Celebrating Temecula Valley with CA Grown
& Roasted Blueberries, Doce de Abóbora and Chèvre Toast.
Back in May, my California Grown friends invited me on a fantastic trip to the Temecula Valley - Southern California Wine Country. And although I should have told you about this trip a long time ago, I loved it so much that in my mind, it remains as fresh as a morning dewdrop on a vineyard's leaf.
I packed with anticipation for the opportunity, the promise of all the new food people I was about to meet, for the food itself (of course), and for the chance to experience this slice of perfect climate in California—so close to where I live, perfect for wine, and vacationers. It also sounded perfect to me.
Off we went for a great stay at South Coast Winery, where wine poured abundantly. Our schedule was jam-packed, and I was bursting with excitement. I remember having dinner with the other lovely people on the tour and being so thankful for the opportunity to get to know each other, share food stories, and learn more about the place I now call home. Around me, that constant feeling of being welcome.
The next morning, our tour started at Fairfield Farms in Pauma Valley, where they grow organic blueberries and avocados. The lessons learned while manually picking blueberries (you wouldn't believe how demanding it is), understanding how much water it requires to grow avocados, or riding a tractor-pulled utility trailer, — I have to say — are unforgettable.
It's a lesson to value each step of the journey that it is to bring food to our table. It's a beautiful and again, very demanding mission that these Californians do with so much pride, that it's impossible to not feel touched by it. I feel lucky to work with food and to be constantly learning more about it.
My career in food is a (roller coaster-like) learning curve. One day I'm in Brazil, where blueberries don't grow, but where I dream about their flavor, indeed. The next day here I am, under the Californian sun, having the most amazing experience of gently plucking the sweetest blueberries from the stems, and sneakily eating way more than I should.
Back home, I felt inspired to bake one of my favorite French recipes (as I should), Julia Child’s Clafoutis aux Mûres:
But in Temecula, as our trip went on, things just got better.
We visited Europa Village, a one-of-a-kind destination wine resort that offers the charm and character of the old-world villages of Spain, France, and Italy and that is so worth a visit (I can't wait to be back!). Of course, we couldn't leave without an astonishing lesson on wine. FYI their olive oil is really good!
Astonishing was also the amount of wine I drank that day. But among the many great things I learned in France, one of them was that "when the wine is poured, it must be drunk". Who am I to disagree with the French?
Had a chance to try the most elegantly creamy hummus I've ever had, made with fresh, green, local garbanzo beans. Something I had never tasted before. If you see green chickpeas in front of you, eat them!
I also had the privilege to participate in far-reaching discussions about agriculture in California, its future, and most importantly what's our role now, in working with food here. This lady catching our attention is K.C. Cornwell, a 5th generation California farmer (among so many other amazing things) we all admire, and one of the folks responsible for bringing diversity to the table, for instance, including in the conversation immigrants like me. Thank you, K.C.
And as we all know very well, no important decision was ever made on an empty stomach, we also had a wonderful selection of California Milk cheeses.
And bubbly! It's wine country, you all.
And dinner in a gorgeous place, with more wine lessons and discussions around the table that leave you feeling enriched.
And my thumbs up to how fantastic was the whole experience!
The Golden State never stops amazing me with its natural — and incredibly flavorful — secrets. I feel so lucky that I get to live and experience the bounty of California every day, and that California Grown gifts me with the chance to learn and share.
I suppose that's what they meant by California dreaming.
Take my recommendaiton and visit Temecula! You'll love it!
Recipe
Roasted Blueberries, Doce de Abóbora & Chèvre Toast
Here's a non-recipe recipe I make on repeat. Doce de abóbora is Brazilian for pumpkin jam and when I don't have a jar of the real thing in the pantry (I always bring some from my trips) it doesn't take me more than 10 minutes to whip up my own out of a pumpkin purée can. This combo of sweet, creamy and tangy also makes wonderful crostinis and receive really well a sprinkle of pumpkin spice, if you're in need of some holiday cheer.
Ingredients
This is enough to make 4 satisfying toasts and you'll have some leftover pumpkin jam that you can keep in the fridge up to 15 days. Feel free to make just half a can if you just curious.
Doce de Abóbora:
1 can (15oz) organic pumpkin purée
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Roasted Blueberries:
1 1/2 cup fresh bluberries
Drizzle of olive oil
Drizzel of maple syrup, agave, or nothing at all
Then:
4 slices of the bread of your choice. I like sourdough or multigrain, if breakfast.
1 small log of plain Chèvre - Fresh goat cheese (whole milk ricotta also works well)
More olive oil
Freshly cracked black pepper.
How you can make it
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and position a rack in the middle.
In a small saucepan, combine the pumpkin purée and sugar. Over medium heat, stir constantly for about 8 minutes as it reduces, thickens, and changes color from pale orange to translucent amber. Once it's done, turn off the heat, mix in the vanilla extract, transfer it to a serving container, and set it aside.
On a small sheet pan, spread out the blueberries. Drizzle them with olive oil and maple syrup, and gently coat them using your hands. Pop them in the heated oven and let them bake for no longer than 6-7 minutes. They should start to burst, but retain their shape. (Let's save the rest of their wonderful juices to burst in our mouths). Take them out of the oven and leave them to cool for a bit.
Since you have a hot oven already, toast the bread.
Then spread the cold goat cheese on the toast and let it — with the residual heat from the toast — slightly melt. After that, you can liberally spoon doce the abóbora on top of the goat cheese.
Beautifully arrange the roasted blueberries on top of the pumpkin jam. If you like, crumble some more goat cheese over the berries for added creaminess. An extra drizzle of olive oil? Why not?! Finish the dish by freshly grinding plenty of black pepper on top — this will make all the difference.
Bon appétit!
I simply love seeing the world through your eyes, either in Brasil or the US ❤️
Oh how I would have loved to be a butterfly on your shoulder experiencing this with you! 💜