Strawberries became Monterey County’s top crop for the first time in 2009, the agricultural commissioner reported Tuesday in his annual report.

Strawberry production values jumped 22percent to $756 million, pushing leaf lettuce to second at $737million. Strawberries climbed from third to second a year ago.

Overall, crop values increased 5.4percent last year to $4.03billion after an increase of only one-tenth of a percent in 2008.

Given the sluggish economy, the increase “is fabulous,” Agricultural Commissioner Eric Lauritzen said Tuesday.

Agriculture officials and lvn jobs california were quick to note that the figures are gross values and don’t reflect growers’ costs.

Strawberry production has been increasing rapidly over the years. The $756million for 2009 is two and half times what it was in 1999 and more than seven times the figure of 20 years ago.

The big jump in strawberries — statewide shipments were up 14percent last year — was mainly attributable to good weather, said Carolyn O’Donnell, communications director for the managed care jobs California Strawberry Commission in Watsonville.

Supermarkets were promoting berries with more sales than usual last year, O’Donnell said. Acreage planted in strawberries has been increasing in Monterey County — from 6,846 in 1999 to 11,247 in 2009.

While leaf lettuce dropped to the second spot, values still rose 13percent to $736million. Head lettuce dropped 5percent to $436million.

“We’re supplying the nation’s lettuce,” said Lauritzen.

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In these cooking courses we invite you to celebrate the abundance of autumn. We’ll harvest figs and grapes or forage in the woods for chestnuts and wild mushrooms in reusable shopping bag . We’ll cook hearty cazuelas, rabbit stews, soups that are meals in themselves, authentic paella, a feast of tapas, apple crepes and candied fruits.

We’ll also explore the culture of Andalucia with visits to the fabulous fruit and vegetable market in Malaga and bodegas in the Sierra Nevada mountain villages with their local cheeses and hams. Lastly, we’ll spend two days in the historic city of Granada including a visit to the fabled Alhambra Palace.

SPECIAL OFFER!

Save €430 on Autumn Cookery & Culture Course, 13 – 22 October 2009

We’re offering an early bird DISCOUNT on this course: €2,545 if you book before 1st May (full price: €2,975). Contact us or call on 0034 958 766 270 for details and bookings.

Any time of day or night you’ll see Spaniards enjoying small plates of tapas (appetizers) in bars. For me, tapas are the best thing about Spanish cuisine. Tapas are small portions, like appetizers, of seafood, salads, meat-filled pastries, deep-fried tasties, and on and on — normally displayed under glass at the bar.

Most bars push larger portions called raciones (dinner-plate-sized) rather than smaller tapas (saucer-sized). Ask for the smaller tapas portions, or a media-ración (listed as 1/2 ración on a menu), though many bars simply don’t serve anything smaller than a ración.

Eating and drinking at a bar is usually cheapest if you eat or drink at the counter (barra). You may pay a little more to eat sitting at a table (mesa) and still more for an outdoor table (terraza). Locate the price list (often posted in fine type on a wall somewhere) to know the menu options and price tiers. In the right place, a quiet snack and drink on a terrace on the town square is well worth the extra charge. But the cheapest seats sometimes get the best show. Sit at the bar and study your bartender — he’s an artist.

Be assertive or you’ll never be served. Por favor (please) grabs the guy’s attention. Don’t worry about paying until you’re ready to leave (he’s keeping track of your tab). To get the bill ask: “¿La cuenta?” (or la dolorosa — meaning literally “the sadness” — always draws a confused laugh). Bars come with a formidable language barrier. A small working vocabulary is essential for tapas proficiency, and will help you eat better, too (see below).

Chasing down a particular bar for tapas nearly defeats the purpose and spirit of tapas — they are impromptu. Just drop in to any lively place. I look for the noisy spots with piles of napkins and food debris on the floor (go local and toss your trash, too), lots of locals, and the TV blaring. Popular television shows include bullfights and soccer games, American sitcoms, and Spanish interpretations of soaps and silly game shows (you’ll see Vanna Blanco). While tapas are served all day, the real action begins late — 21:00 at the earliest. But for beginners, an earlier start is easier and comes with less commotion.

Get a fun, inexpensive sampler plate. Ask for una tabla de canapés variados to get a plate of various little open-face sandwiches. Or ask for a surtido de (an assortment of…) charcutería (a mixed plate of meat) or queso (cheese). Un surtido de jamón y queso means a plate of different hams and cheeses. That, bread, and two glasses of red wine on the right square — and you’ve got a romantic (and inexpensive) dinner for two.

