When life gives you Fava Beans

So every month I place an order with a company called UNFI. I source things like organic raw cashews, organic beans, organic grains and organic spices through them and have been working with them for almost twenty years!! This whole time I’ve had the same delivery driver, David. David is one of the best people I know and does a tremendous job for the company. ( think… grocery wholesaler during a global food production shortage and pandemic and still keeps a positive attitude, hero status!) Anyways, rarely does David make a mistake but last week my delivery came in with a bag of Fava Beans that was supposed to be black lentils. I could get reimbursed but it could potentially make David look bad if I report it so I’ve decided to see how I can use them. I’ve never worked with them dried before so I’m going to slow cook them tonight and if all goes well, I’ll add them to the minestrone instead of Kidney Beans this week. I’ve purchased a tin of of Kidney Beans as a back up plan just in case things don’t go well so, guess we’ll all get to learn about Fava Beans this week!

Here’s what you will find at the soup booth this week:

Monday in Baywood, Thursday in Morro Bay and Friday in Cambria

1. SPLIT PEA ( the green kind)

2. HEIRLOOM TOMATO MINESTRONE GNOCCHI

I look forward to seeing you guys and don’t forget your jars!

We are lucky on the coast

PG&E Meteorologist, John Lindsey, said that the largest temperature difference in SLO county on record was recorded on Saturday. It was 115 inland and 57 on the coast at one point on Saturday morning. As a soup maker, I’m forever grateful to be cooking on the coast!! And it’s the season of absolute produce perfection and abundance.

I bought my first box of heirloom tomatoes from Jorge on Monday which kicks off a season of tomato based soups that are sooooo tasty!!! Stock up your grilled cheese (or cheeze) supplies, you’re gonna wanna pair that with everything tomato!!

Little Red Hen is back this week !! Still no sign of Brian tho 😂❤️

Here’s what you will find at the soup booth this week:

1. BLACK EYED PEA BARLEY WITH GREEN ONION AND HEIRLOOM TOMATO

2. CREAMY ROASTED ZUCCHINI

I made horse friends, Cinco and Apple Jack

I look forward to seeing you guys and don’t forget your jars!!

Scooter

You guys are so awesome

George

A big huge thank you to you guys for being so patient with me working by myself this week!! Soup booth Brian is in Iceland for another week or so but this week should be calmer cause most “after holiday” markets are quiet 😊. I love getting to help each and every one of you, and as always, you guys are just the freeking best.

Another day, another truck ride ❤️

I’ve had lots of requests to bring this week’s soups back in rotation so I’m very exited to announce this weeks flavors!! Also, I wanted to let you know that I have a new neighbor in Baywood, Viva Mexico foods are selling homemade tortillas ( amongst other great stuff) next to me now! I’m so exited he’s here! He even has whole wheat tortillas!!

Here’s what you will find at the soup booth this week

Monday in Baywood, Thursday in Morro Bay and Friday in Cambria

1. CURRY CAULIFLOWER

2. TEMPEH CHILI

Wild roses !!

I look forward to seeing you guys and don’t forget your jars!

Squash blossom quesadillas!

Construction weekend

So my husband and I have decided to build a shed ( apparently he’s tired of me using cases of mason jars as home decorations). He has some construction experience and well, I have none ( other than standing in the way at my dad’s construction sites as a kid). Thank goodness for YouTube. But hopefully, in a few more Sundays, I’ll have a place to stockpile soup cups and mason jars so I’m not ever caught unprepared like I was last year.

This how we ride in the truck when we travel as a family ( usually to Miners hardware if it’s a Sunday) . Head on shoulder always.

I got my order of Sri Lankan spices in the mail from dear Yami this week! I wonder if the mail carrier wonders why her truck smells so good when she is carrying around two pounds of one of the most fragrant curries I’ve ever smelled!! Hopefully she likes curry!!

This is when I get back from bike rides.

Here’s what you will find at the soup booth this week:

Monday in Baywood, Thursday in Morro Bay and Friday in Cambria :

1. SRI LANKAN RED LENTIL

2. MUSHROOM BARLEY

I was walking in the forest and this egg fell out of a very tall tree and landed at my feet

I look forward to seeing you guys and don’t forget your jars!

Gimme fog!!

I love fog. I could have fog everyday of the year and be perfectly happy! Our June gloom has come a little late this year but it’s HERE!!! I shall relish every moment of my most favorite coastal weather.

In other news…

There’s a general feeling that parallels dipping your toes into cold water rather than diving right in when it comes to masks at farmers market. So here’s what I know: masks are not required at any of the markets I attend for vaccinated people. Vaccinated vendors are also not required to wear a face covering ( food service included). Brian and I are both fully vaccinated and feel safe serving you guys if you come to the booth vaccinated and unmasked. I’m on the fence on if I’m ready to drop my own face covering and Brian might wear his until 2035 ❤️. If I’m unmasked and you would like service from me with a face covering, just ask and I won’t hesitate to put it on (again, I’m still deciding if I’m ready to drop the mask cause it kind of feels like I’m not wearing pants after 18 months of constant masking). If you are unable to be vaccinated, we do respectfully request that you wear a mask to the booth. WHEW!! Onwards!!

