Seven Seas Soup Seafood Tourism in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

Seven Seas Soup Seafood Tourism in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget 

Over the years, I have tried and really enjoyed eating seven seas soup (caldo siete mares) at neighborhood restaurants in Salinas and Monterey County. 

Seven seas soup is a tasty seafood tourism food for staycations and on the road trips. Its tomato-based broth usually come with shrimp, crab legs, scallops, octopus, mussels, clams, and white sea fish to make up seven items for the seven seas soup.

Chicago restaurateur and anthropologist Rick Bayless uses fewer seafood items in his seven seas soup, but makes a great broth. I have included his recipe for the soup below: 

https://www.rickbayless.com/recipe/steaming-seafood-or-chicken-or-vegetable-caldo/#:~:text=A%20caldo%20in%20Mexico%20is%20a%20soul%2Dsatisfying,seven%20seas%20soup/stew%2C%20that's%20so%20popular%20on

There are five places listed for seven seas soup in Salinas online which I have listed below: 

-Mariscos El Kora 

-Phil’s Fish Market (This might be a special there, so call to make sure it is on the menu.) 

-El Zacatecano 

-Mariscos Puerto Nuevo 

-La Casa del Sazón 

Online delivery services usually have a pick-up option, if you want to sample some seafood tourism close to home to brighten up winter. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Cheese Enchiladas for Flavor and Maybe Catering at Super Pollo in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

Cheese Enchiladas for Flavor and Maybe Catering at Super Pollo in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget 

Cheese enchiladas, one of my favorite Tex-Mex dishes, is also what I consider a great catering dish for small dinner parties, office meetings, and team events for several reasons: 

-you can count the enchiladas out so everyone gets a fair share

-enchiladas can be made with either corn or flour tortillas (flour tortillas are made with lard whereas corn is sticky enough itself to hold a tortilla together) 

-enchiladas can be baked in a tray and served buffet style or plated up at a dining venue 

-enchiladas can be made with a variety of melting cheeses or with meat 

-the dried chiles used to make the sauce in cheese enchiladas can be mild or spicy and contains vitamin c

-cheese and peppers are both plentiful in California because they are produced here, which keeps purchasing costs down 

-cheese has both calcium and protein in it 

-Spanish rice is the usual side dish for cheese enchiladas. Rice is a grain that grows in California, which also keeps production prices down on cheese enchiladas 

-Spanish rice is usually made with chicken broth and tomato juice with a few whole jalapeño peppers added. This rice has protein, Vitamin C, antioxidants, and carbohydrates for energy 

I like the cheese enchiladas at Super Pollo and think they could make them as catering items with advance notice. Interested diners could try them first for take-out for 6 to 8 diners to test flavors and presentation before asking about catering. 

Super Pollo’s cheese enchilada combination seems similar to the recipe for them in The Best Mexican Recipes by America’s Test Kitchen (the test kitchen is in Boston). 

The sauce makes the dish. The sauce is made with stemmed and seeded dried ancho peppers that are toasted with cumin before being ground into a powder. This powder is added to salt and spices with chicken broth added that reduces the sauce to thick brick red. 

Some of this sauce is placed on the bottom of the baking dish. America’s Test Kitchen warms flour tortillas in a microwave. You can also do this with corn tortillas, but they crack easily so you need to be careful wrapping the corn tortillas around grated cheese. 

The cheese-filled wrapped tortillas are placed seam-side down on the baking dish. Sauce is spooned over the tortillas. Grated cheese is sprinkled on top of the tortillas before baking. 

When the cheese enchiladas are done, chopped scallions are placed on top of the enchiladas before serving. 

Spanish rice made with chicken broth, tomato juice, and maybe some whole jalapeño peppers is the side with hot sauces served in small dispenser cups. 

Cheese enchiladas with Spanish rice are inexpensive to make, easy to prepare and serve, and very healthy in terms of protein, calcium, Vitamin C, and antioxidants. The salt used has iodine in it I assume as well.

 i understand how Texas is Football Nation with a great catering dish like cheese enchiladas to serve player and everyone involved in making football games a profitable venture. 

