At first you wonder how two individuals so different from each other could possibly be running the same company, but you learn quickly that they both bring something different yet completely necessary to the table.  Enter Nat Bletter.  Ethnobotanist and traveler extraordinaire is soft-spoken, generous and wonderfully quirky.  David Elliot the cofounder of Madre Chocolate is someone who I like to think of as a Willy ‘Macgyver’ Wonka; his hand always in chocolate or altering chocolate related equipment.  They both took me under their wing and taught me lovely things I did not know.

Admittedly, working in the chocolate factory I had to fight a very I Love Lucy moment and remind myself that it was unnecessary to stuff my mouth with chocolate, as they allow the staff to sample all the chocolates.  Some of my favorite parts about getting in-touch with my inner Wonka was learning how they choose additions for each bar, watching them develop a unique Earl Gray tea bar and watching people who love what they do make incredible things happen.

Madre Chocolate was a lovely addition to my Hawaiian culinary experiences…  Between the Mactella made by Nat and the ghetto rap provided by David, there were many smiles among the time spent preparing chocolate additions.  I loved that all of the bars were dark chocolate (my absolute favorite and the best one to like, according to my chocolate personality theory).  My two personal favorite bars, in no particular order, Lilikoi (passionfruit to non-hawaiians) and Ginger Coconut.

I know in the future one of my friends from Aloha land will be mailing me Madre Chocolate chocolate goodies!  Also, in other exciting news, a very special chocolate bar from Madre Chocolate, the Rosita de Cacao to be exact, came in at #4 on the Saveur 100 list.

So in summary I would like to send a special message to David and Nat:

Guys, go get your chocolate on!

For those unfamiliar, food trucks in Hawaii are very commonplace.  Apparently the trend has spiked since 2010 and I for one wish it would spike itself down toward Costa Rica.  The idea is genius!  Mobile kitchens with small but well thought out menus offering food in convenient locations for accessible prices.

Eat the Street occured 4 times during my stay and I made it to 3 of them!  The themes while I was in town were ‘Spicy’, ‘Eat Local’, ‘Dia de los Muertos’ and ‘Black Saturday’.  I missed the eat local one.  Upon my arrival in Honolulu, I literally got off the plane, visited where I would be staying, changed my clothes and headed to the Eat the Street that night.

I ate a fabulous mac and cheese with edamame, piquillo peppers, marscapone cheese and prosciutto.  Not only was it tasty and just what I needed after 30 hours of travel…it only cost me $5!

By far the best Eat the Street I attended was the ‘Dia de los Muertos’ theme in October.  Many people showed up in costume due to the proximity to Halloween, the decor was colorful and the food waas a lovely showcase of Latin American cuisine.  It was also the day I discovered the Tiki Truck.

Now I am a live-in-the-moment-let-loose-enjoy-life kind of girl.  However, when I travel to explore and investigate culinary experiences and opportunities, I have a system.  My Eat the Street system if you will, went a little something like this: Snap a few photos upon arriving, make rounds of the whole parking lot, stop to skim the menus, make mental notes of delicious sounding dishes, snap some more photos and then eat!

Being at an event where Latin American cuisine was the theme, I found myself with a hankering for a taco.  One of my all time favorite tacos is the famous Taco al Pastor (seasoned pork with onion, cilantro and pineapple).  So, back to the Tiki Truck…  I met Abe, a former mainlander chef who decided to make the food he missed from back home with a little tiki touch.  I told Abe a little of my backstory and informed him that if I was to eat any of his tacos, they had better be the best tacos I have ever had…

Abe, I will have you know, is not one to disappoint and made me a very happy woman that day.  His carnitas taco with salsa verde, crack sauce and homemade pickled papaya slaw left me literally speechless, yet trying to express my satisfaction with a very full mouth, no matter how rude that may be considered in some circles.  Quite honestly if the taco had been served on a plate, I very possibly would have devoured that as well.

