Hawaii Cooks with Roy Yamaguchi Season 3 Episode 13 Kunia, Oahu
- January 1, 1997
- 25 min
In season 3 episode 13 of Hawaii Cooks with Roy Yamaguchi, titled "Kunia, Oahu," Roy visits the rural town of Kunia on the island of Oahu. This episode focuses on farm-to-table cooking, as Roy explores the local agriculture and creates dishes using fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
Roy begins his journey at the Kunia Country Farms, where he meets with farmer Dean Okimoto. Dean shows Roy around the farm, sharing his knowledge and passion for sustainable agriculture. They explore the various crops grown on the farm, including tomatoes, kale, eggplant, and more, and Roy even gets his hands dirty picking some fresh produce.
Next, Roy heads to Mari's Gardens, a nearby aquaponic farm. There, he learns about the innovative techniques used to grow fish and plants together in a closed-loop system. Roy samples some of the fresh greens and herbs grown on the farm, and is inspired to create a dish featuring the farm's microgreens.
Roy also visits the famed Dole Plantation, which has been a staple of Oahu since 1950. He learns about the plantation's history and the various pineapple products produced there. Roy even tries his hand at cutting his own pineapple, a skill that takes years to master.
Back in the kitchen, Roy creates several dishes inspired by his visits to the local farms. He starts with a refreshing salad featuring Mari's Gardens microgreens and fresh farm vegetables. He then moves on to a vegetable stir-fry, using the produce he picked earlier at Kunia Country Farms. For the main course, Roy prepares a pan-roasted onaga fish with pineapple salsa, a nod to his visit to the Dole Plantation.
Throughout the episode, Roy emphasizes the importance of using fresh, locally sourced ingredients in cooking. He showcases the unique flavors and textures that can be achieved with farm-to-table cooking, and encourages viewers to seek out and support local farms.
Overall, "Kunia, Oahu" is a celebration of Hawaii's rich agriculture and culinary traditions. Roy's passion and enthusiasm for cooking with fresh ingredients is infectious, and viewers are sure to be inspired to explore their own local farms and markets.