Edible Mendocino & Lake Counties - Fall 2024 Issue
MENDOCINO & LAKE COUNTIES
Celebrating Local Food and Drink, Season by Season
The Mother Vine
mendocino & lake counties
PUBLISHER & MANAGING EDITOR
Karen Elowitt
DESIGNER
Cheryl Koehler
CONTACT US
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705 N. State Street #191 Ukiah, CA 95482
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Edible Mendocino & Lake Counties is published quarterly in September, December, March and June. Distribution is throughout Mendocino and Lake counties, and nationally by subscription.
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Greenview Restaurant in Hidden Valley Lake, formerly a dated golf course watering hole, has been totally transformed into a stylish destination restaurant and event center.
6 CAPTURING HISTORY IN A BOTTLE
A decade ago the Shannon family learned that the 19th-century roots of Lake County’s wine industry were, quite literally, lurking in their property, connecting them to a winemaking legacy that they chose to honor in a most delicious way.
10 THE POWER THAT UNITES
The solar canopy that the Gilberts built over the Alatorres’ food truck is more than a refuge from the elements—it’s a symbol of the deep and supportive connection that the two neighboring families have forged over the years.
16 WOK WISELY
At the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, peace starts with a vegetarian diet. We’ll show you some recipes from the organization’s cookbook, which promotes good karma, environmental sustainability, and kindness toward living beings.
23 EDIBLE FOR KIDS
We’ve got some fun, educational activities and recipes for children, from the series Edible for Kids™ created in partnership with Barefoot Books.
Cover photo by Karen Pavone
First Course
This issue will hit shelves right around the time that the fall harvest is in full swing for many of our local farms and vineyards. It’s one of my favorite times of year—I love seeing pickers in wide-brimmed hats working in the fields, smelling the scent of freshly crushed grapes wafting from winery production facilities, and hearing the hum of tractors and trucks as they haul away their loads in a cloud of dust. I love the timelessness of it too—the technology and philosophy may have changed over the centuries, but the core principles remain the same: plant, grow, water, sun, harvest. What’s old is new, enduring from the dawn of agriculture to the end of time.
Speaking of endurance, the folks at Shannon Ridge know a thing or two about that. For the second year in a row they’ll be harvesting a very special crop of grapes, from vines that were propagated from a 150-year old specimen found on their property in 2013. This “mother vine” managed to endure through a century and a half of droughts, downpours, neglect and other pitfalls before it was rediscovered and given pride of place on the vineyard and in the bottle. You can read the delightful story of the mother vine—including how it connects the past and present of Lake County’s wine industry—starting on page 6.
Past and present, old and new are also the hallmarks of our story about Greenview Bar & Grill in Hidden Valley Lake. I remember grabbing a snack there a couple of years ago after playing golf on the adjacent course, but it didn’t really make an impression on me at the time. It seemed like a cozy but somewhat outdated place to grab a beer or burger after nine holes with your buddies, but not much else. Well, when I returned a few months ago, I thought I had made a wrong turn somewhere because the place was totally unrecognizable! I learned that the old Greenview was torn down in 2022 to make way for the dazzling new facility that opened in early 2023. It features a stylish new restaurant/bar space with new menus, plus two banquet spaces. Turn to page 4 to learn more about Greenview’s 21st century refresh, and how it’s become a dining and event destination that’s attracting customers from a much wider radius than ever before.
One dining destination in Ukiah that’s well known to many is Antojitos Mary, the bright red food truck on South Orchard owned by the Alatorre family. If you’ve visited or driven past it in the last few months you may know that there’s a new solar canopy over the truck, which makes for a nice shady place to enjoy your snacks. What you may not know is that the Gilbert family, who own the property the truck is parked on, built the canopy for their tenants. That’s because these two foodie families have a sweet and surprisingly close relationship, which you can read about on page 10.
Also in Ukiah is the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, which, despite its status as a landmark, remains a little mysterious to many. I learned recently that the organization behind the city, the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association, produces a fabulous Chinese vegetarian cookbook. It contains 56 recipes, plus a wealth of information about the nutritional content and health benefits of each ingredient, the benefits of a vegetarian diet, and ancient Chinese traditions that support health. We’ve reprinted four of the recipes here, and hope that if you are curious to see more, you’ll get yourself down to the city, where you can pick up a free copy! The article starts on page 16.
Karen Elowitt Publisher and Managing Editor
Greenview, Transformed
The worn-out 1960’s-era golf course watering hole at Hidden Valley Lake has been totally transformed into a stylish destination restaurant and event center
BY KAREN ELOWITT
Tucked into a quiet corner of an even quieter county, Hidden Valley Lake is a fairly off-the-radar community, and residents generally like it that way. The self-contained gated community sits in Lake County’s idyllic Coyote Valley, and has almost everything residents could want: a golf course, a community center, a pool, a lake, a marina, horse stables, tennis courts, a park, grocery stores…the list goes on. But what it didn’t have until recently was an upscale restaurant. For that, residents had to travel to Middletown, Kelseyville or beyond.