I highly recommend Eat the Street events to anyone lucky enough to be in the area on the last Friday of the month.  I think Eat the Street is a wonderful showcase for cooks and chefs to create new dishes and unleash their creativity, I think it is also a lovely opportunity for the local community to support the hard working individuals that run the food trucks and I think Eat the Street is a wonderful chance to get out and do something different.

So when in Hawaii, do as the Kama’ainas do…

Support food trucks and Eat the Street!

I sat eating the little mochi wrapped delights and made note of all the menu item names which ranged from borderline obscene to just plain odd.  I attempted to rearrange the names into sentences to make a story tribute to the Bubbies menu.  Here is what I came up with:

        There once was a man named BOB MCWILLIAMS SUNDAE.  After hours of air travel he felt like he was RUNNING ON EMPTY.  He slept off the jet lag and spent the day getting his bearings.  On his FIRST NIGHT in Honolulu he met up with his friend THOMAS KEMPER to celebrate his 35TH Year of life.  They began their evening getting groomed at a salon called HAIR BY DANIEL, then they went to a small corner restaurant and shared a SMUD PIE, they packed the leftovers in a doggie bag.  After filling their bellies Bob and Thomas headed to the ping-pong courts, where they exchanged a few competitive shouts of “EAT MY BALLS”.  Bob then treated Thomas to a unique service known around the island as BUFFY’S AURAL MASSAGE.  The guys were having so much fun, they decided to KEEP IT UP ALL NIGHT…  As they were walking down the street and considering their next destination a small voice called out from the sidewalk.  “COME HERE LITTLE GIRL”, said Bob.  “Sir, I think you lost this”, she said while holding a container of restaurant leftovers.  “MAYBE THE BAG BROKE”, said Thomas.  “Thank you”.  The girl scurried off and they continued on their way.  They arrived at the local club known as BABY SPANGLER.  The guys walked up to the bar and ordered a round of TRASHY MOCHA shots.
The main musical act that night was KNOCK ME UP ON THE BLOWER and they played their two latest radio singles ‘MULTIPLE ORGASM’ and ‘PRISONER OF MY MIND’.  The guys busted a move on the dance floor and left the club that night after having the crowd name a dance after them, that will forever be known as the ‘POKE, STROKE and SUNDAE shuffle.  After an evening of TOTAL INSANITY Bob and Thomas headed to the obvious next destination: Bubbies Homemade Ice Cream and Desserts.  That night was a special night at the ice cream shop, the special female staff was on call.  The beautiful ladies were known as the Bubbies girls or the Bubbies for short.  They did a little jig called the BUBBIES NAVEL while wearing trademark BUBBIES PASTIES.  All the ice cream goers applauded.  Bob and Thomas ordered a BATHTUB TOILET SUNDAE which was MORE THAN A MOUTHFUL.  Tuckered out, sweetened up and  ready to go, the guys headed home.  “Hey Bob”, Thomas said…  “Yes?”  “You know after all the stuff we experienced tonight, I am just happy to return home and still be able to say I have a FUNCTIONING PROSTATE”.

THE END

After brainstorming the most ridiculous story I have ever written and fully engorging myself on mochi ice cream delights…  I was hooked!  I fell in love that day.  Yes, you heard correctly…In love.  Let me say it again, fore I am not ashamed…

I am in love with a deliciously rich, softly wrapped, easily savored piece of culinary genius.

If you are ever in the vicinity, remember me and visit Bubbies.
And for those of you who are nowhere near the vicinity, you might consider looking into online shipping options.

Until next time.

We chatted a bit and he easily agreed to let me come down to the factory and work for a day in the land of Ono Pops.  I packed my trusty camera, notebook and black ink pen.  When I arrived, Josh introduced me to the staff of the day.  Several kids from a local school work at the factory rotating through different after school shifts.  I met a senior surfer girl named Kirra who smiled as she explained why everyone makes fun of her.  I also met Khauan, a delightful young man who wants to learn to cook and then move on to be a neurophysician.

Josh also introduced me to his right hand man, Wyeth; a quiet guy with a friendly personality and an intermittent but bright smile.  They walked me through the kitchen and most likely laughed at me in their heads with all the pictures I started taking. 

