Celebrating Our Aunties!

My husband John, and I, were first introduced to Meyers lemons in Hawaiʻi. When I first moved to Arizona, I was disappointed to learn that they could not be planted in the state. After a while, we planted a variant of the tree that is permitted and we have enjoyed the delightful tastes of lemon and orange from our own yard since then! Several elements of the following recipe can be amended to meet your taste preferences and any diet restrictions. I have found that refrigerating the salad overnight enhances the flavor and texture...As always, I encourage you to adjust the following ingredients to meet your own desires. You'll notice that one enhancement is adding an accent of a liqueur. I usually use an orange liqueur, but you might enjoy adding a bit of a macadamia nut liqueur or Hawaiian rum.

Auntie Susan's Carrot and Raisin Salad

Ingredients
3 Cups of Carrots, Shredded [for variation, you might try carrots of varying colors]
3/4 Cup Raisins [gold or brown, they are the key to the flavor of this recipe]
1/2 Cup Mayonnaise [real or substitute]
1 Tablespoon Meyers Lemon Juice [The quantity that is pleasing to your palette]

Optional Ingredients
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon, ground
1/4 Teaspoon Ginger, ground
1/2 Tablespoon Orange liquor, Macadamia nut liqueur, or an Hawaiian rum

Preparing the Sauce
Whisk mayonnaise and lemon juice together. Add orange liquor as it suits your palette. Blend in raisins. Chill for one hour or until raisins are softened.

Finishing the Salad
Fold the sauce into the carrots. Add optional spices as you wish. I’ve found that this salad is a lovely accompaniment to a sweet and sour tofu or chicken entrée. Because there are few ingredients, this is ideal to take to your neighborhood pāʻina!

Suggested Island Garnishes
Pineapple, shredded
Macadamia nuts, slivered

This recipe came from the kitchen of Auntie Susan, a friend and former client. Auntie Susan has been a successful Tucson entrepreneur for several decades. She was one of the first businesswomen to greet me when I moved to Tucson in 1995, when she helped me with several projects to enhance my new home. Through the years she has shared many aspects of her community involvement with me. It is women like Auntie Susan who enhance our cities and country with their energy and commitment!

Auntie Margaret-Jean's Island Potato Salad

Although the following potato salad recipe is not pertinent directly to Prospect for Murder, I offer it to you as a means of expressing the warm atmosphere that accompanies any gathering in Hawai'i. During graduate studies of history at the University of Hawaiʻi, I made several friendships that have continued to this day. Margaret-Jean Hansen was a woman whose educational opportunities had been delayed by family responsibilities and other challenges in her life. When my husband John was overseas, she and I sometimes had potluck dinners at my townhome in the Valley of the Temples in Kāne'ohe, on the windward side of the Koʻolau Mountains of the island of Oʻahu. I am sad to say that since we spoke about this recipe, she made her transition from this plane. But while I miss her mirthful voice, I can guess her supportive response to issues that arise in my own journey through life.

After a challenging day on campus, it was so delightful to kick off our shoes and relax at twilight on my back lanai. Our meals often featured sautéed chicken or grilled lamb chops, but regardless of our protein, Margaret-Jean almost always arrived with her delectable potato salad. While she enjoyed a glass of iced tea, I usually sipped a glass of white wine as we gathered the ingredients for our small pāʻina. The many hours we enjoyed in research libraries and at my dining table discussing theories of humankind’s development and our personal slices of life remained in the minds and hearts of both of us through the years....

Ingredients
4 small to medium Potatoes, 1-inch cubes [cooked and warm, tender but not mushy]
1 Tablespoon Carrot, grated [1-2 inches of the wide end to avoid grating your knuckles]
1 Tablespoon Onion, grated [Maui, Vidalia, or red]
2-3 Eggs, hard boiled and grated [Japanese grater preferred]
1/8-1/4 Cup Mayonnaise [enough to flavor everything generously, for which there are dietary safe substitutes]
A dash of Dijon or yellow Mustard, if desired
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation
Combine all dry ingredients, except salt and pepper. Stir moist ingredients and add to mixed dry ingredients. Season to taste. Refrigerate until it is time to enjoy!

As Margaret-Jean always said with a smile and a nod, “The secret is in using warm, not hot, potatoes. It allows the mayonnaise to be absorbed fully.” Regardless of whether you're planning a quiet night for two, or a large gathering that will overfill your lānai, the final ingredients in Island cooking are creativity and love....​

I am sad to say the Margaret-Jean has passed, but she believed she would be joining her beloved husband…