view of the neighborhood from our deck
the tree in the front yard looked particularly ominous against this morning's backdrop
Needless to say, the Friday farmers market in Kapaa was cancelled. It's held in a small lot oceanside, and when it gets wet, it disintegrates into a nasty mud pit that has more vindictive energy than the swamp thing. No worries though, because yesterday kicked off the string of markets that we normally shop at and we were able to find some great buys. Thursday is the small market, which is located in the parking lot just down the street from us. Local farmers bring their products and sell them from the backs of their trucks, always willing to dispense information about the methods they use and the produce their offering, and often supplying tasty recipes if you're trying something for the first time.
A quick note about farmers markets: if you have one near you, please, please give it a try. There's no better way to get gorgeous, honest food than from local suppliers, and not only does it promote sustainability and ensure that you get seasonal, quality product, it will probably save you quite a lot of money. In the grocery stores here, a bell pepper (shipped from the mainland) costs anywhere between 4-6 dollars. At the famers market, an organic, locally grown bell pepper costs 2 dollars. A 2-4 dollar saving is phenomenal, you guys. Check to see if there are any markets near you - and if not, there might be a local co-op that you can take advantage of. It's a great experience to give a go, if nothing else.
Like I mentioned, we nipped into the market yesterday so that we could supplement the groceries already in the fridge. I brought my camera along, hoping to take some pictures of the actual vendors, but man, it's a competitive little hive of activity once the opening horn sounds - you've gotta move quick to get the good stuff!
It wasn't a big haul, but boy is this stuff handsome. Leaf lettuce, radishes (with dirt still clinging to the roots!), bananas, rambutan, and two things I'd never seen at the market before - oyster mushrooms, which I've eaten before, and suriname cherries, which I haven't. Snapped those babies up quickly.
The dealer with the mushrooms is new to this particular market, even though he lives here in Kilauea. Turns out he's been cultivating mushrooms on the island for fifteen years now but he only just recently decided to try his hand selling them. He's got two varieties of oyster - the blues and the pinks. I'd never seen the pinks, but the delicate colour on them was so delightfully eyecatching that I had to try them. A mixed half-pound bag only cost five bucks, which seems too low (not that I'm going to complain, mind you.) I asked Kaivi, the vendor, what the difference was between the two varieties and he said that the pinks are more aromatic and, as you might guess from their appearence, delicate, while the blues have a nice earthy flavour. Can't wait to try these babies out!
Carl runs the fruit stand that we always buy from. His stuff surpasses everyone at any of the markets on island, by far, and he's incredibly generous with giving samples and full of interesting stories. He usually has something unusual for sale - last time it was ice apples - and when we got to his table and saw the little basket of ridged red berries, we knew that we'd be having another fun taste adventure. They were six for a dollar, and so we got three dozen for the walk home.
Was I ever surprised when I bit into that cherry! What an unusual taste! The first sensation you get is a startling tartness, that's quickly followed by a deep smoky undertone that's hard to describe because it's so unique. It was vaguely reminiscent of something but it took me more than a few to realize that they remind me, strangely enough, of curry leaf, yet another distinct flavour. Alex, my oldest, wasn't a big fan of them but I think if they're used properly, he might come around. Perhaps in a berry sauce over buckwheat pancakes?
While the rest of the fam enjoyed pizza for dinner, I opted for a salad as I'd had a piece of pizza earlier in the week. Kale, green leaf lettuce, arugula, preserved lemon pieces, sesame seeds, sesame oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, thyme and a bit of shaved fennel. Just a simple, easy toss-together meal that was completely satisfying and left very little cleanup. It's always nice when there aren't many dishes to do after enjoying supper, but never more so than when you're free to curl up with a warm blanket and a cup of tea, and listen to the lazy drumming of the rain outside.
Peace to you all,
Diz
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