Working at Ono Pops was amazing!  The company was started by two brothers who strive to create something they love (i.e. Mexican Paletas) with a local vibe and conscious (i.e. Hawaiian ingredients and inspiration).  Josh is a former chef and his vocabulary jumps around from explaining cowboy coffee to requesting that someone pass him the chinoise.  He also is a self-proclaimed Ninja lover; the brand that is.  He swears it is just as good as the extremely popular vitamix.  All in all though, Josh is a legitimately cool dude.  He talks to the kids about education and life, presents them with real business problem scenarios and cracks jokes without being condescending or trying too hard. 

The list of flavors is vast, but I was extremely impressed with the dedication to creating everything from scratch, including the ubiquitous li-hing powder (a recipe which he would not share…but then again anyone in the culinary profession has to have at least one secret) that plays a delicious roll combined with homemade preserved lemon peel in the lemonade crackseed flavor paleta.

One of my favorite aspects about the entire company is how well-developed their concept and branding idea is.  The company has been around for about 18 months.  The flavors are tested until perfected and the grand majority of the flavors have a cute little cartoon character to go with it.  And if you catch Josh at the right time he can tell you about each and every character as if they were a family member.

Each character has its own personality, lives in its own era of time in a location of Hawaii and they are all beautifully tied together living in a land called Plantation Island which is a place that brings Hawaiian history and culture to life so that children and adults alike can learn about the inspiration behind Ono Pops.

I have became personally acquainted with flavors including but not limited to sweet edamame, caramel shoyu, gingatanical, butter mochi, ume thai basil, green tomato apple pie, poha berry and lemonade crackseed. 

I left with a huge amount of new knowledge, a great amount of respect for Josh and a soft spot in my heart for all the characters on Plantation Island that have yet to tantalize my taste buds.  If you live in Hawaii or come just for a visit, make it a point to stop a try an Ono Pop, I promise they are worth every penny and you will not regret it…  As a matter of fact, I would go as far to say that your taste buds will thank you.

Mahalo Ono Pops!

The ‘Like Coffee for Chocolate’ workshop was to be directed by Pete Licata, second place winner of the World Barista Championship in Bogotá, Colombia.  I had researched Pete and was excited to partake in the workshop.  Not to mention that I enjoy coffee and Love chocolate (notice the capital ‘L’), so I knew I was in for a treat.

Throughout the workshop Pete as well as other experts in chocolate and coffee related matters, presented the audience with pairings, discussions regarding brewing methods, presentations about microclimates in Hawaii as well as interesting original recipes.

My personal favorite recipes on the pairing menu were:

• Cold brewed coffee w/ pomegranate, lemon, fresh ginger syrup
• Dark chocolate mousse w/ a passionfruit heart and macadamia nut crunch

The workshop was informative, interesting and delicious!  Needless to say, I was wired for the remainder of the afternoon!  

Stay tuned…

On a side note, my favorite accessory to Lèzanne’s attire was a thermometer being used to pin her hair in place.  So perfectly quirky and appropriately coordinating…  I took a moment to write it down and then thought to myself… “Damn!  Why didn’t I think of that sooner?!”

The menu featured tomato chutney, chicken curry, chicken and vegetable soup, basmati pilaf and rice pudding.  The flavors ranged between sweet, spicy, earthy and rich.  Lèzanne embellished each recipe with an explanation of its origin, south African modification and suggestions on how to make the recipe your own.  Some of the best parts of the evening were the anecdotes about her family life and Lamont’s devout attention to stirring the rice pudding.

Never a dull moment in the evening, I greatly appreciated Lamont’s detailed description of the differences between Indian, African, Thai and other world curries.  Each dish was delicious and although the crowd was a little skeptical of Lèzanne’s firm enthusiasm about bananas and coconut added as a topping to curry, it was a scrumptious surprise.

