(I PROMISE I've got lots of photos to add!)
Well serendipity because there was a series of events all involving a podcast and our travels.
This weekend we took a trip North up the Hamakua coast (gorgeous) and on to Waipio valley. An amazing deep valley, lush and green with mountains up to the ocean. We had a mind to walk down the mountain and go to the large black sand beach there, but... well... it looked really steep and considering Emma wouldn't want to walk back up.. and the walk to the beach was through rain forest...well.. we looked and took photos.
So we decided to explore the North of the island a bit more...
and drove west through Waimea (you can't go further north than Waipio because, well, there are no roads, its too rugged and up into North Kohala and the Northern tip.
I was listending to my iPod podcast from Eatfeed the latest edition was about, of all things, local Hawaian food. Serendipity already considering we are in Hawaii and I've been making Hawaiian food my hobby this month.
As I was listening, about half way through there was an interview with the owner/chef of a restaurant called "Merriman's" who was one of the new proponents of Hawaiian Regional Cuisine (locally grown Hawaiian produce cooked with Hawaiian immigrant influenced methods). He was talking about a local version of sweet corn and how it was bred (fasinating story) and how popular it was at the restaurant... and I swear.. JUST as we finished that part of the interview and i turned to tell Guy what the story... there was a produce stand selling that very corn!! We stopped of course and got a dozen.
Then started driving again, and finishing up the interview. We were driving through Waimea (it was around 2pm) and listening to the podcast. Low and behold, I learned that the restaurant Merriman's was in Waimea. Fancy that! we thought.. and stopped for gas....
and across the street... was Merriman's.
We checked the menu (looked great!) and made reservations for that night (8pm).
The rest of the trip was great. We drove up the west coast to the Northern tip, were sufficiently awed by the scenery and then drove back down the west coast to a beach, spent about an hour or two there.. washed off and went back to the restaurant.
Had shrimp/corn/macadamia nut fritters and grilled Mahi, corn and tomatoes. Honey sorbet and strawberries and balsamic vinegar for desert. It was all very very very good. (and a bit expensive... not a weekly event :).
All and all a great trip.
RECIPE OF THE DAY
Modified Lau Lau:
following the directions from before w/ taro and ti leaves, use these fillings instead:
4 chicken breasts (boneless and skinless)
1 lb crab meat (1/4 lb for each lau lau)
1 red bell pepper (1/4 for each lau lau)
8 cloves of garlic (2 for each lau lau)
CREATURE OF THE DAY
D&^% mesquitos. Introduced to the islands 200 years ago turning a true paradise (really.. think about it, tropical islands without mesquitos, rats, snakes and ants?) into a "near" paradise.
enough said.
Comments (1)
I've done that walk. And, unless you plan on spending an entire day at that beach, it isn't worth it. I'm 25, in great shape, but had to stop numerous times on the way back up. Also, all the 4x4s on their way up/down the hill could lose it at any moment and come careening towards the pedestrians that have to share the same path. SCARY.
I can't imagine doing it with a little one. Good choice...appreciate and move on.
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Comment #1869 on July 13, 2005 8:41 AM |