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In modern California cooking creativity and innovation are prized talents. Just the opposite is true about Turkish gastronomic traditions. Originality and creativity, that we have become so accustomed to experiencing in our genre of cooking, are not considered appropriate in Turkey. The Turkish philosophy on the subject is that innovation cannot substitute for finesse.

Turkey is renowned for its rich and savory cuisine, which is not particularly spicy-hot and is liberal in its use of fresh vegetables (Hmm, sounds like a great fit for California Style Cooking!). And, again familiar to Bay Area palates, the ingredients must be the best, most carefully chosen. The preparation works to enhance the qualities and excellence of fresh food more than the reputation of the cook.

As with most other Mediterranean countries, lamb and mutton are primary sources of protein; Turkish cuisine also includes beef and chicken (no pork, of course), as well as all sorts of seafood (even shellfish, which are forbidden to strict Muslims).

The most common meat preparations are roasting and grilling, which produce the famous Turkish kebabs, including döner kebab, the national dish, and köfte, the workingman's favorite. Meat portions are small compared to those in North America. Vegetables predominate in most Turkish meals, though many vegetable recipes use small amounts of meat as a flavoring. If you're not strictly vegetarian or vegan, yet you prefer to eat more vegetables than meat, you'll do very well in Turkey.

Turkish Cuisine
Starters

• Eastern Anatolian stile Turkish spiced lamb, flatbread, salad and yogurt dressing
• Deep-fried, filo pastry with parsley and feta cheese
• Turkish Raki topped with freshly squeeze lemon.
• Mediterranean tiger prawns, wrapped in Turkish pastrami with thyme, garlic lemon butter sauce
• Chicken Liver sautéed in red wine and spices
• served on a bed of baby spinach
• Cold mezze of, tabule, humus, aubergine salad and dolma
• Hot mezze of, chicken liver, calamari, Turkish sausage, börek

• Tomato and mint salad with pomegranate dressing
• Antalya Style Kidney Bean Salad (Antalya Piyazi).
• Artichoke Hearts Salad (Enginar Kalbi Salatasi).
• Asparagus with Mushrooms in Olive Oil (Zeytinyagli Mantarli Kuskonmaz).
• Chicken Salad with Mayo (Mayonezli Tavuk Salatasi).
• Turkish Cabbage Salad (Beyaz Lahana Salatasi).

• Pan-fried Sea bass, pickled vegetables, crushed new potatoes, chive butter sauce
• Pan-fried fillet of Dover sole, with caper and stir-fried vegetables.
• Marinated chicken breast in mustard & lemon, courgettes, frittata & salsa rossa
• Mix grill, of chicken breast, lamb, and kofte served on sizzler with tomato butter sauce, yoghurt and matchstick potato
• Slow roasted duck breast, sautéed spinach, Courgettes povical, cranberry, & port jus
• Rack of lamb, nut, apricot, and herb crusted, Asian pear, and sweet potato glazed baby carrots and jus
• Roast lamb shank, with saffron mash, roast vegetable & herb jus
• Seasonal vegetable casserole, cooked in Individual clay pots with tomato, garlic, and herb sauce

• Sweet Almond 'briks'
• Rose Water, Saffron and Pistachio Ice Cream
• Baklava
• Blood Orange Pudding
• Turkish Milk and Almond Pudding
• Bulgur Pudding With Honey and Dates
• Turkish Cream Filled Apricots
• Turkish Hazelnuts
• Figs for 1001 Nights
• Turkish Delight

Greek Cuisine
The Greek diet is the perfect example of traditional Mediterranean eating. It's based around a variety of colorful and flavorful foods that are high in nutrients and low in animal fats.

Grain-foods
Wheat has been cultivated in Greece for thousands of years and it's a staple part of Greek cuisine. It's used to make a variety of breads including pita bread and crusty whole grain peasant bread. Bulgur, which is made from cracked whole wheat, is eaten as an accompaniment to hearty stews or added to soups and salads. Pasta, which was introduced to the Greeks by the Italians, is also a popular wheat-based food.

