Quinoa in California?

[Fred Hempel]

Based on a cursory googling it looks like the best varieties of Quinoa are typically grown at high altitude, and that Quinoa must be washed after harvesting and before eating.

I was thinking about growing Quinoa, but it is now starting to sound like it is a hassle, and that the quality will not be very good if I grow it on our N. Calif. farm.

Is there anyone out there that has had good success growing Quinoa? I would define "success" as meaning that it grew well and was fairly productive, and it was at least close, in flavor, to that which is usually sold.