WELCOME ~ E KOMO MAI

WELCOME ~ E KOMO MAI

I AM STILL STOKED TO NOW INCLUDE MY LATEST TRAVEL POSTS, AS TIME MOVES ON.  IT'S A BIG, WIDE, WONDERFUL, TASTY, WORLD AND I AM SO EXCITED TO SHARE MY EXPERIENCES WITH YOU.  FOOD AND TRAVEL, BABY, JUST GO TOGETHER.

The promise and glorious renewal of Spring, the lazy, hazy, crazy patio-lingering days of Summer, the bounty of overflowing roadside stands and colourful beauty of Autumn and the sheer, homespun warmth and nostalgic comfort zones that Ol' Man Winter heralds.

Oh, the delicious and auspicious possibilities, as the seasons unravel.  

But let's not rush.  Instead let's welcome and linger in our favorite flavour zones as they present themselves to us.

HONEYED SRIRACHA WINGS ~ The Winner! of Food Network Magazine's Secret Ingredient "Cook with Honey" Contest.  They said think like an Iron Chef and dream up a dish using this month's secret ingredient.  So I did.

Now, as we roll out more gloriously, golden-hued, throw-on-a-sweater days of Autumn and feel the warmth of the afternoon sunshine on our up-turned faces, it is time to reap the harvest, and savour the delicious pleasures of things like happening upon that forgotten, crazy-delicious, blackberry patch; finding funky fungus in the forest and figuring out whether we can or we can't....and circling campfires, plunked all comfy into lawn chairs, with smokies on sticks in hand, and conversations that that go longer than sunset colours fill the sky.

There's that unmistakable aroma of backyard barbecues drifting in on autumn breezes, pears macerating in Grand Marnier and menus strewn with delicious comfort. Slow simmered, wine blasted, divinely tender beefy shortribs piled onto pillowy mashed potatoes; port wine and butter basted, cornbread stuffed, mouthwatering roast turkey; pumpkin custard riddled with cinnamony spices, tucked into pastry and baked to flaky perfection; Parmesan and black pepper riddled pasta boasting saucy deliciousness made with the last of the heirloom tomatoes; and of course crispy edged, brown sugar brined, pan-sauteed pork chops draped with juicy maple-laced, spiced infused, orchard-fresh baked apples.

Oh mama! how good it is to celebrate the bounty of the harvest of sublime, earth-to-table, indulgence.

I can't wait to throw on some great tunes (because cooking without music is like a bee without a buzz) and play with some sumptuous new flavours and ingredients, not knowing where they might take us……Into the Mystic......perhaps....

Though, as we go, please be patient with this Forest-Dweller, as I continue to learn the blogging ropes.....as I figure out how to make my blog good lookin', with lots of what I like best and even more of what you like best.

Stay tuned, much more to come.  Goodies from here, recipes from there.  What I'm cookin' up these days in My Okanagan Kitchen, as I gaze upon the beautiful forests of Trepanier, up above the lakeside hamlet of Peachland in BC's beautiful Wine Country.  Family feasts, down home comfort and tasty little treats.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the
things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. 
So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. 
Catch the trade winds in your sails. 
Explore.  Dream.  Discover."
~ Mark Twain

Autumn sunset skies as seen from our hillside lanai, in the Okanagan Valley.
 
On the other hand, I'm going to sweep you away to far off tropical islands with my memoirs of what I conjured up in My Hawaiian Kitchen a few years back when I was lucky enough to call the amazing Big Island of Hawaii home for a few years.  And these days too, when I'm blissed out to be vacationing to my 'Home Sweet Island Home".  Bountiful island ingredients, local specialties with my own little twists and ono (delicious) new revelations on old stand-bys and of course Hapa tunes to fill my spirit and kitchen with luscious Aloha.

"And the sun poured in like butterscotch and stuck to all my senses."
~ Joni Mitchell

Sunset view from the lanai just off one of my favorite Hawaiian kitchens. 

So come on in!  I'm here waiting for you with a big warm invitation to pull up a stool along my kitchen counter, plunk down at my dinner table, or just hang out with me while I do what I love best.  Alo-ha!

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THE LAST WONTON RECIPE INDEX

THE LAST WONTON TRAVEL INDEX

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"My kitchen is a mystical place, a kind of temple for me. It is a place where
the surfaces seem to have significance, where the sounds and odors carry
meaning that transfers from the past and bridges to the future."
~ Pearl Bailey

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Comments

[Michele]

Hi Judi, My name is Michele. Dana Romano is my amazing brother. I talked to him today and he told me about you and your blog with great fondness. He wanted me to check out your site and I have to say that it is pretty amzazing. I love it! Wow, the pictures looks mouthwatering! I can't wait to try some of your recicpes. Maybe we will meet someday. Cheers!

[Arlene]

Hey there Judi. Did you know that when you click on your bacon wrapped potatoes it takes you to Japanese tempura fritters. I knew you would want to fix this.

[Brent]

Made Chianti's Spinach salad again yesterday (made it last weekend too). Had company over. Nothing says "I love it" more than "can I have the recipe please"!! Thanks Judi

[Carole Ridley]

Thanks Jude, from now on, I'm getting all my recipes from you. Just love this. So creative.

[Candace]

What a beautiful blog you have! I'm going to follow along with you. I look forward to getting to know you. Have a beautiful day ~Candace

[Lisa-Marie]

Jude!! You are amazing!!!!! i have a good idea for you, you can offer your amazing cooking to the guests that stay at camp okanagan!!! how amazing would that be to get dinner delivered right to your door, especially your cooking!!!! wuv u!

[bellini]

So very well said Judi. I look forward to sharing your kitchen with you during the year of the Golden Rabbit. May your kitchen be filled with successes!!!

[Alison Waters]

Judi Judi Judi - all looks fab and having just eaten Thanksgiving dinner at your place I know it all tastes as good as it looks!!! Exciting stuff!!! I'll keep checking in. xox

[Jennifer]

Wow, great job! I look forward to meeting you. See you at the workshop in September, but until then, I'll keep up with your foodie wanderings. Jennifer!

[Karen]

Congratulations on starting your blog. I love the Hawaiian recipes.

[Judi]

Oh yay Brent! I'm glad you're giving the chickie flautas a try. Let me know how they turn out for you. I want the low down.......the 'real' lowdown...... Have a great weekend. I'm off to Vancouver, but will be back at my post Monday morning first thing.

[Brent]

Drape with Avocado sauce....perfect. I am going to make these over the weekend.

[Judi]

Aloha! Hope everyone is enjoying a nice, relaxing Sunday. Just popping in to let you know that if you follow the clicks from the blog introduction into My Hawaiian Kitchen that I've started posting 'Hawaiian' recipes. Well recipe. But you've got to start someplace. Much more to come. Stay tuned.

[Elyssa]

Awesome stuff Judi! Soooo glad you made this :)

[Tricia Mogstad]

congrats Judi, looking forward to seeing more recipes and lovely pictures.. Tricia

[Roslyne Buchanan]

Yahoo! Congratulations, Judi, on launching your blog. Great start and I'll be looking forward to sharing the journey. I might even dust off my breadmaker for this creation.

Oh yeah, and I vote "Betty" as the name because Betty White rocks and look how she's still going after all these years. Did you catch Saturday Night Live with her hosting? What a legend!