Golden Hill is Golden Once Again

 In 1905, the San Diego Union called Golden Hill "A thing of beauty and the pride of the hill."  In the early 2000's homes were run down, there was prostitutes roamed the streets, and poverty and drugs were everywhere.  Fast forward to today, and it's a whole different story.

First, a little history.  Initial development of Golden Hill began in January 1870, with large lots with ocean and downtown views for sale.  Architects like newly arrived Irving J. Gill, built numerous homes in the area.  At the time, it was called the La Jolla of downtown.  The architectural styles of homes included Victorian, Colonial revival, Craftsman and Farm House homes.  It's a small area, but it chock full of beautiful architecture.  

Golden Hill reminds one of an old fashioned neighborhood, where the butcher, the baker and candlestick maker all knew your name.  You visited the local grocery store almost daily, after all, it is just minutes from your home.  Restaurants, bar,  offices, and retail establishments are mixed right into the neighborhood.  

In talking to residents, I found they all loved living there.  They loved the small town feel, like a bygone era.  It's a mix of old and young, gay and straight, rich and poor.  They all seem to have one thing in common, though.  Everyone has a dog!  I hope you get a chance to drive thru or walk Golden Hill sometime soon.  It's a hidden treasure.

If you go, here are a few restaurant choices:  Counterpoint, Golden Hill Cafe, Kabob House, Influx, Turf Supper Club, Humberto's Taco Shop, and of course Pizzeria Luigi.

What Is A King Cake?

 I was at at Happy Hour at Solterra in Encinitas (which, by the way was fantastic), when someone mentioned a King Cake,  a New Orleans tradition.  I had never heard of it.  Kevin, an avid traveler, and bridge playing friend of mine, told us all about the king cake, so I had to research it's origins and find out more.  Here's what I now know.

The cake got it's start long, long ago.  Like in the Middle Ages!  King cakes were first made in Europe in celebration of the Catholic Epiphany.  It's a celebration of the day when th three wise men visited baby Jesus and showered him with gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  

The French brought the cake with them to Louisiana in the 1870's, where it became synonymous with the French Quarter, Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, and everything else New Orleans.  King cake is a seasonal cake, available in early January and then goes away Ash Wednesday.

The King Cake is a ring of sweet pastry that's covered in lots of icing and purple, yellow, and green sprinkles.  Green symbolizes faith, purple stands for power, and yellow represents justice.  Inside there's always a tiny plastic baby hidden.  

The plastic baby makes eating king cake more fun.  In fact, it's kind of a sport.  Everyone wants to find that little baby.  Whomever gets the slice with the baby is crowned king or queen for the day and is said to be one his or her way to a very good year.

You could make king cake, but it's easier just to buy.  It's available at many bakeries and grocery stores in the U.S, or you can even have it shipped straight to your front door, if you're really craving this super delicious Louisiana made treat.

What Is Your Greatest Fear?

 The Friday discussion group at Ocean Hills, expertly led by my friend Regina, is always a stimulating and provocative hour.  Our February meeting did not disappoint.  One of our long time members, Don, always has something thought provoking to begin the morning.  He posed the question, "What is your greatest fear?"  Everyone responded, which is highly unusual.

Don began the discussion with his lifelong fear of needles.  One woman had a fear of falling off a ledge, a fear she recognized while hiking years ago, and continues to this day.  Most people had the same fear.  "I don't want to become a burden on my husband or children.  I don't want to lose my independence."  This was far and away most people's greatest fear.  Globally, many mentioned they fear losing our democracy, or fear climate change destroying our planet.  Finally, there was one man who said he really didn't fear anything.  His father had survived the Stalin era in Russia, many people in his family had survived the Holocaust in Germany, and he did not fear anything.  I get it.

The most interesting thing about the question to me was this.  No one mentioned getting Covid or dying from Covid as their greatest fear.  I think a year ago many would have thought differently.

Composting Without Mess

 Many cities are now adding another  bin to the already three barrels that we put out for trash pickup each week.  It's a smaller bin, just for compost materials.  Separating trash is becoming quite a project.  I have heard, but don't have any evidence, that most trash ends up in the same place, even if it is separated.  I don't know if that's true or not.  What I do know is that many people have been composting for decades.  Discarded banana peels, egg shells, potato peel, and rotten veggies have been turned into nutrient rich soil for years.

However, many people find the idea of keeping kitchen scraps in a jar on your kitchen counter unthinkable.  I was watching a u tube the other day and an add came on for Lomi Composter.  It's a $500 piece of equipment, about the size of a toaster oven, that sits on your counter and turns your kitchen scraps into deep, dark soil.  I was impressed.  No smell, no mess.  Using a Lomi decreases your food footprint by 50%.  I am sure there are other similar products out there.  It's pricy, no doubt, but those of us who want to reduce our carbon footprint (and create some great soil for the garden in the process) it's an interesting product.  

