Franco-Italian Meal at Novo Restaurant and Lounge in San Luis Obispo, California by Ruth Paget

Franco-Italian Meal at Novo Restaurant and Lounge in San Luis Obispo, California by Ruth Paget 

My husband Laurent, daughter Florence Paget, and I went to San Luis Obispo, California to have a dinner creekside at Novo Restaurant and Lounge. We reserved a table on the terrace, but rain drove us inside and downstairs to the wine cellar room. We settled in for a delicious meal of steaks for Laurent and Florence and seafood pasta for me. 

We began our meal with the chèvre sharing plate. Everything was heated up and arrived very warm and fragrant of thyme. The plate held a generous bowl of chèvre, marinated black and green olives, a confit of red and yellow plum tomatoes, and toast crostini. 

The chèvre sharing plate would be perfect for catering for cocktail parties with French themes like a Bastille Day Party, the French Open, the Tour de France, or Cannes Film Festival Week. 

I also loved the papardelle al limone I ordered which seems to have its origins in Southern Italy. However, the French capital of lemons, Menton, might do something similar. 

Novo’s version of this dish is pretty over the top with a zesty spice flavor. The papardelle ribbon pasta was made with only egg yolks, which gave the pasta an almost orange color and velvety texture. The pasta sauce was made with lemon juice, cream, and grated Parmesan cheese. (In Southern Italy, they probably use pecorino cheese in this sauce, but Parmesan is an elegant substitute.) 

The papardelle al limone was loaded with briny shrimp, slightly sour artichoke hearts, savory broccolini pieces, tart sun-dried tomatoes, and zesty and pungent red chili peppers. The red chili flakes may have been Calabrian. I liked this combination very much, but other diners might want fewer peppers. 

The papardelle al limone would be good dish for a small dinner party too with Italian themes like the Venice Film Festival or the Milan Fashion Week. 

Both the chèvre sharing plate and the papardelle al limone made me happy despite rain on our mini vacation to San Luis Obispo. 

Novo is most famous for its steaks and lamb shank, but they offer several dining options including curries, risottos, salads, and papardelle. The extensive wine list and full bar has a match for everything. 

Diners will find many dishes to choose from at Novo Restaurant and Lounge in San Luis Obispo, California, making it a great spot for large parties with varying tastes. 

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

Pescado a la Veracruzano at La Tortuga in Seaside, California by Ruth Paget

Thank you Monterey County Weekly (Circulation: 200,000) for pulling up my review of La Tortuga in Seaside,California from the archives.

I loved the pescado a la Veracruzano in the old neighborhood.

La Tortuga Review by Ruth Paget

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

A Blessed Eid by Ruth Paget

Thank you Monterey County Weekly (Circulation: 200,000) for retrieving my article A Blessed Eid: Local Muslims Bake for the End of Ramadan from archives.  

My article follows:

A Blessed Eid by Ruth Paget

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

Streets of Bethlehem is December 4 - 7, 2025 in Salinas, California posted by Ruth Paget

The longstanding outdoor play Streets of Bethlehem is being put on by the First Baptist Church of Salinas, California between December 4 - 7, 2025.  There will be a food truck for meal purchase before and after the show.  The event is free, but donations are accepted. (See website below)

Details about parking and tickets are on the event website below:

https://streetsofbethlehem.com/

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

Southern Big Sur California Day Trip by Ruth Paget

Southern Big Sur California Day Trip by Ruth Paget 

My husband Laurent, daughter Florence Paget, and I began our tour of Southern Big Sur California at Morro Bay, about 5 miles to the coast from San Luis Obispo. 

Morro Bay is famous for its oysters, portside seafood restaurants, cozy hotels, and charter deep-sea fishing boats. 

There is plenty of public parking across from the portside restaurants that make it easy to dine, stroll, and shop. Morro Bay sits directly on Highway 1, making it an easy to go up the coast north to San Simeon and Hearst Castle as well. 

If you turn right from Highway 1 at San Simeon, you can drive up the hills to Hearst Castle for a visit or just shopping at the gift shop, which has copies of the Hearst Castle cookbook. 

