Ensemble Mirable presented by Early Music Hawaii

It was a rainy evening, the sort that could easily keep one near the home fires.  However, on this evening I was lured by the promise of delicious chamber music, including my favorite instrument, the harpsichord.  So, I traveled south to the tiny Queen Emma’s Community Center to enjoy the lovely music of the Ensemble Mirable.

I arrived very early, sitting outside the Center watching the comings and goings of what appeared to be the staff.  At first I was uncertain if I had come to the correct place.  Eventually it became evident that I was, indeed, in the correct place as I notice the arriving musicians.  I entered to pay me fee and to select a good seat.

I selected a seat in the center, rear of the semi-circles of seats set around the small stage.  My thought were that the sound might be best a bit further from the stage.  The space had not been constructed with acoustics in mind so any spot was a gamble.  As it ended up the sounds I heard were excellent.  Because I was early I was present when the musicians tuned their instruments and that time verified my choice of seats.  Also, it was interesting to observe the interaction of the musicians during the tuning.  It was evident that politics is everywhere.  Their posturing gave me a smile.

A bit later, as the audience gathered their interaction was interesting, too.  In this small town there appears to be something of a musical elite.  They appear to be of varied skills and knowledge but all levels are kind enough to support each other and it is pleasant to see their joy at being together to show their appreciation of the arts.

As it turned out, this evening was a lovely evening of very nice music performed by musicians that were a joy to watch.  Also, it was very nice that such an intimate environment allowed close observation of both the musicians and the audience.  The program was nicely varied, beginning with the elegantly sonorous piece “Sonata in A Major” by Dietrich Becker composed in 1674, including the excellent display of classic chamber music with the “Sonata III for Two in D Minor” by Johann Rosenmuller, and ending with the lively French Chamber Style piece “Aria Sopra ‘La Bergamasca’ in D Major” by Marco Uccellini.  It total there were eight pieces that did an excellent job of showcasing the range of instruments played by this small group as well as the skills of these very fine musicians.

Regarding the musicians, they were led by Elizabeth Blumenstock playing a Guarneri violin fabricated in the mid-1600’s.  The instrument produced an interesting and distinctive sound.  Baroque violinist Katherine Kyme, baroque guitarist Kevin Cooper, Joanna Blendulf playing the viola da gamba, and, my favorite, harpsichordist Jung Hae Kim, accompanied Elizabeth.  Each musician had an interesting stage presence.  Katherine was a bit somber until the impish flashes of Joanna, who was the evident heart of the group, excited her.  Kevin appeared stoic while Kim, with her ebony skinned elegance, showed her warmth with her sly smiles at interesting times during the performance.  It was enjoyable to watch the interplay.  For me the close observation of the music makers was as enjoyable as their fine music.

An excellent addition to the evening was the explanation of the unique instruments being played.  First, Elizabeth showed surprising vitality in her thorough explanation of her 17^th century instrument.  Her enthusiasm was excellent, as were her anecdotes.  The talk given by Joanna on her truly unique instrument was very informative and entertaining.  Both talks were an excellent addition to the performance.

The Strawberry Patch Restaurant (www.strawberrypatchhawaii.com)

If you want the greatest challenge you open a restaurant in a location where many others have failed.  Your hurdles are a very busy, very noisy highway and an economy that really sucks.  You compound that with a location on a curve with very little signage.  How do you overcome such formidable obstacles?  The answer is really good food.  If you have the staying power the foodies will, eventually, find you.  Such is the case with the Strawberry Patch Restaurant in Kealakekua.

My friend, Gay, and I stopped there the other day for lunch (dinner is served from 5-8p with a slightly expanded menu).  We found parking spots that would not be too difficult to exit, given light traffic.  We entered the restaurant to find a table that was a bit soiled but was in a good location (I mention this because you might experience the same thing and you must not let it put you off).  A cheery, very helpful and attentive server, Stephanie, immediately greeted us.

We decided to share our selections from a nicely varied menu.  There was a small but nice selection of appetizers, salads, sandwiches and pizzas on the standard menu as well as an interesting choice of specials listed on the chalkboard.  Gay selected the Papas Pizza Pie from the standard menu and I selected the Pineapple Chicken Quesadilla from the specials menu.  We had a very nice lunch.

The Papas Pizza Pie from the standard menu was baked on a small, light crust topped with mozzarella cheese then covered with their house white herb sauce, a bevy of fresh garden vegetables, chopped garlic, chopped mushrooms and a light salsa fresca topping.  The light crust, the delicious sauce and the crunchy vegetables produced a very tasty lunch.

The Pineapple Chicken Quesadilla was very good, too.  The serving was fresh pineapple; finely chopped chicken and jack cheese on a grilled tortilla topped with habanera salsa and freshly chopped cilantro with a guacamole and chipolle sour creams side.  Also, there was a side salad.  This serving was perfectly spiced and an excellent combination of textures and tastes.  The salad had a very nice dressing and was beautifully presented but, unfortunately, had lettuce that had been picked too late and, therefore, had a slightly bitter taste.  Most importantly, the quesadilla was excellent.

We finished with a very large slice of cake.  The cake was very sweet and too large for the two of us to finish.  However, despite the noisy traffic, we had a very good lunch and will certainly return to see what owner/chef Amelia Antonucci-Fisher has to offer from her obviously varied culinary areas of expertise.

