use real butter

Recipe: tuna poke

I’m writing from the cool(er) foothills of Waimea (Kamuela) right now. The drizzle has abated and there is a gentle breeze keeping some residents in pants and jackets. Jeremy has just polished off his second cup of Kona coffee for the day and we’re deciding on where to grab lunch. It’s been a rainy week on the Big Island, but it’s not such a downer considering the amazing food (ono kine grindz) on offer if you avoid the tourist traps.

noms to go at the hilo farmers market

bouquets on display

they had mangosteens, lychee, cherimoyas, mangos…

coconuts

crates of rambutan

white anthurium among the reds

jeremy’s favorite tree: the banyan

We scored heaps of fresh fruits and local treats in Hilo on our way to the Hamakua Coast. I think I’m in love with Hilo because it’s everything that Kona isn’t. The food alone is enough to make me forget about the heat and humidity – THAT is how fan-freaking-tastic Hilo is. As scenery goes, the north side of the Big Island is my favorite for the dramatic jungly cliffs plunging into the gem-blue waters. Another thing I love about the north side of the island is Tex’s in Honoka’a.

this is for malasada research

fresh hot malasadas from tex’s beats the pants off a krispy kreme

pineapple malasada research

We spent the last three days out of Waimea (Kamuela) which is pleasantly nestled on the saddle between Kohala and Mauna Kea. It’s a few thousand feet above the ocean and I’ve been loving the drier, cooler climate (we’re on the dry side of town – yes, there is a wet and dry side of Waimea!). Excellent food here and in the lovely town of Hawi too.

we stayed at an inn on the west side of town

dinner at merriman’s

kalua pig and sweet onion quesadilla

home-cured smoked pork belly with kona coffee glaze

wild pork tenderloin

i’ve also been going crazy for these local taro and sweet potato chips

sushi rock in hawi

cap’n crunch roll

rockstar roll

I knew before coming to Hawai’i that I would be all over the poke – that irresistible mix of fresh raw fish, onions, seaweed, and salt dressed lightly in soy sauce and sesame oil. There are many variations as we took note in the grocery stores: lime poke, kimchi poke (omg omg!!), avocado poke, California poke… We have sampled quite a bit of the poke around the island – I just can’t get enough of it. One way to solve the withdrawal issues when returning to the mainland is to make some yourself. The fish will never be as awesomely fresh, but it’s a start.

tuna (maguro), green onions, seaweed (wakame), flake salt, and sesame seeds

diced tuna, sliced onions, and rehydrated seaweed

**Jump for more butter**

Recipe: favorite chinese fried rice

It’s snowing big heavy flakes tonight! We have seven inches of snow on our deck right now and I’m thinking a little backcountry ski might be in my near future.

[UPDATE: Here’s the view from our deck this morning. The forecast was 2-9 inches and we have 14 (it’s still snowing). I LOVE IT!!]

I’m ready for a little break as it has been non-stop around here since I returned from California. I had to test out some new equipment that arrived while I was away and of course, the guinea pig’s name is Kaweah. Kaweah got a brushing, then a (much-needed) bath, and another brushing. It wasn’t for the photo, it was because she was shedding her winter coat all over the house and because she had her stink on BIG TIME.

now she smells like lavender

A client shoot kept me off the streets and up late at night earlier this week. The first day of the shoot we were staged at Chris Cina’s newly-opened restaurant (Hideaway Steakhouse). I cannot wait to actually EAT there because Chris is the chef and if you’ve ever visited his website (gorgeous food, gorgeous photography) you’d want to eat there too. Not only that, but Chris is one of the nicest people ever. The second day was in the home studio – just me, lots of food, and Kaweah following me around waiting for a peanut or carrot to drop.

how can you not love fruits and vegetables?

