Nepenthe Restaurant, Big Sur

Nepenthe Restaurant veranda, south facing 

Another local blog writer recommends a list of must-dos in her book, including "Share a truffle omelette with your lover."   While I admire this writer for her sophisticated and worldly food experiences, I am a more at home type of gal.  However, spending New Year's Eve locally isn't without its own rich experiences.  Big Sur is home to a world class marathon course, a bohemian/hippie aesthetic, and gorgeous scenery no matter how you sophisticated (or unsophisticated) the visitor.

Ambrosia Burger, half basket of fries

Today I enjoyed a late lunch at Nepenthe Restaurant, an icon in Big Sur. If you only eat once at Nepenthe, be sure to sit on the veranda to maximize your pleasure of the breathtaking views.  If the scenery doesn't take your breath away, the price of a burger might......but no matter.  The well known Ambrosia burger is worth it, particularly if you have it Angus-style (that is, the way staff member Angus orders it: with blue cheese).  So, with a nod to more acclaimed bloggers, add this on your to do list in Monterey County:  Share an Ambrosia burger with your best friend. 

Nepenthe Restaurant veranda, west facing

New Year's Eve Eve Party, English Ales Brewery, Marina

Available on tap, in bottles, and to go.

Not for the faint of heart or hearing,  English Ales Brewery hosted a New Year's Eve Eve party with all night happy hour prices and a karaoke machine.  English Ales Brewery, locally and  family owned,  has supply accounts all over the peninsula and beyond. If you are a beer drinker and out and about,  look for their beers on tap or in bottles (see link).  My favorite is Fat Lip Amber Ale (pictured), but you will also find names like 1066 Pale Ale, Dragon Slayer IPA, Big Sur Golden, and Monterey Bay Wheat.  Corkscrew Ale commemorates the track at nearby Laguna Seca Raceways and satisfies mightily after a long day of bird watching.  Home brewers find English Ale bottles desirable for re-bottling their own brews since the labels come off easily.  Also interesting is the little menu of Hoang's Delights found tucked back in the booth.  If you don't feel like standard pub fare, order dumplings created on the premises by their chefs (according to our server, they are all Vietnamese).

Need another reason to visit?  English Ales Brewery is a strong supporter of CASA of Monterey County and other local agencies.  If you haven't purchased a calendar for 2011 yet, check out the Ladies of English Ales version, all proceeds of which support Salinas Animal Services.  Stay tuned for a behind the scenes tour.   This neighborhood bar is not high brow, but you'll be drawn in the minute a regular sees you coming and invites you to sing.  Um.........no.

Phil's Fish Market

Artichoke Provencale, Squid Platter, Fat Lip Amber Ale

While on vacation, I cherish my lazy, lazy days.  At long last I had one of those days today, so you can imagine that it took a lot for me to get out of bed and emerge from my cocoon on a blustery winter day.  The motivation: lunch at Phil's Fish Market.  What can I say?  I am easily swayed by food.  My favorite on the menu: Artichoke Provençal.  Once a special taped onto the bottom of the menu, this garlicy, brothy soup includes scallops, shrimp, tomatoes, and (of course) a Castroville artichoke.  I always order this when at Phil's, and whomever I'm with usually does, too.  Here it is, along with the squid platter ordered (ahem) for "research purposes."  And new news to me: Phil's now serves English Ales on tap, locally brewed in Marina.

Andrew Molera State Park and Big Sur Coastline

Hello readers, and sorry for the lapse in posts.   Localite started a new job and went back to school.  To atone, here are some photos from a recent hike in Andrew Molera State Park and the drive home.  Though I grew up in Monterey County, this was my first trip to the home of the oldest structure on the Big Sur coast and Molera Point.  Enjoy!

Molera Point

Molera Point

Looking out from Bixby Bridge

Marine Mammals in the Bay

It's been an exciting summer around the Monterey Bay for those interested in viewing marine life.  In June a once in a decade sighting of over forty blue whales made the local news and brought an influx of business to Fisherman's Wharf and local whale watching businesses.  For a link to whale watching tours, see right.  If you prefer to stay on land, you can view the whales localite-style by parking outside Pt.Lobos State Reserve and hiking in with a pair of binoculars.Then yesterday the Monterey Bay Aquarium announced that a baby sea otter is now being rehabilitated- the second such in the Aquarium's history.  Even a local has to smile as the pup seems to wave from her photo.  Everyone say it with me: "Awwww!"