The day we did our tour, we wanted to eat along the oceanfront and travel as far as we could in Big Sur before the highway closure point. We ate lunch at our favorite restaurant along the coast – the Cavalier Oceanfront Resort. 

The Cavalier and hotel have been in Big Sur for the 30+ years that we have lived in California. We always went to this restaurant after visits to Hearst Castle when Florence was a child. Our main reasons for eating at the Cavalier are the excellent clam chowder and fish and chips with tart yet creamy coleslaw. I like the Cavalier’s comfortable booths, marble top tables, air-conditioning, and clean bathrooms, too. It is very enjoyable to eat at this restaurant.

On our day trip, we sampled the charcuterie platter, which came with locally produced ham and salume, slices of a cheese that resembled Manchego, dry toast, goat cheese, cranberry sauce, and large-grain mustard. That was a great start for the fish and chips Laurent and I ate and the turkey club sandwich that Florence ordered. 

After lunch, we set out for the climb up along Highway 1 to Big Sur. Along the way, we passed a pullout for sea lion viewing. The sea lions roll in the surf and sun themselves on coastal rocks with occasional bursts of sea water showering on them from sea water crashing on the rocks. 

Highway 1 begins to rise up at San Simeon and go from a two-lane highway to a single-lane highway with no passing just turnouts for slow drivers. Only 28 miles of Highway 1 is open from San Simeon due to falling rocks and repairs from landslides. 

The fantastic views are worth the thrill of driving along the curvy highway. There are restaurants, hotels, gas stations, bathrooms, and general stores located at Ragged Point and Gorda Springs. Trees from Limekiln State Park line the way till you see sheer drops down to the ocean on the southbound lane side of the road. 

We turned around at Lucia (28 miles from San Simeon) and took Highway 1 back to Highway 46, which cuts over the hills to Paso Robles and Highway 101 by the Firestone Walker Brew Pub. 

Highway 46 goes through a good portion of the wine country of Paso Robles. Each inch of ground seems to have a winery on it. I looked at the wineries and thought they should all have markets with foods that go with wine and wine-related products like wine vinegar, picnic tables, bistros with live music, and maybe some artwork and books for sale. 

I had fun thinking of wine country marketing ideas on the way back to ag capital Salinas, California with its 120+ agricultural products grown in Monterey County. 

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

Click for Ruth Paget's Books

Wulong: The Taiwanese Tea Game Created by Ruth Paget

Wulong: The Taiwanese Tea Game Created by Ruth Paget 

The story of tea in Taiwan is one of Wulong tea. Wulong tea leaves are oxidized more than green tea leaves, but less than black tea leaves. Wulong tea is also produced in the provinces of Fujian and Guangdong in the People’s Republic of China. 

Terroirs (production areas) and cultivars (cultivated varieties of tea leaves similar to grape varieties in wine making) are important in Taiwan as they are in the People’s Republic of China. 

 Game Objectives: 

1-Know Taiwanese Terroirs (Production Areas) 

2-Know Taiwanese Cultivars (Cultivated varieties of tea leaves similar to grape varieties in winemaking) 

3-Know Day 1 Production Methods 

4-Know Day 2 Production Methods 

5-Know Taiwanese Tea Brands 

6-Reward: Drink some wulong tea and read about the Gong Fu Cha tea ceremony 

Materials Needs: 

-Tea: History Terroirs Varieties by Kevin Gascoyne, François Marchand, Jasmin Desharnais, and Hugo Américi 

-index cards – large and small

-pens 

Game 1: Know Taiwanese Terroirs (Production Areas) 

The island of Taiwan has several large regions with subregions under them. On index cards, write the name of the main region on the front. On the back of the index cards, write the main characteristics of the main regions. 

If a main region has a subregion, make separate index cards for the subregion. Write the name of the main region followed by the subregion. On the back of index card, write the characteristics of the subregion. 

Quiz yourself on main regions and subregions till you know them three at a time. 

