WELCOME TO THE SUMMER TABLE

Soaking up the summer sun. The quiet of spring is officially behind us.

In my last post, I shared how the spring season required a period of stillness. While last spring was all about navigating the initial paperwork to become a fully permitted cottage food business here in Citrus Heights, this spring was about a different kind of growth. Behind the scenes, I was working through the approval process for a much more expanded menu, while also tending to some necessary quiet and matters of the heart at home. It was a time of deep roots and preparation—perfecting new recipes, expanding our official offerings, and laying the groundwork for our next chapter.

The garden is reaching and producing—even the onion blooms are putting on a beautiful show right now.

Now, the stillness has broken. Summer has arrived, and with it comes a beautiful, undeniable shift in energy.

You can see it in the yard, where the deliberate planting of spring is giving way to wild, vibrant growth. The earliest of our lettuces and onions have been soaking up the sun, and the okra and cucumbers are settling into their rhythm, ready to thrive in the California heat. The garden isn't quiet anymore; it is producing, reaching, and abundant.

That same vibrant energy has completely taken over the De Nuestra Mesa kitchen. Securing the official approval for our expanded menu was a steep climb of paperwork and planning, but standing on this side of it feels incredibly freeing. It means the focus is no longer on forms and guidelines, but entirely on the food and the community we serve.

Out of the test kitchen and onto the official menu. This jalapeño cheddar sourdough brings a bold, savory kick to our summer offerings.

Summer on a plate. Thick slices of our handcrafted sourdough piled high with fresh burrata and vibrant seasonal flavors. Recipe coming soon!

The new, expansive summer menu—born from those quiet weeks of testing and tasting—is officially live and making its way to your tables. Bringing these new handcrafted, intentional bakes out of the test kitchen and into your homes has been the highlight of this seasonal shift. Seeing them become a part of your summer gatherings is exactly why I pushed through the hurdles of the past few months.

As we settle into the long, golden days ahead, the rhythm of the garden (and home) will continue to shift. Summer is a season of sharing the harvest, eating outdoors, and savoring the bold flavors that only this time of year can bring. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing more of what is happening behind the scenes, from the digital updates that make navigating the new menu easier to the ways the garden is directly inspiring our seasonal offerings.

Vibrant growth everywhere you look. The vines and roses are soaking in the California summer heat.

Thank you for holding space for the quiet and thank you for being here for the harvest. Welcome to the summer table.