Monterey Bay Aquarium, Randy Wilder

Beef!

My summer vacation was punctuated today by a long awaited event: The first pick up of my grassfed beef.  Some months ago, I recruited a friend to share a split half of a grassfed steer from nearby San Juan Bautista.  To read more about Morris Grassfed Beef, please click here.

We decided to split a split half, which means that over the course of a year we will each have about 40 pounds of meat.  We chose to get ours CSA-style, which means that instead of picking it all up at once, we will also pick up in September, November and February.

My 10 pounds share of today's pick up is: five one pound packages of ground beef, two rib eyes steaks, one flank steak, one New York steak and one skirt steak.  Also, you can see how little space ten pounds of meat takes up in a standard freezer (bottom shelf).

Bottom shelf center and left: Morris Grassfed Beef, CSA share

More to come on cooking!

First Harvest

Cherries: The Ephemeral Fruit

Highway 152, Gilroy

This weekend is the mid-point of May and with it comes the chilly summer fog and the start of the cherry season.  Traditionally Memorial Day marks the start of summer, but locally these are the hallmarks of the change in season.

I had occasion to drive over to the valley this weekend, and driving back over Pacheco Pass I was greeted by seasonal cherry stands lining the side of the roads in Gilroy.  I can remember roadside cherry stands all the way back to when I was very little due to the fact that the South Bay Area was once a stone fruit and nut going region.  I was understandably nostalgic when I saw the hand painted signs for the cherry stands with names like The Pit Stop, Nature's Gift and The Merry Cherry.

The Merry Cherry got my business because they cater to someone exactly like me.  Retuning from a long, hot drive up the valley, I was pulled in by strategically placed signs.  The first stand started me thinking "Look, a cherry stand," but traveling at 60 miles an hour I didn't have time to slow and pull over.  No matter, for just when I started to regret the missed opportunity, along came another Merry Cherry!  And so the moment of merriment when I pulled over.  I almost felt lucky to have the opportunity to be there.

Bing and Rainier cherries

Bing cherries are the most common and popular cherries, but also in season are rainier cherries, which the seller told me are also called "Queen Anne."  Yellow in color with a pink blush, these cherries are less sweet than bings.  But hurry, the cherry season is short and late rains such as we've had recently have been known to ruin a ripe crop.  It's also important to eat them quickly, for left on the counter cherries mold fog and in the refrigerator they lost their fresh flavor like tomatoes.

Whole Enchilada Marketplace, Moss Landing

Yesterday my carefully planned Saturday fell apart..but no matter.  Suckered in by the loss leader sign for 10 artichokes for a dollar, I discovered the Whole Enchilada Marketplace on Highway 1 in Moss Landing.

I knew from driving by that there was a Surf City Coffee.  Hooray for local rather than national corporate chains.  A wander into the produce stall took me back to childhood memories with the smell of dried fruit.  Inside the Marketplace is a casual, happy place.  Not pretentious or stuffy, the Driftwood Beer and Wine Bar is partitioned off for alcohol consumption.  The "Bar" is decorated with signs from local Northern California professional teams: San Jose Sharks, San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders and the San Francisco Giants.  There is a big screen t.v., should your team be playing while you're there.  On Fridays and Saturdays, there are wine and beer tastings, and the shelves feature many local Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Luis Obispo County wines at reasonable prices.

In addition to the friendly staff and casual environment, the deli menu has the most charm.  Boasting a good variety of freshly made bread, meat and cheese, someone stopping by for a quick sandwich is sure to be content.  But those open to exploring the specialty sandwiches are in for a great surprise.  I decided to have the "Power Plant," a tri-tip sandwich with chipotle mayonnaise.  The portion was good and the saucy zingy without being too hot.  The other feature was the "Crabby Attitude" made of crab, tartar sauce, avocado, lettuce, tomato and red onion, which I will try on my next visit.  The menu features paninis, hot food and smoothies, too.

If you're in a mood for some casual, local fun and a snack, drink or meal, stop by The Whole Enchilada Marketplace just south of the Power Plant on Highway 1.  Need to get a hold of them first?  Call them at (831)632-BOAT or fax at (831)632-CRAB.

Fava Beans: The It Vegetable

Family, friends and colleagues can all attest that I am not a morning person.  However, there are a few things that can motivate me to rise with an alarm set on a weekend morning.  This morning was a good example: the first Sunday of the Del Monte Farmers Market.  Having just finished reading In the Green Kitchen by Alice Waters, I sprang out of bed with an alacrity reserved for Christmas morning as a five year old.

