Feasts for The Eyes
What we are reading/ watching
Wine Country Table: With Recipes that Celebrate California’s Sustainable Harvest
By Janet Fletcher | Photos by Robert Holmes and Sara Remington
Once you get past the fact that Ventura County’s own emerging wine country is missing from this elegant and heart-filled book, it is quite easy to be drawn into the stories and images of many of California’s farmers and winemakers and the land they love. Multi-award-winning author Janet Fletcher walks us through field, orchard and vineyard spotlighting seasonal produce and exciting varietals and then sets the table to show us how to cook and pair these delights. Some of the recipes I am looking forward to trying with this summer’s harvest? Nectarines in Raspberry Wine Sauce with Toasted Almond and Anise Biscotti; Roasted Tomato Soup with Tortilla Crisps; and Pizza with Artichokes and Arugula Pesto, as a start. Now who is going to do the dishes?
Ojai Valley Grill It Cookbook: Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes and Tips for Successful Grilling
By Randy Graham
This humble cookbook, written and self-published by Ojai local Chef Randy Graham, comes just in time for grilling season! With more than 70 vegan and vegetarian recipes, including mixed drinks, sauces, marinades, pizzas and loads of veggies, there is a little something for every taste bud in these pages. Grilling is admittedly not my forte, but with the clear and easy tips and tricks that Graham offers, even I can successfully produce a delicious, and uncharred, meal. The one thing this book doesn’t offer is pictures, though, so be sure to take your own and tag us on social media!
The Biggest Little Farm: A Motion Picture
Apricot Lane Farms, Moorpark
The first I heard of Apricot Lane Farms was on a traditional foodie blog I followed called Organic Spark. Molly Chester, then a private chef and blog owner, announced the exciting news that she and her husband, John Chester, were moving to Moorpark, California, to start an organic farm! As they were basically in our own backyard, we touched base and paid close attention as they grew, visiting when we could and purchasing the eggs and fruit they produced along the way. Soon enough, to our delight, John’s short films, featuring incredible stories and imagery from the biodynamic farm, were shown on many of Oprah’s “SuperSoul Sundays.”
This film, a full-length feature, is the story of their journey from a somewhat naïve but hopeful beginning—with a promise to a very special dog—through joy and heartbreak, frustration and elation. Winner of many film festival awards and a possible Oscar contender, this local story is complete with the idyllic beauty of a land reborn and emotion-evoking cinematography that draws you in and leaves you rooting for their cause, for their little family and for their farm.
