Edible Ventura County Spring 2023

Inspired by the bounty of the Oxnard Plain and its pristine coastal waters, Ox & Ocean offers refined cuisine and unique craft cocktails in true So-Cal fashion. From a poolside breakfast or coastal lunch by day to an elevated dinner experience by night, Ox & Ocean is an evolutionary dining destination that marries land, sea, and libations in the unmatched setting of Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Beach

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CONTENTS SPRING 2023

MASTER

TAMI CHU

In Ventura County every day can be taco day, whether that means using local ingredients to make tacos at home, or visiting one of the hundreds of taco shops and trucks that grace our region. This gorgeous taco, and the salsas on this page, were made and styled by Robin Goldstein and photographed by Mariah Green. These recipes can be found starting on page 18.

If you Google “best quotes about tacos,” you will find all the memeable T-shirt quotes you could ask for. Such as “Forget the flowers, buy her tacos.” Or “I work out so I can eat tacos.” Even better: “I’m into fitness. Fit’n ’is taco into my mouth.” And obviously the best advice: “Live every day like it is Taco Tuesday.”

How does the humble Mexican-born taco have such a cult following? It could be its incredible versatility. What other dish can be both a street food and a specialty at fine-dining establishments? Both healthy and artery clogging? Both authentic to its roots and endlessly adapted? Not at the same time, of course. Whether you are vegan, carnivore, gluten-free, keto, pescatarian or omnivore, there is a taco for you. And realistically, in our area—using locally made corn tortillas and locally caught or raised proteins, topped with locally grown fresh produce, sauces and salsas—tacos can be the ultimate locavore feast.

For more taco lore, check out page 31.

When we first considered publishing a taco map, I had the ambitious dream that we would be able to name every taco stand, restaurant and truck in Ventura County. Reality set in a little harshly when it came to the actual task of fitting several dozen locations into a two- or three-page spread. Back to the drawing board we went. The question became: How do we narrow our list?

After much thought and discussion (some heated, some over tacos), we decided to focus on what Ventura County is best-known for in the food world: fish tacos. But not just any fish—locally sourced only. (To be fair, there are restaurants like Rumfish Y Vino and Sharky’s Mexican Grill that source wild-caught fish in pretty safe waters. But the [fishing] line was drawn and we are sticking with it.)

But it isn’t just tacos for us this season. Though we were a bit inundated with rain this winter, in life-altering ways for some, we are not out of drought danger yet. According to Casitas Municipal Water District Director Richard Hajas, Lake Casitas has risen a little over 27 feet from last October—which is about 44% capacity. While this gives Ojai an extra two years of water supply (for a total of five years now)—even if there is no more precipitation—conservation is still the name of the game. With that in mind, we are excited to share the story about the water-saving agave crops in the West, done in collaboration with Civil Eats (see page 22), and what one local distillery is doing with those plants (page 26).

Until next season, “a well-balanced diet is a taco in each hand.”

Ojai & Ventura County

PUBLISHER & EDITOR

Tami Chu

COPY EDITOR

Doug Adrianson DESIGN

Cheryl Angelina Koehler

CONTRIBUTORS

Julia San Bartolome • Adriel Chu

Tami Chu • Robin Goldstein

Anne Kallas • Suzanne Luce

Kim Master • Jess Starwood

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Viktor Budnik • Tami Chu

Mariah Green • Jess Starwood

ILLUSTRATOR

Ramiah Chu

SALES

Mary DiCesare

mary@edibleventuracounty.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS

EdibleVenturaCounty.com

info@edibleventuracounty.com

CONTACT US

Edible Ojai & Ventura County

2470 Stearns St. #142 Simi Valley, CA 93063 805-622-9355

info@edibleventuracounty.com

Founded 2002 by Tracey Ryder and Carole Topalian, Edible Ojai & Ventura County is published seasonally, four times a year. We are an advertising- and subscriber-supported publication, locally and independently owned and operated and a member of Edible Communities, Inc. Distribution is throughout Ventura County and by subscription for $28 per year. Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings and omissions. If, however, an error comes to your attention, please accept our sincere apologies and let us know. No part of this publication may be used without written permission of the publisher. © 2023. All rights reserved.

The Art of Living and Learning

At Oak Grove School, our challenging college-preparatory curriculum is balanced with a comprehensive enrichment program - encouraging students to use their minds, bodies, and hearts well.

OAK GROVE SCHOOL

FOUNDED BY J. KRISHNAMURTI

The Art of Living and Learning OAK GROVE SCHOOL

HIGH SCHOOL MINI PROJECTS: Mindful Archery, Sound Recording, Pneuma Breathwork, Surfboard Painting, Cooking, Improv, Hiking, & Sewing NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR HIGH SCHOOL, GRADES 9-12. oakgroveschool.org

The Art of Living and Learning

Fighting Fire with Beer

Local firefighter to ignite local brewery

BY ANNE KALLAS | PHOTOS BY TAMI CHU

Firefighters are celebrated because they run toward danger to save lives while everyone else is running away.

Ventura City Fire Dept. Captain Preston Andreini is applying that same fearlessness to the Red Engine Brewing Company, which plans to open in the spring.

“When I was younger it was a dream to ride on a fire engine. I would always watch them with the lights on, probably going somewhere dangerous,” says Andreini. That attitude will be on display at Red Engine Brewing Company, where “we will definitely jump in the fray to ensure the best products, employee and customer experiences possible,” it says on the webpage.

Andreini explains that while he loves his career as a firefighter, he always wanted a way to express his creative side. He found it in brewing beer. “I think for people who do start breweries a lot of the stories are similar,” he says. “I started home brewing, which developed from a hobby to a passion. Then, after I attended the American Brewers Guild in Vermont, I felt confident to pursue this as a profession.”

Andreini grew up in Santa Clarita and graduated from Saugus High School in 2000. He got his first firefighting job in Montgomery County, Maryland, in 2005, before returning to California and getting a job with the Ventura City Fire Department, where he currently is a captain. To help shoulder the financial burden of opening a brewery, Andreini has invited friends to become investors. One of those investors is Dave Mendoza, who worked side by side with Andreini for years in the fire department.

“Preston is a really good person. We’ve been in situations where I was trusting him with my life. I felt if I could trust him with my life, I could trust him with this,” says Mendoza, who retired as a captain from the Ventura City Fire Department about three years ago. “We would spend 24 hours at a time together. Sometimes after dinner, in our free time, we’d start talking. I did home brewing and he did home brewing. The next

thing I knew I was at a class in San Diego that was teaching how to start a brewery.”

Mendoza said that as the class progressed, he realized he wasn’t up to all of the work needed to start a brewery. But his friend Andreini was intrigued and enticed.

“I told Preston, ‘If you start something, I’d like to work for you,’” says Mendoza, before explaining that Andreini has delegated various tasks to the various investors to get the Red Engine Brewery off the ground. Mendoza is working on finding kitchen equipment and helping to develop the menu.

Andreini says he wants to distinguish Red Engine Brewing by making it a family place with something for everyone. “We want it to be somewhere that locals think of to celebrate, catch up and gather to share ideas and enrich relationships.”

In addition to the beers, he plans to offer California wines and specialty drinks, ciders, seltzers and eventually, a beer that’s barrel-made like whiskey or kombucha. The food menu will offer artisan pizzas on hand-tossed flatbreads, charcuterie boards and salads.

But what will distinguish Red Engine Brewing will be the little extras. There will be tours, food and beer pairings and sensory panels where tasters delve into the different beers.

“I want to make really approachable beers—beers anyone would

feel comfortable ordering and drinking. But we can push boundaries of flavor too,” he says. “We’ll have anything from light lagers to double IPAs. There’s a really wide range of beers. And maybe after a year we’ll do something a bit more exciting, like fruit or sour beer.”

The entire Andreini family is involved with the new brewery. Wife Elizabeth, a graphic designer, is working right at his side managing the website, branding and logo, as she homeschools their two children, Olivia, 9, and Jack, 7.

“We’ve definitely tried to get everybody involved to feel they have a part of it,” he says. “I think they see it as giant project. Sometimes it’s fun and sometimes it’s not. They’re proud of it. They speak of it as if it’s their brewery.”

In the meantime, Andreini says he’s excited to finally see his vision come to life after two years of planning and work.

Red Engine Brewing

803 Ventura St. (Rte. 126)

Fillmore

RedEngineBrewing.com

Anne Kallas is a prolific freelance writer focusing on Ventura County. A fan of local, seasonal produce, she lives in Ventura and is a former columnist, writer and copy editor for the Ventura County Star

A PLACE FOR EVERYONE Le Hérisson opens in

Simi Valley

BY ADRIEL CHU | PHOTOS BY VIKTOR BUDNIK

Mineko Ito had always wanted her own place.

From when she was very young, she had always been enamored with the cakes and pastries she’d seen in cookbooks. Growing up in a busy Japanese household, her family didn’t really celebrate holidays like Christmas or Easter, but that didn’t keep Mineko from planning extravagant birthday bashes and Christmas parties as she worked alongside them in the family-run grocery store owned by her grandmother.

When she grew older, she went to the hospitality school Ferrandi in Paris, where she trained in the art of patisserie. From there, her career took off.

She started working as a pastry chef in upscale hotel kitchens (including the Beverly Hills Hotel, Mr. C and Koi). Her sky-high standards and outstanding skills helped her become the manager of several of these kitchens. Her reputation and connections gave her the opportunity to service big events like Academy Awards shows and celebrity birthdays, notably Conan O’Brien and Leonardo DiCaprio. Even as she went on to manage the baking for many celebrities and hotels, she was always on the lookout for a place she could call her own. A place where she could bring the taste of high-quality and beautiful bakes to anyone who wanted it, at an accessible price.

