Cruising through Hawaiian Words: Ono and 'Opihi

Ocean fish around O'ahu that will satisfy your cravings for fresh seafood include 'Opihi, Opakapaka (Pink Snapper), Ono (Wahoo) - Ono means delicious and Wahoo is probably a derivative of O'ahu where these fish are found in abundance; and O'opu kai nohu. 

'Opihi is the one that is sometimes called 'the fish of death'.

'Opihi picking off Maui rocky shore. 
Rule #1 Never turn your back to the ocean.

'Opihi is Hawai'i's version of that snail delicacy: escargot. Pick it off a rock, suck out the meat, move on. Either you like it, or you haven't tried it. I am in the second category - I don't do oysters, either.

Although these fish can be found around the world, three species are endemic to the Hawaiian islands: black foot, yellow foot, and giant 'opihi. It has a thick, cone-shaped shell covered by ridges. There is a pair of tentacles, a mouth, and a muscular foot that allows it to strongly seal its body to a rock to prevent being plucked off by a rough wave - or person wanting to eat it.

Yellow and Black 'opihi "on the rocks"

People have risked their lives trying to pick 'opihi from rocks. It can be dangerous–even referred to as “the fish of death” and “delicacy of death”. Because 'opihi live in rough shore breaks, people get thrashed around by the surf, sometimes resulting in paralysis, drowning, other times getting swept out to sea and never returning.

http://www.wegoholoholo.com/opihi-poke-bowl-limpet/

Rule #2 Never turn your back to the ocean.

*****

O is for OCEAN FISH AROUND O'AHU #AtoZChallenge

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

My daily #AtoZ posts combine two concepts in under-300-words per day:

an appealing food choice along with thoughts that spring to mind.

*** *** *** 

Ocean fish around O'ahu that will satisfy your cravings for fresh seafood include 'Opihi, Opakapaka (Pink Snapper), Ono (Wahoo) - Ono means delicious and Wahoo is probably a derivative of O'ahu where these fish are found in abundance; and O'opu kai nohu. 'Opihi is the one that is sometimes called 'the fish of death'.

'Opihi picking off Maui rocky shore.
Rule #1 Never turn your back to the ocean.

'Opihi is Hawai'i's version of that snail delicacy: escargot. Pick it off a rock, suck out the meat, move on. Either you like it, or you haven't tried it. I am in the second category - I don't do oysters, either.

Although these fish can be found around the world, three species are endemic to the Hawaiian islands: black foot, yellow foot, and giant 'opihi. It has a thick, cone-shaped shell covered by ridges. There is a pair of tentacles, a mouth, and a muscular foot that allows it to strongly seal its body to a rock to prevent being plucked off by a rough wave - or person wanting to eat it.

Yellow and Black 'opihi "on the rocks"

People have risked their lives trying to pick 'opihi from rocks. It can be dangerous–even referred to as “the fish of death” and “delicacy of death”. Because 'opihi live in rough shore breaks, people get thrashed around by the surf, sometimes resulting in paralysis, drowning, other times getting swept out to sea and never returning.

http://www.wegoholoholo.com/opihi-poke-bowl-limpet/

Rule #1: never turn on your back to the ocean.

 

 

U is for 'UKULELES AND UNIQUE FLOWERS

For this year's challenge, my theme is The Fun in Writing. Each of my 26 posts for April is aimed at
illustrating fun parts of an author's day. A writer doesn't only write.
Creating a story or an essay requires research, revision, editing, and lots and lots of coffee and chocolate.



U is for 'Ukuleles and Unique Flowers

Several days ago, a friend and I drove up to Haleiwa along the

North Shore of O'ahu. She spotted a sign that fit perfectly with my post for today so we stopped to get a photograph! The sun was hot, the waves at Haleiwa Beach Park were high, and the shave ice with vanilla ice cream and azuki beans from Matsumoto Shave Ice was ono! Along with ukulele music and unique flowers, they are all good reasons to stay living in Hawaii, or at least to come for a visit.

