
Wine Down Wednesdays - Weekly wine/food tastings at Town in Kaimuki. The best food and value around.
WOWGrinds - Blind taste tests, anonymous reviewers, just enough attitude to make you laugh, all in a quest for the best grinds in Hawaii. The place to go the next time you need to know who makes the best spam musubi?
Acai bowl at Blue Hawaii Lifestyle
Yesterday also afforded the chance for one of my favorite things: meeting fellow food bloggers in the flesh. Kat of Our Adventures in Japan, Deb of Kahakai Kitchen and I met at Blue Hawaii Lifestyle for acai bowls ($7.50) and a conversation that ranged from our culinary loves (of course) to the mechanics of blogging and Michael Jackson's memorial service. The stylish Blue Hawaii, located in the relatively new Nordstrom wing of Ala Moana Shopping Center, sells coffee, smoothies, acai bowls and a mix of made-in-Hawaii type gifts. A friendly counter inside runs the length of the shop, with overflow tables outside in the main thoroughfare. It was the perfect spot to meet two new friends; they tolerated me graciously!
Lastly, this one isn't food related at all, but my buddy Tara has launched a beautiful wedding planning site, Pacific Wedding Guide. You should take a look.]]>
Guava Buttertag:maona.net,2009://2.9202009-07-07T07:32:06Z2009-07-07T06:15:53Z The hardest part of making guava butter is finding the guavas. Go ahead, try shopping for them, I double-dog-dare you. They're the Loch Ness monster of the produce department, reported by many but never quite seen. You have a...alanhttp://ritari.org/
The hardest part of making guava butter is finding the guavas. Go ahead, try shopping for them, I double-dog-dare you. They're the Loch Ness monster of the produce department, reported by many but never quite seen. You have a better chance of finding a menehune at the local Foodland as a guava.
If you want guavas en masse, you pretty much have to forage for your own.
This past weekend we did just that. Up in the Waianae Mountains above Makua Valley we stumbled across more wild guavas then we could possibly eat. The air was thick with the sweet sour gooey scent of rotting fruit. Decay has never smelled so good. All together we collected about twelve quarts without trying very hard, varying in size from golf ball to pool ball. Those cooked down to approximately twelve cups of butter. Assuming similar sized fruit, you can roughly estimate that a quart of fresh guavas will produce a cup of guava butter.
Why guava butter and not the more common guava jelly? Because I'm lazy and greedy. Clarifying the purified guava takes too much patience, and results in significantly less jelly by the time the flesh has been strained. I want enough to share, without killing myself in the process.
Guava butter retains all the flavor of fresh wild guava, and is a cinch to make. Contrary to the name, there isn't any actual butter in a fruit butter, just the fruit and sugar. The name comes from the spreadable consistency of the end product... like room temperature butter.
Guava ButterSpecial equipment: canning jars
guavas
water
sugar
For this recipe, you want primarily ripe guavas, but it's okay to mix in a few greener fruit. The green guavas have a higher concentration of pectin, which will help thicken your guava butter. Even without green fruit, there should be enough pectin in the guava skins to give a good buttery consistency.
Wash your guavas, slice each in half and place in a pot. Cover with water, bring to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes. Stop when they are tender but before they dissolve into complete mush.
Now you need to strain the guava to remove the skin and seeds. A mesh colander would probably work fine. I used a Finnish potato ricer, because I happen to have one around. Who doesn't? (Most people, I imagine.) The key here is to smash the guavas through some sort of mesh to save most of the pulp while discarding the skin and seeds.
Once you've extracted as much guava pulp as you can, bring it to a mild simmer over medium heat. Add an equal amount of ordinary granulated sugar. If you have a cup of guava pulp, add a cup of sugar. If you have two cups of guava... well, I'll let you do the math. Cook 20 minutes to thicken.
While the guava is cooking down, boil your canning jars and lids for at least ten minutes to sterilize them.
Ladle the hot guava butter into canning jars. Screw on the lids, then submerge them in hot water and boil for... 20 minutes. Sensing the pattern here? Twenty minutes to tenderize the guava, twenty minutes to thicken and twenty to can. 20-20-20.
Remove the jars from the water and let cool completely, then enjoy the rare and glorious treat of homemade gauva butter. The guava butter should last an easy six months to a year, but refrigerate after opening.
Smoking a turkey is surprisingly easy. Yes, you need to keep an eye on the temperature throughout the day and add charcoal as needed, but that's about it.
Growing up, my family always had big Thanksgiving dinners with family and friends crowded around a long chain of card tables. We'd cook one turkey in the oven, and then smoke another in the backyard. I picked up a sale turkey last week and tried it for the first time myself, using a box smoker (pictured) I picked up at Home Depot for $60. Slow smoking works adds so much flavor yet doesn't dry out the turkey -- no brining or elaborate herbs and spices needed!
I used kiawe wood for my smoke and it worked well, but conventional wisdom is to use mild fruit wood like apple or cherry. Use whatever you can get your hands on, including bags of pre-chipped hickory or mesquite from City Mill.
Smoked Turkey
Special equipment: a smoker
and In Defense of Food
fame, has a new article in the New York Times Magazine on the decline of cooking in America, Out of the Kitchen, On to Your Couch. Industrial manufacturing, the demands of dual-income modern life and even the spectator sport of Food Network all share culpability in the steady marginalization of the act of cooking our own meals. There's only one sensible response: cook more!]]>
