Mediterranean Vegetarian Meal at Pèppoli Café in Spanish Bay at Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget

Mediterranean Vegetarian Meal at Pèppoli Café in Spanish Bay at Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget  

To celebrate Memorial Day, my husband Laurent, daughter Florence Paget, and I went to lunch at Pèppoli Café, now open in afternoons, in Spanish Bay at Pebble Beach California. 

We sat on the terrace at a table with a fire pit in the middle, which we, of course, had lighted despite a brisk wind off the Pacific. It made dining a little edgy with flames flickering around. 

We began our meal with the warm goat and olive appetizer that comes with grilled toast rods. The Pebble Beach Company has a herd of goats (about 100 goats) that you can see grazing around Pebble Beach throughout the year. (They are natural lawn mowers for forest floors.) I assumed the warm goat cheese came from the milk of this herd. 

In any case, the goat cheese arrived warm and melting in a bath of extra virgin olive oil with sautéed slices of red bell peppers to drape over the grilled toast. Just that was pretty great, but the real bonus was a ramekin dish full of warm olive oil with pitted Gaeta (maybe Kalamata) black olives, small green Spanish manzanilla olives, and small black French Niçoise olives with a whole spicy red pepper. 

The small manzanilla and small Niçoise olives have pits so be careful biting down on them. The hot pepper gave the olives a little zing, which I found delicious. 

As my main dish, I ordered eggplant parmigiana (eggplant Parmesan) that was served on a generous bed of lumache (pronounce loo-ma-kay) pasta in the form of a snail with tomato sauce. This a a simple description for a somewhat elaborate dish. 

The lumache pasta at the bottom of the dish was covered with tomato sauce made with garlic, olive oil, San Marzano tomatoes, sun-dried tomato paste, fresh basil, and fresh oregano that had cooked for several hours. The flavor is concentrated with pronounced sun-dried tomato and oregano flavors. This sauce is different from the Marinara sauce on top of the eggplant slices and provided a nice flavor contrast. 

The eggplant slices in the eggplant parmgiana is sliced and dunked in flour, beaten eggs, and a breadcrumb and Parmesan mixture before sautéing. The thick crust on the eggplant made me think that it had been double dipped before sautéed. 

Once the eggplant was ready, mozzarella was placed on the pasta. The eggplant slices went on top of this. Marinara sauce made with garlic, olive, basil leaves, and salt that is cooked for a shorter time than the sauce on the lumache pasta went on top of the eggplant slices with parmesan grated on top. 

Finally, the chef placed slices of mozzarella di bufala on top of everything before running it under the broiler. This steaming and oozing delight tasted just great with the views of ocean on the terrace. 

I was very happy with the Mediterranean vegetarian meal I ate at Pèppoli Café at Pebble Beach, California and think both vegetarians (lacto-ovo vegetarians) and Italian culture lovers would like the elaborate eggplant parmigiana with ocean views from Pèppoli Café. 

Mille Grazie for the delightful lunch! 

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

UChicago Year of Games Numbers for 2026 reposted by Ruth Paget

The 2025 - 2026 Year of Games at the University of Chicago has wrapped up and the numbers are in with 93 campus units being engaged in activities and wanting more next year as an overall participation indicator.

More detailed information on events held follows from the program chair and an invitation to submit ideas for the 2026 - 2027 Year of Games at the University of Chicago:

https://mail.google.com/mail/mu/mp/465/#cv/priority/%5Esmartlabel_personal/19e98bb2a833df9c

Game On!

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

40% off The Odyssey translated by Mendelsohn from UChicago reposted by Ruth Paget

The University of Chicago Press is offering 40% off The Odyssey translated by Daniel Mendelsohn when ordering from their website until 7-5-2026, using the promotional code from the website.

The Odyssey is being made into a film by Academy Award Winner Christopher Nolan, so check out the movie tie-in book that was published before the film was made.