Another important grain-food in the Greek diet is rice, which is used in pilafs and bakes, served with stews or wrapped in grape leaves to make dolmades.

Olives and Olive oil
Like wheat, olives have been cultivated in Greece since ancient times. The golden green oil extracted from the first cold pressing of olives is called extra virgin olive oil, and it is used in some form in most traditional Greek dishes. Crusty bread dipped in a little extra virgin olive oil is also a popular accompaniment to food. As well as being used for their richly flavored oil, olives are also eaten whole. The most frequently eaten type is the plump kalamata olive which is added to stews and salads or eaten as part of a mezethes (appetizer) dish.

Fish, shellfish and poultry
Greece is almost surrounded by sea, so it's no surprise that fish and shellfish are eaten regularly. The most popular types of fish and shellfish include tuna, mullet, bass, halibut, swordfish, anchovies, sardines, shrimp (prawns), octopus, squid and mussels. This fish and seafood is enjoyed in many ways: grilled and seasoned with garlic and lemon juice, baked with yogurt and herbs; cooked in rich tomato sauce, added to soups; or served cold as a side dish. Chicken is also eaten regularly, as are game birds such as quail and Guinea foul.

Meat and Dairy
Meat doesn't play a prominent role in traditional Greek cuisine. It's usually reserved for festivals and special occasions or used in small amounts as a flavor enhancer. When meat is eaten it's most often sheep or goat, but these animals aren't just used for their meat. Sheep and goats also provide a valuable source of nourishment—milk. As milk spoils easily in the warm Mediterranean climate, it is traditionally turned into cheese (such as feta) or yogurt to help preserve it.

Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs and Seasonings
The warm climate of Greece makes it ideal for growing vegetables and fruits, and these are eaten in abundant amounts. A myriad of colorful and flavorful vegetables form a fundamental part of Greek cuisine. These include tomatoes, garlic, onions, spinach, artichokes, fennel, lettuce, cabbage, horta (wild greens), zucchini, eggplant and peppers. Fruits are eaten either fresh, or preserved by drying. Popular varieties include apricots, grapes, dates, cherries, apples, pears, plums and figs.
A variety of herbs and seasonings are used to flavor food including flat-leaf parsley, dill, oregano, cilantro, mint, ground pepper, sea salt and cinnamon. Lemon juice and lemon rind are also used to season food and in dressings.

Legumes and Nuts
Legumes such as chickpeas, lima beans, split peas and lentils are widely used in traditional Greek cooking. They are eaten either whole in stews, bakes, pilafs, soups and salads, or pureed and used as a dip or spread such as hummus.
Many types of nuts are used in cooking or eaten as snacks—particularly pine nuts, almonds, walnuts and pistachios.

Desserts and Beverages
Fresh and dried fruit are the usual dessert. Rich desserts and pastries, often sweetened with honey, are mostly reserved for special occasions or eaten in small amounts.
Wine is consumed regularly in Greece, but mainly with food, and in moderation. Ouzo (an aniseed flavored spirit) and beer are also popular alcoholic beverages. Strong black coffee is one of the most popular non-alcoholic beverages.

