Guest Blogger: Kristin L

Hi. I'm Kristin. Robin and I actually met in person (at Art Quilt Tahoe) before we started following each others blogs. We met in California, she lives on Maui, and I was living in Germany at the time. Now, I too, live in Hawai'i, although I am on Oahu.

To celebrate the simple pleasures Robin enjoys and our Hawaiian connection, I've decided to share some local inspiration. Farmer's markets are fundamentally the same the world over, with fresh food from local sources, and often gourmet goods. There are a few markets on Oahu, but the Saturday Kapi'olani Community College Farmer's Market is by far the best. It is a treat for the senses with colorful food and flowers to look at, samples to taste, produce to touch, garlic shrimp and grilled sausages to smell, and music to hear.



I arrived last week too late to photograph heaps of colorful island fruits, but there was still much to see. Not only lush looking, I love red papaya like this with cottage cheese and granola for breakfast. One of the few cheap and plentiful things on our island home (papaya is chock full of nutrients too). Yum!

As a newbie here, I am always intrigued by all the Asian and other vegetables I've never heard of. Okinawan spinach, komatsuna, ung choi, cherimoya, Dragon Eye Fruit, and only in Hawai'i -- apple bananas. I need to make friends with someone who knows how to cook with these things.

This is sea asparagus, a crunchy, mildly salty, and quite versatile seaweed. I added it to a green salad Saturday night and the kids actually ate it! It's also good sushi style -- I think I'll coin the "Oahu Roll" I made for the kids yesterday -- crab and sea asparagus wrapped in rice and nori. My favorite so far is "Lomi Sea Asparagus," mixed with chopped onions and tomatoes (named after a local dish, Lomi Salmon, which is cooked salmon also mixed with onions and tomatoes).



The variety of tropical flowers is always a treat for color lovers. I don't know what this is, but the boldness of it's red blooms and variegated leaves begged for attention.



No day on Oahu is complete without Shave Ice. They've perfected the sno-cone here. The colors are garish, but the refreshment is great.

So if possible, get out there and enjoy the Spring weather and local markets in your area and give your senses a treat. I'll make up a small box of Hawaiian goodies for one lucky commenter as a way to share the islands. Leave a comment and Robin will pick a random winner when she returns.

Aloha!