Hello from Southern California! If you like tacos, kimchi, seasonal produce, and bright flavors, you’re in the right place.
Every Friday, I share California Cuisine recipes to inspire you, no matter where you live in the world. A warm shout-out to my 200 subscribers who live in California! Thanks for supporting your local girl!
Sunny Southern California has a climate much like the Mediterranean. There is a long growing season for fresh fruits and vegetables like avocados, citrus, dates, eggplant, figs, grapes, herbs, olives, peppers, strawberries, and tomatoes. Farmers’ markets run year-round.
And did you know that California is the most racially diverse state in the U.S. with no single ethnic majority? The food here reflects that! There are Asian, Middle Eastern, Latino, and Pacific Rim influences. It makes for a beautiful jumble of flavors, like in my series, Salads & Sips for 2.
All paid subscribers receive a special gift in May: my new ebook, Sunny Weather Mocktails! In it, I share 8 of my favorite zero-proof summertime sippers, perfect for the upcoming season. Won’t you join us? Upgrade and get your copy!
Life in SoCal
What’s it like living in Southern California? It’s not sunshine and tacos all the time, lol, but it’s close. We are fortunate to have so many wonderful things to eat, places to visit, and beautiful weather, especially this time of year.
I had the absolute pleasure of touring the historical Betty Crocker House in San Diego County a couple of weeks ago (yes, that is her pool and kitchen below). What a treasure! I’ll share more in an upcoming San Diego travel post.
Also, I spatchcocked and grilled a 15-pound turkey! This one had been taking up real estate in my freezer since November (a local grocery store heavily discounts turkeys around the holidays - I’m talking 48 cents/pound!). Because popsicle season is fast approaching, I need the room in my freezer. So, we enjoyed a week of turkey meat!
Two bits of news that you don’t want to miss:
Free Workshop
If you are a food writer, recipe developer, or just plain curious, Rebecca Blackwell, Kelsey Erin Shipman, and I are teaching a workshop together: Creative Recipe Writing: How to Write Recipes with Voice, Humor, and Story.
In a crowded, same-same online world riddled with untested AI recipes, we want to help you and your human-produced recipes stand out! We’ll talk about the how and why, plus provide practical tips and next steps.
Join us Thursday, May 21, 10 am Pacific/1 pm Eastern. The workshop is free!
Sunday Prep series
Have you seen my new Sunday Prep video series? The videos are short (around a minute long) and highlight things to prep on Sunday to help get your week off to a calmer start, at least in the kitchen.
There’s a Sunday Prep section in all my monthly menu plans, and these short videos give you a taste of that! Watch all the videos on Substack Notes or YouTube.
Nachos, all month!
Okay, let’s get to the food series this month. It’s all about nachos! These aren’t your run-of-the-mill ground beef and tortilla chips nachos (no disrespect to those, I love them, too).
I realize that some of you outside the U.S. may be wondering: what exactly are nachos?
Nachos are an appetizer born in Mexico, popularized in Texas, and now loved everywhere in the U.S. Typically, the components are crispy tortilla chips layered with melted cheese, sliced jalapenos, and salsa. Depending on regional and personal preferences, other additions can include pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole, black olives, cooked ground beef, pork carnitas, shredded chicken, or seafood.
The tortilla chips are the vehicle to transport all the delicious toppings from the plate to your mouth!
While nachos are technically an appetizer, we often make a meal out of them by including protein and veggies. It’s not just “girl dinner,” but “guy dinner” as well!
When our kids were still living at home, my husband made nachos for dinner when it was “dad’s night to cook.” His version was assembled on a platter and more like a layered dip with refried beans, ground beef, onions, tomatoes, black olives, and topped with cheese. Tortilla chips, sour cream, and salsa were served on the side.
The kids still love “dad’s nachos!”
As much as I enjoy our family’s nostalgic version, I’m taking a different approach to them this month. The super fun nachos I put together are influenced by all the different cultures represented in California Cuisine, as you will soon see!
Recipes
Chicken Caesar Salad Nachos
Caesar salad has been around for over 100 years now, but did you know it was a California restaurant owner who created it? Caesar Cardini lived in San Diego and operated restaurants in both San Diego and Tijuana, a town just over the border in Mexico.
Cardini’s restaurant in Tijuana was a draw for Southern Californians and Hollywood celebrities who gladly crossed the border to experience fine dining and alcoholic drinks, especially during the Prohibition Era in the U.S., when it was illegal to produce, buy, or sell alcohol.
On a busy Fourth of July weekend, Cardini ran low on ingredients and creatively threw together a salad of romaine lettuce, garlic, Parmesan, croutons, eggs, and Worcestershire sauce. It was fresh, savory, and full of umami. Patrons loved it, and it quickly became a bestselling dish.
Today, Caesar salad can be found on just about any restaurant menu in the U.S. There are many iterations of it now, with additional ingredients and proteins added. My family really loves a good Caesar salad, so it was a no-brainer to make it into nachos!
These delicious nachos are built on a base of crunchy, sturdy kettle-cooked chips (sub in whatever kind you prefer). Chicken, two kinds of cheese, and anchovies are added and baked just until the cheese is melty. Once it comes out of the oven, thinly shredded Romaine tossed in homemade Caesar dressing is piled on top.
A shower of extra Parm and a squeeze of lemon make these chef’s kiss delish!
Homemade Caesar Dressing
While you can certainly purchase bottled Caesar dressing, and I do as well on occasion, the homemade version tastes far superior and is surprisingly easy to make!
Traditionally, a Caesar dressing includes raw egg, but I’m opting for mayonnaise instead. This way, the dressing keeps a little longer with less chance of spoilage. Everything gets stirred together in a large measuring cup. It’s really that easy!
The result? A creamy, dreamy Caesar dressing that is garlicky and delicious!
Good Reads
Have you learned about some of your favorite things from the recommendation of a friend or acquaintance? I have too! And that’s why I am sharing about some of the food writers I met at a food writers’ retreat a couple of months ago. I’ve written previously about some of them here, here, here, and here.
In addition to having a wonderful time, great food, and delicious drinkies at the retreat, I also met women who are well-versed, longtime creators in food-related industries like food photography, professional baking, and culinary arts. These lovelies are ladies I now call friends, and I encourage you to read and subscribe to their work.
Kristen Hess | Artful Gourmet is a food photographer and food stylist who has worked in the industry for many years. She shares her camera and styling tips, as well as her recipes, in her newsletter Artful Gourmet.
Mindy Crosato is the owner of Decadent Creations, a bakery near Portland, Oregon, and is the winner of Food Network’s Chopped, Season 23. Mindy taught at our retreat about scaling in business, plus led us in fun improvisational out-of-the-box exercises to help us think differently.
Rachel Ciordas is a long-time chef, culinary instructor, gluten-free restaurant educator, and recipe developer who specializes in gluten-free recipes. She also has a catalog of on-demand workshops to help you navigate GF cooking and baking in her newsletter, Next Level Gluten Free.
Tell Me
Ok, friends, I want to hear all about your favorite nachos! What do you like to include?
Coming next week: Holly Coppedge and I have put together a nacho dinner party just for you! Definitely don’t miss this one! See you next Friday.
