Fresh Mid-Summer Flavors

My wife and I honeymooned in Greece, and I’ll never forget the dry desert breeze against the brundly ocean. I felt at home in Greece because it’s weather was very much like our local deserts, where my family vacationed often in my youth. So I often refer to San Diego as the American Mediterranean because our irrigated desert has an almost continuous dry breeze that can put you in vacation mode faster then you can say Margarita. Recently I prepared a big family style buffet for a happy family from Austin, Texas that were enjoying all the bounty the American Mediterranean has to offer.

Butter browned brussels with rhubarb and sweet onion
Pickled Guaco Taco
Duck breast wrapped cotton candy grape with chile arbol and cinnamon    

Grilled prime tri-tip
Seared yellowtail with grilled shrimp and soy dipping sauce 
Artichoke mashed potatoes
Blackend chile corn and fresh fava beans
Grilled purple cauliflower and peeled broccolini stems
Marinated kale and celery root salad with roasted butternut brunoise and pepitas
Tomato salad with pickled cucumber, jicima and radish
Roasted plum over white velvet cream draped butter cake