A Sign of Hope

Aloha Family & Friends
Like many of you who are reading this, the residents of southern California are on our minds and in our hearts. Having experienced a similarly devastating situation, we have nothing but empathy for the people, the animals, the businesses and everything that has been affected by the fires. Many of us are offering assistance in concrete ways to the best of our abilities. But right now, we’d like to offer something that is not tangible but nearly as meaningful…A Sign of Hope.

Over the past seventeen months we’ve covered a wide variety of topics on the progression of Lahaina’s recovery. One question that we often hear from those both near and far is: How is the Banyan Tree? Did it make it? For those of you not familiar with this Lahaina landmark, it is considered by many to be a centerpiece of Lahaina Town. When it was first planted in 1873, the tree was only eight feet tall. Fast forward to 2023 and the sprawling trunks with lush canopy covered nearly an acre in size. Like most of Lahaina Town, the 151-year-old Banyan Tree was in the heart of the burn zone and sustained critical damage.

So how is it today? We are encouraged to report that this beloved tree is slowly but persistently putting out fresh, new growth. Yes, it’s healing…not, unlike our real estate market.

But thanks to ongoing care from organizations such as Treecovery (https://treecoveryhawaii.org/), this well known botanical icon, as well as several others that were damaged in the fire are making real progress towards arbor health.

How does a message on a Banyan tree connect to our friends affected by the Southern California fires? It’s this:

For some reason, this small thing has become a sign of hope and recovery for many. So, have hope. You will find a way through this. It will take time, and many helping hands, but it will happen. Just know that Maui is thinking of you!

Aloha, Greg & Leah

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What’s more comforting on a cold and rainy night than a big steaming bowl of Portuguese Bean Soup? If winter weather is heading your way, why not stay in, curl up with a cozy blanket, and enjoy this favorite island dish.

Portuguese Bean Soup

Ingredients

2.5 pounds smoked ham hocks
3 quarts water
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 pound Portuguese sausage, sliced (see note 1)
1 small onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
15 oz tomato sauce
15 oz diced tomatoes
2 medium potatoes, cut into bite sized cubes (see note 2)
15 oz canned kidney beans, drained
½ head cabbage, chopped
1 cup dry elbow macaroni
1 cup watercress
salt, to taste

Instructions

Place ham hocks and three quarts of water in a large soup pot or dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for about 2 hours. Remove ham hocks to a plate, and once cooled remove meat, and discard the bones. Save the remaining broth aside.
In another large pot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Add in sliced sausage and brown on both sides. Remove to a plate.
Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add in onion, celery, carrots and garlic and sauté until they begin to soften, about 5-10 minutes.
Add in reserved broth, browned sausage, meat from ham hocks, tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce heat to medium low. Cover and cook for 30 minutes.
Stir in potato chunks, again cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
Remove lid. Add in kidney beans and cabbage. Cook for 20 minutes.
Stir in macaroni. Simmer until pasta is cooked.
Remove from heat. Stir in watercress.
Taste and adjust for salt. Serve immediately, or allow to sit for 30 minutes to allow flavors to further meld together.

Notes

Also known as linguiça, it adds a spicy, smoky flair to the soup. It can generally be found in the refrigerated section of supermarkets near the other sausages. Chouriço (not to be confused with chorizo), is another variety of Portuguese sausage which can also be used.
We recommend a waxy variety such as yellow or red potatoes, as they hold their shape better.
While it may be tempting to just dump everything in the pot all at once, following the suggested timeline will ensure optimal textures.
Leftovers: Portuguese bean soup refrigerates very well for 4-5 days in an airtight container.
To freeze, allow the soup to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
Reheat on stovetop over medium heat. Note that the macaroni will absorb some of the broth, so you may need to add some water when reheating.

Enjoy!

Portuguese Bean Soup recipe from GypsyPlate.com