After a few juggled pot lids, misplaced ingredients, blending a poor unsuspecting chicken and nervous giggles, the members of the audience, myself included, were full and well-educated.  I gained 3 important things from the class: an appreciation for curry with coconut and bananas, a new addition for my culinary-non-culinary wardrobe (even if it is a bit unoriginal) and although I did not know it then, but am learning it now…  a new friend to be made.

Until next time…

I arrived at a small senior center parking lot lined on one side with various food stands, two other sides lined with fold out chairs and in the middle of the parking lot there was a large tower. Kimonos were everywhere.  Japanese music was being played by loudspeakers and elderly individuals sat watching the crowd trickle in for the festival.

A Bon Festival is a Japanese Buddhist celebration that commemorates the sacrifices made by deceased ancestors.  There are colorful lanterns, all sorts of yummy dishes and kimono clad dancers move gracefully around the yagura (tower like structure) to the beat of drums and japanese flutes.  I snapped photos, watched the dancers and politely retired back home.

A few days later I headed out to the Okinawan Festival.  Now apparently from what I hear Okinawa is a part of Japan, but Okinawans take offense when mistaken for being Japanese.  I have made mental notes to investigate this further.

The festival was gigantic!  There was a center stage hosting a continuous line of cultural performances, including choreographies and instrumental presentations.  Many cultural exhibits were on display including bonsai tents, orchid galleries, calligraphy instructors and traditional apparel vendors.

I watched children practice origami, performers stretch their muscles and festival goers slurp noodles.  I had a gentleman write out ‘Chef Chandler’ in beautifully brushed letters, all the while smiling at how my name is always confusing in other cultures.  The gentleman had to consult with fellow writers at his booth until they could figure out how to spell my name in Japanese.

I stopped at a Hachimaki station where volunteers from the Japanese cultural center were helping people customize the cloth headbands with themed stamps and different colored ink.  It was supposed to be only one hachimaki per person, but I asked if I could make one for each of my younger sisters and of course… myself!

Then I noticed some little ghostlike puppets hanging from a tent and was drawn to get a closer look.  Harmless enough, the little dolls gave me an omnious sensation.  I inquired about them and it turns out they are good luck charms to chase away rainy days, there is even a nursery rhyme to match… but the story behind them is a bit spooky.  Legend has it, a monk once promised farmers to stop the rain and bring sunny weather for their crops.  When he failed to do so, they killed him.

I thought this an odd choice of subject matter for a nursery rhyme, but hey, I am all about sharing cultural tidbits.  So readers, here is the “Teru Teru Bozu’ doll nursery rhyme, for your reading pleasure:

So your cultural lesson for today is: The Japanese and Okinawans have a rich and colorful history.  Their choreographies portray stories in beautiful and carefully selected dance moves.  Their food is delicious and filling.  They pay homage to their ancestors and put great value on nature and life’s little details.

Whatever you do though… Don’t promise to stop the rain!

Until next time…

My first stop was the greek festival.  I arrived a full 30 minutes early (still inexperienced at gauging bus times) and sat outside the closed doors of the festival pavilion.  Through the wooden slats that made up the wall I caught glimpses of colorful fabrics, numerous booth signs boasting a pseudo Grecian font and audible strains of a robed priest saying an opening prayer and blessing each booth with holy water.

I was one of the first people to walk in and took a moment to watch what other characters this festival would draw in.  From shirtless surfers to honeymoon couples and families, the festival seemed to appeal to a very wide audience.  Live music was played in the courtyard adjacent to a booth selling kaleidoscopes, jewelry and funny shirts inquiring as to my possession of Ouzo.

I scoped each food booth and took notes of dishes I was unfamiliar with.  I stared longingly at the grocery booth adorned with amber green oils, fresh cheeses and dried herbs.  Temporarily blinded by coin skirts deflecting glittering sun rays, I made my way to the pastry line and was amazed at how many people were already forming a queue.  It is a good thing I am patient.

My lunch consisted of souvlaki, that unfortunately disappointed my salivating palate.  Dessert however made up for the slight offense.  A crumbly cake that combined lemon and almonds was as delightful as its name was sensuous; Ravani.  My little portion of ravani cake was joined by a beautifully frothy iced coffee that was deliciously strong and smooth.

