FoodTrek: My Pidgin Kitchen

In Hawaii they speak a form of Pidgin English, which is basically a language mish-mash of the different cultures that make up the islands today. There are Native Hawaiian words, Japanese, Chinese, etc., all tossed together with English and smashed together... well, like a big loaf of Spam. And that's just what the food culture in Hawaii is like, a mish-mash of different cuisines that all manage to work well on the plate, even Spam. Especially when it's in fried rice.

Sweet chili chicken with Spam fried rice - ono kine grindz! - Photo by Wasabi Prime

Mixed Plate: Viva La Thanksgiving

And here we are yet again... another Thanksgiving ready to unfurl its tryptophan wings and cast us into a turkey-stuffing-pie food coma vortex. And for those readying to battle the Black Friday shopping crowds, I salute you with a less than enthusiastic wave of a half-eaten turkey leg. Instead of showing a typical Thanksgiving pastoral, I opted to share photos from a recent trip to The Ninth Island (aka, Las Vegas), when my family and I gathered for my cousin Deven's birthday. It wasn't Thanksgiving and there wasn't a roasted turkey to be seen, but it got me thinking about what makes any holiday worthwhile. It's the time we set aside to spend with family, the rare moments everyone's in the same place at the same time, and the chance to sit back and gaze at the family gene pool party. Dive in, y'all, it's the holidays.

See, Las Vegas isn't all seedy hookers and pimps - they keep the nice stuff under glass - Photo by Wasabi Prime

Does our family always get together like this for a birthday? No. But when someone says they want their birthday in Vegas, it's as if God spoke and the whole family jumps on a plane to heed this Almighty call. My cousin Deven turned 42, which is a significant year in Japanese culture -- yakudoshi, like a rite of passage, or a year of chaos, depending on what Google tells you -- so it all basically translates to: let's have a big-ass party. I think that's what every culture is based on, be it feast or famine, we relish the opportunity to celebrate something. It's a good thing, as Saint Martha would say. And that's kind of what Thanksgiving is like, because we're not really celebrating the fact that the Pilgrims came from afar to bring a persecuted religion and smallpox to a trustworthy, indigenous people, we just want an excuse to go on a carb-binge with the cornbread stuffing, eat three pieces of pumpkin pie (with whipped cream), and pass out on the couch by three in the afternoon. Ahh... tradition.

As luck would have it (har-har), my Wasabi Family Vegas Extravaganza took place over Halloween week, so that explains the spooktacular past-due holiday photos. Unlike typical family jaunts to Las Vegas, we made sure to plan some quality family time, like seeing a show and then a nice family dinner on Deven's birthday. There was also a trip to the Hoover Dam, but I missed that, as I was already en route back to rainy Washington, but from what I heard, Hoover Dam was dam good. I will say this -- when you live in the Pacific Northwest and it's already in the middle of nonstop rain and zero-dark-thirty by four in the afternoon, taking a short trip to the sunnier skies of Nevada is like a shot of adrenaline. The temperature is no longer three times the surface of the sun, it remained in the pleasant upper seventies to low eighties, and there was barely a cloud in the sky. My lackluster Vitamin D levels jump at the thought of it.

From rain to shine - a vacation from the rain-soaked Pacific Northwest - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Halloween week in Las Vegas is about what you'd guess -- people dressed in costume, running around Downtown and The Strip, with you playing that mental game in your head: Halloween costume or actual stripper/pimp? October is also the pesky month where a lot of performers go on vacation and the shows take breaks, since it's typically a low-season time, but my cousin found a show he wanted to see -- Criss Angel's Believe at the Luxor -- and seeing a rock n' roll illusion show was actually pretty fitting for Halloween night. I'm always amazed at Las Vegas performers with regular shows, many doing two performances a night, weekdays through weekends. Most people's offices are a little cubicle, but a performer's office is a stage full of pyrotechnics, scary-looking props and a live crowd, which I think can be the scariest thing of all. Regardless of what performer you see in Las Vegas, you can never deny them the art of showmanship and the ability to keep a crowd's attention, which I think is magic all its own.

Vegas Halloween, and the cage where the gambling cheats go - Photos by Wasabi Prime

I was simply told, "Bring a wig," from my other cousin and aunt helping to plan this Halloween Night outing. As good a suggestion as any, really. So a few of us wigged-out, wore funny glasses and we spent a night on The Strip, catching a magic show and seeing all sorts of crazy stuff in and out of the casinos on All Hallow's Eve. I'd have brought my cat's ears headband, but Indy was still using it.

