Monterey Bay Jade Festival 2026 Tickets and Details reposted by Ruth Paget

For information about the 2026 Monterey Bay Jade Festival click below:

Monterey Bay Jade Festival 2026

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

Marinelli Circus comes to Salinas, California reposted by Ruth Paget

The Marinelli Circus will come to Salinas, California at Northridge Mall beginning August 7 and ending August 18, 2025.  

Click for ticket information below:

Marinelli Circus Ticket Information

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

Condor Videos at Pebble Beach, California During Car Week by Ruth Paget

A quick condor flew by me while bird watching in Pebble beach, California.  The condor has a wing span of six feet usually.

Another condor action video at Pebble Beach, California during Car Week 2025.

I shot these videos in the morning from my car window.  Thank you Apple iPhone.

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

Back-to-School Books by UChicago Press posted by Ruth Paget

Back-to-School Books by the University of Chicago Press.  Click for details below:

UChicago Back-to-School Books

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

Bach Festival 2026 - Plan for August posted by Ruth Paget

The Bach Festival in Carmel, California will be held in August 2026 next year.  Program and ticket information follow:

Bach Festival 2026 Tickets and Program Information

Plan ahead to reserve the hotels and restaurants of your choice.

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

Car Week 2025 - August at Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget

Car Week 2025 is here!  This August event on the Monterey County Peninsula has drawn 100,000 visitors to the area according to KION-TV.

Hotels are full.  Restaurant delivery fleet is out.

This will be fun.

I have posted events at Pebble Beach below:

Pebble Beach Car Week Events

Maybe Salinas where I live could do a pick up and SUV show next year….

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

Robata Grill Izakaya in Carmel, California by Ruth Paget

Robata Grill Izakaya in Carmel, California by Ruth Paget - one of my favorite reviews for the Monterey County Weekly (Circulation: 200,000).  Click below for review:

Robata Grill in Carmel, California

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks

Ariel Theatrical -for Young People in Salinas, California reposted by Ruth Paget

Ariel Theatrical in Salinas, California presents theatre for young people.  Click below for ticket information:

Ariel Theatrical Ticket Information

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

Ranchero Shrimp at Super Pollo in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

Ranchero Shrimp at Super Pollo in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget 

I found a dish at Super Pollo in Salinas, California that I am pretty sure qualifies as a Blue Zones recipe, which is 95% plant-based with 5% of the dish being made up of six butterflied and sautéed jumbo prawns.  

This dish is called Ranchero Shrimp (camarones rancheros). This dish is almost a stir-fry using olive oil (California has a lot), white onions, fat Serrano green and spicy peppers, 1 pound of diced tomatoes, cilantro, and shrimp. (Recipe source: mexicoinmykitchen.com) 

Ranchero shrimp is delicious and full of Vitamin C and antioxidants like lycopene in the tomatoes that can help prevent cancer. 

The light tomato sauce and vegetables pair well with the Spanish rice that comes with the meal. I always love Spanish rice as it is made with chicken broth, tomato juice, and green pepper slices. The refried beans at Super Pollo were light and tasted as if they had been made with olive oil. 

Finally, Super Pollo also delivers a side salad with this meal made of crispy iceberg lettuce (tastes great in the heat), tomato slices, a ring of raw onion, shredded cheese, and ranch dressing on the side. The salad and all the vegetables that go into this dish make it country or ranchero. 

I think camarones rancheros at Super Pollo tastes great and is really a good value for your money when you consider all the organic food from the Salinas that go into making it. I also think it is a candidate for a Blue Zones designation. 

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

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Madonna Frittata and Apffels Coffee at Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo, California by Ruth Paget

Madonna Frittata and Apffels Coffee at Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo, California by Ruth Paget 

The flagstone stairs leading up to the entrance of the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo, California somewhat prepare you for the Norse myths and/or Hobbit décor inside the large white Victorian Inn. 

 Inside a large imitation Ash tree sits in the middle of the dining room, which resembles the Yggdrasil tree in Norse mythology that holds together the heavens, Earth, and the lower realms. The dining room with red horseshoe booths and round lights encircling the booth are in the lower realms. I photographed the lower realms trunk and noted the prominent orange lily, which is poisonous for cats and dogs.

This dining area was closed for breakfast, so my husband Laurent, daughter Florence Paget, and I turned left and entered the Copper Room, which has a dining area and a saloon bar. Above the bar, there is a carving that reads, “Let’s Eat and Be Forever Happy.” 

Letting that saying guide me, I ordered a Madonna Frittata, a baked Italian omelet, that comes with sautéed shallot, tomatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, and spinach baked in the omelet with mozzarella cheese melted on top. Every bite of the frittata was delicious. It was served with a bowl of perfectly ripe cantaloupe and honeydew melon cubes, pineapple wedges, and sweet red grapes.

I shared the biscuit made with flour and corn meal with Laurent and Florence. They shared their bacon with me to add to my order of bacon. The bacon was thick-cut, crispy, and was smoked over applewood. 

The coffee was Apffels brand from Colombia, an organic brand. I think I drank an entire pot of this delicious and somewhat expensive brew. (Highly recommended!) 

You can buy a lot of merchandise at Madonna Inn that is really nifty. At the table, we ordered an 8-inch wedge of pink and white pink champagne cake.  In the lower realms gift shop, Laurent and Florence bought Hobbit goblets and raspberry habanero jam.  There is also an upstairs gift shop that sells clothing, toys, and lifestyle items for the home.

For really great breakfasts and cool souvenirs and equally cool Hollywood set atmosphere, make sure to stop in for a meal at Madonna Inn in San Luis Onbispo,California.

