In Gratitude of California

by Nancy Armitage

Prolific gardens big and small

I think that it is appropriate time of year in the month of November to give gratitude. Close to Thanksgiving, to pay homage & thanks to my beautiful state of California. Like Mr. Henry E. Huntington, I love California & all it has to offer us California citizens. I enjoy the beaches & blue sky most days of the year, & all our prolific gardens. We have so many acres of Pacific coastline to enjoy in our state. I am lucky I have lived in California my whole life & I have always appreciated it so very much. Often going to the beach cities for a day or weekend trip. I enjoy all of our amazing museums like the Huntington Library in San Marino, Norton Simeon in Pasadena, The Getty Museum in Malibu & Los Angeles & so many more!!

When you are at a California party, it always comes up, “What are you growing in your garden??’ Every one has a garden… a tomato & basil garden or a herb or vegetable garden, or a summer garden with corn and sunflowers or a fruit orchard. That wasn’t the case when I was growing up. On the corner of large busy streets around Los Angeles,- there were seasonally fruits, berries, & vegetable stands. The farmers would come into town & sell their fresh fruits: strawberries, watermelon, or summer corn, directly to their customers.

Artists of California coast

California has an abundance of Artists & Artisans, along the coast, it has been like that since the 1920’s-2020’s. Bohemian beach towns that have nourished the artistic spirit for a 100 yrs: like Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, San Francisco, Sausalito, Santa Barbara, Carmel, Cambria, & Los Angeles, San Diego, & La Jolla, CA. In Laguna Beach, they still have the annual Pageant of the Masters & Sawdust Festival every year. To support local artists that live in the Southern California. In the early 1900’s, there were amazing plein-air painters like Wm. Wendt, Guy Rose, Maurice Braun, Franz A. Biscoff, Edgar Payne, Joseph Kleitsch, Granville Redmond, Alson S. Clark, & so many more. There colorful paintings are amazing & show us what the San Gabriel Valley & our coastline looked like in 1900. Instead of a black & white photograph.

Huntington Day trips with picnics & Art buying

In the 1920’s, Mr. Mrs. Henry “Edwards” Huntington (Arabella) often went on day trips with picnics to explore Southern California on a clear day. They would drive in their large limousine cars. They would take trips to Santa Monica Beach & Malibu, where Mrs. Arabella Huntington had owned huge plots of land in that area. They would visit their friends or have a luncheon or tea together. Also, sometimes, these trips were art purchasing trips. One memorable drive the Huntingtons were invited to McMonnies studio & they bought the beautiful statue-fountain of the “Mother & Child; it now stands by the Huntington Mansion Loggia (at the Huntington Library, San Marino, CA). So the Huntington’s did collect some contemporary art & sculpture of their time period, in the 1920’s. They collected had several pastels of Mary Cassett, Whistler & Zorn, too.

Southern California:

You can go from the mountain to the desert in one hour (from Lake Arrowhead to Palm Springs). Then keep on driving down the the beaches for a day trip. There are so many places to visit & festivals to go to. Music at the Hollywood Bowl, Renaissance Pleasure Fair in April & May, & the Shakespeare Festival at the Huntington Library. Artistic cities & beach towns: Laguna Beach, Santa Barbara, San Diego, & Malibu, Los Angeles. Art galleries, fun nautical stores, wonderful sunsets & great seafood on the beach. Fun resort towns are Mammoth Mountains, Big Bear Lake, & Palm Springs (sun and fun in winter).

Northern California:

There is so much to appreciate in Northern California. The gorgeous San Francisco Bay, & the Golden Gate Bridge is spectacular. Christmas tree ornament buying at Macy’s SF, the Japanese Garden, De Young Museum (alot of Mrs. Arabella Huntington items are located there, probably in the name of Collis or Archer Huntington), S. F. Wharf and Crabmeat & Mayonnaise sandwiches on Sourdough bread, Mark Hopkins Hotel, the Buena Vista, old Victorian mansions & bungalows, California wine country with beautiful wines & California sparkling champagne from Napa Valley, California goat cheese from Sonoma.

