East of Eden Cooking

2014/05/272017/12/31

Thirst Quenching Lemon, Mint and Cucumber Water

The Steinbeck Festival, Tour of Hamilton Ranch

“I must depend on hearsay, on old photographs, on stories told, and on memories which are hazy and mixed with fable in trying to tell you about the Hamiltons. ”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

The annual Steinbeck Festival is held in Salinas each year. I try to attend at least one event that grows my Steinbeck knowledge. Even better is a learning experience that includes local history and the novel, East of Eden. This year a tour of the Hamilton Ranch in King City was an event I didn’t want to miss. Susan Shillinglaw, a local Steinbeck scholar and author was our tour guide. READ MORE . . .

2014/05/192014/05/19

Low Fat Granola Clusters with Almonds, Coconut and Strawberries

Whole Grain Goodness

“The stove was warming, with orange light showing around the lids and the soft thunder of drafty flame leaping past the open damper. The kitchen clock flashed its pendulum behind its glass skirt, and it ticked like a little wooden hammer striking on an empty wooden box.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Granola with fresh fruit is a terrific way to begin the day. Whole grain goodness to power through the morning with hints of sweetness to wake our sleepy minds. Add just enough seasonal fresh fruit and we are seduced into a moment of daydreaming before we begin our day. Granola with quality ingredients can be made at home for a fraction of the cost of store-bought and perhaps best of all it requires no prep time on busy mornings. A batch can quickly be made on the weekend and it will last through a week of breakfasts for a family. READ MORE . . .

2014/04/282014/04/28

Homemade Dog Treats

Finding Zeus

“Suddenly he knew joy and sorrow felted into one fabric. Courage and fear were one thing too.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Like so many of my neighborhood adventures, it began on my morning walk. With a bag of foraged lemons nestled over my shoulder I found myself smiling at a large black dog across the street from me. The woman with him acknowledged me and we both kept walking. At one point, she thought I had spoken to her and she invited me over to meet the dog. I started to learn about Zeus. He was a Chow-Chow, four months post-rescue from the local animal shelter. He had been surrendered to be euthanized. Covered in sores and malnourished, Zeus had been living in the dirt under a shed for all of his ten years. Denice told me he was adoptable through Animal Friends Rescue Project. She was a volunteer in the program and Zeus was the 21st dog she was rehabilitating. I returned home and went about my day. Only later did I find Zeus on the AFRP website and emailed his photo to Mr. R and picky daughter. READ MORE . . .

2014/04/14

Easter Eggs

The Kitchen Table

“When we were children we lived in a story that we made up. But when I grew up the story wasn’t enough. I had to have something else, because the story wasn’t true anymore.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Our kitchen table top was made from packing crates. Covered with a plastic cloth patterned to match the seasons it is the table my mom still uses. My dad was in the Army and we had returned to the states after his tour of Austria and Italy. There were six inexpensive chairs purchased in Italy but there was no kitchen table. Sitting on my dad’s lap I banged my knees on the huge gray trunks that held up the makeshift tabletop before he added four proper legs at the wood shop at Fort Bragg. So much has happened around that kitchen table, the history of our family is embedded in every piece of scrap wood. READ MORE . . .

2014/04/07

Chocolate Cake with Candied Kumquats

Discovering Kumquats

“There are no ugly questions except those clothed in condescension.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

If the classic flavor pairing of orange and chocolate elicits the desire to start baking, this is the cake to make. The cake is moist and chocolatey with thunder showers of orangey kumquat and cloud bursts of creamy white chocolate. Crowned with a powdered sugar glaze and candied kumquats this loaf cake makes for a sublime citrus and chocolate experience. READ MORE . . .