The Sunday Del Monte Market is small and lacks most of the street fair ambiance that you might find on a Tuesday in Downtown Monterey.  I was perhaps a bit ambitious in my plans to cook this week, but my take included: basil (Genovese and Thai), green beans, strawberries, blueberries, beets, asparagus, cucumbers and fava beans.  Other items for sale included: lemons, nuts, plants, cut flowers, eggs, greens, carrots, mushrooms, tomatoes, beef...you get the idea.  Though this market is small, I can find almost everything I need.  And because it is sponsored by Whole Foods Market, its easy to find the rest.

I like to ask the vendors where their wares are grown.  I was pleasantly surprised to learn that my strawberries and blueberries came from Moss Landing while the asparagus was grown in Gonzales. I casually asked the vendor of the fava beans how she cooks them, and she suddenly gave me her family recipe, all in narrative.  Another, older couple eagerly filled a bag of fava beans as I listened.  Next, a woman next to me commented that all of her Italian relative ate them, but called them broad beans,   Before long a crowd of people gathered around the table and they were gone.....who knew that fava beans would become the it vegetable of the week?

Now it is Sunday evening, and the strawberries are long gone...organic strawberries languish quickly, so it is best to indulge and eat them all in one sitting.  The basil is a bit droopy, but stored in a glass of water on the counter it is making a nice comeback.  And those fava beans...

Hang Out Like a Localite

Just a few blocks from my home is a happy hang out.  Esteban Restaurant is located in the Casa Munras, a hotel named after the last Spanish diplomat to California.  Esteban stands out from the plethora of restaurant options in Monterey with its tapas style menu, contemporary setting and attentive customer service.

Many of my friends have special food needs or preferences; Esteban works out because friends allergic to nuts, shell fish and wheat can all find something not only suitable but tasty from an extensive small plates menu.  Vegetarians have more than one choice, too.  The menu is also fairly diversified in price, which makes it a good place for friends to hang out whatever their nightly allowance might be.

I'm the sort of person who sticks to menu favorites.  If I've returned to a local restaurant, it is usually because I really liked whatever I ate before.  At Esteban, I'm not locked into ordering one particular entree, so I'm more comfortable with taking a risk on something new.  On my most recent visit, I had a link of chorizo on mashed potatoes with roasted peppers and the Monterey Bay seafood stew.  I have to admit, I was suspicious of the later which I thought was a gimmicky tourist trap.  Fortunately, a friend ordered it first and it turned out to be delightful- not at all chowder in a bread bowl, but a clear broth with a good portion of vegetables and seafood.  And, through absolutely no cunning on my part, the friend who ordered it first happened to be allergic to wheat so I got twice the toast with garlicky aioli.  I enjoyed the chorizo, too.  It had a gamey taste that was a little atypical but good.  But then again, I've never met a sausage I didn't like.

Esteban is not the only restaurant in town that features small plates, but it is the only place where I've dared to try an unusual cocktail.  Just this week I scorned a house guest who plopped an ice cube in his glass of white wine.  Tonight I ordered Calimoxta, a dubious mixture of red wine and cola served over ice.  I had heard that it is enjoyed by the gallons in the Basque region and now I understand why.  Sometimes it is worth trying something new, even if it means eating a little crow.

On last reason to try Esteban is the patio with fire pit and heaters.  This is a great draw for those of us who enjoy a fire but lack fireplaces at home.  I recommend plenty of warm layers though- I regretted not having worn my Uggs. If you haven't discovered Esteban yet, move it to the top of your list and let me know how you like it.  You'll know me by my drink.

Sea Otter Population Still Declining

While walking in Carmel Meadows today, I thought I saw an otter swimming around in the surf.  Chances are that if you think you see one, you probably do.  Tourists and other visitors to the area tend to get excited when spotting otters and other marine mammals, but locals often find them ordinary.  Yet after hearing a story in the evening news, I was prompted to learn more.

Did you know?

• Sea otters are in decline—it’s more important than ever to act on their behalf.
  
• Sea otters are a keystone species—protections afforded otters have a disproportionate benefit on surrounding ecosystems
  
• Kelp forests are extremely important in protecting the coast from coastal erosion and the impacts of big waves and storms, making them important for adaptation to climate change. 

Bullets courtesy of The Otter Project.  For more information, see the linked website to right.

