Edible Ojai & Ventura County

06/17/2022

BBQ's in the HOUSE!

Just in time for summer! BBQ's in the HOUSE at the Ventura Music Hall. Meet Jason Ruffinelli of Ruff House BBQ and his mouth-watering BBQ in this article by Leslie Arnette in our new summer issue. Photo by Viktor Budnik.

It’s the countdown: Three weeks until opening day of the county’s newest concert venue and restaurant, Ventura Music Hall, and where is Chef Jason Ruffinelli? He’s on a 14-hour road trip up to Eugene, Oregon, to further perfect his craft by taking a master class on sausage making. Spoiler aler...

06/16/2022

The Future is Gluten Free

Check out our new summer issue and enjoy this article by Camarillo pastry chef Angelique (Angie) Williams.

As a professional pastry chef for the past eight years, I can safely say that dessert trends are changing. It seems every wedding or large event I have done in the last six months has had a number of guests who needed specialized desserts. The Order of Things Prior to this, (and also considering the...

06/14/2022

Edible EOVC 2021 Shop Local Holiday Gift Guide

Father's Day is June 19 and our gift guide is filled with great ideas from locally owned stores to help celebrate the terrific dads in your family!

Looking for that perfect gift for that loved one during this holiday season? We think local is the way to go! There is no better way to support your community than keeping your purchases at local businesses as much as possible. Check out these wonderful artisans and small businesses in Ventura Count...

06/13/2022

When it comes to repurposing food scraps, "One Man's Garbage is Another's Gardening Treasure." Tap our bio link to enjoy this archived article by Ojai organic farmer, Steve Sprinkel. @farmerandthecookojai
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#edibleojai #ediblevanturacounty #ojai #ediblecommunities #vermiculture #vermicomposting #composting #compostingtips #regenerativegardening #regenerativegardeningpractices #sustainablegardening #sustainablefarming #sustainableagriculture

06/13/2022

One Man's Garbage is Another's Gardening Treasure

When it comes to repurposing food scraps, "One Man's Garbage is Another's Gardening Treasure." Enjoy this archived article by Ojai organic farmer, Steve Sprinkel.

Believe it: Even my garbage now has a price. A surprisingly large Ojai contingent has adopted a few hundred earthworms as pets, wanting to give them nothing but the best to eat. Choice organic juice pulp is the rage. The wigglidds must make good pets insofar as their litter tray production is the ga...

06/11/2022

A cartoon by Johnny DiNapoli for the New Yorker.
#tootrue
#sillysaturday

06/11/2022

Visit Oxnard Restaurant Pass - Visit Oxnard

Hungry? Check out some of the amazing food and beverage available in Oxnard and lock into great discounts and prizes with Visit Oxnard, California 's free restaurant pass! The perfect summer companion!

Check In, Win Prizes

06/11/2022

Echoes of Nature Performance with Dr. Nan Liu & Dr. Haiqiong Deng

There are still a few tickets available for this evening's 7 p.m. Echoes of Nature performance with Dr. Nan Liu and Dr. Haiqiong Deng at Studio Channel Art Center, Camarillo. Dr. Nan Liu is the associate art professor at Florida A&M University. Award-winning zheng master Haiqiong Deng is the director of Chinese Music Ensemble at Florida State University and has given lectures and performances throughout North America and China for audiences of all ages. Together, their lively presentation of traditional music, Chinese painting and calligraphy inspire and draw audiences closer to the magnificence of traditional Chinese culture.

Echoes of Nature introduced traditional Chinese art and music to people from other cultures.

06/07/2022

Farming & Eating to Fight Climate Chaos, and More - Edible Communities

Food for thought--every day our food choices remind us of the power we each have to enhance our earth’s capacities to meet the climate crisis. Read this thoughtful article, Farming & Eating to Fight Climate Chaos, and More, by Frances Moore Lappe to learn more about this critical topic. #WorldEnvironmentDay

When I wrote Diet for a Small Planet fifty years ago, questioning a meat-centered diet built on large-scale, chemically addicted agriculture meant you were naive “back to the lander.” Since then, we’ve seen a revolution in awareness: Transforming how we farm and eat is increasingly recognized ...

06/05/2022

Sesame Chicken with Cashews and Dates - Edible Communities

Came home from the farmer's market today with some beautiful dates and needed a recipe to use them. This one did the trick! #EdibleCommunities

Try this weeknight chicken recipe that's easier, faster, and more delicious than takeout from Melissa Clark's cookbook Dinner: Changing the Game.

