First things first: The “missing grass shack” video that Sumida Farm posted on April 1 was an April Fool’s joke. The shack is not lost and is still present at the ‘Aiea farm, according to general manager Kyle Suzuki.
“It was a good reminder that the farm and the shack won’t necessarily be here forever,” he says. “We are here because of the support of the community.”
While the farms didn’t suffer as much damage as others following the Kona Low storms in March, Sumida Farm’s watercress was definitely impacted, according to Suzuki. He explains that watercress season typically starts in March, but with the constant heavy rain and little sunshine last month, the season was delayed.
“The reality is, with the Kona Low storms, it did stunt the growth of our watercress,” Suzuki says. “Too much rain means not enough sun. This year, we are four to six weeks later; it (watercress season) will run into June. This year will be a little shorter than normal. Watercress growth depends on heat, humidity and weather.”
While the farm does have watercress now, Suzuki says that within the next few weeks, its fields should be full. To celebrate the start of watercress season this month, Sumida Farm is launching a variety of different collaborations:
Please Come Again: Watercress ginger lime sorbet
Sumida Farm partnered with the Kailua-based ice cream shop last year to create this flavor. It was a hit with customers, so Please Come Again brought it back.
“Sumida Farm chef Elijah Madayag made a watercress ginger lime syrup, and they turned it into a sorbet,” Suzuki says. “You taste the watercress, but it has a sweetness; the bite pairs well with the lime and ginger. It was a popular flavor for Please Come Again last year, so we’re excited to have that again this year.”
The watercress ginger lime sorbet will be at Please Come Again while supplies last.
Restaurant collabs: Tali's Bagels, Alan Wong's at The Kāhala and more
Several Oʻahu restaurants are incorporating Sumida Farm watercress in their menus. Watercress is featured in a variety of permanent dishes, along with seasonal specials.
Tali’s Bagels launched a Passover-related special that featured watercress in a bread-free meal alternative. Its seasonal bitter herb salad ($15) is a Seder inspired salad made with Sumida Farm watercress and Waialua Growers parsley. It’s topped with housemade pomegranate horseradish dressing, seasoned matzo croutons, ponzu pickled eggs, beets and pomegranate seeds.
“They said during Passover, a symbolic component is bitter, leafy greens,” Suzuki explains. “They paired our watercress with ponzu pickled eggs and baked croutons.”
While the salad is only available until April 12, starting April 15, Tali’s Bagels will run another watercress-inspired special. The Sumida Schmear will be available through watercress season, and the vegan-friendly schmear is inspired by tofu watercress salad.
“Instead of cream cheese, they’re going to use a tofu spread,” Suzuki says. “It’s our tofu watercress salad in spreadable form. It will be available at Tali’s Bagels Ward and Kailua locations through the month of April.”
Alan Wong’s, which just officially opened to the public at The Kāhala Hotel & Resort, also features Sumida Farm watercress in one of its salads.
“We have a longtime relationship with chef Alan Wong,” Suzuki says. “We’re so fortunate he continues to highlight local farms. He’s highlighting our Sumida Farm Leko — our younger varietal — in his kalua pig Caesar salad. That’s really exciting that he has that on his opening menu; we’re really excited to have him feature it.”
Chinatown-based O’kims Korean Kitchen is featuring Sumida Farm watercress in its meat jun, which is an April special.
“They used so much watercress last year,” Suzuki says. “I remember when we met with chef, and she ended adding watercress to almost everything on her menu last watercress season.”
Other eateries using watercress include Kailua-based Faria — the eatery recently ran a roasted bone marrow special with watercress “milho verde,” according to Suzuki — and Breadshop in Kaimukī.
Faria's bone marrow was served on a bed of lemon-herb watercress salad. The restaurant told Suzuki it was a huge hit with their customers.
“It was an honor to have them think about using our watercress,” Suzuki says.
“Every once in a while, Breadshop drops their watercress goat cheese Danish,” he adds. “It’s always in limited quantities. It’s an interesting, savory way to create a Danish with our watercress.”
Kokedama collab with Momo Terrascapes
Aside from restaurant collabs, the farm recently did a kokedama collaboration with Momo Terrascapes. (Kokedama translates to “moss ball” in Japanese, and features a gardening art form.)
Sumida Farm invited Chase Hamano from Momo Terrascapes to visit the farm, and he wanted to make something inspired by the farm and its field workers.
“It’s just a fun, different way to collab during watercress season,” Suzuki says. “We love partnering with restaurants and chefs; that’s the best way to enjoy our watercress — to eat it. We love to have artists and creators out to visit, so they can bring their creativity to tell stories about our farm, too.”
Suzuki says that within the next few weeks, watercress should be easier to find in grocery stores.
“Every year is a little different,” he says. “This year has been an exceptional year in how wet it’s been. But we feel very fortunate that, despite being slowed down, that we can still farm and grow watercress and get it out to the community.”
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Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