The main regions and subregions in Taiwan follow: 

-Nantou – main region 

-Subregion: Mount Dong Ding 

-Subregion: Mount Lin Xi 

-District of Taipei – main region 

-Subregion: Pingun 

-Subregion: The Mucha Mountains 

-Hsinchu – main region 

-Chia Yi – main region 

-Subregion: Ali Shan Mountain 

-Subregion: Yu Shan Mountain 

 -Hualien – main region 

-Subregion: Taitung 

-Taichung: main region 

-Subregion: Li Shan Mountain 

Game 2: Know Taiwanese Cultivars (Cultivated varieties similar to grape varieties in wine making) 

There are 5 main cultivars in Taiwan. Write the name of the cultivars on the front of an index card. On the back of the index card, write the characteristics of the cultivar in your own words. 

Taiwan’s 5 cultivars follow: 

-Qing Shin 

-Si Ji Chun

 -Cui Yu 

-Jin Shuan

-Tie Guan Yin 

Quiz yourself on the cultivars and their characteristics till you know them. 

Game 3: Know Day 1 Production Methods for Taiwanese Wulong Tea 

There are 6 steps in the production of Taiwanese wulong on the first day of production. 

Write Day 1 on six index cards. Number and name the steps on the front of the index cards. On the back of the index cards, describe the step’s characteristics in your own words. 

Quiz yourself on the Day 1 steps till you know them. 

Game 4: Know Day 2 Production Methods for Wulong Tea 

There are 6 steps in the production of Taiwanese wulong tea on the second day. 

Write Day 2 on six index cards. Number and name the steps on the front of the index cards. On the back of the index cards, describe the step’s characteristics in your own words.

Quiz yourself on the Day 2 steps till you know them. 

Game 5: Know the Taiwanese Wulong Tea Types. 

Note the name of the tea type on the front of an index card. On the back of the index card, note the tea family (usually wulong), the name translation, alternative names if any, production area, harvest season, and cultivar. 

Quiz yourself on the tea types till you know them three at a time. 

It is usually easier to learn one characteristic at a time for the different tea types.

Game 6: Reward Once you have learned all the information in games 1 through 5, reward yourself with a pot of wulong tea and read about the gong fu cha tea ceremony in Tea: History Terroirts Varieties by Kevin Gascoyne et al. 

Happy Playing! 

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

Green Bean Casserole Recipe Created by Ruth Paget

Green Bean Casserole Recipe Created by Ruth Paget 

Note: I ate this casserole frequently as a child in Detroit, Michigan. I relearned how to make this recipe from my daughter Florence Paget recently. 

This Detroit recipe may have its roots in Appalachia. Its ingredients are all pantry items that you can use in winter when snowfall might congest roads for a day or two and you have to cook what you have on hand. 

Serves 4 to 6 people 

Ingredients: 

-2 (14.5-ounce) cans Del Monte green beans, drained and rinsed 

-2 (11-ounce) containers of Trader Joe’s condensed mushroom soup 

-1 (8-ounce) container Kirkland UHT milk 

-sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste 

-3 to 4 cups Fresh Gourmet Dried onions to cover the top of the casserole 

Steps: 

1-Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

2-Place green beans, mushroom soup, and milk in a disposable baking dish. Mix ingredients together until the green beans are well coasted with mushroom soup and mil. 

3-Grind sea salt and black pepper over the top of the green bean mixture. 

4-Cover the top of the casserole with dried onions.  

5-Bake the casserole for 40 minutes and serve warm. 

This casserole is a perfect lacto-ovo vegetarian dish containing:  

-protein in the beans and milk 

-carbohydrates in the vegetable casing around the green beans 

-vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in the mushrooms and onions 

-calcium in the milk 

This green beans casserole is also a tasty side for roast turkey. 

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

Teen Anime Club at the Watsonville Library posted by Ruth Paget

Join the fun at the longstanding Teen Anime Club at Watsonville Library beginning November 19, 2025.

I have posted details about this event from the online Monterey County Weekly calendar

https://www.montereycountynow.com/events/#/details/teen-anime-club/15117515/2025-11-19T16

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

Matcha: The Japanese Tea Game Created by Ruth Paget

Matcha: The Japanese Tea Game Created by Ruth Paget 

The story of tea in Japan is largely one of green tea. However, this does not mean that learning about green tea is simple. Production methods and processing are more important here than terroirs (production areas) and cultivars (tea varieties akin to grape varieties in wine making). Terroirs and cultivars are less important in Japan than in China, but are still mentioned for higher priced teas. 

