Creative cooking and living in the fertile Salinas Valley, east of Eden, along California's central coast
“And people found happiness in the future according to their present lack.”
East of Eden, John Steinbeck
Balance and moderation, always the mantra for a life well lived. Each New Year we tip the scales to and fro, searching for the elusive equilibrium. We make resolutions and establish new habits but sometimes life reminds you how precarious that balance can be.
“In the books of some memories it was the best time that ever sloshed over the world—the old time, the gay time, sweet and simple, as though time were young and fearless.”
East of Eden, John Steinbeck
It’s the end of a momentous year. Thank you for stopping by and visiting with me. I wish you a new year filled with wonder and delight. May every day seduce you with whimsy. Be vivid, for we live on a planet radiant with color and light. Find your fortune where you may, as chance and serendipity can lead to the most astonishing adventures. Happy New Year!
“In three months Charles got a colored postcard of the bay at Rio, and Adam had written on the back with a splottery pen, ‘It’s summer here when it’s winter there. Why don’t you come down?’”
East of Eden, John Steinbeck
On a trip looking for locally grown apples and pears Athena and I stopped at Everett Family Farm farmstand in Soquel. We were both dazzled by the Hachiya persimmon orchard that we found. Hung like brightly colored jewels the irresistible persimmons were framed by festive jade green leaves. The glamorous trees must be mother nature’s inspiration for Christmas trees. The farmstand is a very special place with heirloom apples, persimmons, fresh berries, flowers, eggs and a wide variety of seasonal vegetables.
“Lee sighed. He had worked so hard, so tenderly, and his work seemed to have succeeded.”
East of Eden, John Steinbeck
Baking as therapy. I mistakenly thought the therapy was the indulgence. Rich, if just for that moment. The sweet buttery tenderness we crave. Each lush bite eases the unexpected sharp curves in the road we travel. The intoxication of satiety cushions the bumps on the long ride home. Instant gratification is a constant companion on any road trip. Are we there yet? When will we arrive? The drive is for results. The process of driving just gets us where we want to go. Baking gets us to the sweet spot where the traffic lights are all green. But the therapy is in the doing. Creating when the hands and mind connect and work in unison is when the frenzy of a busy mind disappears. This is the therapy. When restless, sad or filled with anxiety get busy. Just the act of starting will coax the mind to tag along for the sweet ride.
“Our species is the only creative species, and it has only one creative instrument, the individual mind and spirit of man.”
East of Eden, John Steinbeck
A whim and curiosity to learn more about growing herbs and edible flowers led me to Jacobs Farm in Pescadero. I had purchased their exceptional organic products at Whole Foods and my local Nob Hill grocery store. When I attended the Monterey Bay Greenhouse Growers open house in June I brought home samples of their edible flowers and made my first batch of tangy infused vinegar. It was on a trip to Gidzich Ranch in Watsonville for olallieberries that I saw Jacobs Farm company sign along a back road and thought about visiting.