Has it been THAT long?

And the answer is? Yes, no, and maybe.


So, what's been happening? More pictures than words, anyway...


Making samples for a class I am teaching at the Airpot Sewing Center on June 30th. Finishing up four-dozen bucket hats for Designing Wahine in Makawao. Revised SHAG (yet again!) Coming to conclusions regarding the manufacture and distribution of my sorbet(s). Answered an email that I didn't read properly, and I am sure the reply was viewed as being quite bizarre. Hopefully going to finish the new group I am designing for Fall quilt market in Houston. Getting ready for my trip east mid-June... hopefully going to go and see DARK SHADOWS this week... and the list goes on. 


I'm not attending Spring market in KC this weekend - staying here and holding down the fort, so to speak, but I'll relay anything interesting as it happens - specifically the reaction to the next group of colors for Mirror Ball Dot!


Best,


Mark

 You looking at me? Are YOU looking at me?

 You lift your right leg up...

 Chocolate-Kona Coffee Ice Cream, Burnt Sugar and Cinnamon Ice Cream

Homemade Chocolate Sauce

Small Apple Bananas

A squash gifted to my by my friends Megan and Mikel - I wonder what it will end up cooking up as...

A lovely evening about a week ago - these photo do NOT do it justice!

 The first pineapple from the property - wasn't the sweetest but it was the best as it was our own!

 The four-dozen children's bucket hats tagged and ready to be delivered 

to Designing Wahine, Makawao, Maui, HI.

 Buddha's Hand update - the flowers - all almost ready to burst and again, the fruit is the center of the flower - as they say here in Hawai'ian pigeon - the flowers are choke (many)

My Week

How do you define wonderful, extraordinary and incredible? I'm sure for each of us there are a multitude of words one would use to describe these individual ideas... or are they simply defined by the experience themselves?

For me, as far as my week was concerned, it would be the latter. I cannot put into words what would properly express that which I would like to convey...

Okay, I lied. I could. But I think as much as I shall convey the meaning of my week, it most certainly will be something that is going to be a part of me for a lifetime, in memory and experience.

To recap (and put into words):

The anticipation of my meeting with the Maui Food Tech Center at first filled me with trepidation and then ended with being incredibly refreshing. It's been a while since I ventured into new territory and this time it wasn't and new hobby, or an off shoot of something I was currently pursuing, but this is something that could possibly alter my life, and for that reason I was a bit anxious and, prior to the meeting, couldn't focus on anything more than cleaning and doing a bit of filing.

So, you think you want to get into the food business, eh? Do ya? YEAH I DO! A lot to consider, but if taken in stride, with the focus and attention it requires to get all the information and necessary licenses, permits, approvals, contacts, batches of sorbet and gumption it takes to make the prospect of marketing and selling my product to retail establishments and venues on the island   happen - I sure as hell will try my hardest to give it everything needed to, at the very least, try and make it concrete. With the added dose of reality check to make sure I don't run pell mell into it, of course.

The sample sale / garage sale was a success on all levels. Connecting with friends and securing relationships, check! New direction and approval on a new design collection, check! Making the proper contacts by being in the right place at the right time check! That week, a few weeks ago, where nothing seemed to go right is just a (laughable) memory now. Am I ready to rumble? CHECK!

Am I rambling? Check! So now, I'll allow images so hopefully express the unspoken portion of my life:

Three images from the jewelry and fabric sale this past weekend:

Keri's beautiful batiks and hand-dyed embroidery floss (with Keri's arm on the left)

Penny's display of miniature Hawaiian Shirts and hangings with her elaborate wire trees and earrings

My new bestest friend Dina having her coffee before the rush of shoppers at the sale (she had earrings and braided bracelets - like the ones on her wrist - and necklaces)

Progress Report

Pineapple

Buddha's Hand: Look at all the the blossoms!

