Celebrating Ohana

Written by Denise Laitinen

edible Hawaiian Islands is more than just a magazine, it is an ohana (family). An extended family comprised of the production team, writers, advertisers, and readers sprinkled across the islands and beyond Hawaii’s shores united in a passion about food, whether it be growing, farming, fishing, or cooking it. 

Readers of edible Hawaiian Islands also know that each cover strongly reflects Hawaii and its local foods with an emphasis on the issue’s theme. With the theme of DRINK for our 2018 Fall issue, it seemed a natural fit to feature the Bolton ohana, founders of Kona Coffee & Tea on Hawaii Island. 

Celebrating their 20^th anniversary, Kona Coffee & Tea is truly an ohana run company and one of the few Kona coffee farms that grows, mills, and roasts single-estate coffee, meaning all the beans come from a single farm. It’s also a multi-generational business founded by Jan and Dan Bolton with two of their grown children, Malia and Danny, managing the day-to-day operations of the company (daughter Kirstina lives on the mainland.) 

It all started back in 1996 when Dan and Jan jumped at the opportunity to acquire former ranch land in Kona called Waiono Meadows. Already running a construction company called Bolton Inc. and living in the Kona coffee belt, it seemed natural to get involved in growing coffee. 

Deeply rooted in their faith and their desire to help the Kona community, on a wing and a prayer the entire family, including the kids and extended relatives, lent a hand and planted 20 acres of arabica typica coffee in 1998.

“We saw coffee as a way to help preserve the small town that we love,” says Jan.

Within two years of harvesting and roasting their first crop of coffee cherry, the Bolton’s were winning coffee cupping contests. 

“When we won first place in the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Cupping Competition [in 2002], we knew we had something,” says Dan. 

Indeed, it’s been a steady climb up the ladder of success ever since. In 2003 they opened their first retail location near Honokokau Harbor. Ten years later they acquired a location in the Kona Coast Shopping Center previously occupied by Starbucks and after a year of renovations, opened a café. 

In the meantime, their coffee continued to rack up awards, including First Place in the 2009 Gevalia Crown Cupping Competition.

But the family’s focus has always been on more than just growing coffee or winning awards says Kelly Drysdale, director of logistics for Kona Coffee & Tea. Cultivating community and promoting local businesses is a top priority for the Boltons. Every month they feature the beans of another Big Island single-estate coffee farmer in their cafe. They source as much as possible from other local businesses, from the focaccia bread in their deli sandwiches to beers from local breweries. They even give their coffee grounds to local pig farmers for compost. 

Looking toward the next 20 years, the Bolton ohana wants to continue to grow and diversify the coffee farm with new technologies while supporting the local economy. 

“I’m beyond grateful to my parents for having a vision and not being fearful of the risk,” says Malia. “It’s amazing to see years of hard work pay off. I’m excited for what’s to come.” 

Our 2016 fall issue is our DRINK issue.  Yes, we are fully aware that we have a cover image that is not a drink. Usually the cover reflects a strong theme that runs throughout the magazine. The dish is Pastrami Kampachi and Kampachi grows in water, right? We did feature locally grown garlic in this issue and the cover images uses green garlic in the on-line recipe.

When our designer, Scott Johnson and I saw this image we knew it was our cover image. Yes, we did mock up other covers but nothing looked quite right. Sometimes that how cover selection happens and we need to learn to be ok with this process.

So, enjoy this drink-themed issue. Fish and all!

Pastrami Kampachi “Bruschetta” with Green Garlic- Sesame “Pesto”

Recipe

Servers 4

Green Garlic Pesto:

227 grams Green Garlic (tops only green parts, trimmed, blanched, shocked and squeezed dry)

227 grams Cilantro (picked, washed, blanched, shocked and squeezed dry)

80 grams Meyer Lemon Peel (pith removed, julienne)

320 grams Fresh Meyer Lemon Juice

285 grams Maui Cane Sugar

455 grams Grapeseed Oil

140 grams Toasted Sesame Seeds (keep 60 g aside for garnish)

12 grams Kosher Salt

1. In a small pot combine lemon juice, sugar and lemon peel and bring to a simmer.
2. Cook for three minutes and strain through a chinois.
3. When cooled, combine all ingredients in blender and puree until completely smooth. (Keep 60 g of sesame seed aside for garnish)
4. In a large bowl, add ice and place a smaller bowl on top of the ice.
5. Pour mixture into smaller bowl to quickly cool down.
6. Stir with a rubber spatula until cold.
7. Fold in remaining sesame seeds as garnish.
8. Keep well chilled.

