A New Experience: Ted's Pop Up Dinner

Jana and Andy at Ted's Pop Up Dinner

Before I’d realized that this past weekend was Easter, I’d made plans for us to drive to Santa Barbara and see our dear friend Sally Simms. You may remember my blog post from last July when we, along with several of her other friends, celebrated her life (with her) at Pine Grove Pizza. Well, it’s almost a year later and she is still going strong. Some days, anyway. We also planned a dinner with Verne’s older daughters, Lara and Raelin, along with their families, and an evening with our friend “young” Ted (as opposed to one of our other friends, “old” Ted). It was a full weekend and while it didn’t include a sunrise service or a sit-down Easter dinner, it was a weekend full of love and at times it felt downright spiritual.

Back to Sally and our first stop. The drive south on the 5 freeway past acres and acres of orchards, in particular citrus orchards, was nothing short of sensual. I can’t think of a better word to describe it. The trees were in bloom and filled the air with the most beautiful fragrance in the world. I found myself inhaling to the point of hyperventilating (almost). The hillsides were lush with grass and happy cows busily grazing. Until we reached the Harris Ranch, that is, where the poor wretched animals waste away their final months, approximately 20% of their lives, living in their own excrement. Ready for the final push into vegetarianism? Just visit the place and you’ll think twice before ordering your next steak. Ok, I’ll get back on point. The intensely green hillsides were framed by a picture-perfect sky with a mix of cumulus clouds ranging from snowy white to an ominous gray. You get the picture. It was breathtaking. And when I thought it couldn’t be prettier, we hit the 101 and before long had our first glimpse of the crashing ocean waves set against the craggy cliffs around Pismo Bay. I told you our trip was spiritual at times. Well, this was one of those times.

We spent our first few hours that afternoon catching up with Sally. Although I often talk to her on the phone, there’s nothing like a face-to-face visit. I believe she had spent the prior week willing herself to feel good for our visit, because she was in prime condition. That term, of course, is relative. We have arrived in the past to find her in the hospital. Joined by her daughter, Diana, we enjoyed a relaxing seafood dinner at the Harbor Restaurant.

Dinner at the Harbor Restaurant

Back home we talked late into the evening and woke up the next morning and continued our conversation talking all day until we had to leave mid-afternoon. Sally lives just a few miles from Shoreline Park and we’d planned to take her for a ride in her new (and first) wheelchair and enjoy the beautiful day. We were having such a relaxing and magical time together that it never happened. We just sat for hours at her little kitchen table after breakfast and talked and talked and talked. Sally’s had a full and interesting life, remembers just about every moment of it, and shared a few entertaining stories I’d not heard before. I took this picture of Sally “au naturel” as she sat at the table with the morning sun casting its shadows on her. I found the picture to be beautiful and honest, representing a lifetime in that moment. Aging is not for the weak and her last few years have been especially hard. She remains young at heart and I’m sure often frustrated that her body is at such odds with her lively spirit. But rarely a complaint. She takes each day as it comes living her life to its fullest.

Sally, my best friend forever

With a promise to visit again soon, we drove on to Fullerton to meet the family at the Old Spaghetti Factory. Yep! Just like last time and the time before. It became a family tradition over 30 years ago and one we’re not about to change. Lara’s little boys, Mathew and Logan, dote on their older cousin, Sam, who kept them engaged and entertained throughout the dinner. Kendall, Raelin’s 16-year old daughter and our only female grandchild, entertained us with her driving stories. She is just a month away from having her license and will be able to (reluctantly) drive the family Prius on her own.  Personally, I think she should hold out for their new Mini-Cooper and let her mom drive the Prius, but the make and model of the car seem to have little significance to her. Kendall just doesn’t particularly want to drive. It’s her mom who is ready to have her behind the wheel. I completely understand. I was so ready to give up the twice-daily trips from Volcano to Jackson (40 miles round trip on windy roads) when the girls were in high school that I strongly supported Jana getting her driver’s license. From what I hear, Kendall is the same (overly) cautious, slow driver as her Aunt Jana, in contrast to Raelin, who favors her father when behind-the-wheel. Aggressive.

