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Kau Kau: the all-purpose Hawaiian pidgin term for food (derived from the Chinese "chow chow").

         
         photo by Shuzo Uemoto

I'm very pleased to welcome Arnold Hiura to alphabet soup today, not only because he has written a fabulous new book about Hawai'i's culinary history, but because this interview has given me the opportunity to reconnect with an old college classmate.

Arnold and I were both English majors at the University of Hawai'i, where we took the same Shakespeare class in grad school. I was no fool -- I made sure I sat next to him, hoping that some of his brains and writing talent would rub off on me. ☺

  

After graduation, Arnold taught English for a few years at Punahou, a prestigious private school on O'ahu. One of his students was none other than a certain Barry Obama. Fast forward to last December, when the Obamas were in Hawai'i for Christmas. They dined at one of their favorite restaurants, Alan Wong's in Honolulu, at which time Chef Wong gifted the President with a copy of Kau Kau: Cuisine & Culture in the Hawaiian Islands. I love how things come full
circle -- how small and friendly the world can be, how food brings people together.

Mrs. Obama once said, "In order to understand Barack, you have to understand Hawai'i." I say, in order to understand Hawai'i, you must understand the food. What do Hawaiians eat and why? Where do the dishes come from? How were they adapted to suit island living? How have the different ethnic groups retained their distinct identities while forging a common bond through the evolution of a "local" style of cooking? Moreover, how have Island cooks, through time, shaped local society? 


 Care for a bowl of saimin? (photo by Adriana Torres Chong)

Take any food closely identified with the Islands -- the iconic Spam® musubi, saimin, barbecue (teriyaki), kimchee, plate lunch, manapua, malasadas, shave ice -- at its heart there is a fascinating story, an ethnicity, a social dynamic, a heritage, a place, a period in history, and countless anecdotes local people love to share.

In Kau Kau, Arnold examines these different facets by profiling local food pioneers, farmers, chefs, restaurateurs, and business owners. His chapters on the roots of Hawai'i cuisine, immigrant plantation culture, the effects of WWII, and the Hawaiian Renaissance provide a broader context for the numerous ingredients that have contributed to Hawai'i's mixed plate.


 Sushi (photo by Shuzo Uemoto).

There are 70+ authentic recipes (everything from simple comfort food to Hawai'i Regional Cuisine chef dishes), as well as interesting sidebars ("Kau Kau Connections"), offering simple activities for those who want to have some fun with local food (Arnold rhapsodizes about loco moco; his wife, Eloise, shares her father's famous teriyaki recipe; there's even advice on how to order shave ice and plate lunches). Even though I grew up with this food, I l

 Medieval Feast set in the Great Hall, Warwick Castle (photo by mharrsch).

Welcome, Lords and Ladies! 

There's nothing like a little boar's head on a platter to make me yearn for England. I always think about our Elizabethan banquet wedding reception in London, where a feisty wench passed around the boar's head paté.

You probably know how much I love all things British.


 Warwick Castle photo by Andrew®.

That's why I was quite excited when I came across Linda Ashman's Come to the Castle! (Roaring Brook, 2009), a hilarious account of a Medieval banquet held in a 13th century castle. It mentions boar, as well as lots of other tantalizing dishes which brought back delicious memories of my visit to Warwick Castle (a great Medieval castle built by William the Conquerer). Ah yes -- who doesn't love rhapsodizing about, "Peacocks, pike and pigeons, capon, venison and boar,/Mutton, eel and mackerel, sturgeon, porpoise, pig and more!"


 Recommended for grades 2-4 (40 pages).

The book has already been thoroughly reviewed by Sylvia Vardel of Poetry for Children and Abby (the) Librarian, among others, so I thought I'd just share two of my favorite poems from it today. In Come to the Castle, the Earl of Daftwood, who has every creature comfort known to man, gets bored one day and decides to host an elaborate banquet and jousting tournament. Easy for him to say, since everyone else has to do all the work. Through lively poems, we hear the distinctive voices of each of the castle inhabitants, gaining insight into their lives, attitudes, and concerns. From steward to squire, herald to gong farmer, lady to knight -- the sights, smells, and flavors of 13th century England come to uproarious life.

