I ATE VEGAN PIZZA AND VISITED THE T.V. STATION

Here's what I did today, checked out some eateries and some foodies. And then ate lunch at Down To Earth Natural Foods in Kahului, Maui. And walked over to the Akaku T.V. studios to visit my producer buddy Peter King who shot our last cooking show last week, he burned DVD copy for me so I picked it up.

Now these pizza slices doesn't look too appealing, however it tasted good. Never mind the looks, it's how it tasted. The crust was crispy but thick, and all the veggies on this thing was not cooked too much. What's wrong with a little vegan once in a while? 

And then I walked two doors down to visit Peter King and shoot the bull. We killed the bull, haha. 

Daz all, will blog the rest of this day some other time when I got energy.

           

© 2015

120 LB. MARLIN IN BETWEEN MAUI AND LANAI

As I walked down the street in our hood, I was stopped by a buddy of mine who's a great backyard cook that can put some top chefs to shame. Okay for privacy I can't reveal his name. But let me tell you this, the man and his family are fine fishermen, and he showed me three coolers full of shibi (baby ahi), and Ahi itself, and a good size 120 pound Marlin laying on the table as one of his relatives was sectioning the fish, separating the top and bottom loins of this fighting fish. The meat is pinkish, somewhat firm, and is great for sashimi, poke, smoked, and sautéed too, or grilled, heck it's great for fish tacos too.

Here's the fish. Sorry I ain't writing any more, just enjoy the backyard fish cutting pics.

© 2015

          

WE HAVE A SMALL FOODIE PLANET

In this post there will be no photos, no videos, non of that eye visual thing, just words to paint a picture. We live in a small world, with technology the way it is, social media and all that, we can get information very very quickly. We can watch someone in India cook a meal, in his home, and we can imagine the aroma that he's smelling when cooking his curry as he adds more masala.

The Food Network started it all, food became a sport, a hobby, an event. Looking back at all this foodie thing, it really amazes me in how people are responding to foods from all over the world. For instance take the Japanese condiment furikake, a mixture of dried ground fish, sesame seeds, chopped seaweed, freeze dried salmon particles, shiso, MSG, miso powder, salt, sugar, soy. Furikake is sprinkled on everything from cheese burgers, pastas, onion rings, french fries, fried chicken, everything. We live in a small foodie world, a small foodie planet.

I'm not into fusion, I like the real deal if that makes sense. If I'm eating Italian from some coastal region, then that's what I want, I don't want a Tokyo/Italiano meal. Get the drift I'm leaving in your wake? Or if I'm eating Filipino food, for God's sake don't fuse it with Korean. If I want to eat Korean, gimme true or as true a Korean dish as you can get me. Just a small post to think about. Our planet is small all because of media, social media that is, and before I die, I'll probably croak on all this online thing, there's just too much. 

Until next time, be at peace!

Ron Sambrano

       

© 2015

CREATING A WOK MASTER PIECE FILIPINO STYLE

If Picasso was a painting genius, then Ron Sambrano is a culinary genius. Yes I am! I am! I am the Greatest! Hey might as well aim high eh?

Here I'll do some wok cooking, it will be tasty Filipino influenced, spiced, warm, colorful and delicious. Masarap!

SPICY CHICKEN WITH VEGETABLES

1 lb. chicken breast cubed (skin off)

1 tsp. white pepper

1 tbs olive oil

2 tbs fish sauce (patis)

3 tbs apple cider vinegar

3 tbs cornstarch

1 tsp minced ginger

1 tsp. minced garlic

In a mixing bowl (stainless or glass), mix all of the ingredients well, and let sit in refrigerator until a few minutes before wokking, try to stir fry this as close as you can to room temperature, never add ingredients that's too cold it will cool off the wok immensely.

1/4 cup chopped red onions

1/4 cup sliced red bell peppers

1/4 cup sliced green bell peppers

1/4 cup sliced cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup sliced thin bitter melon

The veggies will be stir fried by itself and set aside, actually you will cook these second and set them aside, the chicken cubes will be the first to be cooked and set aside.

Sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tbs fish sauce

2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1/2 lime juice squeezed

2 tbs Sambal Oelek  or more

2 tbs raw can sugar or more

1/4 cup of water

In a glass or stainless mixing bowl, mix all of the ingredients well, and set aside until ready for the hot wok.

Thickener

1 tbs cornstarch

3 tbs water

Mix well in a small bowl and set aside, you will add this into the sauce to thicken.

STEP 1

Heat up your wok over high heat, do not put any oil inside yet. Get it nice and hot, you will know when by dropping a few drops of tap water into the wok, if it sizzles and evaporates in a split second, it is hot.