Garrapata State Park

Food Changes

Not everyone can brag that she has a mother who can butcher an animal. I, in fact, can. This piece of information came to light recently as family and friends brainstormed (over a few drinks) solutions to the deer problem plaguing my dad's organic garden. My dad can also shear a sheep, but that's just showing off.

I grew up in Prunedale, sometimes called "Prunetucky" by those not lucky enough to have grown up there. My parents, refugees of the Bay Area traffic, moved to their house in 1981 presumably to live a better life than suburbia could offer. And yes, my parents are of "that" generation: they're baby boomers and my dad went to Berkeley in during "those" years. So now you know why he has an organic garden, and you start to understand why my mom can butcher an animal.

As a kid I didn't really appreciate the fact that most of our food came from our own home. At one point we had lambs, chickens, pigs, goats and rabbits all of which sourced our family of table of 6. I remember trips to nearby Watsonville for boxes of apples and canning tomatoes and jam in the hot August days of school vacation. And very little of it is unpleasant memory, except perhaps the slaughter of the lambs and the smell of just eviscerated chicken. I suspect that one experience in particular was the root cause of one brother's decision to become vegan.

All this homesteading was possible because my mom stayed at home during those years. As the four of us kids went through school, Mom eventually went back to work and we started buying more and more of our food. This was about the time that classmates at my private school started snickering and making Prunetucky jokes, so I was a little relieved to be a little less "weird."

Trends are swinging back to making food at home. Last summer I spent several days making homemade jam, which I don't even like to eat. It is such a pleasure to make something from scratch and to give it away. More groups of people are starting to become aware of where their food comes from and are discovering alternatives such a meat cooperatives and CSA programs. And I have to mention Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, a show that premiered last week. America is becoming more and more aware of its food options and the impact of choices on our economy and environment. The Central Coast is a great place to try it out.

At my local farmers market, I can buy: produce of all kinds, beef, fish, eggs, cut flowers, baked goods, olive oil, sausages, orchids and other house and yard plants. Last week I spent $4.50 at my local farmers market and bought a beautifully fragrant basket of strawberries, a head of garlic and a bunch of rainbow Swiss chard. All that goodness still rang in cheaper than my typical fast food run. More importantly, my small purchase was a big personal step for me. I recently was diagnosed with prediabetes, that ominous scourge of health problems that is unfortunately becoming wide spread in America. And I am determined to halt it in its tracks and reverse its path. This means not only understanding and valuing all the food alternatives but actually embracing them and taking action. And not just joining a gym, but going....to exercise, not just sit in the sauna. Right. Working on that one!

My other big step was to order a portion of a grassfed steer. For some time I have been considering this option, but only recently has the time been right to take action. Morris Grassfed Beef is raised just north of the Monterey Peninsula, in the hills of San Juan Bautista. At the time that I discovered it, I was looking for places to buy individual cuts of meat. I love the idea of supporting a local rancher who considers stewardship of the land as important as profit. Grassfed beef is also a healthier food product. In this scenario, you buy a steer, or a portion of one, and it is processed for you. You pick it up all bundled into neat butcher packages ready to enjoy. You don't have to witness the slaughtering and butchering, but you get a locally grown, healthy meat at very reasonable price.

As a family of 1, this scenario just didn't fit my lifestyle. I have neither the freezer space nor the capacity to eat 80 pounds of beef....and I do love beef! But, this year there is a CSA style option which limits your take to one third three times a year- a much better option for people like me who don't have an extra freezer or a lot of mouths to feed. A friend of mine is a perfect partner to share a split half. Our individual cost will end up being around $300 for 40 pounds of grassfed beef.

Shopping for food this way is a huge change, even for someone like me who grew up understanding where food comes from. Most of all, the wait from now until the first pick up seems like ages away (July). But, in a life where fast food and convenience have already taken a huge toll it seems well worth it. What food changes (no matter how small) are you willing to make?

And as for the deer...what deer?

Local Farmers Markets

I am lucky enough to live in a nexus of food options. I went to college in the Midwest and remember staring at an orange transported from Florida thinking: "It should be orange, not yellow." Here in the proximity of the Monterey Bay, Salinas Valley and Santa Cruz mountains we have access to a plethora of fresh, locally grown food. It can be dangerous, however. If you get used to eating local, organic and fresh food, it can make you a down right produce snob.

