Edible San Diego Towards Sustainability Issue 20 Spring 2013

Good food. Good drink. Good read. • No. 20 • Spring 2013

towards sustainability La Serenissima Winery Chef Robert Hohmann Archi’s Acres new farmers Local food leaders speak out Garden nitty gritty Renewing ties to local food

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{Two Cents} Be a bee I buzz and bumble here and there gathering food.

Everywhere I go I help things grow.

I’m small but so much life and growth depend on what I spread around.

For a little guy, I make a big difference.

I’m a bee and so are you.

Photo: Matt Steiger

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CONTRIBUTORS

Edible San Diego P.O. Box 83549 Chris Rov Costa San Diego, CA 92138 Amy Finley 619-222-8267 Kristen Fogle Ron Gerber info@ediblesandiego.com ediblesandiego.com Brandon Hernández Brook Larios ADVERTISING Lauren D. Lastowka For information about Diane Morgan rates and deadlines, call Mo Rafael 619-222-8267 Jill Richardson or email us at Vincent Rossi info@ediblesandiego.com Susan Russo Matt Steiger No part of this publication may be Britta Turner used without written Lyudmila Zotova permission of the publisher. © 2013 PUBLISHERS All rights reserved.

Riley Davenport John Vawter

EDITOR Lauren D. Lastowka

COPY EDITORS Doug Adrianson John Vawter Michelle Honig

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edible Communities 2011 James Beard Foundation Publication of the Year

The Vegetarian Issue The Vegetarian Holiday Table The Dangers of GM Food Be Wise Ranch Casa De Luz Spread

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COVER PHOTO Chris Rov Costa

Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings and omissions. If an error comes to your attention, please let us know and accept our sincere apologies. Thank you.

Since 1984, we have worked with local farmers to bring you the freshest and

SAN DIEGO’S PREMIER NATURAL FOODS GROCER highest quality organic produce to be found anywhere.

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• Large selection of vitamins, supplements, health & beauty aids • Hormone-free and antibiotic-free beef, poultry and pork • Seafood delivered fresh daily

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Spring 2013

CONTENTS

Departments

Two Cents

2

Just sprouting

6

Local talent: Robert hohmann of

1500 ocean

12

Liquid Assets: Winemaking beneath the moon 17 Good reads:

Vegan and Vegetarian

Cookbooks 25 grow: Getting started in

backyard gardening

31

Resources & Advertisers

44

Farmers’ Markets

48

Photo: Lyudmila Zotova

Features

Archi’s Acres: a story in sustainability

21

Are we there yet?

26

finding our roots

35

9 ways to grow your

involvement with the local food scene

39

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{Just Sprouting} Gastro-Touring San Diego with Saffron’s Su-Mei Yu Su-Mei Yu, who pioneered authentic and healthy Thai cooking in San Diego with her award-winning Saffron restaurants, will be blazing new trails this spring on San Diego’s public television channel KPBS. Savor San Diego with Su-Mei Yu premieres in May. Six halfhour episodes will run on consecutive Thursday nights and also during Saturday daytime programming.

“In every episode, Yu will feature off-the-beaten-path and uniquely San Diego-centric farmers, ranchers, fishermen and food purveyors,” said publicist Lorena Whiteside Nelson.

“The diversity of San Diego’s food resources is remarkable and not widely recognized,” Yu said.

“It’s quite exciting to have the opportunity to share everything I’ve learned and discovered as a local cook and restaurateur with the KPBS audience.”

In the first episode, Yu heads to the fishing boat docks on San Diego Bay to examine the work of the fishermen and what they catch. By episode’s end, she’ll show how to prepare tasty and healthful dishes from what is caught.

Among the places to be visited on future episodes are Rancho del Sol Farms in Jamul and San Diego Soy Dairy, a small-batch organic tofu producer in El Cajon.

It’s all in keeping with the program’s format, which Whiteside Nelson sums up as: “Follow the food back, through creation/

Su-Mei Yu at the docks with Tommy Gomes of Catalina Offshore Products

picking to processing to cooking and, ultimately, to the plate.”

KPBS Programming Director John Decker called Yu “a San Diego icon in all of the right ways. I am very excited to bring her to KPBS in a show that matches her character.”

—Vincent Rossi

San Diego Food System Alliance With the New Year came news of the formation of the San Diego County Food System Alliance, an organization with members drawn from local government, food service industry, education, health, agriculture and environmental institutions, dedicated to combining members’ efforts and visions to make fast, meaningful strides towards better food policy in the county.

Although initial funding for the SDCFSA, secured through the California Endowment under its Building Healthy Communities initiative, will last only 18 months, “An FSA is designed to become a durable community institution, rather than meeting on a single goal, then disbanding,” says San Diego Alliance Coordinator Keryna Johnson.