Guess which are my favorite poems?


 Chocolate Swan Subtlety by Andre de Montsegur.

The first comes from The Cook, who must whip up a bountiful feast in just two short days. Though the Lady of the Castle wishes to regale her guests with the exotic meats mentioned above -- including a dozen courses, a vast array of sweets, and a subtlety (a truly elaborate show-off dish, such as an "edible cathedral," or "a knight astride his horse"), the Cook can't manage it. What does she do? (Warning to Sara: this poem contains the word, "eel".)


(Click to enlarge.)

"A hush is over everything, Silent as women wait for love; The world is waiting for the Spring." ~ Sara Teasdale















Thanks for brightening my world with your friendship!

If you've been doing a lot of snow shoveling recently, you definitely deserve one of these:


 Flower Bite Cookies by chiccookiekits.

Tra-la and on your way!

More Pajama Party posts here.

More colors here!

♥ Gorgeous floral photos from Majlee's flickr photostream.

Copyright © 2010 Jama Rattigan of jama rattigan's alphabet soup. All rights reserved.

First, put on these oven mitts for the duration of this post (contents may be too hot to handle). 

 photo by EmiShimosato02.

♥ RECIPE FOR LOVE SOUP ♥

You will need:

One sultry red soup pot

 photo by jbelluch.

and one set of spoons for measuring sweet nothings.

 photo by kitschmafia.

As an extra precaution, have a number of fire extinguishers on hand.
     
         photo by alles-schlumpf.

Also helpful is if you wear this uniform during preparation:
           

Okay, let's get started.

Every good soup needs basic, made-from-scratch stock, someone who will please a wide variety of palates. Yowza!
  
    from idatedthedrummer's photostream.

Now, stock left on its own can be a little bland, so I suggest adding a little dramatic tension (people will talk about your soup for ages). Huzzah!
 
   from I ♥ White Trash's photostream.

If, like me, you're impressed when a dish is characterized by a certain "je ne sais quoi," be sure to include some French spice (even better if he can dance). Très délicieuse.
 
    from larissaunderwood's photostream.

Alright, since it's winter, we need some root veggies -- earthy, stalwart, and unassuming. Can't go wrong here (with or without a kilt). *fans self*
    
       from greatspacecoaster15's photostream.         

Good so far? You bet. But now we need more. What about a little luck of the Irish? Mmmmmm. He plays the cello, too.
    

"The wind was blowing, but not too hard, and everyone was so happy and gay for it was only twenty degrees below zero and the sun shone." ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder


I didn't realize until the other day that Charles Dickens and Laura Ingalls Wilder were both born on February 7th. Definitely must give Laura a little equal time today! (Anyone who says "only twenty degrees below zero" deserves 100 birthday cakes.)

Enjoy this 10-minute video about Laura's life. It was done for a school project and is narrated by a very articulate young lady.



Wishing for something new to read about Laura? A very special book is coming!

               

On March 16th, Borrowed Names by Jeannine Atkins (Henry Holt, 2010), will be officially released! It features poems about three notable mother-daughter pairs: Laura Ingalls Wilder and Rose Wilder Lane, Madam C.J. Walker and A'Lelia Walker, and Marie Curie and Irène Joliot-Curie. The book has already received starred reviews from Booklist and School Library Journal. Pre-order your copy now! To whet your appetite, click here to read a nice excerpt.

Now, let's celebrate Laura's birthday with a nice piece of apple pie!
   
      photo by forkableblog.

Have a lovely Sunday!

More Pajama Party posts here.

Related posts about LIW on alphabet soup:

♥ My interview with Sidney Greenbush, who played Carrie Ingalls on the TV series, "Little House on the Prairie." (It gets the most hits on this blog!)

♥ "Laura for a Day" (with her gingerbread recipe).

♥ "A Heapin' Helpin' of Almanzo's Fried Apples 'n Onions."

Copyright © 2010 Jama Rattigan of jama rattigan's alphabet soup. All rights reserved.

