We’ve done kale, so what’s next?…

The other day something clicked. I not only realized that kale is quickly leaving restaurant menus, but that I’m kind of over it. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll still eat it now and then, and I really do like the taste of it, but let’s move on to something new. No more kale chips, kale salad, kale wraps, kale bacon, or kale sun tan lotion. I want to focus on the next vegetable that makes my eyes sparkle and my mouth uncontrollably shout it to the server.

I was a lucky child in that my mother never made me eat vegetables. This was most likely due to her parents for forcing vegetables down her throat as a child. And when I say “lucky,” I mean in a non “I-weigh-twice-what-I-should-and-have-cardiovascular-problems” way… She still prepared vegetables, and they were still on the table, but it was my choice to eat them. Interestingly, because I wasn’t forced, I loved eating them. In fact, I remember times I’d come home from having dinner at friends’ houses raving about this “new” vegetable I’d had and asking her to make it in her next meal. Ever since, I’ve been a veritable vegetable votary.

Kalettes photo courtesy of modernfarmer.com

So every year, I’m curious which vegetable will be on every menu at every restaurant. Which leaf or stalk will make me feel really cool ordering it. Which perennial will my wife now tell me is healthy to smear all over my face (I believe her, but sometimes wonder if she’s just seeing what she can make me do).

Many are saying the new hippest green will be the hybrid Kalettes. And though, this cute little combination of Kale and Brussels sprouts is sure to spring up in salads here and there, I can’t help but wonder if it has the potential to become “huge.” Hybrid vegetables that catch on are somewhat rare. Think about the most recent popular vegetable hybrid that you’ve seen regularly in restaurants. It’s probably something like broccolini which has been around for over 20 years. Veggies can do it, but hybrids tend to be more popular with fruits. Think, pluot, tangelo, blood lime, etc… (okay the last one isn’t exactly popular, but is really cool sounding…like it could be the name of the next novel-to-movie blockbuster).

There have been plenty of fruit/vegetable fads to trend on. We’ve conquered avocado (though let’s face it, that beautiful alligator pear will never get old). Sun-dried tomatoes are good, but that year-old half-jar in the back of my fridge says “not that exciting anymore.” No one over 12-years-old cares that asparagus makes your pee smell anymore. And though I love heirloom [insert any edible here] because of the flavors, colors, etc…, I haven’t seem much since heirloom carrots hit the menus.

What do you think? Have you seen anything regularly yet? Let me know what you think the newest vegetable craze will be (or already is)? I’ve seen a bunch of cauliflower purées and soups lately…

Day 5 – Last day in San Diego

Waking up on our last day in San Diego meant we had to find spots close by, as we opted for a “car-less” half day before heading to the airport.

Breakfast – My wife found a great sounding breakfast place that was downtown called Dee’s Newbreak Coffee & Cafe. Though I led us on a round-about path of “knowing where I’m going” until we accidentally walked by it, we did find it. I kind of wished we found this on our first day. The atmosphere was chill, the artwork original and the food fresh and flavorful. I had the California omelet which included mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, bacon, shredded cheddar and was, of course, topped with avocado. I don’t find it odd that when you order a “California such-and-such” around the country it means that it includes avocado. That’s just association by lack of information (especially considering how many other foods mainly come from California). But I never understood why it means the same thing IN California.  The entire time I lived there, I would see “California this” and California that” which 99% of the time meant it came with avocado. (The exception being the California Burrito, a beautiful concoction of carne asada, cheddar cheese and french fries on a humongous flour tortilla – a.k.a one of my favorite late-night Mexican joint meals.)

Lunch – Again, being sans auto we stayed close to the hotel and tried our luck at a restaurant in Seaport Village again. This time we wanted to get something we hadn’t had the entire trip and that would be difficult to find in Idaho. So we headed for Harbor House Restaurant because we knew they served oysters. This was a “half-like/half-don’t” place. The food was right down the middle, as was the service. My clam chowder with sourdough was pleasing, but nothing mind-blowing, the spicy shrimp my wife ordered were tasty, but small and the oysters (raw & Rockefeller) were good, but I’d rather order them somewhere else next time. The service was a bit slow and seemed confused, but we had a table on the covered patio looking out across San Diego Bay, so it was hard to complain. I had a really good beer from Belching Beaver Brewery (@BelchingBeaver), unfortunately, I don’t know which one. I order the “Amber” from the menu (that’s all it said), but when it came, it was most likely their Saison. I asked the server the name of the beer, but was greeted with an “I don’t know” and no mention of going to look the next time she was in the kitchen. So put it on my Untappd account as a question mark.

Afternoon – Sadly, our last meal in San Diego consisted of a packaged salad and boxed “picnic” from the duty-free store at the San Diego Airport (we were literally in the only section of the airport without a restaurant). But once we got back to Boise, we stopped at The Pie Hole in downtown and enjoyed a few slices on the patio before heading home to prepare for a week replacing beaches with working.

The trip was terrific all in all. I miss living in San Diego a lot and may decide to someday live there again. I wish we had had much more time there to eat at many more restaurants, but I guess that’s all the more reason to visit as much as possible.