Information about the Mendelsohn translation of the Odyssey and purchase information follows:

https://mail.google.com/mail/mu/mp/465/#cv/priority/%5Esmartlabel_promo/19e982282e864835

Note: I have made 8 games about ancient Western civilization that you can play after reading The Odyssey to further your knowledge of the ancient world.  These games are available below:

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2026/03/ancient-western-civilixation-games.html?m=1

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

200 Free Statistics Resources for Kids from the US Census Bureau reposted by Ruth Paget

Numeracy promotion is the name of the game this summer with the 200 free resources developed by the US Census Bureau online.

Information about downloading these materials from the US Census Bureau follows:

https://mail.google.com/mail/mu/mp/465/#cv/priority/%5Esmartlabel_personal/19e944ed7bed68f4

Happy figuring!

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

War, Readers, and the Fate of the Book Trade Lecture at UChicago reposted by Ruth Paget

The University of Chicago hosted a lecture on War, Readers, and the Fate of the Book Trade with detailed discussion of these topics during World War II and what is currently happening in Ukraine on May 13, 2026.  

The role of libraries during these periods was also a part of this yearly lecture.

A write-up of this lecture and access to the full lecture can be found on the University of Chicago link below:

https://humanities.uchicago.edu/articles/2026/05/war-readers-and-fate-book-trade-andrew-pettegree-delivers-2026-paleography-and-book

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

Pinocchio Deconstructed and Much Elaborated Upon published by UChicago Press reposted by Ruth Paget

Pinocchio: Doubly Commented Upon and Triply Illustrated by Giorgio Agamben  is on sale now by the University of Chicago Press book sale till June 15, 2026.

Like Winnie the Pooh, the philosophical dilemma posed by Pinocchio takes Carlo Collodi’s story beyond the realm of children and into that of adults.

For more information about Agamben’s Pinocchio Doubly Commented Upon and Triply Illustrated and purchase details, click on the University of Chicago Press link below:

https://mail.google.com/mail/mu/mp/465/#cv/priority/%5Esmartlabel_promo/19e929eea2fec0c4

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

Monterey Bonsai Festival on June 7, 2026 in Seaside, California reposted by Ruth Paget

The Monterey County Weekly Online Community Calendar announces the 63rd Annual Monterey Bonsai Club Festival at the Monterey Buddhist Temple in Seaside, California.

Bonsai is the Japanese art of growing and trimming miniature trees that resemble fully grown ones.

Bonsai Master Teacher Katsumi Kinoshita will do a demonstration.  There will be a raffle and trees for sale at this enchanting multicultural event as well.

More information about the bonsai exhibition follows on the Monterey County Weekly website:

https://www.montereycountynow.com/events/#/details/monterey-bonsai-club-63rd-annual-exhibit/19008881/2026-06-07T12

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

Curry Shrimp at Golden Star Chinese Restaurant in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

Curry Shrimp with Rice from Golden Star Chinese Restaurant in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

I learned to love curry vegetables from my family’s Japanese exchange student Yumiko. She made curry with potatoes, carrots, and frozen peas, which Michigan had in abundance when I was in high school in Detroit.

Now that I live in Salinas (California), I can easily add shrimp from nearby Moss Landing fishing boats to seasonal vegetables at Golden Star Chinese Restaurant for a delicious dinner with an ingredient that has become a pan-Asian staple. 

Curry in India is really a spice blend made from whole roasted spices that are ground. This spice blend is called a garam masala. The English called garam masala curry. 

The curry name stuck and is used in Southeast for curry pastes. East Asia tends to use curry pastes even though they know how to make curry from spice blends with a corn starch slurry, if needed. 

Golden Star Chinese Restaurant has its own approach to the curry shrimp I love so well, especially since they have access to a cornucopia of seasonal vegetables. For a recent delivery order in spring, the curry shrimp came with the following vegetables: 

-onions 

-green peppers 

-broccoli 

-cauliflower 

-carrots

-mushrooms 

I referred to the Spruce Easts website for general information on how to put Chinese curry shrimp together, which describes the dish and should give home cooks a better idea of how to put curry shrimp together in a step-by-step fashion: 

1-soak shrimp with water, rinse, and dry 

2-blanch hardier vegetables in boiling water till tender crisp. The vegetable colors should remain bright. Place vegetables in cold water to stop their cooking and drain. 