Greek Menu

Starters

• Prawns - wood oven baked with tomato & feta
• Saghanaki - pan fried Kefalograviera with padron peppers, oregano & lemon
• Calamari - crispy calamari with a lemon, parsley & anchovy aioli
• Spanakotiropita - phyllo stuffed with braised greens, feta cheese & herbs
• Mussels - steamed with fennel, tomato, garlic & ouzo
• Roasted Beets - with skordalia, extra virgin olive oil & dill
• Dolmathes - grape leaves stuffed with rice, mint, dill, tomatoes, olive oil & lemon
• Avgolemono Soup - traditional egg-lemon soup with chicken & rice
• Flatbread - of caramelized onions, kalamata olives, tomatoes & myzithra cheese
• Eggplant Cakes - eggplant & kefalotiri cakes with roasted pepper & cumin yogurt
• Octopus - traditional grilled with lemon, oregano & olive oil
• Lamb Riblets - mesquite grilled with lemon & oregano
• Gigantes - baked organic Gigante beans with tomatoes, leeks & herbed feta
• Taramosalata, Tzatziki or Melitzanosalata - with house made grilled pita bread
• Greek Spreads - roasted eggplant salad, yogurt-cucumber dip & cod-roe puree; served with grilled pita & grape leaves stuffed with rice, pine nuts & golden raisins (for two)

Salads

• Cal's Chef Salad - arugula, cherry tomatoes, shaved fennel, manouri cheese & Marcona almonds
• Classic Greek Salad - tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, green peppers, feta & olives
• Octopus Salad - wood grilled octopus with roasted red peppers, olives & frisée salad
• Romaine Salad - chopped romaine & radicchio with creamy feta dressing & Kalamata olive tapenade
• Tomato Salad - local heirloom tomatoes with whipped manouri cheese, olive oil & Greek basil

Entrées

• Whole Fish - mesquite grilled with lemon-oregano vinaigrette & braised greens
• Moussaka - baked casserole with eggplant, lamb ragout, potatoes & light béchamel
• Chicken Pita - chicken, braised greens & feta cheese stuffed phyllo with lemon-oregano roasted potatoes
• Roasted Lamb Sandwich - rolled in house made pita with tzatziki, tomato & seasonal greens
• Chicken Souvlaki - chicken, sweet peppers & pearl onions with tzatziki, arugula & grilled tomato
• Evvia Burger - spiced organic lamb & beef with olive oil roasted potatoes & tzatziki
• Albacore Pita - Albacore tuna, red bell pepper & caramelized onions, wrapped with pita
• Beef Souvlaki - beef filet, sweet peppers, mushrooms & pearl onions with wild rice & faro pilafi
• Salmon - grilled natural king salmon with lemon potato puree & tomato ouzo sauce
• Ravioli - erbette ravioli with rapini, spring onions, green garlic, green olives & myzithra cheese
• Lamb Chops - rib-cut, mesquite-grilled lamb chops with olive oil roasted potatoes

Morocco is an exotic land of endless natural beauty that harmonizes with exquisite architecture, presenting a feast for the eyes, and a revelation for the spirit. With its fabric covered walls, carpeted floors, exotic spices wafting through the kitchen, and the rhythms of Moroccan music filling the air, you'll feel transported to another land.

The taste of Morocco is exotic, full of rich deep earthy flavor. It has long been considered as one of the most diversified cuisines in the world because of centuries of interaction between Morocco and the outside world. Moroccan cuisine is a mix of Arab, Berber, Moorish, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean African, Iberian, and Jewish influences.

Rich spices such as cumin, coriander, saffron, chilies, dried ginger, cinnamon, and paprika characterize Moroccan cuisine. Harissa, a paste of garlic, chilies, olive oil, and salt, makes for fiery dishes that stand out among the milder foods that are more the Mediterranean norm.

Couscous, granular semolina, is central to Moroccan cuisine and is often cooked with spices, vegetables, nuts, and raisins. It makes a meal in itself or is topped with rich stews and roasted meats. Lamb is the principal meat in Moroccan dining. Moroccan roasted lamb is cooked until tender enough to be pulled apart and eaten with the fingers.

Meat and fish can be grilled, stewed, or cooked in an earthenware tagine (the name for both the pot and the dish). Savory foods are enhanced with fruits, dried and fresh -- apricots, dates, figs, and raisins, to name a few. Lemons preserved in a salt-lemon juice mixture bring a unique face to many Moroccan chicken and pigeon dishes. Nuts are prominent; pine nuts, almonds, and pistachios show up in all sorts of unexpected places. Moroccan sweets are rich and dense confections of cinnamon, almond, and fruit perfumes that are rolled in filo dough, soaked in honey, and stirred into puddings.