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

Photo of lower realms Yggdrasil Tree at Madonna Inn - Photo by Ruth Paget

Blue Zones Website reposted by Ruth Paget

I like this Blue Zones organization.  Salinas, California is part of it.  Click below for details:

Blue Zones Organization Information

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

UChicago Press Fall 2025 Catalog Reposted by Ruth Paget

The Fall 2025 Catalog for the University of Chicago Press is available online and in PDF format.  Click below for information:

UChicago Press Fall 2025 Catalog 

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

UChicago Press Free E-Book - Lions in the Balance reposted by Ruth Paget

The University of Chicago free e-book this month is Lions in the Balance.  Click for information below:

Lions in the Balance Free E-Book

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

UChicago Press Botany Books 2025 reposted by Ruth Paget

Californians might enjoy browsing the University of Chicago Press books below:

Click for UChicsgo Botany 2025 Books

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

Italian Linguine with Clams at Lure Fish House in San Luis Obispo, California by Ruth Paget

Italian Linguine with Clams at Lure Fish House in San Luis Obispo, California by Ruth Paget 

For a family mini trip, my husband Laurent, my daughter Florence Paget, and I went to San Luis Obispo, California which is about 2½ hours south of Salinas. 

The landscape changes dramatically along Highway 101 going south. We saw longhorn cattle grazing on the hillsides by the freeway and oil rigs in San Ardo. We passed San Miguel Mission with its whitewashed stucco architecture and compania bell tower that is typical of many Spanish churches with its open towers that allow bells to swing wide and freely and resound over the vineyards. 

The Salinas River is underground here, but you can trace its course by looking at trees that sinew along the countryside. Vineyards and olive trees rise up the hills that become browner the farther away they are from the Salinas River. 

The landscape looks like Spain with its patches of white sheep grazing along the way. English road signs remind you that you really are in the United States. (I did ask Laurent if Gibraltar is like this. His Navy ship passed by there when he did a Mediterranean deployment.) 

San Luis Obispo is also named for it mission church that honors San Luis Obispo de Tolosa (1274 – 1297). Tolosa refers to Toulouse, France. San Luis Obispo sits on a plain like Toulouse, France despite going through some mountains to get to it. San Luis Obispo is the home of California Polytechnique State University, which is highly respected for its engineering, business, and architecture schools. 

Our dinner destination in San Luis Obispo was the Lure Fish House. This family-owned California chain also has locations in Santa Barbara, Ventura, Camarillo, West Lake Village, Porter Ranch, and Scottsdale (Arizona). 

Menus at Lure vary by location to take advantage of seasonal and local produce and seafood. As an appetizer, 

I started with deep-fried, crispy calamari (squid) that came with two excellent dipping sauces. The first was a chipotle aioli (garlic mayonnaise with chipotle peppers blended in). The second sauce was a cioppino dipping sauce. This light sauce did taste like tomatoes and white wine cooked with seafood and garlic. Both sauces were delicious. 

I ate all the sauce and all the calamari. Fried calamari are served all around the Christian Mediterranean and have a happy, devoted following in California. 

For an Italian Mediterranean Diet dinner, I ate a specialty of Naples, linguine with clams, as my main dish. The clams were steamed with white wine, lemon juice, garlic, and parsley.  

The meat from about two clams was chopped into the sauce and poured over the linguine. Six large clams were arranged a mound of linguine for this dish. I enjoyed every bite of this dish, too! 

I drank a home-made agave vanilla cream soda with this Mediterranean meal. Agave is a natural sweetener that comes from agave plants that grow well in the soil and climate in San Luis Obispo. 

Back at the hotel (a Marriot Courtyard), I took a hot shower followed by bursts of cold water to cool off and luxuriated in the air-conditioned room as I looked outside the room window at three kinds of trees: a rubber tree, a California magnolia tree, and a palm tree. San Luis Obispo has a city-wide initiative to develop a tree canopy that is recognized by the Arbor Foundation.

For a great health, culture, and history recharge, San Luis Obispo, California might just be the vacation town for you. 

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

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(Note: View from hotel window.  To better see the trees, place two of your fingers on the photo and move them apart to enlarge the image.  The tree in front is a rubber plant that can be used to make tires.  The pollen from the magnolia tree can be used for honey.  The palm trees produce coconuts that can be used for food and coconut milk.)

Pebble Beach Video of Seashore by Ruth Paget

This section of Pebble Beach, California has 4 picnic tables and is located right before Bird Rock, the haunt of long-necked black cormorants.  You can see brown pelicans flying in formation here, white egrets, and seagulls.  Seals and sea otters play in the waves here.

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

San Miguel Arcangel Mission near San Luis Obispo, California Photo Mini Trip by Ruth Paget

San Miguel Arcangel Mission close to San Luis Obispo, California Photo Visit by Ruth Paget

Mission San Miguel Arcangel was founded in 1797.

Good Example of stucco architecture.  Plaster covers brick  in stucco work and is painted white.  The dark color of brick absorbs heat.  Stucco is applied for white paint, which reflects heat and keeps buildings cool.  The Spanish used this technique in southern Andalusia, Spain and brought it to their missions in California

 

The coil on top of the wall corner may refer to a beehive.  Monasteries still make honey to be self-sufficient in foodand sell the excess to earn money for monastery upkeep.

 

This gate leads into the cactus garden. In an emergency, cactus plants can be used for water and cactus leaves can be cut up and fried or put into omelets as food. The alcoves originally held statues of saints and Christ.

Agave plant outside the mission garden.  Tequila is made from agave plants.  Monasteries can cook with tequila, drink it, and sell it for profit and use the profits to maintain the monastery.

 

Olive tree n the mission garden.  The priests and nuns could press their own olive oil for use in religious rites and for cooking.  This area is surrounded by vineyards and olive trees.  San Miguel Arcangel is located on a valley floor between the inter-coastal mountain range about 12 miles outside San Luis Obispo.