The Whole Dam Fam

Saturday was spent with Ted Burns, sometimes known as Chef Ted. As often as we visit SoCal, we’d never taken time to drive the additional couple of hours to Redlands to see our young friend. When planning our weekend, I contacted Ted about spending some time together on Saturday and he quickly suggested that he plan a pop up dinner. Ted has been interested in cooking and baking as long as we’ve known him, which dates to Jana’s senior year in high school. At that time, he was mostly interested in eating. It was later after some experience cooking and baking at a few local restaurants that his interest began to peak. He attended UC Davis graduating with a degree in English and a minor-of-sorts in food science and then went on to work for his aunt in Redlands while attending the University of Redlands and earning an MBA. He has continued to pursue his interest in the culinary arts on a part time basis via these pop up dinners he hosts. The “pop up” concept can be described as a spontaneous, social dining experience utilizing whatever venue may be available at the time. There is little overhead, absolutely no long-term commitments, and in general it avoids local health and other regulations. Ted uses social-media for his advertising. He sets the time, place, menu and posts it on Instagram. Within a day or so he had 20 people sign up for the Saturday-night event.

Venue for Ted's Pop Up Dinner

Gas station turned vintage clothing/antiques store and venue for pop up dinners

The dinner took place at the Redlands Country Mart, a former gas station turned vintage clothes and antiques store. Where once gas pumps stood, we helped arrange the long portable tables and chairs for the guests saving one of the heavy (antique) plank tables offered for sale as a cooking station for his butane burners and other cooking paraphernalia, along with all the food for the meal. This is all sounding too easy. Backing up a bit, we had arrived at Ted’s upstairs apartment at noon that day. We were promptly put to work, Verne shelling fava beans while I did a little of everything including washing and slicing/chopping lettuce, strawberries, and mushrooms; dishes; grating Parmesan cheese; more dishes; helping with this and that; and more dishes. 

Verne shelling fava beans for spring risotto served with grilled pork tenderloin

Ted making chile-lemon chickpeas

After a few hours, Verne was finished with the favas and promoted to stove work making a blood orange gastrique. If you don’t know what that is, it’s a tart, slightly thickened sauce that involves caramelizing sugar, combined with citrus juice and vinegar, and then reduced by about 75%. One step it doesn’t involve is setting the kitchen on fire. Almost, anyway. Everything was going so well. Ted had promised us a fun afternoon and while we were working our arses off, we were having a good time. That is, until Ted’s one and only kitchen towel (he uses paper towels and, apparently, the kitchen towel was there for decorative purposes…I swear I didn’t know when I began using it) was carelessly placed near the stove (okay, on an unused pot on the stove) right next to Verne’s boiling gastrique. As Verne was completing the final step, I looked over and suggested he turn down the flame that extended well beyond the edge of the pot. At that very moment, the towel erupted into flames. I grabbed it and threw it into my dishwater putting out the fire but not before it had burned both edges of the towel. It was only after this that I learned that Ted’s one and only kitchen towel was a hand-embroidered heirloom from his mother and not for “serious” use. Oh shite! This was not good. But, in a twisted sort of way it was funny. Here’s Verne looking kind of sheepish after the incident. On a positive note, the gastrique was excellent!

OOPS!