As her portfolio grew, so, in turn, did the family. She met and married her husband, Paul Malcolm. She had a baby and took a break from the chef scene to raise her child. The break was nice, she says, but she wanted to go back eventually.

When she was ready to enter the industry again, she intentionally aimed for a lower-stress job, intending to slow down. Unfortunately, that wasn’t in the cards for her. She was swept right back into the thick of it. She found work managing a hotel kitchen as a pastry chef, and she ran a bakery connected to a Japanese grocery store, but neither was quite what she was looking for. She still didn’t have her own place: a place where she could develop recipes at any time, a bit of an experimental kitchen for herself; a place she could feed the dreams of others like herself.

As she worked, she never stopped looking for the place that would fit her and the café she’d been wanting for so long. Finally, she came across a little storefront in Simi Valley that had housed an Asian fusion café that closed during the pandemic. It had everything she needed. As to the name, “Le Hérisson is French for hedgehog,” she says. “Aside from being an adorably cute and furry critter, hedgehogs are also a symbol of good luck!” A winning combination, perhaps.

Le Hérisson is a café that radiates Mineko. It’s elegant and refined, but still feels welcoming. Every detail from the color of the paint and the wall hangings to the herbs and flowers in the water cooler is a deliberate decision.

The food is much the same. Her café boasts French-Japanese fusion pastries, which means she makes her pastries the French way, but often incorporates Japanese ingredients, like matcha and sweet red beans. She shops for all the ingredients herself, keeping it organic wherever she can. She makes things to her standards. “If I don’t think it’s good enough, I won’t serve it,” she says.

The same amount of thought goes into her drink menu. The coffee is sourced from Sir Owlverick’s, a small-batch roaster she knows in Anaheim, and her hojicha (a green tea) is imported from Kyoto, Japan, where she grew up.

From the food to the drinks, even to the decor, it’s easy to see how much she cares about her place. It is her place, after all. A place where she can take dozens of orders for Christmas cakes, a place anyone can taste extravagance, a place for celebration and for community. Her place.

Le Hérisson

660 E. Los Angeles Ave., Suite J

Simi Valley

HerissonCafe.com

Southern California artist and freelance writer Adriel Chu got her start illustrating for small online communities. She is attending school with a focus on animation and loves chickens and puns.

Grilled Chicken Wings with Honey Sriracha Dipping Sauce

RUB

1 tablespoon garlic salt

1/2 tablespoon onion powder

1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional if you want some heat)

3 full chicken wings, broken down into flats and drummettes (rounds)

Canola oil to brush the grill

Brown sugar, to sprinkle (about 1/4 cup)

HONEY SRIRACHA SAUCE

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of Topanga Quality Avocado Honey

3 tablespoons sriracha

2 tablespoons sake or rice vinegar

1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 tablespoon minced thyme

1/2-inch piece peeled ginger, minced

1FOR

THE RUB: Mix the garlic salt, onion powder and smoked paprika in a bowl, then rub all over the wings. Brush oil on a grill over medium heat and grill the wings on each side, covered with a bowl on top, until lightly charred and cooked through to 165˚ F, 10 to 12 minutes per side. Remove the bowl for the last few minutes and sprinkle the wings with brown sugar. If baking, pre-heat the oven to 400˚ F, bake for 40-45 minutes until cooked through to 165˚ F.

2

FOR THE SAUCE: Mix the honey, sriracha, sake or rice vinegar, Dijon mustard, thyme and ginger in a bowl. Brush some of the sauce on the wings and place more on the side to dip. For some added zing, dip the wings in blue cheese dressing or ranch dressing.

USE CODE EMRECIPE1

TO GET YOUR DISCOUNT

THESE WINGS HAVE A BEAUTIFUL RUB AND THE CHAR OF A CLASSIC COOKOUT WING WITH A SWEET HONEY SRIRACHA GLAZE.

OX & OCEAN Yoking Tradition to Innovation

BY ANNE KALLAS | PHOTOS COURTESY OF ZACHARI DUNES

Oxnard—like all of Ventura County, in fact—is blessed with a unique marriage of farming and sea. Chef Damien Giliberti, who heads up the kitchen at Ox & Ocean, has created a unique menu that celebrates that union.

The new restaurant is located in Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Bay, Oxnard, which is part of Hilton Hotels’ Curio Collection. The hotel was refurbished and renamed from the Embassy Suites to Zachari Dunes in October 2021.

“One of the great things about the Curio Collection is it allows old resorts to embody the distinct culture and spirit of the communities in which they reside,” says Andrew Sutrisno, director of marketing. “We want to honor the history of Oxnard with the Zachari Dunes name. Henry T. Oxnard originally wanted to call the city Zachari. Our branding team drew inspiration from the sand dunes of Mandalay Beach, with soft white sand that resembles sugar.”

The emphasis on locale extends to Ox & Ocean, where Giliberti has created a menu that emphasizes fresh and local, and includes some plant-based plates alongside very carefully curated meat and fish dishes.

“I’d a rather do a few things very well and then expand the menu. I wanted to start smaller to get the team working together. I’d rather do 15 items really well than 30 items just OK,” says Giliberti. The goal, he says, is to expand both the team and the menu in the near future.

Another reason for the small but fun menu is the focus on making as much in-house as possible. Giliberti says he makes his own strawberry jams from local berries. He also makes almost all sauces and accoutrements by hand, which takes time and effort.

“Even our potatoes—we make own cultured butter that creates these wonderful sour tart crispy potatoes,” he says. “Our oxtail bao buns are made in-house. It goes with the whole ox theme of the restaurant. A lot of restaurants will buy bao buns, but we make our own. We also use house-made kimchi. I really believe in making stuff by hand.”

Currently, Giliberti uses local farms that are farmers’ market favorites, including Apricot Lanes Farms from Moorpark and Tutti Frutti Farms from Lompoc. Ultimately, he hopes to use some of the Zachari Dunes grounds to grow herbs, citrus and other food for the restaurant.

He says he doesn’t want the menu to focus on labels, such as vegan or carnivore. “I want people who aren’t vegans to eat my vegetable dishes,” says Giliberti, adding that the idea is to make things accessible to everyone. “Our oxtail bao buns have a similar vegan version with whole trumpet mushrooms, which is tasty for vegetarians and non-vegetarians. We have the roasted delicata squash with kale pesto main dish. We have a plethora of items for everyone to try.”

At last year’s Casa Pacifica Angels Wine, Food and Brew Festival, Giliberti won second place in the Yummy Culinary Competition with his grilled stone fruit with house-made ricotta, blackberry gastrique, pickled kumquats and puffed amaranth. (Note: Edible Ojai &Ventura County Publisher Tami Chu was a judge.)

“We live in a fascinating time when there’s a wealth of information about food and cooking available. I always work on ideas and finding techniques,” he says. “This dish was an idea I had that worked

really well. It ties in to amaranth, an ancient grain originally from California. A lot of people don’t know where amaranth comes from. This allows me to teach.”

Giliberti recently returned from paternity leave, as he and his partner take turns caring for their 6-month-old. During 2022, he moved to Santa Paula from Santa Barbara, while working on creating the menu for Ox & Ocean. He explained that he is using his paternity leave “in chunks” as he tries to establish a healthy work-home balance.

“I want to run a successful restaurant and I want to be here for my family’s daily life. I know how demanding it is, and a lot of chefs miss out on the kids and family growing up. That’s something I don’t want to do,” Giliberti says.

Ox & Ocean on Zachari Dunes

2101 Mandalay Beach Rd., Oxnard 805-984-2500

ZachariDunes.com/Ox-Ocean

FISH TACOS a Captivating Catch

BY ROBIN GOLDSTEIN | PHOTOS BY MARIAH GREEN

Mention tacos and everyone has an opinion on where to get the best, what makes one good and when we should eat them— Taco Tuesday anyone?

In Ventura County, and particularly at Edible, we have long discussed which food might best represent our area. While there are many worthy candidates, fish tacos continuously top the polls as a clear winner (see our Spring 2017 issue). Is it because we can get fish so fresh that it was in the ocean mere hours before it hits our plates? Is it California’s long-standing (and still-vibrant) Mexican history that has influenced our cultural flavors? Or a marriage of the two?

While tacos in general have a somewhat ambiguous history, many sources say that fish tacos have a clear origin in Baja California, Mexico. Entrepreneurial Americans have certainly jumped on the fish taco train and expanded the offerings across the United States, but at least here, Baja-style tacos— which typically use flaky white fish, cabbage and a creamy white sauce—remain a favorite.

The recipes that follow use that Bajastyle taco as a base while adding extra zing in the form of salsas made from the fresh spring produce currently abundant at the farmers’ markets.

As for sourcing local fish for those tacos, rockfish are in season locally in spring, and halibut and black cod can be purchased year-round. A list of local fishmongers who source from Pacific waters can be found on page 33.

Chef Robin Goldstein’s cooking career has been centered in California, where she has been preparing foods for 30+ years. She brings to the table a deep-felt art of balancing flavors while interacting with her private clients in their homes. She shares her delicious recipes through her popular cookbooks, perfectly paired for those who seek savory Mediterranean-inspired flavors. PrivateChefRobin.com

GRILLED FISH TACO

This is a great basic Baja-style grilled taco. Pair with the salsas provided or any of your own favorites. Use as a base for a taco bar gathering or as an option for pescatarian guests. With the plethora of local fish available for this recipe, it can be “Taco Tuesday” any day of the week!