With the complete transformation of Greenview Bar & Grill, Hidden Valley Lake now has a stylish destination restaurant and event center that draws patrons from all over the region.
Greenview previously functioned primarily as a golf course clubhouse eatery and watering hole. The food and drinks were good but not memorable, and the funky old 1960s-era decor was outdated and tired. Things started to change in 2018 with the hiring of a culinary director, who added some flair to the menu and wine list, and started to change the restaurant’s profile from “golf course snack spot” to “culinary hotspot.”
Although the first phase of the transformation was largely successful, the association ultimately decided that to become a true dining and function destination, the community needed an entirely new facility.
The journey to get there was long and sometimes contentious, but resulted in the construction of a brand new building. Started in early 2022 and completed in February 2023, the new 12,000-square-foot structure encompasses the reborn Greenview Bar & Grill, as well as the Greenview Banquet & Event Center.
“Back in the day, we had ‘the Country Club’ up on the hill, and that’s where we would do our special events,” said Teresa Cook-Jackson, Food and Beverage Director of the Hidden Valley Lake Association, and longtime resident of the community. “But that got torn down years ago, and there was no real banqueting facility anymore. So the idea when they built this new facility was to put it all in one place.”
One huge central kitchen, led by culinary manager Jon Fallon and kitchen manager Mayra Nava, now serves both the restaurant and catered events. The restaurant menu features a mix of gourmet sandwiches, burgers and pizzas (a house specialty), surf-and-turf
The new dining room and bar area at Greenview Bar & Grill
Photos courtesy of Greenview Bar & Grill
selections like pan-seared salmon with vegetable couscous pilaf and steak frites with sauteed baby spinach and rosemary demi glace, and beautifully plated desserts. The menu changes not only with the availability of seasonal ingredients, but also with the jam-packed special event calendar: Taco Tuesdays, weekly prix fixe dinners, and occasional winemaker dinners all bring tempting new menu items. Then there are trivia nights, Monday night football, jukebox bingo, DJ karaoke, twilight couples golfer dinners, and the list goes on.
The bar’s list of beers and cocktails also changes with the seasons. At the moment, signature summer cocktails like the raspberry lemon drop are in high demand. The wine list, which previously was limited to local wines, is now more comprehensive and includes selections from around the U.S. and the world.
The transformation, along with savvy marketing and the packed weekly event calendar, has paid off in spades for Greenview, which has seen a big uptick in both diners and banquet bookings.
“Before, we were lucky if we had regulars coming to eat once a month,” Cook-Jackson said. “Now we’ve got people coming at least once a week.”
The banquet facility, which includes two private event spaces, can accommodate a total of 350 people (the public dining room can be converted to an additional event space). Each event space has an outdoor patio area that overlooks lovely manicured lawns. CookJackson said that it has quickly become the go-to spot for weddings, birthdays, and corporate functions.
“We’ve had a lot of variety in the type of banquets and organizations that are coming in,” she said. “We’ve had some beautiful weddings, events by Sutter Health and Adventist Health, and even an Army Reserves ceremony. We’ve had people from as far as Lakeport and even Santa Rosa book weddings here. They’re finding a little bit more value here, not to mention it’s really pretty!”
The restaurant and banquet areas are not the only things going on in the new building: There’s also a new golf shop, new office space for staff, stylish public seating areas with walls lined with works
by local artists, and a brand new parking lot. Most of the interior design work was done by Tyra LaMar, a resident of the community since 2012.
The building overlooks an expansive lawn area where outdoor events have really ramped up, primarily during spring, summer and fall. A monthly live music series takes place on a portable stage, and canopies and tables are set up so guests can picnic alfresco in comfort while listening to local performers.
Cook-Jackson, who started as the F&B director in November 2023, is thrilled with the success of the new facility, but has no plans to stop innovating.
“We’ve been moving at a rapid speed since I took on my role, but we’re going to continue to do more,” she said. “For example, we’re going to start focusing on romanticizing the dining room just a bit more for dinner service, to create a different ambiance in there for couples on a ‘date night.’ We want to have a little something for everyone.”
Greenview Bar & Grill and Greenview Banquet & Event Center are open to the public and located at 19210 Hartmann Road in Hidden Valley Lake. For more information, call (707) 987-3146 or visit greenviewbarandgrill.com
Chocolate temptation cake
From left: Raspberry lemon drop cocktail; ribeye steak with butterflied prawns, sauteed broccolini and chimichurri; and a signature pizza with prosciutto, mozzarella, caramelized onion, arugula and balsamic vinegar at Greenview Bar & Grill
Capturing History in
a Bottle Shannon Ridge’s newest wine, its 2023 Mother Vine Rosé, was literally 150 years in the making
WORDS BY KAREN ELOWITT
courtesy
Clay Shannon standing over the gnarled “mother vine” in 2017
Photo
of Shannon Family of Wines
Lake County has been home to winemakers since the first non-Indigenous settlers arrived, not long after the Gold Rush.
The industry began to emerge back in the 1860s, spearheaded by European immigrants who were attracted by the region’s warm, dry climate, and who often brought vines with them from their homelands. The most famous early winemaker was Lillie Langtry, the British actress and socialite who established Langtry Farms in 1888 in the hills above Middletown.
