198 replies to this topic

[heidih]

Hello Everyone!

I am starting this off a bit early since I am on the West Coast and by the time I finish running around tomorrow it may be a bit late for some.

I live in the South Bay of Los Angeles, on the city versus the ocean side.

This is a view from the peninsula looking out to the ocean. Catalina Island is 26 miles out there but obscured by haze. To the right is the newish Terranea Resort on the grounds of what long ago was Marineland - the original home I think of Shamu the killer whale. To the left is the Trump golf course.


I, however, live on the city side in an old small formerly rural town called Lomita. This is a shot I took in January of the hay truck offloading at the old feed store. As an example of the diversity of the Los Angeles that I love, the Christmas decorations are still up on the light poles, and the building in the background is the Chabad Center.

I used the book "An Embarrassment of Mangoes" in my teaser photo. Really Los Angeles is an embarrassment of food diversity and my little property is a citrus heaven.

I hope to introduce you to a few of my local markets and restaurants and also give you a look at my cooking.

[David Ross]

This is going to be wonderful Heidi, looking forward to it.

[heidih]

I moved a little over a year ago from a good sized house with a big open kitchen to a little cottage with a vast garden. I actually am in love with this kitchen. Some shots-

Overview

[heidih]

Pantry

[Kim Shook]

I'm very excited to see you blogging and can't wait for everything!

[robirdstx]

Really looking forward to this week! How many kinds of citrus do you have in your garden?

Edited by robirdstx, 30 April 2011 - 05:16 PM.

[heidih]

Fridge

The frozen prepared food and sodas are my son's. He is staying here for a bit and does not want me to cook for him as he might become "too comfortable"...

Attached Images

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[heidih]

I have grapefruit, juice oranges, limes, navel oranges, tangerines and kumquats. All super juicy and delicious. I will get some pics up. I have friends with lemons, Meyer lemons, and calamansi. We share

[Darienne]

Hooray for Heidi. I am so looking forward to reading your blog.

[heidih]

There has been some discussion of kitchen flooring recently. I have 18 x 18 polished terrazo tiles fairly close set with a colored grout. The easiest floor clean up I have every had. Some consider this a hard floor for standing, but I wear good shoes and am so happy in the kitchen that it is not an issue.

These are my kitchen window views



There has been discussion here about trash cans. I use this basket with a liner. I am psycho about taking the trash out every evening. I hate the ick that starts up in closed systems. If I am doing something that results in smelly refuse I just run it out to the trash. Of course I have huge waste bins so that is part of my habit.

[heidih]

And the view out the front door The biggest tree you can see is a yellow plum - hoping to beat the 'possums and raccoons to the fruit this year.

[heidih]

I will get the breakfast posts out of the way in one fell swoop - I am not a breakfast eater. I am one of those annoying people that gets up fully awake. Caffeine is not a morning ritual. I did establish a citrus ritual when I moved. Here is the tree and the set up




A half gets squeezed into the lovely 50 cent crystal thrift shop glass and is topped off with some club soda. I am good to go after that and have not had a cold in a very long time. Who knows- could be related- I am not going to question it

[gfweb]

This is going to be wonderful Heidi, looking forward to it.

me too

[PopsicleToze]

Heidi, I am sooooo looking forward to this blog! What an amazing start and what fantastic photos. Oh to go outside and pick your own citrus for juice in the morning. And your garden is gorgeous! (Is that a basil plant sitting in your birdbath?)

I was pleased to see that we have the same fish sauce and bitters in our fridges.

This will be a great week!

[CaliPoutine]

There has been some discussion of kitchen flooring recently. I have 18 x 18 polished terrazo tiles fairly close set with a colored grout. The easiest floor clean up I have every had. Some consider this a hard floor for standing, but I wear good shoes and am so happy in the kitchen that it is not an issue.

These are my kitchen window views



There has been discussion here about trash cans. I use this basket with a liner. I am psycho about taking the trash out every evening. I hate the ick that starts up in closed systems. If I am doing something that results in smelly refuse I just run it out to the trash. Of course I have huge waste bins so that is part of my habit.

Do you still have that Gorgeous dog in your profile pic? I could never leave my trash out. My dachsunds would find it in a hot second. Looking forward to reading about The South Bay. I've been to the Penzey's in Torrance, but that is about the extent of my knowledge of the area.

[Genkinaonna]

Can't wait to see another west coaster blogging...I have serious back yard envy! Do you get fruit all year?

[heidih]

I've been to the Penzey's in Torrance, but that is about the extent of my knowledge of the area.

I was thinking about doing a field trip to Penzeys. I went when they first opened and got some salt and a few paprikas. I am thinking maybe a cinnamon splurge.

[heidih]

Can't wait to see another west coaster blogging...I have serious back yard envy! Do you get fruit all year?