Serves 4

16 ounces mild flaky white fish (such as mahi mahi, sea bass, halibut or rockfish)

¼ cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

Juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon ancho chili powder

¼ teaspoon sea salt

Pickled onions (recipe to follow)

8 corn tortillas

Fresh cilantro

2 cups finely shredded green cabbage

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Sea salt and pepper to taste

1 ripe avocado

1 poblano chili, fire roasted over stove flame until skin is charred

24-HOUR PICKLED ONIONS

1 cup water

½ cup white vinegar

1 tablespoon salt

½ cup dried hibiscus

2 medium onions, finely sliced

Fill a 16-ounce mason jar with the finely sliced red onions.

Combine water, vinegar and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add dried hibiscus and steep for 5–10 minutes. Pour hot liquid into the jar over the onions using a strainer to remove the hibiscus.

Cool to room temperature.

Use right away or store in the fridge for 24 hours to get the best color. It keeps for up to 2 weeks!

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Splash of hot sauce (your favorite brand)

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Slice fish to ½ inch thick, if needed. Place fish in a medium-size dish. Whisk together olive oil, garlic, lime juice, ancho chili powder and salt. Pour over the fish and let marinate for 20–30 minutes.

While the fish marinates, toss cabbage with lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper. Cut the avocado and scoop the flesh into small bowl.

Peel the fire-roasted chili, remove most of the charred skin and seeds, chop fine, then add to avocado. Mash together with lemon juice, hot sauce, salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat stove-top grill pan to medium-high heat.

Remove fish from marinade and place on hot grill pan. Discard marinade. Grill fish for 4 minutes on the first side, flip and cook for 30 seconds, and remove. Let rest for 5 minutes, then gently flake the fish with a fork.

Heat the tortillas in a pan or over flame of a gas stove.

To assemble, top each tortilla with some grilled fish, some cabbage and a spoonful of avocado mash. Add pickled red onions and heaping spoonfuls of the red, white and green salsas. Garnish with pickled onions and fresh cilantro.

SPICY ROASTED TOMATO SALSA

Roasting tomatoes in the oven brings out their best flavor. The charring on the roasted veggies has a fire-roasted layer of taste that adds a mild, sweet smokiness to the sauce. You can adjust the types of chilies you use to modify the spiciness. In the winter and spring months I use cherry tomatoes when local tomatoes are not in season.

Makes about 2 cups

2 pounds ripe tomatoes

1 large jalapeño, cut in half, or 2 serrano chilies

1 large white onion, peeled and cut into ½-inch rounds

4 peeled garlic cloves

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

1 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat broiler to high.

Arrange the tomatoes and jalapeño (skin side up) with onion and garlic cloves, in an even layer on a large oven pan brushed with a little oil. (Do not line with parchment paper.) Broil for about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes are charred. You want them to look burnt, so leave those tomatoes and veggies under the broiler, keeping a close eye on them until they are deeply blistered. Remove pan from oven, and cool slightly. Transfer all to a blender and process with the remaining ingredients and purée the salsa. I like to leave it a bit chunky

Taste, and season with extra salt or lime juice if needed. Serve warm or chilled with your favorite fish tacos. Keeps 4 days refrigerated.

Chef’s note: You can add ½ cup black beans and ½ cup roasted corn for a delicious roasted black bean and corn salsa.

CREAMY WHITE SAUCE

This is that slightly tangy, creamy sauce that brings just the right amount of zing to your Baja-style fish tacos. It’s usually made with sour cream, mayonnaise and lime juice. I often use zero-fat Greek yogurt to lighten it up a bit.

Makes about 1 cup

½ cup mayonnaise

½ cup Mexican crema or zero-fat Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1–2 teaspoons of your favorite hot sauce, sriracha or chipotle chile

1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced

½ teaspoon sea salt

Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl. Do not process in a blender as it may become too thin.

Chill; serve with your favorite fish or shrimp tacos. Keeps 4 days refrigerated.

SALSA VERDE

Such a simple salsa, yet so spicy and does not take much time to prep. Typically green salsas are made with tomatillos, but this bright green salsa is made intentionally using only chiles. ¡Tiene mucho fuego! (It has a lot of fire!)

Makes about 2 cups  20 serrano chilies, whole

1 onion, peeled and sliced

4 cloves garlic, peeled ¼ cup olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 cup cilantro

1 tablespoon white vinegar

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Toss in your serrano chilies and cook them for just 2 minutes. Plunge them in ice water to stop cooking and to set their bright green color. Cut off the stems.

In a blender, add the chilies, onion, garlic, oil, salt, lime juice, cilantro and vinegar. Blend for 1 minute, enough to make a finely chopped salsa. Add a bit of the cooking water if needed to purée and thin out. Taste and adjust the flavor with more salt as needed; serve with your fish tacos.  Keeps 4 days refrigerated.

IN THE AGE OF MEGADROUGHT

Is Agave the Crop of the Future in the American West?

BY ANNE MARSHALL-CHALMERS | SENIOR REPORTER AT CIVIL EATS

Raul “Reppo” Chavez surveys his agave crop on a sunny morning north of Sacramento, California. His largest plants sit at the top of a hillside, while the youngest and smallest are down by the road. “They look real good,” he says, nodding. The plants’ giant leaves are arranged like the petals of open roses, but they’re as sharp as eagle talons reaching out of the earth. Chavez and many others who drive by find the agave field striking. Cyclists out for rides stop to take photos. Mexican-American girls celebrating their quinceañeras pose in glimmering gowns among the plants, which stand out as different from the olive, citrus, and almond orchards typically blanketing the region.

Chavez, a native of Tonaya, Mexico—where mezcal is produced—grew up with agave growing in every direction and learned the skills of a jimador, or agave farmer, from relatives. He’s leasing the plot from a family that used to grow grapes there. Three years ago, the family he works for ripped out the vines in an effort to conserve water and gave him the green light to plant

agave. Now, as the West grapples with the worst drought in more than 1,000 years, he’s among a small but growing group of farmers in California, Arizona, and Texas who are turning to these hearty plants, which can survive with little to no water.

As many farmers in drought-prone regions are re-thinking what they grow, there are some other familiar workhorse crops that require little irrigation and could step in to keep bare land from turning to dust—such as winter wheat, legumes, and safflower. It’s agave, however, that has captured recent interest and momentum with its promise of drought resilience and a path into the potentially lucrative world of spirits.

A perennial succulent native to the arid Southwest U.S. and Central and South America, agave plants, with spiky leaves as stiff as cartilage, can grow to weigh up to 110 pounds, and the distilled spirits, made from the plant’s hefty heart, or piña, are soaring in popularity. Since 2003, tequila and mezcal volume has increased by more than 200 percent, with a significant surge in demand over the last five years.

In California, Stuart Woolf, president and CEO of Woolf Farming & Processing, a prominent operation that grows massive tracts of almonds, pistachios, and processing tomatoes, has emerged as agave’s biggest champion. Last summer, Woolf donated $100,000 for an agave research center at University California at Davis.

Woolf, who used to rely on the state’s network of canals to deliver “surface water” to most of his 25,000 acres of farmland, hasn’t received a full allocation in years. He can pump from his wells to make up for that loss, but a sweeping state law, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, aims to curb that practice.

That’s how, three years ago, as the 63-year-old sipped on tequila, Woolf’s mind landed on agave, plants that are incredibly drought tolerant thanks to a twist in plant physiology. Agave plants keep the openings in their leaves (the stomata) closed during the day to avoid water evaporation, reopening them at night to collect and store carbon dioxide, and engage in photosynthesis come dawn.

“All I have now is a test plot, land, and a desire,” says Woolf.

A NEW CLIMATE CROP?

Woolf is in the San Joaquin Valley, a 5-million-acre stretch of the most productive agricultural land in the world. It’s also the epicenter of California’s water crisis. Unregulated pumping of groundwater has resulted in depleted aquifers, sinking land, and thousands of dry agricultural and drinking water wells. A recent study estimated that at least 500,000 acres of heavily irrigated land in the San Joaquin Valley will need to be permanently retired in the next 20 years.

All across the Southwest, the fallowing of land is already underway. In 2022 alone, California farmers left hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland unplanted. In New Mexico, the state legislature allotted millions of dollars to pay farmers to idle fields. And in Arizona’s Pinal County, 30-40 percent of the 250,000 acres of irrigated farmland has been fallowed due to cuts in the water supply from the Colorado River.

“By next year that number is expected to rise,” says Paul Orme, an attorney for several irrigation districts in Pinal County.

Doug Richardson, an agricultural consultant who owns Drylands Farming Company near Santa Barbara is an agave enthusiast, and not just for their ability to thrive in arid climates. “They’re fire resistant,” he says. “We’ve done a lot of farm design where we do agave as a perimeter crop to act as a line of defense. A row of these succulent plants can keep a wildfire from encroaching.”

For nearly 20 years, Richardson encouraged mostly small-scale growers in the West to incorporate agave into their operations, and within the last 10 years he says his business has soared, with new clients in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona all seeking a less water intensive crop.

Ian Beger, the farm director at Castle Hot Springs, a luxury resort north of Phoenix, worked with Richardson to plant about three acres of agave so that the resort could offer hyper-local spirits. Water savings was not Beger’s main motivation, but he believes if he and other well-resourced growers can work out the kinks and better understand the viability of this novel crop, that may help bring other farmers along.

