Farmer and the Cook

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Rob and I absolutely LOVED our experience at the Farmer and the Cook in Ojai, CA.  It was quite idyllic in our book.  A farm and market/cafe working together to provide fresh, organic food to the local community.  The market happens to carry loads of gluten-free goodies.  They actually had g-free brownies and cookies in the baked goods case!  The first I've seen in the area.  On the weekends, the market opens up for dinner with outside seating and live music.  After our farm tour, Rob and I stayed for an incredibly scrumptious meal. Organic wine and beer, meals put together based on the farm's bounty and beautiful music on a warm evening, surrounded by twinkling lights and happy customers...I didn't want it to end.  I had my first veggie burger since going gluten-free and they provided it on a corn tortilla, A-mazing.  Rob ended up having the same thing, on "real" bread.  It was a test, however.  Although touted as "gluten-free" they use spelt flour.  Spelt is still a question mark in the g-free circles.  I gave it a go.  Nothing terrible ensued and it certainly didn't ruin my experience, but I think I'd love to try making it at home with a different flour.  Just to be safe. 

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think what I loved most about visiting Gozo Farm (Gozo means "joy" in Spanish) was that we were able to forage as we walked.  Yum!  They had the most amazing tomatoes and peppers, sweet deliciousness right off the vine and the most peppery arugula I've ever tasted.  I felt quite bold trying every edible that was handed to me, no questions asked.  What an enlightening taste bud experience.  And again, we were entertained by a fabulously generous farm host, Steve Sprinkel, passionate about his soil, his diversified crop and his contributions to the community.  I am particularly fond of his partnership with the restaurant.  The "cook" happens to be his wife, Olivia Chase.  Olivia was equally as enthusiastic and I particularly enjoyed hearing about her seed "experiments" out on the farm.  I believe we got to try one of these experiments in the form of a tomato - delicious.  (Next time I'll take notes as the peppers had particularly cute people names).  
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After we had finished dinner and were sitting around taking in the sweet ambiance, our farm host appeared, joining his wife, and started to work the crowd.  A long days work...albeit, my impression was that it wasn't really work at all, just pure "gozo."

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