Open (Farmers) Market

We go to the Open Market every Tuesday morning. Farmers Markets are called Open Markets in Hawaii. I don't know why. Is it because it's out in the open? No idea. It begins at 6:30 AM in our area, stays open for an hour and moves on to their next location in Waipahu. In the winter, it's still dark when we get there and often have to bring our flashlight.

These are our usual purchases although we also like to get watercress, ginger, napa cabbage and a few other things there. Our dinners are full of vegetables which we really enjoy. My mother pan fries the cabbages and cooks the burdock (cut into slivers) with a teriyaki-chili sauce (that I have to learn how to prepare). The daikon is slivered into her miso soup (that I have to learn to prepare) and the leaves are stir fried. The cucumbers are pickled with vinegar and something (that I have to learn to prepare).

It's really wonderful having a personal chef in the house. It's amazing how quickly Art and I got used to having somebody take over the kitchen.

Waipahu "Open Market"

I grew up in Waipahu quite a few years ago... before I went away to college, before I married and before I left for Illinois some 34 years ago. We returned to go to the Farmers Market. In Hawaii, they call it the Open Market.
We passed by this mynah bird who was in an awful hurry.

Tif wanted to buy some Filipino mochi (rice cake) that she really loves. KC was quite patient and was rewarded with some delicious buns.

The Open Market begins at 8:15. This is taken quite seriously. Money does NOT exchange hands until the 8:15 horn is blown.

It's fun to see all the local island veggies and fruits.



On the way back to the car, we noticed all the flowers on trees and bushes. This is a crown flower plant. Monarch butterflies begin their lives on it. The flowers are used to string leis.













The pikake (Jasmine) is so fragrant, it actually smells delicious. Jasmine tea? The Filipinos tell me it's their national flower. My friend complains that the scent is so strong that pikake leis give her a headache. Not me!






I have no idea what this is but I thought it was beautiful.










My mom always called this the bozubana flower. I don't know what the English word is. Bozu means priest or monk (who are bald) in Japanese, bana means flower.








And here's another mystery flower. My mom tells me many Filipinos have this flower in their yard and that they eat the beans from it. (Later: My brother says this tree is called Malungguy.