06/04/2022

Cake Doughnuts with Cashew Frosting

Have fun creating flavorful frostings and toppings for these mini vegan doughnuts. #nationaldonutday #ediblecommunities

Vegan Cake Doughnuts with Cashew Frosting

06/02/2022

Summer Watermelon Gazpacho

We had watermelon leftover from Memorial Day and I didn't want it to go to waste, so we did a search on the Edible OVC website and were delighted to find this great recipe!

Place first 10 ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Reserve 1⅔ cups watermelon-vegetable mixture in a bowl and set aside. Put rest of mixture in a blender and blend until smooth. (This may take a couple batches). Pour in a large bowl and add tomato juice or puree, lemon juice, lime juic...

05/30/2022

Fun facts!

Fun fact: those insect-eaten holey kale leaves (or any other leafy green) are actually better for you then their unassaulted counterparts!!

Okay, so we all know that I'm a plant phytochemical nerd. I believe that one of the keys to health is consuming lots of them (which means eating lots of veggies, but also seeking out those veggies that have a higher density of phytochemicals, like wild plants and like local organic produce grown in high quality soil). So, when one of my local farmers mentioned this fun fact to me today, I just had to look it up!

And it's true! Plants are smarter than we think! They actually

Leaves normally release small quantities of a class of phytochemical called "plant volatiles". While the name sounds a little intimidating, plant volatiles are known to have very strong anti-cancer and antioxidant properties--meaning, it's improves health to eat them (this is one of the classes of compounds in plants credited with the ubiquitous health benefits of high-veggie diets).

When a leaf is damaged by herbivorous insects (yes, insects can be herbivores, carnivores or omnivores too!), many more plant volatiles are released. Exactly which plant volatiles are produced varies both by the plant species and by the species of that's eating it.

Why does the plant do this? These volatiles attract both parasitic and predatory insects that are natural enemies of the herbivore insects eating the plant--meaning, it's the plant's way of recruiting help defending itself. The plant attracts other insects that like to eat the insects that are eating it. Isn't that amazing?! These plant volatiles can even signal to neighboring plants to increase their defense responses too!

So, woohoo to plants for having such a sophisticated defense strategy. But, even better for us? This means that we're getting more antioxidant goodness when we eat those organically-grown leafy greens that have some insect holes in them--you know, the same ones no one else wants to buy so your farmer sells them to you on the cheap?!?! It also means we don't need to get quite so worked up about aphids eating up our vegetable gardens--they're doing us a favor! This is also why strategies like crushing garlic 10 minutes before you add it to whatever you're cooking increases the antioxidant properties.

And thanks to Fry Farm for sharing this fun fact with me!

05/30/2022

Today let us thank all the Veterans and fallen Heroes of America who gave their lives to serve and protect the nation. Wishing you and your family a warm and Happy Memorial Day 2022.

05/28/2022

Mulled Strawberry Beer-mosa

Mix it up this Memorial Day weekend with your favorite local beer and the seasonal sweetness of aromatic ripe strawberries.

05/27/2022

How to Use Wood Chips - Edible Communities

Want to enhance the flavor of your grilling this Memorial Day weekend? Check out this primer on how to use wood chips.

See how to make the most of wood chips and how to use them in home grilling and smoking with this straight-forward guide.

05/26/2022

11 Sides and Salads for Your Next Barbecue - Edible Communities

Memorial Day weekend is coming up and we've got some great side dishes to add to your BBQ menu!

Distinguish yourself this summer with stand-out side dishes for every barbecue, cook-out, or other backyard party with these fresh recipes.

05/25/2022

Grilled and Chilled Bok Choy Salad

Bok choy is the perfect companion to any cookout. This recipe features the Vietnamese dipping sauce, Nuoc Cham, but the Bok choy would also be wonderful paired simply with salt and pepper and olive oil, or lemon zest and Parmesan, or made into a coleslaw with mayo, sugar, and carrots. A great addition to your Memorial Day menu.
#EdibleCommunities #EdibleOjai #EdibleNashville

"Bok choy is the perfect companion to any cookout. If you don't care for the Nuoc Cham, the Bok choy would also be wonderful paired simply with salt and pepper and olive oil, or lemon zest and Parmesan, or made into a coleslaw with mayo, sugar, and carrots, or even tossed with pesto. The possibiliti...

