Maui 2011 (Part 5)

I haven't mentioned the food in Hawaii yet. While I wasn't bowled over by any special cuisine, I ate well. The fish tacos and hamburgers were terrific upscale bar food. The chicken and pork on the dinner cruise was outstanding. Some of the more memorable things seemed essentially Hawaiian.

Pineapple -- Sure it's in their tourist brochures, but I found out there's nothing like a Maui Gold. We cut that baby up and gobbled it for breakfast nearly every day. Even Henri had some:


Poke -- As I mentioned I was thrilled with our condo and the amenities including a full kitchen. While there's not much cooking on this plate except for the sausages, the ahi tuna poke is as Hawaiian as coconuts. I thought it would be prepared just one way, but at the local market I was spoiled for choice!


Starfruit -- Looks great, tastes great too, like a cousin of an orange or other citrus. The fruit vendor said to eat it like an apple and we did. Only later did we find out it's a sister of the grapefruit and shouldn't be eaten while on certain medication. Eeek!


POG -- As a non-drinker the fruit juice options seem endless on the Islands. Some bartenders can get fun and creative with their concoctions but the most common was my favorite, POG. What's POG? It's the button on every good bartender's fountain wand, stands for Pineapple-Orange-Guava.


Luau -- We had to attend at least one luau and I must say, the food at the Hyatt was terrific. Good selections, fresh choices, and of course, the ubiquitous luau staple, Poi (just a little dollop will do ya).


Haupialani sorbet -- I grabbed a container to feed my inner ice cream junky but it lingered in our freezer as I opted for other options. On our last night, it was time to clean the fridge and I polished this gem in one sitting (oink). The refreshing flavors of coconut was wonderful. It's such a clean, light taste that I couldn't stop. And now I want more!