Week 9: Western Region

Tuesday, August 04, 2009

2 of 5 of this week’s participants live in areas that are in the midst of a heat wave, so there are a lot of salads this week. Can’t say I blame them, I’d be doing the same exact thing!

Joan of Old Dog…New Tricks is sweltering in Portland with 100 degree plus weather, so hasn’t felt like cooking at all. Instead, she has eaten out or made salads. She tells us about one of her favorites, a beautiful Caprese salad made with mostly local ingredients.

Anita of Married…with Dinner found herself inspired by a local fishmonger, who offered fishes that were caught off of Monterey, which she bought and fried whole. Served with a chili-tamarind sauce, it was a thing of beauty.

Laura of (not so) Urban Hennery joins us again this week. She’s also in the midst of a heat wave and has been trying to eat without cooking, but found the time when she got a break from the heat (all the way down to the 80’s!) to make a nice pasta sauce with all homegrown ingredients. Looks divine!

Beany from The Middle Way changed gears a bit this week and made a local breakfast scrambled eggs, bread, fried potatoes and a strawberry smoothie. I can’t think of a tastier way to start the morning!

Kathleen of Our Life in the Country had company over and made a veritable local feast of BBQ lamb, roasted beets and other veggies topped with a vinaigrette and goat cheese, another local salad, rosemary bread and dipping sauce, and finishing with melon for dessert.

I’m hoping the heat breaks so my West coast people can get some needed relief!