excuses, excuses...

Apologies for the silence around here. I promise that I am still working on my Philly recap. Actually, I can't lie, I haven't started it yet, but I promise I am totally thinking about it. 

One of my excuses is that we've had some awesome people kicking it with us this week. My old roomie Katherine and her brother were here so we got to chillax together for a few days before they had to head out to an amazingly posh wedding at the Beverly Hills Hotel.  While they were here we visited the Huntington Botanical Gardens, on which I will elaborate at a later date, but for now I will leave you with this one word: stunning.

Jake (aka MC Steak) is also here and as part of his rent, he is required to make us delish food (he is a super totally awesome chef at Standard Tap) and tonight he did not disappoint.  Behold, the most scrumptious and elegant food to ever come out of the Hot Ginger Love kitchen:

Asparagus and Jalapeno Soup

Pan Seared Sea Scallops with Fennel Haricot Vert Gremollata

As far as I am concerned, he can move in.

my bounty

my bounty

click on the link and you can check out my radical notes

Originally uploaded by jessica mae

A few days ago, one of my girls liz talked about how she often has people asking her about how to eat local and organic on the cheap. I thought about this today as I unpacked my haul from the farmers market and decided to document exactly what I bought and how much it cost me. If I had more motivation, I'd head to Whole Foods and do a little price comparison, but even without that I think we can all agree that, seriously? this would cost WAY more at whole foods. Plus, it's all organic, grown within 5-50 miles of where I live with no pesticides or any other grody stuff.

making tuesdays a bit better since 2008

This Sunday, for a little change of pace, I paid a visit to the Hollywood Farmers Market. This place would for sure be my go-to market if it were a little closer, but alas, it is not to be. My farmers market is totally nice, maybe a little too nice. I am constantly dodging bougie moms and their tykes dressed in outfits more expensive than mine. At the Hollywood market, I was dodging hipsters and their tykes dressed in outfits more hip than mine. Way more my scene!

I paid a little visit to the cheese stand that was staffed by some hot farmer dudes, who gave me sample of their delish buffalo mozzarella. It was so descrumptious (that’s the word for something delicious and scrumptious), I didn’t even flinch when one of them told me it was 8 dollars a ball.

Yesterday for lunch I was patting myself on the back for the splurge, and also for being smart enough to grab a monstrous heirloom tomato on my way out (you know it’s the end of the season when heirlooms are $2 a pound. sad face that it's almost not tomato season anymore). You know what makes a blah Tuesday a bit better? Having this for lunch:

No, I didn’t eat it all, my eyes were a little bigger than my stomach, but that’s a-o-k because that means more for later!!        

I also spied some of these:

Does anyone know what the heck these are? The management here at hotgingerlove would appreciate any information leading to the identification of this mystery gourd.

fresh, local and total cuteness overload

One of my most favorite things about living in LA is that not only are there a buttload of farmers markets every day of the week, but they run all year long. Hooray for the Southern California climate. The biggest and baddest market is in Santa Monica but unfortunately it is on Wednesday and seeing as how I have to work hard for the money, I never get to go. Fortunately, there is one on Sunday a few blocks from my house so I get to get my fix of fresh veggies, cute farm animals and potential celeb sighting (apparently Jen Garner occasionally shops here and I am waiting to spot her, because I know once we meet, we'll totally be besties).

 

these will be joining my peacock, alpaca and mini-pony. might need to move. patio's going to be crowded.

i loves the squash.

my absolute faves. roasted beets with gorgonzola and balsamic vinaigrette? delish.

kohlrabi. this is on my list of veg to try. anyone have any suggestions?

another plus to southern california living? avocados as far as the eye can see!!

 

I love farmers markets for many reasons, but mostly I love being able to see and talk to the people that grow the food I am going to be eating. I feel so much better putting money in that person's hand, knowing that that same hand was, just hours ago, pulling those carrots from the earth. Or, as is evident by the feather stuck to the egg above, plucking the eggs from the under the chickens butt. There is also no doubt that, straight up, the stuff just tastes better. How could it not? It traveled straight from the farm to the market in the back of some farmer's pick-up instead of in a refrigerated semi truck to a store 1000's of miles away. Love it.