Post-Labor Day Shopping by Ruth Paget

Once Labor Day is over, take inventory of your bar and restock.

BevMo has locations in Salinas and Carmel ( California) with lots of parking.

I went to Tierra Liquor and Deli today (Labor Day) and saw they have a large selection of red wine for sale too. They are located at the crossroads of Corral de Tierra Road and Highway 69.

Fall is a great season for making Burgundy beef..  (October is called the slaughter month in many cultures for the killing of surplus number of farm animals before winter).  The recipe for Burgundy beef is pretty easy.  I have attached below my daughter Florence Paget’s video of how to make Burgundy beef:

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2026/08/boeuf-bourguignon-video-filmed-by.html?m=1

The beauty of Burgundy beef is that you can make it with stewing beef that is less expensive to buy and still obtain tender beef at the end of cooking.  Our family uses pinot noir wine to make this dish.

There is also a Belgian French dish called carbonnade that is beef braised in dark beer that is often made in fall.  

Jacques Pepin has a recipe for carbonnade in Food and Wine on the link below:

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/carbonnade-la-flamande-flemish-beef-stew

By Ruth Paget

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

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

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

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

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1000+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

-

Double Protein Greek Yogurt Personal Chef Recipe Ideas by Ruth Paget

Double Protein Greek Yogurt Personal Chef Recipes by Ruth Paget 

As a follow-up read after a visit to the Athens Restaurant in Westport (WI) on 2026 Wisconsin summer vacation with my husband Laurent, I read The Greek Yogurt Kitchen: More than 130 Delicious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal by Toby Amidor. 

Amidor is a registered dietician and writes that the reason Greek yogurt is so good for you is that it is regular yogurt that is strained. The concentrated result that is left has twice the protein of regular yogurt. Greek yogurt has a large amount of calcium and probiotics, making it good for bones and gut health, too. 

Amidor goes into more detail about the benefits of Greek yogurt in the book, but increased protein, calcium, and probiotics are enough to sell me on the product.

(For example, I routinely drink kefir, a drinkable yogurt following a Ukrainian recipe in the morning. Kefir is sour and thick, which puts off many people, but the health benefits outweigh the taste for me.)

One of Amidor’s first recipes in the book is for tzatziki sauce made with paper-thin cucumber slices you obtain using a microplane slicer, Greek yogurt, olive oil, salt, and white pepper. I ate this refreshing sauce with a gyro sandwich at the Athens Restaurant in Westport (Wisconsin), which has encouraged me to see out Greek yogurt recipes for health benefits in Amidor’s book. 

Two crustless quiche recipes seem very easy to make since they resemble casseroles and can be made in three steps. 

The first recipe is for a crustless broccoli and cheddar quiche made in three steps: 

1-Sauté the vegetables in oil and then place them in the bottom of a casserole dish.

2-Plae shredded cheddar cheese on top of the vegetables. 

3-Place the egg, milk, and Greek yogurt mixture on top of the cheese and bake. 

The crustless mushroom recipe in made in a similar manner. 

Amidor’s true genius dish is a puréed white bean dip made with canned white cannellini beans, olive oil, Greek yogurt, salt, and paprika. This dip can easily be made with pantry ingredients and is very good for you.  Vegetables and cheese crackers can be used for dipping.

Personal chefs and caterers can find many healthy recipes to suggest clients in The Greek Yogurt Kitchen: More than 130 Delicious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal by Toby Amidor (available on Amazon Kindle), which make this book a useful purchase. 

Note: Tierra Liquor and Deli located at the cross section of Highway 68 and Corral de Tierra Road outside Salinas, California sells Greek yogurt, feta cheese, Greek dips and spreads, and Greek soups.  These items are stored in refrigerated cabinets.

By Ruth Paget

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

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

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

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

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1900+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

Istanbul Cookbook by Ozlem Warren is $1.99 on book in today reposted by Ruth Paget

I bought Istanbul by Ozlem Warren today on bookbub.com for $1.99. 

I bought Istanbul based on Caitlin Blue’s review of it on TikTok. I especially liked the photos she showed from the book.

I am looking forward to reading this book and trying some appetizer recipes.

