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Just returned from a short stay in Hawaii
(the Big Island). The cocktail supreme Mai-Tai is still the king. These
are terrific if made right. The best one was at the Four Seasons.
Believe me folks, this is the perfect choice if you want to get people
relaxed and if you want them to do the hula. Here’s the best recipe I’ve
found, given to me by Mildred DeDomenico
of Napa Valley, who my lovely wife
Cheryle and I were visiting in Kona. Remember, it must have a slice of
pineapple, a cherry and an umbrella. |
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Oh, by the way, it really improves if
you happen to be listening to Izzy’s music – ask Charlie at Do Re
Me in Carmel for a sample of this late-great Hawaiian artist.
Mai Tai Recipe
1 ounce light rum
1/2 ounce triple sec
1/4 ounce fresh lime juice
1 1/2 ounces pineapple juice
1 1/2 ounces orange juice
1 dash of Grenadine
1/2 ounce dark rum |
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Shake all but the dark rum with cracked ice.
Strain into an old-fashioned glass and float (top) with the dark rum.
Garnish as I said, with a large pineapple wedge, umbrella and a cherry.
Fish Farms: There is an entire
industrial park outside of Kona devoted to Sea Farming – fish, sea
horses, clams, mussels, oysters, lobster, crab, etc. |
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Doing the hokie poke in Hilo. No, not
the dance, but the famous appetizer of raw Ahi and any variety of
ingredients. Poke means “small piece”. There is Hawaiian style and
Korean style, made with shoyu (soy sauce), garlic, spices, onions, hot
peppers and anything you want, basically. Just make sure it includes
Hawaiian rock salt, Hawaiian shoyu and, of course, fresh Ahi cut into
1/2” cubes. Toss and serve with steamed rice, slices of fresh pineapple
and Mai Tais – now that’s a Hawaiian vacation. Below is Vince
DeDomenico’s recipe for his favorite dish when spending time at his home
in Hawaii. Any sashimi grade fish can be used or limpets, octopus, small
squid even raw crabs cut in half, but the best is made from fresh Ahi
filet. Serve with Mai Tais – but make sure
everyone eats because these Mai Tais can
be deadly! |
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Ahi Poke Recipe
2 lbs fresh Ahi tuna
1 small round onion, minced
3 green onions, diced
1/2 cup shoyu (soy sauce)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon Hawaiian sea salt or kosher salt
Cut Ahi into at least 1/2" cubes- set
aside& refrigerate. Combine all other ingredients in a large glass bowl
and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. When ready to serve, toss Ahi
and other ingredients together. Serve on chilled platter with chopsticks
or toothpicks. You’re sure to get a hearty “Mahalo!”
Q). My family and I love Alaskan
king crab. I like to simply drop the sections into salted hot water,
flavored with onions, bay leaf and garlic. Any other ideas?
Sheriff Barbara and Mark Michaels
Pebble Beach |
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A). King Crab is heavily glazed,
meaning it has a coating of ice to protect it from freezer burn. This is
known as I.Q.F. (individually quick frozen). Dipped in hot water is a
good idea, but only to heat it up. Also, buy the legs that are not
already split, the quality is better. Try this
King Crab Recipe next time: Dip into
hot water and then cut into 3” long pieces. Next cut out a section of
the shell with scissors. Make a mixture of 1 cube sweet butter, 4 cloves
of garlic (chopped), 4 T. chopped parsley and some seasoned bread
crumbs. Place the crab sections on a sheet pan, spoon on the butter
mixture and top with bread crumbs. Place under a broiler until the
breadcrumbs are golden brown. Serve with some lemon and more butter and
garlic. Along with some steamed asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower and
maybe a little pasta with marinara – bingo – a great dinner. |
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Q). John, I love reading your column.
My dad was a Doctor on Cass St. in the 1960's and so I have a good dose
of second generation Italian (Roma) and Wednesdays are a good day for
the newspapers. I love reading you and the NY Times on the same day, all
about FOOD! Lately my husband has convinced me of how wonderful
mushrooms and mushroom sauce are and, after following a NY Times recipe,
I have become a convert. So tonight I made pasta with dried 'shrooms
from Trader Joes. Not as good as Whole Foods (a whole pay check for pure
porcinis), but still darned good served over whole wheat pasta with
greens and chicken sausage (I am a Weight Watcher.)
My questions are:
1. Are dried mushrooms better? Seems to me they are.
2. Can you write, as you have in the past, about 'shroom season on the
Peninsula? Will we see wild |
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porcinis in Whole Foods? Or are they too
dangerous? I know you are a 'shroomer and it seems to me to be time for
your annual column about them. As my husband says, it is worth cooking
just for the aroma that fills the house! BTW: my husband, who is not
Italian, but is still a very fine craftsman, specializes in custom wine
cellars. Maybe you might like to meet him sometime?
Nancy Peden
Carmel, CA
A). Thanks for all that good stuff
– now to answer your questions.
1. Are dried mushrooms better than fresh? Yes! Drying really concen-trates the flavors – at least 5 times. European porcini mushrooms
are much more flavorful. So are the mushrooms of South America. Remember
that it takes 10 lbs. of fresh mushrooms to make 1 lb. of dried and, as
they are much stronger in flavor, you need to use less. With very few
exceptions, all
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mushrooms benefit by being dried. 2.
Monterey’s season? No Comment. I love to hunt in Santa Cruz and the
Mendocino Coast. Check with the local Mycological Society (or
www.msafungi.org)
for details.
3. As far as seasons for mushrooms go, they are usually most
abundant at the time of the first rains. Summer is pretty lean on the
Central Coast. In the spring, we usually head up to the Sierra’s for
Morels. Anyone interested in learning more about mushroom hunting
(forays), should sign up with my buddy Charmoon of the Wild About
Mushrooms Co. in Forestville, Ca. (707) 829-2063 (www.wildaboutmushrooms.net).
Here is a list of his upcoming events: Saturday, April 7 Salt Point
Half-Day Foray; April (Date TBA) Mushroom Cultivation Workshop at
Harmony Farm Supply; May 12-13 Sierra Nevada Morel Foray; June 2-3
Sierra Nevada Porcini Foray; Oct. 21-25 Oregon Cascades Foray. |
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