On the Radio This Week: Seafood and Crepe's in Monterey, CA

FEATURE airs Saturday morning at 5:45 and 7:45AM during NPR Weekend Edition on 91.9 KVCR and Live streaming on www.kvcr.org

PROMO: Hi this is Jeff Baker. This week our west coast Savory Road trip continues as we cruise into that beloved city of California’s Central Coast – Monterey. Join me as I enjoy a special variety of crepes from the Brittany region of France. At a favorite local fish house- I’ll be faced with a difficult culinary question –bouillabaisse, or Cioppino? Find out Thursday morning at 6:45 and 8:45 during Morning Edition then again on Saturday morning at 5:35 and 7:35 during Weekend Edition – here on 91-9 KVCR.

LISTEN to the Promo

FEATURE: Hi it’s Jeff Baker, our west coast road trip continues here on the Savory Road. This week we visit that beloved seaside town of Monterey and indulge in delicious foods from Italy and France.

Donna, our son Chris, and I pulled into that place immortalized by Salinas-born author John Steinbeck in his classic novel Cannery Road. The sardine-packing plants and warehouses are now t-shirt shops and salt-water taffy stores, yet the spirit of this seaside town continues to charm.

Strolling along the wharf, we noticed guys perched outside some of the restaurants – beckoning passersby to come inside. One held out a plate of shrimp. I took one bite into what I abruptly realized was plastic. This made me feel like one of the characters in Steinbeck’s book.

I was logging onto Yelp when Donna found a place called “Crepes of Brittany” It had positive reviews and no barkers. It smelled delicious inside. Two men busily crafted thin pancakes at cast iron griddles. We placed our order and sat on the deck outside watching seagulls glide through the overcast sky. Our steaming crepes were delivered by the Paris-born owner Thierry. He explained how the galette I ordered was made with buckwheat and unique to the northwest region of France. Unlike a typical rolled crepe, my galette was folded in half and sealed to contain the ham and caramelized onion. Thierry seemed like a guy that belonged on a surfboard rather than behind a crepe grill, yet after one bite into this hearty goodness, I was convinced he’d definitely absorbed the skills of French cuisine. So – why galletes? When his mother passed, Thierry honored her memory by cooking her traditional recipes for his family, including these galettes. Everybody loved them so he added them to his menu and – Voila!

Come dinner time, we jumped into the car and headed beyond the tourist fringe to a neighborhood where the locals eat. There we found Monterey’s Fish House. I felt mixed emotions upon seeing the crowd outside, but the reviews promised the food would be worth the wait. The place was exactly as described – a house – and the inside didn’t look any bigger than the outside. I put in our name…high-tailed it back to the bar…and ordered some beer and wine that we enjoyed out on the sidewalk.

Eventually we were seated in the crowded, yet cozy, former living room. The couple sitting beside us was from Albuquerque and explained how their annual California vacation is not complete until they come here and get the Oak Grilled Oysters. As intriguing and Monterey-appropriate as that sounded, after a few days of cool weather on the road, my heart was set on fish stew. The menu gave me a choice – either French Bouillabaisse or the Italian-American dish Cioppino which originated in… not-too-far-away-San Francisco. I was still vacillating when the waiter arrived. As Donna and Chris ordered Chicken Marsala (land lovers), I resorted to my Sigmund Freud approach to decision making – as my dinner mates interface with the waiter, I let my subconscious take over. “” I blurted out when my turn came. He looked at me funny. “It has a subtle, saffron broth – is that okay?” (What?) “Is the Cioppino broth better?” I implored. His eyes lit up and he smiled.

My mother always told me it was rude for a person to plant his face in his plate and shovel food into his mouth without regard to others at the table. Good thing she wasn’t t there to witness me indulge in this Cioppino – a hearty tomato broth swimming with perfectly cooked local mussels, clams, and swordfish. My “pescaphobic” wife and son could not relate and while satisfied with their chicken dishes, surely weren’t experiencing anything close to my utter bliss – until – dessert. Cannoli – Our forks penetrated the crackling-fresh pastry into the sweet mascarpone filling. It was the perfect topping for this meal. Bravo!

EVENTS: If you decide to head up there, check out the Monterey County Fair happening August 31^st to September 5^th. In Carpinteria, 55 breweries will offer samples at the Surf and Suds Beer Festival Saturday August 13^th. In Long Beach the Crawfish Festival August 5^th through 7^th, and practice your old English for the Big Bear Renaissance Fair during the first three weekends of August. Hassah