Greetings from Monterey, CA, where I traveled to on Monday morning to celebrate all things salad with my buddies at Dole Salads for a few days!
Quickly, a note about Monterey and specifically the Carmel Valley Ranch where I am staying. NEVER LEAVING. I have spent a bit of time in both northern California (San Fran and above) and southern California – but never in Monterey, a couple hours south of San Fran, which is absolutely incredible. Very rustic, and untouched feeling. “Ranchy” vs manicured. I feel so at home here.
The Carmel Valley Ranch itself is a sprawling golf resort filled with wildlife (including, ahem, loudly gobbling wild turkeys,) wild flowers, fresh air, singing birds, and a breathtaking night sky. It has the most incredible “camp” vibe.
Except I’ve never camped in a nearly 1,000 sq foot “tent” before. ; )
While the landscape at the ranch is rustic and homey, the rooms compliment it well, containing natural decor with an upscale twist. Touches of wood, burlap, cotton, leather, and lavender (which grows like crazy around here) are upscale but fabulously unfussy.
I don’t normally do hotel reviews but this one was too spectacular not to mention. I can’t wait to bring Ben (and the baby!) back here someday so he can play a few rounds of golf then join me on one of the many hiking trails that surround the ranch. Finish the day out with couple’s massages and a cuddle by one of the two in-room fireplaces? Done.
AHH!
Oh, they also have a ranch dog, natch. Roxy. I die.
Ok, back to salads! This week Dole gathered a bunch of food bloggers from around the country to come check out some of their independent growers’ fields, tour their lettuce plant, and get a taste of Spanish cuisine to promote their new Taste of Spain contest, which includes a 9-day trip to Spain. Whee!
Tuesday morning we started off with breakfast at the ranch highlighting Dole berries and small plates, or Tapas, of Spanish tortillas (egg, potatoes, spices) and prawns.
Breakfast of champions!
Afterwards we boarded a bus and headed off to a lettuce farm about an hour away. Dole itself only has 500 acres or so of growing fields. To meet the demands of their consumers they actually rely on thousands of independent growers across the country, which I never knew.
I was really excited about this portion of the program as it ties into what I’m doing back home with the Join My Journey program – traveling to farms all across Iowa to learn about modern farming systems and practices. Where we grow acres of soybeans, though, California grows lettuce. And lots of it!
Our first stop was to visit farmer Mark Pisoni, who grows numerous types of lettuce for Dole. When Mark is done at his big farm for the day, he goes home and tends to his home garden with the help of his wife and children. This man LOVES farming.
And lettuce. The day we visited, Mark his team were harvesting acres and acres of big, fat, juicy, iceberg lettuce heads. So fresh we could tear them from the ground, slice ’em in half, and take a big ‘ol bite.
Best iceberg I ever had. Sweet. Cool. Crisp. My Mom made an iceberg salad every night growing up and I still remember how she’d thump the core onto a cutting board, rip it open, then tear and wash the pieces. This totally took me back!
Afterwards we donned hair nets and headed into the field ourselves, trailing the harvesting team.
What do we think – is this a good look? ; )
I find it absolutely fascinating that the back-breaking job of hand harvesting still results in a $2 head of iceberg lettuce at the store.
I will definitely remember this crew the next time I stab my fork into a bowl of salad.
After leaving Mark’s growing fields, the gang traveled to Dole’s nearby packing plant, where all the lettuce is transported to immediately after harvesting. Due to proprietary techniques we weren’t able to take pictures, but this is where all the lettuce is cut, triple-washed, sorted, bagged, and shipped.
After perusing the plant we headed to R&D for a little Lettuce 101!
With Emilio… ;)
Dole includes over 35 types of lettuce and vegetables in their salads and salad blends. They want people to see salad differently and the dozens of pre-packaged and kit options definitely allows for that.
