What I Learn From Oofarms

O'o Subcontract Review

Reader Rating: (107 Votes)

twenty%

Farm Bout & Gourmet Tiffin in Upcountry Maui

The Tour

Maui is known for its affluence of exciting tours. From scuba diving the dorsum wall of Molokini Crater to sunrise bicycle tours downwardly the slopes of Haleakala, visitors on Maui are oft overwhelmed by lists of "must-exercise" activities in paradise. But for those interested in taste-testing their way through the Valley Island (and you should exist), O'o Farm offers a unique (and terrifically succulent) Subcontract Tour & Gourmet Lunch that will delight even the nearly hardcore of carnivores.

Located on 8.5 pristine acres in beautiful Upcountry Maui, the farm sits 3,500 anxiety above sea level on Waipoli Road, which accurately translates to "the misting forest". As you lot can presume from almost any bout located on the side of a giant volcano, the views are stellar – sea, mountains, lush green hills, rolling clouds, Oprah, you name information technology.

We arrived at 10:30am for our tour with Ancil, the O'o Subcontract Orchard Manager, Java Roaster, Agricultural Tour Guide and a general man wealth of farming knowledge. He explained the farm's dedication to a true '100 mile lifestyle concept', pregnant everything grown at the farm supplies ingredients for Maui'due south Pacific'O eating place, The Banquet of Lele luau and Aina Gourmet Market, all located in Lahaina Town.

The bout began at the farm's olive trees, which Ancil hopes will effect in the power to printing their ain olive oil (impressive), before moving onto the nearby coffee copse. Ane of their newest ventures, O'o Farm is at present a full diddled micro-roaster and one of very few who actually abound and roast their own coffee onsite.

Though Kona Coffee gets nearly of Hawaii's fame, Maui java is just as good.

Ancil let united states of america option a berry from the coffee trees, making sure to squeeze the seeds from the inside (which are actually the java beans, despite not being beans at all). He explained that although coffee one time took a backseat to other, more sensationalized crops in Hawaii (encounter: pineapple), it's once over again a hot commodity, literally and figuratively, in the Aloha Land. Considering the fact that coffee is the second most traded article on Earth, information technology should come as no surprise that the only U.Due south. country that grows coffee is now known for its unique bean varietals. Under Ancil's advice, travelers to Hawaii should taste local coffee varieties on each island due to differing tastes.

Nosotros then walked a little uphill to the surrounding orchard of cherimoya, atemoya, finger limes and lychee trees, amongst others, where we were able to sample several sour-but-tasty candied loquats. If you retrieve you lot have a green thumb, wait until y'all go on a farm tour with Ancil. His detailed and fascinating knowledge of every single crop (of which there are over 60 on the farm) is astounding.

Later on a quick walk past one of ii seating areas, we arrived at the O'o Farm outdoor kitchen to meet our Chef for the mean solar day, Daniel. He welcomed us to the subcontract, gave an overview of the menu, and even presented us with a tasting plate of fresh Maui pineapple to snack on, besides as contrasted vegetables from the farm, which he explained in detail. As he finished preparing our meal, nosotros were tasked with gathering ingredients for the salad.

Following Ancil further into the subcontract, we learned about the art of border-crop farming and picked several fresh ingredients, which we happily tasted as we went along. At the end, we had a basket full of ingredients for a succulent, soonhoped-for-consumed salad.

The final portion of the subcontract tour included a visit to the coffee roasting room, a charming wooden building with a fun assortment of black and white photos, art, a shiny espresso machine, bags of Maui grown coffee, a refurbished French roaster, and sorting trays.

And so it was fourth dimension to eat.

The Meal

Chef Daniel arrived at 6am that day in guild to begin preparing our meal (thank y'all, Chef!), which included salad with homemade citrus vinaigrette dressing, focaccia bread baked in the outdoor wood oven and topped with Hawaiian sea table salt (I could consume this everyday), pan-seared tofu, beets and assorted vegetables, overnight brined chicken with a mix of claret oranges, coriander, parsley, garlic and more, and finally monchong, a fresh, flaky white fish, topped with lemongrass, shallots and kaffir lime.

WOW. Not just was the meal easy on the eyes, but everything was and so fresh and delicious. The covered outdoor seating offered an intimate and welcoming setting, and the views from the subcontract can't be beat. Watching the mist pour down from the surrounding woods while enjoying a farm to table repast should be the next detail on your bucket listing.

While alcohol isn't served at the farm, y'all're welcome to bring your own bottle of wine, which we almost certainly did. Wine spectacles, bottle opener and pouring service was provided past jack-of-all-trades, Ancil.

Dessert included chocolate truffles, fresh fruit, and French-press coffee. If yous haven't died and gone to food heaven yet, you're non going anytime soon.

For under $60, the complete tour and full meal are a steal, specially on Maui, where an average-tasting dinner will run you lot around the same price. Mahalo to O'o Subcontract for an amazing afternoon on Maui, and we promise to exist dorsum for their new "Seed to Cup" Coffee Tour presently!