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Chew and slurp your way through this Monterey County food landscape long enough, and you come away not so struck with the resourcefulness of local restaurateurs, though it is worthy of high regard—or even swept up by the fine flavors, which drive this blog intriguing places several times as week—but the truly incredible and inspiring generosity of those involved in the hospitality industry.

These beautiful freaks live to share what they love and enjoy. It's enough to make me want to share. So here come four of the best nuggets I've bitten into of late:

1. The best food-ish YouTube video I've seen in the last week.

In a word: genius. If I had any idea that using a baby as a protagonist is a stunningly spot-on parody of life in a Las Palmas bar stocked with puppet extras, you would not be reading this blog.

The more I watch it the harder is it not to cry (like a baby)…laughing.

2. The best grilling recipe I've found in the last month.

I once feared the fava, postponing a backyard harvest because I was intimidated by the work-intensive soaking, shucking and shelling required to extract just a swab of hummus.

Then Weekly contributor David Schmalz leapt to the rescue with a recipe as simple and fast as it was healthy and delicious.

Simply toss a pound or so in olive oil and spices of your choice (I went for a little herbs de Provance and ghost-pepper salt), barbecue ‘em right on the grill for five minutes (it is National Grilling Month) then finish with another oil toss and a squirt of lemon juice and sprinkle of salt. Yum yum.

3. The best commentary on foodies I've be turned onto this year.

Suckers get swept up. S***, I get swept up. So do you. So it's helpful at times to take stock of the trends seizing the foodie groupies at any given time.

Sunset Magazine nailed a number of the most egregious phenomena foodie funks going. So what if they did it in January. They're still valid—in Monterey County the trends take a touch more time to hit us full force.

Except for #7, perhaps:

"7. Tuna surprise: There is no law that a chef memorize every species on the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch list. But surely we can agree that bluefin tuna is hurtling toward extinction, orange roughy is depleted, shark stocks are plummeting, and Chilean seabass is not dull, but endangered. A chef careless enough to leave vulnerable species on his menu is unlikely to mind his pots with the diligence one might prefer."

Without further ado, I give you The 10 Worst Food Trends, by James Beard Award-winning fellow alternative newsweekly food critic Jonathan Gold. Nicely done, chap.

4. The best deal on tequila I've sniffed since the last time they did a tasting.

Lopez Restaurante and Cantina (324-4260) has got another rockin’ tequila session with Centenario, Corralejo, Casa Noble, El Agave and Frida Kahlo reps each holding court 6-10pm Monday, July 11. That's five major players who all pour pure agave glory.

A bargain at $15 in advance, $20 at the door, with Lagunitas beer flowing and snacks from Mama Chula too…

Now go forth, feel the lifeblood of the local hospitality industry running in your veins, and share yourself.