Local Produce. Extraordinary Taste.

Lolo Gardens is becoming a reality! And I'm still single, which I think was part of the reason for starting this blog... to open a bakery and get a boyfriend, right? Well, it just goes to show some things are easier said than done. (Wonder if the fact that I am spending a Thursday night blogging in old PJs while eating cookie dough, drinking a warmish beer and watching Sex and The City reruns has anything to do with the latter. I vow I will hit the town this weekend. But tonight its me & my Mac and some calories.)

But I digress. Lolo Gardens is for real.  The logo is finalized. The business cards are at the printer. The website has a landing page. The Organic Certification Research is underway. The Macadamia Nut and Avocado partnerships have been forged. I'm working on an 'in' for Mangos, Kabochas and Lemons. I've purchased packaging for my mini media kits. I wrote a bunch of copy. I'm brainstorming my cocktail-focused herbs display and packaging. Next week I'm finalizing my market vendor application kits and baking up some winners.

Here's a sneak peak:








An Urban Homestead.
Small-scale agriculture and sustainable living practices within view of the Honolulu skyline.
Home of pesticide-free, heirloom-focused gardening, tropical fruits, buzzing honeybees and happy and healthy free-range hens. 

Local Produce. Extraordinary Taste.

Fresh from the Farm: Free-range Brown Eggs. Lilikoi (Purple and Yellow varieties of Passion Fruit). Tangerines. Strawberry Guavas. Apple Bananas. Heirloom Tomatoes. Purple and Pink Sweet Potatoes. Tempting Figs. Creamy Avocados. Rosy Pomegranates. And a variety of Cocktail and Culinary-friendly Herbs: Green Culinary Sage. Lemon Grass. Mint. Rosemary. Thyme. Purple Opal and Sweet Green Basil.








An Artisan Bakery.
Hearty muffins, creamy curds and extraordinary baked goods.
Partnering Lolo Gardens with other local farmers to create island-inspired treats, naturally.

Local Produce. Extraordinary Taste.

Our Famous Muffins: Kabocha (Local Pumpkin) Cream Cheese. Macadamia Nut and Pineapple Morning Glory. Kona Coffee and North Shore Chocolate Chunk. Blueberry Bran with Mango Middles. Kabocha Cheddar Spice.  Corn with Avocado and Raspberry. Meyer Lemon and Sour Cream Cranberry.

Our Creamy Curds: Classic Lilikoi. North Shore Lime. Meyer Lemon. Honey Tangerine. 
How do you enjoy a creamy English-style curd? Spread it on a freshly crisped english muffin, crumpet or hearty toast for a sweet and decadent twist. Drizzle it over ice cream. Fill cupcakes before frosting for a sweet and tart surprise. Or simply, with spoon and jar in hand, savoring every last drop.

Want to find us at a Farmers Market? Special Orders? Questions?
Contact Lolo Gardens: Info@LoloGardens.com      

So yup, I'm on my way. Good stuff to come. Maybe a boyfriend too :)

Preserving fruit. And my bruised ego.

So I had an interesting conversation today with a man who sells preserves at the Farmer's Market. He willingly gave advice, recipes and good will. There need to be more people like him in this world.

But before our canning conversation, I spent the morning eating my belly full at a Volunteer Appreciation Brunch at Waimea Valley. Good food, amazing Hawaiian music and tangible energy and mana. And then with belly full I went to the Farmer's Market and proceeded to talk story with vendors, practically dancing through the aisle with joy at simply being alive on this glorious sunny day. I wish that I could shine like this all the time.

I left my fruit preserving conversation with some insight as to how to sell my goods at market's legally and safely: "do my thing and keep my head low." Short, practical advice to navigate not only through all the Department of Health red tape, but solid advice on how to be successful on this island as well.

So with a new 'head low' mantra, I'm taking all the limes (lemons?) found on the ground at my friend Kelsey's new house and making them into a curd. She says they're limes. On the tree they are green, but on the ground (where I found all of them) they are firm and yellow. Perhaps "Limons" is what we'll call them?

As as the preserving my ego thing... Remember that boy that I was trying to impress by making all that Basil Ice Cream? I don't think it worked. *Sad Sigh* I am perplexed. I wish I could turn on the sunshiney, bubbling over with happiness girl that I was at the market this morning like a light switch. But I can't. And for whatever reason, I end up feeling so self conscious around him that I end up not being myself- I end up saying and doing the stupidest things (like when I referred to August as April today. And then I proceeded to drop my 9-foot-long surfboard... almost on top of him. Dumb!) Can't be sure, but I feel like we're sliding very quickly into the friend zone. Is there any way to preserve what we had? I wish that was as easy as canning Lemon Curd.

So with a sad sigh of near but not-quite resignation, I'm going to slice open these limey lemons and create something lasting. And I'm going to keep my head low and keep doing my thing. Maybe it will pay off after all.

Limon Curd
Adapted from Martha Stewart's Lemon Curd Recipe

Makes about 2 cups

• 1 cup sugar
• Zest of 5 or 6 "Limons"
• 3 large eggs
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 cup "Limon" juice
• 5 ounces unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

Directions

Place sugar and lemon zest in a mortar and grind with a pestle to combine and release the oils. 
Transfer sugar mixture to a medium heatproof bowl along with eggs and egg yolks; whisk to combine. 
Place over a saucepan of simmering water and whisk until sugar has dissolved. Add lemon juice and continue whisking until mixture is thick and reaches 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. The last 5 degrees are pivotal. That's when it really starts to thicken. Be patient and really wait for the full 160 degrees.
Add butter and whisk until well combined.
Strain lemon mixture through a fine mesh sieve set over prepared bowl. 
Cover lemon curd with plastic wrap, pressing plastic wrap directly onto surface. Transfer to refrigerator until completely chilled. 

Can and Preserve away :) Or just eat it with a spoon, shuddering again and again at the all-too-tart sweetness as it hits your tongue.