Yup - there are two pear trees that bear fruit in the winter. My dad has lots of apple trees for that colder season. The citrus hangs around for a long time. I will discuss the avocados and grapes in a while

[Genkinaonna]

Agh! No fair! Do you preserve any of the bounty or do you mostly eat it as it comes? If you've got stuff growing all year it might be hard to come up with a time to use the preserved stuff. That's what we do in Portland when it rains for 8 mos .

By all means, hie thee to Penzeys. I grew up about 20 min from the first one in WI, and they just opened a store down the street from my house here. Their spices are great, and you can get just about anything. They've got great cocoa powder too. Until I started making my own I swore by their vanilla as well. It's funny to see spice blends named after streets I grew up driving on...

[heidih]

I just mixed up a batch of Zoe Francois 5 minute bread dough. I am baking some tonight to have with just mayo and hot house tomatoes and some salami. I have never been afraid of yeast and was baking madly with it in my teens. For some reason this recipe resonated with me. I do a thin baguette on parchment that is mostly crust. The great thing about cooking just for yourself it that you can do whatever you want!

Here is the set up and the mixed dough. It has now been covered with plastic wrap and will sit in the cupboard until tomorrow morning. Then it goes in the fridge for at least at day or two to age.

[heidih]

On the subject of wooden spoons - I MUST have a savory one and a sweet one. (the bread qualifies as sweet) They are a link to my cooking mentors. I like the feel and well no further explanation needed

[heidih]

That sweet glass jar that has blue painter's tape on it saying "salt" is one of my favorites. Trader Joes used to sell salsas in them years ago and I have hoarded them. They have the nice open mouth. Plus I love glass

[Kent Wang]

Those are oranges? They look rather yellow.

You don't have problems with birds trying to eat the fruits when they're small? My parents have been having that problem.

[andiesenji]

Fantastic photos, Heidi.

Am anticipating a brilliant blog week.

I love your garden - if I lived closer you would find me on your doorstep.

Edited by andiesenji, 30 April 2011 - 08:18 PM.

[heidih]

Is that a basil plant sitting in your birdbath?)

I was pleased to see that we have the same fish sauce and bitters in our fridges.

This will be a great week!

Yup - basil from the market - it was $3.99 then I saw the same size at Trader Joes for a dollar less. I have few snails or slugs but they seem to emerge if I put out basil. My current thought is that they will be too lazy to crawl all the way up the bird bath which is cracked and does not hold water anyway. I refuse to use any form of bug killer even though I eat non organic stuff all the time- my personal quirk

I know that the 3 Crabs fish sauce gets dissed because it has additives but I like it for general use. The A-bitters have been with me forever - they are my "secret ingredient" in chocolate baked goods.

[CaliPoutine]

re:Penzeys. We went in Santa Monica on Thursday so we could use the coupons they sent us( any half cup jar for free). I gotthe Vietnamese Cinnamon and Fox Point. They also gave us 2 magnetic stickers. Love People, Cook them good food.

I planted a dwarf meyer lemon tree on my balcony.It has tons of flowers. I hope next Winter I'll have lemons.

[heidih]

Those are oranges? They look rather yellow.

You don't have problems with birds trying to eat the fruits when they're small? My parents have been having that problem.

I think the only close up I posted was of the grapefruits. Birds are not a problem with citrus at all. The villains are 'possums, squirrels, and raccoons with anything soft! Even with the stone fruit like the plums, nectarines and peaches it is minimal as to birds but the critters are quite busy at night. Birds do go for the "cheeks" when the stone fruit gets that rosy cheek- if the fruit was any good I would use netting, but they are old trees and not worth the drama.

[heidih]

Agh! No fair! Do you preserve any of the bounty or do you mostly eat it as it comes? If you've got stuff growing all year it might be hard to come up with a time to use the preserved stuff. That's what we do in Portland when it rains for 8 mos .

The use of what is abundant is something I will address. Using what is there versus buying something has become a challenge that I take seriously. Stay tuned

[heidih]

I am going to check out for today. Tomorrow we will head to a small farmers market that I have been faithful to for years. My favorite vendor was an elderly Japanese woman who had a little table with very small quantities of her items. In strawberry season her fingers would be stained fuschia along with the dirt cracks. She picked them in the morning before she came. I treasured every berry. She is no longer there unfortunately. I miss her spinach too. That type with the thick pointy wrinkly leaves. I am a vegetable fiend.

[Pierogi]

YAY !!!!!! A South Bay blog ! In some ways, I know that area even better than Long Beach, since I actually spent more TIME there when I was working in Torrance ! I have been at that feed store a million times....they were my regular source for wild bird seed when I was still feeding the birds (before the thug pigeons took over).

The first Thai food I ever ate was at Thai Tiffany on Lomita Blvd. This is going to be so sweet !

There is such a marvelous selection of food outlets in that area, and influences from all over. Go Heidi, I'll be watching with GREAT interest and GREAT nostalgia.