Just like any other night in Las Vegas - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Despite all the family time, I did steal away for a few hours to wander the Strip one afternoon. I mostly wanted to visit the Bellagio and see their seasonal garden display. I'm not a gambler, so seeing pretty garden stuff is my granny-old lady highlight. As always, they aim to impress and the gorgeous autumn harvest-themed display in the atrium area is a must-see, whether you're planning on gambling your kid's college fund away or not.

Talking trees, giant pumpkins and oh yes... WINE! - Photos by Wasabi Prime

I managed to snap a few photos of the delightful pastries in one of the Bellagio's specialty bakeries, Jean Phillipe. This bakery is hard to miss -- it's in the retail area and you'll be drawn to the ceiling-high fountain of melted chocolate cascading down a sculpture of blown glass. You're amazed, then you kind of shake your head, thinking: only in Las Vegas. I had to take a moment and admire the beautiful Halloween themed desserts. I know we're not thinking of ghosts and goblins anymore, but you can't help but adore these sweets. I couldn't bear to eat something so cute, so I picked up some buttery, flaky croissant -- chocolate and almond -- and some of their pretty chocolate-dipped biscotti. Maybe not as precious as a pastry ghost, but just as delicious.

Spooky sweets at Jean Phillipe Bakery in the Bellagio - Photos by Wasabi Prime

The Bellagio is pretty close to Caesar's Palace, so I ran in there just to visit their Vosges Chocolate boutique. Their chocolates are exquisite, as is their packaging. Purple boxes and ribbons -- Prince would feel very at-home. I can usually find their bacon-chocolate bar at Whole Foods, but their real gems are of course their truffles, which you either have to order by mail or visit one of their shops. A stupid amount of money later, I had a shopping bag full of holiday gifts, more sweets for my cousin's birthday celebration, and even something sweet to bring home to the Mister. It felt like a total Vegas Moment, shopping for luxury chocolates, surrounded by fake Greek statues and wondering just how the hell they built that spiraling escalator in The Forum Shops.

Hail Caesar and your bitchin' shopping mall - Photos by Wasabi Prime

As a travel note -- if you find yourself buying stuff and wondering if everything will fit into your suitcase, there is a UPS Store right in the Flamingo Hotel, which is right across from Caesar's Palace. Why more hotels don't have UPS Stores is beyond me, but I'm glad for that convenience. It might be an expensive way to get things home, but the way airlines charge for bags, you're spending over twenty five bucks either way, so may as well not have to carry it yourself.

Family dinner time, Election Day-style! - Photos by Wasabi Prime

On the night of my cousin Deven's birthday, his sister Dawn and my Aunt Sharon made sure everyone was decked out in election-themed gear they made ahead of time. Buttons, pamphlets, the whole deal. Not that my cousin is running for office, but at the time, election felt like a fitting theme, plus I have an uncle who's a state senator and his own campaign brochures made for good inspiration material. The whole family gathered at the Second Street Grill in the Fremont Hotel -- because Downtown Vegas is how Hawaii folks roll -- and we wore our fake-candidate buttons proudly for Deven's birthday dinner. Like some crazy Hunger Games thing, we made a "tribute" to Deven and his love of chocolate, piling gifts of sweets from all over the world on the center of the table. I know it wasn't Thanksgiving, but it felt like a long-overdue holiday gathering made even more special since people had to travel a ways to meet up. My cousin Dawn wins the Mileage Award, having traveled all the way from Sweden to attend her brother's birthday. All this and us cousins didn't have to sit at the kiddie table -- who says Vegas isn't a town for winners?

Food, family and funny photos while on The Ninth Island - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Much like Thanksgiving itself, the trip was full of big meals, but it was less about the food and more about the time it gave us to spend together. It was a reminder that no matter what the occasion, however funky the location, time with family is a rare gift. Costume wigs optional. I don't live close to my family, the closest immediate relative is a state away and my parents are nearly an ocean away, so this trip was like Thanksgiving and Christmas, all rolled up into one. I honestly can't think of the last time so many of us got together like this and I can't think of when we'll be able to do this again. So as you gather to feast upon the turkey, raise your head from your plate for a moment to see who's sitting with you. Be thankful for the occasion that brings you and your crazy clan of family members together for a night. Viva La Thanksgiving, y'all.

