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It might seem as incomprehensible to newcomers and young folks as journeying from Missouri to California via covered wagon, but once upon a time there was no Interstate 5. Instead, that ribbon of highway known as State Route 99 flowed through the center of California and right through the center of towns like Burbank, Sacramento, Yuba City, Red Bluff, and Redding. You didn't have to take an exit to get to a gas station or a motel or a store: they were lined up right next to the road. When Interstate 5 was more or less completed in 1968, those businesses along 99 that depended on high traffic volume were left to sink or swim. Many of them did sink, along with their neighbors, and formerly prosperous areas of town deteriorated like drywall left out in the rain.

There are those who shut their eyes and lock their car doors driving though the blight. And then there are those who see opportunity with the many vacant buildings and low rent. Think of Racha Noodle and Kanya Gardens, two fine restaurants that might not have been able to initially afford uptown rent but which have prospered and earned success. Now we add Sweetie's to that group of entrepreneurs.

You might have seen the barbecue wagon parked next to Eddy's Pub on Market Street - that's Sweetie's barbecue they use for catering.Their brick-and-mortar restaurant is the space where Denny's, the Lime Tree, and AJ's came and went on South Market Street.

As soon as you walk in, you realize this is not your average coffee shop. A sign near the front door advertises local tomato Benedict, line-caught salmon, and free-range eggs. Patrons range from nearby workers on their lunch hour, families with toddlers, and quite a few retirees, all enjoying the good food at low prices.



Amico del Signore ordered the local tomato Benedict - eggs Benedict sans ham, substituting fat slices of very ripe, very juicy tomatoes that actually came out of a local garden instead of being bounced around in the back of a tractor-trailer all the way from Calexico. Topping it was a house-made Hollandaise, smooth and lemony without the salty taste of packaged mix. The friendly waitress (who, it turned out, was the owner) told us that her husband makes the Hollandaise to order - even though that's more trouble than using a prepackaged mix or can, she said the customers react positively to it. Hash browns were also house-made, with a crunchy exterior and creamy interior.



Mipas is eggs scrambled with tortilla chips, and Sweetie's version was light, tender, and fluffy. Little speckles of egg white indicated the eggs are fresh - not scrambled-egg mix. A light amount of melted cheese enhanced the mix of flavors and textures, as did a small dish of salsa and pickled Jalapeno slices. This can be ordered with sausage (as pictured here), ham, or bacon, or with beans.

After that initial breakfast, Femme de Joie and Amico del Signore were eager to return for lunch, to see if it was as good as breakfast. It was.



The house-smoked pulled pork sandwich really showed off the owners' barbecue chops. At first glance, both A. del Signore and M. de Joie thought the sandwich might be dry, as there was no sauce on the meat or offered on the side. But one bite told the story: no sauce was needed. The pork was permeated with real smoke flavor - not from a bottle - and super-tender. Served on a house-made sweet potato roll, this was one of the best examples of fine barbecue available around the North State.



Mediterranean spinach salad with grilled salmon is the kind of dish you wouldn't expect to find in a diner. As the owner told us, they strive to use fresh and high-quality ingredients, and the presence on the menu of line-caught salmon (not farmed, which is often mushy-textured and lacking in flavor) showed they mean business. Fresh baby spinach leaves combined with tomato, cucumber, pitted Kalamata olives, thin-sliced red onion and a light scatterling of feta cheese was a great base for the buttery grilled salmon.



Rhubarb is considered by many to be a somewhat old-fashioned ingredient like gooseberries or elderberries, and you don't often see it offered in restaurants. But Sweetie's served up this luscious strawberry-rhubarb shortcake with a base of house-made yellow cake and a generous amount of not-too-sweet stewed fruit topping, made from homegrown strawberries. A winner and a serving that's big enough for two.

The South Market area might one day make a reversal of fortune. Perhaps in the not-too-distant future, yuppies will start moving into this unfashionable area because of low rents and then open up boutiques and chi-chi cafes, and raise all the rents. Before that happens, drive down to Sweetie's and enjoy breakfast or lunch in a comfortable atmosphere.

Sweetie's, 3105 South Market Street, Redding, CA 96001. 530-244-2269. Open daily except Monday, 6 AM - 3 PM. Parking on-site. Cards, cash; no checks. No alcohol. Serving breakfast and lunch. Vegetarian options. Website at http://www.sweeties-catering.com/index.html

Amico del Signore bought a jar of Trader Joe's Sunflower Seed Butter. It's a delicious alternative to peanut butter on a cracker with a little honey, on a stick of celery, or as a filling in a PB&J for those allergic to peanuts or who would just like something a little different. M. de Joie thought it might also work in peanut butter cookie recipes. She fiddled around with a recipe from The Doubleday Cookbook by Jean Anderson & Elaine Hanna, and came up with a basic recipe plus several variations.

Notes: Because the sunflower seed butter contains evaporated cane juice, the normal amount of sugar in the recipe was cut in half. You can, of course, add another cup of white sugar if you wish, but to A. del Signore's and M. de Joie's minds, these are quite sweet enough. To measure the sunflower seed butter, have it at room temperature, insert a butter knife into the butter and stir until the oil becomes emulsified with the solids. And preheat oven thoroughly.



Sunflower Seed Butter Cookies

2-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup softened butter
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup Trader Joe's Sunflower Seed Butter (see note)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Stir together flour, salt, and baking powder. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat the sunflower seed butter into the butter mixture. Chill the mixture until firm but still pliable.

Shape dough into 1" balls and place about 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Flatter with the tines of a fork into a criss-cross pattern (dip the tines into water between cookies). Bake at 375 degrees 10-12 minutes or until bottom of cookie is golden. Cool on rack. This dough will freeze well.

Variations:

Shape dough into 1" balls but do not flatten. Roll each ball in a mixture of 1/4 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon before baking (this will slightly melt and caramelize the sugar) or after baking (more like a snickerdoodle).

Sprinkle criss-crossed cookies with cinnamon-sugar before or after baking.

Add to dough:

- 1 teaspoon real maple extract (Green Mountain Flavors at www.greenmountainflavors.com makes a very good product). This makes a cookie that tastes very much like a peanut butter cookie.

- 3 cups rolled oats and 1 cup chopped nuts (roasted pecans are especially delicious).

- up to 2 cups Guittard's Butterscotch chips.

Trader Joe's Sunflower Seed Butter, $3.99 for 16 ounces. Contains sunflower seeds, evaporated cane juice, salt.