A link to the book in site follows, which links to Amazon Kindle:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G4FGMSWR?_bbid=358775407&tag=core_cohort_a_email-20

Happy Cooking!

Reposted by Ruth Paget

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

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

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

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

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1900+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

Ballotin: The French Chocolate Buying and Selling Game created by Ruth Paget

Ballotin: The French Chocolate Buying and Selling Game Created by Ruth Paget 

Game Background: 

I was inspired to create a chocolate knowledge game after visiting the Swiss-German towns of New Glarus and Monroe during my Wisconsin 2026 vacation there. 

The New Glarus Bakery sells homemade Swiss chocolates like truffles (truffes), which the French also make. This New Glarus outing reminded me of chocolate shops I have visited in Belgium and France when I lived in Europe in the 1990s. 

When we lived in Paris, my husband Laurent and I routinely bought 1 kilo boxes of Belgian Leonidas chocolates (ballotins) to give as hostess gifts when we were invited to dinners along with bottles of champagne method Ackerman Crémant de la Loire from the region where Laurent’s maternal grandparents lived. 

I thought then and still do that knowledge of chocolate can improve your lifestyle for buying the best quality chocolate you can afford and provide you with job skills for selling or buying chocolate as corporate gifts. 

I named this chocolate game “ballotin” after the 1 kilo boxes of Leonidas chocolate I used to buy in Paris. 

Ballotin Game Objective: 

Learn vocabulary from the business of chocolate to obtain job skills needed to buy and sell chocolate for corporate gifts and improved quality of life. 

Number of Players: Unlimited. 

This game promotes individual play to learn and then team play to test knowledge. 

Materials Needed: 

-The Great Book of Chocolate, Revised: The Chocolate Lover’s Guide with more than 50 Recipes by David Lebovitz (Available on Amazon Kindle)

-index cards 

-pens 

Method:

-Learn chocolate vocabulary words by topic area using definitions obtained from reading Lebovitz’s book. 

-Quiz yourself on all topic words till you know them before moving on to the next topic area.

-Make one of three easier recipes, I have selected from Lebovitz’s book to get used to working with premium chocolate. 

-Read Lebovitz’s book when you know all the chocolate vocabulary words and enjoy his travel log of Parisian chocolate shops, his account of studying chocolate at Le Nôtre in Paris, and his insider’s view of working for a Belgian chocolate shop during Christmas week. 

The vocabulary words I have selected by topic follow: 

Chocolate Business Vocabulary Words by Topic: 

**What is Chocolate 

-cacao tree and bean description 

-name 11 varieties of cacao beans 

**How Chocolate is Made 

*Harvesting, Fermenting, and Drying Words

-mucilage 

-de-seeding 

-fermenting for chocolate 

-drying for chocolate 

*Roasting and Processing 

-cacao 

-cocoa 

-roasting process for beans 

-winnower 

-nibs 

-hull recycling use 

-cocoa powder 

*Crushing and Conching 

-lecithin 

-liquified chocolate 

-concher 

-cocoa butter 

*Tempering 

 -sugar bloom

-gray streaks

-fat bloom 

**Types of Chocolate 

-semisweet and bitter sweet chocolate 

-milk chocolate 

-gianduja 

-chocolate coating 

-single-origin and cru chocolates 

-white chocolate

-chocolate chips and chunks

-unsweetened chocolate 

-ruby chocolate 

-caramelized white chocolate 

-unsweetened cocoa powder 

-ground chocolate 

**Shopping Terms and Tips

-truffes (truffles) 

-bonbons 

-pralinés 

-feuilletine 

-nougatine 

-rochers 

-ganache 

-ballotin 

-boîte

-chocolat noir 

-chocolat au lait 

-mélange 

Recipes to Try:

-bouchons 

-gâteau au chocolat 

-white chocolate custard 

Happy Gaming the Chocolate World! 

Ballotin Game Created by Ruth Paget

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

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

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

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

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1900+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

Useful “On Golden Pond” Merchandise from the Vermont Country Store Fall Catalog reposted by Ruth Paget

The Vermont Country Store Fall Catalog has many fall-themed, wipe-off table cloths for sale.  I have ordered several and think they are practical.  The tablecloths come in many sizes and are good for indoor and backyard use.