“Unless it has significant promise, no one is willing to risk their livelihood to grow it,” he says.

‘AGAVE SPIRITS’ ON THE MENU

Long before George Clooney kicked off a celebrity tequila brand deluge that heightened agave’s worth, Indigenous and rural communities relied on the plant for food, and used its fibers for textiles, rope, and even roofing material.

On a cloudless, bright autumn morning north of Sacramento, Craig Reynolds walked through around 1,000 agave plants. Olive and nut trees used to stand here, but about eight years ago when the landowner, a friend of Reynolds’, had to start rationing water, he agreed that planting agave made sense. An almond orchard requires about four-acre feet of water, and Reynolds estimates an agave plot of the same size requires about a tenth of that amount.

Founder of the California Agave Council, a trade group of 40 growers, distillers, and retailers formed this year, Reynolds is a newbie farmer who worked in California state politics (and witnessed a lot of hand wringing over water shortages) before retiring.

While there are hundreds of species, he has planted mostly blue agave, the variety used for tequila. Harvesting the piña, the pineapple-shaped heart of the plant that gets fermented for distilled spirits, demands patience, as agave can take six to eight years to mature. Still, Reynolds says over time farmers can build up their acreage so that every year there are plants ready to harvest. And he’s found a lucrative, boutique market in craft distillers. “I can get $15,000 per acre, which is a lot compared to most crops,” he says.

The spirit distilled from his agave is clear and smooth—essentially tequila in taste but not in name. Like Champagne must originate in France, agave spirits can only be called tequila if the agave is grown inside the Mexican state of Jalisco, and is made from Agave tequilana, or blue agave. Similarly, mezcal, which can be made with many varieties of agave, must be produced in one of 10 designated states in Mexico.

It’s not clear how much of a market there may be for U.S. made agave spirits, but Reynolds and Woolf say before addressing that issue, the research center at U.C. Davis will examine California’s advantages and disadvantages in growing this crop. “An important

question on the minds of growers is how well can they survive in areas where maybe no water is available [aside from rainfall],” says Ron Runnebaum, an associate professor of viticulture and enology at U.C. Davis.

Research will likely also focus on how agave handles the occasional frost. Are there species best suited for California? And will the long, hot San Joaquin Valley summers speed up plant growth?

“It would be great if they could figure out a developing agave plant that would mature faster, grower larger, and have greater sugar content where you could actually produce more distilled spirits per acre than elsewhere,” says Woolf, adding that efficiency in a California agave market will be key to keeping it competitive, since labor and other costs are lower in Mexico.

THE DEVELOPING AGAVE MARKET

Raul Chavez understands agave’s appeal in the U.S. Southwest. “You can plant a lot of acres. You don’t use too much money, don’t use too much water,” he says, adding that a relentless gopher is his only major headache. “You need a market, but the market is coming.”

Beyond distilled spirits, there is agave syrup; the plant can also be used as a fiber additive to foods, and agave can make animal feed, which could pose an alternative to water-thirsty alfalfa grown in drought-riddled Southwest, says Ronnie Cummins, founder of Regeneration International. The nonprofit is dedicated to regenerative farming and land management and strives to plant 1 billion agaves worldwide, in part to help farmers with access to little water.

Cummins has worked with ranchers in Texas to blend fermented agave leaves with the pods from native mesquite trees to create a low-water, sustainable cattle feed. “We think that the west Texas ranchers who already have mesquite (trees) on their property are going to be very amenable to this,” he says.

Cummins says a growing number of farms in the Northern Guanajuato state of Mexico are already relying on agave for animal feed, while also harvesting the piña for mezcal or tequila. And because agaves help store water in the ground, the plant is helping native vegetation to return to barren, overgrazed lands. It can become, he says, an intact, productive agroforestry system. “Do this right and you can preserve the natural biodiversity that’s already out there,” he says.

At a time when rainfall is increasingly unpredictable and reservoirs in the West are reaching historic lows, Cummins hopes the sudden interest in agave leads to an agricultural transformation in areas facing a long, dry future.up with more and more of my land being unable to farm because I just don’t have enough water.”

This story was produced by Edible Communities in partnership with Civil Eats.

AGAVE SPIRITS

A ripe opportunity for Ventura County Distillers

BY KIM MASTER | PHOTOS BY KIM MASTER AND TAMI CHU

There are two main types of agave used in the Ventura Spirits distilling: Blue Weber (the smaller plant on top) and Agave Americana (the massive plant in the bin).

Ventura Spirits founders Andrew Caspary, Henry Tarmy (pictured from left), Anthony Caspary and James Greenspun helped to harvest some of the agave they use in their spirits.

Five years ago, Henry Tarmy and Andrew Caspary, two of the four co-founders of Ventura Spirits, received a phone call that pivoted their business: “Hey, our agave plants are flowering. Can you take them now?”

Doug Richardson and ranch manager John Kleinwachter were calling from La Paloma Ranch in the foothills of Santa Barbara (owned by Eric Hvolboll); Richardson was on the forefront of a nascent agave farming movement in California and had sold the ranch their agave and consulted on the planting.

The call sounded urgent because when agave plants flower, their sugar concentration is at its peak—the crucial time period to harvest the piña, or agave core, for distillation. While Ventura Spirits was unprepared to distill agave at that moment, they didn’t let this deter them in the face of a ripe opportunity for their figurative and literal entrepreneurial spirits: “Yes! We’ll take them!”

When the agave opportunity arose, Ventura Spirits was already an established distillery with a unique focus on making use of local produce. Since 2011, they have been concocting brandy from local strawberries and prickly pears, vodka from local apples and gin from local wild botanicals.

“What gets us excited is doing something that is fundamentally or inherently of this place,” explains Henry, “and hopefully at the same time actually adds value, adds something new to the great wide world of spirits rather than being derivative.”

Agave spirits not only fit into this mission, but also position Ventura Spirits on the forefront of an exciting movement at a time when drought and water restrictions are forcing farmers to let their almond, walnut, avocado and citrus land fallow.

“This is a crop that makes a lot of sense for the land here,” says Andrew.

Agave is drought-resistant and fire-resistant. Moreover, it provides a new revenue stream for farmers: “We are offering an option that didn’t exist to growers before because, at least for food/beverage use, there was no market for California growers,” continues Andrew.

And, importantly, the taste is now nationally recognized for its excellence: “Complex peppery flavor with hints of honeycomb. It’s rich in cinnamon with a sweet and creamy finish. What is this?” commented the American Spirits Council of Tasters (ASCOT) upon awarding Ventura Spirits agave spirit Yolo, the prestigious 2022 Double Platinum Award.

What’s the secret to their success? Andrew attributes it to not necessarily coming up with new ideas, or new technology, but rather understanding “the oldest ideas.” Henry elaborates, “The reason we drink what we drink is that there is always some very explicit link between where it was developed and local agriculture.” He gives examples of Caribbean rum and Midwestern whiskey, which historically developed from local surplus in sugar and wheat, respectively.

“In that historical context, we aspire to position ourselves. That popular awareness of the dynamic between agriculture and distilling

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03: La Paloma

• 100% Agave Tequilana (blue weber)

• Grown by the Hvolboll family at the historic La Paloma Ranch in Gaviota, less than a mile from the ocean.

• 25,000 pounds between 2/2019 and 2/2021

• 2,899 bottles filled in four batches

• First VS agave spirit bottled and first domestic agave spirit ever sold

• Hand harvested by Ventura Spirits and steamed in our pot still

01: YOLO I

• 100% Agave Tequilana (blue weber)

• Grown at Muller Ranch in Yolo County

• 5,300 pounds

• 1,761 bottles filled starting in Dec 2021

• Distilled 4/27/21

• Double Platinum Award Winner - ASCOT

02: YOLO II

• 100% Agave Tequilana (blue weber)

• Grown at Muller Ranch in Yolo County

• 6,200 pounds

• 750 bottles (unreleased)

• Distilled 7/18/22

04: A Blend!

• 87% Tequilana / 13% Agave americana

• Ornamental plantings grown in the city of Santa Barbara

• 4,000 pounds total

• 950 bottles (unreleased)

• Distilled 6/2/21

05: AMERICANA

• 100% Agave americana

• Grown in Murietta (Riverside County)

• 3,000 pounds

• 115 bottles (unreleased)

• Distilled 8/22/22

PRODUCTION PROCESS

has been lost as everything has become globalized. We could get our corn from Iowa, but there are opportunities where we are, and historically and practically, it just makes sense to use what is here.” Andrew adds, “Novel products require lots of education in the market, but we find that these ideas and new flavors increasingly resonate in the market.”

Their dedication to this historic ethos that reveres the region is evident in every aspect of their agave fermentation process. Henry, Andrew and co-founders Anthony Caspary and James Greenspun actually harvested more than half the agave plants themselves with their own tools.

“They have a lot of sugar at that point,” says Andrew, “but not the kind yeast can act on and turn into alcohol.”

So, after steaming the piñas, “we were literally pounding cooked agave with a four-by-four post that we had screwed handles to,” recalls Andrew.

“Which is labor intensive,” Henry says. “But if you look at mescal production, they’ve been doing that more or less since the beginning.” He adds, “We now use an electric shredder.”

Next, they roast the white, steamed piñas until they are caramelized like onions into a deep, dark brown color to unlock the flavorful sugars. Finally, they process the piñas by grinding or pressing off the juice to get as much of the sugar, or agave juice, out of the plants as possible. While this is the same fermentation process and same blue agave plant used to make traditional tequila in Mexico, what they are creating is a distinct, regional agave spirit.

