When I found out that potatoes are loaded with pesticides, I have resorted to eating only organic potatoes now. Because potatoes are root vegetables, they soak in more chemicals then other produce. Over 40 toxic pesticides are used on potatoes and most of these pesticides are linked to chronic side effects such as cancer, disruption in endocrine and reproductive system.
Conventional potatoes can be really cheap at maybe a few dollars for a 5 pound bag. So when I saw these organic potatoes at Raley’s (Nob Hill) for only $3.50 per bag, it was a bargain. I usually get my organic potatoes from Trader Joe’s, but even their russet potatoes were at $4 per bag.
The best thing of all is that these potatoes taste so much better then Trader Joe’s variety. The bag stated “russet potatoes”, but it was much smaller and the skin was lighter too. Almost reminded me of those Yukon Gold potatoes. The skin was also very thin and not that bad to eat either.
These potatoes are almost sweet and has just the right texture. I usually steam my potatoes to make salad. Tuna, chicken or beans is a good addition to potato salad. I also like to add them to Thai curry, bean soups, or baked with Italian herbs. Or just steam and eat with Dijon mustard. It’s a much healthier snack then potato chips!
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Back in 2008, I voted for Prop 1A in California’s ballot. It was for building a high speed rail in California. The proposition would authorizing $9.95 billion in general obligation bonds for building a high speed rail project.
The years went by and I have not heard anything more of it. But now it was recently reported that California will receive $2.25 billion in federal economic stimulus funds to develop a high-speed rail line.
The high speed train will run from Anaheim to San Francisco. The projected cost is about $42 billion and trains would be traveling with speeds up to 450 miles in no more than 2 hours, 40 minutes. Other extensions to San Diego and Sacramento are planned.
This is what the train will look like. I wish the color combination was different. Maybe silver and white. Photo from Wired magazine.
There will also be 13 other rail corridors planned which includes a Midwest line from Chicago to St. Louis. And also one in Florida running from Tampa to Orlando. What I want is a rail train that runs from Miami to Washington, D.C. I think high speed rail would be great for commuters and other travelers too.
I can imagine this would make traveling much easier for many people. Especially for the tourist who want to visit California. Imagine visiting the beaches of San Diego in the morning and then crossing the Golden Gate by evening. The only thing I have to get used to is not being able to see the beautiful scenery California has to offer. From the valley and farmlands to the coastal view. And at this fast speed, it’ll would seem like life is just passing by in an instant.
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These pretty little flowers are call vygie (sounds like jiggy). It’s a blooming kind of succulent plant without thorns - unlike cactus. In California, I’ve seen them grown in rock gardens and also used as ground cover in parking lots.
These were my vygies from last summer. They have survived the cold weather, but no blossoms yet. Probably in spring or summer. They are completely easy to grow and propagate too. And best of all they are drought tolerant plants so require very little water. The bright colorful flowers are the best part of this plant.
There are 1700 species of this plant and a large percentage of them are found in South Africa. I like the colorful type with bright flowers.
Oscularia species The plant flowers en masse in Fall & the blooms nearly obscure the foliage! Grows in less than perfect soil with minimal water & always looks great! - Annie’s
Annie’s Annuals and Perrenials, a seed and plant nursery in Richmond, California has many type of vygie available for sale. Many of them look like ice plants with many bright blossoms.
I love the little description they give of the plants too. If I am ever in the area, I will have to stop by and pick out some nice plants - especially the vygies!
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When I first heard about Silk Moon Gallery, I really wanted to visit the place. They are located in Sebastopol, just north of San Francisco. It has been years since I’ve made any trips up to that part of the state. So maybe when the weather gets better a day trip will be in order.
Beautiful jewel colors of Lao silk. Artistic composition of the objects taken by American Jon on Flickr.
I have always been in awe of the beautiful patterns found in traditional Lao/Thai silk skirts and shawls. It could be that I come from a family of silk weavers. My grandmother was very talented in silk weaving and design. As my maternal grandmother raised her own silkworms. I was told she loved them like they were her children. Hopefully someday I will be lucky enough to learn the art of weaving as well.
Here are other things you can do with Lao silk. They are suppose to be lotus blossom, an important flower in Buddhist celebration. I took this photo at a Lao Buddhist temple in northern California.
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Chayote (pronouced cha-yoh-teh) have become more common in the vegetable stalls here in California.
The name Chayote or chocho derived from Mexico (Spanish). In the southern U.S. states, they are commonly eaten and known as mirliton or vegetable pear. Chayote are cultivated in California, Florida, and Louisiana.
The inside of a chayote looks like - the seed is the best part. It is very nutty and creamy. It’s always a treat to open up a chayote and find a huge seed in the middle.
I don’t know if it’s a fruit or vegetable. When seen hanging from the vine, it’s more like a fruit. It’s from the gourd family that also consist of melons, cucumbers and squash.
Some think chayote taste like a potato and can be bland. But I think it has an interesting flavor, like a mix of cucumber and zucchini squash. It is full of vitamin C and other nutrients.
Chayote can also be eaten raw. It’s slightly crunchy. Just shred and mix with a bit of salt, lemon juice, and chili peppers. Chayote can also be added to stir-fry, to retain it’s crisp taste, do not overcook. The list of cooking with chayote can include baking and pickling as well.
All parts of this plant can be eaten, from the leaves to the root. The leaves are also used to make tea. But I’ve never tried eating anything beside the fruit. I like chayote so much, I just steam them and eat as it.
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In 2010, California becomes the first state to ban trans fat from restaurants and bakeries. While New York and Boston have similar laws.