Cactus garden at San Miguel Arcangel with baby agave plants.  Photo by Laurent Paget

For tours and visiting hours look up the mission’s website.

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

Click for Ruth Paget’s Books

Chicken Korma Cashew Curry at Avatar Indian Grill in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

Chicken Korma Cashew Curry at Avatar Indian Grill in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget 

I like everything on the menu at Avatar Indian Grill in Salinas, California. I am a big fan of freshly ground and roasted spices sautéed in ghee, clarified butter, that are cooked with yogurt or coconut milk to make curry sauce. 

I love to mix curry sauce with bites of basmati rice or chicken or seafood cooked in curry in naan flatbread that is baked with licorice-flavored anise seeds. 

I did wonder when I ordered chicken korma why Avatar Indian Grill did not call this dish a curry. I was intrigued and wanted to see what was different about it. So, I ordered it and knew it would be delicious, because Avatar Indian Grill was making it. 

When the chicken korma arrived, the first thing I noticed was that it was a curry made with the addition of crushed cashew nuts. I love this addition to curry. (I obviously do not have a nut allergy.) 

The second thing I noticed about this curry was the yellow-brown ochre color. I checked indianhealthyrecipes.com and saw that tomatoes are not used in making chicken korma, so the curry in chicken korma is not bright red. The crushed cashews also contribute to this ochre color as well as turmeric used to marinate the chicken. 

The chicken pieces in the curry were moist and flavorful thigh meat. Chicken korma must be an Indian comfort food with its curry base of sautéed garlic, fresh ginger, and onion. 

The preparation of chicken korma with yogurt appears to be a Northern Indian dish while that made with coconut milk is a Southern Indian dish according to indianhealthyrecipes.com. Both versions sound delicious and would pair well with a chilled mango lassi yogurt drink. 

For a delicious midday comfort food lunch, chicken korma with cashew curry at Avatar Indian Grill in Salinas, California is a great option for cashew lovers. 

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

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Foods of Italy Reviewed by Ruth Paget

Foods of Italy Reviewed by Ruth Paget 

Foods of Italy by Giuliano Bugialli honors Italy’s everyday foods eaten by Italians in their homeland and covers recipes from lesser-known regions especially those regions on Italy’s eastern Adriatic Sea coast. 

I have made the following recipes over the years for flavor and economy even while using premium, high-quality ingredients like prosciutto, parmesan cheese, and pecorino cheese in moderation: 

-bell pepper salad: made with tomato, garlic, chopped basil and mint, capers (optional for me), and strips of baked sweet green and yellow peppers that have had their skins removed and that are sliced. A simple oil and vinegar dressing is used with this salad. This salad is refrigerated before serving. 

-marinated zucchini salad: great when zucchini explodes in summer gardens. This dish is not as straightforward as you would think. The zucchini is first baked and then sautéed in garlic-infused oil before marinating in the refrigerator. 

-squash soup Mantua style: Mantua is the adoptive city of the famous Renaissance art patron Isabella d’Este. I have mostly made this soup with butternut squash. Basically, you bake the squash and then boil it in broth to make the soup. I purée my soup with the seasonings. Mantua style calls for making seasoning with prosciutto. 

-cannellini beans with rosemary: for this dish, white cannellini beans are boiled and then baked with rosemary, garlic, and olive oil to make a tasty and not-too-expensive side dish in Italy. 

-bean paste crostini: this dish calls for a purée of cannellini beans, garlic, and olive oil on toast rounds as an hors d’oeuvres. I use canned, rinsed beans to make this Italian hummus. 

-tagliatelle with creamed prosciutto sauce: this dish is all good! Cubes of prosciutto are added to hot pasta with cream, butter, and parmesan cheese. I use thin strips of sliced pasta to make this dish.

-pasta and beans Puglia (Apulia) style: this dish from Italy’s boot heel on the Adriatic Sea mixes cannellini beans with puréed red onions and celery as a sauce for hot pasta that is probably sprinkled with grated pecorino cheese, the parmesan cheese of southern Italy. 

For a glimpse into what Italians really eat everyday, Foods of Italy by Giuliano Bugialli is a great introduction. 

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

Click for Ruth Paget's Books

Mexican Seafood Enchiladas at Hay's Place in Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget

Mexican Seafood Enchiladas at Hay’s Place in Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget 

For a West Coast family reunion, my daughter Florence Paget, husband Laurent, and I went to Hay’s Place at Pebble Beach, California for a Mexican meal overlooking the Pacific and golf course. This is a great spot for a family vacation photo. 

We began our meal with our standard order of smashed guacamole and salsa. The guacamole at Hay’s Place is a salad with chopped onion, tomato, cilantro, avocado, and a little tequila. The corn chips that come with the guacamole are mostly blue corn chips and have a smokier taste than yellow corn chips. 

I tried the enchiladas del mar trio (3 seafood enchiladas with different sauces). On the day we visited Hay’s Place, the daily catch for one of the enchiladas was tilapia. (I lucked out!) 

Enchiladas are warmed soft corn tortillas wrapped around fillings with sauces on top that are baked to oozing goodness. At Hay’s Place, the enchiladas were filled with seafood, roasted mild green peppers that could be New Mexico chili peppers, and creamy Oaxacan crema cheese that is less tangy than sour cream with a dairy flavor. 

As I mentioned, the first enchilada in this trio was filled with sautéed tilapia fillet, mild green pepper strips, and Oaxacan crema cheese. The filling was wrapped with a soft blue corn tortilla. The sauce on this enchilada was a mole poblano, a savory spiced chocolate sauce. 

The second enchilada was filled with lobster, mild roasted green peppers, and Oaxacan cheese. The sauce for this lobster enchilada was a mild red sauce that tasted as if it had been made with tomatoes, onions, garlic, chili peppers, and seasonings like oregano, cumin, and paprika. The sauce was light and let the lobster flavor shine. 

