From the Moxhaven Kitchen

From the Orange Grove to the Mountains

I was a California beach baby, born in Escondido, where the groves were full of oranges, avocados and pomegranates and the air smelled like orange blossoms and honeysuckle. My grandpa would open an orange for us right there in the grove, laughing his Winnie the Pooh laugh, and my grandma always had fresh-squeezed orange juice and cinnamon graham crackers waiting. Fresh OJ is still my favorite drink.

Then I moved to Utah, married a mountain man, and raised a whole bunch of mountain babies. These recipes carry both places: sunshine and citrus from the grove, and hearty, fill-the-table food from the mountains, made for a big family that’s always hungry. The mountains are where my roots grew, but the ocean still feels like home, and you’ll taste a little of both on every page.

• orange blossoms
• honeysuckle
• oranges
• avocados
• pomegranates