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Whole Wheat Rolls with Tomato Pesto

Whole Wheat Rolls with tomato Pesto

A Glimpse of Summer

“It was very warm for March, and the kite wind blew steadily from the south and turned up the silver undersides of the leaves.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

I found out where summer is hiding. It’s such a small thing but I am ecstatic! You can catch me buying greenhouse grown tomatoes during the winter. I just can’t help myself. I miss the robust flavor of fresh tomatoes in salads and most of all the sweet intensity of roasted tomatoes. At the grocery store I noticed a packet of sun dried tomatoes–just tomatoes, in a package similar to dried fruit. I peered in the small clear window to inspect the contents and then gave the package a hearty squeeze. The tomatoes were soft and a bright sunny red. I couldn’t believe I’d uncovered a glimpse of summer hiding at the grocery store! READ MORE . . .

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Whole Wheat Bread with Radicchio

Radicchio bread

Radicchio di Chioggia

“The departure of six carloads of lettuce packed in ice was given a civic overtone. The Chamber of Commerce attended the departure. The cars were decorated with big posters which said, ‘Salinas Valley Lettuce’. But no one wanted to invest in the project.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

In East of Eden John Steinbeck writes about the Salinas Valley before it became known as the “Lettuce Bowl of the World”. Transporting the bounty of the Valley across the United States began in earnest in the late 1920’s with rail cars filled with lettuce packed in ice. Now trucks move an ever growing variety of produce from the Valley to it’s destination. Like lettuce, radicchio thrives in the Mediterranean like climate of the Salinas Valley. I wanted to learn more about the crisp, bright, maroon chicory that is grown locally by Royal Rose Radicchio. Emily Lyons, Marketing Manager at Royal Rose Radicchio graciously gave Athena and me a tour of a Salinas radicchio field. READ MORE . . .