They also carry old-fashioned fruit cakes, divinity fudge with a pecan half embedded in it, and maple candy and maple cookies that are very nice.

I am posting a link to the Vermont Country Store’s fall’s online calendar:

https://www.vermontcountrystore.com/vermont-country-store-catalog?cq_plac=&cq_net=g&cq_pos=&cq_med=&cq_plt=gp&utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid%20search&utm_campaign=Search_Brand_Pure_7RBRD004&sourceid=7RBRD004&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=15783526241&gbraid=0AAAAAD_cv1g7EtD_dxsLBS62HK3PWzf3m&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2OnUBhC2ARIsACKyfaFufKp10y33KVsBBo3Pmvsv2-e2sNzy-zmbQPZ2TF10eOIbGK8_8cUaAoRFEALw_wcB&page=0

Their old-fashioned utensils like hand mixers are fun to look through and they work.

Have fun browsing!

By Ruth Paget

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

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

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

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

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1900+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

Roast Chicken with Onions, Shallots, and Garlic made and filmed by Florence Paget reposted by Ruth Paget

Roast Chicken with Onions Made and Filmed by Florence Paget reposted by Ruth Paget

My daughter Florence Paget made roast chicken with onions, shallots, garlic, and chives and filmed and edited the process as well.  

Nice job using butcher’s roasting twine to tie up the legs on the chicken.  .

The TikTok video follows:

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

It browned beautifully while baking and was very juicy even the white meat.  Florence served scalloped potatoes with the roast chicken.

Reposted by Ruth Paget

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

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

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

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

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1900+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

Stop-Motion Animation Workshop at the Gonzales (California) Library reposted by Ruth Paget

The Monterey County Weekly Online Community Calendar lists a Stop-Motion Animation Workshop at the Gonzales Library in Gonzales, California on September 3, 2026 with follow-up dates.

More information about this workshop is available on the Monterey County Weekly Online calendar link below:

https://www.montereycountynow.com/events/?utm_source=Monterey+County+Weekly+Newsletter&utm_campaign=30a0d4f47d-EMAIL_CALENDAR_2026-0108_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-4ac1058259-424991269#/details/gonzalesstopmotion-animation/19676726/2026-09-03T14

I love this fun workshop that also teaches a job skill.

Reposted by Ruth Paget

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

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

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

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

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1900+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

Steak au Poivre Filmed and Made by Florence Paget reposted by Ruth Paget

I am happy my daughter Florence Paget knows how to make French steak au poivre.

She filmed herself cooking this dish for the Tik Tok video below:

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

I bought a large bottle of multicolored peppercorns from Amazon for this dish that were reasonably priced.

The wine for the steak was a Cabernet Sauvignon.

Congratulations Florence on the delicious meal, filming yourself doing it, editing the video, and doing the voice over narration.

Bon Appetite!

Reposted by Ruth Paget

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

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

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

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

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1900+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

Wisconsin Agriculture: A History Reviewed by Ruth Paget

Wisconsin Agriculture: A History Reviewed by Ruth Paget

I bought Wisconsin Agriculture: A History by Jerry Apps on my Wisconsin 2026 vacation, because I am very interested in food production and how its history in Wisconsin forms party of my family history in the state. 

My Sawle ancestors immigrated to Wisconsin from Cornwall, England in the 19th century and contended with the various soil types (rocky, marshy or sandy) left by glaciers that once covered 2/3 of Wisconsin 25,000 years ago. The Sawles lived through the agricultural transformations that have taken place in Wisconsin to the present day. 

Apps writes that in the 1850s, wheat was the major crop in Wisconsin. It was second only to Illinois in the production of wheat in the US. Apps lists three major reasons to account for wheat losing its profitability in Wisconsin: 

-nitrogen-depletion soils

-disease and insect infestation 

-emergence of railroads that helped fertile wheat lands in the West reach larger markets 

To replace wheat, Wisconsin adopted diversified farming where their state economy did not solely rely on one crop. The three crops that Wisconsin developed for its diversified economy include: 

-corn 

-oats 

-hay 

Hay which could be stored in silos to feed farm animals over winter helped pave the way for the dairy industry to develop. 

Hops and barley were also grown, which allowed Milwaukee to develop a beer industry as well as craft beers that flourish today in Wisconsin. 

