30 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY September 5-11, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com One of the services that Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula provides is what you probably think of when you hear the name. Volunteers assemble to pick up meals, load them into their cars, then drive around town delivering food on 35 routes to homebound seniors, making sure they have something to eat. But after those volunteers leave mid-morning, the kitchen crew keeps working. Instead of boxed meals, they plate the food. Out front, tables are set with flowers; once or twice a month, a band sets up to play; cloth napkins are folded at each place setting. Every day, Monday-Friday, anyone who is mobile are invited to partake in the same meals in a dining-room setting. Glenn McKee, 75, arrives right on time to the same table he’s occupied nearly daily for going on five years. “This is my seat,” he says. “The meals are excellent.” On this particular day, the first course is a subtle carrot-ginger soup, followed by a chicken puttanesca entree. It’s the right combination of salty and tangy one expects from puttanesca sauce, and it leans chunky rather than saucy, with healthy pieces of tomato and carrot. It’s served over brown rice instead of the more traditional pasta—besides culinary preference, there are nutrition guidelines to follow and a specific, older audience’s preferences to keep in mind. “We are required to supply whole grains,” Executive Chef Isaiah Cortright says. “Also, rice is easier to chew—a lot of my clients prefer it [to pasta].” His biggest goal is to keep the menu interesting enough for regulars, but likable enough to please everyone—there is just one main course on each day’s menu. “We like to do some things a little different and creatively,” Cortright adds. The kitchen crew brings serious culinary credentials. Cortright has experience in Michelin-starred kitchens. Sous Chef Chase Ewing came up through Rancho Cielo Youth Campus’ Drummond Culinary Academy then worked locally at establishments like the Marriott. “I think our food is pretty delicious,” says Development Director Esther Hobbs. “I eat it every day.” The lunch menu includes local fish when available, via Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust. Recent menus featured chicken parmesan, potato-onion frittata and Swedish meatballs with mashed potatoes; smoked bison brisket was a big hit. The multi-course service starts with coffee and ends with dessert (two cookies on this particular day). The food is indeed a draw, but regulars say it’s about something else. “The food is good here, but the company is spectacular,” says 79-yearold Karen, who declines to give her last name to protect her privacy. Her tablemate, McKee, agrees: “It’s food, and it’s friendship.” This is not just their perception— it’s science. The National Institute on Aging reports that social isolation and loneliness are associated with higher risk of heart disease, depression and cognitive decline. Providing gathering spaces for older adults to share a meal and a story—and some days, live music—is a direct response to those medical challenges. For these reasons, Meals on Wheels receives some government funding thanks to the Older Americans Act. This is far from the only local organization to offer similar group meals for seniors. The Carmel Foundation offers curbside pick-up and sit-down lunches four days a week. Entrees this month include garlic-maple chicken, baked ziti and coq au vin. The nonprofit expanded its meal program to the four-day-a-week model in 1981, when the late Marion Robotti was on the board. “The lunch program is about much more than good food. The sense of comradeship is just as important,” Robotti said, according to a Carmel Foundation timeline. At Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula, both McKee and Karen approve of the chicken puttanesca, but McKee has an added mission—sharing treats with his Australian terrier, Cappie. He pulls the meat off of his plate and puts it in a plastic cup as a doggie bag for later. Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula dine-in lunch takes place 11am-1pm Monday-Friday. 700 Jewell Ave., Pacific Grove. $3/suggested for ages 60+; $7.50/all others. 375-4454, mowmp.org. First course The kitchen crew at Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula prepares meals for delivery and also for the dining room every Monday-Friday. A Little Italy…The 91st annual Festa Italia Fisherman’s Festival takes place this weekend. Mangia your hearts out Friday, Sept. 6 from 3-9pm, Saturday, Sept. 7 from 10am-9pm and Sunday, Sept. 8 from 10am-6pm. In addition to the ever-popular pizza, arancini, pasta, calamari, sandwiches and cannoli, this year there will also be vegetarian eggplant parmesan sandwiches. As always, there are also beverages for purchase, live music, cooking demonstrations and a bocce tournament for a full cultural experience. Custom House Plaza, Monterey. festaitaliamonterey.org. Pickin’ And Grinnin’…Wine harvest season is upon us. That means a lot of work for the wineries. But the rest of us can kick up some dirt while dancing the night away to The Bassment Band at Rustique Winery’s harvest kickoff party on Saturday, Sept 7. Doors open at 6pm, the groovy tunes start at 7pm and the fun goes until 9pm. $17.85/in advance, $23.18/day-of. 1010 River Road, Salinas. 320-8174, rustiquewines.com. Beerlesque…Indulge in a drink with a show at Post No Bills’ Sand City location on Saturday, Sept. 7. The bar team will be joined by Miss Belle Voile’s burlesque dancers, who will dazzle you while you drink. The show is fun, funny, seductive and sassy—and one you won’t want to miss. Brews & Views tickets are $25 and VIP tickets start at $30. Doors are at 8pm and the show is at 9pm. 600 Ortiz Ave., Sand City. 324-4667, postnobills.net. Beer Run…Brew-N-Krew Ale House is hosting its inaugural pub run on Tuesday, Sept. 10. Put on your finest (or comfiest) athletic apparel and sneakers and join in on a 2.5-mile run or walk, and reward yourself with a brew (or two) afterward Run participation is free. Gathering starts at 6pm and the run starts at 6:30pm. 155 Main St., Salinas. 676-6533, instagram.com/brewandcrewsalinas. Quarter Century…Bernardus Lodge & Spa is turning 25 and is throwing a garden gala to celebrate. On Thursday, Sept. 12 guests can take in the beauty of the grounds from 5-7pm, sip Bernardus wines and signature cocktails, delve into dishes by Chef Christian Ojeda and toast cheers to 25 years. Tickets are $125. 415 W. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley. 658-3400, bernarduslodge.com. By Jacqueline Weixel morsels eatanddrink@montereycountynow.com “The food is good here, but the company is spectacular.” Eat + DrinK Daniel Dreifuss Meals Off Wheels Senior dining settings offer white tablecloths, plated meals and great company. By Sara Rubin
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