As of 2024 Lake County has become one of the most exciting and fast-growing wine regions in the country, with eight AVAs, over 30 wineries, and over 150 years of almost-continuous production— minus 13 dry years during Prohibition.
Shannon Ridge, established in 1996, is one of the wineries that helped put Lake County on the map. Located on 2000 acres of rolling hills above Clearlake Oaks, it is a decidedly 21st century operation that uses regenerative organic farming principles and progressive labor practices to protect both the planet and employees, while coaxing the best flavors from the grapes.
they made. The name “Ogulin” does not turn up in official records of early winemakers in the county, but a tantalizing clue does appear in a 1909 article in the Lake County Bee, which reported that several “dealers” had pleaded guilty to illegally selling liquor to Indians. One of the offenders, Miss Mary Ogulin, was fined the hefty sum of $40, which, according to the article, would surely “eat up the profit on a lot of wine.” So, even though the evidence is scant, it is probably safe to say that Circle O Ranch can be counted among Lake County’s earliest wineries—in a manner of speaking.
Fast forward to 2013, when Clay and Angie Shannon acquired 100 acres of the Circle O Ranch from Grace and Harold Ogulin, a third-generation descendant of Martin Ogulin. The property, which was adjacent to the Shannons’ existing land, offered the couple the opportunity to expand their vineyards and grow their business. In fact, they already leased 18 acres from the Ogulins and grew Cabernet Sauvignon grapes on it, so they were well aware of the high quality of the volcanic soil.
selling liquor to Indians.”
But despite its future-facing ethos, about a decade ago the Shannon family learned that the 19th-century roots of Lake County’s wine industry were, quite literally, lurking in their property, connecting them to a winemaking legacy that they chose to honor in a most delicious way.
The story starts in the early 1870s, when Martin Ogulin and his family emigrated from the Austro-Hungarian Empire (specifically the area that is now Croatia) to Lake County via Ellis Island. These early pioneers set up a homestead in the High Valley hills that came to be known as Circle O Ranch (or the Ogulin Estate) and gradually grew to include a small house, a horse barn, a winemaking facility, and a hand-dug well. According to family oral history, the family raised livestock, grew walnuts and hay, and made wine from Zinfandel and Muscat grapevines they had brought with them from Croatia.
The historical record is a little spotty regarding how many acres of grapes they cultivated, and whether they sold or bartered the wine
They were also aware of the trees, vines, streams and long-abandoned buildings that existed on the site, and even the handful of old Zinfandel vines that had presumably been planted by previous generations of Ogulins. What they were not aware of was the hidden treasure that lay concealed among a centuries-old tangle of weeds, dirt, and wire.
In 2014, while clearing up a messy, scrubby section of the site to make way for new vineyards, one of the Shannon crew hit a metal bedpost that was half-buried amongst some bushes. Thinking it was odd, he jumped off his tractor to investigate.
What he found when he pushed the bushes aside surprised everyone: a thick, gnarled, elbow-shaped length of grapevine. It was almost unrecognizable because not only was it hidden amid a bunch of barbed wire and other debris, but it had almost no leaves on it. Furthermore, it was not growing in the typical grapevine shape. Most of it was crawling horizontally across the ground, and parts of it were even buried under the soil.
Left: The “mother vine” as it was found in 2013, surrounded by weeds and old debris. Right: 1909 article from the Lake County Bee recounting how several locals were fined for “illegally
Photo courtesy of Shannon Family of Wines
Photo from Lakeport Library microfilm archive
Upon taking a closer look, Clay Shannon recognized that it was not a native Vitis riparia vine, but rather a Vitis vinifera variety, which is common in central Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.
It was a lightbulb moment for him. He deduced that maybe this was one of the vines that the Ogulins had brought with them from their central European homeland and planted back in the 1870s. So he set out to test his theory.
After nursing the vine back to health a bit by watering and protecting it from the elements, eventually the Shannon crew was able to grow enough leaf and tissue matter to send for testing and analysis at UC Davis. When the results finally came back weeks later, it was revealed to be a cinsault (also spelled “cinsaut”) vine, a rosé variety that is indeed commonly found in Central Europe. Testing also confirmed that it dated back to roughly the 1870s, just as Shannon had guessed.
Shannon, along with Joy Merrilees, Vice President of Production at Shannon Ridge, realized that cinsault would actually be a perfect grape to cultivate at the vineyard. Because of its drought tolerance, it’s been a popular grape in North Africa, the Middle East, the south of France and other hot, dry regions for hundreds, if not thousands of years.
Clearly it was hardy enough to withstand Lake County’s drought-prone climate—for 150 years, no less.
“When we realized it was cinsault, we were like, oh, my gosh, this is perfect!” Merrilees explained. “And it was already here! This is exactly what we’re trying to do at Shannon Ridge.”
However, since cinsault vines are susceptible to disease, Shannon and Merrilees spent another two years waiting for the vine to grow enough tissue to send for virus testing. Miraculously, the results were negative.