Over 20 of the lettuces were on display in front of Emilio, and before he explained the different varieties, we were to go around and try to match the different lettuces to their name. As a frequent salad connoisseur I figured I had this one in the bag. I did not. I had never even heard of some of these lettuce varieties! After tasting a few, including baby butter lettuce and red oak, I am looking forward to branching out and trying some different Dole blends the next time I’m at the store.
After lettuce 101 we headed to nearby Paraiso Vineyards for lunch, a small, family-run winery that totally took me back to Napa.
Wine was poured, and nibbles including Empanadas – flaky pastry wrapped around a cheese and chorizo filling – were served. Think upscale Hot Pocket, mmkay? ; )
Lunch was served at a beautifully set table on the patio. The sun was warm and the breeze was cool. It was perfect.
I ordered Saffron Risotto with Grilled Chicken Romanesco. The risotto was mouthwatering and reminded me to make another batch at home sometime soon. I loved how Spanish touches were worked into every meal we had out here, to tie into the Taste of Spain promotion.
As a side note, I have absolutely loved getting to know the women on this blogging trip. Some, like Ali, I have had the pleasure of meeting before,
while others like Liz and Chung-Ah, I got to meet for the first time this week. Everyone has been unbelievably warm and friendly. As an introvert, sometimes these blogger get-togethers can be overwhelming and intimidating but I have enjoyed my time with them so, so much.
I also don’t know why I feel it’s ok to eat dessert with every meal when I’m on trips like this, but I decided not to stop now and enjoyed a Vanilla-Bean Creme Brulee with fresh berries for dessert. Delicious! Creme Brulee is hands down my favorite dessert.
I made sure to leave my mark on the way out of the vineyard. : )
To close out the day’s activities, later that afternoon we had both the head chef and owner of nearby Spanish restaurant, Mundaka, come and give us a tapas demonstration!
Tapas are small plates of food meant for sharing, and originated in Spain. They say small plates used to be placed over glasses of wine or sangria at bars and restaurants to keep the bugs out, which chefs started adding little nibbles and bites to. The rest is history!
Chef demonstrated this amazing little black beluga lentil salad with smoked ham, shaved brussels sprouts, pickled cauliflower and the most perfect lemon vinaigrette. Ugh it was so good, and I just loved how it was presented in a jar. Great for entertaining!
Then we split up into teams for a tapas making competition, muwahaha!
With ingredients like hard boiled eggs, anchovies, smoked ham, roasted red bell peppers, and green olives, we were to come up with a unique tapas dish that could be eaten in 2-3 bites.
The competition was stiff…
My team modeled our tapas after the woman adorning the packaging of Dole salad promoting the Taste of Spain contest. While we didn’t win best tasting – we did snag best looking. I’ll take it!
Now, no visit to the west coast would be complete without a trip to, well, the coast, so this afternoon we concluded our trip with a cruise down 17-Mile Drive.
Between the smell of the surf, and the sound of the waves, I don’t ever want to leave!
Alas…I must. I’ve had a blast here in Monterey and cannot wait to return to this beautiful part of the country someday. Thank you so much, Dole!
With that, it’s back to regularly scheduled programming tomorrow! I hope you’ve had a great week so far! : )
Jamie @ Sometimes Healthy Living Blog 05.15.2013
What an amazing trip! Being in PR, it’s refreshing to see a brand recognizing bloggers and utilizing them to showcase their great products. I would love to be able to go on one of these trips some day :-)
Patti Macalolooy 05.15.2013
I am so glad you got to visit Monterey. I am not sure if you had a chance to visit Fisherman Wharf and walk on Cannery Row and visit the history of Monterey. So many shops, so little time. But I am from that area, born and raised. I still get down there at least once a month because all my relative still reside there. And I never want to leave either. However, sadly my husband job took us 2 hours away from home. We are both from Monterey County and grew up together. Matter of fact, our parents went to school together in that area. We have our family history there as well.