 
                         from ron and joe's photostream.

"There's nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with chocolate." ~ Linda Grayson, The Pickwick Papers (1837). 

          
        Daguerreotype by Jeremiah Gurney (circa 1867-68).

Monday, February 7th, is Charles Dickens's 198th birthday!!

He's definitely a man after my own heart. Besides his well-known proclivity for character description, here was a man who filled every one of his novels with luscious, mouth-watering, decidedly poetic descriptions of food, glorious food. Food for Dickens was not only a celebration of life, but also a social and economic statement, and yes, another means of defining character.


Illo from Oliver Twist by J. Mahoney (1857?), from jmsdson's photostream.

Who can forget little Oliver Twist, brave enough to utter the words, "Please sir, I want some more"? Or Christmas dinner at the Cratchits': "There never was such a goose. Its tenderness and flavour, size and cheapness, were the themes of universal admiration." Or what about the tragic wedding breakfast that never was (but lasted decades) in Great Expectations:


Miss Havisham by Steering for North.

The most prominent object was a long table with a tablecloth spread on it, as if a feast had been in preparation when the house and the clocks all stopped together. An epergne or centerpiece of some kind was in the middle of this cloth; it was heavily overhung with cobwebs that its form was quite undistinguishable; and, as I looked along the yellow expanse out of which I remember its seeming to grow, like a black fungus, I saw speckled-legged spiders with blotchy bodies running home to it, and running out from it.

Poor Miss Havisham! She wins the prize for the stalest, most unpalatable breakfast in all of literature. Speaking of breakfast, Dickens mentioned it more than any other meal in his novels. While he might casually mention luncheon, afternoon tea, and supper, breakfast was often described in elaborate, loving detail. Of course, he also liked a menacing breakfast every now and then, like the one consumed by Mr. Quilp in The Old Curiosity Shop:

He ate hard eggs, shell and all, devoured gigantic prawns with the heads and tails on, chewed tobacco and water-cresses at the same time and with extraordinary greediness, drank boiling tea without winking, bit his fork and spoon till they bent again.

I wonder who his dentist was. ☺

But today's Poetry Friday, and we need a poem. One never hears too much about Dickens's poetry, perhaps because he, himself, eschewed "serious poetry." But he did write a number of song lyrics, satirical, humorous and sentimental ballads, hymns, prologues, even a comic operetta called, "The Village Coquettes" (1836).

         

           
     
Happy February and Happy Groundhog's Day!

Christopher made this mitten cookie just for you.

Care to share my breakfast? Hot oatmeal on a cold winter's day really hits the spot!


We got snow over the weekend!


How are all of you pajama-clad beauties doing? I must say, you look fabulous in flannel! Here's what I'm wearing today. You like? 
        

Since I'm prone to cabin fever around this time of year, I like to wear my words to keep me on track. More fun than a thesaurus, and, *wait for it*, these pjs glow in the dark! After sitting under a bright lamp for a few minutes, then going to a place that's completely dark (like my closet), the words, "what are you looking at," appear everywhere. Hmmm. A good reminder to get back to work! ☺

I hope you're hungry, because today I'm serving up a nice little platter of goodies to keep those February blues away. I'm sure you'll find something here to please the palette, delight the senses, and stir the creative juices. 

        
 
First, check out the January 2010 Carnival of Children's Literature at Jenny's Wonderland of Books. Loads of links to some mighty fine blog reading -- reviews, interviews, original poems, musings, literacy news, etc., from all over the kidlitosphere. 


 "Flapjacks," by Marilyn Murphy.

Now, you know how much I love desserts -- even better when they're Flying Desserts! Alimentum: The Literature of Food, is featuring a cool, whimsical group of paintings by Marilyn Murphy in the Art Gallery. Are you up for some chicken pudding, pickles, pie, and profiteroles? I thought so. You can tell your friends you've seen "Dangerous Jello."

       
           This poster is available for purchase here.