Personally, I am a fan of the cheese enchiladas at Super Pollo in Salinas, California and think anyone involved with having to organized catering might want to try this dish. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Saint Patrick’s Day Books from UChicago Press reposted by Ruth Paget

The University of Chicago Press has put together a list of books about Irish history for Saint Patrick’s Day that the University of Chicago Press has published.

The list of books with their link follows:

https://t.e2ma.net/message/fh5tvi/vl7y5aok

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Quarter 1 Sales Drivers for Salinas and Monterey County by Ruth Paget

Quarter 1 Sales Drivers for Salinas and Surrounding Monterey County by Ruth Paget 

Quarter 1 (Q!) sales between January 1 and March 31 are typically considered a dry period for sales after the Christmas season and before the end of tax season. 

However, there are some ongoing and monthly events that can generate money from regional tourism. Regional tourists from Silicon Valley and the Bay Area can arrive in Salinas and Monterey County via car, train, bus, and commuter air flights from San Francisco. Day trips and weekend trips are areas for expansion. 

Also, Salinas can profit from drive-through tourism by business people going from southern California to northern California. 

Ongoing Tourism Events: 

*seafood tourism – 

Rainy, cold weather is good for seafood fishing and the perfect backdrop for seafood tourism. Maine has snow and sleet and a healthy seafood tourism industry. You can check tourism figures during winter months for Maine to see the magnitude of this tourism industry.   

Salinas can pair seafood tourism with whale watching tours in Monterey as a mini winter vacation.  Another pairing for seafood tourism is spa tourism or a visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

*spa recharge tourism – 

This lucrative industry could be expanded to one-day or weekend tourists, especially for students in sustainable tourism, tourism workers, restaurant workers, and drivers in addition to traditional markets. 

*Northridge Mall Farmers Market on Wednesday nights – 

This market has 100+ food trucks and food stalls. Make sure that everything sells to Salinas and the surrounding regions. Reservations on food items managed with QR codes and Apple Pay might expand the number of people served and speed up the payment process so there are no lines.  Expanded product sales might include spa products and potted herbs. (Part of agritourism - Portland, Oregon is famous for its market)

*Natividad Farmers Market on Wednesday morning and afternoon

Located on Constitution Boulevard. See remarks above about the Northridge Market. This market sometimes has cooking demonstrations. (Part of agritourism - Portland, Oregon is famous for its market)

*Main Street Farmers Market on Saturday mornings – 

This market is well developed, but might also benefit from using a reservation pick-up system for food truck items similar to the one I described above. (Part of agritourism - Portland, Oregon is famous for its market)

*Salinas Valley Health Market on Friday mornings and afternoons -

See remarks on markets above (Part of agritourism - Portland, Oregon is famous for its market)

*Mall Shopping Tourism -

Salinas has malls with large parking lots so parking is typically not a hassle here even on busy weekends 

*Restaurant Tourism -

Restaurants in Salinas have outstanding organic produce, meat, and fish to work with. All our restaurants should be top-notch within their food category. Websites should all include parking options in their directions descriptions even if people tend to uber there. 

*Fashion Industry, Perfume, Make-Up, and Accessory Sales -

Clearance sales to make way for spring and summer collections in fashion, make-up, perfume, and accessories usually happen in January and run till everything is sold. Individuals can also go through their clothes and sell designer items at consignment shops or online. 

Donations of old clothing to non-profit organizations can sometimes be written off taxes as well.  You can stock up on Christmas gifts at a reasonable price January through March. This is a good time to buy winter coats like Burlingame (there is a store in Gilroy), sweaters (check out Kohl’s in Salinas), and winter boots.

*Family Reunion and Genealogical Tourism -

Many families hold reunions in upscale restaurants with good photo opportunities.  Family members might include hotel stays, tourism outings, and visits to grave yards as part of their reunions.  Florists and photographers might be part of the tourism sale for a family reunion.

