As I plucked the third very large hornworm off my peppers (not shishitos this time), I was reminded of this post from the archives. Darn hornworms grown into lovely moths, but they can go reach maturity on someone else’s peppers this year! By Katy Budge A few years ago, I noticed that shishito peppers started showing up on a lot of Asian appetizer menus, especially … Continue reading From the Archives: Shishito vs. Mothra (well, sort of)
By Katy Budge Well, I’ll start with a disclaimer. This trip through Northern California also included a stop in Ashland, Oregon, but the point of that was to visit family, so I didn’t do due diligence with documenting my every morsel. Guess I’ll have to go back and rectify that at a later date! I’m not always in the mood for a swap meet situation, … Continue reading Forks in the Road: A Quick Spring Jaunt to Northern California
It had been a minute since the last camping trip in Santa Cruz, so when a hard-to-come-by spot opened up at New Brighton State Beach – off we went! This timing occurred during the date of another trip ‘round the sun, and I got to celebrate with an old friend in Santa Cruz I hadn’t seen in a while, and a surprise visit from other … Continue reading Forks in the Road: Celebrating in Santa Cruz
By Katy Budge With citrus season in full swing, keep your eyes peeled for Buddha’s Hands! They’re pretty easy to spot. Just look for something with knobby, bright yellow “fingers” that indeed resemble a Buddha’s hand. Or something that seems more at home in a Guillermo Del Toro film or Hieronymus Bosch painting than at your local farmers’ market. Like other citrons, these members of … Continue reading Make Things Zesty with a Buddha’s Hand
Eating local on the road is easy with a little advance planning. Continue reading Forks in the Road: Seek Out Local, Even Traveling Coast-to-Coast!
By Katy Budge It’s bittersweet to begin writing this post. I’m determined that it’s going to be a happy tale about being able to return to a city that I love, and to enjoy all of its moveable feasts. I did get to do that – to go to San Francisco in the spring of 2021. I and my friends were vaccinated. We wore masks … Continue reading Forks in the Road: San Francisco, Spring 2021
By Katy Budge A version of this article originally appeared on the Edible San Luis Obispo website. (Photo courtesy of Slow Money SLO) When the global pandemic sent waves through the economy, among the hard hit sectors was the local fishing industry. As restaurants shuttered and supply chains shuddered, market demand collapsed. Another impact of COVID was the rising demand on food banks and similar … Continue reading Grant Provided Win-Win for Local Fishing Industry and Food Insecure
This cookbook dates back to when I was an inveterate recipe reader and user. There was a time I dared not stray from ingredients, measurements, or techniques. That’s not the case anymore, and probably one of the reasons I’m a terrible baker … unless you need baked doorstops, then I’m your gal. Continue reading Cooking Ex-Libris: Salsas, Sambals, Chutneys & Chowchows
By Katy Budge I think we can all agree that the phrase “May we live in interesting times” can be permanently retired, yes? The past 15 months have been one for the books, and I’m ready to turn the page. That said, I was able to do some memorable “COVID camping” trips. And, as always, did my level best to support local food establishments – … Continue reading Forks in the Road: Wildfires + COVID Camping
Volume 1, Issue 2“Cooking Ex-Libris” is a CasaFestiva.com series exploring new recipes from my own cookbooks. Enjoy! By Katy Budge It’s hard not to love any book that begins with the Oscar Wilde quote, “I can resist everything but temptation.” So begins the foreword of the eponymously named (and self-published) Gumbo Shop: Traditional and Contemporary Creole Cuisine: A New Orleans Restaurant Cookbook by Richard Stewart. … Continue reading Cooking Ex-Libris: Gumbo Shop