“It’s amazing that the vine had no viruses, because it had been living in the ground since the 1870s with no water, no protection, nothing,” Merrilees marveled.
In 2017 they started the long, complex process of cultivation, with the help of Guillaume Grapevine Nursery in Knights Landing. Nodes were cut from the vine, grafted onto rootstock, propagated, then planted. Starting with about 10 buds and expanding exponentially each year, by 2023 they finally had a full acre of mature vines. The first harvest (approximately 1,000 vines) took place in August 2023.
Above: Jerónimo Da Valle, Director of Winemaking at Shannon Ridge, enjoying a glass of 2023 Mother Vine Rosé in the vineyard
Left: The Ogulin family’s original winemaking facility from the 1870s
Below: The 2023 Mother Vine Rosé with the view of Shannon Ridge vineyards, Clear Lake and Mt. Konocti in the background
Photos by Karen Pavone
After harvesting, the saigneé method was used to gently bleed the juice off the crushed grape must. This method reduces skin contact time, gives flavor and texture to the fruit, and enhances the natural acidity of the grape. It was then blended with 62% grenache, a percentage that Merrilees says will drop in successive years as more cinsault becomes available. A second acre, which was planted last fall, will definitely help in that regard.
The wine was aged for five months in the bottle, then in May 2024, after nine years in the making—or 150 years, depending on how you look at it—700 cases of 2023 Mother Vine Rosé hit the market.
It’s fresh and delicate, with a floral component and notes of rhubarb, tart raspberry, cherry, strawberry, and Meyer lemon. The exquisite artwork on the bottle, created by Angie Shannon herself, is similarly delicate and floral.
The original vine, the “mother” of all the new vines, now flourishes in its original spot, overlooking its spawn. Fully rehabilitated and gloriously leafy, it’s about six feet wide and four feet high, and produces copious amounts of fruit that is incorporated into the wine. It’s protected by a circular two-foot high rock wall barrier which doubles as a seat, and is a great place to enjoy a glass.
If you look north from the vineyard you can still see the Ogulin family’s original one-bedroom wooden house, horse stable, and wine cellar. All the structures have managed to withstand the centuries, just like the vine.
It’s fun to imagine that Martin Ogulin—who no doubt toiled for weeks, if not months, to carry his family and his vines across two continents and an ocean—would have been tickled rosé pink to know that his vine had proved to be just as much a survivor as him. And to know that his family’s winemaking legacy was being so lovingly and symbolically carried on by the latest generation of Lake County winemakers.
Learn more about the Shannon Family of Wines, including how to buy the 2023 Mother Vine Rosé, at shannonfamilyofwines.com.
CINSAULT 101
Species: Vitis vinifera
Type: Rosé
Pronunciation: “san-SO”
Origin: Unknown, possibly southern France or eastern Mediterranean
Distribution: Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon, France, Italy, Australia, Chile, South Africa, United States
Fun fact: The South African pinotage grape is a hybrid of cinsault and pinot noir.
The 150-year-old “mother vine” is now surrounded by a circular rock wall. The cinsault vineyard and original Ogulin homestead buildings are seen in the background. (Photo by Karen Elowitt)
The Power that Unites
The solar canopy that the Gilbert family of Ukiah built over their tenants’ food truck is more than a refuge from the elements: It’s a symbol of the deep and supportive connection that the two neighboring clans have forged over the years
WORDS BY KAREN ELOWITT IMAGES BY JOSEPH JENKINS
From left to right: Rebekah Gilbert, Maria Alatorre, Jovana Alatorre and Sarah Gilbert
Whoever coined the phrase “good fences make good neighbors” pessimistically assumed that neighbors can only get along by maintaining separate lives at a safe distance from each other.
For the neighboring Gilberts and Alatorres of Ukiah, nothing could be further from the truth. There is no fence dividing them, and their lives have become lovingly intertwined. The most symbolic and tangible evidence of their connection looms steadfastly above them: the strong, protective, and mutually beneficial solar canopy that the Gilberts recently built over the Alatorres’ food truck.
The two clans share a property on South Orchard Avenue, if only part-time: Matthew and Sarah Gilbert have owned the house and land for the past 10 years, and live there with their six children. Sarah and Matthew, who is a forester by trade, also run Mendocino Wool and Fiber out of a large workshop building at the rear of the property.
For the last five years the Alatorres have leased space at the front of the property for the popular food truck, Antojitos Mary. Maria Alatorre owns and runs the business with her husband Alejandro, their adult daughter Jovana, and their two sons.
If you watch the Gilberts and Alatorres interact on any given day, you’d think they were actually all part of the same family. Kids dart in and out of the house, grabbing snacks from the truck and chatting with the Alatorres—sometimes in Spanish, sometimes in English. Jovana takes a break between customers to chat with Sarah in the seating area, and cradles four-month-old Cassia, the Gilberts’ youngest child, in her arms. Matthew pops into his backyard garden to grab some tomatoes and corn, and offers it to Maria to use in the truck. Jovana’s young cousins sometimes stop by to play with the Gilbert children. One of the Gilberts’ sons sometimes has sleepovers at the Alatorres’ house.
