Paniolo Picnic
When your friend is a kaleidoscope of talents, you constantly want to collaborate. Kim suggested an upcountry picnic photoshoot and immediately I couldn’t wait. I knew it would be unique and beautiful, and it would guarantee me insanely delicious healthy food made with all local and organic ingredients! How could I say no?
Kim has always been an artist. Her hands and heart are the creators of music and meals, printing and painting. She loves playing in the kitchen. She has an out-of-the-box way of creating tantalizing food in creative ways, often substituting healthier ingredients without diminishing the flavor or fun.
The morning I arrived at her family home in upcountry Maui the air was cool and the views were expansive. Two chairs sat in waiting draped in speckled deer skin facing a table displaying bright gold and ruby flowers. A ram skull sat perched on the fence behind. An open field and sloping mountain served as the backdrop. It was Kim’s family upbringing and history personified.
We took photos, then I ate. Then we took more photos and ate some more. It is honestly how every future photoshoot should be structured.
This September, Kim will graduate with a Master’s Degree in Nutrition and I truly cannot wait to see (smell and taste!) what she does with it.
“I’m working on learning about creating sustainable food systems in Hawai’i. My hope is to provide people with dank food that is locally produced and nutritious, inspiring them to get curious about what goes into the food they eat, where it comes from and how it makes them feel. I am studying nutrition so that I can coach people specifically to help them remove their current limiting beliefs around their life, body, and food so they can build a new individual unique perspective on their mind, body, and spirit.”
Kim used mostly all local ingredients to create the most delicious egg muffins. They were gluten-free and full of flavor. Instead of the typical quiche-crust, she utilized local Maui sweet potato that gave a little more heartiness to the dish. The tuber subtly added a soft melody of sweetness that perfectly danced alongside the more earthy flavors of the mushrooms and spinach and the cloud-like creaminess of the cheese. Too metaphorical? Sorry I’m not sorry! It was damn poetic what she created and my tastebuds still crave the symphony she cooked up (hint, hint, Kim!)
I’m literally salivating now…
