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Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Hazelnuts and Sage

Cauliflower Soup

Late Autumn in the Salinas Valley

“Adam sat looking at the mountains to the east of Salinas, with the notable point of Fremont’s Peak dominating. The air was crystalline as it sometimes is when rain is coming. And then the light rain began to blow on the wind although the sky was not properly covered with cloud.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Lettuces, sweet broccoli, kale and a huge head of cauliflower filled my refrigerator. A gift from
Tanamura and Antle, it was the last of the locally grown Salinas Valley produce until spring. Production has moved to Yuma for the winter. I felt the tug of the cold, wet autumn day. Leaves were blowing off the trees skittering across the lawn, street and roof tops. Finally the rain began. It was a good day to make a huge pot of luxurious cauliflower soup. READ MORE . . .

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Savory Lentil Patties with Miso Dressing

Lentil Patties

The Spell

“And then the dry years would come, and sometimes there would be only seven or eight inches of rain. The land dried up and the grasses headed out miserably a few inches high and great bare scabby places appeared in the valley. The live oaks got a crusty look and the sage-brush was gray. The land cracked and the springs dried up and the cattle listlessly nibbled dry twigs. Then the farmers and ranchers would be filled with disgust for the Salinas Valley.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

While the rest of the nation has been in a deep freeze with record levels of snow we have been basking in winter sunshine. It has been fun, especially the walks on the beach without even a light jacket. But there is a feeling of dread, not unlike the last day of vacation before returning to work. We fill guilty in our sunny pleasures as we wait for the price to be paid for our greedy use of water. We need lots and lots of rain. Another inch of rain fell after rain dances were held. Not enough to break the drought. Maybe if we all stamped on the dusty earth and chanted our pleas the dry spell would be broken. READ MORE . . .

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Butternut Stuffed Poblano Chiles with Crème Fraîche and Jalapeño Pumpkin Seeds

Butternut Stuffed Chile

Chile Rellenos

“When two events have something in common, in their natures or in time or place, we leap happily to the conclusion that they are similar and from this tendency we create magics and store them for retelling.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Stopping at Tweets cafe in Edison, Washington was pure serendipity. We had just left Breadfarm bakery and were looking for a place to stop for dinner before heading back to Burlington for the evening. It was just before 6:00 P.M. Saturday evening. Everything but the local bar was closing for the night. Our last stop was at Tweets and they also were closing for the night. Lucky for us, they stayed open to cook dinner for us. We enjoyed some very satisfying chile rellenos that I very much missed once we retuned home. READ MORE . . .

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Kale Salad with Apples and Cashews

Kale Apple Salad with Cashews

The Apple Orchard

“And if there’s a good apple–a crisp apple–bring that too.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Trees slouch with ripe apples; robust shadows lumber across the orchard. Loyal companions throughout the year. Stoic friends in the rain and cold, staunchly facing the summer sun, giggling and whispering in the wind, patient listeners as their leaves glisten in the fog. At the banquet of autumn apples are an unwavering delight at Everett Family Farm. Flush with fruit, the trees don’t seem to mind my photos as I capture a slice of life in the apple orchard. READ MORE . . .

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Red Rice and Apple Salad in Romaine Spears

Red Rice and Apple Salad with Romaine spears

Early Autumn Light

“Another man, but he was crazy, said that someday there’d be a way, maybe ice, maybe some other way, to get a peach like this here I got in my hand clear to Philadelphia.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

The morning light had just climbed past the horizon. A patchwork quilt of chartreuse, emerald, scarlet and a violet tinged sage green blanketed the view from Spreckels to the south-western city limits of Salinas. The sheen of iridescent fall light lingered on Tanimura and Antle’s fields of Artisan® Lettuces and Artisan® Sweet Broccoli. I was charmed by the vibrant fields bursting with stellar produce just ten minutes from my home. Tanimura and Antle is a company rich in the history of agriculture in the Salinas Valley. Leaders in agricultural innovation and growth three generations of the Tanimura and Antle families have farmed the valley making a strong contribution to the wide variety of fresh produce we enjoy at the grocery store today. READ MORE . . .