Mixed Plate: Do What You Love / Love What You Do

Why do we spend hours of our precious free time writing open letters to the universe, in the bleak hope that kind strangers will give it a look-see? Why do we brave public ridicule and stink-eyed stares as we take pictures of every freaking thing that comes out on a plate, or make it a point to annoy waitstaff by asking for well-lit tables and if it's okay to go all klepto with the restaurant menus? I ask those questions of myself rather frequently, but then I'm reminded of the very simple answer: food is love, and it allows us to give that gift of good food to others. 

What Wasabi treasures most in this world (no, not bacon) - Photo by Wasabi Prime

This is why I blog. Well, one of the big reasons. Family is important, they keep you grounded and remind you where you come from so you can better see where you're headed. And every once in a while, if you're very lucky, schedules allow for a group of family to come and visit for a few days. See those three smiling ladies? It's the Wasabi Mom on the left and her two sisters, my aunties Sharon and Patsy. There's a Wasabi Uncle Clarence, but he could not make the trip out to visit, due to work, but we considered Photoshopping his head in there. Their eagerly-anticipated visit back in April was like planets coming into alignment, except that instead of a great sci-fi dimensional rift to tear the galaxy apart, I just had to shake my tailfeathers and get the Casa de Wasabi ready for three hard-workin' ladies who were overdue for a relaxing vacation. And lots of coffee.

Clean, cook, bake, annoy the dog - check, check and CHECK - Photos by Wasabi Prime

On your mark... get set... BAKE. Well, that was the mantra the week before everyone came over. My mom and her siblings were always bakers, making cakes, cookies and sweets of all sorts. Maybe it was out of necessity, as they grew up on a small farm in upcountry Makawao, on the island of Maui -- no big cities with a 7-11 down the street. It wasn't quaint to make your own bread or bake your own sweets when you were craving a treat -- that's just how it was, the same way you sewed your own clothes versus going to the department store to pick up a new dress. And it wasn't that times were particularly hard, it was just practical know-how being put to use every day -- ask your own relatives, I'm sure they'll say the same thing. We're in an era of information-smart, but basic skills-stupid people who have been too far-removed from where things come from, and I totally include myself in that smart/stupid category. So I thought, Smarten up, Wasabi, and make stuff from scratch. And off I went, in between cleaning the house, prepping the guest room, roasting an extra-extra-extra batch of coffee, and making favorite baked treats for Mom and the Aunties. And yes, that included annoying Indy with the constant running of Roomba -- I bow to the robo-nation of the 21st Century.

My version of heaven - food, family, fuzzy pup - Photos by Wasabi Prime

My family was less interested in playing tourist, as this wasn't their first trip here. They were more inclined to relax and let me cart out plates of food while we spent the days catching up. Consider it the spa resort equivalent for domestic career women. I wanted to test out recipes that I normally don't make, as it's too much for just Mr. Wasabi and I, and I love any excuse to make goodies like waffles, muffins, cinnamon rolls and brownies. I made it all, and it was as much of a treat for me to fuss over the food as it was for everyone to om-nom-nom it. I made a batch of fresh strawberry ice cream that made me rethink my original feelings towards the stuff -- I was never a strawberry ice cream fan. Apparently it's just the Hello Kitty pink fake stuff that's terrible, because when you make strawberry ice cream from scratch, KAPOW -- hear that? That's your mind getting blown away with deliciously real fruit flavor. I also cooked up some simple favorites like roasted portobello mushrooms topped with vegetables and a quickie chicken marsala. Nothing fancy, just easy things that I could prepare while we all kept chatting away. As a bonus, my Auntie Sharon gave us a potato steamer bag, which is just that -- a cloth bag you fill with washed potatoes, throw in the microwave, and let the rads do all the work, turning potatoes into soft, mashable goodness. I know I'm listing all this food and gadgetry, and I promise I'll have separate posts highlighting the different items, I just haven't gotten around to making the individual posts yet, so hang tight and consider it several IOU OMG a Recipe posts!

It's true, the sun does indeed show up sometimes here - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Weather was a big factor when they visited. We had some stinker days, when there was hail and slushy snow coming down, but at least there were a few not-so-sucky days of brief sun to remind the visitors that this state is not completely without its merits. I took the family around to the usual stops for Hawaii folks visiting the Mainland: a visit to Trader Joe's to stock up and a trip to the casino. Two great loves of Hawaii -- interesting snacks and gambling. Don't knock the unusual requests of island visitors -- these are both things that just aren't available (or legal) in the Aloha state; Trader Joe's always has munchies that make for easy omiyage or souvenirs, and you can't even buy a scratch ticket in Hawaii, so one afternoon at the casino feels like a little indulgence. While the notable lack of video poker machines made for a less than satisfying trip to Northwestern Sin City, my mom was able to make enough scrilla to treat us all to a buffet lunch and unholy heapings of weird food combinations. Viva!