3-heat oil a wok and add ginger as the aromatic for this dish and stir-fry. Add shrimp and stir-fry till pink. Remove the shrimp from the wok. 

4-Add more oil to the wok and heat. Add curry paste. Add onions and green peppers as your seasoning vegetables first. Follow with the rest of your vegetables in order of those with a longer cooking time first. 

5-when the vegetables are tender, add the shrimp back into the wok and heat till blazing hot. 

6-splash in rice wine or sherry and serve hot with rice on the side. 

For more detailed cooking instructions, refer to The Spruce Eats website below:

https://www.thespruceeats.com/chinese-curry-shrimp-695171

Curry shrimp at Golden Star in Salinas, California is delicious and promotes gut health thanks to the organic, seasonal vegetables and spices used to make the dish. 

Shrimp lovers might enjoy this spicy without being hot dish from Golden Star Chinese Restaurant in Salinas, California. 

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

College Educated Mothers Spend 300 More Hours a Year Raising Children but Enjoy it Less - Chicago Booth Teview Podcast and Audio transcript reposted by Ruth Paget

College educated mothers spend 300 more hours per year raising children than less educated parents, but enjoy it less according to Ariel Kalil of the University of Chicago’s Harris Schoo of Public Policy on the Chicago Booth Review Podcast with audio transcript below:

The podcast is entitled: Who Has Time to be a Good Parent?

https://www.chicagobooth.edu/review/podcast/who-has-time-be-good-parent

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

Solvang Viking Museum - 2 Replica Viking Ships on View reposted by Ruth Paget

Vacationers looking for an overnight recharge trip with a cultural outing to write about might be interested in the Solvang Viking Museum on California’s Central Coast.

One of the current exhibitions is about Viking ships.  Two reproduction ships the Snorri and Godfried are on view.

There is a weapons exhibit for lovers of Norse myths as well.

Minecraft players would probably find the whole town interesting and the Viking restaurants.

For more information, check out the Solvang Viking Museum website below:

https://solvangvikingmuseum.com/

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

Digital Game Design Workshop in Salinas, California reposted by Ruth Paget

The Monterey County Weekly’s Online Community Calendar lists a free Digital Game Design Workshop in Salinas, California on Wednesday, June 3, 2026 with two following sessions at Artists INK Studio.

Information about this workshop follows on the Monterey County Weekly’s online community calendar below:

https://www.montereycountynow.com/events/#/details/digital-game-design/19017141/2026-06-03T17

This looks like a great STEAM event!

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

UChicago College ROI on 2026 Class Speakers reposted by Ruth Paget

This year’s class of 2026 peer speakers at the University of Chicago have bright beginnings with careers beginning in the following fields:

-gourmet snack food entrepreneur in addition to becoming a national soccer champion while at UChicago

-consultant at Boston Consulting Group in Chicago

-consultant at Econic Partners

For more details on these UChicago graduates and their work at the University, refer to the UChicago news article below:

https://news.uchicago.edu/story/class-day-speakers-highlight-communities-built-during-their-time-uchicago?mkt_tok=MjUwLUNRSC05MzYAAAGiKF4QDjaD9bfTxQrahaQa9kea7UHN5z_BpuvRQxRKdhsLJmfnOLiwLIO8ZBWtD1aMiCfuuNntp9mk6PulKSVE0or1mHmobdDSLBT-f-7uqENdi5A&utm_medium=06.02email&utm_source=UChicagoNews

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

Savory and Stylish Salmon Criollo at Villa Azteca in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

Savory and Stylish Salmon Criollo at Villa Azteca in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget 

For my daughter Florence Paget’s birthday, my husband Laurent and I offered her a celebratory meal at Villa Azteca in downtown Salinas, California. 

We began our meal with guacamole salad – mashed avocado with red bell pepper squares and chopped cilantro mixed in. I like the black, volcanic stone dishes that the guacamole comes in. As we ate the guacamole, I admired the milagro (miracle) cross collection hung on the wall by the entryway. 