It all starts with the humble agave plant. Many varieties are used in production of spirits but in the US only two have been used that we are aware of. Agave tequilana (aka Blue Weber) is the backbone of agave spirits worldwide due to high yield and Agave americana is interesting as a native California species. Once an agave plant reaches maturity at 7-8 years, it is harvested by cutting the outer leaves (pencas) and then separating the remaining heart of the plant (pina) from its roots in the ground.

At Ventura Spirits the pinas are cooked in a stainless steam oven for up to 48 hours, shredded in a small hammer mill, and extracted with warm water. The resulting sweet agave “tea” is fermented and then double distilled into what we can only call “Spirits Distilled from 100% California Agave.”

“We want to produce spirits as faithful as possible to the unique character of agaves we’re harvesting,” says Henry. “What’s our point of view? What do we want to emphasize or coax out of the plant?” Given their award-winning success of Yolo, their deliberate agave distillation process, honoring the region and the agave tradition, is working.

Moving forward, the founders have impressive plans to pave the agave road, literally. Just the other day Andrew discussed using non-compostable piña fibers as an alternative cover for dirt routes. They are key members of a newly formed California Agave Council, made up of scientists, retailers, growers, distillers, and legislators, and they shared their insight as session speakers at the council’s first agave conference this year.

Importantly, this group of agave industry experts helped legally define California agave spirit as having to be made from agave in the state, “which seems obvious but it’s not. It’s actually a key distinction,” says Henry. “Before, you could buy agave spirits from Mexico and put it in a bottle and call it California Agave Spirits.” Now, “the defined category helps consumers understand what California Agave Spirits means, and that it means something.”

Additionally, Andrew and Henry say they are encouraged by the data being collected on different agave species, and what varieties grow best in our specific climate. To date, the guys have only distilled blue agave (and Agave americana, though without public release), but there’s research showing there may be agave species more suitable to California’s rapidly changing climate.

Their approach to growing their business adheres to their approach that started their business: adventurous yet thoughtful. Says Henry, “I’m excited for us to be at the beginning of what’s a new agricultural economy here in California, and think ‘How do we do this responsibly? How do we do this in a way that’s compelling? What does it look like environmentally, agriculturally, socially?’”

Ventura Spirits proves that in a challenging era for agriculture, it helps to be bold and astute, perhaps even considering old ideas to solve new problems.

Master has been researching and providing creative guidance on environmental and health issues

private

Kim

to

and public organizations for two decades. She co-authored Green Remodeling: Changing the World One Room at a Time, co-founded an organic coffee company, and secured her BA in human biology and MA in anthropology from Stanford University.

The Ventura County food scene is a destination location with well established taco trails in both Oxnard and Ventura. Our map on the following pages covers the locally sourced fish tacos in the county. For links to the online taco trails use the QR code here.

Camarillo

1 Bobbi’s Mexican Food

302 N. Lantana St., Ste. 45 805-484-0103

BobbisMexicanFood.com

2 Lure Fish House

259 W. Ventura Blvd. 805-388-5556

LureFishHouse.com

3 Spencer Makenzie’s 311 Carmen Dr. 805-643-8226

SpencerMakenzies.com

4 Yolanda’s Mexican Café 86 E. Daily Dr. 805-389-9922

YolandasMexicanCafe.com

Ojai

5 Agave Maria’s Restaurant & Cantina

106 S. Montgomery St. 805-646-6353

AgaveMarias.com

6 Sea Fresh Seafood

533 E. Ojai Ave. 805-646-7747

SeaFreshSeafood.com

Oxnard

7 Fishermen’s Catch

1185 Victoria Ave. 805-985-6200

FishermensCatch.com

8 Kanaloa Seafood 251 Lombard St. 805-966-5159

KanaloaSeafood.com

9 Hook Line & Sinker Seafood 2077 N. Oxnard Blvd. 805-604-1715

VC LOCAL FISH Taco Trail

10 Otani’s Seafood

608 S. A St. 805-483-6519

Otanis-Seafood.com

11 Yolanda’s Mexican Cafe

1601 S. Victoria Ave. 805-985-1340

YolandasMexicanCafe.com

Port Hueneme

12 La Playa Soul Kitchen 419 E. Port Hueneme Rd. 805-874-1177

LaPlayaSoul.com

13 Sea Fresh Channel Islands 3550 Harbor Blvd. 805-204-0974

SeaFreshCI.com

14 Surfside Seafood 550 E. Surfside Dr. 805-488-9533

SurfsidePH.com

Ventura

15 Andria’s Seafood

1449 Spinnaker Dr. A 805-654-0546

AndriasSeafood.com

16 Baja Bay Surf N Taco 1567 Spinnaker Dr. #104 805-535-4160

@Bajabaysurfntaco_

17 Lure Fishhouse 60 California St. 805-567-4400

LureFishHouse.com

18 Pierpont Tacos

1125 S. Seaward Ave. 805-667-8706

Pierpont.tacos

19 Social Tap 1105 S. Seaward Ave. 805-667-8485

SocialTapEatery.com

20 Spencer Makenzie’s 806 E. Thompson Blvd. 805-643-8226

SpencerMakenzies.com

21 Taqueria Tepatitlan 362 N. Ventura Ave. 805-653-0508

TaqueriaTepatitlan.com

Westlake Village

22 Lure Fish House 30970 Russell Ranch Rd. 818-651-6611

LureFishHouse.com

Ojai & Ventura County

Illustration by Ramiah Chu

Ventura County is incredibly packed with locally owned taco shops, and everyone has a favorite. Because we couldn’t possibly list them all, we decided to narrow down the list to those that serve locally sourced fish tacos. We reached out to our local fisherpeople and fishmongers to confirm sourcing whenever possible. If you know of a taco shop that sources local fish for their tacos but is not on this list, please let us know at info@edibleventuracounty.com so we can add them to the online listing. Hours at each location may vary so please call ahead for hours of operation.

WHERE TO GET LOCAL FISH FOR YOUR TACO TUESDAYS AT HOME

Citrus Valley Seafood Co. 110 W. Harvard Blvd. Unit I Santa Paula 805-746-4762

CitrusValleySeafood.com

West Coast Seafood 2814 E. Los Angeles Ave. Simi Valley 805-520-9191

WestCoastSeafood.com

Tradewind Seafood Inc 1505 Mountain View Ave. Oxnard 805-483-8555

TWSeafood.com

Ideal Seafood 11512 N. Ventura Ave. Ojai 805-640-1514

Fresh Fish Fanatics Channel Islands Farmers’ Market Port Hueneme 805-371-5651

FishermansWife.com

Ocean Pride Seafood 2894 Bunsen Ave. Ventura 805-644-4310

OceanPrideofVentura.com

Wild Local Seafood Co 1559 Spinnaker Dr. #105 Ventura 805-252-3639

WildLocalSeafood.com

Get Hooked Seafood

Deliveries and pickups in Ventura, Ojai and Camarillo

GetHookedSeafood.com

Ventura Fresh Fish

Deliveries throughout Ventura County

Pickup at Ventura Fresh Fish

Dockside Market Saturdays

EatLocalSeafood.com

Green and Simple Gardening

BY SUZANNE LUCE | PHOTOS COURTESY OF FERNANDO FELICIANO

Fernando Feliciano, also known as the Green Horticulturist, calls his methods controversial, but they might just be simpler, cheaper and greener versions of what other landscapers offer.

A search for sound gardening advice generates endless opinions, but Fernando has a leg up on most with more than 30 years working with local homeowners, and he takes pride in his tried-and-true approach.

He learned the trade on a ranch in Moorpark and with an irrigation company in Ojai before working directly with homeowners in Santa Barbara and Ventura.

Fernando has built and maintained landscapes on properties as large as five acres, and for clients as long as 15 years consecutively. “I have learned so much planting landscapes and adapting them over time for homeowners as their needs change or they want to use their property in different ways,” he says.

Fernando’s passion for growing is deeply rooted in his work and leisure. He gardens with his family at their home in Ojai, growing fruits and vegetables and sharing them

with family and friends nearby.

Fernando has taken on fewer clients in recent years, but rather than wash his hands and retire, he sees himself on a small farm, hands still in the dirt, sharing what he has learned about gardening while growing rows of fresh produce for others.

“My Mexican culture, and descendants of natives hundreds of years ago growing and sharing food with other civilizations, inspires my dream for a garden that teaches and feeds the community,” he says.

Fernando focuses on making plants happy, and everything he does stems from there—well-prepped soil, the right amount of water, mulch to hold in moisture and natural amendments. He firmly believes expensive chemicals are unnecessary and unsafe.

Homeowners can use their own uncontaminated soil, another money saver, then add organic fertilizers such as compost and chicken manure, says Fernando. “This creates a growing medium where any plant can thrive because it is filled with life—good bugs and worms that leave behind everything the

plants need and nothing that they don’t.”

Fernando tells his clients that the best way to protect their plants and make them easier to take care of is to cover plants with mulch initially, then add more each year. He says he can tell which cities offer free mulch: the plants look healthier there. For those with larger properties, he suggests owning a small chipper to make mulch from your own yard waste.

Photo by Viktor Budnik

Easier Edible Gardens—Top Tips from the Green Horticulturist

“People get excited to grow vegetables, then decide it’s too much work,” says Fernando. “I’ve seen many homeowners purchase expensive raised beds and pots only for them to be abandoned before the next year.”

