Coastal is a visual feast of free-spirited Californian cooking and living, set against the surf, peaks, curving roads, and sunsets of the westernmost United States. This inspired collection of crave-worthy recipes, gorgeous photographs, and vivid stories takes us on a road trip beginning at Chef Scott Clark’s beloved sandwich-and-pie shop, Dad’s Luncheonette, in Half Moon Bay and ending in Ventura County. Along the way, it visits the fishermen, crabbers, farmers, winemakers, and foragers who stretch along the Pacific Coast Highway between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Clark’s accessible seasonal recipes deliver the adventure of the coast in smart, creative, unfussy, and delicious ways. They express the breadth of California cooking and its regional and cultural influences, organized into thematic chapters, including:
- Road Trip Snacks (Furikake Popcorn, CA Muddy Buddies, Perfect Meyer Lemonade)
- Fishing and Foraging on the Coast (Dungeness Crab Rice, Lingcod Ceviche, Fries with Eyes)
- Lunch in the Vineyard (Smoked Mackerel with Lemon-Dill Relish, Deviled Quail Eggs, Barley and Wine Grape Salad)
- Back Home with the Kid (Fish Stick Hand Roll Bar, Matcha Mochi Waffles, Watermelon Aqua Fresca)
Coastal is more than your average California cookbook; it brings the Californian table, way of life, and state of mind to home cooks and armchair travelers anywhere.
QUINTESSENTIALLY CALIFORNIAN: Scott Clark’s Californian culinary training shows through in his stellar recipe list, laidback storyteller’s tone, and road trip-oriented approach. With transporting photographs by fourth-generation Californian Cheyenne Ellis, this book captures an outdoorsy, pioneering California spirit on every page.
2025