Davis Life Magazine

Last week was the autumnal equinox, believe it or not, and now summer is gone; it’s technically fall.  I had originally intended to write this week’s column about the delicious Sharlyn melon that Short Night Farm grows, but instead, I would like to dedicate this week’s column to them, and write about saying goodbye. Being [...]

It’s just past mid-September which can only mean one thing in the Wonderful World of Beer: Oktoberfest.  If that sounds a bit off and you’ve always wondered why Oktoberfest started in September the answer is simple but largely irrelevant to us Two Season (hot and rainy) Davisites.  The original festival in Munich was lengthened years [...]

This past Sunday at the Yolo County Fairgrounds, a colorful and hungry bunch of Woodlanders and surrounding neighbors gathered with mini plastic ramekins in hand, asking for handouts of the spicy sort. Booths were set-up and food served in slop-house fashion. Beer was consumed. Food was tasted. Judges were bribed. Yes, it was the annual [...]

Last week, I bought a basket of Black Mission figs from Cadena Ranch at the Saturday market, and nearly died and went to Shangri-la, they were so good—a get-down-on-your-knees-and-cry kind of good.  I’ve found that it’s oddly difficult to find a really good fig.  Many figs for sale are picturesque, but under-ripe.  And some have [...]

As a pastry chef, I spend an inordinate amount of time contemplating eggs—how they work in recipes, how delicious they are, and how I can get my mitts on the most delicious ones possible. Prior to specializing in pastry, I never really gave eggs too much thought…