With August comes our beloved Gravenstein apple harvest. I can't wait! Do yourself a favor and try this month's recipe: Apple and Blackberry Pie.

At Mustards Grill, we're featuring dishes inspired by New England lobster shacks, roadhouses and gin joints (I've watched too many Bogart films) for Thursday's Pour-Off Pair-Off this month. The food reminds me of places we visited on summer vacations as kids. You'll love it. The last week of August we'll be serving that scrumptious Gravenstein Apple and Blackberry Pie. Make your own, then come taste ours. 

To make the most of the season's farm-fresh abundance including tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers, John at Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen is creating classic Italian-American dishes for August's Supper Club (every Wednesday and Thursday). Delizioso! He's added wonderful new items to the main menu, too. The Grilled Peach, Prosciutto, and Ricotta cheese flatbread, and Wood Oven Duck with stone-fruit-ginger-jam are two of my favorites. An al fresco meal under the fig tree on the patio? Priceless.

The new Tomato, Melon and Feta Salad at CP's Wood Grill really rocks, and so does the Happy Hour menu (3-6pm daily) with refreshing new cocktails and wine coolers by the glass or pitcher. Just the ticket for the summer. Grab a stool at the indoor or patio bars for fresh made guilty pleasures like the world's best Potato Skins (with guacamole and bacon sour cream stuffings), Hot Wings, and Cheese Pops (crispy creamy cheese and basil) with Calabrian chili-marinara dipping sauce. Linger on the patio in the shade of the mulberry trees, and enjoy live music there every Thursday evening. Saturday evening's Vintner Splash this month features Ferdinand, Whitehall Lane, Twomey, Midsummer & Campesino wines. 

Our first-ever Dog Social with Veterinarian Dr. David Gold was a big hit last month, with pooches and owners alike. My dog, Lucy, had a great time meeting fellow canines and feasting on house made dog biscuits. Join us for the next one: Wednesday, August 14th, 4-6pm, on the patio at CP's Wood Grill. Woof!

Cindy's Shout-Out (recent, personal favorites):

• One of my favorite publications is the Art of Eating published by Edward Behr. Beautifully written essays on my favorite subject.  
• My favorite literary publication is Lapham's Quarterly. Unfortunately, I never have enough time to finish it before the next issue comes out.  
• Food Arts, a restaurant industry magazine, "grilled" me recently. Read the interview here.  
• Join me and other chefs and winemakers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Second Annual Celebration of California's Ocean: September 14th in Menlo Park. (It was a blast last year!)

I hope your summer is going well and that I see you soon.