And lest you sigh at the idea of yet another bureaucratic assemblage charged with “improving the food system in San Diego County,” consider that the Alliance, a follow-on from the 2009 Food System Working Group and 2011 Urban-Rural Roundtable, will operate under the stewardship of California nonprofit Ag Innovations Network, which has

Community forums and targeted working groups are planned. See Facebook.com/ SanDiegoCOFSA and AgInnovations. org/Alliances/SanDiego/ for newsletter enrollment and more information.

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previously launched food system alliances (FSAs) and Ag Futures Alliances (AFAs) in seven other California counties, accruing a number of meaningful food policy successes to date.

—Amy Finley

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FARM TOUR DAY

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The fourth annual Farm Tour Day hosted by the San Diego County Farm Bureau is Saturday, June 15.

Get a behind the scenes look at local agriculture on one of three multi-farm tours. This is an exclusive experience with San Diego farmers showcasing their livelihood with walking tours, tractor rides and hands-on demonstrations, samples and growing tips.

Find out more and sign up at: SDFarmBureau.org/FarmTour Contact: 760-745-3023

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{Just Sprouting} Famgro Farms: Career Shift Leads to Safer, Greener Food Firm How did an electrical engineer with a background in the auto industry become CEO of a 100% pesticide-free, sustainable agriculture practice in Carlsbad?

Through a game of hide-and-seek.

A few years ago while gardening at home with his wife and young daughter, Steve Fambro, chief executive officer of Famgro Farms in Carlsbad, watched his little girl crouch behind a huge cabbage and began thinking.

“My daughter was crawling around in [the dirt]. We’re touching the food and eating the food, so I thought ‘I don’t want to use any pesticides or anything [else] that ends with a -cide.’ Each one is a neurotoxin to something.”

Next thing he knew, Fambro left his job at Aptera Motors, where he had helped develop one of the world’s most energyefficient cars, to work in his garage building a prototype of a truly sustainable hydroponic system for crops including broccoli, spinach and collards.

Today, only three years later, Famgro Farms is selling premium organic produce, namely sweet kale and microgreens, to restaurants and markets across San Diego. They recently made their first export—to Singapore.

What led to this quick success? According to Fambro, a combination of his “obsessive personality” and a tenacious desire for sustainability. “‘Sustainability’ like ‘organic,’ means different things to different people,” says Fambro.

“They have become avatars people wear for how they want their food to be perceived.”

Fambro wanted his operation to be sustainable on many levels. By using an indoor, temperature-controlled hydroponic system, Fambro uses less than 3% of the water of traditional crops. “And in San Diego, water availability is a very real thing,” says Fambro. “We’re glad to be using less resources.”

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Moreover, the water (which is recycled) is treated with essential micronutrients that are important for the food’s nutritional value. This allows the crops to be consistently nutritious, unlike traditional field crops, which can be adversely affected by changes in soil, water and weather.

Since Famgro Farms is soil-free, it uses a mere 1/1000th of the land of some traditional crop farms, freeing up valuable land for other uses. “We can also use land that is not desirable for crops or other businesses, but for us it works perfectly,” says Fambro.

“We can produce value out of land even if it’s not valuable to others.”

Growing crops in a soil-free, protected environment also produces 100% contaminant-free food. Since the crops don’t have to be brushed or washed, Fambro saves time, money and resources.

He says, “Most plants are harvested in the morning and delivered that afternoon. So farm-to-table is delivered within hours.” With such superior freshness it’s easy to see why Famgro’s signature sweet kale is quickly becoming a star on the menus of local restaurants.

“Our kale isn’t as bitter as most kale.

You don’t have to tenderize our kale at all. You just take it out of the package and eat it like lettuce,” says Fambro. “I like to say, field kale is sent to a boot camp; our kale is sent to a spa.”

For more information, visit Famgro.com.

You can find Famgro signature sweet kale at local markets including Cream of the Crop in Oceanside, Ripe in North Park and Seaside Market in Cardiff. Famgro sweet kale and microgreens are served at restaurants including A. R. Valentien in Torrey Pines, Burlap in Del Mar and Park Hyatt Aviara Resort in Carlsbad.

Such spa-like growing conditions—the ideal amount of sun, water and wind plus a lack of contaminants—also help the crops grow quickly and uniformly.

Famgro Farms has 18 harvests per year as opposed to two to three in a traditional farm.

Most importantly, there’s no waste.

