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Sunday, June 29, 2025

Vietnamese Hue Soup at Chopstix in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

Vietnamese Hue Beef and Pork Soup at Chopstix in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget 

Hue is the ancient capital of Vietnam located in the center of the country. Hue soup at Chopstix in Salinas, California located at the Northridge Mall captures imperial grandeur with first-rate, organic ingredients. (Monterey County grows organic, Asian produce as part of its 200+ vegetables and fruit offered for sale.) 

The Hue soup that I tried on a recent delivery order comes with three generous slices each of roast beef and pork roast. You place these slices of meal over cold vermicelli rice noodles in the delivery bowl provided that also contains bean sprouts, sliced lettuce, Thai basil, cilantro, jalapeño peppers, and lemon wedges for squeezing over everything. 

The beef bone broth you pour over these items is already spicy, but I like to add a little sriracha for extra vitamin C. 

The meat in the Hue soup was tender and flavorful and tasted light with all the vegetables and herbs. 

Diners who like meat will probably appreciate Hue soup at Chopstix in Salinas, California for flavor, texture, and citrus flavor from the freshly squeezed lemon juice. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


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Enchiladas de Mole al Fogòn at Hay's Place in Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget

Enchiladas de Mole al Fogón at Hay’s Place in Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget 

One of my family’s treat outings is an afternoon lunch at the open air cantina Hay’s Place in Pebble Beach, California overlooking the Pacific Ocean. 

The food at Hay’s Place is traditional and contemporary Mexican. The last time my husband Laurent, daughter Florence Paget, and I went for lunch, we began with smashed guacamole and yellow and blue corn chips. The guacamole was really a salad with tomato chunks, chopped onion, and chopped cilantro smashed with avocado and mixed with lime juice. This is a delicious combination for nibbling on while great dishes come from the kitchen. 

As my main dish, I ordered Enchiladas de Mole al Fogón. For this dish, soft corn tortillas encircle chicken strips cooked with poblano chiles, corn kernals, and warm and melted Oaxacan cheese, which is like mozzarella. 

The mole sauce is a specialty of Puebla, Mexico. It is a savory chocolate sauce mixed with chile peppers and spices. The mole sauce goes of top of the enchiladas (3 of them) and around them on the heated plate from the hearth, the fogón. Toasted sesame seeds are sprinkled on everything. 

As garnishes, Hay’s Places serves mild feta-like cotija cheese on top of the enchiladas along with red pickled onion slices and avocado slices. This dishes looks and tastes very good. Cotija cheese comes from Michoacán, Mexico. 

Black beans and Spanish rice accompany this scrumptious dish. Everything seemed to go very well with the horchata, a Mexican rice and milk drink topped with cinnamon that I ordered to go with this meal. Horchata is non-alcoholic and nice for designated drivers. 

The view, ambience, and delicious Mexican food at Hay’s Place in Pebble Beach, California make it a nice place for a relaxed lunch while touring 17-Mile Drive. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


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Saturday, June 28, 2025

Sliders and Kopi Luwak Coffee at the InterContinental Mark Hopkins in San Francisco, California by Ruth Paget

Sliders and Kopi Luwak Coffee at the InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco, California by Ruth Paget 

On a weekend trip to San Francisco (California), my husband Laurent, daughter Florence Paget, and I stayed at the InterContinental Mark Hopkins hotel atop Nob Hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean. 

The Hopkins is famous for its bar named The Top of the Mark that has a 360-degree view over San Francisco. 

My daughter’s corner suite had a view on the Transamerica Building that was lit up in white at night with the Salesforce Tower gleaming in blue steel light next to it. 

I ordered in-room service to admire the sunset and night view under a movie star chandelier. The Top of the Mark provides room service dining on Saturday nights. 

I ordered California slider mini burgers filled with anise and apricot glazed short rib meat, cilantro, jalapeño peppers, and garlic aioli. 

The California sliders were delectable and very different from the White Castle sliders I would eat with my friends from the University of Chicago on our forays into Chicagoland suburbs to learn about where the Democratic Machine obtained some of its money. 

At breakfast the next day, I ordered the All American Breakfast with poached eggs, thick-cut bacon (much appreciated in Chicago, Illinois), pan-fried potato wedges, and whole wheat toast. 

We ordered a 5-cup pot of coffee which cost $25.

“Why is the coffee so expensive,” I asked. 

Florence said, “It’s kaya kopi luwak – about $200 for a 16-ounce bag.” 

I tried it and liked it, despite being a Joffrey, Lavazza, Acme from Monterey County, and Dallmayr fan. 

The view over the Pacific with the Transamerica and Salesforce buildings during the day was beautiful as well with many white cap waves on a gleaming blue ocean. 

I had a restful weekend full of delicious meals and loved every moment of the San Francisco overnighter, which included lunch at Café de la Presse. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


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Thank you Coupang Taiwan for carrying my book - Ruth Paget

Thank you Coupang Taiwan for carrying my book Eating Soup with Chopsticks.

Coupang Taiwan

Wo xie xie ni!

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken at Chopstix in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

Lemongrass Chicken at Chopstix in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget 

Once you learn how to make Vietnamese lemongrass chicken, the hardest part is finding and storing ingredients like fish sauce and long lemongrass in the refrigerator in addition to pulling out a wok from the pantry. 

Chopstix Restaurant has lemongrass chicken down to perfection, so I leave the cooking to them I must admit. 

Chopstix has a new location in Northridge Mall in Salinas. (The original location in Seaside is still open.) It is easy to park at the Mall for diners and delivery drivers alike. 

Basically for lemongrass chicken, you marinate the chicken pieces overnight with several chopped ingredients including:  

-lime juice 

-fish sauce 

-brown sugar 

-soy sauce (I like dark soy sauce) 

-garlic 

-shallot 

-chopped, citrusy lemongrass from the very center of the stalks 

Once the chicken pieces are marinated, you stir-fry them in a neutral oil like peanut oil. At Chopstix, they top the lemongrass chicken with freshly cut green onion and add sides of rice and salad with a tomato slice and cucumber slice. 

After I ate the lemongrass chicken and rice, I mixed the salad into the lemongrass chicken oil and soy sauce seasoning as a dressing. 

This lunch was filling and refreshing with ample portions for chicken, rice, and salad alike.

I thoroughly enjoyed the lemongrass chicken meal prepared by Chopstix at the Northridge Mall in Salinas, California and think it is good introduction to Vietnamese food for people who like Chinese food. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


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Friday, June 27, 2025

Thank you Desertcart Angola for carrying my book - Ruth Paget

Thank you Desertcart Angola for carrying my book Eating Soup with Chopsticks.

