Ratatouille Video Filmed by Florence Paget reposted by Ruth Paget

Ratatouille (pronounced rah-tah-two-ee) is a French vegetable stew from southeastern France along the Riviera where Italian influence is strong.

My daughter Florence Paget cooked the ratatouille and filmed herself doing it using a stationery tripod with a camera.  I did a video of her serving it up at the end that Florence edited in at the end of the main video.

The video of Florence Paget making ratatouille from TikTok follows:

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTDgKNn2f/

Ratatouille makes great use of vegetables from the farmers’ market.

By Ruth Paget

-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe’s Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books

-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 8 Classical Western Civilization War Gamed

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

-creator of online exhibits about San Miguel Arcangel Mission, French baguette making, and the Carmel Valley History Center

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1900+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

Duck and Goose Seller Near Salinas (Gonzales), California by Ruth Paget

Metzer Farms, about 20 miles south of Salinas (California) sells ducks and geese.

Their website follows:

https://www.metzerfarms.com/?srsltid=AfmBOorf7jVfQLDJB4L4iSRhT1yKKxhAhRoVKiwgpxYpiRqpnt7bKUO5

Happy Shopping!

By Ruth Paget

Apple Harvest is in at Nob Hill in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

Apple Harvest is in for Nob Hill - Raley’s members in Salinas, California.

This week’s Raley’s members e-mail lists Modi apples selling $1.47 per pound today (8-25-2026).

Apples can be sliced up to go on cheese and charcuterie boards, made into apple sauce, and baked with duck or goose to soak up fat to make some delectable bites.  (You can do this with pears, too.)  Roast pork loin with apples is another fall and winter dish that tastes great.

By Ruth Paget

-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe’s Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books

-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 8 Classical Western Civilization War Games

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

-creator of online exhibits about San Miguel Arcangel Mission, French baguette making, and the Carmel Valley History Center

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1900+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

Pear Harvest is in at Nob Hill in Salinas, California

The Members price at Nob Hill - Raley’s for Bartlett, Bosc, and Red pears is $1.47 per pound beginning today (8-25-2026) at Nob Hill in Salinas, California.

You can slice pears for cheese and charcuterie boards, make them into a sauce like apple sauce, or poach them in red wine for a Monterey Wine Country treat.  There is a Spanish dish called oca con peras (goose with pears) that is a roadt goose with quartered pears that is a great fall and winter dish.

By Ruth Paget

-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks,Marrying France, and Europe’s Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books

-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 8 Classical Western Civilization War Games

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

-creator of online exhibits about San Miguel Arcangel Mission, French baguette making, and the Carmel Valley History Center

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1900+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

Watermelon Harvest is in at Nob Hill by Ruth Paget

Nob Hill has three large crates of locally grown watermelons on sale for $5.99 each for Nob Hill - Raley’s Members advertised today (8-25-2026) in front of the Salinas, California store.

This deal also went out in the members weekly deals e-mail, so there are many more in stock.

Watermelon lovers know this is great food for making weekend summer meals special.

By Ruth Paget

-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe’s Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books

-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 8 Classical Western Civilization War Games

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

-creator of online exhibits about San Miguel Arcangel Mission, French baguette making, and the Carmel Valley History Center

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1900+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

Sunday Stroll at the Barnyard Shopping Centet in Carmel, California by Ruth Paget

Sunday Stroll at the Barnyard Shopping Center in Carmel, California by Ruth Paget

My husband Laurent and I have expanded our weekend stroll options to include the Barnyard in Carmel, California.

Early on the weekend, there is plenty of parking and two spots open for coffee and pastries.

We like the Lafayette Bakerry for latte and baguettes.  There is also a Bagel Bakery open for business in the nearby Crossroads Shopping Center.

The path through the Barnyard Shopping Center is beautifully landscaped.  Using the Google lens app, you can identify plants and flowers and then write about them in your journal or on your blog.  This is a great place for selfies with foliage photos.

On the way home, you can stop by BevMo for any alcoholic beverage needs for lunch.  On our last visit, we bought two bottles of Ket brand Cosmopolitan martinis.

Enjoy strolling at the Barnyard Shopping Center in Carmel, California!

By Ruth Paget

-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe’s Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other books

-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 8 Classical Western Civilization War Games

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

-creator of online exhibits about San Miguel Arcangel Mission, French baguette making, and the Carmel Valley History Center

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1900+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

Ideas from UChicago’s Library-Community Day reposted by Ruth Paget

The University of Chicago Library-Community Day is a little far away from Salinas and Monterey, California, but there might be some ideas in the press release below for Californians like zine making and digital archiving workshops:

https://events.uchicago.edu/event/269154-uchicago-library-community-day-open-house-and

Reposted by Ruth Paget

-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe’s Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books

-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 8 Classical Western Civilization Games

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

-creator of online exhibits about San Miguel Arcangel Mission, French baguette making, and the Carmel Valley History Center

-creator of French travel and culture blogs

-writer of 1900+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games