Pickled Green Garlic:

15 ounces Whole Green Garlic Bulbs, trimmed

16 ounces Japanese Rice Vinegar, Low Acidity 4%

3 ounces Unsweetened Yuzu Juice

6 ounces Cane Sugar

11 grams Kosher Salt

1 each Hawaiian Chili, washed and split

1. Put garlic bulbs in a baine marie.
2. Combine vinegar, sugar, chilies, salt and bring to boil, do not let into a rolling boil.
3. Add yuzu juice to mixture.
4. In a large bowl, add ice and place a smaller bowl on top of the ice.
5. Pour mixture into smaller bowl to quickly cool down.
6. Stir with a rubber spatula until cold.
7. Pour over garlic bulbs and let marinate for 24 hours.

Kampachi Cure Pastrami:

Kampachi  top loin, skin off, trimmed

30 grams Cane Sugar

10 grams Ground Cubeb Peppercorn

114 grams Kosher Salt

1 bunch Cilantro Chopped, No Steams

Zest and Juice from 2 riped Meyer Lemons

30 G Green Garlic, sliced very thinly

30 G Fresh Shallot, minced fine

1. Mix all ingredients except Kampachi in a box until incorporated well.
2. Evenly coat each filet top and bottom with marinade.
3. Place on a sheet pan with a wire rack for drainage and let cure uncovered in fridge for a minimum of 24 hours (maximum of 48 hours for more doneness)
4. Once cured, remove excess cure from filet by hand.
5. Briefly rinse filet under very cold water to remove excess cure.
6. Pat dry and return to fridge for 1 hour.

Pastrami Glaze:

2 ounces Backstrap Molasses

1/2 tablespoon Cayenne Pepper

1 tablespoon Caraway Seed, toasted and ground

1 teaspoon Coriander Seed, toasted and ground

1 tablespoon Cubeb Peppercorn, toasted and ground

1 ½ tablespoon Smoked Spanish Paprika

1 tablespoon Espelette Pepper

1 each Pastry Brush

1. Toast and grind all spices separate until fine.
2. Mix all spices together in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Warm the molasses until pliable in the microwave.  Do not over heat.
4. Lightly brush the top of the filets with the molasses in a very thin and even layer.
5. Using a fine mesh strainer, dust the top portion of the filet with the spice mixture until the entire filet is evenly coated and red in color.
6. Chill the filets until ready to slice and serve. Can be eaten raw or cold smoked.

To Serve :

To taste Extra virgin olive oil (optional)

4 slices Country Rye Bread or Pumpernickle

6 oz Green garlic pesto

4 each Heirloom tomatoes, depending on size and must be ripe

20  slices                            Pastrami kampachi, sliced

2 tablespoons Pickled green garlic, drained

To Taste lemon zest, mircoplaned

To Taste micro greens (optional)

1. Brush sliced bread with extra virgin olive oil and toast until golden brown.
2. Add approximately one tablespoon of green garlic pesto on the plate
3. On each slice of toasted bread, spread  tablespoon of green garlic pesto evenly across.  Layer with tomatoes and kampachi alternating.
4. Top with pickled green garlic, lemon zest, and micro greens or torn fresh basil.

Approximately 2 years ago, one of our advertisers, chef Jana McMahon shared one of her favorite @Instagram accounts with edible Hawaiian Islands.  In a casual conversation over lunch we went back and forth sharing feeds that inspired us.

That lunch we discovered the @Instagram acccount of Sporting Club of the Pacific (@SportingClubofthePacific). We fell in love with their posts and started following and engaging.

Here, two years later we are proud to be able to not only feature them on our cover but also to share their incredible story within our pages. Our relationship and friendship has grown over the past two years and you never know where or when meeting someone through social media will change the course of your business and your life.

We found a good fit for Sporting Club’s story in our first drink inspired issue. We try and match the writer with the story through personally knowing our writers and what they are passionate about. Thank you Kristin Hetternmann of Grace Delivers for sharing your writing talents.

Then we needed a photographer to tell the story through compelling photographs. We felt it would be good to turn to @Instagram again and find someone who was talented with black and white photography. We found Franck Berthout (@FRANKIEBEES) on @Instagram. And as it turns out he was also a big fan of Sporting Club of the Pacific.

So, it all came together with the right story at the right time with the perfect writer and photographer.

If on Maui or when you come to visit, we encourage you to take time from your day and visit:

Sporting Club of the Pacific
43 Hana Highway
Paia, Maui HI 96779