Moroccan Menu

Appetizers

• Beef Brewat Rolls - layers of thin pastry stuffed with seasoned minced beef, fried and sprinkled with cinnamon and powdered sugar
• Chicken Bastilla - baked layers of thin pastry stuffed with minced chicken and almonds, sprinkled with cinnamon and powdered sugar
• Mini Moroccan Lamb Sliders with Lemon Yogurt Sauce
• Carrot Goat Cheese Wraps with Green Olive Tapenade
• Seafood Bastilla - baked layers of thin pastry stuffed with grouper, shrimp, mushrooms, vermicelli, onions and egg
• Mini Falafels served with Chilli Sauce

Soup & Salad

• Harira Soup - traditional hearty soup flavored with tomatoes, lentils and lamb
• Jasmina Salad - an assortment of fresh vegetables served on a bed of lettuce
• Batinjaan Zalud - Salad Made with Eggplant

Main Courses
Served with: Couscous or Saffron Rice, braised fresh local vegetables, and Moroccan Challah

• Pork & Chicken Souvlakia
• Lemon Chicken - braised half chicken seasoned with garlic, green olives and preserved lemon
• Braised Lamb Stew - with chic peas, root vegetables Chicken Kebabs - grilled brochettes of chicken breast marinated in Moroccan herbs and spices
• Shish Kebab - grilled tenderloin of beef marinated in Moroccan herbs and spices
• Seafood Platter - shrimp ragout, broiled salmon and seafood bastill

Dessert

• Baklava
• Spearmint and Lemon Sorbet
• Blood Orange Sorbet
• Mixed Berry Salad
• Tfah - a Moroccan Apple Dessert
• Honey Cinnamon Oranges

It is mistakenly stated that America does not have its own, unique cuisine. With the transmigration of herbs, spices, and other ingredients around the world you would be hard-pressed to find an absolutely unique food style anywhere on the globe.

Who can deny that the various regional styles of Barbeque, Louisiana Cajun, Southern cooking and Soul food, along with New England Seafood styles are authentically American? Yes, we can find specific foreign influences in some of these regional styles. But, these individual cuisines have become so inculcated into culture that they’ve become uniquely our own.

California cuisine does take advantage of many cultural influences. Asian, Mediterranean, and Mexican cuisines probably provide the most outside influence. However, the overarching influence in California cuisine has to be the overflowing abundance of fresh ingredients. I’m talking about freshness that goes beyond your corner market’s produce department.
Most communities in California have weekly Certified Farmers Markets; many of these markets are year-round. The influence of fresh produce is so pronounced in California Cuisine that it is often referred to as “California Fresh.”

The number one reason I shop at Certified Farmers' Markets is quality. Fresh-picked, vine and tree-ripened quality produce are days, if not weeks fresher at the CFMs than from my local grocery store. Cost saving is also an attractive benefit of CFMs. This is possible because the direct sales by farmers to the consumer eliminate the cost of middleman marketing. Faster to the consumer means fresher and healthier produce.

In today’s grocery store produce departments you can find nearly any varietal year-round. When an item is out of season locally, you can probably find it in abundance south of the border. The problems associated with importing food have been high profile news topics in the past few years.

Local produce is not necessarily immune to the contamination issues we’ve seen in recent years. The advantage that local has over imports is in accountability. Fewer points of contact means less opportunity for contamination.

I always focus my cuisine styling on using the freshest ingredients. From my vantage point organic is the number one choice. Organic produce significantly reduces the adverse environmental impact that agriculture production has on our environment. Not only that, using organics eliminates residual pesticides from the food chain.