Florence and Laurent ordered steaks while I ordered a heart-healthy salmon dinner. 

The dish I ordered was called salmon criollo. This was broiled salmon that was served on a bed of stewed black beans with cubes of baked butternut squash strewn around it. Chipotle crema came with the salmon and two warmed soft corn tortillas. 

 A pickled radish slice and sliced jalapeño sat on top of the broiled salmon with its ashed crust of broiled skin. (Maybe a kitchen blow torch was used to make the skin this way.) 

I placed slices of salmon in one tortilla along with the black beans, jalapeño, and butternut squash along with some chipotle cream. I twisted the end over once so my salmon taco would not leak out the end. 

I just loved the flavor trio provided by the squash, beans, and maize (corn) that is indigenous to the American Southwest and Mexico. The salmon indigenous to the Pacific Northwest of the US is very good, too.  The salmon and the beans, squash, and maize together provide protein and other important nutrients like selenium for thyroid health, Vitamin C, and antioxidants that remove cancer causing free radicals.

I used the second tortilla to do practically the same combination but used the pickled radish slice in this taco. The pungent radish made the savory ingredients seem fresh rather than cooked and gave it the plus of providing a fermented food to the taco. 

I ate the remaining black beans, butternut squash, and salmon with equal gusto with the remaining chipotle cream. 

The salmon criollo was delicious and might appeal to diners trying to maintain weight without sacrificing flavor. 

Note: There is a garage nearby at the Steinbeck Center and street parking as available.

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

The Kimpton Mirador Hotel in Pacific Grove, California is now open by Ruth Paget

The Kimpton Mirador Hotel in Pacific, Grove, California is now open!

This luxury destination is located in the center of a historic downtown with restaurants like The Spotted Duck French Restaurant located in the hotel, bakeries like longstanding Pavel’s, and the curated Grove Market offering many delectable goodies.  

The Museum of Natural History behind the hotel invites browsing with ocean views.  A nearby park and gazebo provide space for relaxed walks and poetry writing and journaling.  There are many flowers, trees, and hedges to identify for garden strolling.  (Safe, well-maintained parks should be a priority for all cities.  Some parks even provide picnic tables which diners and writers alike can use.)  The Kimpton has a courtyard as well for relaxing in the sun.

Asilomar Beach which runs along the rocky coastline that makes one think of Japan is three blocks downhill.  Brown pelicans, cormorants, seagulls, and great white egrets can all be seen flying here often in v-formation as they dive for fish as a group.  Photographers can take beautiful sunset photos from all vantage points along Asilomar Beach.

Pacific Grove is called Butterfly Town due the yearly migration of monarch butterflies that come to the town.  A monarch butterfly sanctuary and museum is located near the hotel .

Sometimes you can see seals sunning themselves on the rocks along Asilomar Beach to make walks true eco-tourism.

The nearby public library is a historic Carnegie library.  The town’s Chautauqua Hall hosts a quilt show every year.

The Kimpton Mirador website for more information follows: 

https://www.miradorhotelpacificgrove.com/

The Kimpton Mirador is part of the IHG Group and offers reward points for its loyalty program.

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

Watch for Ohlone Storytelling Festival in May 2027 by Ruth Paget

I was looking through my old articles in the Monterey County Weekly online archives from when I was a freelance writer for the paper and found a story I did on the Ohlone Storytelling Festival that usually takes place in May.

I looked up the festival for 2026, which took place on May 23rd.

For people interested in attending this event in May 2027, I have placed a link to the article I wrote below for information:

https://www.montereycountynow.com/archives/new/s/2003/jul/24/831-tales-from-the-area-code/sacred-stories-a-native-american-storytelling-festival-draws-tribal-tale-tellers-from-three-counties/article_17f26861-38cc-5b69-b21d-67f53a85c337.html

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

First Friday Art Fair in Salinas, California on June 5, 2026 by Ruth Paget

The First Friday Art Fair in Salinas, California featuring gallery walks, food, and music will take place on Friday, June 5, 2026 downtown.  There is street parking, a parking garage, and some lots.