Jana and Andy arrived shortly after we started setting up the tables. Jana helped some, although she preferred browsing the vintage clothing and trying on fur coats to setting tables. Andy fired up the portable grill, which took some doing because we’d not packed the lighter fluid. Ted got busy cooking. Verne went to buy beer (it was BYOB). People began arriving and by 6 p.m. the pop up dinner was well underway. Ted was the perfect host and chef, multi-tasking between preparing salads, cooking risotto, tending the pork tenderloin and salmon on the grill, and socializing with guests. One of Ted’s regulars helped serve, so Verne and I were finally able to relax and enjoy dinner. We did, however, stay until the last guest had left and helped Ted break down the tables, pack the cars, and take dirty dishes and all to a third location where he had access to a commercial dishwasher. We left him with the mess and returned to our hotel. Exhausted. But, we can now say we’ve experienced pop up dining. 

Pop Up Dinner (we're sitting at the far table to the left)

Personal Pizzas

In the late 80’s when Verne and I occasionally had up to six kids for dinner (his, mine and ours, or some combination) we came up with some kid-friendly meals that pleased all of them. Tacos were always a favorite, which led to my own creation, taco potatoes (imagine a baked potato topped with all of the fixin’s for a taco, but without the shell. Then one day we read about personal pizzas in Bon Appetit and began making them for the kids. Actually, the kids made them. Verne would make the crust (he still does), I’d prepare all of the toppings (I still do), and we’d then gather around a large island in the kitchen and each make our own pizza to our liking.

Over the years our crust recipe has evolved and toppings gradually have become more sophisticated. Some of our pizzas might even be considered gourmet. Our latest crust recipe is a no-knead dough that’s assembled and then sits on the kitchen counter undisturbed for 18-24 hours. It’s the best! Also, we now make the pizzas on a stone in the outdoor grill (which will easily reach 500 degrees), rather than the oven, which leaves you with underdone crust and a hot kitchen.

While we’ve tweaked recipes and techniques, the experience is just as fun today as it was back in 1988 when we started making pizza with the family. Talking, laughing, forming the crust (tossing it in the air or free-forming it on the mat), piling it high with toppings or not. They bake for just 8-10 minutes....enough time to share one and be ready for the next off the grill. And, that’s just what we did tonight. Three tasty pizzas: Verne’s favorite Margherita; my favorite, garlic-olive oil, prosciutto, parsley, and fontina cheese; and, Vera’s favorite, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and mushrooms. It’s a fun, easy meal as all of the work can be done ahead and all of the “eaters” share in the assembly. The only special tool involved is a pizza stone for the grill!

P.S. Just when you think you know your way around the kitchen, you learn something new…Vera prepared her mushrooms by peeling them, an old trick she learned when she worked in the deli department at Safeway. I had no idea you could peel a mushroom. Brush them off, yes. (Although, I’ve never been thoroughly satisfied with the results.) Wash them, yes (according to Alton Brown). But, peel? The results are pure, clean goodness. Google it…I’m sure there’s a You Tube on it!

Thanksgiving Part II - Dinner, Black Friday, and Sherlock

What better opportunity to blog about good eats and good times than Thanksgiving?! We’re driving home from Portland where we spent the last week celebrating the holiday with family. If I were ranking our visit I’d give it a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10. Each and every day was perfect…filled with the kind of good times that make lasting memories. By Wednesday afternoon we’d already had a great visit with Maria and our pies were ready for the big day. Thursday morning Jana arrived from L.A. and Scott drove down from Seattle with the bird…an organic, free-range turkey raised in Sonora (about an hour from Volcano). Funny…we drove 650 miles to have a California turkey. Preparations were stress-free (if you’ve ever watched Verne and me in the kitchen, you’ll understand the significance of that statement) and our traditional Thanksgiving dinner was the best we’ve had in a long time.

