Farm to Fork Hawaii

There is a growing movement around the world to consume foods that are grown close to the point of consumption.  Restaurants and regular people are buying fresher foods from local growers.  My experience at the Kealakekua Bed & Breakfast under the logo of Farm to Fork Hawaii guided by the effervescent Emily Peacock is a part of that movement.

One warm evening I gathered up my dining companion for this event, Virginia, and we set off for what we expected would be a wonderful culinary adventure.  We trekked down curvy Napoopoo Road to a well manicured terrace of green set amidst a sea of black lava and overlooking scenic Kealakekua Bay to sit with a small group of "foodies" for an evening of fine dining.  We were to experience the culinary skills of local chef and culinary instructor, Paul Heerlein (www.chefpaulhawaii.com) and we were not to be disappointed.

The ambiance of the open air dining overlooking the ocean was excellent, although the crowd was a bit raucous at times. For those of us fortunate enough to face the bay, we did see a "green flash" from that evening's sunset.  The soft background music was very nice and the wait staff did an excellent job despite their young ages.  Overall, it was a very collegial evening.

Regarding the menu, we began with a very nice array of hors d'oeuvers (pupus to local people) including (1) a Pipikaula, Brie and Cherry Tomato Crostini, (2)Ahi Poke Cones with a Wasabi Aioli and Tobiko, (3) Braised Kamuela Beef with CP's Kona Coffee Barbeque Sauce on a Roy Honda Tomato slice in a Compote with Goat Cheese Sauce, and (4) Uncle Jim's Shrimp Seviche on a Roy Honda Cucumber slice.  There were plentiful servings and they were well complimented with an array of crisp white wines.

Our appetizer was a delicious Ahi Tuna Carpaccio with shaved Parmigianino Reggiano cheese and Capers, all dressed with freshly squeezed lemon and drizzled with a very tasty Olive Oil. It was really a melt in your mouth first course.  Our soup was a nicely presented Lomi lomi Tomato Cappuccino with an Ono Gravlox Crostini.  The Cappuccino had a rich tomato taste and was accented with watercress, sweet onion and grapefruit.  It was nicely peppered yielding an excellent array of tastes with each bite.  The Crostini had an excellent cheese and was perfectly done.  The wine with both of these courses was a Sella & Mosca Vermentino which provided a firm melon taste but it did seem to have a bit of an aftertaste.

The entree was an outstanding preparation of locally farm raised Kona Kea Shrimp surrounded by a wide range of local vegetables that were tender and succulent.  However, at the center of the beautifully arranged vegetables was a very delicious squash puree which was the star of this course.  This presentation was an excellent representation of the quality of the Chef and his staff.  The entree was accompanied by a very nice Paso Robles Sauvignon Blanc.

The dessert was Emily's Mango and White Chocolate Mousse Phyllo Napoleon with a delicate Surinam Cherry Sauce.  This was a fortunately delicate selection in both texture and taste, making it a very nice close for the meal.  A small glass of Chateaux Saint Michel Riesling followed by a nice cup of French Roast Kona Lisa coffee set the stage for our gradual exit.  It had been a very nice group, with several farmers who had provided the ingredients for the meal in attendance.  I look forward to future dining sessions at this quite lovely location and the opportunity to visit with fellow local "foodies".

If you might be interested in the Farm to Fork concept and events, please contact Emily at 808-328-8150 or e-mail her at f2fhawaii@gmail.com.