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Roasted Carrots with Fall Spices and Yogurt Lime Dressing

Roasted Carrots with Fall Spices and Yogurt Lime Sauce

Garden Tales

“You can scrape the carrots, her mother said. Is that water hot? Just coming to a boil.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

We put in a small vegetable garden this spring. Yes, in the midst of this monumental California drought, a little garden grew. What an adventure, to see what flourishes and what languishes. My sporadic care and watering was part of spring and summer and now fall. Tomatoes are always dismal, but I never give up trying. The surprise was the mammoth sunflowers and these carrots! I was cutting down the rest of the sunflowers and inadvertently uncovered a huge carrot, and then pulled up lots more. I had no idea they were doing so well or why the carrots grew and beets and potatoes were failures. We had this recipe to celebrate my little harvest. READ MORE . . .

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Betty Pretzer’s Apple Coffee Cake with Sour Cream

Betty Pretzer's AppleCoffee Cake with Sour Cream

The season of apples and cinnamon

“The long Salinas Valley was part of the exploitation. Adam had seen and studied a fine color broadside which set forth the valley as that region which heaven unsuccessfully imitated. After reading the literature, anyone who did not want to settle in the Salinas Valley was crazy.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Way back when (I am not divulging any dates) I worked for woman who loved to bake. She was single and new to the area so all her baking adventures were shared at the office. She was fiercely independent, having taken this new job, with a new company, in a new community. One of my favorite bosses had just been promoted and she took his place. And she arrived, a feminist in a male dominated workplace. We worked at a factory and I had been able to move from the warehouse to the accounting office. It was a lateral transfer but I no longer had to wear a hardhat or alternate working day and swing shift. We got off to a rocky start. She wanted me to take accounting classes, I resisted, she insisted. In the end she won and I took the classes. READ MORE . . .

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Pickled Red Onions

Pickled Red Onions

A Savory Opinion

“Because the day had been hot, Lee set a table outside under an oak tree, and as the sun neared the western mountains he padded back and forth from the kitchen, carrying the cold meats, pickles, potato salad, coconut cake, and a peach pie which were supper. In the center of the table he placed a giant stoneware pitcher of milk.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Onions, garlic and shallots are constant companions in the kitchen. My savory cooking would be very dull without assistance from alliums. Pickled Red Onions bring bright, fresh notes without much effort. Making a quick refrigerator pickle yields a huge boost of flavor from combining the savory notes of the onion with the zippy flavors of a pickle. All this amazing flavor without any fat or cooking. And they last for a week in the refrigerator. My favorite way to enjoy the Pickled Red Onions is on sandwiches, burgers, tacos and salads. Anything that needs a spark of flavor will benefit from the Pickled Red Onions. READ MORE . . .

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Eggplant Stacks with Buffalo Mozzarella

Eggplant Stacks with Buffalo Mozzarella

An opulent summer dinner

“The cattle lay drowsing all day long under the willows and only moved out at night to feed. An umber tone came to the grass. And the afternoon winds blowing inevitably down the valley started a dust that was like fog and raised it into the sky almost as high as the mountaintops.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Its still summer. If only it would last forever. But then juicy peaches and sweet corn would become mundane. Voluptuous tomatoes would be boring and perfectly regal eggplant might be ignored for the avalanche of winter squash and pumpkin that nudge us to the next season. Grab the last of summer’s finest and then welcome autumn. READ MORE . . .

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The Three R’s of Salad: Romaine, Red Leaf and Radicchio

Three R Salad: Romaine, Red Leaf & Radicchio

A favorite salad

“Later Samuel and Adam walked down the oak-shadowed road to the entrance of the draw where they could look out at the Salinas Valley. Will you stay to dinner? Adam asked.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Need another salad recipe? I promise this one is worth sharing, it’s become a favorite. This salad has it all– crunchy, sweet, tangy, salty, smooth and bitter. I find myself making it several times a month. Two of us pretty much eat the entire bowl. Sometimes there is enough left for my lunch the next day. Besides, I wouldn’t want anyone to think I live on sweets! READ MORE . . .