Game Objectives: 

1-Know the Japanese terroirs (production areas) 

2-Know the Japanese tea cultivars (tea varieties akin to grape varieties used in winemaking) 

3-Know the senchado steeping process 

4-Know matcha preparation steps 

5-Know the nine main tea categories based on production and processing 

6-Know the Top 10 Japanese Tea Branchs 

7-Reward – Drinking a Matcha and reading about the Japanese tea ceremony 

Materials needed: 

-The book Tea: History Terroirs Varieties by Kevin Gascoyne, François Marchand, Jasmin Desharnair, and Hugo Americi 

-pen 

-index cards 

- large and small -notebook paper 

-matcha drink as a reward 

Game 1: Know the Japanese Tea Terroirs 

There are 4 main Japanese tea terroirs: 

-Shizuoka Prefecture 

-Kyoto Prefecture 

-Kagoshima Prefecture (Island of Kyushu) 

-Nara and Mie Prefectures 

Use 4 index cards to note these production regions on the front of the index card. One the back of the index card, note in your own words where these regions are located and their characteristics. 

Quiz yourself till you perfectly know this information. 

Game 2: Know the Japanese Tea Cultivars 

A cultivar is similar to grape variety or varietal in wine making. 

There are four main tea cultivars in Japan: 

-Yabukita 

-Gokou 

-Beni Fouki 

-Samidori 

Write the names of these cultivars on the front of the four index cards. Note on the back of the index cards, the characteristics of each in your own words. 

Quiz yourself till you about each varietal. 

Game 3: Know the Senchado Steeping Process 

There are 6 main steps for steeping Japanese green tea. Number the steps on index cards and describe the step in your own words. On the back of the index card, not the process step number. 

Quiz yourself by looking at the step number and describing what the step entails. 

Game 4: Know Matcha Preparation Steps 

There are 4 main steps needed to prepare matcha. Use index cards to note what happens in each step. On the back of the index card, note the step number. 

Quiz yourself by step number till you have memorized the process for making matcha. 

Game 5: Know Japanese Tea Categories 

These categories refer to green teas with specific production methods and processing of the tea leaves. 

The main tea categories follow: 

-sencha 

-bancha 

-hojicha 

-genmaicha 

-tamaryokucha 

-gyokuro 

-kabusecha 

-matcha 

Note these names on the front of index cards. On the back of the index cards, describe the characteristics of the tea in your own words. 

Quiz yourself on these terms till you know them. 

Game 6: Know To Japanese Tea Brands 

On the front of an index card, note the tea brand name. On the back of the index card, note the tea family (usually green), translation of the tea name, production area or terroir, harvest season, and cultivar. 

Quiz yourself on one characteristic at a time for all 10 tea brands till you know them. Then, move on to quizzing yourself on the next characteristic for all 10 tea brands. 

Game 7: Reward 

Drink a matcha tea drink and read about the Japanese Tea Ceremony tradition in Tea: History Terroirs Varieties by Kevin Gascoyne et al. 

Extra credit:  Know the 13 Production Steps to Make Japanese Green Tea

List the 13 production steps on index cards and describe the steps in your own words on the back of the index card.

Quiz yourself till you know each steps.  Learn the steps 3 steps at a time before before moving on to the next three.

Happy Gaming! 

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

Learn Video Game History by Playing at the Aromas Library posted by Ruth Paget

Learn Video Games by Playing at the Aromas Library beginning November 8, 2025 at the 16 Bit Program.  (Part of the Monterey County Free Libraries).

I have posted details about this program from the online Monterey County Weekly Calendar below:

https://www.montereycountynow.com/events/#/details/aromas-16-bit-saturdays/17239783/2025-11-08T10

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

Learn 3D Printing at the Gonzales Public Library posted by Ruth Paget

Learn 3D Printing at the Gonzales Public Library beginning November 1, 2025.  (Part of the Monterey County Free Libraries)

I have reposted details about this program from the online Monterey County Weekly calendar below:

https://www.montereycountynow.com/events/#/details/gonzales-learn-3d-printing-with-us/17239791/2025-11-01T12

Happy Engineering!