Desert Cart Angola

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Thank you Desertcart Seychelles for carrying my book - Ruth Paget

Thank you desertcart.sc Seychelles for carrying my book Eating Soup with Chopsticks about living in Japan as an exchange student.

Desertcart.sc Seychelles

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

My chapbook Edible Alchemy is on sapnaonline.com in India

My chapbook Edible Alchemy is on sale with SapnaOnline.com in India - a book mall.  

Lots of food essays on visits to neighborhood ethnic restaurants in Monterey County California in Edible Alchemy.

Edible Alchemy

Thank you for the publicity.

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Croque Monsieur Grilled Sandwich at Café de la Presse in San Francisco, California by Ruth Paget

Croque Monsieur Grilled Sandwich at Café de la Presse in San Francisco, California by Ruth Paget 

On a weekend trip to San Francisco, my husband Laurent, daughter Florence Paget, and I went to Café de la Presse in San Francisco, California for Parisian bistro lunch. 

Laurent and Florence ordered a classic French lunch combination of French onion soup with cheese melted and browned on top of the soup followed by steak frites (steak with fries). 

I was going to order another bistro classic combination of French onion soup with a croque monsieur, a grilled ham and cheese sandwich with salad on the side. 

Instead of soup, I ate a daily special of warm goat cheese salad before my main dish. The salad came with a large ball of fresh chèvre goat cheese on top that been warmed and sat on top of baby greens with a vinaigrette. 

I mashed down the ball of chèvre and liked to think the cheese had arrived from an artisanal creamery in Sonoma County along with freshly picked greens in the wee hours of the morning. 

For my main dish, I ate a grilled croquet monsieur sandwich made with béchamel sauce, a cooked creamy sauce made with flour, butter, and milk, that is spread on two thick slices of bread. Then, you add sliced ham and gruyère cheese, place the slices together, sprinkle Parmesan and gruyère on top of the top bread slice, and run the sandwich under the broiler until the cheese is toasted and bubbly. 

This salty, delicious treat came with more baby greens on the side. I loved the crunchy melted cheese on the sandwich that was lightened up with bites of the baby greens. 

For bigger appetites, you can add an over-easy egg on top of the sandwich, which would make it a croquet madame. This is a classic bistro dish as well. 

There are two garages close to Café de la Presse. One is across the street on the corner of Grant Avenue and Bush Street. The other garage is about three blocks up the street on Powell Street. 

Whether you come for a weekend trip or for a day, Café de la Presse offers French fare comparable to what you would eat in Paris, France at the gates of Chinatown, which is ideal for strolling and shopping after an espresso. Our family takes I-280 to Highway 101, which comes out near Tully Road south of Gilroy Outlet Malls on 101 back to Salinas, California. 

There is always something good to eat at Café de la Presse in San Francisco, California, which is easier to get to than you would think. 

Bon appétit! 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


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Thursday, June 26, 2025

Spicy Tuna Poké Bowl at Sushi Hut in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

Spicy Tuna Poké Bowl at Sushi Hut in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget 

Sushi Hut in Salinas, California has been hailed as one of the top 50 sushi spots in the United States by YELP and Salinas sushi lovers alike. 

The restaurant also has delicious Hawaiian poké bowls. I ate one recently and am happy with the progress I am making with poké bowl composition thanks to Door Dash Delivery app ordering. 

My poké bowl dinner had the following items in it: 

-base carbohydrate: white rice (brown rice is available) 

-proteins: raw spicy tuna and California crab roll filling 

-vegetables: cherry tomatoes (for vitamin c), carrot sticks (for vitamin A), and avocado slices (for vitamins K,C, and E) 

-fruit: fresh pineapple chunks (for vitamin c) 

-sauces: yuzu citrus juice and spicy sriracha mayonnaise 

-seasonings: lemon wedge for juice and a dab of wasabi horseradish sauce 

All of these ingredients blend into a delicious, tropical dish that congers up Hawaiian sunsets with swaying palm trees. 

For a taste of Hawaii before traveling there, Sushi Hut has poké bowls and snack items that are like the items you would eat there. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


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Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Rodeo Salinas July 17 - 20, 2025 posted by Ruth Paget

The Rodeo is coming to Salinas, California.  The Monterey County Weekly online has more details - see ad.

StubHub.com is selling Salinas Rodeo tickets.

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France



Princeton Review’s AP English Literature Reading List posted by Ruth Paget

Princeton Review has the following suggested works listed for preparing the Advanced Placement Examination in English:

Princeton Review AP English Reading List

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Skyline Dining at the InterContinental San Francisco, California by Ruth Paget

Skyline Dining at the InterContinental San Francisco, California by Ruth Paget 

On a weekend trip to San Francisco (West Bay), my family stayed at the InterContinental San Francisco, an IHG hotel, at 888 Howard Street. 

It is important to know the number 888 as it is the name of the hotel’s Bistro 888 that provides room service as well. 

The floor-to-ceiling glass windows in this luxury spa hotel made me want to eat in the room and admire the sunset and twinkling building lights as I ate like I did when I was younger and lived in Marina City in Chicago (Illinois) on floor 22. 

I ordered a very American meal with flair for dinner – an 888 Burger. This is really a cheeseburger made with an 8-ounce cheese patty that comes with a thick slice of melted aged white cheddar cheese, house-made pickles, lettuce, tomato, and Parmesan cheese “secret” sauce instead of mayonnaise on a large brioche bun. 

I asked for medium cooking on the burger, and it was slightly pink the way I like it in the center. The meat was juicy and delicious with the salty and creamy Parmesan sauce. 

The burger came with a large helping of crisp double-fried French fries and vinegary strands of purple cabbage slaw. 

The next day, I woke up early and took my spa shower. The hotel water was soft and the InterContinental offers free Byredo Bal d’Afrique cleansing and conditioning products. (Bal d’Afrique perfume sells for $230 for a 1.07 ounce – 50 ml bottle, so I lathered up in luxury.) 

As I let my hair dry, I ordered breakfast from Bistro 888 again for in-room service again. 

For breakfast, I ate an 888 Omelette with three slices of whole wheat toast. The omelette was ¼-inch thick all around and amply filled with sautéed spinach, mini shiitake mushrooms, chopped tomatoes, and melted Monterey Jack cheese.

Fried fingerling potatoes came with the meal along with two small bottles of Tabasco sauce for extra seasoning.  These tasted great with the double latte I ordered to go with breakfast.