Fernando uses 15-gallon plastic pots for his own edible garden at home and says they are a great way to get started without a lot of commitment or investment. He also recommends prepping the soil well to set up the plants for the season, and a well-thoughtout irrigation system to cut down on maintenance and waste.

When and what to plant: Refer to a month-by-month planting guide for your area (such as the handy tear-out chart in the Winter issue of Edible), and you can get started anytime.

Containers: Planting in containers or raised beds is the simplest way to garden, and 15-gallon pots in particular are cheap (or free!) and convenient. Most plant roots will do fine with a 12-inch depth. Whichever containers you choose, use the ratios below for prepping your soil.

Pests: Gophers are one of the most common garden pests and another good reason to plant in pots. Gophers can become a big problem if you are planting in beds, so be sure to use

good-quality, coated hardware cloth secured across the bottom of your frame to keep them out. This should last up to 10 years.

Prep your soil: Start with soil from your own property if you have it. Use 70% soil, then add in 30% compost—your own or store-bought. An organic fertilizer such as chicken manure will finish off your mix; use ½ pound (or about quarter of a shovel full) in each of your 15-gallon pots or about three to four pounds total for a four- by eight-foot raised bed.

Planting: Mix your soil and amendments together thoroughly before planting. Place plants a little higher than the soil level since they will settle.

Mulch: Top all of your plants with mulch, being careful not to bury the stem. You can also use compost or green waste as a mulch.

Irrigation: Established plants will need a gallon of water twice a week. Using ½-inch hose from your water source, set up an irrigation line. For each pot, connect a length of ¼-inch hose to the line and place

it in an eight- to 10-inch circle around the plant. Space out six drip attachments on the ¼-inch hose—they are labeled for either a gallon or half gallon per hour. If they each provide one gallon of water per hour, calculate the watering time at 10 minutes twice a week. For half-gallon drips, double the time and water for 20 minutes twice a week.

Visit Fernando @green.horticulturist on Instagram and send him a message with your questions about gardening and landscaping. There is also additional information at GreenHorticulturist.com.

Suzanne Luce, a writer and mother of three, has long been a real-food enthusiast, making much of the food her family eats from scratch. She is also actively involved with Slow Food Ventura County as baker and publicist. She has worked professionally in marketing and PR and earned a bachelor’s degree in literature/writing from the University of California, San Diego.

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Gadgets Galore!

We all gotta eat!

But how each of us gets there is going to be unique. The average American spends the equivalent to two and a half years of their life in the kitchen. Isn’t it worth making sure we have the tools to get the most out of that space?

Kitchen gadgets and tools can make life much easier, or they can complicate the cooking process and take up too much valuable space. We asked cooks across North America what they use in the kitchen. Here are some things we deduced from the data we gathered.

BYTAMICHU|PHOTOBYMARIAHGREEN

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THE BASICS

We narrowed down the top 15 essential tools for every home kitchen. This is all you would need to make the majority of dishes if your kitchen space is small, if you are just starting out or if you prefer a minimalist lifestyle. These are tools you might want to get at the highest quality, so they last for many years:

1. Chef’s knife—Every kitchen needs at least one good knife.

2. Cutting board—A good wooden board harbors fewer bacteria and is nicer to your knives, but it is good to have a silicon cutting board that can go through the dishwasher if you chop a lot of meat or fish.

3. 3-quart stainless steel saucepan

4. 5-quart enamel Dutch oven

5. 12-inch cast-iron skillet (and, if you have space, a 12-inch stainless steel skillet)

6. 3-quart baking dish

7. 1 set each measuring cups and spoons

8. Baking sheet

9. Stainless steel mixing bowl set

10. Silicon spatula

11. Stainless steel cooking spatula

12. Whisk

13. Wooden spoon

14. Fine-mesh sieve or colander

15. Stainless steel box grater

Bonus gadget: Manual can opener—for emergencies.

NOTABLE GADGETS

Our respondents, who included chefs, recipe testers and home cooks, and 55% of whom cook nearly every meal at home, suggested a few other gadgets worth considering.

The Danish Whisk—Interestingly, 10% of our respondents named the Danish dough whisk over the more-familiar balloon whisk as an essential tool in their kitchens. “How can a bit of twisted metal make blending dough so easy… but it does!” says Suzanne Smith of Chatsworth

Coffee Grinder—While many respondents (81%) mentioned some form of coffee maker, 13% also discussed having a coffee grinder. Some also mentioned keeping a separate grinder for spices and seeds.

Onion Goggles—Says one anonymous respondent, “How anyone chops onions and shallots without them, I do not know.”

Manual vs. Electric—Most respondents expressed a preference for manual tools, even if an electric version is available. Some have even gotten rid of the electric device once they found that the old school tools “just work better.” Some examples are bread machines, rice cookers, can openers, the electric kettle (“the counter hog”), meat grinders and mixers.

After all, as Nicole from Connie Sue’s Confections in Fillmore says, “Your hands are the best tool in the kitchen! Allows for more evenly mixed items and adds more love into the product.”

HOW MANY COOKS IN THE KITCHEN?

After the 15 essentials, nearly every other tool or gadget in the kitchen is a bonus. Which will work best for you depends on how you use your kitchen. We found in our focus group that there are (at least) four types of cooks.

Do you find yourself in any of these categories?

No Time No Fuss

This cook makes OSD (Oh S&%t! Dinners) on the regular. Time is limited but cooking at home is still very important, so this cook utilizes frozen foods, cans, bags, boxes and jars with aplomb. They know at least 10 ways to make a casserole in under 30 minutes using canned soup and frozen chicken.

Some important gadgets and tools for this cook are the slow cooker, an Instant Pot, wine opener, electric can opener and a blender. They might value the function of an air fryer despite the space it consumes on the counter. As one anonymous respondent says, “I just got a combo pressure cooker and air fryer that has changed my life the last few weeks.”

Freestyle Creative

This cook finds cooking pleasurable, adventurous and a creative outlet. They prefer to use local, fresh ingredients and see recipes as mere suggestions that can help lead to new and exciting dishes. Dishes from this cook’s kitchen can be incredible (“I should write that down!”) or … an interesting experiment (“Well, that was different!”).

Gadgets and tools for this cook might be eclectic and vintage, either collected or passed down. There might also be things like a pepper mill, a juicer, a KitchenAid stand mixer, espresso machine, frother, immersion blender, mortar and pestle, garlic press, mandoline, a Microplane, veggie peeler, several types of pots and pans, a pasta roller and a candy thermometer.

And perhaps, a “Motoshige grater! It’s a small ceramic dish with sharp shards on top—you can hand grate anything quickly: ginger, garlic, rock salt, etc. It’s truly an amazing tool!” says survey respondent Tracey Ryder, co-founder of Edible Communities, Inc.

Recipe Fundie

Please don’t make any adaptations! This cook follows recipes to the teaspoon, so faithfully that if all the ingredients aren’t available the dish cannot be attempted. They will often pick the recipe online that has the best photo or description and won’t waiver from that attempt. Cooking can be stressful, but when dishes turn out well, there is tremendous satisfaction.

Tools for this cook might look similar to the Freestyle Creative’s, though for different reasons. They might also invest in tools that are specific to recipes that have been adopted into regular rotation.

Weekend Planner

Big-batch cooking of freezer-friendly meals is this cook’s modus operandi. Meals are planned up to a month in advance and ingredients are purchased in bulk. This cook could be a locavore or not, but is usually very organized and gets a thrill out of reheating dishes and leftovers nights.

Tools that might grace the Planner’s kitchen, besides many mentioned above, are stockpot (or full sets of pots), vacuum sealer, rice cooker, lots of glass baking/storage dishes, food processor and a Nespresso machine.

Pithivier

For a Marvelously Mysterious Medieval Brunch

BY JULIA SAN BARTOLOME

A small town in the north-central region of France is credited for the origin of a very special pastry. Pithivier is a mouthful to pronounce (in culinary school, they taught us to say “P-T-V-A”) and it refers to both the name of this quaint town and to one of the most iconic French pastries to come out of the Middle Ages. It is easy to be deceived by the simple composition and look of a pithivier. It is a simple round shape, often with scalloped edges and always with curved lines scoring the top of the pastry. At first glance there is no way of knowing what lies beneath the glazed pastry shell. Classically, pithivier is puff pastry filled with a layer of flavorful almond cream. Often, fruit is added or a more complex or savory pie is served. The possibilities are endless.

Galette des rios is another name for a pithivier, when it is served to celebrate Catholic epiphany. While pithivier can be served all year round, I find it to be the perfect addition to Easter morning. Waking up early, spreading filling and scoring puff pastry has become a family tradition. There is nothing quite like the taste unfolding of flavors and the delicate buttery flakes crackling as you work your way through a slice of a fresh-baked, centuries-old classic.

Julia San Bartolome owns Sweet Arleen’s bakery in Westlake Village and is a three-time winner of the Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars.” A Ventura resident, she has a passion for all things food related. San Bartolome holds a degree in pastry arts from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco.

Classic Pithivier

Filling:

7-ounce tube almond paste (or make your own using the recipe at right)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon salt

2 egg yolks

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)

⅓ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup whole almonds, toasted and then finely ground

1 pound pre-made puff pastry (found in the freezer section of local grocer)

To make the filling: Using a food processor fitted with the bowl and blade attachments, pulse together almond paste, butter, sugar and salt. Once ground together, add in the egg yolks and extracts. Continue to pulse and add the flour and ground almonds, mixing just until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

To construct the pithivier: Prep a baking sheet with parchment paper. Thaw the pastry sheets to refrigerator temperature as you preheat oven to 425°F. If pastry is not already cut and rolled into sheets, work it on a lightly floured surface, gently rolling each sheet until it measures 9–10 inches wide. Using the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan, cut each into a round shape. Place one round flat on the center of the prepared baking sheet. Using a small spatula, spread the almond filling thickly yet evenly across the pastry round, leaving an inch around the border.

