Coastal Connection: Celebrating Earth Month with Cookbook Authors Cheyenne Ellis & Scott Clark
This Earth Month, we're thrilled to partner with Cheyenne Ellis and Scott Clark, the creative minds behind the captivating new cookbook, Coastal: 130 Recipes from a California Road Trip. Their book is more than just recipes—it's a love letter to the California coast, a celebration of its wild bounty and an invitation to connect with nature through the simple act of cooking and savoring its flavors.
Through stunning imagery, Coastal brings to life Scott's intimate relationship with the outdoors. Picture this: the rugged California coastline as his backdrop and organic Coyuchi linens laid out nearby as he fishes, forages and transforms nature's gifts into delicious meals. This ethos of appreciating the great outdoors and utilizing its resources aligns perfectly with Coyuchi's dedication to natural materials and sustainable living.
To give you a taste of their inspiring world, we sat down with Cheyenne and Scott for a glimpse into their coastal connection and the inspiration behind Coastal.
What’s the first thing you pack for a California road trip?
Scott: Food, food, food. All the things from the Road Trip Snacks chapter in Coastal: beef jerky, cookies, and the first rule of a road trip: Do you have gasoline? You don’t start a trip without gas in the truck, so get gassed up, get ready to go. Fire up a cold brew, pack some snacks. Everything else comes later.
Cheyenne: My small Yeti cooler. I take it with me everywhere. I’m a diehard snack packer for road trips. I love the confit tuna salad from our Road Trip Snacks chapter, but I pack gluten-free crackers to go with it.
What's one California view that always takes your breath away?
Scott: The one directly down the street from my house. I am constantly reminded I am so lucky to be exactly where I am, walking down the street to the beach for sunset on Kelly Avenue in Half Moon Bay. That’s home, baby.
Cheyenne: Driving from my house in Boony Doon to Half Moon Bay, there’s a turn on Highway 1 at Tunitas Creek when you come around the bend and see this series of bluffs in the mist. It’s one of the most stunning views in California, in my opinion.
Pictured above: (Left) Coyuchi's Bonita Organic Decorative Pillow Cover in Soft White w/Pacific Blue, Tahoe Wool Blanket in Charcoal, Tahoe Wool Blanket in Soft Gray (Right) Coyuchi's Pescadero Matelasse Organic Blanket in Praline, Hermosa Organic Knit Throw in Seafoam, Magnolia Organic Hand Towels, Set of 2 in Ginger, Coyuchi Conserve Organic Bowl Covers in Praline Stripe/Praline Chambray, Coyuchi Conserve Organic Snack Bags in Shell Chrysanthemum/Praline Chambray, Bonita Organic Decorative Pillow Cover in Soft White w/Pacific Blue
Describe the perfect meal to eat under the stars.
Scott: I cook under the stars in my backyard all the time. Fire up grill and make something simple: roast ribeye, pull dandelion and mustard greens from the ground. But the most important thing is the company. It’s not what you’re eating but who you’re eating it with.
Cheyenne: Anything on a sailboat fresh from the sea. But, also, the ghee-roasted oysters from Coastal.
If California had a signature scent, what would it be?
Scott: My California would be coastal sage, farm grass, and salt air.
Cheyenne: Orange blossoms.
Morning surf or sunset hike—what’s your perfect way to connect with nature?
Scott: I’m a Type 2 fun kind of guy. I want something exciting and scary in the morning: waves slightly outside of my comfort zone, a hike that takes my breath away and gets me sweating. I want to be in awe of the grandiosity of nature. Also, anything with as few clothes as possible. A naked morning dip is a good one.
Cheyenne: Morning hike with my dog and my man in the redwoods.
Pictured above: Coyuchi's Pescadero Matelasse Organic Blanket in Praline, Hermosa Organic Knit Throw in Seafoam, Magnolia Organic Hand Towels, Set of 2 in Ginger, Coyuchi Conserve Organic Bowl Covers in Praline Stripe/Praline Chambray, Coyuchi Conserve Organic Snack Bags in Shell Chrysanthemum/Praline Chambray, Bonita Organic Decorative Pillow Cover in Soft White w/Pacific Blue, Coyuchi Conserve Organic Produce Bags in Gulf
What’s the most surprising ingredient you foraged or discovered while making your book?