I have stopped eating many food that contain trans fat. Trans fat raises your bad LDL cholesterol and lowers your good HDL cholesterol. Trans fat is also called hydrogenated fats. It’s usually added to processed and packaged baked goods to extend shelf life. More money in seller’s pocket, bad health for consumer.
Last time I was at the grocery store and picked up a box of “Butter Croissant”. But soon put it back when the the ingredients listed partially hydrogenated oil instead.
This is the way a croissant should be made, with real butter! It’s great as sandwich bread or with a bit of jam. Photo from Gunn’s Bakery.
Trans fat (hydrogenated oil) has been disguise as “healthy” fat substitute for a long time. The commonly used butter substitute is margarine and Crisco.
We have been mislead to think it’s better then butter. We are much better off cooking with real butter or lard (popular in Mexican food) then with margarine. And it taste better too!
Here is an excerpt of “The Skinny on Fats” written by Mary G. Enig, PhD and Sally Fallon:
” Instead of being eliminated, trans fats are incorporated into cell membranes as if they were cis fats—your cells actually become partially hydrogenated! Once in place, trans fatty acids with their misplaced hydrogen atoms wreak havoc in cell metabolism because chemical reactions can only take place when electrons in the cell membranes are in certain arrangements or patterns, which the hydrogenation process has disturbed.”
Trans fat lead to poor health such as heart disease and other metabolism problems. To have a healthier lifestyle, please avoid consuming trans fat.
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Luckily we live in an area (California), where many varieties of fresh mushrooms are available throughout the year. But I’m not sure if those living in the eastern parts of the U.S. have the same selections as we do here. I would assume they do, since all kinds of exotic produce is being shipped from around the world now.
When I am at the market, my first choice is always the crimini. Crimini (also call baby Bella) are young versions of portabello. And if I plan on picking some mushrooms up for Mom, I tend to look at the Oyster, Enoki, and Shitake. But the simple white button mushroom is almost always past up.
Yet now I love the simple white button mushrooms. Especially since I found out about how nutritious and good they are in comparison to the other varieties. Not to mention they are much cheaper too!
A while back, a team of French researcher at the Institut National de la Recherche Agrinomique found that the free radical scavenging ability of the white button mushroom was equivalent, if not higher, than that of the other popular Japanese mushrooms.
The researchers also found that the body of the mushroom contained a higher concentration of anti-oxidants than the stalk.
Here is a photo of Enoki mushrooms. They are cute little mushrooms with long skinny stalks. Photo from Mushroom.net.
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Natal plum is a thorny evergreen shrub or small tree. They are usually grown for landscaping in warmer parts of the U.S. If you snap a branch or stem, you’ll find milky white sap (it is perfectly safe to touch). The best part of this shrub is the lovely fragrant white star shaped flower and fruit.
Other varieties have scientific names including Carissa Grandilflora, Carissa Macrocarpa, and Carissa Carandas. The shrub originates from South Africa.
Photo by Marco Shmidt of Wikimedia Common.
I have seen these grown as landscaping shrubs widely in the coastal part of southern California. The flowers have a fragrant similar to gardenia and jasmine. Some even think it smells like orange blossoms.
These are also found grown as landscaping plants in Disneyland (LA) and popular in Hawaii too.
Photo 1: Carissa Macrocarpa, image source.
Photo 2: Carissa Carandas (fruit), image source.
Photo 3: Image Source.
The fruits are the size of plums and are bright red. The fruits are edible and usually made into a sauce that taste similar to sweet cranberries.
I wish I knew the fruits were edible while I was living in southern California. I would have gathered a basketful and learn to make sauce or jams with them.
The shrub (Carissa Carandas) is very popular in Indian cooking. The green fruits are pickled, the ripen fruits are used to make chutney, tarts, and pudding. The roots are used in Ayurvedic medicine and useful in treatment of stomach disorders along with other ailments.
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When I visited Blackberry Farm recently, I didn’t realize the community garden was actually part of Santa Clara County Master Gardner’s Program.
Pretty purple tip Dahlia.
It just happen to be located near the Blackberry Farm. And the berry farm isn’t really a farm, just like Knott’s Berry Farm isn’t a real farm either. It’s more of a summertime recreational center with a swimming pool. No wonder it’s been close for the season and there weren’t much people around. But most of all I wanted to share more photos from McClellan Ranch Community Garden and creek in Cupertino, California.
Lonely lopsided Halloween pumpkin.
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M and I visited Blackberry Farm in Cupertino, CA. It reminded me of the blackberry farm in Pescadero. Except we were not near the ocean. But it was nicely tucked in amongst the suburbs. And the entrance was free, plus eating tangy blackberries optional. There was also a small creek that ran through the park, complete with river rocks too.
The best part of this farm was the community garden and the local 4H club animal farm. There were even some real live bee hives! Even though I love bees, I was still very scared to get too close to the hives. Maybe if I had a bee suit.
The 4 H club had many animals. But I was particularity interested in the goats. There are three different breeds of goats, diary goats, meat goats, and other dual purpose (fiber) goats. There were goats with small ears and some with big ears. The small ears one were called La Mancha and the big floppy ears named Nubian. The La Mancha are a medium sized breed, developed in the USA from goats of Spanish origin. They are known to have an excellent dairy temperament (good for producing goat milk). And these La Mancha are considered to be very friendly, naturally healthy and sturdy animals.
My favorite type of goats was the Pygmy goat. They are small and cute. Pygmy goats are one of the most popular breed for meat, but now are more popular as pet. They are small goats of African origin. This one in the middle (looking at camera) let me pet it’s chin for the longest time! I would love to have Pygmy goats as pet some day. As well as other goats for the milk.
