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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