trying new things

I was born and raised in Pennsylvania Dutch country. Though I didn't grow up in the heart of Lancaster County, it was about 1-1/2 hours away, and we had Amish families living within a few miles of our home. That translates to plain cooking - lots of fried foods and starches. I've found my family and friends are not necessarily interested in trying exotic foods. When the trip to Hawaii came up, I decided I would try some of the items I had seen on television. (I'm a Travel Channel and Food Network junkie.)

I had enjoyed seeing a Hawaiian chef named Sam Choy, a rotund man with a constant smile on his face. On one particular show, he enthused about something called poke (po - kay). It's a raw tuna marinated in pa`akai (Hawaiian salt), limu (seaweed), kukui (candlenut) and chilies. Not being very adventuresome in my culinary experiences, I have not (until this trip) tried ANY raw fish. It simply didn't compute. However, this was something I was determined to taste. Our regional public affairs officer in Hawaii told me, "be careful what you wish for, girl." That didn't fill me with any confidence I would like this stuff.

Our first day in Honolulu we found Sam Choy's restaurant - http://www.samchoy.com/restaurants_bigaloha.html - and decided to lunch there. I ordered the raw poke (tuna) and a seared poke (marlin), and found both delicious. The tuna was very tender and soft, making me wonder if it had been "massaged," which I know the Hawaiian chefs do with salmon before serving it.

On our second day, we went with our counterparts to The Willows, a beautiful restaurant built on artesian wells - http://www.willowshawaii.com/. Our table was situated under a roof next to a pool. The side wall was completely open to the air. Their poke was even better than Sam's. It had a wonderful bite from the chilis and, I think, a better flavor. I went back for seconds on that.

The most disappointing food of the trip was the kalua pig. I tried it at two different restaurants, including The Willows. The smoky taste was almost too strong, and at both places it was dry as bone.

I was told (later) there was poi at The Willows, but I didn't see it and therefore didn't get to try it - though from what everyone says, it's an acquired taste and I probably wouldn't like it.

One of my favorite foods there was the mahi-mahi (or dolphinfish, not related to the mammal). This light flaky fish was delicate and absolutely wonderful. Though I'm not overly fond of ginger, this was grilled with just a hint of it, enough to give it a little ginger bite but not overpowering.

I also ate a delicious dish at The Willows called haupia. This is a light, sweet, melt-in-your-mouth coconut pudding. It was exceptionally creamy, and I tried both the regular and the fried haupia - though the original recipe was better.

I enjoyed taro-root pancakes, though not the taro root itself. I do not like sweet potatoes, and this purple yam-like dish had a texture I didn't like and the taste was too much like a sweet potato. The pancakes had none of that flavor, but were more like the buckwheat pancakes we ate growing up.

The best food by far was the abundance of fresh (REALLY FRESH) fruit. The pineapple was perfectly ripened, not picked early for shipment to places like Alaska. It was tender and juicy and so sweet, my mouth is watering as I type. Every buffet we ate at included a section of fresh fruits - pineapple, strawberries, guava, mangos, melons and papayas. I could have easily bypassed everything else, but my eagerness to try regional dishes made me spoon out just a little of everything.

As you might guess, I enjoy eating, and I found this trip full of wonderful aromas and flavors. It was such fun to let go of my "safe" foods and try something different. I look forward to returning so I can get it fresh and am thinking of trying poke and mahi mahi here at home (if I can find the mahi mahi locally).