Bittersweet farewells - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Sadly, all wonderful things must come to an end. Just like what my family does for me when I leave, I made a batch of Spam musubi and wrapped them up for the flights home, along with the last of the brownies. We parted ways after a week of family time and I'm always taken aback with how strongly it still affects me after all these years. I had gotten so used to the house being full of people, noise and activity, so when the house returned to normal, the silence was deafening. It was right around my birthday, so maybe that made the parting more poignant, but I continued to live in the food and flavors of the things we shared when the house was full like a happy stomach. My mom gave me a pendant from my favorite jewelry vendor at the Hilo Farmers Market, which is a lovely remembrance of the visit as a whole. I blog so that I can learn to do more in the kitchen and grow closer to the food I eat, and I blog so that I can prepare that food and grow closer to the family when I'm fortunate to have them in my home. Miss you, tons -- come back again soon.

Mixed Plate: Hangin' Around in Hilo-Town

I recently took some time off to see my parents in Hawaii before the mad dash of holiday travel began. For this visit, I spent the whole time on the Big Island of Hawaii, in the city of Hilo. It doesn't have the bustling energy of Waikiki or the powder-soft sandy beaches of Maui. It's a city with a deliberate slow pace, its rhythm conducted by the people who have lived there for generations and don't seek out big changes. People like my father grew up there, they often went off-Island for work or school, and in their golden years, they return because it's a place that debunks the saying that you can never go home again. Hilo is a small city built by the plantations, rebuilt from several destructive tsunamis, and continues this day to retain its sense of identity in the currents of changing times. Come along with Wasabi for an insider tour of the big little city of Hilo Town.

Fresh leis at the Hilo Farmers Market - Photo by Wasabi Prime

I didn't grow up in Hilo, but spent a lot of time with family during summers. My childhood memories wander the old streets and neighborhoods, residing like ghosts in time, awaiting my return. When I'm there, it's like entering a cocoon of emotional comfort, locked out from the distractions of the modern world, and the opportunity to reacquaint oneself with one's center. It's a place to slow down, allow the day's events to be dictated by delicious meals, and remember the importance of little things. My little things were mundane things like flossing, taking my vitamins and going for daily runs -- all the stuff that had been driven off by false needs like deadlines and the annoying buzz of email. None of that in the no-wifi-zone of my parents' house, and good riddance.

Getting to Hilo, snapshots of a journey - Photos by Wasabi Prime

The Hawaii I know is the small towns and cities of my parents (my mother's hometown is Makawao on Maui), which for the most part have been untouched by the tourism industry that the state heavily relies on. I admit to a love/hate thing with arriving at Honolulu Airport and seeing the throngs of tourists wearing loud Hawaiian shirts and plastic flower leis, being herded off to a canned, shrink-wrapped view of what the outside perception of Hawaii is. It's not just a place where you sit on a beach and order syrupy cocktails and drink yourself into a sun-baked oblivion. That's like spending hundreds of dollars to shove your head in the sand and miss the fact that you're in one of the most culturally diverse and mystical places you'll ever set foot on in the fifty states. You traveled this far to experience Aloha -- for heaven's sake, let yourself be immersed in it before renting jetskis or buying a cheap snowglobe that was made in Taiwan.

The best views and eats in town from Noris and Kawamoto Store - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Getting to know the heart of Hawaii is spending time in small cities that aren't completely invaded by national chains. Steer clear of the usual morning latte break at Starbucks and cast aside that lunch run to the Golden Arches. Hilo is full of small restaurants and Japanese-style comfort food shops, or okazuya, which all specialize in the local tastes and flavors that people have grown up with. Shoyu chicken, Spam musubi, cone sushi, saimin -- try it all, because it's delicious and been favorites of the locals as far back as the plantation days. My childhood still plays in the low tide waters of the Queen Liliuokalani Park, by the edge of Hilo Bay. I have many scraped knees from slipping on the garden's lava rock ponds while trying to gather bait for fishing trips on my grandpa's boat. We would always bring a giant bento from Kawamoto Store on Kilauea Avenue, to keep our stomachs from grumbling too much so as to scare away the fish. The original family no longer runs the Kawamoto Store, but it continues to make ono kine bento lunches that sell out before noon, so my mother orders lunch early, we pick up our box of goodies, and spend at least one sunny afternoon eating local kine grindz on the Bay. There is no longer my grandfather's boat to ferry us to the open seas, where the salt spray mixes with the food, but eating lunch with my parents, overlooking the water and a volcano sleeping in the distance beneath a cover of clouds, it's absolutely true that good food tastes even better when enjoyed outside. And please remember the SPF.