Part of our Thanksgiving tradition is a visit to the mall on Black Friday. The tradition started several years ago when Amazon would offer Black Friday deals at midnight Thanksgiving day. Each of the girls would be ready at their computer taking advantage of the low, low prices for CD’s and DVD’s. Two years ago we decided to join the crowds at the mall on Black Friday. Our strategy was to arrive very early Friday morning as the all night shoppers left and crowds thinned. It worked. This year we threw caution to the wind and arrived at the mall at 8 p.m. Thursday evening when the stores opened. Very bad idea! You would not believe the number of people who bring the entire family and do all of their Christmas shopping that night. It. Was. Crazy! And, are the prices really that exceptional??? Let me share my experience…

I went to Macy’s to buy one item: an Artisan Kitchenaid Mixer. It was $350, 10% off for Black Friday with a $50 manufacturer’s rebate and I will get 10% back in January from Macy’s Thanks for Sharing Program, bringing the price to $233.50. I stood in line for about an hour to make my purchase all the while getting more and more irritated by the bungling sales staff (many of them ill-trained temps) and little kids running around unattended as their parents shopped. Friday morning Lauren suggested we check the price at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Good idea, as it was $230 after discounts and rebates. I thought long and hard about the $3.50 difference, but finally decided I’d keep the mixer I bought. However, Lauren had bought an attachment for the mixer the previous evening and the difference in price between Macy’s and BBB was $15…worth a trip to return her original purchase to Macy’s. One of our last errands Sunday afternoon was to do just that. Lauren made the return in record time. However, she returned to the car where we waited with some bad/good news…the Kitchenaid mixer was now on sale at a price $15 less than what I’d paid Black Friday! I was out of the car and into the store for my price adjustment! Thank goodness I didn’t return the mixer earlier, re-purchase it at BBB, only to find Macy’s had the best deal! There are a few lessons to be learned here: (1) Black Friday deals are not what they’re cracked up to be and (2) if you’re going to shop Black Friday, do it on-line and avoid the crowds and all the Crazies!

The highlight Saturday was the afternoon at Cinetopia watching Catching Fire, the second of the Hunger Games Trilogy. Doesn’t sound too exciting? Then you haven’t experienced Cinetopia or its equivalent (and you are obviously not a Hunger Games fan). Imagine a theater with over-sized screens, exceptional sound, and various levels of comfort and amenities: the Movie Parlor (one for families and one for adults only); the the Living Room theater with cushy chairs, loveseats, and ottomans; and, the Grand Auditorium. All of them have in-theater food and alcohol service and, surprisingly, the food is good. It’s like watching a movie on a huge screen in your own living room...possibly more comfortable than your own living room! Quite the experience for special movies, such as Catching Fire, or The Hobbit, which we saw last year at Cinetopia.

Our final day included a trip to OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) for the International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes. Lauren attended the exhibit last month and was anxious to have Verne (another Sherlock fan) experience the fun. It was well worth attending and made all the more fun by Lauren's enthusiastic approach to it. We started with the history of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his path to creating the character, Sherlock Holmes. Next we had a crash course in the scientific approach to crime solving. Finally, we were presented with the details of a murder along with Inspector Lestrade's police report and enlisted by the one and only Sherlock Holmes to assist in analyzing the facts using forensic science (blood splatter, footprints, trajectory lines, and more). I'm happy to say we were successful and identified the true perp! 

After the exhibit we took Verne to one of his favorite restaurants, Deschutes Brewery, for lunch and a beer tasting. I think it just might have been the highlight of the weekend! 

A Family Tradition

This past weekend we made our third trip to So Cal in the last two months. It's got to be some kind of record for us. For a little variety we drove down the 5 cutting over to the 101 about half way taking us through Santa Barbara for a quick stop to see our friend Sally. After appetizers that could have substituted as dinner, Sally served us an amazing meal that rivaled Ruth's Chris Steakhouse (prime cut fillets 1-1/2" thick grilled and then topped with browned butter and sauteed mushrooms, creamed spinach, scalloped potatoes, and carrot cake for dessert). The visit was short, but sweet. We left about 8 p.m. and finished the day's drive to Santa Monica.

