play lots

I had forgotten how much I love to play. I took my fully vaccinated self with a few fully vaccinated friends and my fully vaccinated parents and our dogs ( vaccinated too but for stuff like rabies 😂) to go boogie boarding at the San Simeon Cove and we had so. Much. Fun. I think I was in the water for 3 straight hours. Even soup booth Brian went boogie boarding!! It was ahhhhmazing to walk down the crowded beach and feel happiness rather than anxiety about all the people around me also enjoying their day. More of this please!!! We all have a lot of playing to catch up on!! Get out there!!

Even Dad paddled out!!

I’m getting exited for the seasons to change! Already I’m seeing bigger, warm weather produce and there’s even been a few stone fruits coming into the markets. The next big seasonal marker will be the cherries which should arrive towards the end of May. So much to be thankful for!

George. Photo by Brian

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

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

1. BLACK EYED PEA and BARLEY with SPRING ONION AND SHIITAKES

2. CREAMY GOLDEN BEET WITB RED QUINOA

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

Last moments of green

It’s always hard to say goodbye to our green hills this time of year. Thankfully, nature always replaces herself with a follow up masterpiece. Green hills turn brown, the mustard and lupine start to fill in and then finally, just when we think it’s over… sunset season. My dogs and I played in the trickle of water left in the creeks and took in the wildflower ( and poison oak ) show this weekend, feeling thankful for every minute of springtime.

I wanted to thank you all for being so “cool” about the price increase. It always comes down to quality and while I could use cheaper oil, salt, beans and veggies to keep prices the same, I feel like you guys are really looking for that quality, healthful product. So thank you for making that continue to be possible!

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 BROCCOLI

2.LENTIL VEGETABLE

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

Brian is Back yaaaay!!

Our Brian has safely returned to his spot on my right at the soup booth!! Thank goodness!! We’re all vaccinated up and can’t wait to see more and more of you trickling back to farmers market!!

I wanted to give you all a heads up that after much thought and careful review, the soup booth prices will be increasing ever so slightly. ( up $1 for 32 oz and $.50 for 16 oz sizes). I love you all and appreciate your understanding 🥰

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

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

1. POZOLE

2. CREAMY TURMERIC WHITE BEAN

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

Blustery!!!

Anyone else ready for this afternoon wind to take a little break?! I guess spring is just doin it’s thing plus there’s lupine in bloom everywhere so it’s hard to complain! At one point on my bike ride today I pedaled through a mile long field of poppies so alright, I’ve talked myself out of disliking spring. I’ll just put a few more weights on my tent.

I’ve got one more solo market till soup booth Brian returns. Thank you all for your patience!

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. Lemon Herb Minestrone Gnocchi

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

Bunny foo foo

I find it remarkable that despite getting 95% of our rain in a 48 hour period this year, nature carries on. Flowers bloom, grass grows ( although not quite as much). The resilience of nature is just astounding. I spent a lovely Sunday with my family checking out wildflowers and playing with the happiest dogs.

Did you guys hear that the downtown slo farmers market is returning !? Yay!! May 6th certified farmers and a small select group of non certified producers will be welcomed back. The plan is to transition slowly back to the full market but focus on the farmers which I’m so happy about!! After all… it’s a FARMERS market!! Let’s keep the good news coming!!

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

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

1. YELLOW SPLIT PEA

2. CURRY ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

I look forward to seeing you guys and don’t forget your jars!! Also, starting Thursday, soup booth Brian will be gone for a week, I apologize in advance for a slightly longer wait time… but I’m fast!!! Real fast!!!

Thawing

George.

It’s been a chilly winter you guys! In the mornings before market, I typically get to the kitchen between 6 and 630 and it’s basically been an icebox when I arrive. I chop a few onions then immediately have to hug my soup pot to thaw my fingers out to chop a few more. According to some research, being on the chilly side is good for your health so let me tell ya… I should be at optimum functioning!! It looks like this week I may get some feeling back in my hands as the ground warms, the flowers bloom and spring graces us with her glowing presence.

This is a field of wildflowers, the photo doesn’t do it justice!!

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 Parsnip Sage

2. Sri Lankan style Red Lentil

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

ITS BRIAN’S BIRTHDAY ON TUESDAY!!