I forgot to order bacon, but my husband Laurent brought back some from breakfast downstairs.  The bacon was thick cut with mostly meat and deliciously salty. (San Francisco is hot during the day with unexpected gusts of cold wind. Perfect weather for salt depletion.) 

The InterContinental San Francisco weekend trip was a great success. I ate two great meals, felt invigorated by the Byredo Bal d’Afrique spa shower, admired the San Francisco skyline 12 stories up, organized a writing project in my head (Tasting Rome blog), and had fun on the way home admiring the scenery along I-280 as we passed the airport and Palo Alto real estate on the way to Highway 101 to Salinas, California. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


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Monday, June 23, 2025

Spicy Crab Salad at Roy's in Pebble Beach by Ruth Paget

Spicy Crab Salad at Roy’s in Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget 

The unexpected presentation of ordinary dishes at Roy’s restaurant in Pebble Beach, California make ocean side dining there a pleasant and memorable experience. 

On a recent visit to Roy’s, I ordered spicy crab salad. I like stringy masses of crab with spicy mayonnaise, but Roy’s has a much more elegant way with this salad. 

The chopped crab with a hint of mayonnaise came as a large disc in the bottom of a large flat-bottomed salad bowl. There were about 4 ice cream scoops of crab all together. Spread on top of the crab was a thin layer of spicy, hot wasabi horseradish paste. 

On top of the crab disc, there was a mound of organic Monterey County baby greens with two pink Hawaiian flower petals (plumeria?). I assumed the flowers were edible and ate them along with the salad. 

The dressing was a yuzu-pineapple juice vinaigrette. Yuzus look like prickly lemons and taste like grapefruit. They give the sour tang to the tropical vinaigrette. 

That salad was delicious for light spice lovers and certainly qualified as a spa lunch. 

For dessert, I ordered a chocolate banana cream pie, which arrived as a 3D swirl of bananas and thick whipped cream in a flaky pastry cup topped off with a thick chocolate syrup. 

As I ate this delicious food, I thought of chef Ferran Adrià whose meals at his El Bulli Restaurant in Barcelona, Spain were described as theatre – great food, great beverages, great view, great comfort, and great service. 

Roy’s restaurant at Pebble Beach, California provides all this and offers a varied menu for diners who would like a burger or BBQ après golf. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


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Saturday, June 21, 2025

Seafood Simple Reviewed by Ruth Paget

Seafood Simple Reviewed by Ruth Paget 

Seafood Simple by Eric Ripert is an all-inclusive reference for all things fish. Ripert begins Seafood Simple with several pages of explanation and photos about how to skin, debone, and fillet different fish body types. 

After the preparation technique chapter, Ripert provides recipes organized by cooking method as follows:

-raw, cured, and marinated 

-steamed 

-poached 

-fried 

-baked 

-sautéed 

-broiled 

-grilled 

-preserved 

Some of the recipes I consider outstanding include: 

-oysters mignonette – raw oysters on the half shell with a red wine and shallot served on the side for dipping 

-halibut en papillote – baked white fish with tomatoes, onions, white wine, and basil that is wrapped in foil  

-moules marinères – steamed mussels with shallots and white wine

-halibut mushroom casserole 

-linguine vongole – steamed clams with linguine pasta 

-salmon and tomato à la Gilbert – poached salmon in tomato and cream sauce 

All of these dishes remind me of the food I ate in Parisian bistros when I lived there and are items that I can make in my home now. 

Readers who might enjoy Seafood Simple by Eric Ripert include: 

-France lovers 

-young professionals like accountants and lawyers 

-musicians 

-artists 

-marketing workers 

-caterers 

-dieters 

If you like fish, Seafood Simple by Eric Ripert should be in your kitchen library

(Note: In Salinas, California, you can buy fresh seafood at Star Market and Safeway. Close to Salinas, you can fresh seafood at Phil’s Fish Market in Moss Landing.) 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


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Tuesday, June 17, 2025

Internet Public Library has Youth Literature posted by Ruth Paget

The Internet Public Library has children’s and young adult fiction and nonfiction that you can check out as an online summer reading resource - ipl.org

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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Tasting Rome Reviewed by Ruth Paget

Tasting Rome Reviewed by Ruth Paget 

Tasting Rome: Fresh Flavors and Forgotten Recipes by Katie Parla and Kristina Gill provides armchair travelers and cooks with a salty, sweet tour of the city’s culinary offerings. 

The book covers the following traditional Italian course offerings: 

-aperitivi – salty snacks to go with cocktails 

-primi - first course dishes that are usually pasta or soup 

-secondi – second course dishes or main course offerings 

-contorni – vegetable course 

-dolce – sweets 

My favorite recipes in the cookbook include: 

*Aperitvii

-deep-fried suppli rice risotto balls made with radicchio (purple-red lettuce) and gorgonzola 

-deep-fried cacio e pepe suppli risotto balls made with crushed black pepper and pecorino cheese 

-crostini con burro e alici – toast rounds with butter and anchovies 

*Primi 

-carbonara pasta made with eggs, pecorino cheese, and guanciale pork jowl “bacon”

-spaghetti alla gricia made with guanciale “bacon”, white wine, and pecorino cheese  

-bomboletti pasta all-amatriciana made with tubular ridged pasta, guanciale, shallots, tomatoes, and garlic 

-cacio e pepe pasta made with just crushed black pepper and grated pecorino cheese 

*Secondi 

-pollo alla Romana chicken stew made with onions, bell peppers, cloves, and tomatoes  

-porchetta slow-roasted pork roast made with pepper, salt, garlic, rosemary, pepperoncino, and fennel seeds 

*Contorni 

-baked vegetables with bread crumbs 

-shaved artichoke salad 

-baked tomatoes stuffed with rice 

*Dolce 

-peach and wine sorbet 

-coffee granita

-panna cotta - solid milk pudding flavored here with mint 

Readers who might enjoy Tasting Rome include: 

-Italophiles who want to learn more about the country and Roman cuisine 

-cooks 

-servers

-travel writers 

-restaurant reviewers 

-young families 

-childcare workers 

People wanting to add a little Roman brio to their lives would also enjoy reading Tasting Rome by Katie Parla and Kristina Gill for the recipes and cultural notes. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


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Friday, June 13, 2025

MENSA Storytelling for Kids posted by Ruth Paget

I like MENSA’s introduction to storytelling for offering several approaches for organizing stories.  Details below:

MENSA Storytelling for Kids

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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The Italian Baker Reviewed by Ruth Paget

The Italian Baker Reviewed by Ruth Paget 

I enjoyed armchair traveling through Italy as I read Carol Field’s recipes for bread, grissini bread sticks, panzanella bread and vegetable salad, pizza, focaccia, sweet Italian croissants, tarts, cakes, and cookies in The Italian Baker. 