Returning to Daifukuji

After one month of sleeping in strange beds and 23 hours of “flying home”, it took my body two days to feel somewhat normal.  Finally, on my third day home I returned to the temple.  I maneuvered my pick-up truck into a parking space and looked about for a moment.  The Sangha faithful were gathering for a Sunday service.  I mounted the steps, skirted the main hall and entered through a side door.  The side door let me into the temple office.  Once in that door I came upon a most lovely sight.  Sensei Jiko turned and a warm smile crossed her face.  Her soft voice sent her welcome home as she made a slight gassho.  She moved to me and gave me a gentle hug.  We each smiled warmly and again bowed to each other.  After a short time I departed the office and moved to the main hall.  In the hall there were many smiles of greeting and slight bows.  As was my habit, I took a seat near the rear.  I sat down, then raised my head to cast my eyes upon the alter.  The alter’s golden hues framed by freshly picked flowers and cast in the morning light was breathtaking.  A smile crossed my face.  I looked about the hall, noticing the soft murmur of those gathered.  I thought of the melodious songs and chants to come in the service.  There will be no loud noises but rather the waif of incense.  It was such a peaceful place.  I was so happy to be in its midst.

Weissbrau Huber, Freising

Finally, on the day before my departure, I had a good German lunch.  There was a piece of meat covered with fried onions and thin gravy.  The texture of the meat was such that I could have either eaten it…with lots of chewing…or worn it as a shoe.  Brussel sprouts, green beans and carrots, all of which had been slow cooked for at least a few days, surrounded the meat.  I believe that it is very difficult to cook green beans long enough to make them that limp and to still retain the green color and these were still bright green.  Probably better living through chemistry.  The saving grace for this meal was the rasher of fried potatoes, which were excellent.  It was a big meal and it took me two Weissen Bierres to wash it down.  At the end of this meal I was fat and happy.

Alpenhotel Reiger, Mittenwald

I decided to drive back to Mittenwald for a family style dinner in a family style place.  I felt finished with gourmet dining for a while.  This restaurant fit the bill exactly.  There was no ambiance but it was full of people.  The service was friendly but as hectic as the overall atmosphere of the dining area.  The menu was quite extensive.  As soon as I began to make my choices I realized that I came here way too hungry.

I had a Weisse Beir and while I was waiting for my first selection I literally inhaled the bread.  One nice thing was that two types of seasoned butters arrived with the bread.  Another thing is that my ordering for this meal was a bit confused, as you will see.

First serving was warm smoked duck breast tips on a bed of lettuce with walnut dressing.  It did not seem like it on the menu but this was a salad.  It was a very good salad.  The duck breast was excellent.  The lettuce was very fresh and the dressing was delicious.  The small tomatoes were very good, too.  Each bite was a bit of duck with a bit of lettuce and a bit of tomato swirled in the dressing.  It was really good.

Next serving was, well, a salad.  This was truly a gourmet salad.  The salad was composed of multiple types of very fresh gourmet lettuce and it was something to behold.  The salad was quite large and was literally covered with large prawns.  The prawns, although not fully peeled, were perfectly done and were delicious when dipped in the side garlic butter.  I elected to finish the prawns first and that took some time.  The peeling was messy but the dipping a devouring was perfect.  As soon as the salad was naked I dressed it with the honey mustard dressing and enjoyed every last bite.  I have not had this much green in all of my meals combined during this trip.  It was very good.

Lastly was the rich, unhealthy portion of this mini-feast.  This was sliced Kalbslendchen prepared “Zurich Style” accompanied by several different types of mushrooms, all in a bowl of very rich cream sauce.  On the dinner plate was a very large serving of homemade Berner Rosti.  The meat was tender, the mushrooms were firm and the sauce was just excellent.  I addressed this by placing spoonfuls from the bowl onto the Rosti, which was really a plate full of nicely prepared hash browns and then combining everything in each bite.  This was a classic German dish, the type I was served in my youth.  At the end, and I did finish, I was so full and so content.

It may not be a pretty place but it did serve lovely food.

Cafe Sacher, Innsbruck

This ancient and very elegant café, located in the Imperial Palace, was the perfect place to celebrate an equally ancient German tradition, “Kaffee und Kucken.”  So, there I sat in the early afternoon amidst delicate linens and fine china to enjoy a brief respite from my hectic travel schedule.

For the last 175 years this café has been serving a very rich and very delicious chocolate cake, the “Sacher-Torte”.  As I addressed my serving I proceeded very slowly.  At the side of the cake was a very large dollop of whipped cream.  I would take a small fork full of cake and pass it lightly through the whipped cream, then hold that bite in my mouth for a time to just let it dissolve.  I would place the tiny fork on the side of the plate and take a breath.  If I had been watching myself I believe that I would have detected a slight smile.  It was so good.  The chocolate icing had just a hint of cherry, which further enhanced the smooth flavor.  After every few tastes I would sip the double espresso that accompanied my plate of cake.  I do not know how long I basked in the joy of this tradition on this particular day but I believe that “Kaffee und Kuchen” is a very nice tradition.

At the end of my visit to the Café I strolled outside and commenced my afternoon walk.

Afternoon in Italy and Germany

In Italy they have the outstanding, in my estimation, tradition of taking a gelato during one’s afternoon stroll.  I would always select a “coppette grande solo Crema Come Una Volta”, which was a large cup of a crème-based gelato with just a hint of lemon.  I firmly believe that I could enjoy that every day for the rest of my life.  It was very relaxing to take one’s cup for a stroll.

In Germany they have a tradition, too.  The German tradition is “Kaffee und Kuchen”, which is simply going to a Konditeria or a café to have cake and coffee.  The cakes are luscious and the coffees are, for me, double espressos.  I would have me afternoon snack and then take my stroll to watch others snack.  They are both very nice and very relaxing afternoon traditions.