From Chef Coats to Prison Uniforms

So, now you have heard the glamorous stories from my Pebble Beach Celebrity chef adventure. Keller, Pepin, champagne and caviar. Sure, it was all that and a bag of truffles. Now, the flip side.

Nearly all of my culinary wanderings have a reality check and actually, I love that. Coming back from Monterey went from a simple, quick and wonderful Amtrak ride to quite another thing all together. Through no fault of my own, I missed a shuttle from Pebble Beach to Monterey and, consequently I missed the last train back to Emeryville on Saturday, April 17th. I was happy, in the end to spend another day in Monterey. It is so rare to be somewhere where all I have to do is... well, nothing but sip wine and walk along Cannery Row weaving in and out of tourist shops looking out at that spectacular bay. It is a bit strange for me, but I adjusted. Now, those of you who know from public transportation will know that traveling on Sunday is no picnic. My quick shuttle to Amtrak became a wild ride through time, place and literature.

After pursuing every transportation angle, I was stuck taking the bus. I took a local bus out to Salinas at around 10:30 am. With my bag of now wrinkled chef coats, my jammies and my cook's tools and lugging a big shoulder bag, I was already ready to be home. Salinas is a famous farm area known as "the Salad Bowl of the World" and former home to magnificent author John Steinbeck. It was incredible riding through miles of endless fields, strawberries and greens on both sides all the way to the mountains. Workers picking miles of rows of lettuces, grape vines just beginning to awaken for the season. My mind traveled back through Steinbeck's stories about this area and its history as we rolled into town.

My other bus, yes, bus was 4 hours away. No train today. I bought my ticket in the cavernous, forlorn bus station. "So, where can I get a book, paper or magazine?" I asked. The agent and his rough looking female co-agent looked at me as though I had asked for moon rocks. "Books, uh, nowhere round here." " Um, news stand or something?"I continued. More blank looks. My inner dialogue was saying "You know BOOKS, those things with the covers and lots of words inside", but as I looked around, seeing dozens of newly released prisoners milling around in standard issue sweat suits and slip on shoes fresh out of Salinas Valley State Prison, I figured it was no time to put on airs. They did hold my bags for me (the agents, not the prisoners) so I went for a very late breakfast.

Sadly, Salinas is also very famous for very violent gangs, lots of intense gang on gang crime. The city had a very wild west forgotten town look with a few bright spots. But really, no books, no magazines, no kidding. Lots of closed stores, 101 degree heat and all I had to wear was a hot sweater, chef coats or my jammies. I went with the sweater. I was determined to find a book, I looked and looked. I was actually running short on time when I spied a big, out of place looking building at the end of town. The FREAKING National Steinbeck Center. Book central, open, nearly empty of guests. An oasis, I entered the beautiful modern air conditioned center. I bought East of Eden and hauled ass back to the dusty terminal to hip the agents to my find. They just did not know about it, sad.

"Found you a book." the lady agent said as I got my bag. She handed me a tattered paperback copy of Steinbeck's Travels with Charley. I was amazed at the parallels of this book with my own journey. I began to devour it, looking up now and then to regard my fellow travelers. I used to teach cooking at San Francisco Women's Jail, I am somehow just as comfortable around prisoners as celebrity chefs. Does that make me special, no. My chosen career is just so full of criminals, near criminals and the like, no big deal. I have never felt threatened. The bus was a four hour journey packed full of every type of person, each carrying their own stories and secrets, like the characters in the book I was reading. I finally reached the terminal in Oakland around 7:30pm and found a nearby quick mart down the street in another rough area. The store manager joined me as I sat on the sidewalk chair drinking down my 32 oz Corona, not a "40", but close. Long day, you know. He regaled me with tales of neighborhood violence and said we had to watch out. He handed me a lime, saying that he had no knives to cut it. I started to laugh and pulled my luggage closer, pulling a sharp, shiny 12 inch chefs knife from my bag. "I have a knife," I said. I cut the lime with that huge knife and we were still laughing as my husband pulled up to pick me up. Home at last.

Degrees of separation: 2, Jail is a whole other world, but I am not afraid to care, plus I have big knives.

Next up, back to fancy: gorgeous herbs from Smith and Hawken and how to use them.

Cooking my way through Northern California

Our first cooking class, Farmer's Market Salads for Spring at the gorgeous new Fresh Starts Cooking School was excellent, thanks to the whole team. Sue Weiss, you sure make nutrition fun. Guests loved it and we really did have a ball. My student assistant Jessie Jones, from our on site job training program had me smiling when he said "I almost threw those oranges away, I thought they were spoiled!" in reference to Rosa De Santis' fabulous blood oranges from the Marin Farmer's Market. The flesh is almost black, so I can understand! Can you see why I get such a kick out of my work?


Our Nicoise Salad was a huge hit, starring the most ridiculously incredible greens from the Triple T Ranch and Anna Svidese's (pictured above, age 17) "Smoasted" (Smoke- Roasted) Salmon from Santa Rosa Seafood. Meyer lemon and lemon thyme vin. Outrageous. More on Anna in future posts...She is a seafood star.


This week I am up to my old, yet yummy tricks: our free, fun , fabulous cooking events at Standards of Excellence Appliance Showrooms. Tuesday I am in Concord, Wednesday we are in Rohnert Park. Be SURE to sign up in advance. Next Tuesday April 21st, we are in our hometown of San Rafael, call 415-453-6070 to sign up.

Thursday April 16th, I head down to Scott's Valley to visit my beloved colleague Elizabeth Bourget of Gourmet to Go. I am hijacking her to come on a crazy trip to Monterey. We are working at the Pebble Beach Food and Wine Experience, 4 days, 60 Celebrity Chefs, 250 acclaimed wineries...I can not wait to report back. Follow me on Twitter for the name dropping and elbow rubbing! Jacques Pepin, Todd English and dare I even think it...maybe a sighting of Thomas Keller?! No, no. Too much to hope for. Much too much. Sigh.

Monday, April 20th we are back in Novato at our stellar home base for a cooking class with Joyce Jue. Joyce is truly on of the Bay Area's most fabulous cooking teachers, cook book author and she is OURS on Monday. But we will share! Sign up for our " Thai Curries Class" and learn to make the best Thai food at home. I am so excited to work with her again. Class is from 6:30-8:30pm and includes a delicious meal , all for just $49! Yes! Sign up on www.hbofm.org and click on "Take a cooking class" , go to the schedule and click on the date.
Fresh Starts Cooking School 1385 N. Hamilton Parkway, Novato, CA. 415-382-3363 Ext. 213 Free parking right outside. See photo above.


Next month look for Chef Eric Gower, the Breakway Cook with a gift making and cooking class with his superb flavored salts on May 4th and a fantastic Mother's Day Brunch and Chocolate Showcase on May 10th . I am teaching another Farmer's Market Class on May 18th, stay tuned!