California Citrus and Churchill Pixie Tangerines
A box of Ojai arrived on my stoop today. The box was cracked open as though someone couldn’t wait when they recognized the contents. I pushed my hand through the opening to grab the fruit before I picked up the box. I wrapped my hand around a tiny little pixie tangerine and inhaled it. It's a family tradition getting these boxes of citrus shipped across the country. For years, I had a box sent to our home and later, when my son was in college, I’d send him a box too and I can still see him smiling as he’d tell me how he shared them with his teammates.
I think I discovered Jim Churchill in about 2006 at the Ojai farmer’s market and it was love at first bite! I have been the recipient of his little gems ever since.
They are treasures and I am transported to his little orchard on the outskirts of town in one little instant! Oh, can you feel my longing for California? I missed it so much this year. The way the sun and clouds interact in a full spectrum of light that I can feel deep behind my corneas and my mood is instantly alert.
When I arrive in L.A. I know ahead of time what market will be my first stop off the plane.
Kate’s Baker, a little garage of a place at the end of a residential area in the hills of Ojai.
Every day marks a market. My favorite haunts are Santa Monica on Sunday or Silver Lake on Saturday or El Segunda on Thursday evening or Echo Park on Friday. I time my landing in L.A. to coincide with a market. I have been known to drive straight to Ojai. I love the intimacy of the vendors as it reminds me of our farmer’s market on Martha’s Vineyard. In January of 2020, we did just that, we landed and drove to Ojai, First stop was Kate’s bread, a little garage of a place at the end of a residential area in the hills of Ojai.
Kate’s passion and flour dust poured out the doors as she treated us with all her warm treasures. Just her, an ancient deck oven in her one-room garage bakery with bags of goodies waiting for preorders.
She supplies a few local take-outs and pop-ups in the area, and opens up to the public after 12 pm on Thursdays and Sundays. Worth the trip. I grabbed a bag of bread because I am headed back to meet up later with my friend Maeve, who had brought all her culinary offerings to Martha’s Vineyard for too short a time. She is working on opening her place in Ojai and I am always delighted to see her!
Then off to Carpinteria where my nephew John is a farmer at an organic farm called Casitas Valley Pastures (tell him I sent you!)
And then back to LA where I’ll visit more markets and reconnect with friends and bask in it all.
I will spend hours taking in the palates of colors of food perfectly ripe; berries and avocados, orange cauliflower and pink variegated lettuces.
I am travelling in my dreams…
That is what California holds for me and I am getting vaccinated this week as we come out of COVID lockdown and year I intend to pour over the CaraCara Oranges with flavors like tutifruit or vanilla rose. Or maybe I'll find those Kirkwood Red or California Rojo Daisy or Dancy Mandarins or Meiwa Kumquats.
I always have to find the best Oroblanco Grapefruit and Tobacco Bloods.
Hear more about my favorite Ojai Tangerines!