Food & Wine

Jessica Yager/Special to the Town Crier
Lisa Price Newman showcases the versatility of apricots in her cookbook.

When Lisa Prince Newman demonstrated apricot recipes at the Los Altos History Museum’s Apricot STEM Fair June 30, she pulled fruit from a lug just harvested down the road in the Sunnyvale Heritage Orchard.

Since her book “For the Love of Apricots: Recipes and Memories of the Santa Clara Valley” came out last year, Newman has become an informal expert on when and where to find the heritage fruit of the region.

It’s time to indulge in the abundance of summer produce. My “Cooking Simply” column means just that – simple and easy. Following are three ways to indulge without drama.

Photo by Eliza Ridgeway/Town Crier
Huong Vo, pictured far right at right, the Mountain View Los Altos Union High School District’s student services coordinator, works with Jonathan Vallejo, a “driver ambassador,” to direct under-resourced local families to the free-to-all food truck.

Summer can feel like a lean time for families who use school meals to fend off food insecurity, and local organizations that fight hunger try to step up summer offerings in response.

One new resource fights a dual battle against food waste and food insecurity. The A La Carte food truck launched by Silicon Valley Food Rescue started parking in front of local schools earlier this year, distributing pre-packaged leftovers as take-home meal offerings for anyone in the community who could use an assist.

Courtesy of Derek Wolfgram
Boothman, the mascot of The Booth Brewing Co., features prominently on the artwork for every new can release. The Booth Brewing Co. relocated to Eureka from Seoul, South Korea, in 2017.

The Booth Brewing Co. was initially founded in Seoul, South Korea, in 2013, and it relocated brewing operations to Eureka in 2017. Occupying the former brewhouse of Northern California’s stalwart Lost Coast Brewery when Lost Coast moved to a larger, brand-new facility, The Booth is the first Asian craft brewery with American operations.

The Booth features a spirit of fun, embodied in its can artwork by artist Soña Lee highlighting the whimsical character Boothman. Representatives from the brewery recently visited CRU wine bar in Redwood City with a sampling of their beers on draft and in cans.

Ryan Molinari/Special to the Town Crier
When brussels sprouts are roasted with garlic, olive oil and balsamic vinegar, they can win over even picky eaters.

When the Town Crier put out a call for reader recipes, Los Altos Hills resident Karen Druker wrote in with a tribute to formerly detested vegetables.

Her recipe for asparagus and/or brussels sprouts can be used with one vegetable or the other throughout most of the year. Asparagus is still in season in California markets through the end of this month, but she notes that given the realities of daily business, “I buy my veggies wherever I am.”

Courtesy of HeyO Eats on Instagram
HeyO serves up vegan cafe fare from the founders of a bamboo-leaf tea company, Igzu..

If you like to see your seafood menu list options in (high denomination) pounds, the new Cajun restaurant in downtown Mountain View will whet your appetite.

Crawfish Bros. opened at 124 Castro St., the recently revolving door location of Chop & Pub and before that, Shell Shock, East Street Tacos and Barracuda Japanese. The Bros. menu includes crawfish, snow crab, shrimp, mussels, clams and lobsters, with sauces that range from mild to “screaming.”