These days we are all budget minded, and many people are reconsidering the higher cost of organic food. There are so many good reasons to shop at a farmers market; in doing so you support local farmers and small businesses, keep your money local, and reduce the impact of pesticides and fossil fuel consumption on the environment. For me, the selling point is the freshness. I am always overwhelmed and soothed by the aroma of the produce as I get near the vendors' tables. The bright variety of colors excite something deep in my brain, some evolutionary urge to gather that doesn't surface when I am in the aisle of a refrigerated supermarket aisle.

I believe strongly in the value of voting with your dollar and go out of my way to support local businesses. However, I feel a touch of guilt eating expensive food knowing that there are so many who don't get enough. There are many families right here in our local communities who don't have enough food, let alone fresh food. A local school official told me that it costs more to provide a child with a piece of fresh fruit than it does an entree in our local school cafeterias. I was encouraged, though, to learn that he had negotiated a contract to buy local Watsonville apples to replace ones shipped from Washington State at a cost savings. I also recently learned that families who use food stamps are able to shop at some of our local farmers markets using that resource. The Chronic Disease Specialists at the Monterey County Department of Health do a good job educating the community about that option through their Champions for Change program. I also consider the loss of money that inevitably comes from throwing away tasteless, conventional produce that has languished in my refrigerator drawer. Farmers market finds rarely last more than an day or two, so if I am careful not to over buy, the cost ends up about the same. In the end I consume more produce and enjoy the produce.

There are farmers markets held just about every day of the week in our different Central Coast communities. To find one near you, see: http://www.montereybayfarmers.org/. I prefer the Thursday market at Monterey Peninsula College which has plenty of parking and lack of carnival atmosphere. Families with small children and tourists from out of town tend to frequent the Downtown Monterey market on Tuesday afternoon, though for me its allure is the restaurant vendors. It's a good place to meet friends with eclectic tastes because everyone can find something he or she likes. From May through October, the Sunday morning market held at Del Monte Center is more convenient for me. No matter where you live or visit, you're sure to find one convenient and enjoyable.

Spring at Point Lobos State Reserve

Western Bluebird of Happiness

More than once I have caught myself embroiled in a self-pity party. Human? Yes. Productive? Not so sure. Here is the odd thing, though. I swear, I am being followed by a bluebird.

I don't mean a bird whose color is blue. On the Monterey Peninsula that would likely be a Stellar's Jay or a Scrub Jay, both of which are fairly common species to see. I mean a Western Bluebird. Western Bluebirds are commonly seen in the CSUMB/former Ft. Ord area, but are rarely seen on the Peninsula, according to my local expert birding friend.

The first time a Western Bluebird interrupted my moment of discouragement was months ago. My workplace has a lot of birds, but mostly Canadian geese, pigeons and gulls. At that particular moment, I remember staring blankly out of my office window and then suddenly realizing that I was focused on a Western Bluebird who had perched on a parking lot sign. It you are lucky enough to see a Western Bluebird, you might be stunned at how spectacular its coloring is. I certainly was, though my co-workers only understood my glee enough to make bluebird of happiness comments.

Today's encounter was eerily like the first. I was walking outside an office near downtown Monterey and had just come from a very long meeting which had been proceeded by a very disappointing email. Just to make sure you can imagine my mood, think about the storm clouds that graced us with their presence today. Got it? Multiply by ten. That's how I felt inside. About a second later I was stunned to see a gorgeous Western Bluebird perched right in my path. Call me crazy, but I swear that bird was posing for me as I dropped my folders and tried to get a picture with my iPhone. Unfortunately, you can't really identify it as a Western Bluebird from the picture posted above. I'm including it anyway just so I can prove that it was there.

Ration and probability suggest that likely the two birds I saw on the two separate occasions are not the same individual bird. Then again, ration would suggest that I am not being followed by a Western Bluebird of Happiness. Here's the thing that I find intriguing: bluebirds are associated with positive sentiments and are deeply rooted symbols in American, Asian and European culture. Isn't it odd that twice one should cross my path just when I needed it? Personally, I am open to messages from the Universe telling me to stop the self pity and get on with life.

Primroses

I feel badly complaining that I have the winter blues. Some parts of the country are blanketed with snow, while we on the Central Coast are not even waterlogged with rain. But I feel them anyway, perhaps because of the short days. This is normal for me, and I find that getting a daily dose of natural light and fresh air helps a lot.

