Too Much is Not a Good Thing

In the Holiday Season, delicious food is on everyone's mind when there is a gathering. Rich food, special foods, time-consuming preparation in immense quantities.
But Too Much lessens the impact of the food. I think the Japanese have a good handle on food: beautiful presentation, just a small tidbit or two to enjoy the full taste, with the carbos coming at the very end of the meal.

Limit the number of choices for your next party. Get a handle on the portions. We only have so much space in our stomachs. Make the food look pretty. Make the food smell wonderful. Give every guest small plates to keep them from overloading and pigging out. It is all for their own good!

The sharing of food is the sharing of love...between the cooks and the guests, between family and friends.

Eating Like the Natives

Whenever traveling, learning explodes when you spend time watching the local people and what they are doing and how they are doing things.


Here are five tips that might help you to enhance your visit to another country.

1. Do not go to American restaurants, stores. Look for the little businesses that are full of local people.

2. Even if you do not know the language, observe what local people are purchasing. In a restaurant, point to a dish that someone else had ordered and request that one.

3. In whatever country...learn the phrase...How much is this? in the native tongue.

4. If someone tells you how much something is, and even if you really want it...shake your head, put on your blah face, and walk away. If the merchant is willing to bargain, he/she will call you back.

5. Walk around discretely, observing everything, willing to try anything at least one. Avoid at all costs, the Ugly American stereotype.

Is there an art to thinking clearly?

I've been reading Rolf Dobelli's book, The Art of Thinking Clearly and I have found that there are many cognitive errors that keep us from thinking clearly.

Consider the titles of his chapters:
Don't Accept Free Drinks:  Reciprocity
Leave Your Supermodel Friends at Home:  Contrast Effect
If You have Nothing to Say, Say Nothing:  Twaddle Tendency
Live Each Day as If It Were Your Last--but Only on Sundays:  Hyperbolic Discounting

As I read the book, I found that my thinking began to become more muddled.  Logic was crowded out by fallacy.  I have always prided myself in rational thinking but I can see how emotions can impact decisions.  I was getting worried until I read the Epilogue where the author admits that he does not live an error-free life.  He sums things up in this manner:  "Nature doesn't seem to mind if our decisions are perfect or not, as long as we can maneuver ourselves through life--and as long as we are ready to be rational when it comes to crunch." (p 305)

Well, that sounds good enough for me.  Methinks I overthinketh.

Listening and Conversation

      Have you ever had the experience where someone asks you, "How are you?" and before you can answer, they have already walked off and are talking to someone else?

      Was that just a rhetoric question?  Or, was the person just not interested in how the hell you were?  It is amazing how some people like to have conversations where they are the only ones talking.  Sometimes, in order to get in a word edgewise, you have to wait until they take a breath before you try to blurt out your comment or contribution to the "conversation."

      The dictionary defines conversation as people talking together.  There is no indication of people listening to each other.  Sometimes, the ability to listen is an art, especially for fast talking people.  If you are a slow talking Midwesterner,  you don't have a chance to get a word in the exchange.  You might have a whole lot of listening to do in the conversation, though.

      Listening is necessary for appropriate reaction.  There are people whose demeanor cause speakers to just spill their guts out, whether they wanted to or not.  It is interesting to watch a conversation and watch the expressions of the listener...do the expressions show interest, disdain, disbelief, or a blank look of euphoria.

      When have you had a conversation with comfortable periods of silence?  As the proverb reminds us, you have two ears and one mouth to listen twice more than we speak.

Stress is Relative

Now that my children are grown up with families of their own, I marvel at the lifestyle we lead during their growing years.  Both of us working full time, clearing land for our Volcano house, taking the kids to softball, soccer, swimming, school events while taking care of the home front.

I think we could have described our lives as busy but not necessarily stressed.  It was just what we did.  Every night, we had dinner together at the kitchen table. Kids took their plates to the sink when they finished eating and  after dinner, the responsibilities were understood: put the food away (if there were any leftovers), wash the dishes, wipe the table. Every Saturday morning, we all concentrated on cleaning the house and doing the mountains of laundry.  By the afternoon, the house was clean, and all was quiet.  The kids were off doing their own thing. 

