Malasadas.
The mere mention makes me swoon. When I'm in Hawaii, I'll take a box of fresh, warm, light and oh-so-fluffy Leonard's malasadas to my cranky Dad, who sneers and gruffly harrumphs, "Hmmph. I ate already." Two minutes later, he's got that happy/guilty "I swallowed a canary" sugar-caked grin on his face.
The mere mention makes me swoon. When I'm in Hawaii, I'll take a box of fresh, warm, light and oh-so-fluffy Leonard's malasadas to my cranky Dad, who sneers and gruffly harrumphs, "Hmmph. I ate already." Two minutes later, he's got that happy/guilty "I swallowed a canary" sugar-caked grin on his face.
Not all malasadas are created equal. I've sampled Portuguese bakeries in Santa Clara and Rhode Island/Massachusetts and nothing comes close to fluffy awesome pastry confection of Leonard's. Even on the Big Island.
We've been wandering around the Big Island this vacation. For malasadas, the guidebooks tell you to go Tex Drive Inn in Honoka'a, about an hour from Kailua-Kona going toward Hilo via Waimea. But for an Oahu girl, this is not a malasada. Gasp! And sorry to all the awesome Big Island folks and 912 Facebook friends of Tex.
We've been wandering around the Big Island this vacation. For malasadas, the guidebooks tell you to go Tex Drive Inn in Honoka'a, about an hour from Kailua-Kona going toward Hilo via Waimea. But for an Oahu girl, this is not a malasada. Gasp! And sorry to all the awesome Big Island folks and 912 Facebook friends of Tex.
Malasada or jelly donut?
There are definite positives--the dough part of Tex malasadas have a nice, just-slightly-sweet flavor. The fillings--apple, Bavarian creme and guava in particular are very good. They have a Krispy-Kreme-style viewing area to watch them make these little pillows of pastry and the bathrooms are very clean. This is important on the long drive between Hilo and Kona.
But Tex malasadas are more like square jelly donuts. Tasty and sweet. With out-of-control, amazing fillings, but jelly donuts nonetheless. It was still worth the stop get a few to snack on for a long drive to or from Volcano. But I just can't think of them as malasadas.
While we would stop at Tex next time we are driving through, my heart and taste buds belong to Leonard's.
Eat Well. Be Well.
But Tex malasadas are more like square jelly donuts. Tasty and sweet. With out-of-control, amazing fillings, but jelly donuts nonetheless. It was still worth the stop get a few to snack on for a long drive to or from Volcano. But I just can't think of them as malasadas.
While we would stop at Tex next time we are driving through, my heart and taste buds belong to Leonard's.
Eat Well. Be Well.
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