My thoughts and prayers are with Prescott, AZ and all the fallen firefighters

I have close ancestral ties to the area of Verde Valley, AZ.

I am very saddened by your great loss of 19 firefighters yesterday, who died doing their job.

It is an Awful & Heartbreaking


  I am sending you love and light as I am sure is the rest of the world, Sincerely John Nigel

It is worse than I  thought, I originally thought they had only lost 14, but the numbers turned out to be 19.
I am absolutely stunned and very sorry for their loss

Beating the heat, Enjoying the GOOD LIFE..GREAT IDEA HERE FOR SUMMER COOLER

Here is something almost new and definitely needed in Los Angeles right now..we are experiencing many days of extreme heat, with day time temps over the 90f's and breaking a lot of records too.

It is a cross between a sorbet and a granita, and only contains fresh fruit or vegetables, nothing is added.

The result is summer by the  spoonful..and it can only be made and eaten in the height of summer..how is that for decadence?!

in the shade

Mush, Mush to the rescue

I am calling it MUSH..nothing glamorous, although some witty restaurant owner will think of something.
An odd and unassuming name for something that will "blow your socks off" and have you scrambling for more fruit all summer.

The recipe, well not really a recipe, more just tips;

This is what  I call MUSH MUSH for Summer:


For Dessert type MUSH

find the most perfectly ripe/or ripen at home (remember strawberries do not ripen once picked) summer fruit;
Strawberries, melons, raspberries, pears, blueberries,
oranges, stone fruit ( plums, peaches, nectarines).
remove all pits-stones.
Then chop the fruit small and process of blend until semi-smooth-a little chunky.
Do not puree and do not add any sugar or alcohol..this is just pure fresh fruit.


Place in sealable plastic bags or containers and put in freezer, every 4 hours run a spoon though it (container) or squish with hands.
It has to be served in a semi-frozen state and is almost like a sugar-free granita.
Delicious with cream or live yogurt, and because it is not cooked it is still full of all it's minerals and vitamins.

Serve semi-frozen melon and oranges in their frozen rind shells.
For oranges leave the membranes and pulse until very smooth (extra fiber).

For vegetables..make a "Virgin Mary by using tomatoes and celery in same way, adding Worcestershire sauce & etc.

This Has to  be eaten in summer as in it's semi-frozen state it is fresher tasting and more nutritious it cannot be made with frozen fruit for the same results..go ahead let your imagination roam and eat more fresh fruit vegetables and summer fruit at their peak in season.

 And stay cool!

Salad daze of Summer,,potato-green chili, ratatouille with couscous, tabouleh, walnut yam with Swiss Chard, Asian Slaw Photos and tips

We are right now in the middle of our hottest week of the year and it has been breaking years old records all around Los Angeles.

With this in mind, I am preparing several dishes that can be served as a warm or room temperature salad..the choice will be my client's.

The menu for tomorrow Tuesday:

Carrot & zucchini soup serve warm or chilled

Ratatouille with carrots, bell peppers, zucchini, mini tomatoes, red onion, eggplant, and lavender with wholewheat couscous.
 again serve at room temp or warmed up

Veggie burger with own made sourdough caraway rolls, chili-potato salad and tomatoes


Tabbouleh also with green Chili-potato salad

A Swiss chard, walnut and yam with cantaloupe, tomato and mango salad.


The sides:

Green beans with beets

Asian slaw with almonds


The Bread is caraway whole wheat with bran

The cookies are M&M's Trail mix oatmeal

Here is the menu and photos so far, all the tomatoes are my own grown...

previous 2 the carrot and zucchini soup

Cooked beets for the green bean and beets side dish

Cooked starchy potatoes for the green chili-potato salad

Fresh cantaloupe, tomatoes and mango salad for the Yams, Swiss chard & yam,walnut salad

Ratatouille..serve at room temp or warm with wholewheat couscous

Ratatouille cooling

Caraway sourdough rolls for the veggie burgers and a loaf

M&M's & Trail Mix oatmeal cookies

Green chili-Potato salad with the Vegetable burgers and the tabbouleh  salad