40 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JULY 17-23, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com In photographs, Pete Koeman appears to be a natural in the kitchen. He turns from the stove to share a laugh with others, searches for a utensil with some frustration and happily presents his finished plate, chicken lettuce wraps with coconut rice. But Koeman still shakes his head. Just how does a veteran Monterey firefighter end up featured in a cooking magazine? “I’ve never done anything like this,” he says with a chuckle. “My two recipes—I stole both of them.” The dish—discovered on a gluten-free food blog and now a firehouse favorite—leads off the third edition of a unique new publication. Homecooked is a quarterly magazine that presents recipes through the people who prepare them and the places they live and cook. The first visited the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, followed by a trip to Austin, Texas. In the Monterey Bay edition, readers can sample a cranberry cake with buttercream drizzle from Pacific Grove Middle School teacher Darcy Tuinenga and salmon as served at the kitchen table of Joan Smith-McHenry, who owns an olive grove near Corral de Tierra with her husband Terry, and other recipes, alongside features on the area. “We have a phrase: ‘Recipes with stories just taste better,’” explains publisher, Mike McCormick. “The idea for Homecooked is to give a day-in-the-life look at what people are doing.” Each edition is dense, at around 164 pages, and elegant—there is no advertising accepted. The Oregon-based editorial team spends time in each community, learning about home cooks largely through word of mouth. Stopping by a firehouse is not much of a stretch. For any engine company, both cooking and dining are communal experiences. In fact, it was Koeman’s first meal at his first posting as a firefighter—a humble taco salad—that convinced Koeman that the world of first responders was where he belonged. “It was one of the greatest experiences of my life,” he recalls. “It was around the kitchen table—this is where a team happens.” Koeman is humble when it comes to his culinary experience. He hardly expected to appear in a food magazine next to accomplished cooks such as Hollie Jackson, owner of H. Jackson Events, who prepares apricot-jalapeño chutney and grilled cauliflower for friends at home, or Olivia Morgan, author of a cookbook of Welsh dishes. In fact, Koeman was in his 30s when he first tried sushi. At a charity dinner shortly before the pandemic, he got a taste of lobster bisque. “It was the best food I ever had,” he exclaims. “I come from Watsonville. I’m not high-falutin’. I’m not even medium-falutin’.” Still, his adaptation of chicken lettuce wraps with coconut rice was readily welcomed into the station’s dinner rotation—at least by most guests. Koeman recalls the time he learned that retired chief Jack Reynolds would be joining the crew at the table. Reynolds is still admired for his gruff, old-school demeanor. “We were making these lettuce wraps,” Koeman says with a laugh. “He looked at me a couple times like ‘What is this?’ A rare ribeye steak—that’s what we should have had.” One of the captains volunteered Koeman’s recipe for the book. Of course, it was a bit more involved than just cooking. “It’s an immersive experience,” McCormick says of the team’s interaction with cooks. “If they take the dog out for a walk, we go with them. There’s a lot of recipe testing.” A camera hovered over his shoulder. Koeman recalls people from the magazine asking detailed questions about utensils and ingredients. “Sometimes you can’t even find the damn measuring spoons,” he points out. “I ended up having a blast,” Koeman says. “It’s such a cool idea.” McCormick is pleased with the issue, as well. “Monterey Bay is a place people want to be,” he notes. “This gives a different lens.” For the Homecooked team, the next stop is Fruit Ridge in Michigan and its apple orchards. Meanwhile Koeman hopes he can now bask once again in culinary anonymity and enjoy the camaraderie around the firehouse table. FIRST COURSE Monterey firefighter Pete Koeman flips through the edition of Homecooked featuring Monterey Bay and a recipe he prepares at the firehouse. WALK TALL…It’s official. Butter House owners Susan and Benny Mosqueda have added the former Britannia Arms to their restaurant lineup. The Monterey pub will be reimagined as Benny Walker’s and comes with a full liquor license. The couple first expressed interest in the location this spring. More to come. BREW UP…Captain and Stoker is turning 7 and is celebrating as you would expect—with a birthday bash from 10am-5pm on Saturday, July 19 at Jack’s Park, 451 Adams St., Monterey. (See more, p. 28.) HOUSE MADE…Learn how to be the hostess with the mostess at Oystertown and The Yolk Marketplace’s How To House Party event on Tuesday, July 22 from 5:30-7:30pm. Participants will have a hand at making vintage cocktails and hors d’oeuvres with Yolk’s unique spice blends. $125 includes bites and beverages. 281 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey. 312-8150, oystertownusa.com. THREE SQUARES…Amapola never stopped as a wine merchant. But now Amapola Kitchen is back with new hours and a new menu. They are open 8am-5pm Monday-Thursday and 8am-8pm Friday serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a daily blue plate special. 32 W. Gabilan St. , Salinas. 2620075, amapolakitchenandwine.com. DRINK LIKE A FISH…What’s better than watching the sea creatures at Monterey Bay Aquarium do their thing? Getting to watch them with a cocktail in hand. You can now enjoy signature cocktails like the Monterey Mule and Bloody Mary Comb Jelly in souvenir cups. Your next Aquarium visit just got even more fun. 886 Cannery Row, Monterey. 6484800, montereybayaquarium.org. MATZO, MAN…The annual Jewish Food Festival takes place 10am-3pm Sunday, July 27 at Congregation Beth Israel. This fun and free event features live music, storytelling and cultural performances, a marketplace of Jewish goods, and of course, food. There will be matzo ball soup, latkes, pastrami sandwiches, sweet treats and more available for purchase. 5716 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel. jewishfoodfestivalcarmel.org. THE COOKIE CRUMBLES… Monterey bakery The Perfect Crumb is not gone—it’s just relocating. Look for the new spot at 650 Lighthouse Ave., Suite 100, Pacific Grove starting “in late summer.” theperfectcrumbbakery.net. By Jacqueline Weixel MORSELS eatanddrink@montereycountynow.com “ I’m not high-falutin’. I’m not even medium-falutin’.” EAT + DRINK DANIEL DREIFUSS Home Run When a national food magazine stopped by Monterey County, they found an unlikely star. By Dave Faries
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