I want to share about my activites over the Christmas weekend which I spent with friends in Lihu'e.
I arrived Friday and we had Christmas dinner that evening. Ham, potatoes, asparagus, stuffing - lots of good appetizers and food set the tone for my entire visit. Seems all I did was eat! LOL
On Christmas morning we exchanged gifts. I got some nice small gifts and a shadow box with several pictures of my visit with the same people, Greg & Dubonnet Moseley, just before Thanksgiving. They are super good friends - very Hawaiian at heart.
Since it was rainy, we did a lot of indoor activities - watching movies, playing games and talking story. And eating.
Then Sunday, a brand new thing! We went to the home of Mr. Kawamura, who owns a large farm supply business on island. He has a beautiful home near Wailua. Our reason for going? To pound mochi!! For those who may not know, mochi is rice that is cooked and then pounded in a large stone mortar. It was done in the old fashioned way. 5 lbs. of rice per batch is soaked in water for 3-4 days then cooked for about an hour. After that it is put into the mortar and kneaded for a few minutes with large wooden mallets. Then the really hard work begins. Using those same mallets the rice is pounded hard over and over until it becomes a glutinous mass like a soft dough. I was able to get part way through one batch before I conked out! I did say it was hard work!! LOL I am including a picture of me kneading the rice in the mortar. We were told that they did over 150 lbs. of mochi that day, over 30 batches!
I got to meet many of Mr. Kawamura's family and friends - such a great group of nice people! We had a great time there.
Then, although we had eaten late breakfast, it was time for grinds. Such a variety of good food! Sushi, Portuguese bean soup, ham, and many things I didn't know what it was except DELISHOUS! And desserts! Brownies, cookies, cakes, and the best of all - guava filled malasadas (a Portuguese donut)!! It was like a Japanese lu'au! We were stuffed!
My friends and I stayed until all the mochi was done, talking story, watching the rice being pounded and having fun encouraging the people pounding. And eating, I did mention that didn't I? Altogether we were there from around noon to just before 6PM. This is an annual event at the Kawamura's to make the mochi for New Years. I sure hope that I can make this again next year - what fun! Except for 2 brief showers, the rain held off which was good. Even the weather allowed for a great time.
Then, alas, the weekend was over. I flew back to O'ahu Monday evening, laden with presents and many good memories of the island I love so much - beautiful Kaua'i.
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- Unka John
* In loving memory of Popoki: 7/31/96-1/12/08 *
Pepper (one, fine, little dood)
Foudini, Charlee, Spottie, Buddy, Tuxie, Widdle Attila Sipowitz, Lizzie, Minnie, ET, Mylo,Salem, Wicca, Marmalade, Amelia, Rocket and Turbo (we iz NOT fosters) and the 4 porch kits, Mocha, Tigger, Cali, and Smudge also Riley da goggie and Buddha da baby hamster too