I do hope you get to visit again someday and experience the wharf, and Cannery Row and some of the shopping we have there.
Love your posts!
Teresa 05.15.2013
Oh take me back! We spent our honeymoon in CA. We drove from SF to LA no reservations after the first night so we could drive as long or little as we wanted. It was AMAZING and we can’t wait to do it again. So beautiful, relaxing, delicious, and everything.
You really are pg!! Love the pic finally!
Tieghan Gerard 05.15.2013
I am so jealous!! These picture are incredible!
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope 05.15.2013
These views are just breathtaking!! I’ve always wanted to visit northern California… it looks beautiful. What a neat event too! Sounds like you had such a great time :)
Kristen Weber 05.15.2013
Iceberg lettuce is still my favorite. Probably from growing up in Iowa- we had an iceberg salad with almost every meal. I can’t stand the bagged lettuce and lettuce blends- they taste like chemicals to me.
Jane | Not Plain So Jane 05.15.2013
I’m headed up to that part of the coast next week, I’m excited! Looks like a wonderful event. You made a good point about a $2 head of lettuce and all that work. Food prices are drastically cheaper in the US than the rest of the world!
Gabby 05.15.2013
HELLOOOOO EMILIO!! AmIright?! :) Looks like a great trip!
Kim @ Hungry Healthy Girl 05.15.2013
What a neat trip! Thanks for showing us the ins and outs and by the way you look gorgeous!
anna 05.15.2013
Looks like so much fun! I miss California so bad!
P.S. stop hidin’ the belly! :P
Jan @ Sprouts n Squats 05.15.2013
Wow looks like you had such a great time :)
Loving your breakfast, let alone your lunch and all the other yummy food you got to enjoy!
Liz @ The Lemon Bowl 05.15.2013
It was such a pleasure to finally meet you in person!! And we truly could not have been more fortunate to meet in such a gorgeous setting!!! Best wishes with the rest of your pregnancy – can’t wait to hear the name you’ve picked out for the little man!! Look forward to crossing paths with you again soon.
Mary Ann 05.15.2013
This is so cool! I applied to host a Dole House Party with their Spain inspired salads and this makes me hope I get in to the program even more!
Katie @ Blonde Ambition 05.15.2013
Girl, you must have been driving all over if you went all the way from Monterey to Napa! Hehe. As a Northern-California native, I love seeing others visit and enjoy my home region (not to mention sharing pictures with the whole world to see how awesome it is!).
I never knew the story of tapas, and think that sounds so cool. I love Spanish food! Looks like you had a great trip :)
jadjd18 05.15.2013
Ah, I am so jealous! We went there last July and it was the most relaxing, wonderful vacation ever. We picked it b/c my guy wanted to see Pebble Beach and I agreed because of everything else around to do (especially Carmel). If you ever go back, stay at the Old Monterey Inn in Monterey for at least one night. It was amazing.
Liz 05.15.2013
LOVE Carmel Valley Ranch!!! I’ve stayed there twice with my husband when he had work conferences there. Last time was just a couple months ago in March. Everything about that place just exudes relaxation, I love it! And Roxy is so sweet, I just wanted to cuddle her every time I walked through the lobby! Glad you had a great trip!
Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health 05.15.2013
I’m glad you decided to review the hotel because I am looking to plan a weekend getaway to Monterrey/Carmel later this summer. We live about 2 hrs away but I’ve heard it’s gorgeous. Looks like you’ve had a great trip so far and you look so cute in your hair net! ;)
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking 05.15.2013
Looks like you had a super fun, delicious time in Monterey! I lived in California for years but never made it there. Next time, for sure! Thanks for sharing.
Katie @ Daily Cup of Kate 05.15.2013
Wow, what a beautiful getaway! Looks like you had a great time. I just found your blog, and have to say I’m loving it!
Sarah | The Cyclist's Wife 05.15.2013
Love Monterey. So glad you did 17 Mile Drive!