Monday, March 29, 2010

new friends, old friends and KCRW's Good Food??

(not edible, but really pretty!)

(Joel explaining the wonderful world of wild plants to Eddie and Harriet)

About a month ago, we had an amazing class at the store called Foraged Foods: identification and preparation. Naturalist and friend Joel Robinson foraged foods from our local wild places and i taught a cooking class with these tasty ingredients....i have to admit, this was an awesome class for not only Joel and i, but it has also caught the attention of some other big foodies in Southern California.
Just this past Thursday, Joel was interviewed by beloved KCRW foodie show Good Food for our class and he gave an in-depth tour and tasting of wild Santa Ana to new friends Eddie Lin and Harriet Ells...i got to cameo a little demo on making a wild salad too!!

(wild radish-SUPER beautiful and very fragrant)

Throughout Joel's tour of our parking lot, Park Santiago and the Santiago neighborhood, i not only got a much needed break from the day-to-day "store-life" that i am usually consumed in but i was able to appreciate the beauty and wonder that is literally within block of my home....it is so easy to forget the wonder of nature around you when you are constantly working.
But even more, i really cherished that i could take a few moments from my day and have an adventure with friends: 1 whom i have been trying to do a walk/spend time with (Joel) and two new friends whom i shared a child-like experience of wonder and amazement in finding new treasures to eat! as i sit here and write, i am thankful that my little store has allowed me the opportunity to know such amazing people...i love how the world works!

here are some images from our adventure:

(we demoed this wild green in a salad)

(Black Sage right outside the entrance to Park Santiago)

(loquats! right outside a church in the Santiago neighborhood)

(recording in the church yard-lots quieter!)

our next Foraged Foods class will be on April 25, we also do a Wild Weeds Walk around Santa Ana with Caroline Colesworthy every 3rd Saturday of the month

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