The two families have only known each other since 2019, when the Alatorres first started leasing the space, but they both agree it seems like forever. They liked each other from the start, even if it took a while for their lives to fully integrate.
It was actually Mendocino County Supervisor Maureen Mulheren who connected them. When Maria Alatorre was applying for a permit for the food truck, she asked Mulheren, who was on the Ukiah City Council at the time, if she knew of spaces available to rent. Mulheren had heard that Matthew and Sarah were seeking a tenant, so she made the introduction.
Sarah, Jovana, Rebekah and Maria in front of the Antojitos Mary food truck, which is shaded and powered by the solar array above it. The structure was installed by the Gilbert family, who live in the house on the right.
“When we were developing this property, it was always our intention to use the land fairly densely,” Matthew said. “It seemed like a really good spot to have a food truck, because it’s a fairly busy street and has a nice big parking lot. So we got the permit to park a food truck, and had been looking for somebody for a year or so when we met Maria. And it’s worked out even better than we expected it to.”
“From the beginning, Mateo was very welcoming,” said Maria, who uses the Spanish version of Matthew’s name. “I think it was a little awkward at first because we were all getting to know each other, but not a bad kind of awkward. The kids were shy at first. But everything was actually really easy, because they’re super nice people!”
It helped that they both happen to be “foodie” families. More specifically, the Alatorres love to make it, and the Gilberts love to grow and eat it.
The Alatorres decided to start Antojitos Mary—which is named after Maria herself, the matriarch and culinary wizard of the family—while Maria was out of work and recovering from an injury back in 2018.
“My mom’s always worked in food places,” Jovana said. “That’s always been her thing. So when the opportunity came up to buy a food truck, we all just sat down and talked about it. It made sense because my mom doesn’t know how to cook for a small amount of people – she cooks to feed everybody! So we decided to try it. We figured, if it works, great. And if it doesn’t, at least we know we tried. And thankfully, so far, we’ve done pretty well, I’d say!”
“I feel like instead of getting a job, we got a family.”
Their first truck was smaller than the one they currently have, which is why they initially focused on making “antojitos,” which translates in English roughly to “little cravings” or “little snacks.” The small, snacky Mexican comfort food items were a hit with customers, allowing the Alatorres to eventually upgrade to a bigger truck and bigger menu in 2021.
The Gilberts are omnivores who appreciate fresh, locally grown ingredients and scratch-made food. They are regulars at the Ukiah Farmers Market, and have a sizable vegetable garden in their own yard. The entire family is gluten-free, which has taught them to be discerning and selective about what they consume—and not just when it comes to gluten.
“I feel better when I eat lots of fresh food,” Matthew commented. “It’s as simple as that. And growing things makes me happy. We garden everywhere we’ve lived. When I was growing up in Redwood Valley we grew and made our own food. We raised goats for milk and had a big vegetable garden. We produced all our own meat, veggies and dairy for a good portion of every year.”
The Gilberts’ current garden includes peppers, watermelon, eggplant, squash, Hopi blue corn, beans, cucumber and tomatoes.
That’s not to say that they don’t appreciate when someone else does the cooking. “Having a Mexican restaurant in the front yard is great,” Matthew said. “The food is delicious, freshly made, and plenty of it is gluten-free, so it’s a win-win situation!”
Top: Quesabirrias from Antojitos Mary
Middle: Rebekah and Matthew Gilbert enjoy some quesabirrias with Maria, Jovana and Alejandro Alatorre
Bottom: Matthew Gilbert harvesting peppers in his garden
Knowing they had food and family in common from the outset, the two families gradually, organically got to know each other just by hanging out and chatting.
“After work we used to sit down together, drink, eat snacks and talk,” Jovana remembered. “We never went home on time.”
The Alatorres warmed to the Gilberts’ charming young children pretty quickly. They would help them practice speaking Spanish, watch over them while their parents were busy with chores, or help them with their homework.
“The kids are amazing!” Maria exclaimed. “I love kids, and my husband loves kids, but we don’t have babies anymore. So we got ‘bonus kids’ when we moved here. And my own children don’t have any grandparents in town, but now they have ‘bonus parents!’”
A couple of years into their relationship, Matthew had an idea. He had been wanting to put solar power on the property for a long time, and was thinking about the best place to site it. He also knew that the food truck would benefit from being shielded from Ukiah’s weather extremes. So he decided to combine the two by building a canopy over the truck made entirely of photovoltaic solar panels.
“The truck needed to be protected from the rain so that customers wouldn’t have to stand in the rain to order or eat,” Matthew said. “It also needed protection from the sun to make it cooler and more pleasant during the summer heat. So I thought, let’s build a two-for-one structure that gives us power, sun protection and rain protection.”
The Alatorres were of course thrilled, and totally on board with the idea. For the Gilberts, it was a no-brainer.
“I felt like we needed to build this for their business,” Matthew added.