Put in the wok about 3 tbs of vegetable oil, swirl the oil up and down the sides of the wok. Now add in the minced ginger and garlic, swirl it around, drop heat to medium high, immediately add in the cubed chicken breast. With a wok shovel, toss the cubes around, do not burn the chicken, but if it chars a bit, that's okay. In about 3 minutes, it should be cooked enough for you to remove it into another clean bowl. You will recook the chicken with the other ingredients.

STEP 2

Add a tbs of vegetable oil to the wok, return to high heat for about 30 seconds, lower heat to medium high. Now add in all of the veggies, and stir fry them until barely wilted, and then remove into another clean bowl, as you will add this back in to the wok again.

STEP 3

Add 2 tbs of vegetable oil again into the wok, bring it up to high heat for about 30 seconds, then lower to medium high heat. Return the pre-cooked chicken to the wok, stir fry for about 2 minutes making it hot. Then add in the sauce. Cook until the sauce bubbles, it may thicken because of the coated cubes of chicken with cornstarch, if it does, disregard the thickener. If you do want it thicker, add a little of the cornstarch mixture.

STEP 4

Add in the pre-cooked veggies to the wok, and give it a few stirs to coat, off the heat and transfer to a nice serving platter. Serve with hot rice. Before anyone digs in to eat, sprinkle some salt and pepper over the top.

All recipes need to be altered because your taste buds are different from mine, so feel free to create something from this recipe if you want to, break the rules. Heck you don't want chicken? Add tofu instead, it's up to you. Good luck and good eating!

                      

        © 2015

COOKING SEGMENT FOR AKAKU TV MAUI

Sunday June 21, 2015 Father's Day. 9a.m. scheduled for a cooking segment at the King Kitchen Studios Kihei, Maui, overlooking the Pacific Ocean with Kahoolawe Island in the distance.

So what was the purpose of this cooking segment? Co-Producer and cameraman my buddy Peter King of Akaku TV wanted to do an impromptu cooking segment, and I obliged. 

It was a prime flank (fajita) seared on a hot pan, no salt and sliced across the grain on a bed of heated Napa cabbage and orange bells. And some breakfast sandwiches, Portuguese Sausage and Egg Rumble Sandwiches.

It was local style, just having fun. Ready for prime time? We don't care, we were just having fun, it should air soon on Akaku TV Maui.

Portuguese Sausage and Egg Rumble Sandwich

© 2015

10 oz. of Wagyu Flank over Napa & Orange Bells

© 2015

Akaku TV's Peter King in his kitchen studio Kihei Maui

© 2015

Selfies are in

Too bad the glare is harsh, the ocean was awesome, you can't see it though, sorry :(

© 2015

PORTUGUESE SAUSAGE AND EGG RUMBLE SANDWICH

3 burger buns 

1 10 oz. log of any brand Portuguese sausage (diced)

5 large eggs beaten

1/4 cup vegetable oil 

Directions

Heat up pan over medium high heat, add in the diced Portuguese sausage and cook until it browns. Add oil and then add in the beaten eggs, stirring to cook. Do not burn. When done set aside. And divide into 3 portions to fill the 3 hamburger buns.

FAJITAS OVER NAPA AND ORANGE BELLS

1 1/2 cups of chopped Napa Cabbage

1 medium orange bell pepper cut into squares

1-10 oz. flank beef steak, silver skin trimmed.

vegetable oil for cooking.

Directions

Heat about 1/4 cup of vegetable oil in pan over medium high heat, add in the Napa cabbage and cook for about 1 1/2 minutes until just wilted. Plate it. Then cook the orange bell squares until just wilted. Top over Napa cabbage.

Remove oil from pan, return to stove. Sear the flank steak for about 2 minutes per side (medium). Remove let rest for about 5 minutes. Slice in half length wise, and then slice 1/4 inch pieces across the grain, and feather out over the cooked veggies.

The video should be edited soon.

Happy Father's Day all you dads!!!!

        

© 2015

HAWAII LOVES LIBBY'S CORNED BEEF HASH

Hawaii peeps love Libby's Corned Beef Hash for breakfast, just open up a can, fry it up in the pan with some oil, make em crispy... maybe form some patties, and of course some eggs, be it scrambled with some shoyu (soy sauce) or over easy with some Tabasco. Anyway you cut it, it's a good bet most locals will have a few cans in their cupboards. We do at our house. Yeah yeah, it has lots of preservatives.. well we'll be preserved then....