Place the second rolled pastry round on top of the filled crust and gently press the edges together, sealing them as you would a pie crust. Chill for an hour. Then follow “How to Glaze and Bake the Pithivier.”

Savory Vegetable Pithivier

Filling:

8-ounce package cream cheese

2 teaspoons onion powder

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon dried rosemary leaves, rough chopped

¼ teaspoon celery seed (optional)

1 egg, whisked

6 medium-sized carrots

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1–2 teaspoons olive oil

8 ounces fresh spinach, or about 1 bunch

1–2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 pound pre-made puff pastry

To make the cream filling: Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream together cream cheese, herbs and spices. Once mixture is softened and smooth, add in the egg. Continue to mix, scraping down the sides, until a creamy and even texture is formed. Set aside.

To prepare the carrots: Peel carrots, then slice into ¼-inch rounds. In a medium-sized bowl, toss with salt, pepper and olive oil. Spread flat on a jelly roll pan that has been lightly oiled or prepared with parchment paper. Roast in the oven at 350°F for 20 minutes, or until just softened. Allow to cool.

To prepare the spinach: Working in a shallow pan on high flame, heat the oil and garlic. Add the fresh spinach leaves, continuously turning them with tongs, sautéing them until bright green and tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Place cooled spinach in a tea towel, wrap up and then squeeze out any excess moisture.

To construct the pithivier: Follow instructions for Classic Pithivier, but (instead of almond paste) spread ¾ of the cream cheese filling evenly across the pastry, leaving an inch around the border. Gently arrange the sautéed spinach over cheese mixture and fold remaining cream cheese together with the roasted carrots. Spoon this over the spinach layer. Then place second rolled pastry round on top, sealing the edges together. Chill before glazing and baking (as at right).

TO MAKE YOUR OWN ALMOND PASTE

1½ cups whole blanched almonds, finely ground (or blanched almond flour)

¾ cup sifted confectioner’s sugar

Pinch of salt

1 large egg white, beaten at room temperature

½ teaspoon almond extract

In a food processor, add almonds and ½ cup of the sugar and pulse until nuts are finely ground. If using the almond flour, pulse until just mixed. Do not over-process—we don’t want the paste texture yet.

Add rest of sugar and salt and pulse until just mixed.

Add egg white and extract and process until mixture becomes a paste in a clump.

Use immediately or save by forming into a 1½-inchdiameter log and wrapping in foil or waxed fabric. Store in an airtight container. Can be kept 3 months in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer.

HOW TO GLAZE AND BAKE THE PITHIVIER

Whisk together 1 egg and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl. Using a sharp paring knife, score the top of the pastry, forming a curving pinwheel design. Using a pastry brush, lightly glaze the top of the pithivier with the egg wash.

Bake on the center rack of 425°F preheated oven for about 25 minutes. Once the pastry has “puffed,” reduce heat to 375°F and bake 25–30 minutes more, until pastery is evenly golden in color. Allow the pastry to fully cool before cutting into it.

Sea Salt

How to Harvest it Like a Chef

Just as the fruit of each region is unique due to the growing environment, so is the salt. That all-important natural ingredient can be found for free here in Ventura County, as close as the nearest beach. We recently touched base with Chef Jesus Medina of Coin & Candor at Four Seasons, Westlake, to learn his technique for gathering sea salt for the finishing salt used in many of his dishes. While the method itself is simple, it is rather labor intensive and time consuming. I’ll leave it to you to decide if it is worth it to experience it at least once and learn a valuable survival skill.

LIKE A CHEF

Jesus tells us that he frequents the shores of Malibu for his salt, wading out knee deep to gather water in five-gallon buckets. With help from his team, the water is brought back to the kitchen and poured into a very large stockpot and simmered over low heat for several hours until it has evaporated. The bottom of the pot is left with a salty crust that is then shaved from the pot and transferred to storage.

AT HOME VERSION

For the at-home DIYer, it is a good idea to filter the water a few times through three or four layers of cheesecloth to get rid of sand, sediment and plant life, producing a purer salt. This shouldn’t affect the amount of salt that can be extracted.

Additionally, to avoid scraping your pots, the water can be boiled slowly down to just before all has been evaporated and the moist salt can then be spread in shallow bowls or plates and allowed to finish drying in a sunny window or outside on a sunny day. Store in a mason jar or salt cellar once it is completely dry and enjoy as a finisher on your favorite dishes.

Note: One gallon of sea water can produce anywhere from three ounces to one cup of finished salt.

WHERE TO GATHER SEA WATER: SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER

• Try to collect the water from beaches that are far from industrial areas or sewage plants. The clearer the water, the better.

• Wade out as far as you comfortably can to collect the water. If you can collect from a boat, even better.

• Check ahead for the bacteria levels in the water by checking data by the Surfrider Foundation’s Blue Water Task Force using the QR code here.

Photo by Hungry Creative Co.

WILD TACOS

WORDS AND PHOTOS BY JESS STARWOOD

Stinging nettle is a common and widespread plant that grows prolifically in the springtime. The tiny hairs that cover its stems and leaves deliver an injection of formic acid when touched—the same chemical responsible for the pain of an ant bite. But don’t let this deter you from using this tasty and incredibly nutritious and medicinal wild plant. Nettle is revered for its high levels of amino acids, protein, flavonoids and bone-building minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium and zinc—more than kale or spinach. Nettle also is known as an excellent source of vitamin K.

Nettle adds a bright and slightly earthy but savory flavor to foods. Other than tortillas, it can be added to soups, smoothies, sautéed as a cooked green or baked into savory (or even sweet!) breads and treats. It is also used as a medicinal tea for its antibacterial, antifungal, astringent and antiinflammation properties.

Jess Starwood, an herbalist, forager and chef based in Thousand Oaks, educates about wild food, herbal medicine and our natural connection to the land through what we eat. She has a master’s of science degree in herbal medicine and is the author of Mushroom Wanderland: A Forager’s Guide to Finding, Identifying and Using 25 Wild Fungi, available from JStarwood.com.

NETTLE TORTILLAS

Makes 6–8 tortillas

2 cups lightly packed nettle greens

½ cup warm water

1 cup masa harina

Pinch of sea salt

Use gloves to collect and handle stinging nettle. Prepare a bowl filled with water and ice cubes. Bring a pot of water to boil and blanch the nettle greens for 30–60 seconds. Remove nettle with tongs and add immediately into the ice water to preserve the vibrant green color. The heat denatures the needle-like stingers and they can be handled with bare hands after they have cooled. Add the nettle and water to a high-speed blender and blend until completely liquified.

Combine the masa harina with the water and 1 cup of the blended nettle and water in a mixing bowl. Mix and knead thoroughly with your hands until all the flour has been moistened, about 2 minutes. If the dough seems too dry (with little give) or too wet (too sticky), add more water or flour. Divide the dough evenly into pieces the size of a golf ball, rolling them between your palms to create spheres.

Using a tortilla press or 2 pieces of wood lined with parchment or wax paper, place each ball of dough between the sides and press firmly.

Once formed, gently place the tortilla on a preheated cast-iron skillet, comal (smooth flat griddle) or other flat cooking surface. Cook for about 20–30 seconds on each side, and repeat with the remaining dough.

Fill your warm nettle tortilla with a variety of wild spring greens, wild mushrooms and other foraged finds of the season. Pair with a prickly pear cactus margarita for a fully wild fiesta.

Nettle adds a bright and slightly earthy but savory flavor to foods. Other than tortillas, it can be added to soups, smoothies, sautéed as a cooked green or baked into savory (or even sweet!) breads and treats.

800-248-BUGS • 805-643-5407 • Ventura, CA rinconvitova.com

Aphid Control Ant Control Fly Control

VENTURA COUNTY FARMERS’ MARKETS

WEDNESDAYS

Midtown Ventura

Certi ed Farmers’ Market

Paci c View Mall (West End Parking Lot)

3301 N. Main St.

Wednesdays, 9am–1pm (rain or shine)

VCCFM.org

805-529-6266

THURSDAYS

Downtown Oxnard

Certi ed Farmers’ Market

Plaza Park, 5th St. & B St.

Thursdays, 9am–1:30pm (rain or shine)

OxnardFarmersMarket.com

805-247-0197

Ojai Community

Farmers’ Market

Chaparral Courtyard, 414 E. Ojai Ave.

Thursdays, 3–7pm

OjaiCommunityFarmersMarket.com

661-491-0257

Thousand Oaks

Certi ed Farmers’ Market

The Oaks Shopping Center (East End Parking Lot)

Wilbur Rd. & Oaks Mall Dr.