The structure took about a year to complete, and was done in stages. Drawings were made, permits were pulled, foundations were laid, the framing built, then the solar panels installed. The structure, which went live in May 2024, is 19 feet tall, and produces 9.6 kWh of electricity—enough to power two-thirds of the entire property, including all of the food truck.
On a recent sweltering day, a half-dozen customers could be seen enjoying their quesabirrias and tostadas in the shade of the canopy, comfortably chatting and munching despite the 90+ degree temperatures.
Jovana, taking a break from the kitchen, grabbed a cold strawberry raspado and took a seat with Matthew, Sarah, Alejandro, several of the Gilbert children, and her partner Sam. She reflected on how far the business has come since it first opened, how much the Gilbert kids had grown since they all first met, and how bonded they had all become.
“I feel like instead of getting a job, we got a family,” she said. “I love the dynamic that we have. It all just feels normal. We’re just one normal, semi-dysfunctional, gigantic family!”
Antojitos Mary is located at 676 South Orchard Ave. in Ukiah. To see the menu and hours of operation, visit antojitosmary.com or follow them on Instagram @antojitosmaryukiah
Top: Sarah Gilbert, baby Cassia Gilbert, and Maria Alatorre
Middle: Fried quesadillas maza from Antojitos Mary
Bottom: Sarah and Rebekah Gilbert in their wool and fiber mill
9550 & 9520 Main Street Upper Lake, CA Tallman Hotel 707-275-2244 ▪ Blue Wing Saloon 707-275-2253 tallmanhotel.com | bluewingsaloon.com
WOK WISELY
Chinese Vegetarian Recipes from the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association Cookbook
The monks, nuns, sages and students of the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas in Ukiah live by a simple ethos: peace begins with a vegetarian diet.
The largest Buddhist community in North America, The City is part of the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association (DRBA), an international religious organization that was founded in 1959 by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua.
Hua was a Chinese Chan Buddhist who firmly believed in the connection between food, individual spiritual well-being, and the well-being of humanity. A lifelong vegetarian, his culinary teachings, which blend Confucian philosophy, Mahayana Buddhist principles, and ancient concepts of Chinese medicine, inform the eating and agricultural practices of DRBA members worldwide.
The DRBA’s cookbook, aptly titled Wok Wisely, provides easy-to-make recipes using a variety of vegetarian ingredients and cooking techniques that promote good karma, environmental sustainability, and kindness toward living beings. We’ve reprinted four of them here, along with some nuggets of information and wisdom about the ingredients (also from the book).
If these dishes intrigue you and leave you wanting more, you can pick up a copy of Wok Wisely for free at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. In addition to 56 recipes, the book includes a wealth of information about the nutritional content and health benefits of each ingredient, the benefits of a vegetarian diet, and Chinese traditions that support health.
Recipes and photos reprinted with the permission of the Buddhist Text Translation Society, The City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, 4951 Bodhi Way, Ukiah, CA 95482 buddhisttexts.org, info@buddhisttexts.org
To provide clarity, the editor has added times, temperatures and asterisked notes to some recipes.
Avocado Tofu Salad with Sesame-Seaweed Mix
Makes 4 small servings
½ block silken tofu, rinsed and cubed
½ avocado, peeled and cubed
½ tablespoon soy sauce paste*, diluted in a little water
1 tablespoon mixture sesame-seaweed mix (see pg. 19 for recipe)
Arrange the tofu and avocado cubes on a serving plate. Top with the soy sauce mixture and sprinkle with the sesame-seaweed mix. Serve cold.
*Soy paste can be found in the Asian foods section of nicer grocery stores, or you can make it from scratch by combining soy sauce, brown sugar and cornstarch slurry over heat. Other soy-based Asian sauces can be substituted based on your preferences.
Tip: Sprinkle on the sesame-seaweed mix right before serving so the salad does not become soggy and lose its flavor and crunchiness. Lemon juice can also be sprinkled on top to help the avocado to retain its color and freshness.
A Little About Avocado
Chinese medicine considers the avocado to have a cooling nature and sweet flavor. It contains fat and protein that are easily digested, harmonizes the liver, lowers cholesterol and prevents heart disease. It is rich in vitamins B, C, E, fiber and copper that aids in blood cell formation. Abundant in antioxidants, it beautifies the skin and slows aging. People who crave fats but cannot tolerate poor fatty foods do well with avocados. Guinness World Records ranks avocado as the fruit highest in nutritional value. It is often recommended for nursing mothers.
Braised Bamboo Shoots with Shitake Mushrooms
Serves 4–6
5 dried shitake mushrooms, julienned
10 ounces bamboo shoots, peeled and cut into ¾-inch diagonal pieces
3 gluten rolls (recipe below)
2 cups homemade broth or water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ tablespoon sugar or equivalent sweetener
¾ teaspoon salt
3 slices ginger
½ cup vegetable oil*
Toasted sesame oil
Gluten Rolls
Makes 12 small dinner-size rolls
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups medium gluten flour
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon bakers’ yeast, dissolved in 2½ cups hot water (100-110°F)
Using a pair of chopsticks or a fork, in a large bowl, combine the whole wheat and medium gluten flour with the brown sugar and salt. Mix well and make a big hole in the center of the flour mixture.