Wear your tech med as you stroll to shape your legs and lungs into shape.

There are two farmers’ markets happening on Friday as well beginning in the afternoon and ending at 9 pm, if you want to make First Friday into a daylong outing. 

Salinas Valley Health Farmers’ Market 

11:30 am to 4 pm

Outdoor Market at the Rodeo in Salinas (Salinas Sports Complex)

4 pm to 9 pm

This market features produce as well as merchandise with music and entertainment.

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

8 UChicago Art Exhibits Span Cultures, Race, and Ancient Lands Reposted by Ruth Paget

8 UChicago Art Exhibits Span Cultures, Race, and Ancient Lands reposted by Ruth Paget 

8 new exhibits at the University of Chicago span cultures, race, and ancient lands in spring and summer 2026. 

These exhibits include: 

-A Bestiary of Ancient Nubia 

April 16 – August 16 

-Beyond Boundaries: Three Decades of Contemporary Chinese Art at the Smart 

March 24 – July 5 

-Black Culture in Chicago 

April 17 – July 30 

-Composing Color: Paintings by Alma Thomas from the Smithsonian American Art Museum 

March 24 – July 5 

-History on the Edges: Michel-Rolph Trouillet’s Caribbean 

April 20 – August 21 

-Mike Cloud and Nyeema Morgan: Story Structure Part 2 

April 7 – June 28 

-Sightlines, Ghosts, and Other Stories of the Impossible 

March 26 – July 25 

-2026 MFA Thesis Exhibit 

May 22 – June 7 

For more information about these exhibits and artists use the UChicago News link below: 

https://news.uchicago.edu/story/coming-campus-spring-check-out-these-exhibitions

A weekend of exhibits at the University of Chicago can bring you the experience of Chicago, the US, China, the Caribbean, and multiple viewpoints. 

Note: There are flights now between Monterey, California and Chicago, Illinois on United Airlines. 

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

Mothers’ Day 2026 in Monterey County California by Ruth Paget

Mothers’ Day 2026 in Monterey County, California by Ruth Paget 

For Mother’s Day 2026, my family and I went to some of my favorite places in Monterey County with a lunch delivery from Avatar Indian Grill in Salinas, California. 

My husband Laurent, daughter Florence, and I started our day at Pebble Beach. I drank a Peerless organic coffee from The Market by the Lodge and enjoyed breathing in the misty Del Monte Forest air as we drove along 17-Mile Drive. 

At the beach, I did some bird watching. The brown pelicans were out flying in V-formation low over the water with some diving for fish. Black, long-necked cormorants fluttered past along with seagulls. White Great Egrets stalked frogs and stranded fish along the coast as well. I never tire of watching these birds that fly over crashing waves. 

After my communing with nature at the beach, we drove past deer nibbling grass on the golf course as we drove out to Highway 1 towards Carmel Valley Road. We drove past nurseries, vineyards, luxury hotels, horse ranches, upscale homes, and restaurants on the way to Carmel Valley Park. 

I did some forest bathing in the mountain air and soaking up sunshine in the warm park. I like the well-groomed ornamental trees outside the Carmel Valley History Museum and houses on the mountainsides that remind me of Japan for their designs that blend into the slopes. 

We drove over scenic Laureles Grade to Highway 68 east towards Salinas and past Corral de Tierra, site of John Steinbeck's collection of short stories entitled The Pastures of Heaven. 

At home, I ordered one of my favorite treat meals from Avatar Indian Grill – coconut curry vegetables with rice and naan bread. The vegetables were seasonal, organic ones from the Salinas Valley (onions, green peppers,  zucchini, carrots, and mushroom). I drank a Peroni Nastro Azzuro Italian lager beer with my meal and thought I had a nice, relaxed Mother’s Day. 

Florence and Laurent finished my already great day with gifts of two dozen pink roses and a Pebble Beach cheese and charcuterie board. 

I am thankful for my family and living in a community that has areas for nature walks, bird watching, forest bathing, and restaurants that serve delicious and healthy food. 