February is Black History Month, and the Queen of Resources, Elaine Magliaro at Wild Rose Reader, has posted another comprehensive list of links featuring recommended books, activities, and ideas for classroom, home, or library. She's also included some of her previous posts spotlighting many wonderful poetry books and picture book biographies of notable African Amer

In the midst of bleak winter, a spot of color to brighten your week.


 photo by annapurna356.


 photo by Made in Mississippi.


 Yellow submarine cookies by Whipped Bakeshop.

               
             French gnome bowls available at P.O.S.H.


 photo by katiescrapbooklady.

     
      photo by Diberjones.

    
     photo by jonny taise.


 "Yellow Brick Road" by Digital Cual.


 Do you have any yellow books?


  photo by Toronto Rob.

             
            photos by poseidon.

             
            Yellow rose cupcake by Alien Spouse.

                

           

Hey there!

I can see you've been working hard all week, and may need a little break. Made a nice cup of hot chocolate for you. Little Lulu has stopped by with a cartoon for your viewing pleasure. I loved her so much as a child that I went through of phase of signing my name, "Jama Lulu Kim," and I wouldn't answer my mom unless she called me, "Lulu."

 
   Special cocoa toast to Winchester, Persnickety, and in memory of Xenia.
 
On winter days, when we bundle up against the cold, and semi-hibernate in our little writing caves, it's nice to remember. Enjoy, and check out the big alphabets!



Have a good day. Happy writing!

Copyright © 2010 Jama Rattigan of jama rattigan's alphabet soup. All rights reserved.

"Oh, give me a home, where the buffalo roam, where the deer and the antelope play . . . " ~ Brewster M. Higley.


Today's uniform.

How do you like my bear slippers?

Just for you, I'm wearing my special Kellogg's breakfast cereal pajamas. I wanted you to feel all safe and cozy before I introduced today's real topic:

WILD ANIMALS!

Mmmmwwaaahhahahahahaa!!

GRRRROWL!! RRRRROARRR!!!!

I tell you those Frosted Flakes really pack a punch.

Actually, the real real topic is EATING WILD ANIMALS. Uh-huh. Last week, I ate buffalo meat for the first time.
 
*pauses for stunned reaction from audience*

I'm not talking about those itty bitty buffalo wing appetizers either. I'm talkin' furry-behemoth-roaming-the-Great-Plains-on-rare-nickels kind of buffalo. Yes, I seared and slow-cooked a genuine-for-real buffalo roast beast!


photo by Tony Eindfeldt.

And I really didn't want to. Len brought it home by mistake. I sent him to the South Dakota plains Whole Foods for a beef pot roast. But it was clear from the price sticker it was no such thing. Thinking the butcher may have mislabeled it, I carefully unwrapped the mystery meat. It had already bled through the paper into the plastic bag, and when I saw the dense, large grained, dark bloody red slab I knew this roast was from out of town. It was slimy like liver (which I hate). There was little fat (a good thing, but would it be tough?) -- and I considered throwing it outside for our fox.

But -- my foodie sense of adventure prompted me to investigate further. So where does a sensible recluse go for advice?

        
            Buffalo Bacon Burger by ladybutcher.

Facebook, of course. I posed these questions to my friends: "Should I eat this thing? Have you ever eaten buffalo?" I'll be danged if quite a few closet buffalo buffs didn't come out of the meat locker in its defense. It was leaner than beef, and more nutritious, they said (high in iron and protein). Buffalo doesn't contain any growth hormones (against Federal law). "I once used ground buffalo in a spaghetti sauce, and no one could tell the diff" (thanks, Sara).

Well, that was encouraging. But I did note -- all these well wishers had eaten ground buffalo, mostly in burgers. No one had eaten a whole roast. I knew it was up to me to blaze a new trail, so I stepped up to the crock pot, smothered Buffalo Bill with veggies, and doused him with red wine. Six hours later, Bill came out tender and juicy. He looked like beef. He tasted like beef. But I still didn't feel comfortable eating him.

By then, we had bonded. And I remembered Lt. John Dunbar, Two Socks, and the great buffalo hunt. When I first saw Bill in the raw, he looked like that drippy, bloody heart Kicking