Ketchup and Eggs

Ketchup...

OMG! this is the best stuff I have ever had... Do you have a spoon? A chip? A piece of bread I can dip into it?

Homemade ketchup. In my opinion ketchup, in general, is not just a condiment but a comfort food. And as my dear friend Holly would say, "Steak is just a vehicle for eating ketchup!"

I have to agree with her.

This stuff, that bubbles on the stove for over 3 hours is simply amazing, and by experience I have found the longer it sits after being put into canning jars, the better it gets.

The recipe that I found in the New York Times magazine section is the one that I swear by. And it's funny how life sometimes throws you a curve but, with determination and perseverance, one can prevail.

My story: I was searching for the pages torn from the magazine containing the recipe. One day, I finally found them and here's where it goes awry: I lit a small votive candle and left it on the table with the recipes, including this one, that I was sorting through. I've lived on Maui 3 years now and one would think I have learned a few things during that time but apparently not. Mark forgot about the trade winds that blow through every day starting about 1:30 PM and tend to cause papers and small, light objects to gust about. So burning candle, wind blows, makes recipes take flight, ketchup recipe lands on candle... small fire -- no panic, douse it quickly -- and all I am left with just charred and tattered remains of the recipe with singed edge and dashed hopes.

Quick! Google search... a few minutes I found it! Relief...

http://www.nytimes.com/recipes/8571/Spicy-Tomato-Ketchup.html

So today I'm concocting a new batch... with pics, of course!

Here's a plate of spices and condiments that are added to the tomatoes with red wine vinegar. A few included above are charred onion, garlic, tomato paste, brown sugar, raw honey, capers, cardamon pods, cumin, black pepper and allspice berries.

All the ingredients in the pot prior to cooking and reducing for 3 hours.

The simmering ketchup after approximately an hour-and-a-half. Notice how the color is getting deeper and darker as it reduces.

A jar of the finished ketchup.

Angus burgers on the cast iron charcoal grill to be served with oven fries and onion rings and a side of homemade cole slaw. And lots and lots of ketchup!

Eggs...

Here in Upcountry, and perhaps all of Maui - all islands too? - there is a problem with feral chickens. One measure to curb the chickens from making nests, laying eggs and raising broods in the wild is to mark the nests and return weekly to remove the most recently laid clutch of eggs.

These eggs are smaller than what I think of for a chicken egg. Here's one showing the very orange-colored yolk and was later used for onion rings which accompany the burgers and ketchup. Honestly these eggs do taste differently from store bought eggs.

Deviled eggs made from the wild eggs with black sesame seeds.

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!

Aloha!

This week was a bit less demanding design-wise. I finally completed the "Never-Ending" pattern, and started and completed a second by the end of Friday evening. Two designs in under three weeks... I supposed that's a good average... Right? I would have to say yes... ONLY because with each new design I start and complete, it is accomplished with more learning and less trial and error of how to use, manipulate and design in Photoshop.

Other than that, it was a quiet week - and most certainly a quick one (you know what they say: Time flies when we're having fun, and I'm certainly having fun!)

I saw the hen and her chicks foraging in the back yard a couple of days ago - cute as can be except that I only counted five scuttling behind here and I know the first time I spotted the clan, there were a lot more peepers behind her... :(   There are two cats that patrol the property and keep it pest and rodent free - I'm not saying it was Sebastian or Ariel but anything is possible I suppose. I hope not but I guess it's all just part of life and natural selection.

A few weeks ago I put the Buddah's Hand out back on the patio with the Kaffir Lime, Starfruit and Banana trees, and yesterday I noticed it's getting some new buds... hopefully after almost two months in Haiku it has climatized itself to my location and the new flowers will produce fruits that will hang on and mature.

Pineapple week #5 - Is it ready yet? 

~  ~  ~

A cute little guy (miniature horse) at the Haiku Ho'olaule'a & Flower Festival 03/31/12

~  ~  ~

"Pencil Grass" Asparagus grown in Makawao, washed, trimmed and oiled for the grill 

Hibachi Grilled Lobster Tail with Dried Black Mission Fig Bar-B-Que Sauce

Grilled Upcountry Asparagus

Red Winter Wheat Berries, Caramelized Maui Onions, Baby Shiitake Mushroom Caps, Toasted Walnuts

Grilled Steelhead Salmon, Hawaiian Honey Teriyaki Glaze, Slivered Scallion FInish

Japanese Eggplant in Sweet-and-Spicy Garlic Sauce, Unhulled and Black Sesame Seeds, Red Pepper Flakes

Fried Rice of Wild and Brown Rice and Mixed Legumes, Fresh Garden Veggies

Hope you had a great weekend! 

Mark

Photos of a Week Around Maui with Sis 2/09-2/16

Here are photos from different locations around the Island as I ran about with my Sistah during her week of vacation...

LEFT: Red Liliko'i or Passionfruit Flower                   

RIGHT: I Don't know what it is, but it looks like Audrey 2 from LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

LEFT: Bell-shaped flowers from a wild succulent     

RIGHT: As I was told, the rock formation is of a fallen man who lived on the hillside and

           was overtaken by a lava flow when the volcano exploded. It is tradition to leave a

           little gift: I a red hibiscus flower and Dana a Chiclet

Orange lichen on a tree trunk - great design inspiration!

Two wooden figures that greet you at the 'Ulupalakua Ranch Store

This applies to all of you cowgirls as well!

Ahead: A grove of eucalyptus trees lining the road leaving 'Ulupalakua

More design reference - do you see the butterflies as I do?

A herd of pipi, and white egrets that hang around to forage for bugs that are flushed out as the cattle graze

Kahului bay, the airport (red roofs; left), runway and tower taken from Upcountry Maui

Upcountry Maui

The wind farm on the spine of the West Maui mountains as taken from across Maalaea bay

The new turbines being built

Ghost crab

Getting rid of wet sand from the burrow during the excavation process

With a little help from Photoshop these might make incredible stripes in a future collection!

Dana with Boo-Boo Face

Standing in the security check line for the return flight to Newark, NJ

Last but not least: my office mate... I don't know how he got in but he's too quick for me to catch and must be happy because he's been around for months!