The third enchilada was filled with shrimp, mild roasted green pepper, and Oaxacan crema cheese as well. This enchilada was also wrapped in a soft blue corn tortilla. The sauce on this enchilada was a piquant green sauce most probably made with Mexican tomatillo green tomatoes, jalapeños, onions, cilantro, and garlic. 

This grandiose selection of enchiladas came with stewed black beans mixed with tequila and Spanish rice made with tomato juice, chicken broth, and a few chopped green peppers. 

As a beverage, I drank Mexican Jarritos Mandarin orange soda that is partially made with orange juice. It still has sugar, but also has Vitamin C. 

For a tonic, spa meal that is also a little exotic during a golfing trip or tour of 17-Mile Drive, I highly recommend Hay’s Place at Pebble Beach. (Definitely a Blue Zones Outing by the ocean in fresh air!) 

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

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Books-a-Million is carrying my book posted by Ruth Paget

Thank you Books-a-Million for carrying my book Eating Soup with Chopsticks.

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

New York Meal at Pub's (Growers Pub) in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

New York Meal at Pub’s (Growers Pub) in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget 

My daughter Florence Paget took me out for a New York dinner at Pub’s in downtown Salinas, California for a daughter-mom outing before the big weekend with the Java House Grand Prix Monterey at Laguna Seca and the Obon Festival (July 27) at the Buddhist Temple in Salinas.  

We started our meal with Monterey Bay deep-fried calamari. The calamari were lightly coated in polenta corn meal with a piquant dipping sauce and lemon wedges for squeezing. I really enjoy eating this dish in cool-weather Salinas with a sweet Meyer lemon lemonade. 

Salads came with our main dishes. I chose Thousand Island dressing for my New York-themed crispy and chilled romaine lettuce salad with a juicy tomato wedge on the side. Life is good in America’s salad bowl capital. (Blue cheese dressing is available for diners who would like calcium and protein to go with their salad.) 

Florence ordered a medium-rare prime New York steak with a baked potato along with steamed carrots, zucchini, and broccoli. The steak was juicy and perfect Florence said. 

I ordered chicken fettucine Alfredo. The fresh pasta was bathed in a rich creamy sauce that tasted as if it had been made with cream, butter, mascarpone cheese, and Parmesan cheese. That sauce was so good, it would make garlic ice cream taste good. (Gilroy about 20 minutes up 101 makes garlic ice cream in America’s garlic capital.) 

The cubes of chicken breast and thigh meat in the fettucine Alfredo were moist, tender, and flavorful. This delicious dish can also be made with shrimp and salmon at Pub’s. 

To complete our meal, we had some elegant New York desserts – cheesecake for Florence and tiramisu for me. 

For tiramisu, you line the bottom of a casserole with sponge cake lady finger cookies, pour espresso coffee over the lady fingers, spread whipped mascarpone cheese (similar to whipped cream) over the lady fingers, and dust the top of the mascarpone with cocoa powder. You then chill the tiramisu and serve it with raspberry sauce. Pub’s makes their tiramisu like this and it is a fantastic finish for a New York-themed meal. 

For New York steak and Italian-American meals, Pub’s in downtown Salinas, California offers great food and a full bar. 

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

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University of Chicago Press Book Releases for July posted by Ruth Paget

University of Chicago Press Book Releases for July and Recommendations - click below:

University of Chicago Press Books for July

I like monthly book recommendations.

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

National Taiwan University Library is carrying my book posted by Ruth Paget

Thank you National Taiwan University Library for carrying my first edition book about Virginia entitled More Leisure than Money.

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

Amazon Italy is carrying my book Marrying France posted by Ruth Paget

Thank you Amazon Italy for carrying my book Marrying France.  Molto Grazie!

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

Open Library Org has collected my work posted by Ruth Paget

Thank you Open Library Org online library for listing me as an American Food Writer and carrying my work.

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

Abe Books France is carrying my book posted by Ruth Paget

Thank you Abe Books France for carrying my first edition book Edible Alchemy about at ethnic restaurants around Monterey County as a restaurant reviewer and cooking Mediterranean meals at home.

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

Monsoon by Robert D. Kaplan looks interesting posted by Ruth Paget

My summer read is going to be Monsoon by Robert D. Kaplan about the importance of the countries on the Indian Ocean for the US in the near future.  Click below for Amazon details:

Click for info on Monsoon by Robert D. Kaplan

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

Thai Red Curry with Shrimp and Vegetables at Ginger Thai in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

Thai Red Curry with Shrimp and Vegetables at Ginger Thai in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget 

Diners can order Thai red curry with just vegetables, chicken, beef, or shrimp and rice at Ginger Thai in Salinas, California. I love shrimp for many reasons and ordered it to go with the organic Salinas Valley vegetables in this spicy but not hot dish. 

I like Thai curries like the one I ordered, because they start out with fresh, strong “aromatics” – onions, garlic and fresh ginger that are stir-fried. Homemade curry paste made from sweet red peppers is added in with shrimp marinated in fish sauce – Thai nam pla, followed by vegetables. Coconut milk is added as the last ingredient to complete the curry. 

At Ginger Thai, this dish called Pad Prik Khing in Thai, is made with 3-inch strips of Chinese long beans, carrots cut in medallion shapes, and strips of red bell pepper. The vegetables were soft but not mushy and retained their shape. The long beans were crunchy in the center. The shrimp were large with a piquant, briny flavor and beautiful orange color. Everything combined in this curry to make every bite delicious. The curry sauce disappeared with every bite of rice. For flavor, this dish can compete European seafood dishes. 

For nutrients, this dish has several winning ingredients. Shrimp contains both selenium and iodine, which keep the thymus gland working in good order. Carrots, long beans, and red bell pepper have Vitamin A, which is good for the eyes. Red peppers and green long beans contain Vitamin C, an antioxidant, which helps protect the body from cancer. The Thais, like the Chinese, also view vitamin-rich food as medicine. 