Thursdays, noon–5pm (rain or shine)

VCCFM.org

805-529-6266

FRIDAYS

Santa Paula

Certi ed Farmers’ Market

Santa Paula Train Depot, 200 N. 10th St. Fridays 3–7pm EnrichedFarms.com

Simi Valley

Certi ed Farmers’ Market Civic Center Plaza, 2757 Tapo Canyon Rd. Fridays, 11am–3:30pm (rain or shine) Facebook.com/SimiValleyMarket

805-643-6458

SATURDAYS

Agoura Hills

At Whizin Market Square 28914 Roadside Dr. Saturdays, 9am–2pm @ccfminc

Camarillo Hospice

Certi ed Farmers’ Market 2220 Ventura Blvd., Old Town

Saturdays, 8am–noon (rain or shine)

CamarilloFarmersMarket.com

805-987-3347

Downtown Ventura

Certi ed Farmers’ Market

«NEW LOCATION! «

200 Block of Main Street

From Palm to Mission Park

Saturdays, 8:30am–noon (rain or shine) VCCFM.org | 805-529-6266

SUNDAYS

Ojai

Certi ed Farmers’ Market

Behind the Arcade at 300 E. Matilija St.

Sundays, 9am–1pm (rain or shine)

OjaiCerti edFarmersMarket.com

805-698-5555

Moorpark

Certi ed Farmers’ Market

450 E. High St.

Sundays, 9am–2pm

EnrichedFarms.com | 818-699-6204

Community Market

At Oxnard College

Campus Parking Lot

Sundays 8am–3pm

Maria_olivares2@my.vcccd.edu

Channel Islands Harbor

Farmers’ Market

Marine Emporium Landing

3350 S. Harbor Blvd., Oxnard

Sundays, 10am–2pm (rain or shine)

RawInspiration.org | 818-591-8161

Saticoy

Certi ed Farmers’ Market

Saticoy Park

11321 Violeta St.

First Sundays only, 10am–2pm saticoyfarmersmarket.org

Westlake Village

Farmers’ Market

2797 Agoura Rd.

Sundays, 10am–2pm (rain or shine)

RawInspiration.org

818-591-8161

WEEKENDS

Ventura College Foundation

Weekend Marketplace

Ventura College East Parking Lot

Corner of Telegraph Rd. & Day Rd.

Saturdays & Sundays, 8am–2pm

VenturaCollegeFoundation.org

This list was updated February 2023. As details do change, please contact the markets for the latest info.

edible ojai & ventura county

Local Guide to Good Eats & Drinks

To join the guide, contact us at ads@edibleventuracounty.com

All Things Tea

European teahouse with certi ed Tea Specialist. Specialty loose-leaf teas from the nest plantations and gardens around the world. Cream Tea, Afternoon Tea and High Tea.

In Paseo Camarillo Center | 300 N. Lantana St., #37 | Camarillo | 805-445-8327 | Tea-Liteful.com

Bobbi’s Mexican Food

Family owned and operated (same family) since 1974. All recipes are made from scratch every day, all meats are slowly braised, simmered and cooked and hand shredded. Chips are handmade and deep fried twice daily.

302 N Lantana St., Ste. 45 | Camarillo | 805-484-0103 | BobbisMexicanFood.com

Onyx Bistro

Woman owned and operated, serving a casual but re ned seasonal menu made with locally sourced ingredients and paired with local craft beer and wine. Indoor and outdoor seating, live music on weekends, and brunch o ered Sundays.

2390 Las Posas Rd. Suite H | Camarillo 805-991-7356 | onyxbistrocamarillo.com

saavedrasolutions.com

@saavedra.solutions

CAMARILLO

I help restaurant owners to establish structure and culture for consistency, profitability, and team success, without sacrificing sanity.

Pixie Saavedra - Restaurant Consultant

SANTA PAULA

Anna’s Ciders and Santa Paula Brewing Co.

Hard Cider Tasting Room in Downtown Santa Paula. Familyowned craft cider company producing dry & refreshing ciders. We serve food on our outdoor patio and are family friendly.

801 E. Main St. | Santa Paula | AnnasCider.com.

CONEJO VALLEY

Coin & Candor at Four Seasons

Westlake Village

A seasonally inspired California brasserie featuring sophisticated casual indoor and outdoor space with stunning views of the Santa Monica Mountains. The menu presents locally sourced dishes that incorporate wood- red cooking techniques.

2 Dole Dr. | Westlake Village | 818-575-3044 | CoinAndCandor.com

NEWBURY PARK/OXNARD

Ox & Ocean

Tying into the unique make up of California, Ox & Ocean serves locally sourced produce and seafood fresh from Oxnard’s plains and sea, celebrating a diverse in uence and distinct avors in an elegant, yet approachable fashion.

2101 Mandalay Beach Rd. | Oxnard | 805-984-2500 | OxandOcean.com.

The Wine Closet

Wine lounge in Old Town Camarillo, featuring unique wines, craft beers, small plates, lunch and dinner. Weekly happy hours and featured wine tastings. Indoor and outdoor seating. The specialty market o ers retail sales of ne wines, craft brews, artisan cheeses and charcuterie. 2423 Ventura Blvd. | Camarillo | 805-746-5708 | WineClosetInc.com

FILLMORE

Roan Mills Bakery

California’s rst land-to-loaf bakery, Roan Mills grows the wheat, mills the our, bakes the bread and makes the pasta. Stop in at their bakery in historic downtown Fillmore and taste the di erence.

411 Central Ave. | Fillmore | RoanMills.com

Freda’s Wood-Fired Pizza

Delicious NY-style and brick oven pizzas, sandwiches and salads. Dining, catering, pickup/ delivery—and with two mobile wood- red ovens, we can bring the party to you!

3835 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Westlake Village

Ragamuffin

Coffee Roasters

Family owned and operated co ee shop and bakery with ethically sourced co ee, gluten-free pastries and excellent service.

111 N. Reino Rd. | Newbury Park 805-375-9000 | 550 Collection Blvd., Ste. 130 | Oxnard | 805-278-5837 | Ragamu nRoasters.com

VENTURA

Baja Bay Surf N Taco

Food with farm to table fresh ingredients, working with local suppliers, handmade fresh tortillas daily for gourmet tacos.

1567 Spinnaker Dr. #104 | Ventura | 805-535-4160 | IG @ Bajabaysurfntaco_

Paradise Pantry

SIMI VALLEY

Nectar of the Dogs Wine

Brand new wine tasting room on the west end of Simi Valley. Wines sourced locally in California with a portion of sales donated to local nonpro t dog rescue organizations.

791 Chambers Ln. Suite 110 | Simi Valley 702-275-0482 | NectaroftheDogsWine.com

NABU Wines

A member of the Malibu Coast wine trail, NABU makes wine from Napa Valley to the Malibu Coast. Live music and wine tasting every Saturday & Sunday noon–6pm.

2649 Townsgate Rd. | Westlake Village | 818-835-3704 | NabuWines.com

CATERING

Private Chef Robin

Robin Goldstein is a California chef who works her culinary magic combining unique avors and seasonal ingredients with classic techniques inspired by her extensive travel around the Mediterranean.  PrivateChefRobin.com

The Cave Restaurant & Ventura Wine Co.

Sip, Dine, Shop, Wine Taste. Full Service Restaurant. 40 Wines by the Taste or Glass. Retail Wine Shop. Wine Club

4435 McGrath St., Ste. 301 | Ventura | 805-642-9449 | TheCaveVentura.com

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Food with a local emphasis, including great sandwiches, salads, mac ‘n’ cheese, gourmet goodies, a cheese counter and an extensive wine shop. Diners can also enjoy craft beers, wines by the glass or wine ights.

222 E. Main St. | Ventura | 805-641-9440 | ParadisePantry.com

Ventura Spirits

Since 2011, using the natural and agricultural bounty of California’s Central Coast to hand craft novel and delicious spirits.

3891 N. Ventura Ave. | Ventura | 805-232-4313 | VenturaSpirits.com

Poseidon Brewing Company

A small, local, veteran-owned craft brewery making a variety of beer styles. Visit the tasting room or take a growler to go.

5777 Olivas Park Dr., Ste. Q | Ventura | 805-477-0239 | PoseidonBrewingCo.com

WHAT’S GROWIN’ ON IN SPRING

Asparagus

Artichokes

Blueberries

Broccoli raab

Celery

Cherries (late spring)

Fuerte Avocados

Grapefruit

Green garlic

Lemons

Lettuces

Loquats

Microgreens

Miner’s lettuce

Nopales

Pea Shoots & greens

Pixies

Strawberries

HERBS

Chives

Dill

Lemongrass

Oregano

Parsley

Rosemary Sage

Thyme

FROM THE SEA

Anchovies

Black cod

Halibut

Mussels

Rockfish

Spot Prawns

OTHER Eggs

Fresh flowers

Honey

Olives, olive oil

Potted plants

Veggie starts

Preserves & jams

Avo Margarita

Recipe and photo by Zachari Dunes

Locally, fuerte avocados are available this spring. Grab one from your nearest farmers’ market and give this California agave-based cocktail a try.

2 ounces Ventura Spirits YOLO-CA Agave Spirit

¾ ounce Giffard banana liqueur

½ ounce lime juice

¾ ounce Avo Syrup (recipe below)

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until cold. Serve over crushed ice in glass of choice.

Avo Syrup

1 ripe avocado

Juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon agave nectar

Pinch of salt

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Keeps for about 3 days in refrigerator.

Ricardo Cubias, director of food and beverage at Zachari Dunes, is responsible for the resort’s beverage program, including its restaurant Ox & Ocean. With extensive wine knowledge and culinary roots, he enjoys marrying flavors in all parts of the restaurant.

Discrimination against marginalized groups in agriculture negatively affects all Americans by limiting the opportunities for farmers, workers, and consumers.

AFT is raising up diverse voices in agriculture, because we believe diversity contributes to a more resilient agricultural system, a stronger economy, and a more equitable society.

At American Farmland Trust, we believe agriculture is strengthened through diversity.