Nasturtium Flowers from the garden which usually end up as garnish on my plates

Cherry tomatoes from wild tomato seeds

FOOD

Braised Baby Bok Choy

Dry Fried Noodles with Sizzled Garlic

Raw, Unhulled Sesame Seed Crusted Steelhead Salmon Fillet, Spicy Mayo

Grilled Artichoke with Shrimp Butter-Whole Grain Breadcrumbs

 Grilled Rosemary-and-Mint marinated Lamb Chops

Spice Rubbed Wild Marlin Fillet, Roasted Tomato Bread-and-Butter Pickle Tartar Sauce

Ratatouille

Cornbread Stuffing 

Sunday Munch

Having a day off and being what I consider lazy is probably different from what most would consider it to be. It means meandering through my space, moving from one project to another, in no considerable order, efficiency or purpose other than to get something done and be finished with it. Folding laundry. Repotted plants. Cooking. Make ice cream. Did some business... you know, a lazy day.


Enough of that... so here's pics of todays plates - I tasted them as they were prepared, and I have a half portion left over for some more eating tomorrow :)

Hibachi Roasted Green Beans, Goat Cheese, Charred Pumpkin Seeds

Guava Vinegar, Blood Orange Infused Olive Oil, Toasted Sesame Oil

Li Hing Mui Seasoned Hawaiian Sea Salt

Oven Roasted Tofu Poke

Red Onion, Toasted Sesame Oil, Kiawe Smoked Hawaiian Sea Salt

Red Shisho Leaf Sprig

Hibachi Grilled Line-caught Wild Marlin

Napa Cabbage, Kula Carrot, Red Delicious Apple and Ginger Slaw

Rice Vinegar-Fresh Lime Vinaigrette

Black Sesame Seeds - Red Nasturtium

Marinated White Bean Salad

Chopped Baby Arugula

Fresh lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, kosher salt, cracked black peppercorns

crushed dried chili pepper flakes

Grilled Kauai Shrimp, Artichoke Pesto

Sliced Kula Dave's Tomato. cracked black peppercorn


Ice cream, ice milk and sorbet coming soon!

Pineapple Update and Food 02/27-03/03

Here's an update on the pineapple... much growth in one week... beginning to look a lot more like a... pine cone?

I also noted (if you look closely, on the bottom right) there is a small purple flower.

Sauteed Free-Range Turkey Breast Cutlet

 Homemade Guacamole; Sonoma Jack Cheese; Lite Sour Cream

Roasted Sweet Yellow Pepper, Maui Onions and Hamakua Cherry Tomatoes

Mashed Pinto Beans and Baked Flour Tortillas

~~~~~

 Line Caught Wild Hawaiian Blue Marlin Roasted in Ti Leaf Wrapper with Red Miso and Olive Oil Mayonnaise

Sushi Rice Pancakes

Sauteed Button Makawao Mushrooms with Garlic and Roasted Yellow Peppers

Tomato Rose Garnish

~~~~

Organic Turkey Burger seasoned with Oyster Sauce, Water Chestnuts, Scallions, Toasted Sesame Oil on a Toasted Komoda Bakery Bun; Homemade Wasabi Ketchup; Seaweed Salad

Bean Sprout and Carrot Slaw; Miso-Sesame Dressing

Marky, Marky... Don't be snarky...

How does your garden grow?

Have you ever seen a pineapple? -- well of course you have... But have you ever seen one grow? We have a few pineapple plants on the property, and they have started fruiting... so I have decided to take a photo of the development of the pineapple, once a week, and share the progress with you. In my opinion, it's absolutely fascinating...

In all honesty, this looks like something from an ALIEN movie, that's going to thrust out on a long, appendage-like stalk and bite you with all of its sharp, needle-like teeth.


But it's only an immature pineapple...


I am working on my next group of fabric, but it's too soon to even let you in on what it is... but I'll let you know it's something I'm having a lot of fun working on, involves developing "characters", and it is geared to the 'Tween and Teen markets... As soon as I get the approval to send the designs to print, I promise to share some imagery!


In addition, I have decided to do my gourmet cooking on the weekends, so I'll have some culinary creations to share as a regular part of my Sunday post. Following are a few dishes I recently concocted...

