To arrive properly armed for Mustard and Margaritas party – an annual affair my longtime crony brings to life every July – I knew what to do: Head for my 15,000-square-foot secret weapon.

Tucked into a quiet dead-end of Elder Avenue on the south side of Sand City, Monterey Bay Restaurant Equipment (899-1422) is fun, family-run by Bill Locklar and… dangerous as hell – not because of the gourmet hot sauces or saber-sharp cutlery, but because I want everything in there: Cadillac-quality grills, super-long carved pepper grinders, comely cutting boards, mean-looking marinades, massive wine glasses, mini tongs, wrought iron pans…

So to avoid an equipment acquisition binge I go with a specific goal – usually a gift for a foodie friend – and I’ve yet to come away disappointed. This time I emerged with mustards as potent as the eventual party: a Napa Valley Harvest Honey Truffle and a California Harvest Creative Condiments Green Olive and Lemon with roasted garlic.

It was Sweet Elena’s (393-2063) around the corner for lunch, where I relearned that the most delicious part might not be eating the divine pies ($6-$35.50) or savory ham and cheese croissants ($4), but hearing Elena Salsedo run through the fresh offerings in her artfully appointed display counter. That her audible intro – of tri-tip on baguette, oven roasted tomatoes, fresh frittatas, quaint quiches – approaches the satisfaction of inhaling her hand-crafted fare tells you how mouthwatering the options appear and how welcoming and lyrical Elena’s French lilt and warm way make visitors feel. The gallete de légumes (filled with butternut squash, carrots, spinach, leeks, tomato, ricotta and goat cheese, $7), the baked chard side salad ($3.75) and torta caprese (a dense olive oil and almond flourless chocolate tort, $4.50/slice) completed the sequence.

She’s got a gourmet gauntlet of Mediterranean suppers coming. Reservations are recommended for Aug. 8 (Greece); Aug 22. (Italy); Sept. 12 (North Africa); and Sept. 26 (Provence).

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Like the fresh basil aioli that accompanies the lightly smoked rainbow trout ($17) I tried last week – or the balsamic butter on the tilapia – the carrot ginger granita Passionfish (655-3311) splashes on their oysters-on-half-shell appetizer ($14/six) is a simple but outstanding sauce. But it’s not enough to shift the Peninsula’s oyster epicenter from Carmel to P.G.

The Shiny Pearl by the Sea has long played host to most famous oyster bar in the area, Flaherty’s (625-1500), and their Rockefeller, fried and raw versions (raw run $12.50/half dozen; $22.50/full) are up to the hype – and I dig their signature clam chowders too. Over on Ocean, I love A. W. Shucks (624-6605) almost-divey-but-lively feel, anchored by charming bartenders and a chance to get blue points for $2 a pop.

And now every Thursday from 5-8pm L’Aubergine (624-8578) is offering three shucked shellfish free with each cocktail in its flowering cottage courtyard. Live music and a bistro menu also kick it, and visitors can scope the fast-arriving Wine Exploration Dinner score composed by Thomas Perez (starting Friday, July 31).

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Earlier this summer, in the face of Food, Inc.’s revelations reminding us how little we know about our food systems, I acknowledged some blooming opportunities to cultivate healthy sourcing habits in our local students. A week back, my colleagues put their elbow grease where my mouth was.

Over at Alisal Community School, Team Weekly installed an irrigation system, built a compost pile, dug some new flower beds, harvested fava bean seeds, resuscitated tomato plants, gave two heirloom apple trees a new home and basked in the Salinas sun and the excitement of sprouting change. CAFF’s Farm to School (383-9865) point-peeps Kathryn Spencer and Peter Nelson coordinated our contributions to one of the foremost school district-wide efforts in the entire country. (Despite its painfully paradoxical proximity to the heart of national ag, Salinas is one of the most population-dense/fresh produce market poor places around.)

Three days earlier, the Intern Mafia – including Qres “Yes” Ephraim, Michelle “Gangsta” Ngoi, Greg “Hawk” Tomascheski, Melissa “Fly Straight” Cessna and Molly “On” Speacht – rallied for a field trip to the Hilton Bialek Habitat in Carmel (624-2785 x162), where thousands of local kids farm, harvest and cook each year.

Oppos to aid are ongoing. Call the agencies or e-mail edible@mcweekly.com to get involved.

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Dynasty Restaurant (648-9264) on Forest Avenue in P.G. opened a few days ago with a burst of professional lion and dragon dancers and free apps. They’ve just added a dim sum lunch. The Szechuan goods sizzles seven days a week… The Strawberry Festival ripens in Watsonville 10am-7pm Sat-Sun; free and juicy to attend, 768-3240, www.mbsf.com… The Beer Geeks are doing a special summer-appropriate pouring party at Plaza Linda – four “heat-busting” brews accompanied by tasty Plaza Linda snacks for $15 – Saturday, Aug. 1, 3-6pm. RSVP info@thebeergeek.com.