Lavender and Lau Laus

Today was Luau day - we had the family over this afternoon for one last celebration before they flew back on the red eye to their real lives.  Last night, we started the preparation by making the Lomi Lomi Salmon (a salt-cured but uncooked salmon dish made with boneless sockeye, sweet maui onions, and tomatoes) and a three layer banana - coconut cake decorated with lavender and  nasturtiums picked from the roadside.  This morning we got up early and cut several banana leaves from the trees in our yard.  They were washed and trimmed and then wrapped around seasoned fish and baby back ribs.  These little packages, called Lau Laus, were placed in the oven to steam and slow cook all day. We also prepared an assortment of purple and orange sweet potatoes seasoned with a pineapple - mustard - brown sugar sauce, some vegetarian maki sushi rolls, pineapple fried rice, Hawaiian sweet bread, and a tropical fruit salad.    To wash it all down, we had some mai tais, wine, and vodka collins made with a local organic sparkling pink grapefruit juice. 

Before our guests arrived, we took some time to go to Ho'okipa Beach where we swam a little bit and watched the surfers.  No big action today - although it was windy and choppy, the waves were relatively small and didn't develop much of a curl. Hard to believe this is our fourth day here and the first time we've set foot on the sand or gone in the water!  On the way home from the beach, we drove up to the lavender farm in Kula where we tried lavender scones with lavender honey, and drank lavendar lemonade.  All very tasty :) and the view was stunning.  And funny thing - I ran into one of my colleagues from the Bay Area there!  What a small world!