Visiting those who have passed on - Photos by Wasabi Prime

When I go back to Hilo, it's as much to feed the soul as it is to fill the stomach. While I can only be best described as a jack-Buddhist and Richard Gere will totally achieve Nirvana before I do, I try to be diligent with my parents, to visit the ones who came before us and pay respect to the loved ones who have passed on. Funerary rituals aren't anything new -- everyone has their own rites of observance. In Hawaii, it's as much about co-mingling with the dead as it is with the living; celebrations like O-Bon, the festival for the dead, interjects that need for remembrance and setting a place in one's daily life for those who have departed. It's a weird thing to say, but you'll never see a more colorful and well-kept cemetary than when you visit Hilo, or any other city in the Islands. The dead are never forgotten, and their resting places are a vibrant reminder of the life they led. We did our part to visit the resting places of family and friends, replace the withered flowers with fresh anthurium bought at the farmers market, and wash the black granite family markers so that the sun could dry them to a proper shine. At the risk of having some bad karma chase me down, I took a few photographs in the columbarium where some of my family rests. It's not a somber, depressing place. Instead, it's full of fresh flowers, hanging leis, and private notes from loved ones. It's a place where a little sadness and happiness can come together to mingle with the smell of incense, when the wisps of smoke from the sennenko rise into the air. And best of all -- the matchbooks left near the altar are all usually from Las Vegas. Because even the dead can appreciate a trip to Nevada.

Snacks, quiet morning time, folding gyoza and trips to Longs - excitement abounds! - Photos by Wasabi Prime

If food is love, then I'm very, very well loved when I'm in Hilo. I indulge in snacks I don't regularly get to enjoy, I take advantage of the sale days at Longs for local foodstuffs, and eat the best meals in town, which are always cooked by Mom. I was glad to refamiliarize myself with that magical morning ritual of morning coffee, a pastry of some sort (either a malasada or a crumpet), and the newspaper. Yes, they still make those, and there is nothing quite as heavenly as hearing the birds chirp, the coffeemaker sputter, and feeling the paper between one's hands as you take your time to get settled into the new day.

Tailgate food with Aloha plenty - Photos by Wasabi Prime

I also managed to visit during college football, and more specifically, when the University of Hawaii was playing. Happily the Warriors won their game - Go 'Bows! My parents host game viewings at their house, so UH friends gather, there's plenty of things to graze on and I got to enjoy an old food friend known as the Maui red hotdog. Alarmingly red. Scandalously red. And outstandingly delicious when topped with all the typical hotdog condiments and a hefty sprinkle of smoked pork that the neighbors brought. That addition was my own design, and I highly recommend it. Don't let the bright color scare of you off; they're no different than a crunchy, tight-skinned hotdog from anywhere else, but the bright red makes it distinctively local.

Suffice it to say, Wasabi Mom fed her little Wasabi Prime real, real good - Photos by Wasabi Prime

In between stuffing my face with too much food, I took a very belated visit to the 'Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai'i. Don't roll your eyes and think it's just another planetarium or place for space geeks to hang out. This is one of the most unique places to experience the stars and the way humans have felt the influence of the heavens drive one's destiny. It's a museum that is one part science and one part Native Hawaiian culture. And they have cool 3-D movies shown in their planetarium theater.

Visiting 'Imiloa and being blinded by science - Photos by Wasabi Prime

At the risk of sounding like an informercial -- if you're in Hilo, make it a point to visit 'Imiloa. It's part of the University of Hawaii and it's educational in both science and culture, so yes, it's wholesome family fun. It's not like visiting other astronomy museums where it's more about looking up and not looking around to see where the curiosity about the universe emerged. Their exhibits are about enabling the spirit in the heavens and how it brought people to the islands of Hawaii to make it the place it is today. I can't even point to True North, and these guys hopped in a boat and navigated their way to a tiny chain of islands.

Mosaic telling the tale of Hawaiian navigators, one meticulous tile at at a time - Photo by Wasabi Prime

And, as a bonus, 'Imiloa is probably one of the best hidden food gems in town. Their latest vendor who's handling their restaurant is bringing in the crowds for their dinner, so make reservations if you go. We were there for lunch, and their spicy beef noodle soup and signature shrimp were pretty tasty. Science, stars, local culture... and plenty ono salt and pepper shrimp? What more could a person ask for??