All you have to do is drive up the coast of California to find fun adventures & seafood restaurants. Swimming or surfing in the Pacific Ocean, Santa Barbara to Cambria by the Sea to the Hearst Castle, to San Luis Obispo, sweet Sausalito & Monterey, California to San Francisco & Sacramento. So many wonderful shops, restaurants, museums & galleries. Many art & creative clubs started up in the beginnings of the 1900’s: Bohemian Club SF, HEH was a member. So many powerful men and women influenced the growth of California. Like people: John Muir (Yosemite Valley), Hearst Castle SF, H. E. Huntington (LA & California growth) and Collis Huntington and his company Southern Pacific Co. and all his trains.

Punch Californian (1907)

I first saw this refreshing punch on a 1907 menu for the Merchant Club of San Francisco, which the Huntingtons (Collis P. Huntington & HEH were both members of). The Merchant Club was helping rebuild the great city of San Francisco, California after the devastating Earthquake/Fire of 1906.

Mrs. Collis P. Huntington (Arabella), owned a large mansion on Nob Hill in San Francisco, CA – which was completely leveled by the EQ/fire. This recipe is adapted from the 1907 Rare book of Henry E. Huntington’s at the Huntington Library in San Marino, CA. It was called Paul Richard’s Book of Breads, Cakes, Pastries, Ices, & Sweetmeats.

3 qt. Water

2 c. Lemon Juice

2 c. Pineapple, grated

1 qt. California white wine

1 c. Orange juice

rind of 2 Oranges

1 pt. Brandy

1 qt. Orange sherbet

Mix the water, wine, fruit juice & juices. Freeze in a plastic pitcher. Add to punch bowl, with minced spearmint, & brandy. Just before serving, add orange or sorbet. Make 5 1/2 qts. Recipe: Nancy Armitage

H. E. Huntington shared the San Marino Ranch with his family &friends:

These are diary entries from HEH’s brother-in-law, E. Burke Holladay: on a trip down to see HEH &nd his San Marino Ranch. Burke was married to HEH’s favorite sister, Carrie & they would come visit with their 2 children (Collis & Helen Holladay). Also, HEH’s mother, Harriet, too. HEH is really showing the Holladays & their children a good time in Southern California. H. E. “Edwards” Huntington wanted them to move down to Southern California from San Francisco. Which they eventually did move & HEH so generously bought them a house & a lovely garden.

In 1912, H. “Edwards” Huntington is 62 years old & he shows no signs of slowing down. He has amazing energy at this time in his life & its just getting started. He is having a great time enjoying his newly-finished Huntington Mansion on the Ranch & his growing crops & gardens. In a 4th of July week’s time period, HEH takes them to the theatre, musicals, & the Mission Play. They journey down to all the Southern California beaches, they go to Mt. Lowes & Alpine Tavern in HEH’s vehicular mountain tramway, they had so many fun!

Tuesday, July 2, 1912 [SF via a ship or RR to Los Angeles – to elegant Hotel Alexandria to HEH’s San Marino Ranch. HEH really shows them a good time in Southern California.

“Reaching Los Angeles from San Pedro over the Salt Lake Road. We were met at the [ship or RR] station by Edwards [HEH] with his Lozier car – He took us at once to the Hotel Alexandria [downtown LA], where as his quests we had a suite of three bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, & parlor: #659 & #663. After getting our grips located we motored out to his [HEH] beautiful new home [mansion] near Pasadena which he calls: “the Ranch”. He showed us his paintings & [Boucher] tapestries in the house & his Japanese garden & other things outside. In the evening, we went to the new theatre at San Gabriel, & saw Mc Groarty’s Mission Play” [San Gabriel Playhouse now] Document: HEH collection HEH 52/2/(1-2) [Holladay Family Papers] Huntington Library, San Marino, CA