Spriiiiing!!!

Whooooohoooooo!!!!!

Happy first day of spring everyone!! Soup booth Brian and I got to ring in the new season with our first covid vaccine thanks to a helpful hint from very special customer!! ( CVS…that was the helpful hint) It felt ahhhmazing to get that process started. I’m hoping by summer ( or sooner) the community center where my kitchen is located will once again be buzzing with dancercizers and ping pong players! It’s been soooo very quiet around there this year!! I have been able to finish about 40 audio books though!

It’s been a weird year weather wise so I’m not going to jump ahead and say I’m seeing a TON of spring produce but I think we can definitely start to look forward to some new things from our farmers. I happen to know that the broccoli I’m using in this weeks soup is THE FRESHEST BROCCOLI POSSIBLE and I know this because I’ve been bugging Jose from Cortez farms for weeks asking if the broccoli is ready yet and last week he said it would finally be big enough to harvest enough for my soup! Yay!!

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

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

1. TEMPEH CHILI

2. CREAMY BROCCOLI ( no surprise there!)

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

Baby steps back to normal

I think we have all had the conversation about what some of the good things are that have come from the pandemic; less unnecessary travel, improved social awareness, reminders of how much we need our friends and family. For me one of the big ones was that I learned that I have the ability to get through hard things.

This week, last year, I was told to pack up my soup booth and go home. I was devastated and terrified. Thankfully a few weeks later, the need for prepared food became obvious and I was allowed back but by that time, most of the customers were gone. The markets were at about 40% of normal and the soup booth was at about 30% of normal. I was taking home gallons of soup ( silver lining there was that there was a big need for donated food so it didn’t go to waste). This went on for about four months. During this time, I learned how to diversify my business, increasing wholesale, adding delivery and even signing up for a new cal poly start up company called Harvestly. Slowly, customers started returning to market and the soup booth. I was bringing home less soup and had an outlet to sell the soup I did bring home. Last month, between everything I added during lockdown and customers returning to market, my business had its best month on record. And last week, Brian and I were put on a waiting list to be vaccinated. My family is healthy, my business is thriving and, you guys, I think we are turning yet another corner towards normalcy.

My gratitude towards the kindness you have shown me is overwhelming. I mean, I knew you guys were wonderful but this year proved that you are all my family. You treated me like I was your own daughter or sister. You never let me fall and I will absolutely never EVER forget that.

Yes, this is George, yes he’s only 8 months old and yes he is GIGANTIC

Here’s what you will find at the soup booth this week ( unless I get a vaccine appointment)

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

1. MUNG BEAN WILD RICE ( formerly called “Kitcharie”)

2. CREAMY GOLDEN BEET WITH RED QUINOA

I look forward to seeing you guys and don’t forget your jars! AND SPEAKING OF JARS, I CAN NOW FILL THE JAR YOU BRING RATHER THAN EXCHANGE IT!! just take your lid off and set it on the table and make sure it’s clean enough for soup!!

Come on rain!!!!

It looks like free water might fall from the sky this week you guys!! Just a reminder ( since it’s been so long) that I come to market rain or shine!! You can count on it!!

Dad andI diggin a big hole. We’ve dug quite a few I our day! also… he took the shovel out of my hand for the photo… I’m not slacking!

Because this year has been so odd, I was able to score some late season Japanese pumpkins!! Yes!!! They are my absolute favorite and hard to come by and ESPECIALLY hard to come by in March!!

A nice place to chew on a stick

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

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

1. LENTIL PUMPKIN

2. CREAM OF MUSHROOM

Wild Peonies!!

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

Wow!!! So nice to see you!!

So I noticed last week I got to see some faces ( well half faces) I haven’t seen since the first lockdown! I’m loving this vaccine thing!! Even my parents are fully vaccinated and might make their first Farmers market appearance since Last March! I hope in the coming weeks more and more of you will feel like venturing out. As always, we are here to help you feel as comfortable as possible so if you need us to assist you in any covid protocols, just ask!

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

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

1. MUSHROOM BARLEY

2. CHIPOTLE BLACK BEAN WITH HOMINY

She likes to stick her face in the water and blow bubbles…weirdo

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