05/24/2022

Southern Sticky Grilled Tofu

Here's a vegan recipe that's bound to satisfy non-vegans, too! The sauce in this recipe has a bright burst of lime juice that adds the perfect acidity to the warmth of the other ingredients. We love the chewy texture of the tofu and how it absorbs the flavor of the sauce so well! #EdibileOjai #ediblecommunities

Southern Sticky Grilled BBQ Tofu

05/21/2022

This recipe, featured in our fall 2015 issue, has been the most visited recipe in the past 28 days. We don't always know why something is trending, but we love this recipe that was created for Edible Ojai & Ventura County by Chef Nikki Newman using only local ingredients. Photo: Ron Wallace https://edibleventuracounty.ediblecommunities.com/recipes/opah-citrus-salsa

05/20/2022

OVSD Presents Edible Education with Jim Churchill of Churchill Orchards in Ojai.

In this episode of our Edible Education series, produced in partnership with Ocean View School District (Oxnard), we visit with the Tangerine man himself, Jim Churchill, to talk about farming pixies and what happens if we run out of water.

Learn about Ojai Pixies and how they are farmed, as well as some of the challenges facing the farmers today.

05/19/2022

Get your orders in!

Last few days to order our fruit via mail! Check our website— everything listed is available (be sure to select box size and gift note options, otherwise it says unavailable….).

05/18/2022

Sourdough "Everything" Crackers

Ever tried baking crackers? This easy recipe is a great way to use extra sourdough starter. Recipe and photo by Diana Yin.

A great way to use up your extra sourdough starter, these crackers make an easy snack or a great addition to soups and stews. 

05/17/2022

The Wild World of Natural Yeast

On this #WorldBakingDay we thought to focus on how to capture wild yeast and begin the fermentation process. Like any recipe, it may take several attempts to create a reliable method. The advantage once you’ve created your starter is that your yeast is ready to go any time you want to bake.

As the shelter-in-place order came down for the state of California, I rushed to the grocery store in an attempt to procure some yeast so we could keep making our weekly pita bread at home. As in the last few stores I’d been to, the yeast was sold out. When I mentioned this to a friend living out ...

05/16/2022

Back to basics! Want to bake your own bread but don't know where to begin? Our basic sourdough bread instructions guide you through the process from "starter" to finish. Photo: Mariah Green Creative https://edibleventuracounty.ediblecommunities.com/recipes/basic-sourdough-bread

05/15/2022

Edible Bites Box Giveaway on IG

We are giving away a full box of local goodies worth about $200. To enter, go to the Instagram post and follow the instructions!
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CdL-x7YAmQu/
To buy the summer box, go to our website and get your order in before end of day Tuesday, May 17th!
https://edibleventuracounty.ediblecommunities.com/shop/edible-bites-flavors-ventura-county

05/13/2022

Want to be the first to know what's new between issues? Sign up for our free e-newsletter! We share sneak peaks on the upcoming issue, community news and events, tips and tricks, recipes and more! Comes out twice a month. Sign up now on our website. https://edibleventuracounty.ediblecommunities.com/

05/11/2022

What better way to enjoy National American Craft Beer Week than to head out to one of the many Ventura County craft breweries and enjoy a locally brewed pint with your friends? Check out some of the newer locations like Ojai Valley Brewery and Naughty Pine Brewing Co. as well as established favorites like Poseidon Brewing Company. Post your favorite brewery in our comments.

05/10/2022

Beginnings: A Journey Through Community

Carole Topalian's photos have graced the pages of hundreds of Edible issues across North America. In our current issue celebrating our 20th anniversary, we give you just a taste of the beauty she has captured over the years.

Editor's Note: Carole's photos have graced the pages of hundreds of Edible issues across North America. Here, we wanted to give you just a taste of the beauty she has captured over the years. When I was attending photography school in Santa Barbara, my intention was to concentrate on editorial, docu...

05/08/2022

Happy Mother’s Day to all moms, everywhere, for everything you do!
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#mothersday #happymothersday #edibleojai #edibleventuracounty #venturacounty #buylocal #supportlocal

05/07/2022

Subscribe to Edible Ojai & Ventura County

Looking for the perfect Mother's Day gift? Give her a subscription to Edible Ojai & Ventura County. Act now and she'll receive our summer issue the first week of June!

Edible Ojai & Ventura County is published four times per year: Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. One-year subscriptions are $28 for delivery of four issues, starting with the season of your choice. Save on two- and three-year subscriptions. Be one of the first to receive each issue, and never miss ou...