Kahalu'u Snorkeling

This post is going to be mostly pictures, because that is what I want to share with you. Kahalu'u County Beach is one of my favorite snorkeling spots along the Kona Coast. It is quite sheltered by an ancient Hawaiian breakwater and the reef there teems with fish, several kinds of sea urchins and surprisingly healthy corals. If you enjoy this post, you can check out some of my other snorkeling photos here, here and here.

The first one is what I call the "money shot". It is of a fantastic sea urchin that I have never encountered at this beach even though I snorkel here quite often.

Mammogram Island Style

Today I went to Kaiser for my long awaited mammogram. I have not had such a good laugh in a very long time. They have a traveling unit that comes here every few weeks. I went in and was the only patient, quite different from previous mamms @ Northwestern and John Muir where you are given tea and a very lovely robe to wear. I was handed a short paper gown and some paperwork. Then as I was filling it out, I looked up on the wall and saw this sign:

It was an "only in Hawaii Moment".  I laughed for about ten minutes straight, Good way to pass the time I suppose.

Then I looked up at the fake sky...

Then they called me into the Boob Smasher...

And then my iPhone and I left... and I kept laughing all the way home. I hope I am still smiling when I get the results.

Jamaican Chickpea, Coconut and Corn Fritters

Jamaican Chickpea, Coconut and Corn Fritters with Sweet Chili Sauce

Ingredients:
1 16 ounce can of organic chickpeas, drained
1 medium red onion rough chopped
1 cup of flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
2 large eggs
6 cloves of garlic slivered
1 Tablespoon finely chopped Hawaiian (or Habanero)  peppers
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 scallions sliced finely (green and white)
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup baking coconut

1/2 cup peanut oil

Bottled Sweet Chili Sauce for dipping.

Method:

In a food processor, add all ingredients in the first section. Pulse until completely mixed.

Pour into a bowl and add scallions, corn and coconut. Fold ingredients in and allow to rest for a few minutes while oil heats in a frying pan.

Fry 2-3 minutes on each side and drain before serving with chili sauce.

*note, these can be served in 2" patties as an appetizer or in larger sizes for a veggie burger. They also go well with chipotle mayo, mustard sauce or barbeque sauce.

Big Island International Cooking Club: Cajun Night

With an inspiration of the 5th anniversary of Katrina, the Big Island International Cooking Club's August venue including sausage making with Cajun spices as well as many terrific food offerings from the Big Easy and surrounds. If you live on the big island and you are interested in joining our group, please send me an e-mail While I could type on and on about this fun night, I think I will just let the pictures do the talking, after all, that is what you want anyway!

Wordless Wednesday: Hilo Coffee Mill

Fresh Catch!

Wasabi Hoisin Mahi Mahi

Along the side of the road an old white pickup truck was parked. A cardboard sign, read "Fresh Mahi Mahi and Mangoes." I really should have a bumper sticker on my car, "Caution, I stop for roadside produce." It is a common place thing here in Hawaii, for a fisherman or farmer to just park his truck at an advantageous spot and let the people come. I made an instant decision to pull over and went from 45 to a full stop in about 10 seconds. My friend Maria and I were really interested in the Mangoes... and bought some beautiful big juicy ones. And then I said, "Let me see your fish." He complied. I bought.

I sent out a shout on FB asking for suggestions on how to prepare the beautiful fresh filets. I immediately got over 25 replies. My original thoughts were to either simply grill the filets or to grind up some mac nuts and crust them, but I asked for ideas and I got lots of them. I chose to combine a couple of ideas. My friend Gail shared a method she learned at Taylor Camp in the '60's: Slather with wasabi, splash on soy sauce and bake.

In the end, I gave the filets a little bath of olive oil, then put them on the grill along with some hot chiles I was roasting and some gently smashed Yukon Gold Potatoes from a local farm. After the first side had grilled, I flipped the filets and added a light coating of wasabi paste, then a drizzle of Hoisin Sauce. I let it cook about 3 minutes and removed it from the grill. I served it with a cabbage salad, AMAZING corn on the cob from another truck farmer emergency stop on the side of Highway 19 and the smashed grilled Yukon Golds. It was a fine dinner. 99.9% local, only the Wasabi, olive oil and Hoisin were imported. This recipe is so simple and so delicious, you must try it even if you do not have a truck on the side of your highway selling fresh catch. It would also be a good treatment for salmon, ono, ahi and many other fish.