EVEN IN THE EARLIEST DAYS of America, when the budding nation of a few East Coast colonies was finding its way, the assumption was that we Americans would ultimately find our way as far west as there was to go. It was the manifest destiny.
It’s hard to imagine the American food culture without the impact of the West Coast: the oysters that taste just a little bit different as I travel the Pacific Coast Highway from Willapa Bay in my home state of Washington down to Tomales Bay near San Francisco. The ingenuity of immigrants in Los Angeles and their forebears to meld their treasured dishes with those of their new neighbors. The towns that proclaim to be the home of whatever vegetable grows rampant there. The smell of garlic that is so pervasive as I drive through Gilroy, California, I’m certain that it’s permanently embedded in my cargo shorts and probably my Crocs, too. And I’m OK with that. Then a few hours later, on the same road, I encounter a twenty-foot-tall artichoke that makes me want to find the world’s largest lemon. Going farther north, I meander past a fruit that is fairly unique to the area, Oregon’s marionberry, then one that is shipped all over the country (even Michigan… sssshhhhh!) for most of the summer, Washington’s cherries.
We extended our destiny beyond what was originally manifest to include Hawaii and Alaska, adding unique seafood and tradition to our national menu.
The chefs of the area were among the first in the country to embrace the idea that it’s best to cook with ingredients that grow as close to their kitchens as possible. Visionaries such as Alice Waters, Wolfgang Puck, and Jeremiah Tower started the new language of Californian cuisine. Their groundwork inspired the next wave that gave us Nancy Silverton, Traci Des Jardins, my two hot tamales Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, Suzanne Goin, and the late, great Judy Rodgers. When I visit family in the Northwest, I see what my pals Tom Douglas, Matt Dillon, and Thierry Rautureau are up to in Seattle and drive down to Portland, where Jenn Louis and Naomi Pomeroy work their crafts. And you can bet my carry-on will be packed with salumi from my sister Gina’s shop, Salumi.
What these chefs and others have done is to make the farmers’ market the place to be seen. The proper vacation rental on the West Coast will include a kitchen, so that you can spend a morning at the farmers’ market, and return with the makings of a fine meal to share with family and friends.
Roadside treasures are found all along the Pacific Coast Highway. It’s every American’s birthright to drive up Highway 1 at least once, stopping at every farmers’ market along the way to pick up just enough FRESH FRUIT and LOCAL DELIGHTS to get you to the next farmers’ market. Find a TACO VENDOR at one, an OYSTER FARMER at the next, and a CHEESE MAKER somewhere else. You’ll never eat better!
SERVES 6
When one of the winners of the California Gold Rush showed up at a bar in Hangtown—now Placerville—and asked for the most expensive dish in the house, that meant oysters and eggs, and a legend was born.
½ cup all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
9 large eggs
1 cup panko bread crumbs
12 oysters, shucked and drained
3 pieces bacon, chopped
In a shallow bowl, season the flour with 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. In a second shallow bowl, beat one of the eggs. In a third, place the panko.
In a separate bowl, beat the remaining 8 eggs and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Dredge an oyster in the seasoned flour, patting off any excess. Dip in the single beaten egg and let excess drip off, then roll in the panko. Repeat to coat all the oysters.
In a 10- to 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the crisp pieces and mix them into the 8 beaten eggs, leaving the bacon fat in the skillet.
Fry the dredged oysters in the bacon fat for 2 minutes on each side, until crispy. Pour the eggs over the oysters, lower the heat to medium, and cook until the eggs have set like an omelet, about 7 minutes. Flip the eggs (I place a large plate on top of pan, flip it, and slide the eggs back into the pan) and cook on the other side for 2 minutes. Slide out onto a plate, slice, and serve.
MAKES 4 COCKTAILS
Very few things are as refreshing as fruit and bubbles, and both are available in abundance in California’s wine country.
2 ripe peaches
Chilled prosecco or California sparkling wine
Peel and pit the peaches, capturing any juice that runs off. Chop the peaches and puree them with their juices in a blender or food processor until very smooth. Divide among four champagne glasses and fill with prosecco.