Before leaving the festival, I watched folkloric dancers of all ages take to the stage.  Fabrics came alive in swirling skirts, shoes shuffled to the island tunes and shy smiles were offered to the audience…all ending in a resounding “OPA!”  The dancers were lovely and very talented indeed!

I returned to my rented room and made a flurry of notes, sorted through photos and crossed of the day on my itinerary as a successful one.

Stay tuned…

]]> http://thechefwithredshoes.wordpress.com/2011/10/10/the-aloha-adventure-culturally-overwhelmed/feed/ 0 far2fragile lily pond greek guy live music hats grill lily meat dessert cook coins taverna dancers http://thechefwithredshoes.wordpress.com/2011/10/05/the-aloha-adventure-my-first-networking-experience/ http://thechefwithredshoes.wordpress.com/2011/10/05/the-aloha-adventure-my-first-networking-experience/#comments Wed, 05 Oct 2011 22:17:22 +0000 far2fragile http://thechefwithredshoes.wordpress.com/?p=666 Continue reading →]]> So I have heard that if you want to get anywhere in Hawaii, it’s all about who knows you (not the same as who you know).  I think a truer statement is, ‘who knows about you makes a big difference.

I signed up for a Nextworking Professional Mixer that was to take place 3 days after my arrival.  When the day arrived, I charged my camera battery, packed about 50 business cards and made detailed notes of the bus route (crossing my fingers to not get lost).  I fussed over whether to wear my chef uniform as I usually do to anything I attend while traveling or to just dress up.  I decided on the latter, after flipping a coin of course.

I arrived early, scanned the location and took some initial photos.  Within minutes of the event officially starting, an energetic individual with a fast talking style asked me if I was a photographer.  I sadly denied this, but explained I was a chef.  His eyes got wide and I almost literally see wheels turning in his brain…  “I need you tomorrow”, he said to me.  My response?  “Um…? Ok?”

He explained he had an event, a cocktail party with wine the following evening, the chef had just backed out and he needed someone to do the event.  We exchanged information and coordinated details with the host of the dinner.  I excused myself to the ladies’ room and congratulated my reflection in the mirror with a satisfied smile.  3 days into my trip and 15 minutes into my first networking event and I had landed a job!

The following morning, I met the dinner host for coffee and menu planning at starbucks.  Yes, readers, if you are wondering, I did indeed have a caramel machiatto.  We spent an hour or so discussing menu options and then made a game plan for the day.  We picked up groceries at Costco, Foodland and even made a stop in Chinatown (which deserves a post all its own)!

We arrived at the man’s home and I changed into my uniform and began to prepare for the evening’s party.  The kitchen was a bustle with simmering sauces, grated spices, chopped fruits and blended concoctions.  The guests started to arrive and it was show time!  The menu, just in case you are wondering was:

Fresh Salmon with Pear Sauce

Candied Grape Tomatoes on Basil Leaves

Prosciutto Wrapped Watermelon in Asian Sauce

Puff Pastry Wrapped Brie with Spicy Nectarine Chutney 

Panna Cotta

Avocado White Chocolate Mousse

To be quite frank, I believe there were other dishes, but due to the hectic nature of the event I don’t remember what else I made.  Alas, i don’t have many photos either.  I will make it up to you all in future posts, I promise.

The evening was delightful.  I noticed a guy taking notes of the things I was doing, in particular one of the desserts, introduced myself and acquired a curious pupil and the nickname yoda.  Another gentleman named Joe danced with me between serving desserts.  The incredible compliments from gentlemen at the party and raves from the women were much appreciated.

Unusual event, great experience and lots of new contacts.  I cooked my shoes off!  It was definitely a night to remember.

