Dear Friends,
Gourmet Girl Gail here. As we usher in a new decade, we’d like to thank our followers for reading our blog, posting comments, and tweeting about something we wrote. We are so grateful to be able to connect with like-minded people who follow their adventurous hearts, enjoy well-prepared, gourmet meals, and have a sense of wanderlust.
One of our last adventures in 2019 was a trip up the coast to Pismo Beach, the sleepy surf town between San Luis Opispo and Santa Maria. If you’re curious where the name “Pismo Beach” came from, the name comes from “Pismu,” a Chumash Indian village located near tar springs in Price Canyon. The name meant “tar,” an important substance the Chumash used to seal their baskets and canoes.
In Pismo Beach, we hung our hats at Pismo Coast Village RV Resort. Since it opened in 1975, PCV has received many awards and earned recognition as one of the best RV resorts in the country. For sure, they know how to decorate for the holidays! It satisfied Abigail’s endless fascination with inanimate objects and statues. Here she’s telling Santa exactly what kind of dog treats she really likes!
There are many reasons to make Pismo a destination, not the least of which is its fabulous beach that’s about 17 miles long and fronts the towns of Pismo Beach, Grover Beach, and Oceano in San Luis Obispo County. There’s also the Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove, the annual Pismo Beach Clam Festival, and the 1,200-foot pier, to name a few.
Selfie from the pier.
Here we are set up at the campsite. Kathy always brings plenty of wood for our campfires. Her husband cuts all the timber to keep us toasty on chilly nights. Thank you, TJ! Sometimes, we are the only ones having a campfire in the evenings. We notice that many RVers spend their time inside their rigs watching television. I get it, but . . . hey, I’d rather be outside, which is kind of the point of camping. At least for me.
Now for the pièce de la resistance regarding our stay at PCV. This new Snow Peak fire pit/grill is a work of art. We Gourmet Girls are total gear junkies. Just take a look at the gear section in The Gourmet Girls Go Camping Cookbook (pp 17-19).
I have always been a fan of the Volcano Grill and will keep mine on hand for the GGs paella in the park gatherings, but this new grill is state-of-the-art and easier to handle. The first recipe I made on my virgin grill were souvlaki kebabs, basically a Greek dish of pieces of meat grilled on a skewer. I chose chicken. The result was the most tender, succulent, melt-in-your-mouth chicken breast pieces I’ve ever tasted! And as the recipe points out: Not summer or don’t have access to a barbecue? No worries! You can use a grill pan on the stove, a sandwich press (for getting the perfect grill marks) or bake them in the oven for about 20 minutes until cooked through.
Finally, here’s Abigail on her perch in the Roadtrek wishing you peace, love and prosperity in 2020! And lots of souvlaki!
P.S.: Part of our Santa Barbara tradition on New Year’s Eve is to gather with friends and family at Butterfly Beach, toast a glass of champagne, and watch the last sunset of the year. It was the perfect evening!
We hope that the coming year is filled with an abundance of love, health, and happiness. And another shout out for being friends of the Gourmet Girls on Fire. Thank you! Here’s to many more adventures ahead!
Cheers!
Gail, Denise and Lindsey
#gourmetgirlsonfire