Other Wisconsin crops developed include:

-sweet sorghum 

-sugar beets

-flax 

-potatoes 

The dairy industry first began at home when women milked cows, churned butter, and made cheese at home. Cheese production facilities began to be built in the 1870s and the industry continued to grow. 

This agricultural infrastructure is still in place and has provided the financial security to develop specialty crop industries such as:

-honey 

-hot dogs (Oscar Meyer was founded in Madison, Wisconsin.) 

-cranberries (Wisconsin is the nation’s leader in the production of this Vitamin-C rich food) 

-apples and cherries 

-grapes and wine (Hungarian-born Count Agoston Haraszthy grew his first grapes in the US on the site of present-day Wollersheim Winery before going west to Napa Valley.) 

-Ginseng 

-Christmas trees 

One of the charming aspects of old-time agriculture that persists are the post-harvest dinners called harvest-bees. Silo-bees are also held to celebrate filling up the silo for winter. 

Modern agritourism features farmers’ markets, bed and breakfast from stays, and ice cream from Babcock Hall on the University of Wisconsin – Madisco campus. 

For readers interested in diversified farming agriculture, US history, and agritourism, Clayton Daniels’ book Wisconsin Agriculture: A History provides much information about how to feed populations in states with extremely cold winters and have some surplus to sell. 

By Ruth Paget

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

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

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

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

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1900+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

Asia’s Economic Resilience Issues Fiscussed in IMF blog reposted by Ruth Paget

The following blog written by the International Monetary Fund about Asia’s Economic Resilience brings up issues that are of interest to the United States as well:

https://www.imf.org/en/blogs/articles/2026/09/02/asias-next-growth-story

Reposted by Ruth Paget

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

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

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

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

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1900+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

Learning to Think Like an Archaeologist at UChicago’s Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures reposted by Ruth Paget

I absolutely would have taken a course like this one below where I could handle ancient objects and conjure up civilizations from pottery shards at the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures at the University of Chicago when I was a student there.  

https://news.uchicago.edu/story/real-artifacts-students-piece-together-ancient-past?utm_medium=09.01email&utm_source=UChicagoNews&mkt_tok=MjUwLUNRSC05MzYAAAGj_SjwfVYUk1cvEs9IBBel4FI1i2SE_SeAgS-sOp3sERHre6TsmZrk9M-xfjSvVm23XCb22IOAtbOfiw-QMgIsfVvvNXGX5DSk07SIjNu0uPVJp0Y

(I was not deprived of experiences like this though.  When I studied Indian art, my art history professor took us to the Art Institute of Chicago for a private session with museum curators to examine and even handle Indian paintings.)

Reposted by Ruth Paget

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

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

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

-writer of 1900+ Centeal Coast California lifestyle blogs

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

-creator of French travel and culture games

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

UChicago Booth Research on Time Perception reposted by Ruth Paget

The Chicago Booth Review article below discusses perceptions of time and how these perceptions affect customers waiting for bank services on the telephone as an example:  

https://www.chicagobooth.edu/review/podcast/does-your-brain-think-accurately-about-time?source=ic-em-20260901-eng&mkt_tok=MjUwLUNRSC05MzYAAAGj_HT3ZpasDqnA3zx8MyTMZBlXp3pD8wIDITPxKH27WCUxM9SastkqMme2Lape5fIJmgWGpXgnX2kdhHqGcEQR7xpX0z-odPD7OlvU88uUMA0i1VM

The podcast and its transcript offers some solutions for diminishing frustration  and invites readers to develop more.

Reposted by Ruth Paget

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

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

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

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

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1900+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

Friday Night Fish Fry at Black Bear Diner in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

Friday Night Fish Fry at Black Bear Diner in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget 

I thought Friday Night Fish Fry was just an Upper Midwest tradition, but on a recent visit to Black Bear Diner in Salinas (California) I saw Friday Night Fish Fry on the menu and immediately ordered it. 

The fish fry dinner at Black Bear Diner costs $23.59 as of today (8-1-2026) and comes with:

-two large deep-fried Pollock fillets

-French fries with their skins on 

-coleslaw with creamy apple cider and cream dressing (seasonal vegetable choices are offered. I chose coleslaw but the green beans sounded good too.)