Or, compost in the old fashioned way.  Have a pile in your yard, preferable behind the garage, which you keep adding to, mixing, etc., and in about 2 years you'll have some fabulous soil.  Unless you collect food scraps properly, you will end up with an ant problem.  Just ask Fran.  She collected kitchen garbage as the city of Solana Beach wanted, but ended up with ants!!!  Composting is a great idea, but it needs to be done efficiently, without creating smell, ants or rodents.  We certainly don't want that.

What To Do With Chia Seeds

 When you first think of chia seeds, you probably think of the Chia Pets that were so popular several decade ago.  But no, chia seeds are also a superfood.  They date back to the time of Aztecs and Mayans, but were forgotten until recently.

There are so many reasons to incorporate chia seeds into your diet.  They are a great source of fiber and omega 3 fatty acids, and they improve digestion.  One serving provides 20% of your daily calcium needs.  It also includes magnesium and other trace minerals.  Furthermore, it is easy to use.  It is a thickener that can be used in stews or soups or smoothies.  I like it best as a pudding.  Below is a simple chia seed recipe, that you can modify in a hundred different ways, depending on your taste.  I love it for breakfast.

                                                Easy Chia Pudding

2 Tablespoons chia seeds

1/2 cup milk (coconut, almond or cows milk)

1/8 tsp vanilla

1 teaspoon honey or other sweetner

Mix all ingredients together, stirring well to incorporate chia seeds into liquid, and make sure chia seeds don't clump.  Refrigerate for at least an hour, and stir several times to prevent seeds from clumping.  The seeds will absorb up to 8x their weight and will come gelatinous.

Toppings or layering:  You can layer the chia seeds with fruit in a clear glass jar for a beautiful presentation, or you can just have the pudding on the bottom and top with fruit and nuts of your choice.

Toppings I enjoy are strawberries, blueberries and bananas, slivered coconut, or chopped almonds.  Use your imagination and enjoy.

Barbara Shermund: Overlooked No More

 The New York Times  has a section called Overlooked No More, where from time to time they print stories about men and women who were not mentioned in their obituary section at the time of their death.

One such woman was Barbara Shermund.  Barbara was an artist and cartoonist during most of her life.  She was born in San Francisco in 1899.  She was the daughter of Henry, an architect, and Fredda, a sculptor.  She attended CFSA (California School of Fine Arts), where she studied painting and printmaking.  In her early 20's Shermund went to New York.  She found an apartment in a building that was once the childhood home of Dorothy Parker, who would become Shermund's peer at The New Yorker and in some ways her literary parallel.  She enrolled in drawing classes, before landing a job at The New Yorker.  Shermund found her voice as a cartoonist remarkably fast, and once started, she never looked back.  Her characters were alive and astute, and tapped into the first wave of feminism.  In all, she contributed almost six hundred cartoons, and 12 covers, to The New Yorker.  

The reason she was not recognized at her death was that at that time, New York newspapers were on strike, and no national obituary was published.  She died in 1978, at a nursing home in New Jersey, where she lived the last decades of her life drawing at her kitchen table and swimming in the channel across from her home.

What a History This Pot Must Have

 

This dutch oven is an antique.  Inside the top of the lid is printed "Patented Feb. 10, 1920.  Erie, Pa., USA."  In the very center it says Griswold.  That must be the manufacturerer.  The lid itself weighs over 5 pounds.  The pot itself must weigh another 5 pounds. 

 

Why am I even telling you all this?  Well, I'm doing alot of cooking lately, and I mentioned to my mom that I wanted to buy one of those beautiful Le Crueset Dutch Ovens.  She mentioned that she had an old cast iron one that had belonged to her mother.  Did I want to take it home and use it?  Of course I did.  I made this beautiful vegetarian minestrone soup.  It's got everything it it but the kitchen sink, and is it ever delicious.  

As I was cooking, I was thinking about where this pot has been for the past 100 years, and what kind of dishes might have been made in it.  I never knew my grandmother to cook anything, so wonder why she even had it.  It may have started in Texas, then gone to New York before landing in California.  It's fun to have something this old that belonged to family.

Quick And Easy Pho

 Pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup which usually takes hours to make.  The rich and savory beef broth mean hours of work.  Not so anymore.  You can follow this recipe for a quick and easy broth, which means a quick and easy pho.  Here's how to do it.  I know it sounds like a lot of ingredients.  It is, but once you have them all ready to go, it's easy.  

                                                  Quick and easy beef pho

2quarts beef stock (canned will work)

1 T. beef soup mix (Better than bouillon is great)

1 T. fish sauce

1 T. hoison sauce (more if desired)

4 scallions (sliced thinly on the bias)

1-2 T. soy sauce

2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin rounds

1 cinnamon stick

2 whole star anise pods

2 whole cloves

----------------------------------------

8 ounces thin rice noodles, cooked according to directions

8 ounces shave beef

1 c. bean sprouts, 1/2 c. mint leaves

1/2 c. cilantro leaves

1 jalapeno, sliced (optional) 

1 lime, cut into wedges

Bring the stock to a light simmer, and add all the above ingredients.  Add everything from above, and simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove all solids, leaving just the broth.  

