“Tsuki ga deta deta, tsuki ga deta…”
As Obon season starts in Hawaii, I vividly recall my childhood summers spent on the Valley Isle of Maui. I’ll sheepishly admit that as a child, I actually was afraid to attend the Obon festivals at the Wailuku and Kahului Hongwanji because of the unknown. Well, not exactly unknown since we spent parts of every summer on Maui during the Obon season but for some reason (mainly childhood cowardice); I feared the rhythmic pounding of the taiko perched high on the yagura. I also feared the almost trancelike procession of Obon revelers rotating in unison around the yagura. Okay, I was also afraid of my own shadow back then.
What did attract me was the chow fun. And not just any chow fun but Hawaii style noodles – almost like a wide udon noodle. And not just served on a plate but in conical shaved ice (snow cone) cups. Something about warm chow fun in a shaved ice cup with a little extra shoyu deadened the beat of those scary taiko drums.
Homemade Eats
Long before the lure of the fermented grape or the perfume of the white truffle captivated me, the sights, sounds and tastes of Maui entranced me. I can taste Auntie K’s pan fried sliced Maui hot dogs – slimmer than Oscar Meyer’s version with a vivid red color and casing that snapped when bit – with sliced Maui onions like it was yesterday. And these weren’t just any old “Maui” onions. They had to be from Kula where the sweetest of Maui onions originated with that flat, wide shape that made them oh so mendokusai to slice but oh so ono to eat.
After a day of fishing with Uncle Ogi, Auntie K would pan fry the leftover opae or small salt water shrimp we used as bait. I know that you’re first thought is “bait isn’t food”. Well, Uncle Ogi’s technique of leaving the opae on chilled newspaper in a cooler left them just as fresh as any shrimp dish served by Nobu Matsuhisa. Just watching Auntie line her stovetop with old newspaper (to facilitate cleanup from oil splatter) and inhaling the aroma of heated oil in a cast iron skillet initiated a reflex that would put Pavlov’s dogs to shame.
If Uncle’s egg tomatoes were ripe, we often were treated to Auntie’s lomi salmon. Blanched cubed salted salmon, chopped Maui onion, diced green onion and cubed tomatoes known as lomi salmon is the classic tomato “salad” found at any Hawaiian luau or supermarket. Whether it was the vine ripened tomatoes, the classic Maui onion or whether Auntie just had the special touch, her version had you wanting for more.
Finally, Uncle Ogi’s chili pepper water was the king of condiments. You can find multiple versions throughout Hawaii, namely at Hawaiian food restaurants where sliced raw onion dipped in chili pepper water then Hawaiian salt is a classic. The perfect blend of spicy, salty and savory. Uncle’s version with local red chili peppers, garlic, Hawaiian salt and a touch of vinegar made Tabasco pale by comparison.
Purchased Eats
On occasion we’d stopped by Noda Market in the Kahului Shopping Center for a tray of the best shoyu butterfish and fried noodles for our shore casting lunch break. The butterfish was flaky with that perfect balance of sweet and salty while the noodles had a touch of buttery goodness to them. On other occasions we’d grab a couple of “mini” bento from Ooka Market that were Saran wrapped on Styrofoam meat trays with softball sized musubi that could easily feed a small family. The bento were originally produced just for Ooka employees but the Wailuku community soon got wind of these bargain bento and they soon had trouble keeping a supply on hand. Of course, these food memories are just that; memories, since both establishments have long shut their doors.
If our sweet tooth was calling, we could grab some Homemade Bakery or Sam Sato manju with the former wrapping sweet bean paste in a buttery, flaky crust while the latter wrapped their koshi-an in a softer, moist dough. Sam Sato’s version usually won the battle of omiyage since their version froze nicely (and is still one of my favorite summertime nibbles straight from the freezer).
To wash down the manju would just take a simple trip to the Star Ice and Soda Works for my favorite orange soda. I remember downing five of those babies in one day. Mom almost enrolled me in Sodaholics Anonymous after that one summer.
On other occasions, we’d make a stop for that frozen delight, Guri-Guri. Guri-Guri was created by the Tasaka family and was a hybrid of sherbet and ice cream. The strawberry flavor is still to-die-for though the best time to gorge on it is straight from the store. They do pack it in freezer bags as omiyage but the syrupy flavors tend to settle on the bottom over time. You know, life is short, eat dessert NOW.
Of course, we could always order omiyage from the Shishido Manju Shop as long as you were prepared to face the “Manju Nazi”. You never told Mr. Shishido when you wanted to pick-up your order – he ALWAYS asked you when your flight was then TOLD you when to pick-up the order.
Going Home
There are those who subscribe to the notion that you can never go home. I disagree. As we honor and dance with those who have passed before us during the Obon season, we can also recall those past memories of sounds, smells and flavors from the past. Just close your eyes and they’ll return as if they just happened. While I may not be able to physically sip another Star orange soda or taste Ooka’s bento again, I can still recall every sensation with immunity from the ravages of time. May you also recall your memories as vividly as well.