-lemon halves 

-creamy tartar sauce 

-3 large hushpuppies (This is a southern addition to the fish fry, but I like them, so I am not complaining.) 

That dinner was just a crunchy, creamy, savory, and sour delight! 

If you like deep-fried white fish, the Friday Night Fish Fry at Black Bear Diner in Salinas, California is definitely for you. 

Note: For information on fish fries as part of local Wisconsin dining, check out my blog on a pre-COVID trip to Wisconsin:

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2022/06/deforest-wisconsin-trip-by-ruth-paget.html?m=1

By Ruth Paget

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

-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 5 other Kindle books

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

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

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1900+ Central Coast California lifestyle games

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

Country Outings at Toro County Park Outside Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

Country Outings at Toro County Park Outside Salinas, California by Ruth Paget 

It is easy to pass by Toro County Park heading in and out of Salinas, California on Highway 68, but this overlooked gem has a lot to offer visitors interested in country outing. 

To get to the park, you exit at the Portola Drive exit and turn into the Toro County Park parking lot. 

At the Buckeye Picnic area, there are tables with seating capacity from 50 to 500. This picnic area has horseshoe pits by it. (Amazon sells horseshoes and game instructions.)

Toro County Park also has volleyball courts (you have to bring your own net and balls) and baseball diamonds. 

There are several places on the edge of town (Salinas) where you can go for coffee to take on a stroll in the park that has a view on the hilly pastures of heaven that John Steinbeck wrote about in one of his short story collections. 

These coffee vendors include: 

-Jack’s (in the parking lot by Nob Hill)

-Peet’s Coffee (inside Nob Hill with an entrance on the parking lot) 

-Starbucks (located in the second shopping mall from the edge of town by Lucky)

If you would like picnic items such as sandwiches and potato salad, there is a delicatessen section at Nob Hill on Main Street (what Highway 68 becomes as you drive into town.) 

For a fun sit-down brunch for your country outing, you can dine at the Toro Place Café along Highway 68.  

The Toro Place Café is a locals favorite that fills up quickly. If you would like to eat there, it is best to arrive early. 

The Toro Place Café has some fame attached to it. It was filmed as part of the Ratched Netflix series. It looks like a whitewashed former 1930s gas station and café. Today it is good place for food and cool selfies. 

Have a fun day in country outside Salinas, California at Toro County Park! 

By Ruth Paget

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

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

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

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

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1900+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

Paris Bakery Appears to have closed both locations reposted by Ruth Paget

Paris Bakery in Monterey and Seaside, California appears to have closed both its locations after 40 years in busines according to the Facebook post below:.

https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1493378676169190&id=ksbw8

If you are thinking of making French baguettes, my daughter Florence Paget has a video of herself making French baguettes at home:

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2026/02/making-traditional-french-baguette.html?m=1

Reposted by Ruth Paget

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

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

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

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

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1900+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

Pretzel Sandwiches from Costco Shout Out by Ruth

My family bought me Costco’s soft pretzel bread sandwiches to eat for the week, and the sandwiches are pretty good.

The soft pretzel bead sandwich’s come with a generous amount of white turkey meat, cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, and lettuce.  The sandwiches come with a package of mustard-mayonnaise.  

There are six sandwiches in a package.  I ate two today and will have one for each day in the upcoming week.

The pretzel sandwich package costs $14.16 as of today (8-31-2026) or $2.36 per sandwich.  These sandwiches taste good and are a pretty good deal, too.  These sandwiches are great for picnics.

If you like turkey sandwiches, these pretzel sandwiches from Costco might be worth a try for nutrition and money savings.

Bon appetit!

By Ruth Paget

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

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

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

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

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1900+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist 

-developer of 9 music theory games

Math People Stories from UChicago August 2026 reposted by Ruth Paget

Math people stories follow about about UChicago’s 2026 Fields Medal Winner Yu Deng and Amina Rees who helped create funding for scientific research;

https://mail.google.com/mail/mu/mp/465/#cv/priority/%5Esmartlabel_personal/1a05331d7a450dfd

Reposted by Ruth Paget

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

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

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

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

-creator of French travel and culture games

-family genealogist

-developer of music theory games

Swiss - French Recipe Ideas for Personal Chefs by Ruth Paget

Swiss – French Recipe Ideas for Personal Chefs by Ruth Paget 

After visiting the Swiss – German towns of New Glarus and Monroe, Wisconsin during my 2026 summer vacation to the Dairyland State, I wanted to learn more about Swiss food and read The Classic Swiss Family Kitchen Cookbook: 150 Traditional Recipes from Switzerland’s Home Kitchens by Clayton Daniels (Available on Amazon Kindle). 