*Wedding Tourism -

Wedding and honeymoon travel are available in one spot in Monterey County.

*24/7 Salinas Traveler’s Services

24-Hour Pharmacies, gas stations, restaurants, and car maintenance facilities are on the following blog I put together:

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2026/03/247-salinas-california-by-ruth-paget.html?m=1

*Little League Sports Tourism -

Visiting teams often eat in restaurants and stay overnight in hotels.

*Alumni Club Discounts / Organization Discounts for Staycation Tourism -

Saving money on purchasing a needed item is money earned too - Check if your alumni clubs or organizations have discounts for members on items like grills, televisions, refrigerators, stoves, microwaves, and dishwashers, if you need to replace these items.  Also, many alumni clubs have discounts at JC Penney for family holiday photos.

*Join Airline, Rental Car, and Hotel Loyalty Point Programs and keep track of points for use on weekend vacations

*Join loyalty programs for upscale restaurant chains like Landry’s and plan travel around memorable meals to save money on dining out and travel. Chart House in Monterey is a Landry Restaurant. (McCormick and Schmick’s is an upscale seafood chain.  Check it out when traveling.)

*Recycle cans, plastic bottles, and glass

You can recycle these items in the parking lot of Star Market at the yellow recycling truck for cash.

*Sign up for car dealer club mailing lists

BMW in Seaside has one.  Learn about new models and any sales.  Year-end purchases can sometimes be discounted.  Read Consumer Reports magazine from library to study car options as well.

*Use Rewards Points at Starbucks

Get bags of coffee for use on the weekend.

*Look into any corporate gifts to be made like chocolate from Ghirardelli or See’s for birthdays or team meetings

*Set up corporate accounts for deli ordering at Costco and other supermarkets 

*Before subscribing to magazines, see if your local library has an online version of it.  You can spend money saved on a local newspaper subscription.

*Think of reading e-books 

Online books are sometimes less expensive than paper copies.  Check out this option to save money.

*T-shirts for family reunions, sporting events, corporate events, and class reunions

Get orders for these items in early

*Ticket Sales for Spring and Other Seasonal Events can Start in January for events such as the following:

-season tickets for the Western Stage at Hartnell College 

-season tickets for Ariel Theatrical the children’s theater 

-Rodeo tickets 

-Salinas Air Show tickets 

-Ferrari Challenge tickets 

-Bach Festival

-Concorso Italiano

-Concours d’Elegance

-Planetarium tickets at Hartnell College 

-Pro-Am Golf Tournament Tickets (held in February)

-season tickets to classical music events like Bach Fest, the Symphony, and Chamber Music of Monterey 

-season passes to the Monterey Museum of Art

-Steinbeck Center 

-Steinbeck House Restaurant Reservations 

-Shakespeare Santa Cruz

Once tickets are sold, people tend to make hotel and restaurant reservations.

Events that can generate sales for restaurants, grocery stores, books, and movie downloads by month for restaurant and at-home celebrations include: 

*January 

-New Year’s Day (January 1) 

-Martin Luther King Day (January 18) 

*February

-Chandeleur (February 2) 

-Mardi Gras (February 17)

-Lent (40 days before Easter. Food products to be eaten include fish, seafood, dairy, vegetables, and legumes but no meat related products) 

-Valentine’s Day (February 14) 

-President’s Day (February 15) 

-Chinese New Year’s and Vietnamese Têt – two-week celebration in February 

-Super Bowl Watching Parties – various venues 

*March 

-Tulip viewing and purchasing at Earthbound Farms - 

See my blog below for information on the history and cultivation of tulips:

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2026/03/tulip-tourism-outside-salinas-at.html?m=1

-Saint Patrick’s Day (March 17) - 

See my blog below for a home-based celebration:

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2026/03/saint-patricks-day-recipes-and-cultural.html?m=1

-ComicCon Salinas held in Spreckels at the end of March 

For ticket information, see my blog below:

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2026/03/comiccon-salinas-is-march-22-2026-in.html?m=1

*Planted Flower Sales -

Flowers grow from inexpensive seeds and command high prices when potted and sold at markets.  This is a nice gig job, if you have a warm, sunny yard to grow plants and a buyer who will sell them. Herbs are a favorite for cooks.

