La Dolce Vida @ The Four Seasons

 I was invited to attend a really special event at the Four Seasons Hualalai (recently voted the #1 resort in all of Hawaii by readers of Travel and Leisure) called La Dolce Vida: the Sweet Life. It was a fund raiser for the Kona Hospital sponsored by HI Luxury Magazine and the Four Seasons. 

It was a beautiful night on the grass near the Beach Tree. The music was incredible and the weather was perfect. We had a glorious sunset and met up with some great friends who came to the event. It was great to see part of my Four Seasons Ohana there too. But the star of the night was the FOOD!

The event was a showcase of the trip that Chef Nick of Beach Tree and his sidekick Chuck a.k.a. “Carlos”, restaurant manager made last spring while the restaurant was closed for repairs from the Tsunami. They toured wineries and restaurants in California’s Central Coast and then made their way to Italy where they wined and dined and cooked throughout their trip. They brought back more than just memories. The foods and wines that they experienced on their trip were shared with the lucky people at the event. Several stations were set up and we nibbled and sipped our way around them.

Chef Nick is a buddy of mine. I spent a day with him last fall and he even taught my friend Janet and I how to make his mother’s special recipe of gnocchi. You can read more about that, including the recipe here.

At the event I even got to meet some of my Facebook friends who I had not met in person before. They came to the event after I posted about it. One of them is beautiful Joy who is a talented hula dancer.

If you are on the Big Island, you must make a visit to the Four Seasons Hualalai and have lunch or dinner at Beach Tree where you can partake in some of Chef Nick’s Italian Inspired menu items made with mostly local ingredients. His wild boar ragu is to die for. Beach Tree is one of the best places to watch the sunset on the island.  

Wordless Wednesday: This Mornings Sunrise on Hilo Bay

Hilo Orchid Show Photos

The Hilo Orchid Show was one of the best ever this year. Here are some pictures of my favorite orchids. I was too busy to do a full photo shoot because I had a booth there selling my ceramics.

Wordless Wednesday: Cookin' in the Kiln

Cuban Black Beans Cuca’s Way

Cuban Black Beans Cuca’s Way

Basic Beans

1 # Black Beans

2 Quarts Water

1 ham hock

2 poblano chiles, stemmed and seeded, cut into 1” squares

2 habanero peppers cut in half (be sure to dig these and the bay leaves out later)

8 garlic cloves peeled and smashed

1 tablespoon salt ( I use smoked sea salt)

2 bay leaves

Sofrito:

6 slices thick cut bacon sliced into ½ inch pieces

2 red onions peeled and cut into ¼ inch dice

½ Bell Pepper, stemmed and seeded, cut into ¼ inch dice

Optional: Jalapeno or poblano peppers, stemmed and seeded, chopped.

½ cup of green olives sliced

Spice mix: Toast 2 Tablespoons Cumin Seeds, 2 Tablespoons Coriander Seeds and place in a spice mill, grinding till finely blended. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

1 cup dry sherry

¼ cup raw sugar

Prepare the beans:

• ·        
  Place the beans in a large soup pot, cover with water and soak overnight.
• ·         Add the ham hock, pepper, garlic, salt and bay leaves to the pot with the beans. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer covered for 1 hour or until the beans are tender. If any scum forms skim it off. Remove the habaneros & bay leaf. 

Finishing the Beans:

• ·        
  In a frying pan, heat the olive oil add the bacon till the fat is rendered and the bacon begins to caramelize (4-5 minutes.) Add onion and bell pepper. Stir until slightly softened. Then add the garlic, olives & spice mix. Continue stirring for another minute. Add the sherry and cook another 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside. 
• ·        
  Remove the meat from ham hock & add the meat to the beans. Discard the bone. Add the sofrito to the beans along with the sugar. Stir to combine. 
• ·        
  Return the beans to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the flavors blend, 10 minutes or so. Turn off the heat and allow to rest and cool slightly.
• ·         Use an immersion blender or potato masher to mash about ¼ of the beans. Simmer again till the sauce resembles thin gravy. 

Serve with cilantro and onions.

Silent Sunday: Best thing I ate this week

Goat cheese ravioli with corn butter, fresh corn broth, edamame, baby mushrooms, corn  & lobster at  Manta