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

Virtual Reality Play Beginning on October 30, 2025 reposted by Ruth Paget

Virtual Reality Play Dates at the Prunedale Library begin on October 30, 2025.  (Part of the Monterey County Free Libraries)

I have reposted details about this event from the online Monterey County Weekly calendar below:

https://www.montereycountynow.com/events/#/details/prunedale-virtual-reality/17239768/2025-10-30T13

If you have MIT t-shirts, this would be the event to wear them at.

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

Let’s Go Outdoors! Adventure Guide is out posted by Ruth Paget

The Let’s Go Outdoors! Adventure Guide from the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District for Fall 2025/Winter 2026 is here.

Some of the neat activities include:

-Mushroom Mania Hike

-Owl Encounter Presentation

-Making Cordage from Native Plants

-Tule Mat Weaving

-Solar System Strol

-Steinbeck Views

-Farm Discovery: Winter Watersheds 

-Beginning Birding

-Native American Celebration Film

Check out the website for more details:

www.mprpd.org

Happy Trails!

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

Pounding Pacific Waves Video at Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget

Lots of pounding waves this morning at Pebble Beach, California.  Photo and text by Ruth Paget

High tide coming in three waves at a time is impressive.

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

Backgammon Club at Marina Public Library Beginning November 4, 2025 reposted by Ruth Paget

For 18+ year old players, there is a backgammon club starting at Marina (California) Public Library beginning on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. (Part of the Monterey County Free Libraries)

I have posted details about this event from the online calendar of the Monterey County Weekly calendar below:

https://www.montereycountynow.com/events/#/details/backgammon-club/17239822/2025-11-04T16

Players can bring their own sets, if they would like.

Game on!

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

Living History Days at San Juan Bautista on November 1, 2025

Meet Mountain Men, Civil War Soldiers, and Victorian ladies at San Juan Bautista’s State Historic Park beginning November 1, 2025 from 11 to 4.  Historic food on sale.

I have reposted details about this event from the Monterey County Weekly’s online calendar below:

https://www.montereycountynow.com/events/#/details/living-history-days/14410908/2025-11-01T11

Check out the Mission and Fault Line walk to the cemetary, too.

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

Sketching at the Monterey Museum of Art in Monterey, California reposted by Ruth Paget

Learn to sketch and draw using the artwork at The Monterey Museum of Art beginning on Saturday, October 25, 2025.

I have reposted details about this event from the Monterey County Weekly online calendar below:

https://www.montereycountynow.com/events/#/details/sketching-in-the-galleries/16300851/2025-10-25T12

See how the master artists put together their work in this challenging event.

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

Brown Pelicans Flying in the Surf at Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget

Most of this video is good.  I tried to get an overhead shot of a brown pelican and came up with blue sky. 

Several other brown pelicans flew through the waves for me:

Rough surf and storms wash fish and seafood up close to shore where birds have an easier time catching it.

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

Seagull Unfazed by Crashing Waves at Pebble Beach, California posted by Ruth Paget

One lone seagull at Pebble Beach, California this morning

.  

Photo by Laurent Paget

This stately seagull almost looks like a swan.  She is unfazed by the crashing, rough surf at Pebble Beach, California.

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

Burger Mondays at Alvarado Street Brewery in Monterey, California reposted by Ruth Paget

$15 for a burger and beer at Monterey’s California Brew Pub - Alvarado Street Brewery on Mondays.  

I have reposted details from the Monterey County Weekly online calendar below:

https://www.montereycountynow.com/events/#/details/burger-mondays/16866636/2025-10-20T17

So, Monterey County dwellers could do the following menu:

Burger Mondays or Empanada Mondays

Taco Tuesdays or Rib Tuesdays

Wing Wednesdays

Chicken Noodle Soup or Pasta from Costco

Fish or seafood delivery on Friday

Pizza on Saturday

Oysters on Sunday or roast chicken

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