For the Holck ohana, food strengthens love and connection, especially during the holidays. It’s all about food, family, friends, and fun.
One of those traditions has been cooking holiday meals in Willard Holck’s backyard imu, an underground oven that he built at his Kahaluu home. He invites family, friends, and neighbors to put foods they want to cook into the imu. There’s plenty room for meats like turkey, corned beef, and ham, and vegetables like kalo, ulu, and sweet potato.
Passing down family tradition
The family imu is something that his dad started when Willard was a young boy. In turn, he’s passed down the tradition to his sons for the past 30 years.
“At first, I did it when they were young and they hated it,” Willard admits. “It’s a lot of work that takes several days of prep. Digging the hole in the ground big enough to fit the food and fire. Also, cleaning the banana and ti leaves we wrap the food in. And getting and chopping wood to make the fire.”
Prepping the Holck's backyard imu.
But the process has gotten easier ever since he built an underground firebrick oven. That eliminated the need to dig and cover a big hole every year.
“Now my sons love it,” he says. “We all look forward to this tradition. It shows you how the power of good can bring family and friends together.”
Willard and Geralyn Holck enjoy family gatherings during the holidays.
It’s a slow-cook process. They light the fire and put the food into the imu in the late afternoon. The food is ready by the next morning.
In addition to holidays, he uses the imu to cook kalua pig for luaus and to help fundraise for his son’s canoe club.
Baked with love
While Willard is busy in the yard, his wife, Geralyn, carries out her annual holiday tradition in the kitchen, baking gingerbread cookies with her grandkids. For the past 40 years, she has been using her sister’s recipe.
Baking has been a family holiday tradition that was started by her mom.
“She was a good baker,” says Geralyn. “I have wonderful memories baking with my mom. I taught my children how to bake. And now I’m passing the tradition to my grandkids so they can experience the same joys.”
Geralyn and her grandchildren look forward to baking together during the holidays.
HOLCK OHANA GINGERBREAD COOKIES
Geralyn got this recipe from her sister’s Kailua High School home economics class. “I started making this for my kids and now my beautiful moopuna (grandchildren),” she says. Geralyn wants to share her recipe with you to enjoy with your family and friends.
Ingredients
- 1 cup light molasses
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup butter
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 4½ cups flour
- 1½ tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 tsp. ground cloves
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a pot, heat molasses and sugar to a boil. In a bowl, pour hot mixture over butter to melt. Stir mixture until cooled. Add eggs to cooled mixture.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon.
Mix dry ingredients into the wet mixture and stir into a dough. Roll dough into a log shape. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.
Roll dough on a floured surface to prevent sticking. Make shapes using cookie cutters.
Bake on a greased cookie sheet for 8 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool on a wire rack and decorate. (See icing recipe below.)
For icing: Mix three egg whites with 1 box of powdered sugar.
In addition to gingerbread cookies, Geralyn likes to bake fruitcakes, pies, and breads.
Photos courtesy Willard and Geralyn Holck
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