Visit 'Imiloa - come for the science, stay for the buffet - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Going to Hilo is never complete without a visit to the Hilo Farmers Market. There's actually several in town, but the largest main one, on the corner of Mamo and Kamehameha in downtown Hilo, is the one most people visit. I like this farmers market because it's a real working market. It's not full of cheesy tourist junk (OK, there's some of that) and the goods aren't outlandishly priced so that makes it impractical for locals to just get their weekly groceries. It's real food, locally grown and priced to sell so that it makes it on someone's dinner table that night. That's it. Nothing fancy. This is the way a farmers market should work, and it gives the national chain grocery stores that barge in their produce underripe and overpriced a run for its money.

Farmers market goodies - musubi, spicy chilis, anthurium and starfruit - Photos by Wasabi Prime

The fruits and vegetables are all things people use on a weekly basis. Staples like green onions, fresh ginger, taro root, papaya and guava. There are uniquely local items like warabi, the tall stalks of baby fiddlehead ferns that grow wild in the Hilo rainforests and are made into salads. Exotic fruit like the fuzzy-skinned rambutan or spiny dragon fruit are everywhere. Funny enough, it's the simplest things that my mom says she misses -- like a crisp apple or pear. Basics like that have to come from the Mainland, where fruit is picked too early and left to ripen in dark holding containers. It's a reminder to be thankful for what we have in our own backyards.

Warabi, rambutan, more anthurium and tart apple bananas - Photos by Wasabi Prime

But I'm still green with envy at the fact that the growing season is pretty much year-round in Hawaii and there's always a treasure trove of fresh goodies at the market. I realize that's probably why they can price out their produce so reasonably. But it doesn't change the fact that I still turn into Gollum, seething about The Precioussss every time I walk the aisles of the farmers market and ogle all the goods.

Your food brain will overload at the Hilo Farmers Market - Photos by Wasabi Prime

If you're still reading this, I applaud your patience. Or perhaps I should just nudge you, as you've probably fallen alseep by now. Hilo is little town that most visitors to Hawaii would probably overlook as boring or too far past its prime, but for me, it's the ideal place to recharge and refocus. Visiting a place like Hilo is a way to experience a genuine part of Hawaii not influenced by fake grass skirts or hokey luaus, and not a paper umbrella drink to be seen. This is a city where good local food and meals are ritual, treasures abound if you're keen to look for them, and the ghosts of the past walk freely among the living. And there's always time for coffee and the morning paper.

Mahalo plenty, Hilo - I will see you soon - Photo by Wasabi Prime

UnRecipe: Family Time with the Prime

A while back, we played host to Mr. Wasabi's visiting brother, sister-in-law, and little girl, the Adorable Miss A. They stayed with us for a weekend for a cousin's wedding in Snohomish, which was on a perfect summer weekend. Whenever one has guests, I think everyone knows that need for preparedness, so the Prime got busy and made several things in anticipation for the visit.

Magical Animal sandwiches for dinner - Photo by Wasabi Prime

Getting several meals prepared in advance for an unknown schedule, for several people, can be a bit of a challenge. I didn't want to make anything fussy or fancy, just easy-going comfort foods that were crowd pleasers and were mindful of dietary needs. Mr. Wasabi's brother has some food allergies, so I had to be mindful of certain ingredients, peanuts being one of them. Usually when I'm trying to plan a menu for a busy weekend, these parameters come to mind: quickness to prepare and keeps well in the fridge or an airtight container. Maybe it's my crazy Wasabi-planner mind, but I had a list of things I was going to make ahead of time, and they included the following: barbecue pork shoulder sandwiches with cole slaw, fixings for green salads, blueberry scones for breakfast, fresh fruit, plenty of pre-roasted coffee, iced tea, and coffee ice cream. Several meals were pre-cooked, ready for assembly or ready to eat, right out of the crisper drawer or a plastic container. Crazy planner? Yes, I am. Blame my being the only child of an engineer.

Spotty blueberry scones for breakfast - Photo by Wasabi Prime

Of course, best-laid plans are often laid to waste, as I think we only dug into the scones, fruit and plenty of coffee, but I'd much rather adhere to the Boy Scout motto of being prepared than scrambling to throw something together from an empty refrigerator and pantry. The wedding weekend proved to be busy with family activities, which was just fine by me, as this meant more leftovers for the following week. I feel like an overabundance of food is a win/win by the Prime's standards, plus it meant barbecue pork sandwiches for several nights. And what's wrong with that?