Here is a listing of some of my California Fresh creations:

Entrees

•    Barbeque pork spareribs
•    Barbeque pork baby back ribs
•    Grilled herb-marinated chicken breasts
•    Grilled filet mignon with coarse peppercorn and pesto sauce
•    Grilled whole chicken (various styles)
•    Grilled rib eye sliced off the bone
•    Grilled fresh salmon (various styles)
•    Grilled fresh halibut (various styles)
•    Grilled lamb
•    Grilled yogurt marinated kebobs (choice of chicken, lamb or steak) skewered then grilled)
•    Grilled shrimp kebabs
•    Grilled Dungeness crab (not shelled)
•    Grilled Main lobster (split only)
•    Grilled California spiny lobster (split only) grilled lobster
•    Paella Espanola
•    Crab lasagna
•    Pesto & ricotta lasagna
•    Prosciutto de casa with fettuccini with garlic mushroom sauce, toasted pine nuts and
•    Roasted turkey breast with cranberry chutney
•    Slow roasted whole lamb
•    Slow roasted whole pig

Accompaniments

•    Cheese tortellini salad with seasonal vegetables
•    Dungeness crab bisque with red pepper puree
•    Herb roasted fingerling potatoes tossed with parsley and garlic butter
•    Garlic mashed potatoes
•    Grilled corn
•    Grilled vegetable kabobs
•    Lentil and leek soup
•    Parmesan potato wedges
•    Steamed asparagus spears
•    Roasted baby vegetables (seasonal)
•    Roasted new potatoes
•    Tuscan farro salad
•    Wild mushroom ragout with julienne vegetables on mini brioche
•    Wild and basmati rice pilaf & whole roasted garlic cloves

Antipasti

•    Antipasto salad with assorted Cal-cured meats, variety of cheeses, assorted olives, marinated artichoke hearts
•    Assorted seasonal salads
•    Assorted seasonal fruit salads
•    Assorted bean salads
•    Cal house salad
•    Caprese: Heirloom tomato and Cal-fresca mozzarella
•    Cesar salad
•    German potato salad
•    Napa cabbage, cilantro and ginger coleslaw
•    Mixed greens and berry vinaigrette
•    Radicchio and baby lettuces with toasted walnuts and balsamic vinaigrette
•    Thai noodle salad tossed with crispy vegetables & stir-fried chicken breast or prawns

Appetizers

•    Assorted Cheese Display served with Baguette & Crackers (can request regional, varietals, and pate’)
•    Assorted dim sum
•    Assorted sushi (maki, sashimi, and rolls)
•    Assorted Tea Sandwiches
•    Bruschetta (with choice of several toppings and spreads):
•    Chilled Prawns with Course Grated Horseradish Cocktail Sauce
•    Tortilla Wraps - vegetarian
•    Tortilla Wraps with assorted house cured meats, greens , etc.

•    Crab Cakes, pan-fried with Spicy, Ancho-Malt Vinegar Aioli
•    Deep-fried spring rolls with chili-garlic dipping sauce
•    Grilled Assorted Sausages with Caramelized Onion, Peppers & Mustard Dips
•    Korean Beef Skewers with Pineapple Wedges
•    Marinated & Grilled Chicken Wings w/ Tangy Blue Cheese Dip
•    Moroccan Meatballs
•    Potato Soufflé with Manchego Cheese & Chives
•    Mini blue cheese burgers (Sliders)
•    Seared Scallop on Potato Gaufrettes with Crème Fraiche & Caviar
•    Spiced pork or shrimp Tostadas with Black Beans & Mango Salsa

•    Seasonal fruit cobbler with Cal made ice cream
•    Summer berry pudding with Cal made ice cream
•    Assorted Cal made cookies and brownies
•    Date walnut rugelach
•    Chocolate Dipped Strawberries (seasonal)
•    Special Celebration Carrot Cake
•    Flourless Chocolate Cake.

•    Peach nectar
•    Watermelon nectar
•    Cantaloupe nectar
•    Pineapple/ginger nectar
•    Hibyscus tea