The recipes are sophisticated but Field provides nonna (grandma) STEAM education activities for baking as well such as: 

-coiling a bread string to make a pair of eye cookies 

-rolling out a band of dough and making two slits and pulling the dough at the end to make a crown 

-rolling out a band of dough and making slits every inch and then rolling the band up to form a bush 

More conventional items that families could make from the book on weekends include:

-panini bread roll sandwiches 

-ciabatta bread loaves from the Lake Como region in northern Italy 

-Olive bread from Liguria 

-chopped red pepper bread 

-Parmesan and pecorino bread made with cheese from Northern and Southern Italy 

-Parmesan grissini bread sticks 

-sweet croissants (kids are always fascinated to see rolling up a triangle into a croissant shape and the puffing up of the croissants overnight from proofing)

Field taught me that chewy texture and nutty flavor of many Italian breads come from the use an already fermented biga or starter that is mixed with dough to create a double fermentation in the dough in addition to the two risings of the dough. 

People in the following professions might enjoy The Italian Baker by Carol Field: 

-baker 

-childcare worker 

-Girl Scout troop leaders 

-restaurant owners 

-servers 

Italophiles, childcare workers, and restaurant workers might all find something to make in The Italian Baker by Carol Field. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


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Thursday, June 12, 2025

MENSA for Kids Greek Myths posted by Ruth Paget

MENSA for Kids Greek Myths activities.  Info below:

MENSA Greek Myths for Kids

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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MENSA Poetry for Kids posted by Ruth Paget

MENSA’s year of poetry for kids activity list and resources:

MENSA Poetry for Kids

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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MENSA online reading club for K to grade 12 posted by Ruth Paget

MENSA has an online reading club for pre-K to Grade 12.  Grade level reading lists are available at the link below:

MENSA Reading Club K to Grade 12

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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Summer Reading for Teens at Barnes and Noble posted by Ruth Paget

Barnes and Noble has a summer reading program for teens that features writing up books in a review journal.  Details below:

Barnes and Noble Summer Reading

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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Wednesday, June 11, 2025

The Western Stage has summer productions in Salinas, California posted by Ruth Paget

The Western Stage has summer productions in Salinas, California.  Show and ticket link below:

Western Stage Website

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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Hartnell Planetarium Shows in Salinas, California posted by Ruth Paget

Hartnell Planetarium in Salinas, California has public shows.  Information follows:

Hartnell Planetarium Shows

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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June 30, 2025 is gift deadline for UChicago Reposted by Ruth Paget

June 30, 2025 is the tax deadline to make a gift to the University of Chicago. An online donation form follows:

University of Chicago Donation Form and Info.

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Thank you Atlantic India for carrying my books by Ruth Paget

Thank you Atlantic India for carrying my book Eating Soup with Chopsticks.  

I have loved learning about Indian culture over the years.  Living in Japan encouraged me to study all of Asia.

Atlantic India

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Galateo - Renaissance Italian Etiquette Book reposted by Ruth Paget

The Renaissance Italian etiquette book, The Galateo, still rules for restaurant dining and training children to have nice table manners:

Galateo Etiquette Book

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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Monday, June 9, 2025

Renaissance Diplomatic Handbook Reposted by Ruth Paget

The Book of the Courtier by Baldesar Castiglione, a Renaissance diplomatic book, has been translated many times and is still considered useful for its insights on conversation.

Book of the Courtier Info.

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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Flatbread and Flavors Reviewed by Ruth Paget

Flatbread and Flavors Reviewed by Ruth Paget 

Armchair travelers and cooks will enjoy Flatbreads and Flavors: A Baker’s Atlas by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid for its wanderlust and easy-to-follow recipes. 

Alford and Duguid crossed continents on bicycles and rickety trains in search of warm, fleshy loaves of blistered brown flatbread waiting for delicious fillings and dunking opportunities. 

My favorite chapter in the book covers India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. These three countries consume: 

-curries (spicy sauces eaten with bread in the North and over rice in the South) 

 -dals (spicy lentil stews) 

 -garam masala (spices mixes called curry powder in the West that go into curries and dals – these spice mixes are called sambhar masala in the South) 

In a former lifetime, Duguid was a lawyer, who still writes easy, step-by-step directions to follow in her recipes. The cookbook has a recipe for a vegetable and fruit curry that I have further pared down to understand how to put together a curry from memory: 

Curry Sample Recipe: 

1-Cook vegetables and set aside. 

2-Heat oil in frying pan. Cook onion till brown. 

3-Add garlic and ginger. Cook till garlic begins to color. 

4-Add fruit and hot chile pepper, if using. 

5-Add cooked vegetables. 

6-Stir in yogurt and heat everything thoroughly.

7-Add garam masala (spice mix called curry powder in the West) and top with freshly chopped cilantro (also called coriander). Serve immediately. 

When you make garam masala (curry powder) at home, you make about two cups at a time and store it in a glass, air-tight container and keep it in a dark place. 

Alford and Duguid list a typical spice combination from Northern India as containing: 

-black peppercorns 

-coriander seed 

-cumin seed 

-cloves 

-cardamom 

-cinnamon stick broken into pieces 

A garam masala made of ingredients like these is stirred into curries to give them their pungent taste in Northern India. In Southern India spice mixes are called sambhar masala and are made of different ingredients. 

The authors write that a Southern Indians sambhar masala might typically contain the following ground ingredients: 

-urad dal (black lentils) 

-chana dal (yellow lentils) 

-coriander seed 

-cumin seed 

-black peppercorn 

-fenugreek (onion tasting spice) 

-red dried chilies 

-pinch of turmeric 

Sambhar masala is the final ingredient mixed into dal, spicy lentil stews, that are famous throughout India.  

The Indian pantry recipes in Flatbreads and Flavors: A Baker’s Atlas by Jeffrey Alford and Namomi Duguid encouraged me to buy this travel cookbook. 

I think the spice blends also taste good in chicken noodle, tomato, and mushroom soup as well as stirred into sautéed vegetables like green beans.  I must admit there are many great recipes that make you lose track of the bread.