Scott: I was blown away by the abundance of the things you can forage in California. I always knew California was edible, but didn’t know how very edible it was. The literal truckload of mushrooms we harvested in Monterey was amazing. Porcini, shelf mushrooms, a cauliflower mushroom the size of an elephant skull, all popping up in the midst of the mansions, and people don’t even know they’re there.
Cheyenne: The cauliflower mushroom was an incredible find. I wasn’t even looking. I was taking photos of these guys. But then I found the biggest mushroom of the day, and Scott made pasta with it.
Coyuchi finds inspiration in nature—where do you find yours?
Scott: In the eyes of my child. Kids give you the privilege of learning things from them because they’re learning things unencumbered, and that’s something that I always lean back into with being a father. You’re getting to see things with them through a very pure lens without any hesitation. It is just a wholesale love of knowledge expressed from my kid.
Cheyenne: Also in nature! Every time I’m outdoors, I am inspired, and I feel like the best version of myself when I’m in nature.
Fastest way to feel grounded in the great outdoors?
Scott: Build a fire, cook a meal, start a conversation.
Cheyenne: Kick off your shoes and jump in the water.
What’s one small, everyday habit that helps protect the planet?
Scott: Stop buying plastics.
Cheyenne: Quit buying plastic. And compost!
If you could bottle the essence of coastal California, what would it taste like?
Scott: A sun-drenched Meyer lemon.
Cheyenne: Scott’s Perfect Meyer Lemonade from the Road Trip Snacks chapter.
One dish from Coastal that instantly transports you back to a favorite place?
Scott: Sea urchin cacio e pepe. For me, the shoot on Dan’s sailboat in the Channel Islands was us in the closest communication with nature we had been. There’s nothing out there, but there’s everything out there. We were making it happen with what we had on board and what we pulled from sea at the most remote spot from other humans we had been. That has a lot of meaning for me because being there strips down human experience into something very tangible and memorable.
Cheyenne: Seaweed Shiitake Miso Soup takes me back to our day foraging for seaweed with Spencer Marley of Marley Family Seaweeds. I literally grew up eating seaweed off the beach as a kid. That literally transports me back to my childhood in Malibu and asking my dad if it was ok to eat, and he would say, “Sure!” I used to chew on seaweed all the time.
The sound of nature that makes you feel most at home?
Scott: Crashing waves because it’s constant. It’s the drumbeat to the day. You wake up to it, and it sets a tone. You go to sleep to it, and it sets a tone. And you’re not in control of it.
Cheyenne: Owls at night.
In one word—how does cooking outdoors make you feel?
Scott: Alive.
Cheyenne: Like a badass! There’s something about cooking outdoors that feels so much more special. It feels more primal. It’s back to the basics and simple. You don’t need a lot of stuff. You can just riff.
Pictured above: Coyuchi's Topanga Organic Matelasse Blanket in Sunset Stripe (used as tablecloth), Toro Canyon Organic Napkins, Set of 4 in Marine (used as placemat), Mojave Organic Linen Napkins, Set of 4 in Khaki/Espresso Stripe
Inspired by their deep connection to the coast, Cheyenne and Scott have generously shared two exclusive recipes from Coastal with the Coyuchi community.
Rockfish Curry
This vibrant curry showcases the fresh flavors of the Pacific, a testament to Scott's fishing adventures.
What you'll need
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil
- 6 oz [170 g] chopped shallots
- 6 oz [170 g] chopped fresh ginger
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- 4 lemongrass stalks, chopped
- 3 or 4 serrano chiles, chopped
- 2 Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
- 2 Tbsp whole coriander seeds
- 2 Tbsp whole cumin seeds
- 2 star anise pods
- ½ cinnamon stick
- 2 14 oz [415 ml] cans coconut milk
- 6 makrut lime leaves
- Peel of 2 limes, pith removed
- ¼ cup [60 ml] white soy sauce, plus more as needed
- 1 whole, cleaned rockfish or snapper, 1/ to 2 lb [1680 to 910 g]
- 2 Tbsp canola oil
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 6 baby bok choys
- Steamed short-grain white rice, for serving
Step 1
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the coconut oil. Add the shallots, ginger, garlic, lemongrass, and serrano chiles and sauté them until you can really smell them, about 5 minutes. Add the sesame seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, star anise, and cinnamon stick and toast them, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk and bring it to a boil. Knock the heat down to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Hand-crush the lime leaves, then add them, along with the lime peels, to the broth and cook them until they turn drab, 3 minutes. Immediately strain the broth through a chinois into a clean pot, then stir in the white soy sauce, cover the pot, and keep it warm while you grill the fish.
