Culinary Adventures with Camilla

In the documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi , Jiro Ono asserts, "In order to make delicious food, you must eat delicious food." Amen to that. It's one of the reasons I love attending food-centric events - besides the obvious; they are wholly inspiring. The 4th of July INDYpendence Day Luncheon at the Henry Miller Library was just that: an inspiration. Will travel for good food. Jake and I happily day-tripped down the coast to Big Sur while the boys wrapped up their week at Kayak Kamp. Beneath the redwoods, on a portable propane burner, Chef Matt Millea and others worked some pretty outrageous culinary magic. I was there, writing for Edible Monterey Bay , so I won't tip my hand too much about the event. But I'll share some of the edible goodness... Fresh Herbs Fresh herbs are akin to culinary fairy dust. They add that delightful  je ne sais quois to dishes, adding dimension and freshness. I watched Chef Matt chop fresh thyme, dill, and more. I think if m...

"Coffee should be black as Hell, strong as death, and sweet as love."  ~Turkish Proverb My husband has loves the Big Sur Bakery . Don't get me wrong, I like it. A lot. But he really, really loves the pastries. Being the savory gal that I am, I could live without the pastries, but I utterly adore the coffee. It's as the Turkish proverb says it should be.... The home of the Bakery was built in 1936 by Frank Post’s daughter Alice and her husband Steve. Over the years, the building has continuously been used as a place to restore weary hungry travellers and it continues to keep the tradition alive today.  When we headed down the coast to go to the INDYpendence Day Lunch at the Henry Miller Library, we ducked in for some of said coffee and a strudel ahead of time.  The line was out the door and we decided to share a slice of the apricot. Unfortunately, the gal in front of us took the last slice, so we settled on the plum strudel. It was buttery, yeasty...

I've never been one for lavish presents on my birthday. But I do require good eats, good drinks, some adventure, and good friends. And, to ring in my 40th, I had lots of that. Big Sur Bakery and Restaurant Jake and I dropped the boys off at school of Friday and high-tailed it down the coast first thing in the morning. We stopped for a quick breakfast at the Big Sur Bakery and Restaurant . I've read about that place for years, but it was never a convenient stop. I had a ham and cheese quiche with a buttery, to-die-for crust and washed it down with some liquid gold, AKA potent espresso. Then we grabbed two ham and cheese croissants and a cinnamon bloom for later. Here... we noshed on the croissants, perched on a rock above the Partington Creek. Delish. And on the way back up the coast, we paused at The Restaurant at Ventana for some drinks. I stuck with their organic lemonade. Jake tried the Big Sur Breeze - 12-year-old rum + grapefruit soda + fresh lime. ...

It's official...I am a contributing writer for Edible Monterey Bay , a magazine and blog that believes in sustainability and the fact that everyone has a right to healthful, clean and affordable food. They seek to inspire readers to get to know and support local growers, fishers, chefs, vintners and food artisans. It's definitely my kinda publication. So, when Sarah Wood, the editor, asked me to head down to Ventana Inn & Spa to cover one of their events, I jumped at the chance. Literally. Jumped, wiggled, and danced. And there might have been a shout of glee in there as well. So, last weekend I attended their third pop-up event: a hike led by Big Sur Guides owner Stephen Copeland followed by a brunch at The Restaurant at Ventana. My photographs and article hit the blog this morning. Click here  to go to their site. A Culinary Adventure Down the Coast text and photographs by Camilla M. Mann A transporting hike and brunch at Big Sur’s Restaurant at Ve...

Two of my favorite things: a morning hike on a new trail and a fabulous feast complete with a cocktail. Add to that a crew of foodies assembled by Edible Monterey Bay and you have a perfect Saturday morning. The Manns hiking at Andrew Molera State Park on Mothers' Day 2011 Tomorrow morning, I will be heading down the coast to Ventana Inn and Spa, armed with a camera and a notepad for Edible Monterey Bay' s third pop-up supper club. The first pop-up was a sneak peak of Lokal in Carmel Valley; the second pop-up was a farm tour followed by Asian street food at Charlie Hong Kong in Santa Cruz. This will be a hike led by Stephen Copeland of Big Sur Guides followed by a pop-up brunch with Chef Truman Jones of Ventana Inn and Spa. And I'm thrilled that Sarah Wood, the editor of Edible Monterey Bay , asked me to attend and write about the event for their publication. There are still tickets for the event if you want to kick off your Memorial Day weekend with a hike and ...