Saturday morning we got up early and had breakfast from Flake, a little hole-in-the-wall that makes the best breakfast sandwiches I've ever eaten. We've spent so much time in Santa Monica lately that we're developing a list of favorite restaurants...Scary for two people who hate So Cal and begin grumbling about the congestion and smog as soon as we approach the Grapevine. We then loaded the kittens in their carrier and took them for a vet appointment. Have I mentioned that Jana's 5-month old kittens are precious...adorable...too cute for words? So, here's a picture of them at the vet's office patiently waiting for their exam...

Our trip this particular weekend just happened to coincide with my sister's business trip from Fayetteville, Arkansas. Jane is participating in the Laguna Art Festival, which runs from the first of July through the end of August. Unbeknownst to us, Jane spent this past week in Laguna Beach at the Festival and was returning home yesterday, the same day we planned to leave. It was quite the surprise when Raelin informed me that my sister was in So Cal through the weekend. Raelin was "in the know" because she's storing Jane's 100+ paintings in her garage and making weekly trips to Laguna to swap or restock inventory as it sells. What an unexpected bonus...Saturday afternoon we headed for the Laguna Art Festival. It would be easy to avoid this event as it draws thousands of people every day and traffic is a nightmare. We tend to avoid all things that draw crowds. As it turned out, we survived the traffic and found that the off-site parking with shuttles running every 20 minutes was very tolerable. We're already talking about attending the event again next year and spending a full day. We had a good time visiting with Jane, walking the Art A-Fair, which is a venue for non-Laguna Beach artists, and having dinner at the small restaurant that borders one side of it. I know this sounds a bit biased, but of all the art I saw, Jane's was the most original. There were hundreds of florals, landscapes, and the like. All well-executed. But, her Celebrity Dogs are so unique and different from the run-of-the-mill art we saw...she gets my vote! 

Sunday afternoon was the big event...dinner with "the Fam"! The single reason we chose this past weekend to make another trip to So Cal was because Jeff, Trish, and the boys were in town from Connecticut for a two-week vacation and it's a perfect opportunity to get together. We spent a few hours before dinner visiting and then met the rest of the family (Lara, Raelin and their families; Jana and Bashir; sister Jane, for a total of 18 family members) at the Spaghetti Factory in Fullerton. Dinner at the Spaghetti Factory has become a family tradition for birthdays, Christmas, or any other event that involves a large group. It's a family favorite...kid-friendly, affordably priced, and a familiar and unchanging menu. With one exception, that is...the only thing that has changed over the past 28 years we've been eating there is the addition of broccoli to the menu. Imagine the freshest of broccoli steamed to perfection, drizzled with browned butter, and sprinkled with a generous serving of mazithra cheese. So simple, yet impossible to make at home and get the same delicious results. Trust me, we've tried. So, we sometimes order it as an appetizer, add it as an entree, or take a bit home. It's all good and the kids love it! Our Spaghetti Factory dinner this past weekend was like so many we've enjoyed for near three decades...hugs, talk, laughter, good eats, more hugs, and our good-byes until we're together again. 

Farmers Market

Life is full of rituals. One of our favorites is the Pine Grove Farmers Market. It's held every Wednesday afternoon from mid-June through mid-October, when we often get our first frost. It starts off slowly as the growing season upcountry is very short. On the best day mid-summer there are only about a dozen vendors: half selling produce, one old lady who has an olive orchard and sells her olive oil, a local baker selling breads and other baked goods, a couple of crafters (they vary from week to week...one sells hand-made soaps, another hand-made cards, and another hand-sewn items, and occasionally a vendor selling plants. Almost always there is entertainment...typically, a local, country-western singer (of the old school - Hank Williams or George Jones type music) singing and playing his guitar (if no guitar, then singing to a CD).