Daniels features recipes from the 4 official language areas of Switzerland. The official language follow on the list below: 

-German 

-French 

-Italian 

-Romansh 

Romansh is a Romance language from Switzerland’s largest canton (Swiss state) located in the country’s southeastern corn. This canton in named Graubünden. 

The recipes I singled out for discussion here are Swiss – French. I have made similar French recipes at home and/or eaten these dishes in restaurants. 

The following recipes give a flavor of Swiss – French food and are not too difficult to prepare: 

*Geneva Cardoon Soup 

Prickly leaved cardoons are prepared with shallots, potatoes, and cream in this rich starter soup. 

*Vaud Potato – Leek Soup 

This soup makes use of premium ingredients with the addition of cream for another rich starter soup recipe. 

*Vaud Harvest Loaf 

This bread is made with white and whole wheat flour and the addition of chopped walnuts. 

*Wild Mushroom Fondue 

Adding sliced and sautéed wild mushrooms to melted cheese in fondue is a very sophisticated French touch to this delectable meal. 

*Valais Raclette 

This recipe features melted raclette cheese that is spread on boiled potatoes. Sour cornichon pickles are the typical accompaniments to this dish. 

I have seen raclette served in Parisian restaurants where a raclette cheese half was suspended above a flame that made the melted cheese drip onto trays that were delivered to diners to go with their potatoes. (Table top raclette trays and raclette suspenders are sold on Amazon.) 

People who would like to visit Dairyland Switzerland, learn about their ancestors’ cooking, or add to their personal chef portfolio might enjoy the Classic Swiss Family Kitchen Cookbook by Clayton Daniels. 

Bon appétit! 

Note:  The following blog recounts a trip to Basel, Switzerland that my husband Laurent too when we lived in Germany;

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2015/08/basel-switzerland-lunch-spot-above-rhine.html?m=1

Note: The following blog describes our trip to Lake Constance whose shores touch Germany, Switzerland, and Austria:

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2013/04/konstanz-germany-alpine-lake-resort-town.html?m=1

Note: The following blog describes a Swiss meal I ate with my daughter Florence Paget at Lugano, a Swiss restaurant in Carmel, California;

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2018/02/sampling-swiss-cuisine-with-juilliard.html?m=1

Note: A suggestion for an easy Family Fondue Night follows:

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2026/01/family-fondue-night-for-sustainable.html?m=1

Note: New Glarus, Wisconsin visit blog:

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2026/08/grilled-swiss-apple-cheese-pesto.html?m=1

Note: Monroe, Wisconsin blog post:

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2026/08/swiss-cheese-swiss-art-values-and-kino.html?m=1

By Ruth Paget

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

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

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

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

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1900+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

Sausage and Lentils by Nigella Lawson video reposted by Ruth Paget

This is an easy recipe by Nigella Lawson that uses primo ingredients.  In California, find some Aidells  sausage you like and use it in this recipe.

This recipe with Italian sausages and lentils looks so good:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iMsfI6sQmfI&ra=m

Happy cooking!

By Ruth Paget

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

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

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

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

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1900+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

12 oz Jimmy Dean bacon is $4.99 for Nob Hill - Raley’s members today 8-28-2026 reposted by Ruth Paget

I received a very good e-mail digital coupon from Nob Hill - Raley’s this morning:

A 12-ounce package of Jimmy Dean bacon for $4.99 as part of the Nob Hill - Raley’s member program.

That is a good price.

I make bacon, lettuce, tomato sandwiches with mustard-mayonnaise with cooked bacon. Watermelon is a good dessert with BLT sandwiches.  (Watermelon harvest is in.  Watermelon has also been on sale to Nob Hill - Raley’s members.)

Bon Appetit!

By Ruth Paget

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

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

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

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

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1900+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games