Wednesday, March 02, 2011

we go picnic

Whenever we visited my grandparents on the Big Island, one of the things we would do was go on a picnic.

In Hawaii, most of us speak pidgin english, so most of our sentences are short and to the point.

Like, "you ate? (have you eaten?)", "how come? (why?)", "we go! (let's go!)". Oh and as someone once pointed out to me, we always end our sentences with "yeah?"

Anyway, whenever we went on picnics, we would usually throw whatever was in the refridge into a big cardboard box, adding some tamagoyaki (rolled omlette), some musubi.

Into the car would go some goza (rolled straw mat) maybe some beach chairs, an ice chest with some juice/soda, some fruit, maybe something sweet and a thermos filled with hot barley tea.

We'd go to a park with a picnic table and benches (if no table could be found, the goza and chairs would be used) and eat the lunch we brought, while waving away flies that came to pester us, hoping for some part of our bento.

If the weather was too windy, you'd have to hold onto your paper plate and paper cup.

Oh, you should also know that the tableware of choice in Hawaii are paper plates, easy to throw away, nothing to wash afterwards. Not very environmentally friendly, but hey, that is our food culture in Hawaii.

Afterwards, the grown-ups would chat while the kids would play, maybe finding a pond with fish.

This post is for my Grandpa who loved going on picnics.

I recently made my own picnic bento using foods that were in my fridge (char siu, yatsumi-zuke, carrot salad). I made a rolled omlette with tsukudani in it and some temari-style musubi topped with takuan and ume (pickled apricot).

For dessert, a cocoa berry mochi and some green tea.

Even though the weather was rainy, pretty gloomy and I had to eat indoors, it was a nice lunch and a nice way to remember my Grandpa.

Miss you Grandpa!

16 comments:

mariko said...

What a great story. I'll have to try to remember to use "we go" in conversations! We are headed to the Big Island in a few weeks for vacation, and I cannot wait for some sun (and plate lunch, of course).

KirkK said...

What a sweet post Kat! I miss the outdoor pot lucks and picnics back home....

OkiHwn said...

My rememberances of my grandfather (goong goong) was going to his home on S Road in Damon Tract (where now all the industrial warehouses are mauka of the airport) for the dinner he prepared for his children and grandchildren on Sundays. I remember him killing the chicken to be cooked, I remember his black bean shrimp, his black mushrooms and gravy. Ah, the memories!

K said...

What a nice way to remember him! I usually include dashimaki tamago in my lunches too, so easy to make :o)

K and S said...

enjoy your trip Mariko :)

those were definitely some of the best times Kirk :)

good times Nate!

dashimaki tamago is so easy and so good, K!

Take care everyone.
Kat

TM said...

Lovely post, and your picnic looked very oishi-so!

Unknown said...

Nice... the #KLunchBunch (twitter hashtag) is having a lunch picnic at kaimuki park tomorrow. I might make it... hopefully, but without a homemade bento.

K and S said...

Thanks TM :)

ooh sounds like fun Rick, hope you make your own bento.

Take care you two.
Kat

Japan Australia said...

What a great way to remember your grandpa and a delicious looking bento.

Rowena said...

heehee...we go! Sometimes I've also used or heard people saying "Us go!" Hawaii no ka oi!

jalna said...

Awwww, sweet story!

K and S said...

Thanks J-A!

Ooh "Us go" first time hearing it Rowena, wonder if it is an outer island phrase? There was a difference between saying ice shave and shave ice, I think outer island people said ice shave or something like that.

Thanks Jalna :)

Take care everyone.
Kat

Deb in Hawaii said...

Such nice memories to have! ;-)

K and S said...

thanks Deb in Hawaii :)

Take care.
Kat

ThreeTastes said...

It's amazing how powerfully foods can connect us to people we love. That's a beautiful share, Kat!

K and S said...

So true Manju :)

Take care.
Kat