East of Eden Cooking

2012/03/182017/12/26

Macarons

Macaron Day and Love Apple Farms

“A gardener had trimmed the ancient roses, planted geraniums, laid out the vegetable flat, and brought the living spring in little channels to wander back and forth through the garden.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

March 20 is Macaron Day. It began in Paris with la Maison Pierre Herme and now is celebrated in other metropolitan cities around the world. March 20 would be a very good day to visit Paris or New York where samples of macarons are shared with customers to raise contributions for charity. With macarons having their own special holiday and being heralded “as the new cupcake” I had to try making some of my own at home. I tried making the iconic French macaron by following a recipe. I had read so many blog posts regarding what was needed for success; I was dizzy with conflicting information. I chose the French method and dove in. Some of my macs cracked and some were missing their poor little feet or “pied”. They took almost two hours to dry before baking. It was a sensational #fail. I put the little almond meringue puffs in a pretty bowl and pondered my baking techniques. I was pleasantly surprised as the bowl was emptied that evening. My family wanted to know what the fuss was all about. “They tasted great, why worry about what they looked like?” Oh boy, I had some educating to do. At the dinner table iPhones were used as vehicles for macaron research. This group of Californians now knows the difference between macaroon and macaron. I was ready to master making macarons and so was Athena. We decided it was time to learn from the master, Pim Techamuanvivt of chezpim.com by taking a class at Love Apple Farms, just north of Santa Cruz. Love Apple Farm is a working farm that supplies Manresa Restaurant with produce, honey, eggs and goat milk for chef David Kinch’s renowned menu based on their local, seasonal ingredients. Love Apple Farms also holds a diverse variety of classes and other events. READ MORE . . .

2012/02/232017/12/26

Grapefruit Cake with Olive Oil and Walnuts

A Visit to Mission Olive Oil

“And then came the holidays—Natividad, the Nativity; Nacimiente, the Birth; Soledad, the Solitude.

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

With an abundance of press swirling around the authenticity of the olive oil available for purchase at our grocery stores I was prompted to learn more about olive oil produced locally. Mission Olive Oil is located in Soledad, California, a half hour drive south from Salinas. Athena and I drove right past the olive grove on the way to Lemovaro Ranch just a few weeks earlier. We met Maria Maldonado, who with her husband own Mission Olive Oil and manage the olive grove which is located on the property of Mission Nuestra Senora de la Soledad, or Mission Soledad. A portion of the olive harvest is returned to the Diocese of Monterey for church sacraments, while the balance is bottled for Mission Olive Oil. Once harvested, the olives are transported to Templeton for pressing and bottling. The grove of Mission Olive trees is harvested late season, usually in November which insures a smooth buttery oil suitable for cooking or baking. This small grove of Mission Olives produces a limited amount of olive oil that is sold in local grocery stores and specialty stores or directly on-line from Mission Olive Oil. READ MORE . . .

2012/02/142017/12/26

A Lemon Orchard and Lemon Pudding Cakes

Lisbon Lemons in the Salinas Valley

“A few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas river drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green. The water is warm too, for it has slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight before reaching the narrow pool. On one side of the river the golden foothill slopes curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan mountains, but on the valley side the water is lined with trees—willows fresh and green with every spring, carrying in their lower leaf junctures the debris of the winter’s flooding; and sycamores with mottles, white, recumbent limbs and branches that arch over the pond.”

Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Although I have lived in Monterey County, California most of my life I had no idea lemons were grown just a half hour drive from my home until last year. Lettuce, strawberries, broccoli, cauliflower, artichokes, celery, tomatoes, wines grapes of these I knew, but lemons? I very much wanted to learn more. I contacted Brokaw Ranches and Nursery home office in Ventura and inquired about a tour of their Lemoravo Ranch located locally in Monterey County. Brokaw Nursery LLC began Lemoravo Ranch in the early seventies. The lemons are grown and harvested year round for Sunkist. Kirk Williams, whose father Jim is one of the founding partners of Brokaw Nursery offered to give Athena and me a tour of the lemon orchard near the city of Soledad. Lemoravo Ranch is nestled in an alluvial plain, in the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains. We drove south from Salinas along Highway 101 until we passed the city of Soledad and then headed west past Mission Soledad to the ranch. When we first met Kirk we didn’t know what to expect; there wasn’t a lemon tree in sight. It was only when we drove up into the Santa Lucia foothills that we saw the magnificent lemon orchard and surrounding vineyards. Perched above the valley floor, the 400 acre lemon orchard at Lemoravo Ranch affords a view east, across the valley to the Gabilan Mountains and the Salinas Valley agricultural fields and cities below. The view was just as spectacular and refreshing as the lemon trees full of Lisbon lemons ready to harvest in January. READ MORE . . .

2012/02/052017/12/26

Chocolate Craters filled with Nutella and Hazelnuts

freshly-baked chocolate craters filled with warm Nutella and nuts

Magnificent Nutella

“Even as a little girl she hungered for learning as a child does for cookies in the late afternoon.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

World Nutella Day, February 5th, was looming on the horizon. Nutella is a chocolate hazelnut spread with a cult like following that shows no sign of slowing. If I ever needed inspiration to bake so soon after the holidays, this was it. And what a scrumptious excuse it was. Searching for that sublime balance of hazelnut and chocolate in a cookie first led me down a path of too much chocolate and then I returned to the charming balance of hazelnuts with chocolate. If you like Nutella, these cookies will be a delight. READ MORE . . .

2012/01/162017/12/26

Winter Kiwi Harvest & A Cake

A Glorious Harvest

“On a winter evening Adam looked up from his account book. It’s nice in California, he said. It’s nice in the winter. And you can raise anything there.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Kiwi harvest time in California is December. Who knew? Kiwis are grown locally north of Santa Cruz along the coast at Swanton Farms. Athena, her daughter, Mr. R and I set off to discover how kiwis are grown and harvested. We drove north along the coast highway past Santa Cruz and stopped at Swanton Berry Farm’s main location to inquire about their kiwi harvest. It was the first week in December with sunflowers in full bloom, and strawberries still being harvested. The morning was clear and bright with promise of a glorious sunny December afternoon. It’s quite enchanting; the Pacific Ocean is on one side of the two lane highway and Swanton Farm is on the other. We drove north along the coast for another ten minutes arriving at the kiwi farm. With a borrowed Red Flyer wagon loaded with harvesting buckets we set out for the kiwi orchard walking past oak trees covered in moss and naked berry vines, gone dormant for the winter. With curious anticipation we walked up the hill to the kiwi orchard seeing rows of well manicured vines hidden under a blanket of dense broad leaves. Ducking under the canopy of leaves we entered another world carpeted with giant kiwi leaves still moist from the coastal fog. The thick gnarled kiwi trunks twisted up and across the trellis making a roof for us to duck under. At first we didn’t see the kiwi fruit. As we became accustomed to the light in the tunnel of vines we saw the fuzzy brown orbs dangling in clusters like huge grapes, just waiting for us to pick. READ MORE . . .