Note: Hikers may be interested in trying out several of the trails at Pebble Beach. The following guide below has steps noted on them as well: 

https://www.pebblebeach.com/insidepebblebeach/happy-trails-tips-to-hiking-the-del-monte-forest-in-pebble-beach/

Note: My family read this blog and forgot they also bought me a perfume - La Vie est Belle by Lancôme.   Jasmine is one of the ingredients along with orange flowers.  Mom is delighted.

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

A Diet for the 21st Century: Mediterranean Style by Ruth Paget

A Diet for the 21st Century by Ruth Paget 

To adapt my diet to the needs of the 21st century, I read More Mediterranean: 225+ New Plant-Forward Recipes – Endless Inspiration for Eating Well by America’s Test Kitchen based in Boston, Massachusetts. 

Two issues in particular have influenced the 21st century: 

-greater food insecurity even in the United States, which has historically exported food surplus 

-a world population that has almost doubled since I was a teenager 

For example, In 2025, 7.822 million women who are pregnant, postpartum, breastfeeding women, and young children need the services of Women, Infants, and Children according to to the USDA WICData Tables below (2025 is the latest data available):

https://www.fns.usda.gov/pd/wic-program

Without WIC these individuals would be food insecure. 

I used the Macrotrends website for world population figures below: 

2025: 8.19 billion 

1979: 4.36 billion 

To use the Macrotrends website below, slide your finger along the chart to find years and population data:

https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/countries/wld/world/population 

Higher population levels place a strain on existing food resources, which encourages the greater consumption of lower-priced vegetables. 

I happen to like vegetables, so I found many recipes to try at home and look for in restaurants and delicatessens in More Mediterranean. This cookbook also provides what they describe as vegetable-heavy fish and seafood dishes. I love fish and seafood, so I found these recipes appealing as well. 

America’s Test Kitchen describes the Mediterranean Diet as very desirable to follow for its health benefits:  

-wards off heart disease 

-encourages good gut health 

-promotes positive mental health 

-prevents Alzheimer’s Disease and cancer 

America’s Test Kitchen writes that the approach to following the Mediterranean Diet had changed from a pyramid approach to a plate approach. The Mediterranean Meal should look like the following: 

-1/2 plate vegetables and fruits 

-roughly ¼ plate whole grains (3/8 plate)

-roughly ¼ plate protein (1/8 plate)

Vegetarian protein combinations take on more of a significance here with seed and grain and pulse (lentils for example) and grain combinations augmenting the protein on the plate. 

My family also uses 00 flour to make bread. This flour traditionally used in Neapolitan pizza dough has a high protein content by itself that can augment the protein content of a meal with smaller portions of meat.  

Another reason I like the More Mediterranean cookbook is its inclusion of recipes from Mediterranean Africa and the Middle East in addition to Mediterranean Europe. 

The spice blends from these regions all by themselves would probably be good with buttered pasta, buttered rice, and baked potatoes with sour cream and butter. 

Several of the recipes I would try or buy at a delicatessen include: 

-beet salad with spiced yogurt and watercress 

-parsley – cucumber salad with feta cheese, pomegranate, and walnuts

-horiatiki Greek village salad with chopped vegetables, oregano, and feta cheese 

People who already like going to farmers’ markets will find much to like in More Mediterranean: 225+ New Plant-Forward Recipes – Endless Inspiration for Eating Well by America’s Test Kitchen. 

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

Top 10 Tailgate Pregame Recipes reposted by Ruth Paget

I thought the following Top 10 Tailgate Pregame Recipes looked very appetizing.

I especially like how the tailgate pregames parties create community for the game attendees and get all the vehicles parked way before the game starts.

The recipes follow:

https://barbecuebible.com/2019/10/25/10-best-tailgating-recipes/

Maybe the concessions could sell some items or services  to make this tradition easier to maintain like selling sides such macaroni and cheese, coleslaw, gazpacho in drink containers, Greek salads, sodas, coffee drinks, team merchandise, and garbage and recycle take away.  

Parking spots are numbered so this could be organized like curbside pick-up.

Leftover food could be sold through Too Good to Go or a similar organization.

Just a thought on a rainy day.

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