Taro Pie -- I'm Lovin' It

A few weeks ago, I saw a commerical advertising the return of taro pies at the McDonalds restaurants here in Hawaii. I love pies and I love sampling unique (and yummy) Hawaiian foods, so of course I told Jarrod that we had to try them.

Here's a look at the TV commercial:
And here's me about to take my first mouthful of taro pie: Yum! The taro has a really mellow flavor, kind of like eating a potato. (Which makes sense, because taro is a root vegetable, just like potatoes.) The commercial showed the taro looking purple, but it had a much more pinkish hue in our pies. Taro is also used to make poi, which is popular here. I guess it's supposed to be healthy, but as with many healthy foods it doesn't taste all that great. It's purple and sort of a runny paste. Imagine Cream of Wheat being really watery and purple with a bland but slightly bitter taste, and you've got poi. I tried poi at our last luau and I don't think I'll be wasting plate space on it again (why would I, when I can have all the kalua pork and haupia I want?) but the taro pies were definitely tasty. And how can you beat a fried, sugar-and-taro filled creation for just $1?