Yesterday was the first market of the season. Although we had a commitment in town and were in a hurry, we stopped and walked the market. Thankfully, we made time for this ritual that has become so important to us. We saw familiar faces, bought something from each of the produce vendors, and left with the same warm-fuzzy, satisfying feeling we have every week from mid-June through mid-October when we attend the Pine Grove Farmers Market. It's small and I'm sure laughable to people who've been to the Saturday market at the Ferry Building in San Francisco or the markets held in other large cities or even the Thursday evening Lodi Street Fair. But, it's ours and it's a ritual we've grown to love.

Here's a picture of one of our favorite vendors, Wendy Hunter...

She sells honey and the best plums I've ever eaten! Last year she tried to sell my market totes (pictured in the foreground), but they were too pricey for upcountry folk. Oh well, we tried. This fall I'm going to take them to a craft fair in Santa Barbara, mark them up by 25%, and they'll probably sell like hot cakes!

Road Trip Attractions

This past week we made a quick trip to So Cal to deliver a bed to Jana. It's about a 7 hour or 400 mile drive. It took us closer to 9 hours. However, as I'm always reading in my art books, "it's all about the journey..." I've come to agree with that thought as it relates to road trips as well as art. We travel Highway 99; it's slower than the 5 freeway, but according to Verne, the 99 is more interesting than the 5. I've only found one thing of interest and it's the reason I don't complain about taking a slower, older highway that is in bad need of repair and, while it passes miles of beautiful farm land it also goes through the heart of a number of small and some large towns that are anything but quaint or charming. In fact, to stop would be risking your life. Literally! Back to the reason I don't object to traveling the 99...it's Bravo Farms.

We discovered Bravo Farms about ten years ago on a return trip from So Cal. There are no less than a dozen signs beginning about five miles from Exit 106 advertising the many attractions of Bravo Farms (it's located in Travers, near Visalia): cheese (handmade on the premises), a wine tasting bar, gifts galore, fresh produce, barbecue, and, recently added, a petting zoo and train ride. Yes, it may sound a bit commercial. It has grown over the past decade to offer something for everyone. When we first stopped, it was about a quarter the size it is today and it's main attraction was the cheese making room, which even today can be viewed from the gift shop. Both days we stopped this past week, cheese was being made and people gathered at the window watching the process.

Our personal favorites are Chipotle and Jalapeno Cheddar. All of their cheese is available to sample. Stop and choose your favorite. Or, just stand at the window and watch the fascinating process of cheese making.

Another interesting stop on the 99 is Sun-Maid Raisin in Selma, self-proclaimed as The Raisin Capital of the World. The city's claim to fame is probably accurate as 90% of U.S. raisins are grown/produced within 8 miles of Selma. Sun-Maid is a cooperative of raisin growers. We visited the processing/distribution center, which is just a mile off the 99 and about 5 miles from Bravo Farms, in December 2012. We were returning from spending a few days over the Christmas holiday with all of our family, except Scott, in So Cal. Jeff, Trish, and the boys were visiting from Connecticut and Lauren had flown in from Portland. A Spaghetti Factory dinner for birthdays and holidays has been a long-standing tradition for us, so we met up with the local girls (Jana, Lara, Raelin and families) and the out-of-towners and spent a memorable evening together. Lauren returned with us to Nor Cal the next day and it was on this return trip that we stopped at Sun-Maid.

I didn't realize until now that the Sun Maiden looks like she has her arm around Verne and Lauren. Cute! Their factory tour amounted to a 15 minute video on a small television set in the gift shop. A bit of a disappointment, but it was informative and worth the short detour (once, that is). The real highlight of the stop was laughing at Lauren as she entertained us with all of the Sun-Maid souvenirs in the gift shop. I've only included a couple of the dozen pictures I took as we walked around the shop, ate sample raisins, and laughed at her antics.

I'd say that's just about it for interesting stops on the 99 between Stockton and L.A. Now, I know people who swear by the 5 and love stopping at Harris Ranch...but, that would mean we'd miss an opportunity to visit Bravo Farms. I think we'll stick with the 99...it's possible that Bravo Farms has become a destination for us!