Now that we are empty nesters, our home is very quiet.  House cleaning can take place any day of the week and the laundry is done when the hampers are full.  Our children are busy in their own family satellites, working hard and taking care of their own lives.  How I cherish those years with a house full of kids but I would not want to go back to that lifestye...that is the life for young people.  Live on, you young'uns and flourish.

Biographies and Autobiographies

Recently, I have been reading about people's lives, namely Queen Elizabeth II and Supreme Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor.  What a great chasm between these two women.

In Sally Bedell Smith's account, Elizabeth The Queen:  The Life of a Modern Monarch, we see a woman raised in the lap of luxury and educated in the ways of a royal leader. 

In an autobiography, My Beloved World, Sonia Sotomayor recounts her life as a Puerto Ricana raised in the projects in the Bronx where education and hard work were the keys to a new life.

And what a dissimilar life both women lead.  Queen Elizabeth had to always be aware of her public image, no matter what the circumstances.  Sotomayor was a manic workaholic who could "argue like a man."  What both women had to struggle with is the recognition of the fact that they are up to the job usually done by men.  Over and over, the need to establish this fact is demonstrated.

It is my hope that there will be a time when people are accepted for who they are rather than being judged by their gender.  In the meantime, it is very thought provoking to read this pair of books in tandem.

Foodie Finds for the Merrie Monarch

     With the Merrie Monarch Festival just a few days away, wanted to let malihini know that there are great places to eat in Hilo.  Eat only what is 'ono or delicious.  If you are going out to eat, try the lunch menu which is usually cheaper than the dinner menu.