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


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Sunday, June 8, 2025

The Peloponnesian War reposted by Ruth Paget

The University of Chicago’s favorite classic 1982 - 1986 - The Peloponnesian War.  Click for book information below:

The Peloponnesian War

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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Ballet in San Francisco Tickets reposted by Ruth Paget

The Nutcracker performed by the Kyiv Ballet Theatre is coming to San Francisco among other performances.  Check out the offerings on StubHub:

Nutcracker Ballet in San Francisco

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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Saturday, June 7, 2025

Thursday, June 5, 2025

International Relations Primer reposted by Ruth Paget

Check out the CIA’s online World Fact Book with up-to-date information for 258 world entities.  

CIA World Fact Book website

Topics covered include:

-history

-people

-government

-economy

-energy

-geography

-environment

-communications

-transportation

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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Wednesday, June 4, 2025

Mother Grains Reviewed by Ruth Paget

Mother Grains Reviewed by Ruth Paget 

Mother Grains: Recipes for the Grain Revolution by Roxana Jullapat encourages readers to add or substitute mother grains into their favorite recipes for better flavor, more protein, more fiber, more vitamins, and more minerals. 

Jullapat covers 8 grains in detail in her book:  

-barley 

-buckwheat – technically a shrub not a grain 

-corn 

-oats 

-rice 

-rye 

-sorghum 

-wheat with the subcategories below: 

-  einkorn 

-  spelt 

-  emmer or farro 

-  Khorasan sold under the brand kamut 

- Durum which is ground into semolina flour

-Heirloom red or white wheat 

Other flours, which you can find now in supermarkets, that Jullapat deals with briefly include: 

-bulgur – parboiled, dried, and ground made from durum wheat usually 

-freekah –fresh green durum wheat 

-amaranth – Mexican shrub 

-quinoa – Andean shrub 

Jullapat loves sweets. Her recipes beg to be eaten with a mug of hot coffee and hot milk. Some of my favorite recipes from Mother Grains include: 

-persimmon sticky pudding with barley malt syrup 

-rice pudding made with Thai coconut milk cream 

-pecan pie made with sorghum syrup 

People in the following professions might find Mother Grains useful: 

-bakers 

-bar-restaurant owners 

-hair dressers (something sweet to eat while waiting)

-cruise directors 

-religious organizations

General readers will find many ideas to put extra protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals into their favorite dishes in Mother Grains: Recipes for the Grain Revolution by Roxana Jullapat. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


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Tuesday, June 3, 2025

Japanese Home Cooking selling for $1.99 on Kindle today - reposted by Ruth Paget

For a glimpse into Japanese culture happening in Los Angeles, check out Sonoko Sakai’s Japanese Home Cooking.  It is selling for $1.99 today on Kindle. 

Delicious ideas for Japanese food lovers - even a discussion about noodle making at home.

Japanese Home Cooking by Sonoko Sakai

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Click for Ruth Paget’s Books

Thursday, May 29, 2025

Monterey Park District summer activity brochure out reposted by Ruth Paget

In this week’s Monterey County Weekly, there is a brochure from the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District about summer activities around the region.  Register early to assure your place.

Happy trekking!

The website has information as well:

Monterey Regional Park District

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Click for Ruth Paget’s Books


Sunday, May 25, 2025

Saturday, May 24, 2025

Khan Academy reposted by Ruth Paget

I share an opinion with Bill Gates that Khan Academy offers excellent online resources for pre-K to grade 12 learners, parents, and educators.  I especially like their math resources.

Click for Khan Academy website

My daughter Florence Paget read through Khan Academy when it was first starting out.  It is a hidden resource of STEAM education in Silicon Valley.

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Click for Ruth Paget’s books


Friday, May 23, 2025

Italy in Small Bites Cookbook Reviewed by Ruth Paget

Italy in Small Bites Cookbook Reviewed by Ruth Paget 

Italy in Small Bites by Carol Field introduces readers to seasonal and regional snacks with recipes for easy to complex delights that pair well with fruity white wine or lemonade. 

Six of the merenda, snacks, that I think should be in everyone’s Italian go-to dish repertoire include:

-frico – cheese melted in butter and allowed to cool.

-bruschetta – toast rubbed with fresh garlic and olive oil 

-focaccia, flat bread pizza, with red peppers, garlic, and olives 

-polenta bars (Italian corn meal that has solidified) served with Parmesan and grilled purple and crimson radicchio lettuce 

-wild mushroom condiment for topping toast made with tomatoes, rosemary, sage, garlic, and pepper 

-baked frittata omelets with Parmesan and herbs 

Readers who might find Italy in Small Bites by Carol Field useful include: 

-bartenders 

-winery tasting room workers 

-caterers 

-servers 

-event planners 

-resort managers 

-cruise directors 

General readers might enjoy learning about the history of merenda, which is also part of Italy in Small Bites by Carol Field. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


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Majorelle: The Lorraine France Touring Game Created by Ruth Paget

Majorelle: The Lorraine France Touring Game Created by Ruth Paget

I named this touring game after one of France’s major decorative arts craftsman Auguste Majorelle (1825 – 1879), a native of Lunéville, France. 

Lorraine is a rewarding region to visit for travelers interested in history, art, fine dining, and sips of mirabelle, yellow plum liqueur. The main cities are Metz, Nancy, and Lunéville. The medieval monastery at Gorze is the home of Gregorian chants and sister monasteries in Germany. Verdun is the site of one of the most important battles of World War I. 

A two-week tour of the region would provide ample time to visit these places and indulge in some gala meals and shopping. (I have linked my blogs about these places into an itinerary. Click on the links to see the blogs.) 

*Metz is a 3,000 year old city. Each district has a different history. The city is set up well for walking tours and has many cafés where you can take a break with a beverage. 

Walking Tours: 

Day 1: Exploring Franco-German Metz 

Franco-German Metz

Day 2: Cathedral District and Downtown 

Downtown Metz

Day 3: May Day Metz 

May Day Metz

Day 4: Urban Ecology

Urban Ecology

 *Metz Meals: 

Day 5: Gala Pork Dinner: 

Gala Pork Dinner

Day 6: Gala Seafood Dinner 

Gala Seafood Dinner

*Nancy is a city of majestic public art and decorative arts. 

Day 7: Rococo Public Art 

Rococo Art in Nancy

Day 8: Art Nouveau Museum

Art Nouveau in Nancy

 *Lunéville is home to a château inspired by Versailles and a current concert venue 

Day 9: Lunéville Château Visit

Luneville Chateau

*Gorze Monastery still uses ancient Roman sewers. You can spot a few Roman aqueducts on the way there. This is the site where Gregorian chants were invented. 