July 3, 1912 Alexandria Hotel, downtown Los Angeles & SMR “We left the hotel for the Ranch (SMR) to 10 & remained there all day. In the evening he took us to Glendale where we had a fine Spanish dinner.” Document: HEH collection HEH 52/2/(1-2) [Holladay Family Papers] Huntington Library, San Marino, CA

Thurs. July 4, 1912 San Marino Ranch “All day at the Ranch In the Evening, Edwards took us to see “Peg o my Heart” at the Burbank [theatre]”. Document: HEH collection HEH 52/2/(1-2) [Holladay Family Papers] Huntington Library, San Marino, CA

Friday July 5, 1912 HEH [Edwards} took us in his motor to Santa Monica, Venice [Beach & canals], Redondo [Beach] for lunch & then to Long Beach & back. In the evening he took us to a picture show [movie]. Document: HEH collection HEH 52/2/(1-2) [Holladay Family Papers] Huntington Library, San Marino, CA

Sat. July 6, 1912 San Marino Ranch, CA “At noon, he [HEH] took us to the Ranch, where Mr. Graves, with wife & daughter & 2 relatives called [ to have a chat & cup of tea]. Document: HEH collection HEH 52/2/(1-2) [Holladay Family Papers] Huntington Library, San Marino, CA

Sunday July 7, 1912 San Marino Ranch CA Mt. Lowe Railway. “Carrie, the children [Collis and Helen] & I all went to Mount Lowe [railway up Lake Street in Pasadena/Altadena, probably having luncheon up there at the hotel]. Going from Alpine Tavern to the top on horses – returning to the Alexandria [hotel] for [formal] dinner.” [The Mt Lowe Railway is owned by H.E. “Edwards” Huntington & his Huntington Land & Improvement Co.] Document: HEH collection HEH 52/2/(1-2) [Holladay Family Papers] Huntington Library, San Marino, CA

Monday, July 8, 1912 San Marino Ranch to Riverside, CA ” Edwards [HEH] took us in his motor [car] to the Mission Inn at Riverside, [CA]. where we arrived at noon. In the afternoon, a private train of Cleveland greys [Braves] arrived & many came to the hotel – we (5) had a dinner on the [hotel] lawn.” [They spent the night] Document: HEH collection HEH 52/2/(1-2) [Holladay Family Papers] Huntington Library, San Marino, CA Mission Inn is a fabulous eccentric hotel, a must-see in Riverside, CA

Tuesday, July 9, 1912 Mission Inn, Riverside, CA – Hotel Potter – Santa Barbara, CA “We motored back from Riverside, CA, took lunch at the ranch, back to LA [Hotel Alexandria]. Said good-byes to Edwards [HEH] & boarded the 2:30 pm train for Santa Barbara, arriving at 6:30 pm where we went to the Hotel Potter, rooms 477-8 & 5 “Document: HEH collection HEH 52/2/(1-2) [Holladay Family Papers] Huntington Library, San Marino, CA

Sat. July 13, 1912 Santa Barbara, CA to San Ysidro Ranch & tea with Mrs. Orena “we hired a rig [horse & buggy], and were driven out to the San Ysidro Ranch where Mr. & Mrs. Brewer entertained us at luncheon – In the aft. on our return [Hotel Potter SB] we took tea, at the home of Mrs. Orena & her daughter, Miss Lattiliade. Document: HEH collection HEH 52/2/(1-2) [Holladay Family Papers] Huntington Library, San Marino, CA

Hotel Alexandria, Los Angeles, CA Formal Dinner Menu (Abt. 1913)

“It is not the quality of meat, but the cheerfulness of the guests which make the feast.” -Clarendon.

