Farm-to-Table Appetizers for the Holidays

When we think about holiday appetizers, we tend to go all in on cheese or charcuterie plates, dips with crudité and some kind of easy to eat, breadlike snack, like cheese straws or crostini. But there are other ways to approach a holiday app — and if you come up with the right collection of elements, taken together they could even make for a delicious meal.

That’s what I found when I approached chef Logan Kendall of the new Hillcrest restaurant Cellar Hand. Kendall has developed a California-meets-Mediterranean approach for his menu. For my latest story for The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Food section, he came up with a trio of dishes that could each be a delightful party appetizer, or collected into a singular and very distinctive meal.

Fall Means Peak Persimmon Time

Full-blown autumn deserves a celebration of full-blown autumn flavors, like those from rich and nutty squash pumpkins, sweet juicy apples and earthy Brussels sprouts. For chef Ron Oliver of Chef Ron Oliver Catering, this time of year is all about the persimmon.

“Autumn is my favorite season,” he said. “Persimmons are just the sign of autumn in every aspect. It’s the color, that earthy orange color. And it’s what it goes with.

Oliver has shared three distinctive recipes with me for readers of The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Food section: a Scallop Crudo with Persimmon Relish, a Caramelized Persimmon Upside-Down Cake, and Persimmon Corn Muffins with Chile Pepita Butter. It won’t be fall without these!

Chef Aldo Negrete Harnesses Fusion Across Continents

When you think of fusion in the food world, maybe Roy Choi and his Korean-style tacos come to mind, or Tex-Mex dishes like fajitas. But chef Aldo Negrete, recently of The Desmond, which closed after Halloween, has his own take. Yes, he does incorporate a lot of global flavors, but it also comes down to understanding cooking technique and using it to drive even unfamiliar flavors to a delicious conclusion, aided by the use of condiments. For my latest story for The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Food section, Negrete explained his approach through three stunning dishes he prepared: Braised Lamb Mole, Patatas Bravas, and Carrots with Crispy Quinoa. Not only do all three dishes work together beautifully as a meal, you have wonderful mini recipes—mole, harissa aioli, nuoc cham, herbed goat cheese, and fried quinoa—that can be integrated into other dishes. Hello, holiday table!

New Book Features San Diego Restaurants and Recipes

San Diegans are well aware of the abundance provided by geography and climate, as well as our diverse population, but you might not be aware of the breadth of eateries from Oceanside and Escondido down to Chula Vista — and perhaps you’re a home cook who’d like to make some of the dishes you’ve enjoyed in these restaurants in your own kitchen. Writer Ligaya Malones and photographer Deanna Sandoval have just published “San Diego Cooks: Recipes from the Region’s Favorite Eateries, Bakeries, and Bars”, a book that invites readers to explore the variety of culinary talent we have in San Diego County—and then cook from it.

I interviewed Malones and wrote a piece on the book (including recipes) for The San Diego Union-Tribune. If you love to eat and love to cook, this is a book worth exploring.

San Diego Press Club Excellence in Journalism Awards!

The San Diego Press Club Excellence in Journalism Awards, or “JAwards,” were presented on Tuesday of this week. I received first place in the Online and Daily Newspapers Gardening category for my story in The San Diego Union-Tribune back in December 2023 for my piece, Neighborhood Composting Creates a Community Out of Kitchen Scraps. The story focused on South Bay Sustainable Communities’ innovative composting program that features 16 neighborhoods in Chula Vista. It certainly benefits the environment, but has the additional benefits of giving the participants compost for their gardens—and is connecting neighbors to one another.

I also received third place for a story I wrote for Diabetes Daily called, “Keto for Kids? Why Experts Are Still Nervous.” This piece looked critically at whether the keto diet was beneficial for children and teens, many of whom have diabetes.

For the Birds with the San Diego Bird Alliance

Love birds? Have kids who love birds? Then you’ll want to put this San Diego Bird Alliance 75th anniversary community celebration in your calendar. On Oct. 20, San Diego’s avian-aligned will be gathering at Liberty Station’s South Promenade from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for a day of music, art, food, live bird demonstrations, games and exhibits.

All of this is being organized by the San Diego Bird Alliance, a name that may not be familiar to some. In fact, it’s the new (since August) name of the San Diego Audubon Society. Learn more about the event and the evolution of the San Diego Bird Alliance, as well as their future plans, in my new story in The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Home and Garden section.