I think it’s safe to say that we’ve never had two identical dinners. Maybe we’ll have the same chef cooking at the same farm a couple years in a row, since it’s only natural. But the menu is always different, the crowd is different and the weather is definitely the most inconsistent factor of all.

This is one of my favorite elements of the job. We essentially build and tear down a new restaurant every night. We sample the vegetables grown in the dirt of every geographic climate across the United States. We analyze why a strawberry grown in Texas tastes so different than one grown in California. We catch little glimpses inside the minds of different men and women- chefs, who look at an onion and see any number of things. Some see it as perfect how it is- why tamper with something so delicate? Some simply want to enhance it’s qualities by lightly cooking it, pureeing in, or pairing it with other ingredients. Others want to shove it into a CO2 canister, shake it up, and foam it on top of a tower of whimsical, tiny French bonbons. The possibilities are endless, endless, endless.

But, wait! Back to dessert. I have no self control whatsoever when it comes to dessert. I could deny myself meat for a year, but eat an entire pan of brown butter rice crispy treats in one sitting. Some of the most memorable dishes we sampled all season were created by extremely talented pastry chefs who don’t always receive as much acclaim as they ought to.

Pastry is it’s own art, often so much more technically difficult than savory cooking. I looooooove dessert, and often base my dining-out choices on the pastry chef before the chef. One of our guests asked us for the recipes for the desserts served at our dinner at Olana Organic Farm on Kauai, with chef Ron Miller and pastry chef Viren Olsen of Hukilau Lanai. Viren’s desserts were delicious, and she was nice enough to write them out for us so we could share them with you. I hope you try your hand at these treats!

Meyer Lemon Custard

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup meyer lemon juice

1 Tablespoon meyer lemon zest

4 eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons cornstarch

11 ounces butter,softened

Whisk together sugar, lemon juice and zest, salt, eggs, and cornstarch in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisking constantly, bring the mixture up to a temperature of 180 degrees. If you do not have a thermometer, whisk until thick and hot and no cornstarch granules are detected when you taste the custard. When ready, remove from double boiler and place mixture in a blender or food processor. Turn processor on and let run a few minutes until slightly cooled (custard will still be warm). Slowly add butter a tablespoon at a time, creating an emulsion. Once all butter has been added, let machine run a few minutes until completely cooled. Pour the mixture into custard cups and chill completely before serving.

*Note: Viren’s custard at our dinner was served with a basil tuile and candied tangelo.

Dark Chocolate fudge Tart

4 ounces butter

3 ounces dark chocolate, preferably Hawaiian Chocolate Factory

2 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons vanilla rum (or substitute 1 tbsp. vanilla extract)

10 ounces a/p flour

1 ounce cocoa powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup cold butter, cubed

1. Make the crust: combine flour, salt, cocoa powder, sugar and butter in a food processor. Pulse until butter is crumby, but not too fine. Drizzle in cream and pulse a few more times until a dough comes together. turn out onto a work surface,collect any stray crumbs and press the dough into a disc. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate for about 15 minutes or up to a few days. Remove from the fridge, and let soften to workable consistency.

2.  Roll dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Transfer rolled dough to a greased 9 inch tart pan, or alternatively, cut out several small rounds and line mini tart pans. Refrigerate until firm, about one hour. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove tart shell from the fridge and blind bake using pie weights or dry beans, about 15 mins.

3.  Make filling: Melt together butter and chocolate. Let cool. Whisk in eggs, sugar, salt, and rum. Pour into prepared crust. Bake until puffed in center, about 15-20 minutes for mini tarts, 20-25 mins for large tarts.

*Note: Viren’s chocolate tart at our dinner was served with homemade honey marshmallows.