Topic: Culinary Regions of California (North Coast Lowlands)

Today, I'm going to talk about the North Coast Lowlands culinary region of California.

Arcata Community Forest

One of the many Victorian-style houses in Old Town Eureka.

Centerville Beach near Ferndale.

The North Coast Lowlands covers southern Humboldt County and all of Mendocino County.

The North Coast Lowlands is highlighted in red.

The region differs from the North Coast Highlands in two very important ways.  First of all, the Lowlands have low elevation.  The high points of the Lowlands are mostly on hills, compared to mountains in the Highlands.  This is important because since different things grow on different types of terrain, cuisines vary by regions with different terrain.

Also, Humboldt State University (where I spent two and a half wonderful years studying geography) is a magnet for diversity (relative to the surrounding area), attracting people who bring along their own cuisines.  This tends to influence the native cuisine of the area.  As a result, the cuisine always is changing in the area.  Local adaptations of cuisines from all over the world are always popping up, which is the signature aspect of this culinary region.

"Humboldt Fog", a variety of Cypress Grove Chevre (Photo credit)

Next, I'll be talking about the growing local food movement as it pertains to the region.  Hopefully it won't take as long next time.



Photo credit:

1. By Jon Sullivan [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.  Source: http://pdphoto.org/PictureDetail.php?mat=pdef&pg=8580