Upcountry Bounty

Yum, yum Aloha....

This ono (delicious) organic bounty was picked from the organic garden of the Hale Ho'okipa today. My garden produces an abundance of food. The Winter Pears, avocados, are so creamy and filling, a meal in itself. I serve them in the morning for breakfast. My famous combo is avocado and chili peppa jelly on toast. I have made many converts at the breakfast table.

The papayas are also pumping out now that the rain has come. I had the good fortune of getting a Mexican papaya which produces really large fruit. In all the papayas I have served for breakfast, I've only found one seed from this variety. I'm wondering when I will come across another one to germinate. The Hawaiian sunrise papayas are my favorite, and are the sweetest.

It's been a bumper year for the lilikoi, passion fruit. I have three varieties producing fruit, and two more varieties that are keiki's, young plants. With lilikoi, the more wrinkles, the sweeter they are. (Ah, more good things to be said about aging...) The passion fruit has a very bold flavor, and it makes great toppings for cheesecake, or fish, and they really add a zing to my morning fruit salads. People wake up in a hurry when they slurp a passion fruit. I always get a little chuckle out of the surprised expressions.

Being such a dry and windy spring, most of my cherimoya blossoms sailed away on the wind. They look like little helicopters, and their fragrance is so special and subtle, like an apple, pear combo. The flesh of the cherimoya is white and super sweet. I call it ice cream fruit. The local name for it is custard apple. They have a very short shelf life because of all the sugar. I am usually trying to give away lots of them, or scrapping them up off the driveway if I did not get to them in time. But, it has been a precious few this year.

This tropical bounty is very satisfying...even so, I have to admit that I look forward to cherries in the summer, and apricots. I do have three special upcountry peach trees that are heavy with peaches in the summer.
We are so lucky to be able to grow year round here. Come on over for breakfast, you'll be glad you did!

Malama ka aina , care for the land...and it gives back to you.........

With Aloha,

Cherie

Our First Rains!! The Garden Sings.

Aloha,

Upcountry Maui is smiling today. Yesterday in Makawao we broke a long dry spell. It rained, it poured, it soaked the ground, and put a smile on many faces.

I had been bargaining with myself, the water gods, and the water department since last Feb when we had our last good rain. My vegie garden took a beating over the summer. One conclusion I came to, was although a spring planting brought a sense of renewal and promise, watching the garden wilt over the summer was painful. I have to look for a shadier spot for my summer food next year.

I know some visitors to the islands are only looking for sun. Take heart, even if we have some rain, it is still probably at least 72 degrees outside, and the waterfalls are glorious. No more trickles, they are downright roaring today. I may go out in search of a great photo, and will share it when I get one.

The other good news is, usually if you drive 15 minutes in either direction, the weather will change, one way or another. Even if you sit still, the trade wind showers will blow through in no time. This rain , that made sleeping so wonderful last night, looks to be more than a passing trade shower. This is marking a seasonal change, and we welcome it. I may have to re-think the crater hike I was planning for tomorrow. When the sun bursts through in a couple of days, everything will be sparkling, and the papayas and bananas will be fatter.

The white flowering bush off the lanai is just coming into it's glory. My daughter calls it "snow on the mountain." I love that name, it suits the plant well. It fills the air with a subtle fragrance, and it is one of our holiday treats.

Staying cozy, with Aloha,

Cherie