Cooking with seasonal ingredients is virtually synonymous with cuisine in California but how many people and places really pull it off?  Personally, I cringe whenever I have to buy a tomato or other off-season vegetable in the middle of the winter simply because I know the taste will be inferior, but as a home cook I admit I do it.  And, sadly so do some restaurants.  Local is also a very common culinary term here in California but one that I think is more difficult especially for items such as various meats.  Combining both seasonal and local is a wonderful culinary challenge and that’s why I am really attracted to the concept of the annual  “104 Mile Dinner” at Parcel 104 (Santa Clara, CA).  At this yearly dinner, held on June 7^th this year, all of the ingredients, including the wine, are obtained from no more than 104 miles from the restaurant.  What will they serve?  Well, I asked Executive Chef Robert Sapirman for a sneak peak at the menu.  While he would have loved to oblige, his answer was exactly what we should expect for a seasonal and local meal – that the menu depends on what’s available and fresh at the farmer’s market. To me this was the perfect answer and I can’t wait to see what Chef serves.  Oh and I can’t wait to try the latest creation from Pastry Chef Carlos Sanchez!  Yum. 

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