Red curry with shrimp and vegetables, pad prik khing, delivers great flavor loaded with nutrients at Ginger Thai in Salinas, California. 

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

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Western Stage Announces Upcoming 2025 - 2026 Plays Posted by Ruth Paget

The Western Stage in Salinas, California announces upcoming 2025 - 2026 Plays.  Click below for information and tickets:

Western Stage 2025 - 2026 Upcoming Shows

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

Sticky Buns and Vegetable Frittatas at the Gallery Café in Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget

Sticky Buns and Frittatas at the Gallery Café in Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget 

When my daughter Florence Paget and I went to the Gallery Café in Pebble Beach (Califoria) a few days ago, we were in a rush, because it was late morning and the cinnamon sticky buns might be sold out. (Oh no!) 

The Gallery Café is an American diner that serves freshly baked, very large cinnamon rolls that can easily feed three people. Florence and I shared one. The sticky bun arrived so warm you could smell the cinnamon and sugar seasoning. 

Warm, liquid powdered sugar frosting was poured over it at the table and settled in little pools around the sticky bun for dipping. That was a delicious appetizer. 

While waiting for our main course, I sipped a hot chai latte, a Central Asian tea drink that can be flavored with ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, clove, pepper, and/or nutmeg. The chai arrived with a frothy layer of steamed milk on top that was sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. In California, chai is now a standard beverage offered like Italian coffee drinks. I like tea that reminds me of hot chocolate. 

My brunch order was a vegetable frittata, a baked Italian omelet. Delicious, organic vegetables from the Salinas Valley really make this dish shine. The frittata was full of bite-sized green asparagus, sautéed spinach, shallots, and mushrooms. The frittata was topped off with slices of ripe tomato, goat cheese (Is this made in Pebble Beach? They have goat herds.), and velvety smoked salmon with snipped chives. 

This beautiful dish was served with a generous bowl of fresh fruit – strawberry halves, blueberries, raspberries, cantaloupe slices, honeydew melon slices, and pineapple wedges. The fruit was so sweet it needed no sugar. 

We sat outside for fresh air and had a great view of the golf course and ocean. 

The Gallery Café is located between the Pebble Beach Market opposite the Lodge and the Tap Room and Bench’s temporary location. 

For a pleasant and delicious brunch or breakfast, The Gallery Café in Pebble Beach, California is a nice place to relax, especially if you are driving along 17-Mile Drive. 

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

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Santa Cruz Weekly carried my review of the Images of the Virgin Exhibit by Ruth Paget

Thank you Santa Cruz Weekly for carrying my review of the Images of the Virgin exhibit organized by Dr. Jennifer Colby about the Black Madonna in various religions.

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

Keto Chaffles (Cheese Waffles) Reviewed by Ruth Paget

Keto Chaffles (Cheese Waffles) Reviewed by Ruth Paget 

Even if you do not diet, the Sweet and Savory Keto Chaffles: 75 Delicious Treats for Your Low-Carb Diet by Martina Slajerova about cheese waffles makes excellent use of organic Monterey County agricultural products and those of California in general. 

Low-fat mozzarella cheese is used in both sweet and savory waffles. Other cheese varieties that can be used in savory cheese waffles include mild to mature cheddar, Monterey Jack, Swiss cheese, Emmenthal, goat cheese or sheep cheese. 

For savory waffles, Slajerova suggests making two homemade raw Italian sauces – marinara and pesto. Both of these sauces can be kept in the refrigerator for several days as well as the cheese waffles. 

-For the marinara sauce, you will need to blend cherry tomatoes, basil, shallot or onion, tomato purée, olive oil, salt, and pepper together. 

-For the pesto sauce, you will need to blend basil; macadamia, blanched almonds or sunflower seeds, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese together. 

-For the chaffle batter, you need to blend eggs; mozzarella or grated cheddar or hard cheese of choice; almond or coconut flour, and baking powder together before cooking. 

Just these three recipes are worth the price of the book, especially if you add poached or fried eggs on top of the chaffle with some sauce poured on it. 

There are some other delicious recipes for savory cheese waffles that I have noted below: 

-salmon and cream cheese chaffles

-eggs royale with smoked salmon and Hollandaise sauce 

-Quatro formaggi pizza chaffles with marinara sauce and a mix of Parmesan, mozzarella, gorgonzola and maybe goat cheese that is run under the broiler 

-spanakopita chaffles made with frozen spinach and feta cheese 

-rosemary and olive focaccia chaffle made with chopped black or green olives 

If you are looking for a way to make organic ingredients shine, there are many good recipes for doing this in Sweet and Savory Keto Chaffles by Martina Slajerova. 

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

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Bookhype.com is carrying my first edition books by Ruth Paget

Thank you bookhype.com for carrying my first edition books including More Leisure than Money: Tales of a Navy Wife in Virginia.

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

Operation We Are Here Resources for Miltary Spouses has included my Virginia book on their booklist by Ruth Paget

Thank you Operation We Are Here.com for including my book More Leisure than Money: Tales of a Navy Wife in Virginia on your list of resource books for military spouses.

This book is also sold as Virginia Mom.

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

Salinas (California) Go-To Summer Picnic by Ruth Paget

Salinas (California) Go-To Summer Picnic by Ruth Paget 

I like the store-bought picnics I can put together with little trouble in Salinas, California. 

The following meal makes like my little town very much: 

-cooked seasoned back ribs – less than $18 as of 6-16-2025 at Costco (locations in Salinas and Sand City by Seaside) 

-Diet Pepsi – we get 24-packs at Costco 

-cleaned, cubed, and fresh watermelon and strawberries from Whole Foods – Whole Foods is located in the Del Monte Center Shopping Mall in Monterey. You can get there via Highway 68 or take Blanco Road to Reservation Road (right) to Imjin Parkway (immediate left) to Highway 1 (Soledad and Munras exit) 

-blueberry streusel banana muffins – from Costco 

If you need a place to park and eat, Toro Park is located off Highway 68 as is Jack’s Peak Park across from the airport.