Tapas Terms

pincho: bite-size portion

pinchito: tiny pincho

tapas: snack-size portions

ración: larger portions (half a meal, occasionally available in a smaller version called a “1/2 ración” (media-ración)

frito: fried

…a la plancha: grilled

Quanto cuesta una tapa?: How much per tapa?
Sandwich Words

canapé: tiny open-faced sandwich

pulguitas: small closed baguette sandwich

montadito: baguette slice with the tapa “mounted” on top

bocadillos: baguette sandwiches, cheap and basic, a tapa on bread

flautas: sandwich made with flute-thin baguette

pepito: yet one more word for a little sandwich
Typical Tapas

aceitunas: olives

almendras: fried almonds

atún: tuna

bacalao: cod

banderilla: small skewer of spicy, pickled veggies — eat all at once for the real punch (it’s named after the spear matadors use to spike the bull)

bombas: fried meat and potatoes ball

boquerones: fresh anchovies

calamares fritos: fried squid rings

caracoles: snails (May-Sept)

cazón en adabo: salty, marinated dogfish

champiñones: mushrooms

croquetas de…: breaded and fried béchamel (made of flour and milk), usually with chunks of jamón (ham)

empanadillas: pastries stuffed with meat or seafood

ensalada rusa: potato salad with lots of mayo, peas, and carrots

espinacas (con garbanzos): spinach (with garbanzo beans)

gambas (a la plancha, al ajillo): shrimp (sauteed, with garlic)

gazpacho: cold soup, made with tomato, bread, garlic, and olive oil

guiso: stew

mejillones: mussels

paella: rice dish with saffron, seafood, meat, and/or chicken

pan: bread

patatas bravas: fried chunks of potato with spicy tomato sauce

pescaditos fritos: assortment of fried little fish

picos: little breadsticks

pimiento (relleno): peppers (stuffed)

pisto: mixed sautéed vegetables

pulpo: octopus

queso: cheese (or a beautiful woman)

queso manchego: sheep-milk cheese

rabas: squid tentacles

rabo de toro: bull-tail stew

revuelto de…: scrambled eggs with…

…setas: …wild mushrooms

tabla serrana: hearty plate of mountain meat and cheese

tortilla española: potato omelet

tortilla de jamon/queso: potato omelet with ham/cheese

variado fritos: typical Andalusian mix of various fried fish
Cured Meats (Charcutería)

salchichon: sausage

jamón ibérico: best ham, from acorn-fed baby pigs

jamón serrano: cured ham

chorizo: spicy sausage

lomo: pork tenderloin
Typical Desserts

flan de huevo: crème caramel

arroz con leche: rice pudding

helados (variados) : ice cream (various flavors)

fruta de la estación: fruit in season

queso: cheese

On warm Spanish nights, bars are filled with revelers who wash down appetizer-sized portions called tapas with pitchers of fruity sangria.

Sangria is a thirst-quenching summer beverage. Bright red in color, It takes its name from the Spanish word sangre, which means “blood.” The key ingredients are red wine and fruit. It’s often spiked with something stronger to give it a kick. Brandy, gin, and vodka are common additives, though you can use whatever you want or happen to have within arm’s reach.

Each bar or restaurant has its own flexible recipe. Sangria’s fruitiness can make it taste deceptively harmless until your head starts to spin. Pace yourself carefully until you’ve determined how much of a punch it packs.

If you’re making sangria at home, there’s no right or wrong way to do it. Part of its beauty is you can make it as potent or tame as you like. You can even make non-alcoholic sangria, substituting fruit juice and soda water for the wine.

To make the alcoholic kind, begin with a bottle of red wine. A full-bodied Spanish red such as a rioja is best. You can use whatever fruits you like. Apples, pears, peaches, grapes, and berries are all popular. (Cut large fruits like apples and pears into small chunks. Be sure smaller fruits like grapes and cherries are seedless.) Citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons are particularly good because the acidity tempers the sweetness. Add soda water — and a few splashes of hard liquor if you like. Sweeten it with sugar and chill it with ice.

Sangria experts say the pitcher should sit for several hours before you drink it so the fruit soaks up the alcohol. Whether you’re in Toledo, Spain, or Toledo, Ohio, on a hot summer day, sangria is a refreshing beverage that takes the edge off the summer heat.

Tapas! For maximum fun, people, and atmosphere, go mobile for dinner: Do the “tapas tango,” a local tradition of going from one bar to the next, munching, drinking, and socializing. Tapas are the toothpick appetizers, salads, and deep-fried foods served in most bars. Madrid is Spain’s tapas capita- tapas just don’t get any better. Grab a toothpick and stab something strange- but establish the prices first, especially if you’re on a tight budget or at a possible tourist trap. Some items are very pricey, and most bars push larger raciones, rather than smaller tapas. The real action begins late (around 20:00). But for beginners, an earlier start, with less commotion, can be easier. In good old-fashioned bars, a drink comes with a free tapa. The litter on the floor is normal; that’s where people traditionally toss their trash and shells. Don’t worry about paying until you’re ready to go. Then ask for la cuenta (the bill).

If done properly, a pub crawl can be a highlight of your trip. Before embarking upon this culinary adventure, study these Tapas Tips.

Prowl the area between Puerta del Sol and Plaza Santa Ana. There’s no ideal route, but the little streets between Puerta del Sol, San Jerónimo, and Plaza Santa Ana hold tasty surprises. Nearby, the street Jesús de Medinaceli is also lined with popular tapas bars. Below is a six-stop tapa crawl. These places are good, but don’t be blind to making discoveries on your own. The more adventurous should read this crawl for ideas, and skip directly to the advanced zone (Lavapiés), described below.