Day 10: Gorze Monastery Visit 

Gorze Monastery

*Verdun is a major World War I battlefield site with a museum 

Day 11: Verdun Museum Visit 

I hope this Lorraine touring game will encourage you to think about traveling to Lorraine, France to experience its art and culture, indulge in some delicious food, and learn some history about France’s relations with Germany and Poland. 

Click for Ruth Paget’s Books

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


Saturday, May 17, 2025

The All-Purpose Baker's Companion Reviewed by Ruth Paget

The All-Purpose Baker’s Companion Reviewed by Ruth Paget 

The All-Purpose Baker’s Companion edited by King Arthur Baking Company is an excellent reference for things bread from around world, cookies, scones, crackers, pies, and cakes. 

However, the recipes that convinced me to buy the book are its flour meal recipes (mehlspeisen in German) that help with keeping a household budget low while providing protein and calcium in most cases. The book’s recipes are precise and assist novice and experienced cooks with making the basic recipe easy so they can add ingredients rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin A. 

The recipes that have helped me with menu planning over the years include: 

-pancakes 

-waffles 

-French toast 

-crêpes 

-cheese blintzes 

-banana bread 

-pumpkin bread 

-zucchini bread 

-lemon bread 

-berry cobblers 

-pizza dough 

-lemon bar cookies 

-croissants 

-brioche 

Nutritionists might be aghast, but I have eaten all these items along with blueberry muffins and banana walnut muffins when I was a student at the University of Chicago for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I like these dishes, and they are easy to prepare. 

Pancakes and waffles are versatile I learned from my Dutch friend’s mother in Detroit (Michigan). You can use syrup, sugar, or jam on them or savory items liked creamed chicken and vegetables. Croissants can also be treated this way. 

Knowing how to make Detroit or grandmother pizza is a lifesaver in a blizzard. The pizza dough for this type of pizza is placed in the middle of a rectangular pan and pushed outwards. Spaghetti sauce can double as tomato sauce. There’s big savings in grandma pizza. 

Another big money saver is making croissants at home. Use egg wash to give the exterior a crunchy bit. 

Readers interested in the following careers might find this book useful: 

-fundraisers 

-event planners 

-chefs 

-caterers

-cruise directors 

-restaurant managers  

General readers might find some tips for lowering household expenses in The All-Purpose Baker’s Companion edited by The King Arthur Bakery Company. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


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Wednesday, May 14, 2025

A Promenade in Aiken, South Carolina by Ruth Paget



A pretty promenade in Aiken, South Carolina:

White chocolate covered ganache filled chocolates for nibbling (above - photo by Ruth Paget)

A cupola topped by a weather vane on the new courthouse allows hot air to rise up out of the building beneath it. A similar cupola sits on top of Mt Vernon in Virginia. (Below - photo by Laurent Paget)

A Palladian inspired window on the old courthouse.  Monticello outside Charlottesville, Virginia has similar windows on a smaller scale. - (bottom - photo by Ruth Paget)





A Palladian inspired window




By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


Tuesday, May 13, 2025

StubHub sells Broadway, Concerts, Sports reposted by Ruth Paget

StubHub sells Broadway, Concerts, Sports by venue online. They have an app.  StubHub.com

Happy scrolling!

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Click for Ruth Paget’s Books

The Complete Book of Cheese Reviewed by Ruth Paget

The Complete Book of Cheese Reviewed by Ruth Paget 

The Complete Book of Cheese: History, Techniques, Recipes, Tips by Anne-Laure Pham and Mathieu Plantive provides readers with all the information they need to obtain the best value for their money when buying elite cheese products, especially French cheese. 

The Complete Book of Cheese contains information such as:

-cheese production processes from selection of milk to aging 

-French cheese classification system 

-cheese buying tips 

-pairing suggestions for beverages and food 

-cheese board composition ideas depending on event 

-cheese recipes for appetizers, savory dishes, and sweet desserts 

The French cheese classification system helps with purchasing decisions and is broken down as follows: 

-fresh cheese 

-blooming-rind cheese 

-washed-rind cheese 

-uncooked pressed cheese 

-cooked pressed cheese 

-blue cheese 

-goat cheese 

-processed cheese 

-stretched curd cheese 

-whey cheese 

Among the cheese recipes, there are recipes for fondue and raclette. These two dishes are quickly eaten and require lengthy preparation time. If you want to make these dishes from scratch, the recipes are well written but require patience. 

The recipes I prefer are veal cordon bleu (pan-fried veal with ham and melted cheese), tartiflette (made with potatoes, bacon, onions, and cheese), and a dessert crisp made with Beaufort cheese, pears, and ginger. People interested in the following careers might find 

The Complete Book of Cheese useful:  

-sommelier 

-server 

-bartender 

-elite grocery store worker 

-chef 

-caterer 

-health inspector 

General readers might enjoy the great introduction to the world of cheese in The Complete Book of Cheese by Anne-Laure Pham and Mathieu Plantive. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


Click for Ruth Paget's Books




78th Cannes Film Festival starts today reposted by Ruth Paget

Click on the link below for information about films being shown at the 78th Cannes Film Festival and news releases:

Cannes Film Festival Media Page

Make a Salade Nicoise to eat while reading each day’s updates!

Salade Nicoise ideas:

Salade Nicoise Recipe Ideas

A goat cheese and dandelion greens salad would also go well with red carpet viewing;

Goat Cheese and Dandelion Greens Recipe Idea's

Salmon Salade Nicoise Ideas

Salmon Salade Nicoise Ideas

Happy Film Watching!

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


Click for Ruth Paget’s Books

Sunday, May 11, 2025

In Search of Total Perfection Review by Ruth Paget

In Search of Total Perfection Review by Ruth Paget 

Readers who like chef’s travel books with recipes will find much to love in In Search of Total Perfection by Heston Blumenthal, owner of The Fat Duck, a 3-star Michelin restaurant in England. 

Blumenthal traces the history and industries behind contemporary British favorite menu items including the foreign sounding ones that have been transformed a bit for British tastes. He goes a step further for some recipes by putting gastronomical claims to scientific tests like MRIs. 

His rationale for travel is to find the best model to emulate for inclusion on British menus including his own, which drives him to dine on steak at Delmonico’s in New York, Bresse chicken in Burgundy France, and Amadei chocolate for his Black Forest cake among his travel activities. 

I am always on the lookout for 3-star Michelin recipes when I read chef’s travel books so I can try some of the simpler recipes at home. The simpler recipes in In Search of Perfection are made up of about 5 to 7 basic recipes that are put together simultaneously by a team of cooks who often outnumber restaurant diners at The Fat Duck. 

