WELCOME ~ E KOMO MAI
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 those golden-oldie infused, cloud-animal daydreamy, flip-flopped days of Summer, it's time to sing in the sunshine, get grilling and savour the delicious pleasures of things like happening upon a crazy-delicious, blackberry patch; licking up, licking down, the frosty goodness of homemade fudgicles and backyard, peach margarita blasted, patio dinners that go on until blue skies turn starry. 

Sometimes I sense our forest and veggie garden not-so-secretly smiling after a welcome summer rain.  Lakeside picnics beckon and tiny specks of brilliant colour shoot through the air, like a bullet, moving from one hummingbird feeder to another.  Aaahhhhh.....

The aroma of backyard barbecues drifting in on warm breezes, strawberries macerating in Grand Marnier and menus strewn with garden fresh goodness beg for attention. Crispy edged, lemony potatoes cooked to tempting perfection in little foil packets on the BBQ; spice-coated, honey-shoyu glazed, tender, juicy beer-can chicken; just-picked Green Zebra heirloom tomatoes tucked into grilled ciabatta with crispy bacon, garlic aioli, and chilly butter lettuce; parmesan and black pepper blasted pasta boasting juicy beef tenderloin and peas just popped from their pods; and of course just picked, sweet, tender, peaches and cream corn on the cob, hot grilled and slathered with lime, jalapeno butter and Fleur de Sel

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

Summer view from my kitchen in the forest 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

 

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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!