A Great Day For A Foodie!

         

       Partly cloudy today with a high of 75 degrees.

       

The set up in our small home. Dan is on the couch, on his computer. The dogs are next to him and I am at the end, on my computer. One small, happy family!

The entrance to the Kapa'a Farmers Market

Huge avocados, pineapples, the forefront is some kind of "very rare fruit", lemons are in the back.

Baby pineapples for decoration

There are oodles of vendors. Some, like these folks sell things they grow in their yard, some are small organic farms. Dan and I have considered doing this since we have such a big yard.

Turmeric, the spice that makes curry yellow in it's original form on the left. I believe that is Taro on the right, used to make Poi.

Dan and I have never seen Ginger so big, each hand averaging 8" long 10" wide.

         

      People flock to this farmers market

Pretty

Would you like some fresh coconut water?

The parking lot is a drag to get out of. It only took once for Dan and I to learn! We parked the next street over and walked.

My first plant; a rosemary. At Whole Foods in Colorado a rosemary plant half this size goes for $20.00, this was $15.00

      All told we spent $50.00 for what you see here.

From bottom left clockwise: Lilikoi or Passion Fruit, Avocado, Cucumber, Lemon (they are large, juicy, soft and sweet) Papaya, organic eggs, Pineapple, Scallions, Mixed Baby Greens, Lacinato Kale, Mung Bean Sprouts, Basil, Parsley, Rambutan (red, spiky), Star Fruit, Sweet Yellow Cherry Tomatoes, Plum Tomatoes, Baby Ginger. Center: Eggplant, Limes, Blood Oranges, and Red Bell Peppers.

Most of you are probably thinking, that would go bad, there's no way I could eat that in a week. And that's probably true! But, this is my palette! Since all of my cookbooks are still on a boat, I am forced to create and I'm loving it! I am so excited to have this great produce, it's like most people get excited about winning the lottery, that's how excited I am! We ate all the fruit and veg we bought last week, in fact, we had to buy some more. Basically, we are having fresh fruit with yogurt, nuts and toasted coconut for breakfast, salad for lunch and a stir fry or fried rice for dinner. It's healthier and cheaper than the alternatives. This morning I finished off the peppers we bought last week. They were green, about an inch wide and 2 to 4 inches long, and mild. I still had a whole bag of them. I sauteed them with a little salt and the rest of the scallions, until they had little toasty brown spots and folded them inside an omelette, delish, and a little spicy!

We decided to celebrate the fact that we made it out here so we went to the Hukilau Lanai for a special dinner. Dan did such a great job of finding us a beautiful home, getting the dogs here seamlessly, and getting our stuff here that I thought he deserved some good eats! We had a great time! The 2 Island Orchids each helped. Absolute Vodka, Hawaiian Vanilla Bean and Macadamia Nut Liquor, packs a refreshing, sweet punch. 

                         Mmmm Island Orchids!

The restaurant is one big covered patio with an ocean view.

Appetizers; oregano, tomato and parmesan focaccia and perfectly tender calamari with coconut and Thai chili sauce.

I had the Hukilau Mixed Platter; butterfish (Walu), shrimp skewered on sugarcane, and cajun Spearfish (Hebi) over creamy parmesan orzo with a coconut Thai chili sauce.

Dan had the prime rib, the Au Jus was sublime, a perfect foil for the tender, succulent beef.

Some Bordeaux to go with dinner.

Macadamia Nut Tart and Cinnamon Ice Cream.

Hawaiian Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee.

Since we were celebrating our arrival, our waiter from Boulder, Colorado gave us a present. Yes, there is a bite taken out of the upper right corner =) inside the box were two perfect chocolate truffles.

Cheers to the successful start of a dream.

The Blue Jays Are Back!

The rain came down hard all night and we were snug, sleepy and dry. The 4 of us cuddled up on our queen size bed, cozy and happy. The neighbors little, yappy dog woke us at 7:15. Our legs still feeling a little weak from the hike, we are in no rush to get out of bed. We talk, pet the dogs and are generally lazy until Dan's mom calls. He is really happy to hear from her, his voice light, cheerful. He is so relaxed, fun, curious, happy, affectionate and childlike. The Blue Jays are back! That in itself makes this journey worth it. Didn't do much today. I talked to Diana about work, she thinks we can work together so when (if) we get set up I'll let her know. Other than that we went into town to do laundry. We decided to make a tradition out of getting a shave ice on laundry day. And, of course, we watched Lost and it did not disappoint!