*Landscaping Trimmings Sales

The wood in these trimmings might be able to be recycled into paper products.

These cultural and educational events and seasonal items are what I would like to see sold to 100% capacity. With a little planning, I think this 100% sale of cultural and educational events can be a realistic goal. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Tulip Tourism Outside Salinas at Earthbound Farm Stand in Carmel Valley, California by Ruth Paget

Tulip Tourism Outside Salinas at the Earthbound Farm Stand in Carmel Valley, California by Ruth Paget 

While scrolling through my TikTok feed, I saw some posts about the You Pick Tulip Days at Earthbound Farm Stand in Carmel Valley, California. 

My husband Laurent, daughter Florence Paget, and I all thought this would be a nice family outing for the weekend and set out on a warm Sunday morning for Earthbound Farm Stand. 

I have put together a blog round up about tulip tourism for bouquet gatherers wanting more information. 

Earthbound Farm Stand’s Instagram has the best souvenir photo of tulip days, which I have provided a link for below: 

https://www.instagram.com/p/DUWFm4PD_ny/

Earthbound was packed with diners when we arrived at 9:30 am. People wanted their coffee and baked goods before heading out to snip their bouquets. We would pick up some food after visiting the tulip garden. 

Earthbound Farm Stand naturally offers some great organic salads on its menu, which I have provided a link to below:

https://www.earthboundfarm.com/recipe-category/mains/

Tulips are most commonly viewed as a cultivated flower from the Netherlands. However, they are a wild plant that originally grew in the mountains of Central Asia. The Turks cultivated the tulip before it was introduced to Europe in the 16th century. At one time, tulips even became part of a speculation frenzy called tulipomania. 

The following blogs go into more detail on the history and cultivation of tulips:

*Tulip origins – Amsterdam Tulip Museum 

https://amsterdamtulipmuseum.com/blogs/tulip-facts/where-did-tulips-originate

*Tulip history and cultivation 

https://www.sarahraven.com/articles/the-history-of-the-tulip?srsltid=AfmBOopi3XWXQHCZaj1aVanKcLFW1x9gXT0g8F7fIzhhDdsmbcfPRx3M

*Tulipomania – fact https://www.history.com/articles/tulip-mania-financial-crash-holland

The tulip season is approaching its end in mid-March, so you might want to call and make sure they are still blooming at the Earthbound Farm Stand. 15 tulips currently cost $35. The tulip field is open 9 am to 3 pm from Wednesday to Sunday.

After photographing tulips and visiting the tulip field, Florence bought a turkey club sandwich and a greeting card with a line drawing of the Earthbound Farm Stand by Margaret Schaller. 

I like it that Salinas and Monterey County have no shortage of flowers like tulips or artists. 

Note: I grew up in Michigan, which honors Dutch culture, especially tulips, in its town of Holland, whose website follows:

https://www.holland.org/things-to-do/dutch-experiences/

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

UChicago Year of Games 2026 Still Going Strong reposted by Ruth Paget

The 2026 Year of Games at the University of Chicago is still going strong, including a visit to the Gygax House in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin where the game Dungeons and Dragons was born several decades ago.

For a calendar of events, lectures, and exhibits, click on the following link for the Year of Games at the University of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois:

https://mailchi.mp/uchicago.edu/subject-line-5865619?e=cef015051e

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Vincent performed by Shakespeare Santa Cruz April 24 - May 10, 2026

Shakespeare Santa Cruz is performing Vincent, a one-act play, from April 24 - May 10, 2026 in Danta Cruz, California about the life of Vincent van Gogh as told by his brother Theo.

Ticket information and play details follow:

https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/santa-cruz-shakespeare/vincent

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games