With a little organization, it is easy to picnic in Steinbeck Country in Salinas, California. 

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

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Alibris.com is carrying my book by Ruth Paget

Thank you Alibris.com for carrying my book Eating Soup with Chopsticks.

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

The ALA Store (American Library Association) is selling a book I have chapters in by Ruth Paget

Thank you ALA Store (American Library Association) for carrying the Librarian’s Handbook.  I have chapters on restaurant reviewing and online columns in it. 

 (I used to write The Global Librarian column for the Special Library Association of the Bay Area when I was in graduate school at San Jose State University.)

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

Saxo.com in Denmark is carrying my book by Ruth Paget

Thank you Saco.com in Denmark for carrying my first edition of Eating Soup with Chopsticks.

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

Sesame Beef and Broccoli at Saigon Noodles in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

Sesame Beef and Broccoli at Saigon Noodles in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget 

When I lived in downtown Chicago (Illinois) after I graduated from the University of Chicago, I ate sesame beef with broccoli at Chinese restaurants like Szechuan House and House of Hunan and felt like an empress doing so while working at my entry-level job in sales. 

Later when I lived in Wisconsin, I bought a wok at a garage sale and restored it. I made broccoli beef myself to cook my own empress meals. 

In my new town of Salinas, California, I tried sesame beef and broccoli at one of our local Vietnamese restaurants, Saigon Noodles, located on North Main Street by Grocery Outlet. 

The Vietnamese stir-fry shallots in peanut oil and add in the beef with soy sauce and oyster sauce. The hot beef is finished with drizzles of sesame oil and sprigs of cilantro. The beef sauce is thick but not cloudy from the addition of cornstarch. 

Many Chinese restaurants add cornstarch to stir-fry dishes at the end of cooking to add a glistening sheen to meat and vegetables. I think cornstarch “slurries” add calories and dull flavors a bit. 

Fortunately, the stir-fry beef sauce at Saigon Noodles is savory, salty, and clear of cornstarch. I dipped my rice and steamed broccoli that came with my meal in the sauce and loved the rich flavor. 

Saigon Noodles also offers this dish with chicken. 

For a regal treat, I highly recommend the sesame beef with steamed broccoli and rice from Saigon Noodles in Salinas, California. 

By Ruth Paget, Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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Seafood Sizzling Rice Bowl at Korea House in Seaside, California by Ruth Paget

Seafood Sizzling Rice Bowl at Korea House in Seaside, California by Ruth Paget 

On my last visit to Korea House in Seaside, California with my daughter Florence Paget, we ordered shrimp tempura as our appetizer. The tempura arrived warm with delicious panko breadcrumb crust.

Florence ordered dak gui, Korean grilled chicken with soy chile sauce, while I ordered seafood dol sot bimibap, a sizzling rice bowl with seafood and egg. 

The seafood dol sot bimibap came with octopus, shrimp, mussels, squid, zucchini, and eggplant and a fried egg on top of it all. You are supposed to mix everything together to evenly spread the spicy gochujang sauce in it.

Gochujang sauce is made with red chili powder, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, and salt. Red chili powder contains Vitamin C, an antioxidant, which removes free radicals that can cause cancer from the body. 

My food was hot and deliciously spicy. At the end, I ate the crispy rice that had baked on the sides and bottom of the stone bowl the dol sot bimibap was heated in. I love this Korean dish, which you can also eat with bulgogi, Korean BBQ beef. 

I drank lemonade with my meal, but barley tea is the more traditional beverage. 

For a pleasant afternoon lunch with some perky and exotic food, I highly recommend Korea House in Seaside, California. 

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

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Glass Noodle Soup Packed with Seafood and Meat at Chopstix in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

Glass Noodle Soup with Seafood and Meat at Chopstix in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget 

The glass noodle soup with seafood and meat at Chopstix Restaurant in Salinas, California located at the Northridge Mall on North Main Street tastes great and is also a great value for the amount of seafood and meat in it. 

Shrimp and squid along with sliced pork and beef and pulled chicken breast sit atop a large mound of glass noodles made from mung bean starch in the delivery bowls. To this diners can add Thai basil leaves, jalapeño peppers, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and bean sprouts. 

Finally, diners pour on shrimp broth that tastes like it has been made with shrimp shells that are discarded after the broth has reduced and the shrimp flavor concentrates. 

The lemony shrimp broth is the constant flavor for all the different flavors and textures in the soup. This soup is a wonderful recharge in the middle of the day. 

The clear glass noodles made from mung bean starch surprisingly contain some calcium and iron. Iron helps transport oxygen throughout the body, and calcium is used to help build bones. The mung beans are flavorless and take on the shrimp flavor of the broth while adding nutritional value. 

The Vietnamese name for this delicious soup is Hu Tien Tim Thit, which I will learn for international flair.  

This value packed glass noodle soup with seafood and meat is a great deal at Chopstix Restaurant in Salinas, California. 

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

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Education tutors for summer and school year posted by Ruth Paget

Education tutoring services - one local and tw others offering online instruction:

Sylvain Learning in Salinas, California

Mathnasium Tutoring Services in Monterey

Kumon Education Services

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

Bol.com of the Netherlands and Belgium is carrying two of my books posted by Ruth Paget

Thank you Bol.com of the Netherlands and Belgium for carrying two of my chapbooks about Asia - China Hand and Eating Soup with Chopsticks.