Harvesters don’t have to sift through frostbitten or insect-nibbled crops since they’re in pristine condition. And attacking waste

is part of Fambro’s DNA: “As an electrical engineer, there’s a radical need to be efficient.... Anything that doesn’t add value is waste.”

– Susan Russo

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{Just Sprouting}

Downtown Gets More Local with Krisp Beverages & Natural Foods Since 1974, tucked away on the outskirts of downtown’s Gaslamp Quarter, the corner store previously known as Super Junior provided beer and wine, a few fresh produce items and a full-service deli. A few years ago, owners Sadeer and Omar Mikhail decided to expand, turning part of the store into the Best Damn Beer Shop and then another part into the Best Damn Homebrew Shop, earning a reputation for their excellent craft beer selection and homebrew supplies.

But that wasn’t enough. Recently, the coowners remodeled the entire store and its mission: “We are local—our mission is to buy local so that you can enjoy local.”

Krisp Beverages & Natural Foods 1036 7th Ave., Downtown KrispSD.com 619-232-6367

More than a convenience store, the newly branded Krisp Beverages & Natural Foods has become a true neighborhood grocery destination, stocked with shelves of both organic and conventionally grown vegetables, fresh fruit and a heavy assortment of meats, cheese and dairy products. They offer a variety of interesting beverages such as small-batch kombucha, gourmet ginger ales and organic juices, to complement their vast beer selection, which includes beer from many San Diego

breweries including Lost Abbey, Iron Fist and The Bruery.

The store also stocks natural snacks and spreads that one might find at bigger grocers like Whole Foods Markets, as well as items from local vendors. PB Peanut Butter, Safari Crunch, Bitchin’ Sauce and Temecula Olive Oil are a few of the local products that line the shelves. Da-Le Ranch meats and Hilliker’s eggs are in the refrigerated section.

The Mikhails believe that eating organic, local foods is important, which motivated them to make some changes to their 35-year-old family business. Sadeer has made great strides trying to source more local meats, produce and wines, and tries to offer a balance of both affordable organic and conventional selections.

While you can still find convenience-store relics such as dried meat sticks and energy drinks at the counter, overall the store brings a selection of local and organic items closer and more available to the downtown demographic.

—Britta Turner

Looking to Next Door A new wine bar has sprung up on El Cajon Boulevard: Next Door is literally next door to owner Mandi and Hays Post’s coffee shop, Treehouse Coffee, but Mandi says she chose the name for other reasons too. She wants her new wine bar to be a hangout for locals to come to after work or on a casual date.

She also wants to source wine, beer and ingredients from “next door”— that is, locally. Beers on tap are all local, and the wine list features California wines. While Mandi and Hays do source some produce locally, it is their goal to move towards a primarily local fare menu.

Mandi grew up on a coffee farm in Hawaii, so opening a coffee shop and roasting coffee came naturally to her. Hays roasts the beans in house. Next Door reflects another side of her personality, with its rustic, eclectic décor and intimate, grown-up yet casual atmosphere.

And it’s even more charming when you discover that most of that décor was fashioned by the talented Hays. The menu, which changes Next Door Craft Beer & Wine Bar Address: 7235 El Cajon Blvd. seasonally, offers soups, salads, flatbreads, cheese, charcuterie, bar 619-741-5066 snacks and more—including some hard-to-resist desserts.

NextDoorSD.com

Check Next Door’s website for events like special wine-pairing dinners or deals such as a free a pint of beer with a flatbread order.

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—Jill Richardson

Hays and Mandi Post

supplies the right balance of minerals & electrolytes, naturally - stay hydrated to stay healthy

A San Diego Native

The Healthetarians: Nourishing Kids Through Cooking

“We focus on creating powerful programs that will greatly improve the health and happiness of our youth,” O’Toole said.

The Healthetarian Kitchen, an after-school enrichment program designed for kids 7 to 13 years of age, consists of two to three hours of daily instruction for 10 weeks and a condensed four-week course from June to August.

In under a year, the tenacious O’Toole, Hagstrom and an all-volunteer force have reached 30 classes of kids in schools in nine cities on the West Coast, and another 4,000 through their Next-Generation Health Tour, attracting sponsorships from big names in health food, including Whole Foods, Clif Bar & Company and Nutiva.

Not bad for a just-sprouting organization.

“While touring [the West Coast], we noticed that school gardens were really big and salad bars in schools were [too], but there wasn’t much connection between the two,” said O’Toole. “We needed something

to integrate garden to classroom to table.”

O’Toole and Hagstrom hope to launch a college program in 2014, giving newly arrived freshmen, especially, the resources to prepare fresh meals in their dorm rooms and apartments.