Until next time…

]]> http://thechefwithredshoes.wordpress.com/2011/10/05/the-aloha-adventure-my-first-networking-experience/feed/ 1 far2fragile arrival local beer food watermelon salmon http://thechefwithredshoes.wordpress.com/2011/09/21/the-aloha-adventure-it-began-with-a-legendary-airport-debacle/ http://thechefwithredshoes.wordpress.com/2011/09/21/the-aloha-adventure-it-began-with-a-legendary-airport-debacle/#comments Wed, 21 Sep 2011 23:24:01 +0000 far2fragile http://thechefwithredshoes.wordpress.com/?p=656 Continue reading →]]> Leave it to Miami to mess with my plans.  Let me say for the record that I have very strong feelings about Miami airport…and they are not of the warm and fuzzy variety.  The day I was set to leave, I was supposed to depart around 4pm.  I had planned to surprise my sisters at school and drop in for lunch on my way to the airport.  I had made all the arrangements and just before I left, the airport called me.  Well to be exact an american airlines representative called me.  He explained that due to weather conditions in Miami (a.k.a. miami’s-secret-sabotage-Chandler plan) it was imperative that I depart 4 hours early!

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I would like to take a moment and tell Irene (a.k.a. Hurricane Irene) that I hope she feels good for spoiling amazing sister bonding lunch plans.  Now back to our regularly scheduled posting…

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I hurried to the airport, checked in, did a mini happy dance when my suitcase weighed in at exactly 50lbs (and a victory chant involving phrases such as: “Yeah baby! 50lbs! Who’s bad?”), made it in time for my earlier flight and arrived in Miami.  I had mentally prepared myself for Miami airport, or so I thought…  I neglected to pay attention to the classic doom impending music they silently played just for me as I stepped off the plane (*cue music please: dun, dun, dun, duuuuuunnnn).

My previously 9 hour layover was now 13 hours due to my earlier departure.  I grabbed a quick lunch, read some of my book, browsed in a store and then headed to the check in counter.  Much to my dismay, I was informed they could only check me in 5 hours prior to my flight (which was scheduled to leave at 6am) and they opened at 5am.  Faced with a remaining 12 hours I would have to spend waiting to check in, I surveyed my surroundings and realized it would be a very long 12 hours.

I would have to wait in the concourse section of the airport with uncarpeted floors, super cold air-conditioning and businesses that would shut down within the next 3 hours leaving me to roam boring hallways with screen covered displays.  During my endless wait, I managed to lose my hat, read 8 chapters in my novel, make a general game plan for my eventual arrival to Oahu, practice funny face entertainment in a bathroom mirror and get enough walking in to drop a dress size.

I managed to sleep intermittently in the lobby of an airport hotel attempting to ignore the hourly interruptions of a semi-sympathetic airport security monger who felt the need to constantly remind present company (I was joined by a few other wayward individuals) that we were not supposed to sleep in that area, but he would allow us to if we kept our feet off the furniture.  The guy was a bold-faced liar!  I kept my feet on the floor yet every time I managed to doze off he would come in and state his position again….

I headed to the proper concourse and followed my nose to a locked down Starbucks.  The lady at the counter smiled at me and the other sleepless souls who stood outside her gate while she ground coffee much like zombies in a film contemplating the society that has shunned them.  She mercifully informed us all we could get coffee in 10 minutes.

Armed with a cup ‘o joe, I checked in, boarded my flight and met the man who quickly became the second most interesting person I have ever met on a plane, a new sponsor for my 2012 Italy trip and the provider of a pass into the admiral’s club where my tired body enjoyed the indescribable modern technology of a glorious 7 nozzle shower.   Again, thank you, Allen.

My flight to Oahu was long in coming, but warmly welcomed.  I met a lovely gentleman on that flight as well who does some great medical mission work in Ecuador (Las Mercedes Project).  I collected my bags and waited on the sidewalk for someone to recognize me (all the while shaking Los Angeles tinted deja-vu out of my mind).  My soon-to-be landlord picked me up at Honolulu International airport with an “Aloha!” and a smile.

Airport debacle bygones be bygones…

Aloha Hawai’i!

Views from a punch bowl look out in hawaii