Peachy jam pot scones from Mr. Wasabi's family - Photo by Wasabi Prime

A nice finish to the very sweet family visit was a gift of peach scone mix and peach preserves from Mr. Wasabi's brother's family. Much thanks to the deliciously thoughtful host gift. I made them the following week, inspired by the jam pots from the Grand Central Baking Book that I received from a thoughtful aunt. I made the scone mix according to the bag, but instead of cutting them into the typical scone shape, I made little round pots and filled them with the preserves before baking. It was a nice way to pre-jam one's scones and made them an easy bring-along later in the week when I met up with some friends for a morning movie. Hooray for a fun family weekend, plenty of leftovers, jam pot scones, and Friday morning movies!

Mixed Plate: The Story of Grandma's Noodle Dish

Almost two years ago, my family had to do the sad but necessary task of cleaning out my grandparents' home when my grandfather passed away. My grandmother had passed away several years ago and he had been taking care of the house on his own. Our family had a lot of memories invested in this house; it's the home where my father and his sister grew up, and I spent a lot of childhood summers there. Time and life's adventures combined to create a situation where stuff accumulated. Lots of stuff. To put it lightly, Grandpa had collected a lot of things, and were the powers of cable TV trending to have happened a few years earlier, I think we could have had a prime candidate for one of those "Hoarders" shows. It was no small task to sort through this life of collected objects. But amid all the junk, there were still treasures worth keeping, like a large, elaborately decorated serving dish my grandmother would use for dinners and potlucks. My parents paid the price of a blackmarket orphan to have this plate shipped safely to my home, and it's sat as a centerpiece on our dining room table since the family home had its final cleaning. It wasn't yet used as a proper plate, that is, until the recent visit of my Aunty S.

Pad Thai with a heaping side of family memories - Photo by Wasabi Prime

Right now our house is a mishmash of family objects. That same hoarding mentality my grandpa had has clearly taken root in my own personal habits, but I hope to not let it get so out of hand that my stuff starts to own me. When Aunty S. visited, I showed her old photos of her and my dad's childhood organized in an album, pieced together by a narrative from her brother's weirdly good memory. I took possession of her childhood jewelry box, a beautifully painted wooden box with little drawers and a rolling two-door shutter, along with their collection of kokeshi, painted Japanese wooden peg-like dolls of varying size, plus the porcelain Japanese dolls rescued from the old glass case in my grandparents' home. Our house has become like a family museum, and I hope to keep the items in as good condition as I can, for no other reason than a sentimental crazy fear of losing memories to time's passing. And yeah, I'm probably a hoarder at heart, so consider my application to TLC and The Discovery Channel pending.

My homemade Thai carb-fest dinner - Photo by Wasabi Prime

Family keepsakes aside, I wanted to make at least one big dinner for my aunt's visit, so I made a three-course Thai meal. We're not Thai, this wasn't anything either of us grew up with, but I like the flavors and I was comfortable shooting from the hip with these dishes, so that's how the meal came to be. I made a spicy/sour coconut and chicken soup, Swimming Rama creamy peanut sauce with chicken and peppers, and a giant amount of Pad Thai. The family serving dish came into the picture, as Aunty S. mentioned she remembered her mother serving up many noodle dishes on this plate, so I thought it would be fitting that the Pad Thai be served up on this platter. Plus I didn't have anything big enough to hold all those noodles, and gosh darn it if it didn't look pretty.

Unfortunately, I didn't have anything as picture-pretty as the noodle dish for the soup and chicken with peanut sauce, but that's fine -- most family potluck dinners are a rogue's gallery of servingware, so consider this just "keepin' it real." It was a lot of food for just three people -- Auntie S., Mr. Wasabi, and myself -- but it was a rich, hearty meal to enjoy with loved ones, plus the added benefit of leftovers for several days and my not having to cook.

Washing the large dish that night, I noticed on the bottom, it still had a bit of old tape with the family name written across it, along with my grandpa's initials painted in what I can only assume to be my grandmother's nail polish -- it was a bright coral hue. No doubt these were put there to help assign ownership when plates were left at someone's house after a big potluck dinner. I often get overly precious about using fancy platters, not wanting to use them in fear of wearing them out or risking breakage, but seeing how much better they look when piled with food made me feel less fussy about letting this platter rediscover its humble, but useful place in the food universe. I saw my grandmother's handwriting and it truly felt like this plate was home.