Amuse Bouche: Canape Alexandria

Soup Course: Cream of Tomato

Relish: Olives [Queen or Green] Celery & Toasted Almonds

Fish Course: Crab Legs Papillote, Alexandria

Sweetbreads, Alexandria

Sorbet

Poultry Course: Breast of Chicken, Alexandria with Jelly

Salad Course: Salad Alexandria

Dessert Course: Ice Cream a la Mode & Small Cakes

Cheese Course: Roquefort Cheese, Alexandria

Black & Turkish Coffee

Dinner Menu abt 1913 at Hotel Alexandria, downtown Los Angeles, Calif. In HEH’s rare book: Tried and True, 1913. The quote makes me laugh – the Hotel Alexandria was one of the finest hotels in LA CA. They would have the finest cut of meats & poultry, money could buy.

Canape Alexandria (Caviar & Foie Gras)

“Take a round piece of toast cut thin, butter when hot & spread with caviar, either fresh or salt-fresh preferred. Cut out the center of the canape the size of a [silver] dollar & replace with the prepared timbale of foie gras in aspic [chicken or duck liver pate]. Decorate plate with finely chopped lettuce & pimentos, cut in heart shapes. Serve with Champagne.” HEH’s Rare book: Tried & true cookbook, 1913. Nancy Note: Arabella Huntington would have loved this, caviar, Foie gras in aspic, & champagne, all her favorites! It sounds like a very romantic & elegant appetizer, but it is very unclear how one’s makes it.

I am sharing several Ranch recipes in honor of Mr. H. E. Huntington & Arabella Huntington’s San Marino Ranch. What I find interesting is that these recipes were made 125 years ago on California Ranchos & they are still made today in homes & restaurants in California.

“Huevos Rancheros” (Ranch Eggs), a California Recipe

I was given this recipe from a owner of a California ranch. She treats her husband & ranch employees to this breakfast. Served with good coffee, fresh fruit juices, bacon, sausage, toast & jam & hash brown potatoes – they are very happy to round up the cattle or horses, etc.

6 toasted corn tortilla, crisp

Sauce:

8 t. olive oil

1 1/2 c. onions, chopped fine

6 garlic cloves

1 c. tomato juice

1 1/2 can chipotle chile sauce (warning: spice hot-burns your eyes when you open the can)

Blend with a blender or hand blender

1 15 oz. black beans or refried beans, smear on corn tortilla

strips of green chiles (Ortega mild or spicy) or 1 lg. poblano chile (blacken & skinned)

2 large plum tomatoes, blacken & skinned

6 large ranch eggs, fried

3/4 c. Mexican queso cojita or queso ranchero cheese or Mexican cheese blend

fresh cilantro, minced

Assemble:

On a plate, place the fried corn tortilla, smear refried beans, add some Mexican blend cheese, drizzle Sauce, add blackened chiles & tomatoes, fried egg, a little of sauce with sprinkle of cheese & cilantro.

California Artichoke Soup

The exotic artichoke, a California treat. Try boiling one for about a hour (after you snip all the top of the leaves of their thorns- use a scissors. Make a sauce, with mayonnaise, lemon juice, & dill & sometimes I add garlic.

This is a delicious soup. I was inspired to make it when I had it at Shadowbrook Restaurant in Santa Cruz, CA. It was served in a beautiful old-fashioned soup bowl with 2 handles. It was a lovely Havilland pattern with gold on the rims & on the handles.

3 T. butter or olive oil

1 onion, minced

1/2 c. shallots or 1 large stalk leek

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 large cans artichoke hearts, reserve and drain the water or 6 boiled artichokes with bottoms

2 c. chicken stock

2 c. boiled potatoes, (Yukon Gold)

2 c. heavy cream/ creme fraiche/ greek yogurt/ or sour cream

salt

white pepper

2 pinches French tarragon

Saute the onion & shallots, in butter & olive oil, 7 mins. Add garlic last. Add the chopped artichoke hearts or artichoke bottoms. Then add chicken stock, add the cream, or yogurt . Add boiled chopped potatoes. Add salt & white pepper & French tarragon. With a Braun hand blender, blend until smooth. Serve hot in a soup bowl (with a lid to keep the soup hot), garnish with sprinkle of minced French tarragon or baby chives. Recipe: Nancy Armitage

California Avocado Sunrise Omelet

I love the name of this breakfast treat. This is a adapted recipe from the http://www.avocado.org website.