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

Reliably Fresh Turkey-Provolone Subs from Jersey Mike's in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

Reliably Fresh Turkey-Provolone Subs from Jersey Mike’s in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget 

I like reliable, no-surprises, fresh, and delicious turkey-provolone submarine sandwiches from Jersey Mike’s in Salinas, California located in the Northridge Mall on North Main Street.

The submarine sandwich, or sub, gets its name from the poofy, soft bread that the sandwich is made from that looks like a sub. My daughter Florence Paget and I share a “giant” sub when we order. It comes cut in four sections.

The turkey tastes as if it is roasted in-house, because it does not have a sour taste from preservatives. Provolone cheese is often bland, but Jersey Mike’s has a pronounced dairy flavor, which I like. 

The sub comes with crispy, chopped romaine lettuce, sliced juicy tomatoes, lots of sour dill pickles, and creamy mayonnaise. When you do a basic turkey-provolone sub right, it is delicious and will fill you up for four or five hours. 

To go along with your sub, Jersey Mike’s sells nice and salty Lay’s potato chips. I really like chips and think the turkey-provolone sub with chips is perfect for watching sporting events.  

So, does Jersey Mike’s. They are sponsors of the National Football League and the National Hockey League. For a headache-free game day party, Jersey Mike’s subs from the Northridge Mall in Salinas, California might be a heart-healthy option as well. 

(Note: There is also a Jersey Mike’s in the Gilroy Outlet Mall by Barnes and Noble.) 

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

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My chapters on blogging and restaurant reviewing are in The Librarian’s Handbook by Ruth Paget

My chapters on blogging and restaurant reviewing are in The Librarian’s Handbook sold by Barnes and Noble.

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

Moai Lifestyle from Okinawa, Japan Explained reposted by Ruth Paget

I like this explanation of the Moai Lifestyle from Okinawa, Japan that is part of the Blue Zones Healthy Lifestyle Program. (Salinas, California where I live is a Blue Zones community.)

Moai Lifestyle from Okinawa, Japan Explained

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

My article on the Art of Angkor and Ancient Cambodia on Yshoo by Ruth Paget

My article on Art of Angkor and Ancient Cambodia on Yahoo:

Art of Angkor and Ancient Cambodia by Ruth Paget

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

Images of the Virgin Exhibit Review by Ruth Paget in Metro Silicon Valley

I like this review I did of the Images of the Virgin Exhibit that appeared in Metro Silicon Valley.  Article below;

Images of the Virgin Exhibit Review

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

Thank you National University of Singapore for adding my Virginia book to your collection by Ruth Paget

Thank you National University of Singapore Library for adding my book about Virginia - More Leisure than Money - to your collection.

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

Thank you Loot South Africa for carrying my book by Ruth Paget

Thank you Loot Company South Africa (ZA) for carrying my book Eating Soup with Chopsticks.  

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

Better World Books is carrying Eating Soup with Chopsticks and my chapbooks posted by Ruth Paget

Thank you Better World Books for my book Eating Soup with Chopsticks and several of my chapbooks.

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

Abe Books is selling my books China Hand and Eating Soup with Chopsticks by Ruth Paget

Thank you Abe Books for carrying my first edition books - China Hand )Revised book title - Teen in China) and Eating Soup with Chopsticks.about being an exchange student in Japan.

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

H & R Block Online Tax Preparation Course posted by Ruth Paget

 H & R Block Online Tax Preparation Course Information flows:

H & R Block Tax Preparation Information

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

Barnes & Noble is carrying my chapbook The Edible Tao by Ruth Paget

Thank you Barnes & Noble for carrying my chapbook food memoir The Edible Tao: Munching my Way Toward Enlightenment that highlights many ethnic restaurants in Seaside and Marina, California.

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

UChicago Online AI Courses posted by Ruth Paget

University of Chicago Online AI Courses and other Management Subjects Offered this Summer:

UChicago AI and Management Courses

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

Ninja Storm Companion Cookbook Reviewed by Ruth Paget

Ninja Storm Companion Cookbook Reviewed by Ruth Paget 

The companion cookbook for the Ninja Storm blender/food processor combination set with blades that can crush ice has several recipes that Salinas and Monterey County California residents can easily make with local agricultural products. 

The cookbook’s official name is Ninja Storm: 50 Quick and Easy Recipes. The following recipes from the cookbook make great use of Salinas and Monterey County California’s agricultural products:  

-Apple-Chicken Sausage – This recipe is worth the price of the cookbook. I have eaten Aidells link apple-chicken sausage for decades, but this recipe for handmade patties is easy to make as well. This recipe calls for olive oil, seasonings, thigh chicken meat cubes, and apple slices mixed in the blender. 

The apples add fiber, Vitamin C, and antioxidants that remove free radicals that can cause cancer from the body to the chicken. The apples also stretch the meat to make it feed more people. For a lighter sausage, you can replace the thigh meat with white breast meat for frying.

-Fresh Vegetable Fritatta – a frittata is an Italian baked omelet made here with broccoli, red bell pepper, onion, garlic, olive oil, and eggs that is blended and then poured into a baking dish with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. 

-Spinach Feta Strata – cubes of day old bread are placed in a casserole dish with a mixture of eggs, feta cheese, and thawed frozen spinach poured on top of the cubes. The strata stays in the refrigerator overnight so the bread cubes can fully absorb the egg mixture before baking the next day. 

-Broccoli – Cheddar Soup which is mixed in the blender 

-Tomato – Basil Soup which can also be used as a sauce. This recipe calls for canned tomatoes, tomato paste, and fresh basil. 

-Cucumber feta dip made with red onion and lemon juice and used as a dip for carrot, celery, and bell pepper sticks 

-Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip made with thawed frozen spinach, canned artichokes, sour cream, cream cheese, and mozzarella cheese that is baked. 

-Blueberry Antioxidant Sorbet made with frozen blueberries and apricot nectar. 

