Leftovers from a Szechwan lunch in New York were carefully preserved in my hotel room sink, surrounded by ice and swaddled in bath towels. Savoring this delicious souvenir at home left me craving some spicy stir-fry.
Uncle Kwok's in Aptos is serenely decorated in grays and blue-greens; the walls hung with large painted fans and prints of Chinese scenery.
Dinners for one, called Bachelor's Choice ($8.95 to $14.25), served with hot and sour soup, egg roll and white rice include dishes such as double mushroom chicken and Kung Pao Three Combo with beef, scallops and prawns.

Californian gets taste of the Big Apple while taking in a culinary conference

On street corners, pedestrians swiftly dance by each other on a matrix of finely spaced perpendicular paths. It was the first time my feet had felt the pavement of Manhattan.

And what better place for the assemblage of the International Association of Culinary Professionals for its 34th annual conference? This city, known for diversity and creativity in the realm of cuisine, offers a juxtaposition of two extremes.

The Old Mountain Inn serves rib-sticking breakfasts like the ones grandma used to make

After a springtime rain in the mountains of Santa Cruz, the air is fresh, the damp earth reveals its aroma, and the weekend roads are relatively untraveled. A recent early morning drive took us to the quaint Old Mountain Inn for a filling breakfast.

A collection of live and silk plants adorn the interior while numerous skylights add light. I took time to appreciate the old photographs and the collection of doilies on the walls, some crocheted with an extremely fine hook, but all with such perfectly identical stitches.

If preparing marvelous meals appeals to you, the Santa Cruz Mountains Gourmet Dinner Club allows you to explore the world of food and wine, as well as the opportunity to meet people throughout the county.

The SCMGDC will hold its annual membership drive and brunch on Sunday April 15 from noon until 3 p.m. in Ben Lomond. Reservations are required for the $15 event which will include a sampling of the members’ culinary skills. Wines will be available for purchase.

A shared supper table has long been a source of building communities. What began as a club for residents of the San Lorenzo Valley has expanded to include Aptos, Capitola, Live Oak, Santa Cruz, Bonny Doon and Redwood Estates.

Aptos Burger Company is approaching it's 11th birthday. It's located in the Rancho Del Mar shopping center, which will undergo big changes after its recent purchase by Safeway.

A Taste of Things to Come

When The True Olive Connection opened up in Downtown Santa Cruz in November 2010 with a fine collection of olive oils from all over the world, the store was an instant hit. It filled a niche for shoppers and tourists – providing a place to taste gourmet olive oil in a beautiful setting. 

Olive oil has been a staple of Mediterranean and other cuisines for hundreds of years, but is now showing up in pantries across the United States. As people become more health conscious, the days of cooking in unhealthy fats are dwindling.

Start saving your eggshells, because it's almost time to plant tomatoes. Love Apple Farm's annual heirloom seedling sale is under way at a new venue; Ivy's Porch in Scotts Valley.

Ivy's porch is a one-acre collective, on Scotts Valley Drive just south of Victor Square, specializing in home decor, antiques, and collectibles. Beautiful gardens feature topiaries and statuary. The Farm has planted a garden which showcases attractive combinations of ornamental and edible plants.