Planning Food Love .. mea 'ai

I was standing in the soup aisle waiting for my friend, Paul, the deli chef. An idea has been simmering inside me for awhile. Paul and I had a great conversation about Chicken Adobo several months ago. We are both part-Filipino, and we both love Chicken Adobo. But, the one who really loves Chicken Adobo is Pete, my hubby. To hear him talk about the plate lunch of Chicken Adobo with extra tomatoes and sliced onions over rice is to know a Ukranian-Irish laborer's love of good food.

Anyway ... as I continue to step forward to the opening and blessing of HO'OMOKU, food is an important piece of making island. Every Friday of July and August, we will start with food, include the sharing of food.

When Paul was finished cooking what he was cooking in the deli, he found me in the soup aisle and we talked. "I'm starting a gathering place for Hawaiian practices."

"Cool."
"Every Friday starting July 10th we gather, and I bring something to eat. A crockpot of something. I was thinking. Remember when we talked about Chicken Adobo?"
"Yeah." Paul has a beautiful smile. It was spreading across his handsome face.
"What would it take for you to cater one of our gatherings with Chicken Adobo?"
He asked questions about the venue. How many people?
"I'm not sure how many people. But the Open House would probably be the time more people would be there."
"So ... maybe upwards of twenty people?" he offered.
"Don't know." I really have no idea how many people to count on. But, like I said it's Pete who loves this 'National Favorite' and what others don't eat, he will!
I gave Paul the details I do have, and he went back to the deli and left me with this, "I'll give it some thought."

The other food we will serve is the Hawaiian staple, and Ancestral Soul food poi. Pounded kalo (taro root) is the spiritual and physical mana for Hawaiians. We will have a poi bowl to share with all who come to our gatherings. Story and introductions will be shared over poi. A tradition continues with this food present.

I've been working with our produce guy, Eric, to get poi into our local market. Things are slowly coming together. Maybe sometime this summer, poi will come from Hawaii into our neighborhood and Pete and I will not need to drive into Seattle's Chinatown to buy our poi.

The small and large details for planning gatherings. It was an unexpected experience with food this noon-time connection. My astrologer, Satori wrote about today. "...Going after what you want feels more fluid now, even if the goals are also a bit fluid at the moment. Move forward on faith, in the direction that feels correct. Don’t fuss it so hard. Start where you are!" The stargazer knew! I like it.