Step 2
Pat the fish dry inside and out. With your knife at a 45-degree angle, make three deep scores all the way down to the rib, on each side of the fish, from the top fin to the belly. This will ensure it cooks all the way through on the grill. Brush the exterior with the canola oil and season it all over, inside and out, with salt.
Step 3
Build a medium-hot fire in your grill or heat a grill pan on the stovetop to medium-high. Add the fish and grill it, using a fish spatula to flip it and cook it on all sides, including the top and bottom of the head, until the skin is crispy and the meat is white all the way through, 10 to 15 minutes total.
Step 4
Cut the baby bok choy in half and rinse out the sand. Add the bok choy to the strained curry, then bring the curry back to a simmer over medium heat and cook the bok choy until its just wilted, about 5 minutes. Place the fish in a shallow serving bowl, ladle the curry and bok choy all over it, and serve it with rice on the side.
Summer Squash and Plum Salad
This refreshing salad captures the essence of a California summer, highlighting the region's seasonal produce.
What you'll need
- Cherry Blossom Vinaigrette
- 1 cup [240 ml] white balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup [50 g] umeboshi plums (about 10 plums), pitted
- ¼ cup [1.25 g] bonito flakes
- 2 Tbsp white soy sauce
- ¼ oz [7 g] salted sakura blossoms (cherry blossoms) rinsed and squeezed dry
- 2¼ tsp sugar
- 3 by 2 in [7.5 by 5 cm] piece kombu, cut into 1 in [2.5 cm] pieces
- Summer Squash and Plum Salad
- 5 medium pattypan squashes
- 4 medium zucchinis
- 5 greengage or other variety of firm plums
- 10 shiso leaves, torn or left whole
- 8 salted cherry leaves (also called pickled sakura leaves) rinsed, squeezed dry, and torn into ½ in [13 mm] pieces
Step 1
To make the cherry blossom vinaigrette: In a pint jar, combine the vinegar, umeboshi, bonito flakes, white soy sauce, cherry blossoms, sugar, and kombu. Screw on the lid and give the jar a good shake, then let it sit at room temperature overnight to thicken and infuse. Strain it through a fine-mesh strainer, and discard the solids. Leftover vinaigrette keeps, in an airtight container in the fridge, for 1 month. Make mayo, marinate fish, and dress other salads with it.
Step 2
To make the summer squash and plum salad: Cut off and discard the tops and bottoms from the squash. With your mandoline set at ⅛ in [3 mml, shave the pattypans sideways into a large serving bowl to make thin disks. Shave the zucchinis lengthwise into the bowl to make long, noodley ribbons. Shave the plums into the bowl, turning them as you shave down to their pits. Mix the salad well with your hands.
Step 3
Use half of the vinaigrette to dress the salad, adding more, 1 teaspoon at a time, as needed. Mix the salad gently with your hands, then fold in the shiso leaves. Garnish it with the cherry leaves and serve it right away.
Cheyenne and Scott's passion for the California coast and their dedication to utilizing its natural gifts resonate deeply with Coyuchi's values. Just as they thoughtfully source ingredients for their recipes, we carefully choose organic and sustainable materials for our textiles. We believe in creating products that not only bring comfort and beauty to your home but also honor the planet we share.
This Earth Month, we invite you to embrace the spirit of Coastal. Whether you're foraging in your own backyard, cooking a simple meal outdoors, or simply taking a moment to appreciate the beauty of nature, we hope you’re inspired to connect with the world around you in a meaningful way. And perhaps, you'll find yourself wrapping up in the soft embrace of Coyuchi after a day spent exploring the wonders of our shared Earth.
Be sure to follow us on Instagram @coyuchi for more glimpses into Scott's coastal cooking journey with Coyuchi and to learn more about Coastal.
