Page:The Tourist's California by Wood, Ruth Kedzie.djvu/78

 56 THE TOURIST'S CALIFORNIA equalled for colour and profusion in the stalls of the Riviera, where supplies are drawn not only from native groves and vineyards but from the tropic shores of Africa. We are told that the yield of California's trees and vines per acre is twice that of any other land. In this climate the green-grocer's baskets are full the year round. One hears of seven-pound rad- ishes, of onions two feet about the middle, and of pumpkins big as a very large man, but is content to eat the more delicate products of the garden that the prize-winning careers of such phenomena be not checked, that Land Show competitions for corpulent vegetables may bestow upon them the laurels they deserve. California olive oil is bottled pure, unmixed, as is the French and Italian with " white oils " used to correct acidity and to cover the natural taste of the olive which is not agreeable to the Continental palate. California cooks add raisins to the stuffing for game and fish, and make of the seedless variety a cocktail by covering the raisins with tomato catsup after they have been soaked in native sherry and mixed with blanched almonds. To promote the raisin as a food savants say that of all foods it is the ideal the thirtieth of April is observed throughout the State as Raisin Day. Upon that date it is expected of every loyal in-