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Pascale’s Kitchen

Pascale Beale is a remarkable person & if you don’t know about her YOU SHOULD!
She is a 9X cookbook author, food photographer & stylist.
Born in England, spent her summers in France. Great cook, baker & friend-
Her books are full of great recipes & photos & make a perfect gift-
I bought them ALL!
Pascale sells Ojai Habanero Apricot Jam in her gift sets & singles online!

Check out her online shop HERE
Her fabulous cookbooks are HERE

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Bobs Well Bread at the Ballard Store

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional location for Bobs Well Bread in Ballard, CA!!
Opens Thursday, October 1, 2020
The “Ballard Store” and “Ballard Store Restaurant” were at this location
many years ago-

If you’re heading up to sip wine on the Santa Ynez Valley Wine Trail be sure to follow the delicious aroma wafting from Bobs Well Bread at his new location-
If you haven’t tried his breads, pastries, meals… you haven’t lived! 
Ballard was founded in 1880. 
Ballard is the smallest and oldest community in the Santa Ynez Valley

PS You’ll also find Ojai Jelly here!

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Field + Fort


2580 Lillie Avenue Summerland, CA. (805) 770-7897                                          Great restaurant & shop!
“To-Go” orders & safe pick up during Covid.
You’ll find Ojai Habanero Apricot Jam on the menu, as well as for sale in the shop!      photo credit: Field + Fort

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ojai Jalapeno Jelly, Apricot Habanero Jam, and Habanero Jelly stacked on a table outdoors

photo credit: Amber Dolyak (805) 245-1274

 

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Santa Barbara Chowder Fest

The event was very well attended- it was a classic early-fall day & fun was had by all!
Here are the results;

3rd Annual Chowder Fest
OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE crowned Santa Barbara Chowder Champ!

Winners of Clam Chowder Category:

1st – Outback Steakhouse
2nd – Chuck’s Waterfront Grill
3rd – FortunFoods

Winners of the Creative Category:

1st – Scarlett Begonia
2nd – Boathouse a Hendry’s Beach
3rd – Museum Café

Winner of the People’s Choice award – Chuck’s Waterfront Grill
______________________________________________

IMHO;
The Clam Chowder from Four Seasons Hotel was FANTASTIC
Their display was made up of black stone & seaweed.
Chowder samples were served in shells- AMAZING
Delicious!  & I don’t usually like chowder!
________________________________________

Please join us this Sunday @ the Montecito Country Club
Great Chowder, wine, beer & Ojai Jelly!
Cat Cora’s Judging- just sayin…
Details here

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Albondigas Soup with Ojai Habanero Jelly Meatballs

made by Kathleen Nolan Ojai, CA.

Meatballs

2 lbs. Ground Sirloin Beef, have butcher grind it fresh
1 c. rice, uncooked
1 t. salt
1 t. cumin
2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled & chopped
1 egg

Mix ground beef, rice, cumin, salt, garlic & egg. Form into three-inch balls, then hollow out a spot in the center to insert about 2 t. Ojai Habanero Jelly.  Close over jelly center & form into a ball again & set aside.
These may be chilled while preparing the soup.

Soup
In a deep saucepan with 2-3 T. olive oil, saute the following until al dente:

6 stocks celery, finely chopped
3 yellow onions, chopped
1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped
6 large carrots, sliced diagonally
2 c. green beans, cut into one-inch pieces
2 T. fresh oregano, finely minced
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced

Add 3 quarts chicken broth to the above mix, stir & bring to a boil.
Turn down broth mixture to a low simmer & add meatballs.  Simmer low for
20 minutes.

Ladle soup broth into individual soup bowls; each bowl should have one large meatball.

Garnish
Sour cream
Ojai Habanero Jelly
Cilantro, minced

Place 1 t. sour cream on the meatball, and then add to the top of that a dollop of
Ojai Habanero Jelly.  Sprinkle lightly with finely minced cilantro.

enjoy!

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Albondigas Soup History

 

 

Grandma Books Playful Side (in the middle)

This photo was taken with the Ventura Pier in the background, on this happy afternoon…
Kathleen’s Grandmother Books is in the middle of this playful trio-
It was she that had a telltale hand in forming Kathleen’s cooking skills, the legend behind the
infamous Albondigas Soup!

Grandma Books side of the family originated in Spain.
The family maintains records that date back to the late 1700’s-
A number of Kathleen’s family members were married and baptized in the beautiful,
historic Santa Barbara Mission.
One family member wed at the historic Presidio in downtown Santa Barbara, CA.

