Hi HOMIs,

Happy New Year! I hope the holidays treated you well. Is there a specific dish that you look forward to preparing and enjoying with your loved ones every year? Maybe it’s imbibing eggnog and humming along to those nostalgic seasonal tunes. Or perhaps you're one of the super heroes who upholds the traditions that require late nights and mountainous effort year-after-year. If that’s you, I hope you get the well deserved rest this season. In my family, our most cherished tradition is the labor of love that is making TAMALES! I enjoy the full production of making tamales and the assembly line process, being shoulder to shoulder with loved ones for hours where you witness the conversations and connections come alive. In my family, those conversations usually begin with talking about which years the tamales tasted best. We debate the recipe and consider testing out a new masa recipe with half duck fat and half duroc lard. Or a new efficiency technique of using a Masienda tortilla press. The kids love jumping in to help. The adults begin to feel sentimental as our traditions are being passed on right in front of our eyes. I love the slowed momentum of the holidays and the memories they gift us!

NEW & SEASONAL TRENDS

Helloooooo winter! Yes, it is here and although it's not as cold as other parts of the country, nor snowing, we have been getting a healthy amount of rain. So much so that you can practically guarantee overhearing people in public saying, "good thing it's raining because we really needed it." And you know what comes with lots of rain? Strawberries. And I'm talking about strawberries from small family farms spanning from Oxnard to Orange and all the way down to San Diego.

Every month, I look over our Specialty Produce invoices and upcoming event calendar to see what’s coming in and from what farm. When I looked at both December and January, I was surprised. Local strawberries in January?! Specifically, the "gaviota" strawberry from Gloria Tamai Farms in Oxnard. Typically the season starts in January, it peaks in April, and will continue until June. We snatched up some for the multiple rounds of our dessert R&D dishes in December: strawberries and cream, strawberry yo-yo biscuits, and a berry sandwich. The "gaviota" strawberry is perfectly suited for desserts thanks to its low acidity, ruby red color and delicious sweet taste. It is a short-day strawberry that produces well in wet and cold seasons, hence us being lucky to get them in December & January. ¡Vivan las fresas!

FARM WORTH READING ABOUT

Back in April of 2022 when we started developing our winter plated menu, it was a challenge getting "winter" produce from the typical small farms we like to work with. So last month, when it was time to debut our winter plated menu at our ALL HOMI meeting, we were excited to say we had a plethora of in-season produce to incorporate in the dishes. One of the farms that provided a substantial amount of the goods was "The Garden of...." from Los Olivos. We were lucky enough to have their chicory treviso in the Endive Salad, treviso again with the breaded Swordfish, and their juicy turnips roasted with the flat iron steak.

If you haven't heard of "The Garden of.." farm, you are not alone. I recently found out about them and it's quite an endearing story. The Takikawa family has been farming for over 30 years. They are a third generation, certified organic 15-acre farm that produces some of the finest broccoli, cauliflower, eggplants, squash, tomatoes, peppers, crisp specialty lettuces, and an evolving variety. It is owned and operated by Shu and Debby Takikawa who met in the late 80's when Shu luckily accompanied a friend to see a chiropractor, and it was love at first sight when Debby was the chiropractor. They married shortly after and Shu began farming on the same land that Debby had grown up on. That same farm grows grapes for one of my favorite vineyards, Qupé. Their syrah is the perfect balance of spicy, juicy and smokey. Their simple approach to farming, which is to grow food that people normally eat and grow it with a sense of awareness and kindness, is what makes it so special and sought after. "The Garden of...." sells primarily at the Santa Monica Farmers Market, and we are lucky enough to enjoy their craft through Specialty Produce's weekly trip up there. If you are ever in seek of righteous produce grown with love and soul, stop by Specialty's Farmers Market section.

Despite the colder weather, we’re in a region with unbelievable produce. Pulling from central California, from the rural Los Olivos to the coastal agricultural town of Oxnard, we’re sourcing delicious and fresh ingredients directly on to our plates and winter menu. With the new year on the horizon, we’re leaning even further into our sourcing and support of small farms and encourage you do to the same!

Happy New Year! May your year be filled with peak produce and delicious bites.