Slowly pour the yeast/water mixture into the hole. Use chopsticks to mix the yeast into ⅔ of the flour mixture, to make dough. Cover the dough with a lid or wet towel and wait for it to double in size (about 45 minutes).
Knead in the rest of the flour until the dough is smooth. Cover the dough again with a lid or wet towel. Wait for it to double in size (another 45 minutes). Shape the dough into rolls.
Soak the mushrooms in warm water for about 20 minutes, or until soft. Rinse well to remove dirt, and squeeze out the water. Trim the stems and julienne.
Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan until hot. Fry the gluten rolls for 1–2 minutes, until golden brown. Drain on absorbent towels, then cut into ¾-inch cubes.
Put the broth in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the mushrooms, bamboo shoots, soy sauce, sweetener, salt and ginger. Return to a boil, then reduce to low heat.
Add the fried gluten roll cubes to the pot and simmer the mixture for about eight minutes. Sprinkle with sesame oil at the end of cooking.
Transfer to a warm serving dish and serve immediately.
Tip: It is not necessary to deep-fry the gluten rolls. If cooked directly in a pan, it will save time, and they will still be tasty and be easier to digest.
*Coconut, palm, peanut or soybean oil is recommended, but olive or canola can also be used.
A Little About Bamboo Shoots
A traditional forest vegetable in China for more than 2,500 years, bamboo shoots are not only delicious, but also rich in nutrients. They rank among the five most popular healthcare foods in the world. The Compendium of Materia Medica, a pharmaceutical text written during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), states: “Bamboo is slightly cold, sweet, non-toxic, and it quenches thirst, benefits the liquid circulatory system, supplements qi, and can be served as a daily dish.”
Rice Balls of Three Colors
Makes 3 large rice balls
1 cup white rice, cooked
1 cup brown rice, cooked
1 cup red or black rice, cooked
½ tablespoon nori seaweed paste*
2 tablespoons sesame seaweed mix (see sidebar for recipe)
Lay a 10-inch x10-inch sheet of plastic wrap on a flat surface. Spread half of the white rice on top of the sheet.
Add one-third of the seaweed paste mixture onto the middle of the rice, then top it with one-third of the sesameseaweed mix. Spread the remaining half cup of white rice on top of the mixture, and gently even it out with your palm.
Carefully raise the edges of the plastic and place your hands underneath it. Shape the ingredients tightly together into a ball, then remove the plastic wrap.
Repeat the steps above using the brown and red or black rice to make two more balls.
Arrange the three colors of rice balls on a serving dish. Serve cold.
Note: To make six medium balls or nine small balls, reduce the amount of rice and filling you use in the first and second steps by one-half, or two-thirds.
Tip: Rice balls are easier to make with warm rice.
*Seaweed paste can be store bought, or made at home from a recipe found online such as the one here: tinyurl.com/43mtzehn
A Little About Nori
Known in the U.S. as a wrap for sushi, nori is a red seaweed that grows off the coast of Japan. It has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine, and is very high in mineral content, especially iodine. A small portion of nori provides well over the adult recommended daily intake of iodine, which is vital for proper thyroid functioning. Nori is also rich in carotenes, vitamin C and vitamin B12, and a beauty aid to skin, hair and nails. It is also called laver.
Sesame-Seaweed Mix
Sesame-seaweed mix is a Japanese condiment that can be storebought, but many commercially available varieties include fish, MSG, added sugar and added salt. Vegetarians and those who want to avoid MSG, extra salt and extra sugar can make their own with the recipe here. This also allows you to conserve money and packaging.
2 sheets nori
¼ cup toasted white or black sesame seeds
½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
½ teaspoon sugar or equivalent sweetener
Toast the nori over a low flame or burner, waving each sheet over the burner until it is crisp and changes color. Using scissors, cut into small pieces.
Grind half of the sesame seeds with a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder. Mix with the salt, sweetener, and pieces of nori.
Add the remaining whole sesame seeds. Store mixture in an airtight container until it’s needed.
Hot and Sour Chinese Soup
Serves 4 to 6
5 dried shitake mushrooms
2 bags enoki mushrooms, trimmed and rinsed
4 cups bamboo shoots, peeled (if fresh) and sliced
1 Chinese cabbage, julienned
1 tablespoon oil
2 cups fried tofu skin, julienned
2 tablespoons low-salt soy sauce
2 tablespoons black vinegar
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder (for thickening)
2 tablespoons cold water (for thickening)
Pepper to taste
Toasted sesame oil
Soak the shitake mushrooms in hot water for 20 minutes, or until soft. Rinse well to remove the grit and squeeze out the water. Trim the stems and julienne. Bring water to boil in a pot. Add the bamboo shoots and return to a boil.
Next add the cabbage. Reduce to low heat and cook for 20 minutes.
Sauté the shitake mushrooms for one to two minutes. Add the enoki mushrooms, soy sauce, vinegar and salt. Cook for two more minutes. Transfer to the pot of soup and bring to a boil.
Add the tofu. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for three more minutes.