I remember when we were kids, on Saturday mornings before going out to play with my buddies, mom would be at the stove, "Breakfast boy, go eat before you go  and play." Man I took that for granted. I look back now and we were blessed. No we didn't have caviar style foods, we did not shop for the best foods for our health, we got by with whatever we could afford. But back to the Libby's... I could smell that hash frying up, the aroma filling up the living room as I watched Bugs Bunny, and the Coyote attempting desperately to catch the Road Runner "beep beep!" Of course that stupid ass always got killed. Haha. Mom would have some over medium eggs over the hash (patties), crispy hash, mmm mmm good! And her eggs, well they weren't like those pretty eggs you'd see in some fancy restaurant, hers had a crust which made it awesome, kinda crispy edges, and the yolk was perfect and runny. I'd get slices of toast and top it with hash and eggs. Man those were the good old days.

So if you are a newbie to the islands, just a heads up, we consume lots of canned goods, not only Spam. We love this stuff. We'd go camping, and take a box of this stuff. If we didn't catch any fish... no problem we had Libby's Corned Beef Hash. And as we got older into our teen and post teen years, we'd consume or inhale illegal substances that would give us what it termed "The Munchies." Well to satisfy the munchies, we'd fry up cans of this and feed the munchie masses.

Until the next post, "Make love not war!"

        

© 2015

TUNA SALAD AND TOAST

Tuna Salad on Toasted Bread... mmmm! The aroma of the freshly toasted bread, and if the tuna salad is mixed with some onion, and pepper, the fishy smell subsides, squeeze some lemon juice on there and for sure it smells Sweet!

Local kids growing up we weren't wealthy, we had to eat what mom put on the table, and a lot of times we ate canned goods. Some may call it sick or gross, but we didn't know it, it was food and we woke up hungry. If we were lucky mom would have hot eggs, or pancakes with sausage for breakfast and hot chocolate. However when the budget was low, she'd use her coupons and purchase lots of canned tuna. 

One of my favorite breakfast was her toasting white bread from Love's Bakery, and making a toasted tuna sandwich for us before we hit the bus stop. Fresh made tuna salad was the bomb. Chopped red onion, mixed in with canned tuna in oil, with Best Foods Mayonnaise, and salt and black pepper..no relish, just that. My friends would walk by to meet me to head to the stop, but when they arrived they all got hungry, and of course mom would wrap some up for two or three of my buddies. And since tuna can give you bad breath, we all had Wrigley's spearmint gum to chew. Those were the days man, simple and good. Looking back we may have been poor money wise... but rich with love, shelter, friendships and all that, I would never change that for all the money in the world... well maybe...it depends on the fine print.

            

© 2015

LOCALS STYLE BREAKFAST

Hawaiian Style Breakfast, it isn't healthy, it isn't one single national influence, it's just a mixed up style.
Come to breakfast at any local's house, and you'll get all kinds of stuff served up.

Japanese Style: Saimin, seafood broth with noodles, egg, veggies. Teri Beef, Miso Pork, and Eggs scrambled with all kinds of stuff like Ebi shrimp, pickled veggies. Rice balls with furkikake flakes.

Hawaiian Style: Spam and eggs, Lau Lau and rice with eggs, Kalua Pork omelets. 

Korean Style: Kalbi Ribs omelet, Kimchi Omelet, Meat Jun with eggs, Pork Sausage with spicy eggs.

Chinese Style: Lupcheong sausage omelet, Eggs with Black Bean Sauce omelet, Kau Yuk omelet, Roast Duck Benedict, and Shrimp Fried Rice.

Filipino Style: Pork Adobo omelet, Tocino with over easy eggs, Longanisa Benedict, Tomato Onion and fish sauce Scramble.

And of course all the other breakfast classics from all over the world.

Basically cooking breakfast in Hawaii is just getting our hands on anything we can find that is edible, and tossing it in our beat up fry pan. Anything goes, if we got eggs, that's the start. If we got any kinds of meats, that's number two, veggies... number three. And we'll use any canned goods we can find, you name it tomato sauce, chili, stews, corn, beans... and condiments to throw it down after it is cooked. Tabasco, Sriracha, Ketchup, Fish Sauce, Dijon Mustard, and our favorite .... Best Foods Mayonnaise. Locals love mayo on lots of stuff.

So if you're wondering what to expect at breakfast at a local's house in Hawaii, this is just a teaser because home cooks are going off the hook because of the Food Network, and all those funky food shows that I could care less about, but there you have it... local style.