8 eggs

drizzle of half & half or sour cream

Baby chives minced or green onions, chopped

1 c. onions & mushrooms, sauteed in olive oil & butter

1 California avocado, seeded & sliced & diced

handful of cheddar cheese & California Monterey Jack cheese

salt & mixed peppercorns

First sauté in butter or olive oil, onions & mushrooms, set aside. In a bowl, beat the eggs with half and half. add onions, & mushrooms & handful of cheeses. Pour the egg mixture into a buttered fry pan. Let it get brown on the bottom & flip to the other side. Remove when 2nd side is cooked. cut into wedge. Plate a wedge of the omelet on a plate, add slices of avocado, handful of cheese, s/p & a dopple of sour cream & minced chives. Add Pico de gallo on top and/or tabasco sauce. Adapted by Nancy Armitage

California Food Recipes with ingredients

Beverages:

Date Shake (sweet dates, ice cream or heavy cream or milk)

Soups:

California Tortilla Soup: Chicken in a chicken broth, veggies, celery, tomatoes or salad, avocado, crunchy tortilla chips crushed up, parmesen cheese or Mexican cheese blend

San Francisco Cioppino Soup : fish, mussels, clams, scallops & shrimp in tomato base.

LA Mexican Albondigas Soup (Meatball & rice soup) beef or chicken broth base, meatballs made with hamburger & cooked white rice, egg & cilantro), veggies.

Orange Julius drink: oj, milk, vanilla extract, & sugar (whipped up to be the color of butter)

California Salads:

California Cobb salad: chicken, hard boiled egg, avocado, tomato, lettuce, bacon, blue cheese or roquefort dressing (often restos or clubs will have “1/2 and 1/2 dressing” half blue cheese & 1/2 Italian)

Tabouleh Salad fine cut burgur, parsley, onions, mint, tomatoes, & lemon juice

Quinoa Salad with garlic cloves & chicken stock in the water. Once it is cooled you could add anything to it: cucumbers, artichokes, chicken, cubed cheese, parsley and French tarragon and basil, tomatoes, red onions, black olives. You could drizzle a little Italian dressing.

California Coleslaw, (green cabbage, carrots, red & green bell pepper, dill, celery, onion, garlic with sour cream & maybe mayonnaise)

Mexican Street Corn Salad (cooked corn, garlic or onions, cotija cheese grated, lime juice, butter, red chile powder, mayonnaise, cilantro or chives)

California Sandwiches:

San Francisco Sourdough Bread is amazing & world class! Especially when they carve out a bread roll into and sour dough bowl. Filled with yummy flavorful soup & they you cut of the bread and eat it. The soup could be clam chowder or San Francisco Cioppino (Seafood Chowder).

Toaster-Oven Sunday Sandwich: (open faced sandwich) French bread – toasted, sharp cheddar cheese, tomato slices, baby chives or garlic chives minced, dap of mayonnaise, small strips of Ortega green chilies. Top with shredded cheese. In a foil-lined toaster oven, add open faced sandwiches, let broil until cheese is golden & bubbly. Take out & eat or add the French bread together & cut in half. My dad’s favorite sandwich.

California Melt : On sourdough toast or French baguette: (add avocado to mushrooms & tomatoes & (a hamburger or grilled chicken) & Swiss cheese or nutty Jarlsberg cheese on toast)

Santa Maria Tri-tip sandwiches: on toasted French roll, rub with a clove of garlic, BBQ marinated tri-tip beef slices, pickled red onions, and Pico de gallo (tomatoes, onions, cilantro & white vinegar and/ lemon juice.