In a small bowl, mix the arrowroot powder with the cold water and slowly add to the soup. Simmer for three more minutes until thickened, stirring frequently.
Sprinkle with black pepper and drizzle with sesame oil. Transfer to a warm soup bowl and serve hot.
Wok Wisely
Copies of Wok Wisely, which is published by the Buddhist Text Translation Society, are available for free at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas in Ukiah. Visitors should first sign in at the administration building on Mindfulness Avenue, which is just inside the main gate at the intersection of Talmage Road and Old River Road. Then ask for directions to the main Buddhal Hall, where the books are displayed.
Jyun Kang restaurant, also located inside the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, serves Malaysian-IndoChinese fusion vegan food cooked using the same methods and principles as the cookbook. You can find more information at cttbusa.org.
Ingredients:
• 2 pounds (1 kg) flank steak, skirt steak, or brisket
• 1 onion, sliced in half-rounds, divided in two equal piles
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced, divided in two equal piles
• 1 large aji pepper (or other sweet pepper), cut into strips, divided in two equal piles
• 1/3 cup (80 mL) vegetable oil
• 8-oz can (220 g) tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cup (120 mL) golden cooking wine (vino seco)
• 7-oz can (200 g) red pimientos
• cooked white rice to serve 8
• optional: olives or capers
Ropa vieja
Ropa vieja is Cuba’s national dish. It is traditionally made with flank steak and gets its name from the texture of the beef, which shreds when it is cooked. Ropa vieja is usually served with white rice.
1. Place the beef in a pot (or a pressure cooker). Add half of the onion, garlic, and aji pepper. Cover with water.
2. Bring to a boil, then cover and cook over low heat for 2–3 hours (or cook in pressure cooker) until the beef is tender enough to easily shred with a fork.
3. Scoop the cooked beef into a large bowl, setting aside the pot with the leftover cooking broth for later use. In the bowl, use two forks to separate the meat into fine strips.
4. In another large pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the remaining onion, garlic, and pepper, and sauté for a few minutes.
5. Lower the heat and add the beef, tomato sauce, salt, bay leaf, and cooking wine. Cook, covered, for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking. If necessary, add a spoonful or two of the leftover cooking broth to keep the mixture moist.
6. Remove the bay leaf. Drain and add the pimientos, and add optional olives or capers.
7. Serve over white rice.
Vegetarian/vegan option: Use a meat alternative such as soy curls, which come in pieces that look like ropa vieja. Soak an 8-oz package in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain the soy curls and start with step 4. Sauté all of the onion, garlic, and aji pepper at once rather than dividing them up into two equal piles. Use hot water instead of broth if needed to keep the mixture moist. Tofu or green jackfruit could also be substituted but would not look as similar to the shredded beef.
When Abuela cooks a dish called ropa vieja, Magaly scrambles to hide her old clothes before they end up on her dinner plate! barefootbooks.com/old-clothes-for-dinner
Recipe by Edible South Florida, adapted from Cocina Criolla and Cocina al Minuto by Nitza Villapol
Wait, What’s for Dinner?!
Cultures all over the world have recipes with imaginative names that, like “ropa vieja,” describe what the food looks like on the plate rather than what it’s really made of.
Pigs in a blanket — a beloved breakfast treat and appetizer in the US made of a small sausage (the "pig") wrapped in pastry dough (the "blanket").
Ma yi shang shu (mah yee shahng shooh) — a classic dish from the Sichuan region of China. The name means “ants climbing a tree” in Mandarin, because the small bits of pork that cling to the noodles look like ants on branches.
Orecchiette (oh-rek-KYE-teh) — Italian for “little ears.” This pasta, which does indeed look like ears, is traditionally served with small meatballs and a vegetable-based sauce.
Buss up shut — a Caribbean dish, common in Trinidad, that means “busted-up shirt.” It’s made from a flatbread called roti (roh-tee) that has been beaten to pieces, making it look like a ripped-up shirt.
Lady fingers — spongy biscuits from the mountains of France and Italy. They are long and narrow, like fingers. There is a similar biscuit in Indonesian cuisine called kue lidah kucing (kooh-eh lee-dah ku-cheeng), which means “cat’s tongue biscuits.”
Spätzle (SHPET-sleh) — small dumpling noodles common throughout central Europe. Before machines, these little noodles were made by pinching a round dough ball with your fingertips. They were named “little sparrows” in German because their pointy ends and round “bellies” make them look like small birds.
Pico de gallo (pee-koh deh GAI-yoh) — a Mexican salsa that translates to “beak of the rooster” in Spanish. It is made with chopped tomatoes, onions, and spicy chili peppers. How it got its name is not clear. Some say it’s because it was originally eaten by picking the vegetables up with the index finger and thumb making the hand look like a rooster’s beak.
Buddhiya ke baal (BOO-dee-yah kay BAHL) — in India, the Hindi name for cotton candy translates to “old woman’s hair.”
This sweet treat, which is made by spinning sugar in different shades (like pink or blue), is known as “fairy floss” in Australia.
Can you think of any other dishes that have interesting names?
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