I love all the sections about the various “industries” that go into making food products mentioned in the book. These sections prompt you to savor and enjoy food rather than gobble it for the dishes described below in this 436-page book:  

1-Roast chicken and roast potatoes 

2-Chicken tikka masala 

3-Peking duck 

4-Steak 

5-Spaghetti Bolognese

6-Chili con carne 

7-Hamburger 

8-Bangers and mash 

9-Fish and chips 

10-Fish Pie 

11-Pizza 

12-Risotto 

13-Black Forest gateau 

14-Treacle tart and ice cream 

15-Baked Alaska 

16-Trifle 

In Search of Total Perfection by Heston Blumenthal could help readers interested in the following careers: 

-anthropologist 

-chef 

-restaurant worker 

-restaurant critic 

-pastry chef 

-travel planner 

-recipe developer 

-cookware salesman 

-film crew worker 

-restaurant publicist

Readers who would enjoy learning about the history, industries, and science involved in everyday food items will like In Search of Total Perfection by Heston Blumenthal, especially with its bonus recipes given with step-by-step directions. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


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Monday, May 5, 2025

French Mustard Chicken Video by Florence Paget posted by Ruth Paget

Florence Paget made her first food video featuring French mustard chicken (poulet a la moutarde).  

This is a delicious recipe.  The hardest part of making it is browning the chicken.





Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


Wednesday, April 30, 2025

AP Subject Flash Cards for Skills Development by Ruth Paget

AP  (Advanced Placement) Subject Flash Cards created by Barron’s are a tool for learning knowledge skills in any number of fields like:

Statistics 1 and 2

French

Spanish

Calculus

Economics

Chemistry

Biology

Physics

I bought the AP flashcards I have on Amazon.  They come in boxes for easy storage.  Families can use them to make society games.

There are cards on many subjects to browse through.

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


Click for Ruth Paget’s Books


Ramen Obsession Cookbook is $1.99 on Kindle today reposted by Ruth Paget

Ramen Obsession cookbook by Naomi Imatome-Yun is $1.99 on Kindle today (333 pages).

Once you master noodle preparation, ramen comes together very quickly.

Click below for book information:

Click for Ramen Obsession Details

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Saturday, April 26, 2025

Carmel Valley Garden Show - May 4, 2025 reposted by Ruth Paget

The Carmel Valley Garden Club will be hosting the Carmel Valley Garden Show on May 4, 2025.

Information below;

Click for Carmel Valley Garden Show Information

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

45th Quilts by the Bay Exhibit - May 2 -4, 2025 reposted by Ruth Paget

The 45th Annual Quilts by the Bay exhibit is being held in Pacific Grove, California on May 2 - May 4, 2025. 

Information about the event and tickets follow:

Click for Quilts by the Bay Tickets

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Monday, April 21, 2025

Nourishing Waffles by Ruth Paget

Nourishing Waffles by Ruth Paget 

I learned that waffles, even toaster Eggo waffles, contain protein and calcium thanks to the egg and milk in their ingredients in my health and nutrition classes in junior high and high school in Detroit, Michigan where many descendants of Dutch origin live. 

According to Wonderful Mini Waffles by Catherine-Gail Reinhard and the editors at Dash, waffles are Dutch and came to what is now the United States in the 1620s when the Dutch founded New Amsterdam (later named New York). 

From New York, waffles spread throughout the US especially with Dutch settlers like my teachers and classmates in Detroit. My thin teachers told us to limit ourselves to two small waffles with two tablespoons maple syrup to keep calories down. (Maple syrup was readily available to us in Michigan.) 

When I moved to Europe in the late 1980s, I ate warm waffles with powdered sugar on them that I bought from street vendors in Brussels, Belgium as I toured comfortably well off Brussels that is rich on lambic beer and the income of Europe’s civil servants. 

Belgium is also a famous country for waffles thanks to the country’s Flemish population. The Flemish are the Catholic cousins of the Protestant Dutch north of Belgium. 

Waffles are easy to make at home with a waffle iron. You have to remember to only fill the bottom of the iron with batter. You lower the top lid on top of the base. The waffles ingredients will make the waffle rise to double its size with the heat.

I own an excellent cookbook that has recipes for both sweet and savory waffles (162 pages) that was written as a companion book to go with a Dash mini waffle iron (4-inches in diameter). The cookbook entitled Wonderful Mini Wafles, was written by Catherine-Gail Reinhard. Three sweet waffle recipes stand out to make this book a great purchase. 

The stand out recipes include: 

-classic recipes made with eggs, milk, flour, and batter (waffle batter is made with more butter than pancakes) 

-Belgian Liège waffles made like classic waffles with the addition of vanilla, honey, and cinnamon  

-banana bread waffles made with mashed bananas, buttermilk, and brown sugar 

Readers who might enjoy this book include: 

-young families 

-college students 

-baby sitters

-lacto-ovo vegetarians

For everything about sweet and savory waffles, Wonderful Mini Waffles by Christine-Gail Reinhard is an excellent purchase. 

(Note: To try waffles in Salinas, California check out Waffles Breakfast and Lunch Restaurant on North Main Street by Saigon Noodle and Grocery Outlet or IHOP on West Davis Road by Carl’s Junior, Sonic, Mountain Mike’s, Vallarta Supermarket and taqueria, 24-hour gas station, and AAA.)

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


Click for Ruth Paget's Books




Saturday, April 19, 2025

BLT Sandwich Recipe Created by Ruth Paget

BLT Sandwich Recipe Created by Ruth Paget 

When I live in Chicago (Illinois) for several years after I graduated from the University of Chicago, I made BLT (Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato) sandwiches when I would come home from work for lunch. (I lived across the street from the office in the corncob towers.) 

I would fry a pound of bacon on Sunday, cut up tomatoes, and tear up lettuce leaves and put them in airtight containers in the refrigerator to put together sandwiches during the week. I bought nice condiments at the Treasure Island grocery store a few blocks over and fancy German pumpernickel bread. 

Serves 1

Ingredients: 

-2 slices toasted bread 

-2 tablespoons mayonnaise 

-4 or 5 slices cooked bacon broken in half 

-2 tomato slices 

-2 leaves iceberg lettuce 

Steps: 

1-Spread mayonnaise on two slices of toasted bread. 

2-Place bacon on top of one slice. Follow with the tomatoes and then the lettuce. 

3-Place the second slice of bread on top of the lettuce and press down to hold the sandwich together.