And then there were the property viewings… We are not moving anywhere! I hate moving. I hate house hunting. I can barely stay awake to shop for clothes for myself let alone a house. But you see, I have a big incentive to look for a nice place in town because it means my parents will come and hang out in Colorado. Last summer they visited us and scoped out a few properties, then they wined and dined around town and really enjoyed themselves (Dad LOVES The Kitchen – who doesn’t?). That is important to me because I want them to be happy, but I also want them to eventually live here year-round so I can take care of them and be there for them as they age. That’s what Chinese daughters do. That’s what Kris and I would have done together, but now it’s just me. Of course, at my parents’ rate they will be hiking the fourteeners well into their nineties!

these are some nice digs

All of this has conspired against me cooking any of the lovely vegetables I picked up this weekend with grand plans to make some dishes I’ve been craving. It’s been simple food like sautéed English peas, eggs, toast, vegetable soup, grilled green chile & swiss cheese sandwiches. So let’s dig deep into the queue and get a recipe for my favorite Chinese fried rice recipe that I shot in 2008. I know – where the heck has that been hiding? It’s been hiding in my February 2008 cooking photos folder. I document, archive, and save *everything*.

preserved whole mustard green – salty and crunchy

this stuff makes the dish

I’ve been making this fried rice since college and I’ve been eating it all my life. I think this is my mom’s recipe and it’s most certainly one of my comfort foods. It’s also one of Jeremy’s favorites so I like to make a batch for him before I go on travel. As with most Chinese dishes, this one is mostly prep-intensive and quick to cook. They also make great leftovers.

some pork mixed with cornstarch, sesame oil, and soy sauce

diced onion and julienned preserved mustard green

**Jump for more butter**

Recipe: steak and mushrooms on polenta

I’m back from California and this time I’m home for a good few weeks which makes me more than just a little giddy. It’s not that I don’t love California – because I love the hell out of California – but this was my fifth trip in just over seven weeks and at some point I start to long for my routine again. The trip was totally worth it though. Have a looksee.

expansive fields of tidy tips

classic combo: lupine and poppies

cherry tree blossoms

It’s spring and that means green grasses and a glorious rainbow of wildflowers in the Golden State. Timing is everything and it’s hard to get that right when you book travel a few months in advance, but we make due. You can find the full sets from day 1 and day 2 on my photo blog. On our third day, the weather forecast was for rain. California poppies don’t open when it rains, so my shooting pal and I drove north up the coast to Big Sur (beyond Big Sur, the road was closed due to a landslide). As our dumb luck would have it – the skies opened up for us!

elephant seals take a group nap

hummingbird checking me out

magical beach

The rest of day 3 along the Central Coast is on the photo blog. We rolled into Big Sur shortly after noon and stopped at Nepenthe on the recommendation of several friends for lunch with a view. Despite the cool temperatures (50s) we opted to sit out on the patio to soak up the sun and gaze out onto the Pacific. After our meal we continued up the coast and dropped by The Big Sur Bakery. We got a browned butter strawberry tart on a whim. Wow… WOW! Finest browned butter tart I’ve ever had. EVER.

dining outside at nepenthe in big sur (with a view!)

salmon appetizer

*amazing* browned butter strawberry tart from big sur bakery

On our last day we drove into Los Angeles and met with Todd and Diane and Allison and Son for ramen at Mottainai, crispy cream puffs at Marukai Market, and ethnic shopping safari. Diane loaded us up with some Vietnamese green mango pickles before we left to catch out flight back to Colorado.

ramen at mottainai: the reward at the end of the trip

diane insisted on a dozen fabulous crispy cream puffs to share

This is the second year in a row I’ve gone to shoot the spring bloom in Southern California. It’s a visual shocker to return home to snowfall, brown and crunchy dead grasses, bare aspens, and dark pine trees. But it’s home and it’s wonderful! I have a hankering for spring-like dishes lately so I figure I should get to posting the dish I made for our anniversary back in March.

simple: polenta and salt

pour in the polenta when the water comes to a boil

The first time I had polenta was in the field in Argentina and despite the project leader’s best efforts, it wasn’t so appetizing. That’s saying a lot because most things you wouldn’t think to eat at home actually taste GOOD in the field. I kept away from polenta for nearly a decade. But eventually I had it prepared properly and well at friends’ houses and restaurants. So I figured I’d give it a try at home… with mushrooms and steak.

luscious chanterelle mushrooms

thick slices

**Jump for more butter**