Thank you Kathleen Nolan of Ojai California for your enthusiasm & CONGRATULATIONS!
You won the first annual Green Day Recipe Contest-

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Mexican Avocado-Cauliflower Soup

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Nuevo Vallarta, near Puerto Vallarta, I recently tried a tasty, warm Avocado Soup-
It was delicious and just what I needed after fishing.
I decided to try making it, but I wanted it to have cauliflower and a few other things thrown in.
I’ll try to remember what I did…

In a large Dutch Oven, over low to medium heat;

1/4 c. olive oil
3 cloves garlic (“Dorot“, frozen garlic)
1 medium onion, cut up to fit in liquid, but don’t fuss, it will be blended later
1/3 – 1/2 beer of choice
1 large carrot, cut
2 celery stalks, cut
1 T. salt
1 T. pepper
1 T. cumin
4-6 c. low sodium chicken broth

1 small head organic cauliflower, cut
4 Haas avocado’s (reserve 1/3 avocado for garnish)

1 c. buttermilk
juice of one lemon (reserve zest)

Garnish

1 c. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 c. goat yogurt (or sour cream)
dash of cayenne (mix into goat yogurt)
avocado, sliced
pinch of lemon zest

Saute the garlic in olive oil, add the onion, until it gets golden to dark brown, but not burnt-
Once it’s sticking to the bottom of the Dutch Oven, add about 1/3- 1/2 of a beer.  Cook with the kind you like so you have an excuse to drink it-
Next, add in the carrots, celery & spices & cook for about 5 minutes; until tender, but not brown.
Stir in broth, cover & cook for about 7 minutes.
Add in the cauliflower last, cover and cook for another 3-5 minutes (you don’t want it mushy).
Remove Dutch Oven from heat and let cool for a spell, it will be easier to handle for the next step.

In your Cuisinart or blender;

Put in one avocado at a time and fill the blender up with soup mixture, to about the 3/4 mark.  Blend well.
Pour the blended mixture into a clean big soup pot or another Dutch Oven.
Continue doing this until all 4 avocado’s and soup mixture are blended.
Add buttermilk to the big pot, taste & add more spices if needed.  Heat thoroughly.  Add lemon juice & stir.

For the garnish mix;
Plain goat yogurt (or sour cream)
pinch of cayenne pepper

Garnish each guests bowl with;
a line of cheese
a sprig of parsley (or cilantro)
a dash of “Tajin” (or paprika, or a few drops of chili oil)
slice of avocado
pinch of lemon zest

enjoy!

 

 

 

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Minestrone Soup

This evening I had the pleasure of visiting Randy Graham (Valley Vegetarian), & his lovely wife Robin-
We shared stories of food & travel & when I was about to leave, Robin went into her backyard garden & picked a fennel root for me to take home.  I considered slicing it paper thin &  making a fresh salad with it, but Robin suggested Minestrone Soup- so I dashed home & made Minestrone Soup for the first time & it was delicious-

5 T. olive oil
7 garlic cloves- peeled, minced
1 1/2 c. Guinness Extra Stout
1 large red potato- peeled, sliced thin lengthwise (microwave for about 2 minutes)
salt & pepper to taste
2 c. tomato sauce (I always have a stash in the frig. of homemade burnt butter sage spaghetti sauce)
1 can of white beans- rinsed
1″ diameter angel hair pasta- (I break it into 2″ bits for easy cooking)
1 c. broccoli- chopped well
1 c. carrots- cut in circles
1 c. anise root- cut into bite size pieces
Asiago Cheese
Dinner Rolls

Add a dash of salt & pepper.  Turn off the heat & let rest for about 5 minutes.  Garnish with finely grated Asiago cheese & serve with wholegrain or sourdough dinner rolls.  I served this soup with Jalapeño Brioché & it was tasty-

enjoy!

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Guinness Extra Stout Onion-Potato Soup

On Saint Patrick’s Day I pulled out a pint o’ Guinness Extra Stout & knew I had to create something with it- it was still too early to start drinking…

I just needed an excuse to open it- Here’s what I made & it was delicious, & perfect for this cold rainstorm we’re having

On the stove-top, in a Dutch oven:
3 T. of olive oil (I use il Fustino’s extra virgin Arbequina olive oil)
I large brown onion- cut into rings- cook until tender & brown

As the onions get their color, add about 1/3 cup *Mediterranean Dukkah
2 T. Colman’s Mustard (dry)
Salt & Pepper
5 small Purple Heirloom potatoes -cut into bite size pieces
2 or 3 medium size Yukon Golds- cut into bite size pieces
Add about 4 cups vegetable broth
Almost a pint of Guinness Extra Stout (be sure to sample the Guinness before, after, & during use, to improve your overall mood in the kitchen)

Let this mixture cook slowly in the Dutch oven for most of the day. Occasionally stir & taste to check flavor.
Just before serving I add about 1 cup of milk & stir.  Dish it up into serving bowls & garnish with a paper-thin slice of Blarney Castle Cheese, a dollop of sour-cream, & a sprinkle of finely minced purple onion.

Best served with a hardy homemade bread-

enjoy!

*Mediterranean Dukkah is made by Santa Barbara Seasonings & available @ il Fustino-