A family feast with lots of leftovers! - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Mixed Plate: Comfort Foods and What the Heart and Stomach Desires

People have different ideas behind the meaning of comfort food, as the answer varies with every person. When I return from a visit with my parents, I stay within that place of comfort for weeks, sticking with the familiar flavors and foods. It may have been weeks since I last saw family, but in a way, I still have yet to leave, as they remain with me at the most important of times -- at the table, sharing a meal.

Miso Hungry! - Photo by Wasabi Prime

I always make a big pot of miso soup when I return from a family visit. Usually it's because I feel the need to do a self-imposed soup diet for at least a week after being fattened up like a Christmas goose on homecooked meals, three squares a day. I'm sure everyone has a different way of making miso soup, but the way I do it is simmer a pot of water, drop a big dollop of salt-a-licious miso paste in and break it up, adding cubes of tofu and dropping in a scrambled egg or two, to give it a kick of protein. I also use bonito for flavor. Bonito is just flakes of a dried mackerel-like fish that's often used in Asian soups. It's used the way anchovies are, to give a dish a depth of flavor, and as long as it's used with a light hand, it won't be too fishy. I usually get my supply from Uwajimaya, but I've also discovered it's sold as cat treats at pet stores. Not that I'm admitting I've bought bonito at Petco, but I'm just saying it's there. And were Uwajimaya to not be open or out of bonito, I'm not adverse to picking up a little something for myself in the kitty treat aisle of the pet store. Again, I'm just sayin'...

This latest comfort meal included cold tofu with soy and chili sauce, just because I love cold tofu, and a batch of pickled spicy cucumber from my mom's recipe collection. I added a little extra greenery from the garden, chopping up the baby greens of sugar peas that were thinned. I hate getting rid of the extra sprouts because I'm basically throwing away perfectly good plants. Granted, it's to ensure the remaining ones have enough space to grow, but I still hate ripping the little guys out. I was happy to discover the sugar pea sprouts are quite sweet and totally salad-friendly. I divided the culled sprout greens between a salad for Mr. Wasabi and the rest topped my bowl of miso soup. Waste not, want not.

Fried Mandu Filled With the Magical Animal - Photo by Wasabi Prime

The food from family that captured my heart and most likely clogged my arteries included a big dinner with family friends that had my mom cooking up fried pork-filled dumplings called mandu, rice flour-battered and fried mochiko chicken, and a tasty warabi salad brought by friends. Warabi is a baby fern, like fiddleheads, that are in season right now and available at the Hilo Farmer's Market. They grow wild in the rainforest-like conditions, and people gather them for selling at the markets. They're harder to find on other islands, but Hilo's rain is thankfully good for some things, and fern shoots is one of them. Warabi salad is made up of the blanched baby ferns mixed with tomato, red onion, and a salty mix of dried seaweed for flavor. Pretty simple and simply delicious, need I say more? I wouldn't be able to get warabi here, but am considering making a Mainland version with either fiddleheads or thinly-sliced asparagus, as the flavors are similar.

Warabi Greens from Hilo and Wasabi Pea Sprout Greens from the Garden - Photos by  Wasabi Prime

Throughout the visit, along with kalbi beef shortribs, somen salad and Portuguese bean soup, Mama Wasabi also made Hawaii-style cream puffs, which is to say, pastries the size of a softball and filled with vanilla pudding. They don't do it light in Da Islands, that's for sure. I don't normally crave pastries, but when I'm there, I absolutely indulge my sweet tooth. It might be because it's so easy to just take it easy there. A sugar-sprinkled malasada is perfect in the morning with coffee while you read the paper -- yes, like a for-reals newspaper -- because my parents don't have a computer and it's kind of nice that they don't. And maybe that's the secret behind why comfort foods of all kinds taste especially good -- we are most likely in a state of calm, and food will always taste better with a mind at ease.

Cream Puffs Baked by Mama Wasabi - Photo by Wasabi Prime

All these dishes are commonly served favorites, it's nothing particularly gourmet or high-end, and it's a No Food Snobs Allowed standing rule in my parents' house. I honestly wouldn't have it any other way, because it's cooking of the highest order -- honest, hearty fare that's designed to be cooked regularly for the home. Sure, I could make these foods in my own kitchen, but I never do because I know it wouldn't be the same. This food tastes better when it's being enjoyed with family, and maybe that's why I often long for these tastes and flavors, because it's less about the stomach and more about the heart that craves what it loves most dearly.

Mochiko Chicken and Meals with Family and Friends - Photos by Wasabi Prime