The Whales Have Returned

The Whales Have Returned

Aloha Family & Friends
Autumn on Maui has arrived and the whales have returned. We can tell, not just by the date on the calendar, but by the changes in nature. For example, most of you reading this have recently seen fall foliage as leaves turn from green to glorious shades of red and gold. But on the island, nature gives us our own way to recognize the summer to fall transition, and it happened just last week. The first official Humpback Whale was spotted, and we even saw a breach of our own from the Pali just the other day. Our ocean traveling “snowbirds” have returned!

October is unique in another, more subtle way. It’s after the bustling summer crowd departs and before the even busier holiday season begins, so it gives us a chance to stop and reset. Get caught up on projects. Rest a little bit and regenerate. Take advantage of activities and places that aren’t quite as busy, or maybe even try something new. Ever considered ziplining? Just last week a company offered a free experience for anyone bringing canned goods for the Maui Food Bank. Not quite your style? How about this – the busiest, most sought after restaurants are typically much easier to get a reservation. And dare we say, in some you might not need a reservation at all. Just walk right in and talk to that friendly host or hostess who is inevitably very glad to see you.

Interestingly, the real estate industry also experiences this somewhat quieter time during October. Whether it’s a national election cycle like this year or just a typical season, this tends to be the time of year where many will hold or prepare for the upcoming winter “selling” season. We often find this is a great time to update marketing or tune up a few projects on listings coming to market.

So as we enjoy this minor lull before preparing for Halloween and passing out sweet treats to mini princesses and ninjas, we wish you a nice little break as well.

Oh, and speaking of sweet treats…

If you just happen to be interested in supporting our favorite local non-profit organization and love See’s Candies, the Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunrise is trying out a new fundraiser this year. In partnership with the beloved brand, you can order some delectable treats from See’s Candies Click here to order and a portion of the proceeds will come back to the Lahaina community. No tricks – both you and the Lahaina community will get a treat!

Thanks for reading and we’ll see you next month!

Aloha, Greg & Leah

This recipe for chocolate haupia pie features a fluffy cool whip topping with a melt-in-the-mouth coconut and chocolate layer.

Chocolate Haupia Pie

Instructions

Flaky Pie Crust:

1. Add 1 ½ cups flour, salt, and sugar to a food processor. Pulse 2-3 times until combined.
2. Add cubed butter over the flour mixture and process until a dough or paste forms.
3. Add remaining 1 cup of flour and pulse 4-5 times until flour is distributed or the dough looks crumbly.
4. Transfer to a bowl then sprinkle iced water over mixture – start with 4 tablespoons. Mix and keep adding water until the dough holds together.
5. Remove the dough and form it into a ball. Cut the ball in half and form each half into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
6. Remove one disk from the fridge and roll it out on a lightly floured surface.
7. Layer dough into a pie dish and optionally crimp the edge. Poke some holes on the bottom layer of the dough.
8. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or freeze for 10 minutes.
9. Place a makeshift pie parchment paper onto the dough, then layer makeshift foiled pie shape. Place some pie weights on top of the foil (I used dried beans or chickpeas). This is to prevent the sides of the crust from collapsing and shrinking.
10. Bake at 400° F for 20 minutes. Take out of the oven and remove the parchment paper and foil. Bake again for another 10 minutes or until the crust has a light brown color. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Chocolate Haupia Filling:

1. Dissolve the cornstarch and water together.
2. Heat the coconut milk, milk, and sugar in a sauce pot.
3. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir constantly until it thickens.
4. Evenly divide the coconut mixture into two bowls.
5. Melt the chocolate chips and mix into one of the bowls with the coconut mixture.

Whipped Cream:

1. Combine the heavy cream and sugar. Beat until it begins to form stiff peaks.

Assembly:

1. Add the chocolate mixture on top of the cooled crust.
2. Layer on the leftover haupia or coconut mixture.
3. Lastly top it off with the whipped cream.
4. Let it chill in the fridge for 1 hour or overnight.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Haupia Pie recipe from Ono Hawaiian Recipes