Yours truly your local style food blogger © 2015

       

© 2015

TAKAMIYA MARKET WAILUKU MAUI

Takamiya Market in Happy Valley, Maui is one of the last mom and pop businesses in the state. If you want local, then this is the place for you to visit. The surrounding neighborhood that is mostly low to moderate income dwellers makes this stop their only one. And for others that live miles away, stopping by for a bento lunch, poke, fresh cut beef, fish, vegetables and fruits and other small grocery items is mainly a treat.

On this day blogging food establishments, this was a must go to spot. I remember stopping by here for turkey tails that was roasted, that's right... ass folks. It was killer days back then. We'd play golf at the nearby Waiehu Municipal Golf Course and stop by for coffee, soda and fried chicken and musubi. If you ever want to make beef stew, get the meat here. Shanks, oxtails, this is the market to get it, and this is truly supporting local. They have catering with Dani's in house. Over the years Takamiya Market still serves Maui, and that's beautiful, so beautiful... it's like family. I walked in to eat some kalua pork, and the aunties there were friendly to the max!

© 2015

The meat section is supreme, steaks, stew meat, short ribs, ground beef too

© 2015

The hot bentos are awaiting you hungry folks

© 2015

From fish, pork, and many different cuts of meat

© 2015

The poke section is no ka oi

© 2015

Save time, take home ready made marinades 

© 2015

Get your grill hot, and just stop by and get your goodies

© 2015

All the local faves

© 2015

Takamiya Market is old school, something like I was in a Twilight Zone moment. It just brings back memories of "small kid" time... or when I was a kid. And the atmosphere hasn't changed that much, just the mellow vibe from employees and the customers, it really is a jewel. I hope and pray this place stays open well after I leave this earth. What a shop it is simple, friendly...and that's what worked long ago, and still works today.

                

© 2015

DA POKE CRAZE!

YES POKE (poh-keh). Those raw cubed tuna (ahi) that everyone from Hawaii to New York, to London, to...wherever is going bonkers over.

What makes poke in in demand item? First of all let's thank those sushi freaks! Raw fish rolled in rice and seaweed. Now something we loved for ages are being consumed all over the place, you can hear addicts going, "Where can I get some poke, where? where? I NEED MY POKE!" Its like "Shut up! Get a hold of yourself you fiend!" I never thought I'd see the day when some white lady from down south comes up to us locals and asks us where the best poke is. Really? Wow, it's all good folks and I'm not trying to be prejudice or anything, I said that to give you an idea, a picture in your mind of what I see. I mean really now, poke is going gourmet? Nuts man! Go to a fine dine, and no doubt some chef is putting his version of poke in a wine glass. What?! Yep. These Bozos go as far as to use ramen spoons to put poke it, and line em up for those expensive meals the wealthy attend to raise money for some school like, The School For High Powered Attorneys, Judges, and CEOs of dummy corporations.

Anyhow, poke is the thing. I want to see poke in a Subway Sandwich™ Or in a Mc Donald's salad™ I mean, what next? Really can anyone come up with another poke idea? How about this, Blended Poke, you stick your poke in a Ninja blender™ and blend it with some of your favorite liqueurs and have a drink on me.

© 2015

           

© 2015

GARDEN TO TABLE PHASE

Garden to table, an old concept. However retracing this idea, it was mandatory back in the day when people were totally rural and had little access to a local market.

I remember one of my mom's old stories she used to tell me. Long time ago when they lived in the camps of the sugar plantation on Maui, they had to raise pigs, to make money by selling it off, or to keep for the family to eat. They also had a garden with eggplant, bitter melons, pumpkins, green onions, okra, and cherry tomatoes. Those days they had to be self sufficient, and to barter was the only way to get around. If you needed some carpentry done, you could give the carpenter some vegetables for his time, if of course the job wasn't really huge. 

Fast forward big time to today, you see it in newspapers, television programs, and on the internet, the concept of farm to table, or garden to kitchen... whatever the term, the meaning is simple. Grow your own edible plants, it is more cost efficient, it tastes better, and it's the way to go as prices for shipping food will go up and not down.

Being in Hawaii, thousands of miles from the U.S. Mainland's west coast and seaports, our food must be shipped in. Lots of it preserved in one way or another so when it reaches the islands, it will last on the supermarket shelves. Growing your own fruits and vegetables if you have some space in your yard is a really good investment. All of us must try it. And if you are in a draught affected region, there are edible plants that do not consume large amounts of water, study this trend it is vital.

Farmers are our food providers, without them we don't eat. Farmers that raise livestock, grow wheat, rice, and everything we need, without them we suffer. I'm not going into the whole genetically altered foods debate, but I'm just saying we as a people, the ordinary people should wake up and smell the coffee, because our world is getting over populated, food that doesn't make it to the store shelves means even though you got money, there won't be any food to purchase. So having that said, so even if you only grow a bunch of tomatoes indoors...guess what, if the food shipment didn't come in, at least you'll have some tomatoes to munch on, good fresh untampered with tomatoes.