In anticipation of Spring, I am usually one of the first people buying tulip, daffodil and hyacinth bulbs in September. Though they don't even need to be planted for months around here, simply having them brings me a sense of security and anticipation. I've even purchased them when I didn't have a place to plant them. I'm a little less sorry to see the holiday season pass when I know that January brings with it a new start in the garden. Once I've recycled my holiday wreath, I turn to those carefully stored bulbs and spend a happy weekend afternoon re-filling pots with soil and pressing them into their chilly new homes. It's good for me and everyone around me.

Except for this year. I completely forgot to buy bulbs this year. I can't even remember why I was too busy or distracted, I'm just sure that I was.

Like a student who has suddenly realized she has an important homework assignment due, I considered quick solutions: Drive to local gardening centers and nurseries hoping to scrounge a few together? Pay a premium price for bulbs already forced in pots? Sneak into a neighbor's yard and hijack a few? The second two possibilities seemed a little too unsavory, so I went with the first. My attempts were deeply disappointing. Finally, I conceded that it was too late for tulips.

Happily, January gardening holds an alternative for those of us starved for blooms: primroses. Neither prim nor a rose, these happy plants brighten the gloomiest of days with their bold colors and are tough enough to take the coldest temperatures we have on the Central Coast. They even re-bloom through out the Winter if you pinch off the spent blossoms and protect them from snails. As an added bonus, they attract hummingbirds with their shape.

On one of my recent trips to a local garden shop, a small sign reading "In the midst of chaos lies creativity" caught my eye. Perhaps I missed the tulips due to chaos, but I haven't lost my creativity. Primroses are not as sexy or elegant as tulips, but they get the job done if a hint of Spring is what you're after.

Unexpected Harvest

At the beginning of 2009, I had a vision for the year. Not a resolution exactly, but more like a creative inspiration. Books like Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver, Camille Kingsolver and Steven L. Hopp and Edible School Yard: A Universal Idea by Alice Waters inspired me as I perused seed catalogs and contemplated wire cages versus stakes. When I traveled, I made it a point to seek out seeds not available in my area. By the hundreds (yes hundreds) I started seeds indoors, faithfully taking them out each day for sun and bringing them in each night to protect them from late frost. I asked others which varieties grew best for them. I started seeds for friends who don't even garden and pushed off tomato seedlings like kittens from an unexpected litter. In short, I was going to be a tomato goddess.

The Salinas Valley is sometimes referred to as the "Salad Bowl of the World." If this figurative salad is homegrown, it may or may not contain tomatoes, depending upon where on the Central Coast you live. One of the features of living on the Monterey Peninsula that makes it so amenable is its microclimates. The diversity in microclimates means that there is a location for many different tastes. I, for example, really like to see the sun and happily my home situated in a little sun belt. It was this sunbelt location that made me think I could grow tomatoes, despite my home's location so near the ocean.

Early Girl encouraged my Dad. San Francisco Fog suggested a colleague. By the time Spring Break came about, I fretted about leaving on vacation because my plants might suffer. In September my dad inspected my plants which had grown to impressive heights, blossomed and set fruit yet not yielded a single ripe tomato. "Hold back on the watering" was his only suggestion. Later that month I broke down and accompanied friends to a tomato U-pick event at Mariquita Farm, just to satisfy my craving for that bright, happy flavor.

By October I gave in, regularly buying dry farmed Early Girl tomatoes from a local Farmers' Market. I was only slightly consoled when the vendor assured me that 2009 had been horrendous for tomatoes. Perhaps my dearth of homegrown tomatoes wasn't karma from that botany degree I earned but never really used. I used her comment as permission to neglect my own plants. After all, season's end was coming.

One of the things that locals on the Central Coast can feel revel in is the opportunity to be sleeveless during the Winter holiday season. Sure we get frost and rain, but it is pretty common to see locals in their shirtsleeves and flip flops among the bundled up tourists in places like Cannery Row. I once lived in Minnesota, and after growing up here I will never take flip flops in December for granted again.

On January 1st I paused and surveyed the effect of the neglect that set in during the Fall. At first glance my yard looked like a graveyard of dried tomato plants with withered leaves and bent stalks. A closer look however revealed a surprise. The unexpected harvest was just a small handful of ugly, tiny tomatoes with exactly the flavor I had hoped for a Winter earlier. True, it wasn't the harvest I expected, but it was there, even after I had given up hope.

Was 2009 less than the year you envisioned as the calendar rolled over from 2008? Were you, like me, able to mine some small solace from an otherwise less than stellar reality? If so, you are not alone. Regardless, Happy New Year to you and all the unexpected yields that are to come.