California “BLT & A” Sandwich or Bagel Sandwich: toasted bagel or bread, crispy bacon, mayonnaise, with sliced tomato and sliced Avocado

California Chicken Wrap ( 1970’s-1980’s): Spinach tortilla, with shredded lettuce & cooked Chicken & avocado, California Monterey Jack cheese, bacon, tomato, red onion, with a green goddess dressing or Chipotle mayonnaise (plain yogurt, mayonnaise & finely chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce -maybe too hot go for Ortega chiles.)

BBQ Ranch Sandwich (Carni Asadi, Chicken or Tri-Tip Beef or Pulled pork) Recipe

I have enjoyed a version of this sandwich at a Rancho picnic & California reunions, & at Sunday Night dinners with my sons who are amazing BBQ chefs, all of them.

This could be served as a taco with corn tortilla or a sandwich on a French Roll (BBQ to toast it & rub with a clove of garlic)

Stack of homemade corn tortilla toasted on BBQ or French Roll, cut in two & toasted on grill

Meat: Carni asada beef marinaded & grilled or marinade & BBQ California tri-tip beef

marinaded Grilled chicken, sliced (marinade in lemon juice, teriyaki, & garlic)

or pulled pork roast (In a crock pot, pork roast with garlic, chicken stock and water with, ortega chiles) in crock pot for 4-6 hrs.

Slices California Monterey Jack cheese or Sharp Cheddar

Sliced California Avocado

Ortego chiles, mild or spicy (Jalapenos), drain and lay on sandwich

Pico de gallo (tomatoes, onions, chiles in vinegar and lemon juice)

pickled red onions

Crema or sour cream

Fresh cilantro, minced

BBQ corn tortilla or French bread roll, cut in half and grilled. After grilled rub garlic clove. Add meat and cheese with avocado and ortega green chiles. Add pico de gallo & pickled red onions, a little crema and cilantro. Enjoy.

Breakfast or Luncheon Entree:

Broccoli Quiche or frittata (1970’s) (steamed broccoli, chicken, garlic, with a custard mixture in a pie crust or for a frittata -a egg and milk and salt and pepper mixture over the broccoli

California Roll (Japanese Sushi): avocado & crabmeat rolled up seaweed and white cooked sticky rice.

California Fish Tacos made with cod fish: corn tortillas grilled, green cabbage thinnly sliced, red onions, cilantro, fried cod, with pico de gallo (no cheese)

California Breakfast Burrito: flour tortilla, sausage or bacon, cooked scrambled eggs, hash brown potatoes, cheddar cheese, pico de gallo. Slightly grilled on the outside

Outdoors snack (for a Beach day, Hiking day, etc)

GORP – Yosemite Good Old Raisins and peanuts (trail mix with nuts and m and m’s and raisins or dried apricots)

Bag of nuts: Toasted Sunflower seeds, peanuts, toasted almonds, pistachios, cashews

Nancy’s California Summer – Curry Heart Salad

I came home after researching at the Huntington Library & made this yummy salad. In honor of Mr. H. E. Huntington’s beautiful palm tree gardens. It was really a fabulous salad!

1 can artichoke bottoms, drained and minced or marinaded artichoke hearts, minced

1 bottle hearts of palm, drained & sliced

1-2 chicken breasts, grilled with garlic & teriyaki sauce, debone & chop

1/2 c. red peppers, grilled & peeled, & diced

1/4 c. toasted pine nuts, whole

handful baby chives, minced

3 t. mayonnaise

2 dashes Spice Island curry powder

a bowl filled with mixed lettuces & nutty arugula.

I so appreciate The California beaches (Huntington Beach, Balboa Peninsula, Santa Monica, Seal Beal, San Juan Capistrano, Newport Beach, Redondo Beach, Laguna Beach). I love the California sunshine, & the great weather all the time, the blue Pacific Ocean, & the best sunsets ever! It was 90 degrees on November 12, 2025, my roses are loving these hot days & cool nights. My “winter roses” are my favorite. They will last until January, they usually are 3 x’s larger then the size of my regular roses. I’ll cut them back & they will bud up again in March-April, depending on the year. Gardens grow pretty much all year long. We are so lucky.