Arrange the following in a large soup bowl: noodles, beef, bean sprouts.  Top with steaming hot soup.  The soup will cook the meat.  Top the soup with mint leaves, cilantro, jalapeno slices, and a lime wedge

This recipe serves 4 (or maybe more).  The beef is sliced thin, so you don't need much.  This soup is delicious and easy to make.

In The Mood For Italian? Try Via Vai

 I had a delightful surprise last Wednesday night when Phyllis and I went to dinner at the new Italian hotspot in Carlsbad, Via Vai.  Large portions, delicious food, and great service.

It's a family owned restaurant on State St, and I loved everything about it. First, the menu.  All the reugular items you would expect, like carcioti, paparadelle con agnello, salmone zafferano, caesar salad, lasagna, and tagiatelle vongole tartufate.  Second, the food.  I had a cream of cauliflower that was as smoothe as silk, with fried pancetta on top.  Divine.  I also had the polenta con agnello, polenta topped with a rich lamb ragu sauce.  Portion sizes were huge.  Phyllis had a chicken breast in a lemon caper sauce, with broccoli and carrots.  Phyllis took half of it home.  My advice, split everything.

Third and finally, service was efficient and friendly.  This is a great restaurant for anyone who wants to make their own dish.  Choose your past and choose for 6-8 different sauces.  Walk off your dinner by strolling around old Carlsbad after your meal.  I hope you can try Via Vai.

My Mouth Is Watering: La Banana Fruits

 I was having my nails done one day in the shopping center on Melrose Dr. in Vista where a well known restaurant, Nucci's Italian, is located.  Right next door to them, I noticed a sign that said, "Coming Soon, La Banana Fruits."  What could that be, I wondered?

La Banana Fruits is the brainchild of Sean and Laura Collins, who started the business in the back of a Chevron station in Vista several years ago.  They are now moving to a more visible location, a place everyone can see and enjoy.  I have to tell you that if the food is anywhere as good as the pictures, I will be there often.  My mouth is watering, just looking at the pictures.  Go to labananafruits.com and see all their creations.

Yes, they have fruit salad, acai bowls, sandwiches, tortas, smoothies, and fruit water.  I'm hoping that the restaurant will soon be open!  We need something like this:  fast, healthy and tasty food.  I can't wait to taste it.

2 Starbucks Stores Have Unionized. Will The Trend Continue?

 Two Starbucks stores in the Buffalo recently voted to unionized.  They want a bigger say in how things are done.  The move is led mostly by young barristas dissatisfied with working conditions.  Over 70% of Americans support the right to unionize, the highest level of support unionization has had since the 1960's.  

There are over 9,000 company owned Starbucks locations that could unionize.  At the moment 2 stores have unionized and another 30 have filed to unionize.  At several locations over the past few years Starbucks employees have picketed, citing poor working conditions during covid 19.

Some Starbucks workers point to the disparity between the salary of barristas, around $18 an hour, and the $20 million salary of the Starbucks CEO.

Will unionization of Starbucks hurt their bottom line?  Not anytime soon, as it takes over 400 days to go through the unionization process, thus many years to affect earnings.  Unionization will ultimately increase the cost of your latte, but don't workers have a right to a living wage, and some say in how they are treated?  I think they do.

Great Meal For Everyone

 I promise not to bore you with recipe after recipe, since I'm on WW now, but I just have to share this one, since it's a great meal for everyone!  I call it Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas.  It's a one pan dish that takes about 15 minutes to prepare, and just 25 minutes to cook.  The way I made it, it was a 2 point meal, plus tortillas, and my WW buddies Marilyn and Melanie gave me a tortilla brand that is only 1 point each for flour tortillas, so for 4 points you can have a satisfying, healthy meal.

                                                Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

1 lb. chicken tenders cut into 1 inch (or a little less) strips

1/2 yellow pepper cut in strips

1/2 red pepper cut in strips

1/2 orange pepper cut in strips

you can use bell pepper if you want, but I don't like it

1 onion, peeled and cut in wedges

1-2 tomatoes cut in wedges

Dry rub:  2 tsp oregano, 2 tsp chili powder (less if you don't like to spicy), 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika, salt and pepper to taste.  3 garlic cloves, minced.  Mix all together.

You want to coat the chicken and veggies with the dry rub mix.  I put them in a plastic bag, then add dry rub, and massage ingredients to coat.  You may need a little extra rub.

Place parchment paper on sheet pan, spray with olive oil spray.  Arrange coated chicken and veggies on the tray in single rows.  Add a little extra cumin on top and extra salt. 

Cook at 425 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. Top with chopped cilantro if desired., a   I serve in a large bowl or platter with warm flour tortillas and some salsa on the side.  Your family will never guess this is a WW meal.

Try La Banderita flour tortillas, 1 point each, available at Walmart, Target and Ralphs.