Checking in.....

Aloha Everyone!

We have had wet! wet! wet! weather on Maui recently. BUT the skies are clearing and the tourists are back burning on the beach, so I think we are finished with the soggy stuff for a while!

As usual, I have been on the road and wanted to share with you some of my recent travels.

The end of January found me on the Big Island producing two events for a long time client at the Sullivan Estate down in Puako. Do you know that property?....it's where the movie The Black Widow was filmed? Before Debra Winger lost her marbles? In any case, it's gorgeous and the food we served was beautiful. The guests were the top laser eye surgeons in the country and once again they were all giving me a hard time about my glasses. They just don't understand that if I give up the glasses, I'll have to put eye make-up on every day and that's just not going to happen! Ha! Actually, they did have me almost convinced this time...... we'll see!

I had a team with me to help out with the food. Chef Paula, who has been with me for 16 years and John, my Catering Sales Manager came along to help with the plating up of the 50 dishes. I also had my dear friend, Joan Namkoong, the celebrated food writer along as she lives up in Waimea. She thought she was along just for fun, but was a champ in helping to plate up the different courses. Thank you JOAN!!!!!!!!

After returning to Maui I was off to L.A. The purpose of the L.A. trip was to turn out the newest menu for Hawaiian Airlines. We are offering FANTASTIC food this quarter. I am most excited about the Sacchettini with Wild Mushroom Sauce, the Fontina Stuffed Chicken Breast with a Roasted Pepper Sauce and the Potato Crusted Salmon with Wasabi Potato Salad. If you are familiar with some of the signature dishes from Haliimaile Geneneral Store, you will also recognize the Asian Duck Tostada - that is everyone's absolute favorite!

While in L.A., I was able to spend time with my grandkids. I made them my secret recipe for chili and served it with sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream and chopped sweet onions. I can't give away any ingredients, but let's just say that it has no beans and it is TO DIE FOR! While shopping for the ingedients, I spotted Shirley MacLaine and am embarrased to admit that I followed her up and down the aisles debating whether or not to tell her how much I love her work. I finally decided that it probably wasn't appropriate and to give the poor woman some peace while she was putting a carton of soy milk in her basket at Ralph's in Malibu.

I went to a bunch of restaurants while in L.A. and particulary loved Mario Batali & Nancy Silverton's Osteria Mozza. The place reminded me of Mario's Otto restaurant in New York. The food was delectable and the fresh mozzarella I was served was without a doubt the most gorgeous mozzarella I have ever put in my mouth.

On the way back from L.A., I flew into Honolulu and ran into my old friend, Chef Jean Marie Josselin. He told me about a new restaurant he is opening and it turned out that I had scouted that exact location for a new restaurant for myself. I decided against the location, but know that Jean Marie will make it a huge success.

I am back home now for the moment with some international travel looming in the near future. Please tune in to see me on Sam Choy's kitchen this Saturday, February 9, 2008 on KHNL. Sam is a dear friend and it's always fun to be in the kitchen with such a character!

Thank you so much for reading the blog. People stop me all the time to let me know that they are checking in and reading. Post some questions if you like, I'd be happy to answer them. Whether the questions are about cooking, food, Hawaii, love or life, I'm always ready to throw in the proverbial 2 cents!

Take care and be well.

With warmest aloha,

Bev