Until next time peace out.

Photo above is copyrighted © 2015 Ron Sambrano 

                 

© 2015

COOKING HEALTHY FOR MODELS

Cool it junior, take a cold shower, this isn't the pervert report!!!!! Got it?!! Okay... good, and keep it in your freeking pants!!!! Seriously, this post is about health. All about eating right for those women who are staying fit, for what else? Photo shoots, and modeling. As summer time arrives, it is time for the women in the modeling profession to really look good for the lenses, be it for still photos, or videos. And again you pervs, no, this isn't going to be a lot of pics of topless women.

So here I go, as your chef for the summer 2015. Women need energy, and I'll keep it simple without all the dietician mumbo jumbo, I will be as simple as I can. Energy for them when they spend hours working out, and thats to tone their bodies for those tight fitting outfits. What do I prepare?

Breakfast: 
(Before their workout sessions)
Fresh organic fruit bowls, 5 oz. of mixed bananas, pineapples, strawberries, and nuts.

1 slice of all grain bread with 1/2 a teaspoon of jam

Lime water with a dash of agave nectar (10 fl oz) more if needed!

(After their workout session)
20 fl oz. of lime water with dash of agave nectar, more if needed

2 egg whites cooked in olive oil, or more

1/2 a whole orange

2 oz. of ground turkey seasoned with garlic salt and paprika, or more

1 slice of all grain bread with 1/2 a teaspoon of jam

For their photo or video sessions.

Snacks: Unsalted nuts, raisins, dates, dehydrated mangoes, dehydrated crackers, and lots of water when needed.

Lunch:
(Break for the next session)

Grilled chicken breast 4 oz., or more

Steamed veggies with salt and pepper 3 oz., or more

Water with lime.

Continue with snacks for their second and final session of the day.

Dinner:

1/2 a baked potato, seasoned with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper

5 oz., or more of grilled salmon, seasoned with olive oil, basil, and Italian seasonings

2 oz. of gluten free chocolate cake

1 glass of white wine.

Water.

Snacks:
(During the evening to include the nuts and dehydrated fruits, stop 3 hours before bedtime)...

This menu gives them the right fuel, it won't bog them down, and the fruits and nuts will give them the carbs they need as they will burn it off. Modeling is movement, and once the body starts to move, they will burn calories. The lunch is plenty, the water with lime will quench thirst and more hunger.

Common sense tells me that a girl at 5-5" and 108 pounds won't eat the same as a girl 5-11 and 120+ pounds. And some girls who are athletes will need more energy or fuel, and the food portions will be altered. Everybody burns calories differently and that is taken into consideration. The more active a woman is, the more fuel she will need to get her sessions done with precision.

For instance, a small compact Kia needs basic gas to run, while a high performance Ferrari needs a more high octane juice to be able to run efficiently. This is just an example, the women need sugars and protein and fiber. But each will need the right amount. If a woman is doing some grueling photo shoots like surfing, or diving, or running and hiking, she will need a heavier breakfast before the shoot. Likewise if she's only doing indoor shoots with air conditioning in the building, then a light breakfast should suffice.

        

© 2015

RITZ CARLTON'S HERB GARDEN KAPALUA MAUI

The herb garden in the back of the Ritz Carlton Kapalua is a small piece of heaven. Walk down the hill and see the awesome Pacific Ocean and the famous D.T. Fleming beach. Hang a right and walk through the gates and you will see heaven. Heaven in the form of plants, and a peaceful quiet. If you got any stress, the herb garden is the fix for you. Visit the caretaker Frank, and he'll show you all the herbs and other fruits and vegetables that he grows for the chefs at the hotel to use. 

"Sometimes we have parties where the chef will do a cooking demonstration right here in the garden, and lots of people will attend," said Frank. "It's a learning experience for everyone. This is the real garden to table deal, the chefs will hand pick what they need and cook a very unique gourmet dish for the guests."

Frank showed me around, and some of the plants were sunflowers, chives, basil, pineapple, limes, Serrano peppers, Hawaiian chili peppers, sage, Italian parsley, asparagus, grapefruit, banana, apple banana, and more.

If you are staying near the Ritz in Kapalua, check them out and take a tour of their herb garden, and visit Frank, you'll be impressed by what he does, the grounds are just the right size to sustain the Ritz Carlton's kitchens.

          

© 2015