Stitch is trying to eat a bee in this photo. Do you see the bee?

Here’s what you will find at the soup booth this week:

Monday in Baywood, Thursday in Morro Bay and Friday in Cambria

1. COCONUT CURRIED LENTIL

2. CREAMY BROCCOLI

I look forward to seeing you guys and don’t forget your jars. AND HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!!!

Wonderful to be back

It’s that time of year again when I start craaaaving field tomatoes. We are lucky to have tomatoes year round on the central coast thanks to Bautista Farms and Lyle Ferguson being innovative but there’s just nothing quite as perfect ( culinarily speaking) as a July tomato picked in the summer sun, it’s flesh warm and bursting with flavor. It’s been noted that a tomato is the perfect balance of sweet and acid, something chefs attempt to manipulate but can only come with in a degree of human error to a field grown tomato.

So the good news is, it’s almost time for tomato everything. I keep a journal of when fruits and vegetables come and go from market. Last year, Jorge started having cherry tomatoes the last week of June and he had enough of his other varieties for me to buy cases by the second week of July.

Here’s what you will find at the soup booth this week:

Monday in Baywood, Thursday in Morro Bay and Friday in Cambria

1. CREAMY TURMERIC WHITE BEAN

2. POZOLE

I look forward to seeing you guys and don’t forget your jars

Triumphant return!

So it’s no secret that I love my job. I mean… I get to make vegan soup for YOU GUYS!!!! What a dream!!! But there are a few things that I’ve wanted to do that just take more than the two days I have off and guess what?!? I did one of my biggest “bucket list” items last week which was to ride my bike over Monitor Pass in Alpine County. It was EVERYTHING I had hoped it would be… except my brakes gave out towards the end which was a little scary. Thank you guys so much for giving me the week off to do this !!!!! I can’t wait to be back in the kitchen tomorrow!

George checking out some Eagles

Speaking of kitchen, I’m so exited to have “life” back at the Joselyn center where I cook. For those of you who use the facility for aerobics, dance, yoga, bridge or whatever it is you do behind that closed door I’m looking forward to sharing space with you again very soon!!

Yes, this is Los Osos, on a Monday, when I should be at market 😂

Here’s what you will find at the soup booth this week:

Monday in Baywood, Thursday in Morro Bay and Friday in Cambria

1. ADZUKI BEAN WITH BARLEY ( there’s also roasted garlic, shiitakes, and carrots in there too)

2. CARROT GINGER

I look forward to seeing you guys ( I’ve MISSED YOU!) and don’t forget your jars!!

VACATION!!!

hey guys! I’m on vacation this week!! So no soup!!!! I will see you all next week 🍓

Fennel ❤️

What a crazy windy week that was!!!! Thank you for coming to market! Also, I got to see a few of you guys who I haven’t seen at market in over a year!!! That was such a treat and I’m so very thankful we are able to safely be together again!

Sweet customers know how much I love dogs and brought me their new puppy to show off ❤️❤️

Last week, Jose from Cortez farms asked me if I could use some fennel bulbs cause he planted too many, so I said, sure! I hadn’t yet planned this week’s soups so I figured 80 fennel bulbs could spark inspiration! Don’t be afraid of fennel bulbs if you don’t care for fennel seeds, the bulbs, when cooked, taste like suuuper flavorful celery ( not like licorice as the seeds do) . Plus they are wonderfully healthy for your gut.

Finally got my mountain bike back after 8 months!!

Here’s what you will find at the soup booth this week:

1. TURKISH RED LENTIL ( lemon, mint, caramelized onion)

2. CREAMY ROASTED FENNEL WITH PORTOBELLOS

These lemons are from a very fancy, top secret, celebrity lemon tree and they’re going in your soup!!

I look forward to seeing you guys and don’t forget your jars! Also, heads up, I’m taking a little vacation the week after Memorial Day so stock up 🥰

George , living his best life

Woah!

This past week just flew by!! I feel like I was just writing the blog for last weeks soups! I am exited though cause this week, I’m making not only a couple of my personal favorite soups to eat, I’m making my two most favorite soups to prepare! I love chopping veggies and these soups are filled to the brim with bite sized veggies. My knives are sharp and I’m ready to hit it!!

Here’s what you will find at the soup booth this week

Monday in Baywood, Thursday in Morro Bay and Friday in Cambria

1. Split Pea ( the green kind)

2. Mushroom Barley

I look forward to seeing you guys and don’t forget your jars!