Posted on

Indian Summer Orzo Salad

Orzo salad

Late Summer Tomatoes

“The afternoon was golden, for the yellow dust in the sky gilded the light.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

The last shards of summer are heaped in a pile waiting for my attention. I have made excuses. Not enough time, out of town visitors, trips north and south along the coast, a migraine and it’s flattening aftermath. I could make a longer list; but truly it’s all about summer. The months of September and October are traditionally what we call our Indian Summer. The dismal grey fog disappears mid morning and we are blessed with the glorious warmth and sparkling light of sunny days. The fog stayed late this year and our Indian Summer was just a mirage the entire month of September. How can we be ready for fall when summer just arrived? I marvel at pounds of ripe tomatoes, harvested inland, in the heat. Like shards of broken pottery, I hold onto the remnants of a greater thing, a summer almost missed. READ MORE . . .

Posted on

Zucchini Pancakes with Feta

Zuchini pancakes

Celebrate too much zucchini!

“Sometimes in the summer evenings they walked up the hill to watch the afterglow clinging to the tops of the western mountains and to feel the breeze drawn into the valley by the day-heated air.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Zucchini and summer, like peas in their pod. Early in the season we wait patiently for the plants to grow. As the summer progresses, we tire of too many vegetables to harvest. And then
what to do with the harvest? When there is an abundance of zucchini in the summer I make these pancakes. This recipe has evolved over time. When I first made zucchini pancakes, I just stirred in a few eggs to bind the mixture together. We lived in the county and had lots of zucchini and eggs. This was the recipe my mom taught me. My pancakes are now full of flavor and worthy to share. Recently I went to the local fish market to purchase salmon for dinner. Another customer came into the market and gave me zucchini from his garden. I had never met this customer, but I thanked him for his gift of zucchini. The poor man, he just had too much zucchini! It was time to make zucchini pancakes. READ MORE . . .

Posted on

Salinas Valley Early Summer Salad

Salinas Valley Early Spring Salad

Serves 4–6

“There was always some little delicacy, very special and good—foie gras or a tossed salad, pastry bought at Lang’s Bakery, just across Main Street.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

About

The Salinas Valley is just inland from Monterey Bay. The mouth of the Valley begins at the Pacific Ocean in Moss Landing. From this ocean portal, the fog pushes up the valley and settles into the cradle of Salinas located on the valley floor. A cooling moist blanket of fog envelopes our early summer. The traditional summer months of June and July are more foggy than sunny. Perfect for growing lettuce and strawberries. Our summer is late, beginning in August. September is our most consistent summer month. By the first week in November, it becomes cooler and we know fall has arrived. READ MORE . . .