Creative cooking and living in the fertile Salinas Valley, east of Eden, along California's central coast
“Adam was pleased. Not even Christmas and we have presents. I wonder what it can be!”
East of Eden, John Steinbeck
I dream of the gift of world peace and the end of hunger. I wish for more kindness. An end to the relentless scramble to be better than, to have more. A time to be happy. If just for a moment, to pause, and be pleased with our lives. It is possible, especially if you give the best gift of all. The gift can be expensive and it takes time too. It was for me.
“I don’t know whether you notice it, but it seems like every other word you say is California. Do you really want to go?”
East of Eden, John Steinbeck
Living along the central coast of California is nothing less than divine. Except, except we really don’t have a summer. We have fog. By August there are rumblings of fall. I become anxious. Summer is like a fad sweeping the northern hemisphere and I’ve missed out on the latest trend. I long to complain about endless sunshine and a kitchen too hot for baking. Dinner on the patio without wearing a sweatshirt is just a fantasy. Actually leaving the house to go anywhere without a light jacket is just plain foolish. If by chance it is sunny, the fog can return at any time. Our summer vocabulary is studded with “when will the fog burn off” and “when will the fog roll back in”. I live in a place where a day above seventy-five is considered hot. We tend to melt at anything above eighty-five. It may be August, but I’m still longing for summer. Any day now our Indian Summer will arrive and wrap us in late season sunshine. We’re ready.