California Comfort

Many years ago there was a small restaurant on the boardwalk in Laguna Beach called the Sea Cottage. It was run by a couple I knew only as Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins, who transformed a modest beach house into a haven for the hungry and sociable.

The restaurant had a sweeping view of the ocean, a porch with old but comfortable wood chairs and seating for no more than 40 at sturdy square tables. You could count on consistent food, a pleasant welcome and a comfortable atmosphere.

I think of the Sea Cottage wistfully some days. The menu was not ambitious, but it was always appetizing. There were two daily soups: a cream soup and a clear, light soup; two or three sandwiches; a fresh fruit salad and a leafy salad as well. With each salad came homemade bread: a moist, dark date nut bread with the fruit salad and a snappy cheese bread with the green salad.

Dessert could be creamy custard, a wedge of pie or slice of cake, and if these offerings failed to entice, a large scoop of vanilla ice cream settled the issue.

The date nut bread and double cheese bread are very close to those served at the Sea Cottage, and they used the so-called spring salad dressing on their fruit salad. These are recipes that evoke the flavor of California cooking the way it used to be.

Cunningham’s latest book is “Cooking With Children” (Alfred A. Knopf, 1995).

DATE NUT BREAD

For fig nut bread, substitute 1 cup of figs for the dates, and for prune bread, omit the dates and walnuts and substitute 1 1/2 cups pitted, chopped prunes.

1 cup dates, pitted and chopped

1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons shortening, plus extra for greasing pan

3/4 cup boiling water

2 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

Combine dates, walnuts, baking soda, salt and shortening in bowl. Pour boiling water over and stir. Let mixture stand 15 minutes.

Beat eggs and sugar with fork in separate bowl. Add whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour and stir. Mixture will be too stiff to mix well. Add date mixture and mix briskly until well blended.

Spoon into greased 9x5-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and cool on rack.

8 to 10 servings. Each of 10 servings:

218 calories; 132 mg sodium; 42 mg cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 41 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.55 gram. fiber.

DOUBLE CHEESE BREAD

2 cups warm water

1/3 cup instant nonfat dry milk

2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 (1/4-ounce) packages dry yeast

1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, lightly packed

1/3 cup softened, crumbled blue cheese

4 1/2 to 5 1/2 cups flour

Shortening

Combine water, dry milk, sugar, salt and yeast. Let stand about 3 minutes for yeast to activate. Add Cheddar cheese, blue cheese and 2 cups flour. Beat vigorously until until blended. Add about 2 more cups flour to make manageable dough and turn out onto lightly floured surface.

Knead 1 to 2 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes. Resume kneading until dough is smooth and elastic, 4 to 5 minutes, sprinkling on flour as needed to prevent it from becoming too sticky. Place in large greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down and shape into two loaves. Place in 2 greased (9 X 5-inch) loaf pans, cover and let rise to tops of pans, about 30 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees until golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on racks.

16 servings. Each serving:

188 calories; 301 mg sodium; 12 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 28 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 0.10 gram fiber.

WINTER SALAD DRESSING

1 grapefruit, peeled, seeded and cut in pieces

1 lemon, seeded and quartered

1/2 cup oil

3 tablespoons tarragon vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon prepared mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons chopped onions

Process grapefruit, lemon, oil, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and onions in blender until thoroughly mixed. Strain and refrigerate.

1 1/2 cups. Each 1-tablespoon serving:

50 calories; 54 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 0 protein; 0.03 gram fiber.