Of chickens and Roosters
We have been getting a lot of advice via Facebook and emails about how to kill these critters and some have suggested eating them. I can't imagine killing, de-feathering and de-gutting one, maybe if we were starving! When Dan and I were here in June, our kayak guide Justin told us they got out of control because of hurricane Iniki. The worst hurricane to hit the Hawaiian Islands, in 1992, caused Kauai over a billion dollars worth of damage. Justin also told us that it was illegal to kill them, even if you hit one while driving your car. A friend of ours was told the same thing. Another friend, who went to Maui, was told "they were brought to the islands because many years ago there was an abundance of a certain type of (I think poisonous) snake. They were thought to have been brought into the islands (hiding in the wheels & carriages) of jets & airplanes. These rooster & hens were used to destroy them." There are two types of snakes here a blind cave snake and a sea snake. The Islands have never had any snakes other than these. Also, the friendly dog owner Tom told us a story he thought was funny about a lab chasing the roosters and chickens and killing them, running around with feathers in his mouth. We've only been here a little over a week but it seems to me tourists get told some pretty inaccurate things. This got me to thinking. After all tour guides are just like you and me, and maybe some of us, on the spot, who don't know the answer will make something up. He decides it's a good story and he tells his friends at lunch and they all have a good laugh. The next day a co-worker, angry at a rude tourist, decides to tell the same story to mess with them and it becomes (urban) legend. I did a search on the internet and this is what I found from Kauai Vacations.

Kauai's Wild Chickens and Roosters

Wild Chickens, roosters and families of baby chicks are everywhere, running through parking lots, backyards, roads, jungles and golf courses. The roosters are usually a beautiful red color, occasionally speckled with white spots. The hens are good mothers, constantly looking after their small chicks. They do not just cock-a-doodle-doo at first light, but all day too. (And night)

The story about where they came from is that early Polynesians and Europeans brought chickens to Kauai. The Filipinos brought the brightly colored fighting cocks, and Walla, the wild chickens. It is said that with Hurricane ‘Iniki, the domestic chickens and fighting roosters were freed from their cages to roam and multiply. On a recent trip to Tahiti, the same wild chickens were everywhere as well, so I question this theory. But why so many??

Kauai Wild Chicken Recipe
1 Kauai wild chicken
1 large onion
1 bunch seasoning spices of your choosing
1 large rock
Salt and pepper
Put all ingredients into a large covered pot. Simmer over a low flame for several hours. Remove the rock. Discard the chicken. Eat the rock.

I don't think anyone really knows how they got here. I don't think anyone here cares if you kill one. I do think if you eat one, they are probably tougher than eating a rock!

Sleeping Giant

I thought I'd start each post with a view of the mountain to the west (through our kitchen window), everyday it'll be the same location and same time, first thing in the morning.

I stand in mountain pose facing the sunrise with my eyes closed. Breathing deep, the carrot orange glow of daybreak infuses me from the inside out with a warm luminosity. The sun salutations feel familiar and welcome, my body instinctively moving from one pose to the next. When I am finished, I feel strong, limber, balanced and calm.

Dan and I enjoy a leisurely breakfast (our "normal" yogurt, fresh pineapple, toasted coconut and macadamia nuts) while we watch the local news. We crack open the laptops to check our emails and Facebook. We talk about going snorkeling but I have two towels and one of them dried off the dogs yesterday. I remember reading about a website that has trail routes called kauaiexplorer.com, we decide Nounou trail looks good.

I finally got to get all hot and sweaty. I have been craving a good workout to release some of this anxiety since we got here. Today, I got just that. Nounou trail is on Sleeping Giant, it's the mountain you can see from our dining room window. 

Fifteen minutes from our house, 3 miles one way, and a 1200 foot evevation gain (thank you Shannon Hall for the guide book!). The smells are totally different than the Rockies. The fruit that carpets the forest floor, fermenting in the sun, smells like wine casks. Sometimes, the scent of flowers dance under your nose. The canopy is thick with a huge varity of plants and trees.