• Freddy's Restaurant - Hilo, across from the Afook Chinen Civic Auditorium:  Oriental chicken salad or Chef's salad.  Huge portions and reasonable prices.
• International House of Pancakes - Prince Kuhio Plaza in Hilo:  Their pancakes are unbeatable.  Best deal for oldsters is the Senior 2x2x2.
• Island Naturals - Hilo Shopping Center:  You will like their deli with a salad bar and also a hot entree bar.  They have packaged salads such as quinoa, green salads of various kinds.  Love, love their summer rolls filled with vegetables, avocado with a peanut dressing.  Buy a bottle of Tahitian Limeade from the Hanaoka Farms in Kurtistown.
• Isles Cafe - Hilo, next to the Suisan Fish Market:  You must have their grilled fish sandwich.  Slabs of tuna on a bed of lettuce and tomato.  The bun is a bit to wimpy to handle the large portion of fish.  Not the most appetizing setting but pick up your sandwiches and find a table in the Liliuokalani Park right near by and enjoy the scenery and the view of Hilo Bay.
• Kaleo's Restaurant - Pahoa Town:  Best steaks in East Hawai'i.  Pricey but worth it.
• Ken's Pancake House - Hilo:  24 hour restaurant with bottomless coffee.  Love their BLT sandwiches.  Very efficient service.  The gong signals their sumo sized meals.
• KTA Supermarket -across from the Prince Kuhio Plaza in Hilo:  Their deli has some interesting entrees for dinner.  If they have roast beef, order it by the pound with rice and local potato salad on the side.  You will not regret this decision.  In the bakery department, buy their creme filled croissants, baked manapua, or manju.  If you are sneaking and eating a creme croissant in the car, make sure you are not wearing black or be sure to dust off the powdered sugar before going into the house.
• Kuhio Grille -Prince Kuhio Plaza in Hilo:  Malihini must try their one-pound laulau dinner!  I love the 1/2 order of fried rice with a sunny side egg on top.
• Lanky's Bakery - Hilo Shopping Center :  The best thing there is the glazed donuts which are more delicious than Krispy Kreme.  Folks also love their monkey bread.  You can get the maple glazed donuts topped with bacon bits and be really naughty.
• Lava Rock Cafe - Volcano behind the Kilauea General Store:  The best is their regular cheeseburger done to order with a green salad and their lilikoi house dressing.  If you are really hungry, order the Big O burger which is a gut busters for most folks.
• Manono Mini Mart - Hilo, across from the Afook Chinen Civic Auditorium:  The go-to picnic place for sandwiches, chips, beverages.  My favorite is their pastrami sandwich with a whole salad between whole wheat bread.
• Ma'ona Restaurant and Grill - Hilo Shopping Center:  Burgers, burgers, burgers...juicy, made to order burgers.  This is like a 2-3 napkin place for burgers of many kinds. 
• Miyo's Restaurant - Hilo near Big Island Candies:  A-1 Japanese food.  Love their salad and sashimi combo where the salad looks like a painting. 
• Mountain View Bakery - Mountain View Village Road:  The best butterhorns this side of paradise...buttery, tender, melts in the mouth.  They also make great coconut turnovers.  Go early because they sell out quickly.  Home of the Stone Cookies.
• Ocean Sushi - downtown Hilo on Keawe Street:  My favorite is the Hospital Roll with miso soup.
• 'Ohi'a Cafe - Volcano next door to the Volcano General Store:  Their sandwiches are to die for with locally made bread.  I love the cranberry macadamia bread with any of their sandwich fillings and loads of fresh vegetables from the Yamashiro Farm in Volcano.  Their dessert are terrible...tempations rich enough to ruin any well intentioned diet.
• One Plus One - Waiakea Kai Shopping Center in Hilo:  I love their roast duck look fun soup with its thick noodles.  My husband loves their garlic shrimp plate with their French iced coffee.  Chicken wraps are large enough to have two people share an order.
• Reuben's Mexican Restaurant - Downtown Hilo:  Start off with their chips, green salsa and a cold beer or two.  Love their beef tostada or their torta.  Good food with ample portions.  They serve margaritas by the pitcher.
• Sack N Save Market - in the Puainako Town Center, Hilo:  Get their chicken wings which are the best in town.  Their salad choices can round out the meal.  Wings are crunchy and delicious.
• Seoul Station - Across from the Kanaka'ole Stadium:  This is the home of the $5 Koren bento with a wide variety of entrees to choose from  Love their soft tofu chigae (kim chee soup) and their spicy rice cakes.  Lots of side dishes come with the eat in meals.
• Sky Garden Restaurant - 'Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hilo:  Wonderful salad bar that looks small but is full of wonderful veggie tidbits.  I love their beef noodle soup which is rich and flavorful.  Their kung pao chicken is a kick in the pants.  Don't order it if you are on a carbohydrateless diet.  You need rice for that dish!
• Sombat's Thai Restaurant - Next door to Ken's Pancake House in Hilo:  Go for their $7 lunch specials of which the Thai salad is my favorite.  Fresh, fresh vegetables with a wonderful Thai peanut salad dressing.
• Thai Thai Restaurant - Volcano Village:  Fresh Thai food.  Love their red curry with chicken and melt-in-the-mouth eggplant with sticky rice.  Tried their Thai curry burgers with a myriad of flavors.  I had green curry but I heard that the Penang curry is even better.

Enjoy the flavors of East Hawai'i!

What to Cook For Those with No Teeth

We have been discussing how lucky we are that we have our own teeth.  My dad had full dentures when he was my age and he loved grossing kids out by clacking his teeth out of his mouth.  My mom had bridges.

Due to medications, my kane has been experiencing difficulty with his teeth and one by one, they are being relieved of duty.  The prospect is a set of dentures.  Implants are so expensive and the dental plan will only cover one (which is like $3000).  In the mean time, what does one cook for a beloved toothless friend?

Things that come to mind:  yogurt in many sassy flavors, soups which come in all kinds of varieties besides the classic cream of mushroom, chicken noodle, and beef vegetable.  Then what?  Smoothies can be a way to incorporate fruits and vegetables.

Traditional foods could be okai (rice porridge), soft tofu chigae (kim chee stew with tofu), chagai (rice porridge cooked in tea), jook (rice soup with a rich chicken or turkey stock), and some of the thick soup combinations like chowders, potato soup, cream soups of various sorts.

Gone are the days of gnawing on a steak bone.  Gone are the days of chomping on beef jerky.  Lucky that we had more days of mastification than our kupuna.