Red pepper soup with yogurt & cilantro, FARRO HOW TO COOK IT, Ratatouille with cornbread, no heat chili with chickpeas and fava beans, cornbreads and oatmeal cookies PHOTOS!!

Abbot Kinney Blvd., in Venice CA. ( early morning)..an upandcoming area that every first Friday evening of the month is packed with thousands of people and food trucks! All the stores, bars and restaurants stay open late. It is THE place to be on the westside. (In the early 1900's a man called Abbot Kinney designed the area to represent Venice, complete with canals and gondolas, the wide streets seen in Venice are the original canals). Once a refuge for struggling artists it is now popular with movie/rock stars, some of whom have second homes here.

I have been staying in Venice CA for the past few weeks, and today we had rain for the first time in months!!!

it only lasted 2 minutes but it did feel so good..big rain drops from a monsoon flow from Mexico.

It has made Los Angeles quite humid but it was well worth it.

The menu for tomorrow is a simple and varied one, celebrating the American South West and The south of France, utilising the  best of Summer produce of course:


The soups are :

Red bell pepper with cilantro

Miso with  greens and chickpeas ( Miso is a great base for any soup, just add it at the end of cooking the vegetables and don't allow the soup to boil again, for a depth of flavor that is wonderful)

The entrees are both served with  white corn, cornbread

South west style no heat chili with chickpeas, cilantro, bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic, onion, celery, zucchini, garden peas, carrots, cumin, fava beans, and bay leaf.
This is served with steamed  (whole grain) farro ( a type of wheat) and cornbread ( made with white corn and coconut oil)

Steamed Farro grains...I love this grain..it doesn't stick like rice, and remains plump and tender. I cook it as with brown rice 2 parts water to 1part grain. Wash the farro well in running water, then place in a heavy bottomed pan, cover with fresh water and a tight fitting lid, bring to boil then reduce heat to very low and cook lidded until all water is evaporated. Cool on a cookie sheet, I find the best way to cook this is in a rice cooker. It is also a grain you have to chew well, so this is a meal that takes time, you may also add it to soups and salads.

From Provence....Ratatouille with red and yellow bell peppers, tomato, garlic, eggplant, zucchini, white wine, herbes d'Provence..also served with cornbread

The 2 salads a new potato with lime and yogurt 

Tomato & egg with capers and onion in a lemon dressing


Dessert is
American raisin-pecan oatmeal cookies...soft insides and yet crispy on the outside. ..served with a good cup of coffee or glass of milk these are also great with ice cream, served as an ice cream sandwich.