Yotam Ottolenghi’s Californian recipes
A celebration of Californian abundance, starring a tangy cobb salad, steak and cheese tacos, and rocky roads with a twist
California, the state of plenty and infinite possibilities, had me hooked at the age of eight. It was 1977, Elvis had just died, and I landed there with my family to live for a year. In contrast to our dusty corner of the Middle East, the land of hot dogs, endless seafood, Taco Bell, Flintstones-shaped vitamins, multi-channel colour TV and big Cadillacs had a dizzying effect on my young mind. Decades on, I still adore California for its abundance and irreverence, for its rich cultural blend and for its ability to excite and give pleasure.