pupu party

When we lived in Hawaii, especially during the Summer, we would go down to Safeway and "hang out". Walking around just to cool off.

Our apartment didn't have air conditioning and for most of the year, it wasn't necessary, there were always tradewinds to keep us cool. But on those rare humid and/or hot days, we'd head to Safeway (or any market, actually).

We'd pick up ingredients to make layered taco dip, a bottle of wine, several varieties of poke. Dinner would be simple and cool...a pupu party. No standing in front of the stove. For those of you who don't know what "pupu" is, it means appetizer in Hawaiian.

I want to share with you a story of a time when we were getting ready for one of our "pupu parties" and I cut my finger really bad. Satoshi being the "great doctor" that he thought he was, put mercurochrome (that red stuff) on the cut. Boy, did it sting. The bleeding didn't stop. I had to go to emergency.

When we got to the emergency room, the nurse came out to look at the cut. She said, "alright, who put the mercurochrome on the cut?" I pointed to Satoshi. She sighed and left the room.

Then we were put into the examining room and the doctor came in. He took a look at the cut and said, "so, who put the mercurochrome on the cut?" I pointed to Satoshi. He sighed and left the room.

Then he came back to clean the wound, he scolded Satoshi because by putting the red stuff onto the cut, they couldn't assess how bad the cut was. By this time, the cut stopped bleeding. The doctor looked at it again and said that I wouldn't need stitches...whew.

As we left, the doctor smiled and told Satoshi that next time he should leave all medical things to him.

So anyway, Saturday's weather was perfect for a pupu party. I bought some smoked salmon, a red onion. I also found some feta cheese in oil with olives and bought a baguette and some cherry tomatoes.

This smoked salmon dip was really easy to make. The measurements are the amounts I used, but you can add more or less of any ingredient that you wish.

Serves 4
94 grams (about 3 ounces) smoked salmon sliced
36 grams (about 1 ounce) cream cheese
1/4 red onion, diced
several shakes of dried dill
several grinds of pepper
3/8 teaspoon capers

Throw everything into the food processor and whiz to the texture of your liking. I whizzed mine kind of fine. Serve with toasted baguette or your favorite cracker.

Today's pupu party was smoked salmon dip, toasted baguette, feta cheese with olives and sliced tomato. Sliced bell pepper and carrot. Saki ika (cuttlefish) & pirikara geso (spicy octopus legs). Yebisu dark beer. We'll probably have this type of dinner a couple more times this Summer.

I hope the weather is bearable where you are.