My wayward trip through Salinas rekindled my life long passion for the work of Nobel Prize winning author John Steinbeck. I first read "Grapes of Wrath" in 8th grade and at least 10 more times since then and nearly every other book of his. Several times. Great books, to me are a like feast. I quickly finished the wondrous "Travels with Charley" and began to nibble at the nearly 600 page "East of Eden" (1952) referenced in the last post. Big book, lots to chew on. Chapter one was evocative as he described the rich soil of the famous agricultural area of his birth. Here is an excerpt:
"The floor of the Salinas Valley, between the ranges and below the foothills, is level because this valley used to be at the bottom of a hundred-mile inlet from the sea. (sic ) Once, fifty miles down the valley, my father bored a well. The drill came up first with top soil and then with gravel and then with white sea sand full of shells and even pieces of whalebone. There were twenty feet of sand and then black earth again, and even a piece of redwood, that imperishable wood that does not rot. Before the inland sea the valley must have been a forest. And those things had happened right under our feet. And it seemed to me sometimes at night that I could feel both the sea and the redwood forest before it. "
That night, as I read his words, I felt layers of rich history beneath me, enriching my life and supporting the outrageous bounty of farm fresh food and artisan products that make Northern and Central California a chef's playground. Suddenly, through a shared vision with John Steinbeck, I saw the earth as though I was peering through the floor of a glass bottom boat with layers upon layers of life revealed below me.
And then along came the herbs...
Just in time for our delicious, jam packed Mother's Day Brunch at Fresh Starts Cooking School we received a donation of herbs from Smith and Hawken, a national company founded here in Marin. Smith and Hawken retail stores and online catalog are a wonderland of top quality garden and out door lifestyle products. Gorgeous out door furniture, plants, gardening tools, table top items and so much more. I was told that we had been given "a lot of herbs" and they were in our offices at Homeward Bound , so I got two bus tubs and headed over to the next building to get them. Um, how about 6 CASES of 30 - 4 inch pots each of cilantro, Italian parsley, sage, thyme, oregano and basil! THANK YOU, I am amazed! I used the potted herbs as green, sustainable and then re-purposed (planted) centerpieces for our 150 person Mothers Day Brunch. Better and cheaper than cut flowers any day!
I spent hours of time putting the herbs in the ground. Our main garden and herb garden at Fresh Starts Cooking School is full of gorgeous green plants, promising fresh vibrant flavors for months to come for free. I felt like a painter that just got free paint for the whole summer. As I unloaded the cases of herbs, I could not help but notice their origin: Salinas. But of course.
As I prepared for my cooking class this past Monday blanching 
and chopping herbs for a basil infused syrup and an herbed vinaigrette, (below) I couldn't help glancing now and then at the generous bounty of herbs that I had set up on the sparkling marble counter top of our state of the art cooking school. I thought about the rich soil and agricultural history that is infused in each and every fragrant green leaf that I had the pleasure of cooking with, each plant somehow containing a memory of a prehistoric forest or of an ancient whale that once lived so very, very long ago.
Come taste these storied herbs, see our gardens and support our spectacular Fresh Starts Cooking School at 1385 N. Hamilton Parkway in Novato. Register and pay safelyy and easily up by logging on to www.hbofm.org and click on "take a cooking class" and then "Class Schedule" for the classes below , or call 415-382-3363 ext. 243
Proceeds from this groundbreaking center support homeless programs of Homeward Bound of Marin. Join our culinary community!
My class on Monday May 18th "April Showers, Cooking with Farmers Market May Flowers and Herbs" was blessed with a huge display of herbs and a gift of herbs for each guest. IT WAS DELICIOUS. Thanks again Grant and the Smith and Hawken team.
Raspberry and Herbed "Butterfiled" Salmon with Edible Flowers and Forbidden Rice Pink Peppercorn Pavlovas with Cherries, Cream and Basil Syrup
Fruit Skewer Bouquets
Asparagus and Artichoke Centerpieces
Our next classes are :
Monday June 8th 6:30-8:30 p.m. Classic Vietnamese Cooking with Joyce Jue one of the top Asian cooking experts, teachers and cook book authors in the country! Her class is selling out VERY quickly. It is only $49
Crispy Spring Rolls with Crab Sour Fish Soup with Fresh Pineapple Sour Fish Soup with Fresh Pineapple
Wok Fried Lemongrass Boneless Chicken with Caramel Sauce
Steamed Jasmine Rice
Saturday June 27th 11 am -1pm Join me for our Jammin' Jamaican Barbecue Fest (Full meal!) Just $59
Mango and Jicama Salad with Green Onion and Lime
Jamaican Jerk Ribs and Chicken Sauteed Chayote Squash, Onions and Peppers
Savory Coconut Rice
Tropical Fruit Skewers
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