Grilled Line Caught Wild Hawai'ian Blue Marlin

Big Island Ohi'a Lehua Blossom Honey-Oyster Sauce Glaze

Freshly Squeezed Meyer Lemon Juice, Blood Orange Oil

Grilled Apple Bananas

Panko Crusted Colossal Shrimp with Habanero Coconut Sauce

Whole Wheat Spaghetti Tossed in Deconstructed Guacamole

(Backyard Avocado, Hamakua Cherry Tomato, Maui Onion)

Toasted Nana's Dried Bananas and Banana Chip Finger-Banana Bread

Fresh Kula Raspberries

Minted Sesame-Miso Butterscotch Sauce

Hibachi Boneless Pork Ribs Glazed with House-made Chinese BBQ Sauce

Sprouted Brown Rice-Red Winter Wheat Berry "Fried Rice"

(Oven Dried Tofu, Kula Carrots, Maui Onions, Sweet Petit Peas, White Corn)

Grilled Apple Bananas

Baked Organic Free-Range Chicken Breast

Stuffed with Spinach, Maui Onions, Surfing Goat Dairy Chevre,

Shiitake Mushrooms and Panko Bread Crumbs

Low-Sodium Au Jus

Steamed Sushi Rice with Dehydrated Garden Vegetables

A Week Away From the Normal Wind and Grinds

Aloha!

Obviously I have not adhered to my promised posting schedule, and with good reason. As you may know, my sister came to visit and despite all good intentions to sit down and post an entry on Wednesday, alas! it just didn't happen.

So I'm here now to go over a bit of our eating extravaganza of local foods, or as it is said on the islands say, "local grinds".

On our first day, to the West side of the island and Lahaina for an overnight stay, we started breakfast at Tasty Crust. This diner was probably built the day after the lava started cooling and the island was formed. Stepping through the door is like stepping through a portal in time, and the fare is simple, unpretentious and down-to-earth. The reason for the french fries: the unopened, brand new bottle of ketchup was just begging to be used!

Dana's delight is her shave ice from Local Boy's Shave Ice in Lahaina, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the bottom, and Liliko'i/Papaya/Mango syrup on the smoother than silk shaved ice.

The state beverage of Hawai'i: the MAI TAI!

Another establishment that has been around from the days when food was food and reminds one of some good old home cooking is Tiffany Diner in Wailuku. Here is Chow Funn and Sweet-and-Sour Chicken - simple food for good eating...

A local spot in Upcountry serving the best Mexican food for the money; Polli's in Makawao - a must have is the Liliko'i margarita and (not shown) the Makawowie nachos!!!

Lunch before boarding the plane was at Da Kitchen in Kahului, where there was lots of local grinds but done in a very inventive way.

Kim Chee Crab Cake

Loco Moco, another Hawai'an staple of a hamburger patter, 2 over easy eggs, 2 scoops of rice, potato-mac salad, brown gravy and here, with sauteed mushrooms. We Googled "the best loco moco on Maui" and Da Kitchen was the hands down winner!

And last, but not least, because I couldn't have a guest over without cooking dinner, here is the pre-Valentine's Day menu.

Okinawan Purple Sweet and Yukon Gold Potato Salad

Confettied with Green Peas, Sweet Baby Corn, Diced Kula Carrots

Green Bamboo Salt

Crushed Black Pepper and Kosher Salt served in an oyster shell

Caesar Salad of Red Romaine Lettuce Wedge

Olive Oil Croutons

Freshly Grated Parmesan

Macadamia Nut Wood Smoked

Chinese 5-Spice Powder Boneless Pork Chop

Homemade Ketchup-Fresh Pureed Guava BBQ Sauce

Grilled Kona Coffee-Spice Rubbed New York Strip Steak

Merlot-Balsamic Vinegar-Soy Sauce Reduction with Fresh Thyme

Nasturtium Flower-Lemon Compound Butter

Big Island Chocolate Chip-Chocolate Covered Mochi

Fresh Mint-Wasabi Ice Cream

So now that I feel like a beached version of one of the Humpback Whales we saw breaching in the waters off Maui, I'll leave you now so I can contemplate salads and rice cakes for the next few weeks!