-Peach (or Strawberry) Ice Cream made with frozen peach slices, lime juice, sugar, and low fat milk mixed in the Ninja Storm. 

All good recipes! 

The Ninja Storm: 50 Quick and Easy Recipes cookbook contains many easy, healthy, and delicious recipes that highlight produce. 

Residents in Salinas and Monterey County will find great use for the region's organic produce in this cookbook including recipes for smoothies, frozen drinks, hummus, ranch dressing, and sauces. 

(Note: Salinas and Monterey County are practically self-sufficient in food.)

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

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Coursera Forex Trading Courses posted by Ruth Paget

Forex Trading (Foreign Exchange Trading) courses offered by Coursera.  Information below:

Coursera Forex Trading Courses

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

Coursera App Development Courses reposted by Ruth Paget

Coursera App Development Courses that may be of interest:

Coursera App Development Courses

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

AI Courses offered by Coursera reposted by Ruth Paget

AI courses offered by Coursera follow:

AI Courses Offered by Coursera

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

Always Great Pizza at Gino's in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

Always Great Pizza at Gino’s in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget 

My go-to pizza place in Salinas, California is Gino’s located between Wise Music and Nob Hill Supermarket on Main Street (Highway 68). 

For the 4th of July holiday, this is the pizza my daughter Florence Paget and I have been ordering to go along with mangonadas and sundaes from Baskin-Robbins: 

-sweet pepperoni flavored with red pepper that tastes like sweet paprika from Hungary 

-chopped onion that is sweet like Vidalia onions from Georgia 

-beefy-tasting wild mushroom slices that be locally sourced from the mountains around Monterey County 

-melted but not stringy tangy tasting mozzarella di bufala chesse from the Campania region around Naples, Italy 

-sweet tomato-basil sauce to tie everything together 

-firm crust baked to a caramel brown made from 00 pizza flour that was like a soft German pretzel 

Pizza like this one from Gino’s in Salinas, California sets a standard for artisanal pizza.

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

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Hamilton Musical Download for 4th of July posted by Ruth Paget

Hamilton the musical is 4th of July fare!

Hamilton Musical Download Site

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks

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Carnitas Taco Salad at Taquitos in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

Carnitas Taco Salad at Taquitos in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget 

The rodeo is coming to Salinas, California the second week of July, so my daughter Florence Paget and I went to lunch at Taquitos, which is right across from the Salinas Sports Complex where the rodeo takes place on Main Street. 

I ate a Mexican-American classic taco salad, which came with a choice of proteins. I opted for carnitas, roast pork that is cooked with bitter Seville orange juice and the rinds. The Seville orange juice tenderizes the meat and seems to rid the meat of greasy liquid. 

At Taquitos, they place the carnitas chunks in the bottom of a large salad bowl, spread on a thin layer of refried beans, place a thick layer of crunchy and sliced iceberg lettuce on top of the beans, and finish it off with grated Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese. 

On the very top of the salad, Taquitos uses sour cream, juicy chopped tomatoes, and guacamole salad as dressings. The guacamole is also a salad made with chopped onion, chopped tomato, chopped cilantro, and lime juice. Crispy, homemade tortilla chips were stuck in the various sauces. I have to admit, I love guacamole salad dressing.

I ate a third of the salad and made two more meals out of the leftovers at home. 

Diners who like roast pork might enjoy carnitas in this salad or alone as a tasty introduction to Hispanic cuisine. 

(Note: Taquitos is open for breakfast, lunch, and supper.)

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

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Vegetable Simple Reviewed by Ruth Paget

Vegetable Simple Reviewed by Ruth Paget 

Michelin star chef Eric Ripert writes in his introduction to Vegetable Simple that vegetables have become more important to him for three main reasons: 

-he eats more vegetables as he has aged 

-he serves vegetable buffet dinners to his friends for entertaining on weekends 

-he opened a wine bar with a vegetable-centered menu next to his Michelin-starred restaurant 

All of these reasons prompted me to carefully read the easy if you have great vegetables recipes to put together a French buffet dinner: 

Most of the following dishes can be made ahead of time and served cold or room temperature with the exception of the baked mushrooms, which can be placed in the oven as guests arrive: 

-sweet pea soup – made with frozen peas that are boiled in water and blended till smooth with crème fraîche and mint added just before serving. Ripert serves this soup hot, but in the summer I would chill it in the blender and pour it in champagne flutes to set the tone for the vegetable lunch. 

-endive blue cheese salad – the leaves of bitter endive are set out spoke fashion for this dish with a blue cheese-cream dressing place in the center of the leaves in the middle of the spoke 

-grated carrot salad – so simple, so good for your eyes with the Vitamin A in the carrots that is good for the eyes.  So easy to dress with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil. 

-cold basil past salad – a “sauce” of grated fresh basil, garlic, grated Parmesan, olive oil, and pepper fragrantly coat linguine pasta that is preferably made from semolina flour from durum wheat for its protein content 

-baked cremini mushrooms made with the butter used for snails – butter, parsley, and garlic 

-tomato “croquet sel” – fresh tomato halves sprinkled with sea salt and pepper and drizzled with olive oil 

-melon balls “au porto” – If you do not have a melon baller, cut cantaloupe into fourths and scoop out the seeds. Place about 2 tablespoons of Portuguese porto in the cavity of the melon. Eat with a spoon to scoop up all the porto. 

This French vegetable buffet is very doable at home with a little planning and well-suited for American potluck lunches where everyone brings a dish to share. 

I like these recipes, because I live in an agricultural community that grows all organic produce (Salinas, California and its surrounding region of Monterey County). 

I also love Vegetable Simple by Eric Ripert for its recipes from many cultures that young people might enjoy making on their days off for international flair on a budget. 

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

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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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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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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

Click for Ruth Paget's Books