My first introduction to the 'ukulele was through Arthur Godfrey strumming a tune on his radio show. He was inducted into the Ukulele Hall of Fame Museum in 2001. "It is likely that no other single person has been directly responsible for the sale of as many ukuleles as Arthur Godfrey."

 

When Mr. Godfrey visited Hawaii in 1959, he piloted a plane from Honolulu to Lihu'e Airport on Kaua'i. He was accompanied by the Ambassador of Aloha, Duke Kahanamoku, Duke's wife, Nadine, and Hawaiian singer Haleloke Kahauolopua.

 

Haleloke performed on his television show several times in the 1950s. On the show, she sang and danced while he strummed his 'ukulele.

One version of how 'Ukulele got its name

'Uku is the Hawaiian word for flea; lele is the Hawaiian word for fly, jump or leap. Seeing  a musician's fingers fly or jump over the strings of a musical instrument reminded the local people of a flea leaping around. (Now it makes sense where the ukulele string-tuning words originated: my dog has fleas).

 

What could be more Hawaiian than ukuleles and unique flowers?

 

After a recent board meeting, I walked past an area that always brings me to a stop so I can photograph the colorful, fresh-blooming hibiscus offerings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On ukulele:

Somewhere Over the Rainbow
by
Israel "Iz" Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1I

 

 

 

OCTOPUS POKE IS ONO AtoZChallenge

PUPUS, Hawaiian snacks similar to hors d’oeuvers, tapas, and canapés,

make up the third segment of my A-to-Z Challenge theme.

 ONO is the Hawaiian word for ‘delicious.’ My favorite pupu is poke (po-key), raw fish cut into cubes and seasoned with seaweed and shoyu (soy sauce) or sprinkled with sesame seeds. Any food that tastes great - broke da mouth is the Hawaiian Pidgin expression - is said to be ONO. 

Octopus (Tako) poke can be eaten alone or mixed with tomatoes, Maui onion, soy sauce, sesame oil, sea salt and chili pepper. I admit Ahi poke with seaweed and shoyu is more to my liking, though.

 



  

Ahi Poke





Octopus (Tako) Poke



 

Onion Salmon

 

 

 If you’re not into raw fish, onion-laced tofu poke with green peppers might be more to your liking.

 

Tofu Poke

Sunday brunch at the Oceanarium Restaurant in Waikiki’s Pacific Beach Hotel wouldn’t be complete without platters of Onion Salmon flanked by bowls of capers and cream cheese.
 

Greetings from the Oceanarium

 

I is for ICE, Shave Ice and Mochi Ice Cream

PUPUS, Hawaiian snacks similar to hors d’oeuvers, tapas, and canapés,

make up the third segment of my A-to-Z Challenge theme. 

Ice may not sound like a delicious snack food, but in Hawaii Shave Ice is King. This treat differs from the mainland snow cone because the ice is shaved from a block of frozen water rather than crushed. The sno-like texture of the shaved ice absorbs the syrup so you can eat it with a spoon, not just sip it through a straw.

 

My visitor from Minnesota, Flat Mary (of Flat Stanley fame),

enjoying a Passion Fruit Shave Ice

after our hike up - and down again - Diamond Head in Honolulu 

 

Shave Ice comes in multiple flavors, including the more local kine like pineapple, coconut, guava, lychee, mango, li hing mui, and passion fruit. My favorite Shave Ice is served with sweet azuki bean paste at the bottom and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Eh, brah, dis Ono*!

*See the letter ‘O’ for definition of Ono. 

Mochi Ice Cream is the other ‘Ice’ that tops my list of favorite dessert pupus. Mochi is a Japanese rice cake. It is very chewy and sweet. Mochi Ice Cream is fruity ice cream wrapped in mochi and dusted with a white powdery substance. 

 

The verdict is still out on whether Flat Mary likes Shave Ice or Strawberry Mochi Ice Cream better.

 

There are lots of steps to making mochi ice cream, easier if you buy it ready-made. It is popular in Asia, Hawaii, and the West Coast of the United States. 

Why not plan your next vacation accordingly?