Trailhead

Trailhead

Looking behind us

Getting steep

The roots act like a stairway, making the going easier. The red dirt of Kauai is wet (because of the rains) and makes the going a little tricky.

Tree canopy

Giant Lodgepole Pines

Looking back

Yup, I'm a tree hugger! This is a giant Oak.

Looks like we should continue on here...we'd been going downhill for about 1/4 mile before we decided we missed a turn and doubled back...this wasn't it! We backtrack some more.

This way! The real assent begins, a steep 15% grade.

This is an example of my inability to get the camera to do what I want it to do! In that little opening is the first sighting of the ocean, the breezes are welcome!

Up, up, up. About 18% grade now.

Pretty!

Almost to the top. The famous Bali Hai Mountains on the far right, jutting up, signifies the beginning of the Napali Coast.

View from the top. I took a shot from this angle because we live down there. If you look along the coast line, to the left is a tree, just off center. Go up from there, inland, there is a light green groomed field, to the right of that is a baseball field where the farmers market is. We live about 5 minutes up from that.

At the top there is small clearing with a covered picnic table. Underneath, Loel and Sarah, an elderly Menonnite couple, maybe 70, are enjoying their lunch. We are impressed, we saw them heading up the trail about a 1/4 mile ahead of us. She is talkative, he is not, both are extreemely nice. She learns of how we came here and when Dan tells her how everything just lined right up, tells us it is God's way. She asks us if we have jobs, I say no, she asks me if I have faith that the lord will provide and I say yes, she likes that. She asks me if we have been to church yet and I tell her we are not really church people. She persists, telling us about all the churches they've been to on the island. A young group of 3 hikers join us after checking out the view. I ask them if there is an ocean view and they point the way. Craving an ocean breeze, we say goodbye. What we see is the picture above, almost a panorama. A little opening in the trees on a cliff top makes it impossible to get a 360 degree view. Perched on a bench, munching their lunch, is a couple from Seattle. They come here a lot for vacation, would love to live here. We tell them about our new adventure and they share theirs with us. Several years ago, they quit their jobs, sold everything, and bought a sailboat. For 3 years they cruised from San Francisco past Mexico, Central America, South America, and back through the Panama Canal to Florida where they ended their journey and sold their boat. They suggest eating at Scotty's Beachside BBQ in town (that's what I call our downtown of Kapa'a) and we head down! We pass Loel and Sarah on the way back down and she asks for our names so she can pray for us. I'm happy to know someone like Sarah is praying for our success here!

Big ol' root going across the trail.

Almost there!

Ah, done! I'm hot, I need a cold beer and food!

Local brew

Pulled pork

Lunchtime view. It was good to go to the restaurant because we didn't know we had such a great beach park. Not shown, on the inland side, is a paved bike path. Oh yea, can you see the chicken?

Our driveway.

Since Baxter and Lucy didn't come and we had some errands to run, we went back home to get them and our flip flops. I forgot to bring them for post hike comfort. Baxter was running wild through the yard, chased a rooster and got it to fly 25-30 feet, straight up and over the hedge. There is a secluded area on the property (for parities I guess) that I haven't checked out yet and I can see Baxter's outline chasing a rooster through the hedges. This is what I found.

Party Time!!

I need to add a disclaimer. Sometimes when I post pictures they say they are centered and they are not. I don't know why it does this and I don't have the patience or desire to figure it out, please forgive me. Also, sometimes the font changes...

My Bad!

My girlfriends can see it a mile away, they remind me through comments on the blog or thoughtful emails. This is what we asked for! This is what we've planned for. We wanted to be uncomfortable, we wanted to stretch ourselves. Deb says we still need to chill out, get familiar with the island and island life. Look at other options, editing may be my way of creating some normalcy, something familiar. She is right and I think we are in sync. Just this morning Dan and I were talking about how we need more down time. It's a process, not only do we have no where to go and nothing to do but we are living in a smaller space. We are releasing the busy, busy, busy lifestyle of work, family, friends and private time to nothing. No plans, it's whatever we want it to be. It still kind of feels like vacation since we don't have any of our stuff yet. No pictures on the walls, not much to cook with, Dan doesn't have his extra pillow. Not much familiar, just what we brought with us. Plus, the ability to have privacy is gone. No more going downstairs to read, do yoga or watch my shows while Dan does his thing. It's a readjustment on so many levels, we are rebalancing our lives. We are making progress, for example, I slept until 7 today! It's like taking off a tight fitting shirt on a hot, muggy day, it doesn't want to come off!