1. From Puerta del Sol, walk east a block down Carrera de San Jerónimo to the corner of Calle Victoria. Across from the Museo del Jamón, you’ll find La Taurina Cervecería, a bullfighters’ Planet Hollywood (daily 8:00–24:00). Wander among trophies and historic photographs. Each stuffed bull’s head is named, along with its farm, awards, and who killed him. Among the many gory photos study the first post: It’s Che Guevara, Orson Welles, and Salvador Dalí, all enjoying a good fight. Around the corner, the Babe Ruth of bullfighters, El Cordobes, lies wounded in bed. The photo below shows him in action. Kick off your pub crawl with a drink here. Inspired, I went for the rabo de toro (bull-tail stew, €15) — and regretted it. If a fight’s on, the place will be packed with aficionados gathered around the TV.

Across the street, just left of the Museo del Jamón, is the…

2. Lhardy Pastelería, offering a taste of Old World charm in this district of rowdy pubs. This place has been a fixture since 1839 for Madrileños wanting to duck in for a cup of soup or a light snack with a fortified wine. Step right in, and pretend you’re an aristocrat back between the wars. Serve yourself. You’ll pay as you leave (on the honor system). Help yourself to the silver water dispenser (free), a line of elegant bottles (each a different Iberian fortified wine: sherry, port, and so on, €2 per glass), a revolving case of meaty little pastries (€1 each), and a fancy soup dispenser (chicken broth consommé-€2, or €2.50 with a splash of sherry…local style–bottles in the corner, help yourself; Mon–Sat 9:30–15:00 & 17:00–21:30, Sun 9:30–15:00 only, non-smoking, Carrera de San Jerónimo 8).

Now duck into the…
Madrid is Spain’s tapa capital.
Madrid is Spain’s tapa capital.

3. Museo del Jamón (Museum of Ham), tastefully decorated — unless you’re a pig (or a vegetarian). This frenetic, cheap, stand-up bar is an assembly line of fast and simple bocadillos and raciones. Photos show various dishes and their prices. The best ham is the pricey jamón ibérico — from pigs who led stress-free lives in acorn-strewn valleys. Just point and eat, but be specific; a jamón blanco portion costs only €2.50, while jamón ibérico costs €13. For a small sandwich, ask for a chiquito (€0.70, or €3.10 for a small ibérico). If on a budget, don’t let them sell you the ibérico (daily 9:00–24:00, sit-down restaurant upstairs).

Next, forage halfway up Calle Victoria to the tiny…

4. La Casa del Abuelo, where seafood-lovers savor sizzling plates of tasty little gambas (shrimp) and langostinos (prawns). Try gambas a la plancha (grilled shrimp, €7.20) or gambas al ajillo (ahh-HHEEE-yoh, shrimp version of escargot, cooked in oil and garlic and ideal for bread dipping, €8) and a €2 glass of red wine (daily 12:00-24:00, Calle Victoria 12).

Across the street is…

5. Oreja de Oro (”Golden Ear”), named for what it sells — sautéed pigs’ ears (oreja, €3). While pigs’ ears are a Madrid specialty, this place is Galician, so people also come here for pulpo (octopus, €12), pimientos de Padrón (green peppers…some sweet and a few hot surprises, €3.50), and the distinctive ribeiro (ree-BAY-roh) wine, served Galician-style, in characteristic little ceramic bowls (to disguise its lack of clarity). Jaime is a frantic one-man show who somehow gets everything just right. Have fun at this place.

For a perfect finale, continue uphill and around the corner to…

6. Casa Toni, for refreshing bowls of gazpacho — the cold tomato-and-garlic soup (€2.30, available all year but only popular when temperatures soar). Their specialties are berenjena (deep-fried slices of eggplant, €4.270) and champiñones (sautéed mushrooms, €5.20; open daily 11:30–16:00 & 18:00–23:30, closed July, Calle Cruz 14).

More Options: If you’re hungry for more, and want a trendy, up-to-date tapas scene, head for Plaza Santa Ana, with lively bars spilling out onto the square. Consider Cervecería de Santa Ana (tasty tapas with two zones: rowdy, circa 1900 beer-hall and classier sit-down) and La Moderna (wine, pâté, and cheese plates). Naturbier is a local microbrewery. Vinoteca Barbechera, at the downhill end of the square, has an inviting menu of tapas and fine wines by the glass (indoor and outdoor seating).

Gonzalez, a venerable gourmet cheese and wine shop with a circa 1930s interior, offers a genteel opportunity to enjoy a plate of first-class cheese or meat and a fine glass of wine with friendly service and a fun setting. Their assortment of five Spanish cheeses — more than enough for two — is a cheese-lover’s treat (€10 three-course fixed-price lunch, Tue–Sat 9:00–24:00, closed Sun–Mon, three blocks past Plaza Santa Ana at Calle Leon 12, tel. 914-295-618).