Bitter-Sweet

There are many many varieties of passion fruit which is called Lilikoi here in Hawaii.  Until our vine was fruiting, we were buying them by the bag, or getting them free from neighbors with prolific crops.  The bowl is filled with several local kinds.  Each fruit typically produces about a tablespoon of juice; compared to an orange, that may not sound like much, but it is extremely potent flavorful juice -- think lemon juice -- but very flowery.  Our vine is producing the LARGE purple colored on the cutting board, and the ones we just harvested and cut open had nearly 1/4 CUP of delicious juice; we save it, freeze it, and can pop it into fruit drinks or tea.  More ambitious cooks use it in a variety of desserts like cheese cake, pies, turnovers, etc.

Our house is the WHITE dot and shows our relation to possible flows.

In other bitter-sweet news, we are headed to a town hall meeting this coming Monday to hear the latest reports about Kilauea continued volcanic flow through the Pu'u O'o crater.  Earlier this year, the flow from Pu'u O'o changed directions.  For nearly 30 years it has been flowing to the south and out to the ocean -- making for spectacular views from air land and sea.  However, a few months ago, it changed directions and began to flow north.  Since this island is relatively new (in geologic terms), there are many underground vents and lava tubes so the flows are not always visible from the air.  In January the above map was constructed to illustrate where the flow might go -- based on the topography of the island.  "We don't know" is the bitter-sweet reality.  As with any natural disaster, all you can do is be prepared for the worst, but on the heels of hurricane Iselle, we'd prefer a little SWEET with our bitters!