hawaii

slurp slurp yum: plenty saimin by feng feng hutchins and adriano abatayo

~ jama ~ 1 Comment

 

Know what would taste really ono right about now?

A big bowl of warm, steamy, soul satisfying saimin!

At this very moment, I’m dreaming of dipping my chopsticks in hot dashi and slurping up some fresh saimin noodles — just the right firmness, a little curly — with a bit of char-siu (sweet roast pork), kamaboko (fish cake), fried egg and crunchy wonbok cabbage. See those chopped green onions nestled atop the noodles? I’m gonna scoop them up and slurp again. Mmmmm!


James Rubio/flickr

Saimin is truly “Hawai’i in a bowl,” a ubiquitous snack turned main dish inspired by Japanese ramen, Chinese mein, and Filipino pancit. It always, always hits the spot. Now there’s a brand new award winning picture book called Plenty Saimin by Feng Feng Hutchins and Adriano Abatayo (Island Paradise Publishing, 2010), a tasty tale sure to satisfy the appetites of diehard saimin lovers and curious foodies.

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♥ my darling, my bento ♥

~ jama ~ 3 Comments

 

When the going gets tough, the tough get BENTO!

Seriously. No matter where I am or what I’m doing, just hearing the word, “bento,” makes me happy. It’s childhood, Hawai’i, and the most ono-licious comfort food all lovingly packed in the perfect box.

Who can resist those perfect size portions of rice (or maybe musubi with ume), chicken katsu, beef teriyaki, nishime, and kamaboko? There is something so very reassuring and personal about a little meal just for one, its ingredients carefully chosen for their complementary tastes, textures, and colors.

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lunch at the wai’oli tea room

~ jama


Front entrance, Wai’oli Tea Room (built 1922).

The Wai’oli Tea Room, "O’ahu’s Hidden Treasure," was one of the places I most looked forward to visiting on my recent trip to Hawai’i.


The restaurant is surrounded by a tropical garden.

           

I had been there decades ago, but couldn’t remember much about it, other than one could dine on the lanai, surrounded by beautiful Island greenery. 

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F is for Fall: le menu

~ jama

    
     Autumn Scene, Jessie Wilcox Smith (1919)

Greetings, Ladies and Germs!

Yes, the cat in the hat is back! Well, sort of.

*yawns, strokes whiskers and assumes penetrating gaze*

So, how have you been? I must say you’re looking rather perky today. Must be the brisk fall weather — the winds of change blowing in, crisp leaves underfoot, apples for breakfast . . .


photo:-Snug-/flickr

As for me, I enjoyed my longish lunch break. Went all the way to Hawai’i to dine in the sunshine, yes I did. Another sacrifice on your behalf, dear friends. *cough*

I swear there must be somebody secretly moving those islands a few hundred miles west every year, because Hawai’i seems further and farther away the older I get. The 12-hour flight is exhausting, jet lag, the pits. If I sound incoherent the next week or so, you’ll know why. (And if, in my sleep-deprived stupor, I offhandedly offer you cash, pay no attention.)

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SOUP’S ON: Arnold Hiura in the Kitchen Interview!

~ jama ~ 1 Comment

Kau Kau: the all-purpose Hawaiian pidgin term for food (derived from the Chinese “chow chow”).

photo by Shuzo Uemoto

I’m very pleased to welcome Arnold Hiura to alphabet soup today, not only because he has written a fabulous new book about Hawai’i’s culinary history, but because this interview has given me the opportunity to reconnect with an old college classmate.

Arnold and I were both English majors at the University of Hawai’i, where we took the same Shakespeare class in grad school. I was no fool — I made sure I sat next to him, hoping that some of his brains and writing talent would rub off on me. ☺

After graduation, Arnold taught English for a few years at Punahou, a prestigious private school on O’ahu. One of his students was none other than a certain Barry Obama. Fast forward to last December, when the Obamas were in Hawai’i for Christmas. They dined at one of their favorite restaurants, Alan Wong’s in Honolulu, at which time Chef Wong gifted the President with a copy of Kau Kau: Cuisine & Culture in the Hawaiian Islands. I love how things come full
circle — how small and friendly the world can be, how food brings people together.

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