aargh - hit the send key prematurely. here's the rest of my post:

"Steve Calvin" > wrote in message
...
> well, my better half has convinced me.... we're going to Hawaii.
>
> Our nephew is a surgeon in the Army and came back from a 2 year stint in
> Iraq to be stationed on Oahu because his wife is also in the Army and
> doing her residency there. They have a 3000sq foot house overlooking
> Pearl, so we have a free joint to stay in and tour guides who promise us
> things that "normal tourists" won't see/do, including access to running
> the dunes on the military lands in a Jeep.
>
> He says we're going to do a "real" luau, not one of "those tourist ones".
> Now, what's the diff? Hell, I don't know but I'm really looking forward to
> it!
>
> Going the 15th of Jan and returning the 30th, so I'll report back after
> that but I'm lookin' forward to some GOOD PIG!
>
The real kalua pig is really steamed pork. The process is interesting - the
Hawaiians didn't have any metals...no iron, no copper, no zinc, etc etc etc.
All they had was wood and a whole lot of lava rock. First point - the
native Polynesians coming to Hawaii brought with them chickens, pigs, and
dogs.

http://www.hawaiihistory.com/index.c...age&PageID=529
http://www.hawaiiag.org/history.htm

Second point - to kalua the pig, first dig a deep hole - an imu - just
bigger than enough to contain the pig. Line the bottom of the hole with
stones impervious to high heat. Igneous rock is recommended. In Hawaii,
small lava boulders the size of bowling balls or somewhat larger were used.
Avoid sedimentary rock which can be explosive as trapped moisture turns into
steam when heated sufficiently. Make sure that you have enough stones to
cover not only the bottom, but the sides as well. Build a big hot fire -
preferably with hardwood - over these stones. When the fire dies down, rake
out any unburned wood remaining. Those heated stones should be literally
red hot. Move/place some of the hot stones so as to line the sides of the
pit. Cover the hot stones with layers of green banana leaves and ti leaves.
Watering down the leaves with a sprinkler is optional. Set your cleaned pig
on those leaves. Today, the pig is often placed on a sheet of chicken wire
for easy handling when removing the pig from the imu later. Place lau-lau
on the leaves next to the pig. You might place some of those leaves in the
cavity of the pig and place on those leaves - so as not to touch the pig -
some smaller hot stones. Cover everything with plenty of leaves so as to
make a slight mound. Sometimes wet burlap sacking is used as well. Finish
with a layer of dirt which you then wet down with a sprinkler. Leave at
least overnight. Uncover shortly before your luau starts.

Third point - chances are you will not like poi...it is an acquired taste.
But you will like the lau-lau, the kalua pig, and the lomi-lomi salmon. The
last is a salad made of tomatoes, onions, and salted salmon. If you are
fortunate, you will have some opihi - basically large salt water limpets
that are very scarce and highly treasured. And do try the poke - a seafood
mix of various kinds. Not sushi or sashimi - those are plain raw fish.
Poke (pronounced po-kay) is diced seafood mixed with other things like
seaweed, soy sauce, seseme seed, seasoning, etc.

Don't pass up the malasadas (Portuguese long johns - Leonard's bakery in
Kapahulu is recommended), Portuguese sweet bread, Portuguese sausage (Miko
is the recommended brand - tough to find, made in Hilo on the Big Island),
manapua (steamed pork buns with char siu instead of plain pork)...aka char
siu bau. You won't find these at the luau, but I think you will enjoy them.

Lawrence Akutagawa wrote:
> aargh - hit the send key prematurely. here's the rest of my post:

LOL

MAN, THANKS Lawrence!!! I've printed your reply out and will take it
and if we get what you suggested, probably will.

I'm sure that Chris will know what it means. ;-)