The rain cleared up today so we took the dogs for a walk. I was wrong about Kapa'a being like Aurora. Our neighborhood is filled with beautiful green manicured lawns, giant trees, blooming flowers, and million dollar homes on rolling, verdant hills. It is simply breathtaking. I have to get some pointers from my photographer friend John because every picture I take is not what I'm looking at. There is a lot of contrast between the shadows in the jungle and the bright sun, so my pictures are blown out, look like silhouettes, or the scene is so vast, my camera can not capture it. It's like taking a picture of the Grand Canyon. Sometimes I get lucky, sometimes the shots are just ok. I got some ok ones today. I'll post them because I keep getting requests for more pictures.

The entrance to our house. That isn't our house in the background, it's further inside. There is another house to the left.

It was great to get out and about today, I think we all had a touch of cabin fever. Continuing our search for a place to let the dogs run off leash, we found a park using our iPhones close to the house. Once we got there, it was total jungle with no entrance, at least none that we could see. The map indicated a reservoir ahead so we drove on. Distracted by the enormity of it all, a tree canopy, maybe 50 feet tall, shadowing the road for about a 1/4 mile. Colossal ivy plants crawling up the enormous trees with leaves the size of a frying pan. Again, the reservoir is a jungle, maybe you can get in but we don't see how. Dan, determined to find a place, keeps looking. Finally we come upon the Lihue Koloa Forest Preserve. We see other people, tourists, so we keep the dogs on leash until we get to a secluded area.

                                      

They are pretty!

Lihue-Koloa Forest Preserve

Lucy was so happy to finally get out and run, she doesn't run very far though. Usually she is right by our side.

Baxter is ecstatic to finally get to run!

Because of the heavy rains the river overflowed onto the road and Baxter and Lucy make the most of it. Baxter actually went for a swim, loving the cool, salt free water, he jumped right in, he wasn't prepared for the 3 foot drop! Can you find the 3 chickens?

Part of a gnarly root at base of a huge Rainbow Eucalyptus tree.

As I dry Baxter and Lucy off and put them into the car, Dan talks to a man who was walking his dog while we were. He's got the dog in the back of his pick up and is drying her off. Tom, about 55 with shaggy grey hair, a thin build and about 5'6" tall, is a 15 year resident having moved here from the mid west. He gave us a bunch of tips. One, don't let your dogs off leash when people are around and can see you, it can be up to a $500.00 fine. Oops, we thought we were out of sight. As we talked more he opened up and told us about nearby trails. There are locals who are wild boar hunters, they have packs of hunting dogs and usually go out in the early morning. He points to a nearby trail and says he's taken his dog Dixie, who is maybe 7 pounds bigger than Lucy, on that trail and ran into them. They have pretty good control over their dogs and will tell you to pick your dog up if they feel it is at risk. I guess he's had more problems with peoples pets than the hunting dogs, one having attacked his. As long as you stay on the trail, you'll be ok. They also grow pot up in the hills and he says they don't take kindly to people getting close to their crops. He's been hiking the trails for years and has not had any serious problems, just some scares. So, we are warned, we will be careful. 

Dan had it in his head to get me a pantry today, so on the way back we stop at Home Depot. He's been mulling around what type of cabinet would be best since last Sunday. Countertops? Closet cabinets? Particle board cabinets? The cheapest are the particle board cabinets. On the way home we stop at Bubba's Burgers. You can sit outside and look at the ocean and the beef is from Kauai grown cows. I saw them cows roaming around today in fields of green and they are tasty!

Before

After

View from Dan's side of the bed. That roof is attached to our house, where our neighbor Dan and his wife live.

Crappy bathroom window and screen with a great view.

Kitchen window

Kitchen and dining room

Living room. Dan is using a suitcase with a blanket (that our friend Gail made us) as an ottoman for now. He gave me the side with the built in ottoman, he's so sweet!

Looking from the "wall" in the living room to the dining room, the kitchen is on the right.

The kitchen.

Aloha! Almost time for the Grammy's!