If you would like a spicier BLT sandwich, substitute mustard-mayonnaise, horseradish-mayonnaise, or sriracha-mayonnaise for the mayonnaise. 

You can also replace the bacon with ham (Costco Kirkland brand is very good), grilled zucchini or squash cut lengthwise, or a fried egg. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


Click for Ruth Paget's Books




Friday, April 18, 2025

Before the Coffee gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi Reviewed by Ruth Paget

Before the Coffee Gets Cold Reviewed by Ruth Paget 

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi is a novel about a dingy, Tokyo café with a chair that can transport you back in time, giving the book its fantasy element that sells a lot of coffee. 

Beverages, alcoholic or non-alcoholic, are moneymakers for restaurants, so readers involved in the restaurant industry might enjoy how this dinky café uses the chair time machine to ring up lots of coffee, curry rice, and yakitori chicken orders. 

The café regulars are a man staving off Alzheimer’s Disease by reading travel literature, the ghost who sits in the chair time machine and who only gets up once a day to use the bathroom, and the waitress who always has curlers in her hair. The waitress is slow yet friendly and makes even first-time customers feel like family. The waitress lets people confide in her or lets them write or work on creative projects “to keep ‘em coming back” as we say in the Western United States. That phrase is the mantra of all successful restaurants. 

This Tokyo café has interested more than 3 million readers worldwide. Other reviewers call the book cute, chatty, and fun. Reflect a bit, though. One of the novel’s characters plays massive, multiplayer, online, role-playing games (MMPORGs). This café might be a mini role-playing game run by the regulars to ensure meals, to stake out a place of repose, and to maintain steady employment.  

The café owners seem to know what will attract enough customers to make a profit. The owners have identified a market niche and their niche’s needs, wants, and desires. Everyone, for example, drinks coffee – time travelers or not. 

People interested in the following careers might consider this book more than a quick read: 

-restaurant owners 

-servers 

-bartenders 

-restaurant publicists 

-writers 

-interior decorators

-artists 

-coffee salesman 

Before the Coffee gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi is a book that deserves a second reading just to see why this café survives and thrives in a basement location. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


Click for Ruth Paget's Books




Laguna Seca Speed Tour in Salinas, California posted by Ruth Paget

I learned that events like the Laguna Seca Speed Tour in Salinas, California (May 2 - May 4, 2025) are great for local food and beverage industries and often the hotel industry, if planned well in advance when I attended he first Detroit Grand Prix in 1986.  Souvenir merchandise also sold well at this event.

Information on this event follows:

Click for Laguna Seca Speed Tour Tix


Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

UChicago Earth Week - April 19 - 26, 2025 posted by Ruth Paget

The schedule and program summaries for Earth Week at the University of Chicago from April 19 - 26, 2025 follow:

Click for UChicsgo Earth Week Details

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Chicago Blues Fest - June 5 to 8, 2025 Reposted by Ruth Paget

Chicago Blues Fest 2025!

Information below:

Click for Chicago Blues Fest Details

The restaurants downtown are very busy thanks to this event.  Merchandise sells well, too.

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Sunday, April 13, 2025

520 Vendors at Otter Classic Bike Race - MC Weekly reports!!!

 I read in the Monterey County online that there are 520 vendors at the Otter Classic Bike Race this year and 70,000 attendees!  Incredible.  I think the traffic was well organized this year, too.

Comment by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Friday, April 11, 2025

Salinas International Airshow - October 4 to 5, 2025

 The Salinas International Airshow is set for October 4 to 5, 2025.

Tickets on sale now.

Click below for more information:

Click for Salinas International Airshow Information

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


July 4th Party suggestions by Ruth Paget

Most upscale grocery stores have a bakery department where you can order a sheet-pan flag cake for July 4th with some advance planning.

Hot dogs can be dressed up with warm sauerkraut and brown mustard.

Horseradish-mayonnaise is a nice dip for sliced, grilled vegetables.

Mustard-mayonnaise perks up hamburgers with lettuce and tomatoes.

A red, white, and blue tablecloth is a nice touch.

Kids can blow bubbles, learn the words to the national anthem (you can get paid to sing this as an adult as gig employment), and play memorization games.

Happy 4th of July in advance.

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Whalefest is April 12 and 13 in Monterey, California reposted by Ruth Paget

Whalefest is set for April 12 and 13 (2025) in Monterey, California - tours, talks, and family events - for more information, click on the event link below:

Whalefest Information

Have fun and plan early!

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Thursday, April 10, 2025

Asian Cultural Experience Salinas - 4/26/25 by Ruth Paget

The 26th Asian Cultural Experience is happening in April 26, 2025 in Salinas.  This event is organized by the Chinese, Filipino, and Japanese communities in Salinas.

For more information click on the press release link below:

Asian Cultural Experience information


By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Wednesday, April 9, 2025

The Poppy War Reviewed by Ruth Paget

The Poppy War Reviewed by Ruth Paget R.F. Kuang’s 

The Poppy War is a fantasy-historical fiction novel that is loosely based on the period of Chinese (Nikara in the novel) history called The Rape of Nanjing or the Nanjing Massacre by Japan (The Federation of Mugen in the novel) during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937 – 1945). 

Rin, the book’s main character, a dark-skinned peasant girl from the South, tests in the military academy at Sinegard, which rigorously prepares its students for a war that has not happened yet, but that will according to daily reminders from professors. 

The entire school becomes mired in war much sooner than the characters think. The horrific atrocities induce many of the soldiers and leaders to use opium to continue fighting, particularly as food supplies dwindle and to invoke warrior deities. 

In the two Opium Wars prior to the Sino-Japanese Wars, the Chinese fought to keep opium out of the country. However, by the time of The Poppy War that Kuang writes about, the Chinese population had begun to widely use opium (derived from poppies like heroin) despite its being illegal. As you read through The Poppy War, you can see its varying effects on soldiers, especially leaders.

One of the great lessons of The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang is that despite efforts to prepare for defensive war, a country can still suffer greatly and be invaded by other countries seeking land and/or wealth. 

The Poppy War illustrates in devastating detail the atrocities of war in Nikara. This makes for difficult yet important reading for readers who are interested in real-life careers as: 

-diplomats -war crimes assessors 

-translators 

-military personnel 

-psychologist, especially for therapists dealing with victims of gang rape by enemy troops 

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang uses the fantasy format to relate a historical incident like The Rape of Nanjing to make it supportable for readers who probably would have trouble reading about it in history books.

In the end, The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang acts as an excellent introduction to 20th century Chinese history. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France


Click for Ruth Paget's Books