“…Watashi dakare te kurashitai, sano yoi yoi”
As Obon season starts in Hawaii, I vividly recall my childhood summers spent on the Valley Isle of Maui. I’ll sheepishly admit that as a child, I actually was afraid to attend the Obon festivals at the Wailuku and Kahului Hongwanji because of the unknown. Well, not exactly unknown since we spent parts of every summer on Maui during the Obon season but for some reason (mainly childhood cowardice); I feared the rhythmic pounding of the taiko perched high on the yagura. I also feared the almost trancelike procession of Obon revelers rotating in unison around the yagura. Okay, I was also afraid of my own shadow back then.
What did attract me was the chow fun. And not just any chow fun but Hawaii style noodles – almost like a wide udon noodle. And not just served on a plate but in conical shaved ice (snow cone) cups. Something about warm chow fun in a shaved ice cup with a little extra shoyu deadened the beat of those scary taiko drums.
Homemade Eats
Long before the lure of the fermented grape or the perfume of the white truffle captivated me, the sights, sounds and tastes of Maui entranced me. I can taste Auntie K’s pan fried sliced Maui hot dogs – slimmer than Oscar Meyer’s version with a vivid red color and casing that snapped when bit – with sliced Maui onions like it was yesterday. And these weren’t just any old “Maui” onions. They had to be from Kula where the sweetest of Maui onions originated with that flat, wide shape that made them oh so mendokusai to slice but oh so ono to eat.
After a day of fishing with Uncle Ogi, Auntie K would pan fry the leftover opae or small salt water shrimp we used as bait. I know that you’re first thought is “bait isn’t food”. Well, Uncle Ogi’s technique of leaving the opae on chilled newspaper in a cooler left them just as fresh as any shrimp dish served by Nobu Matsuhisa. Just watching Auntie line her stovetop with old newspaper (to facilitate cleanup from oil splatter) and inhaling the aroma of heated oil in a cast iron skillet initiated a reflex that would put Pavlov’s dogs to shame.
If Uncle’s egg tomatoes were ripe, we often were treated to Auntie’s lomi salmon. Blanched cubed salted salmon, chopped Maui onion, diced green onion and cubed tomatoes known as lomi salmon is the classic tomato “salad” found at any Hawaiian luau or supermarket. Whether it was the vine ripened tomatoes, the classic Maui onion or whether Auntie just had the special touch, her version had you wanting for more.
Finally, Uncle Ogi’s chili pepper water was the king of condiments. You can find multiple versions throughout Hawaii, namely at Hawaiian food restaurants where sliced raw onion dipped in chili pepper water then Hawaiian salt is a classic. The perfect blend of spicy, salty and savory. Uncle’s version with local red chili peppers, garlic, Hawaiian salt and a touch of vinegar made Tabasco pale by comparison.
Purchased Eats
On occasion we’d stopped by Noda Market in the Kahului Shopping Center for a tray of the best shoyu butterfish and fried noodles for our shore casting lunch break. The butterfish was flaky with that perfect balance of sweet and salty while the noodles had a touch of buttery goodness to them. On other occasions we’d grab a couple of “mini” bento from Ooka Market that were Saran wrapped on Styrofoam meat trays with softball sized musubi that could easily feed a small family. The bento were originally produced just for Ooka employees but the Wailuku community soon got wind of these bargain bento and they soon had trouble keeping a supply on hand. Of course, these food memories are just that; memories, since both establishments have long shut their doors.
If our sweet tooth was calling, we could grab some Homemade Bakery or Sam Sato manju with the former wrapping sweet bean paste in a buttery, flaky crust while the latter wrapped their koshi-an in a softer, moist dough. Sam Sato’s version usually won the battle of omiyage since their version froze nicely (and is still one of my favorite summertime nibbles straight from the freezer).
To wash down the manju would just take a simple trip to the Star Ice and Soda Works for my favorite orange soda. I remember downing five of those babies in one day. Mom almost enrolled me in Sodaholics Anonymous after that one summer.
On other occasions, we’d make a stop for that frozen delight, Guri-Guri. Guri-Guri was created by the Tasaka family and was a hybrid of sherbet and ice cream. The strawberry flavor is still to-die-for though the best time to gorge on it is straight from the store. They do pack it in freezer bags as omiyage but the syrupy flavors tend to settle on the bottom over time. You know, life is short, eat dessert NOW.
Of course, we could always order omiyage from the Shishido Manju Shop as long as you were prepared to face the “Manju Nazi”. You never told Mr. Shishido when you wanted to pick-up your order – he ALWAYS asked you when your flight was then TOLD you when to pick-up the order.
Going Home
There are those who subscribe to the notion that you can never go home. I disagree. As we honor and dance with those who have passed before us during the Obon season, we can also recall those past memories of sounds, smells and flavors from the past. Just close your eyes and they’ll return as if they just happened. While I may not be able to physically sip another Star orange soda or taste Ooka’s bento again, I can still recall every sensation with immunity from the ravages of time. May you also recall your memories as vividly as well.
“…Watashi dakare te kurashitai, sano yoi yoi”
Comments