But what about those finicky pre-teen palates? Few 7- to 13-year-olds embrace the likes of daikon and dandelion greens, right?

www.solarrainwatery.com

Vegetarian, pescatarian, flexitarian.

Totalitarian? Not the Healthetarians.

Founded in January 2012 by Washington transplants Sarah O’Toole and Peter Hagstrom, the group teaches kids to prepare nutrient-dense, whole-food, plant-based meals through classes in health food stores and at community kitchens and schools.

“We usually encourage [kids] to try it once—and if they don’t like it, then that’s fine,” said O’Toole. “Usually, what’s great about our classes, if one kid says they don’t like it, there will be someone singing its praise, so then the kid will say, ‘OK, I’ll try it one time.’”

For more information or to find out how to bring the Healthetarians to your school, store, farm or community center, visit Healthetarians.org or contact O’Toole at sarah@healthetarians.org. Educators and school administrators can contact O’Toole to register their schools for the April through June ten-week program.

Parents of students at those schools will then register their children individually.

The Healthetarians also host a free kids’ cooking class for the general public at the Whole Foods Market in La Jolla on the first Saturday of every month.

Ocean Sourced Made Locally for Freshness Find us at Harney Sushi, Brooklyn Girl Eatery, Market in Del Mar, Island Palms, Blazin Grille, Rubicon Deli, Toma Sol, Tuscany, Ki’s, Greenspot, Lodge at Torrey Pines, Humphreys at the Bay, and Jsix to name a few, and of course Whole Foods, Jimbos, and Cardiff Seaside Market

—Brook Larios spring 2013

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{Local Talent}

“ I knew that the culinary scene in San Diego was growing. I was hoping that I could be a part of the new growing industry in San Diego, make an impression and a name for myself down here.”

H

e was taught how to flute and glaze vegetables by Jacques Pepin. He’s cooked for the president of Panama. He’s worked for Thomas Keller, Mario Batali and Michael Chiarello. And now, he’s bringing all that he’s learned to his new role as chef de cuisine at the iconic Hotel del Coronado’s seaside white linen, 1500 Ocean.

Even with all he’s accomplished, for Robert Hohmann this may be the most exciting development of all.

“I knew that the culinary scene in San Diego was growing,” says the New York– born graduate of Manhattan’s French Culinary Institute. “I was hoping that I could be a part of the new growing industry in San Diego, make an impression and a name for myself down here.”

1500 Plus One Robert Hohmann brings high-level technique, sustainability ethos and cultural pride to 1500 Ocean

By Brandon Hernández Photos by Chris Rov Costa 12

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He’s done just that throughout his career, first earning double degrees with distinction in FCI’s classic culinary arts and artisanal baking programs, and later as a standout chef at several standout restaurants: Per Se, where he worked for three years under Keller disciple Jonathan Benno; Del Posto, Batali’s luxe Chelsea eatery; the Beverly Hills edition of Keller’s Bouchon; and Chiarello’s Yountville Italian hot spot Bottega Ristorante.

He immersed himself in the culture of each kitchen so he could learn from his mentors and colleagues.

“Most of my lessons were learned at Per Se and with the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group: discipline, finesse, attention to detail, accountability. I could go on about every single day being hardcore but that pretty much sums it up,” says Hohmann. “Working as a team is always a better idea than trying to

be the hero. There is no room for selfishness when our careers rely on the ability to offer a memorable experience to others.”

Of his current team he says, “I have a great team at 1500 Ocean. We work hard and play hard. I am very much a player-coach. I still prep and butcher most of the day, cook on the line and expedite the service. I try to teach and want to give the entire team the tools needed to be able to run their own kitchen when they’re ready.”

That approach seems to be working.

Already, Hohmann is getting recognition for cuisine that is a celebration of his upbringing, in a tight-knit, well-fed Italian and German family, as well as his studies in some of the country’s finest culinary empires and the local bounty he’s fast falling in love with. It’s easy to cultivate a relationship with fresh herbs and produce when they’re in one’s backyard, literally.

Many of the earthly ingredients cooked up at 1500 Ocean’s kitchen are sourced from The Del’s onsite garden.

Among the homegrown items at his disposal, Hohmann lists several varieties of basil, oregano, sage, mint, rosemary, thyme, parsley and marjoram. Then there are the ingredients he utilizes most: peppers.

Cayenne, Anaheim, poblano and red and green bells are ripe for the picking, along with fennel, garlic, heirloom tomatoes, watermelon, strawberries and strawberry guava. Moving forward, he is working on planting some more varieties of tomatoes, herbs, eggplant and, perhaps, some citrus.

“Any of the produce I use from the garden, I try to leave as natural and untouched as possible or, if anything, enhance its

“ The cooks go out to pick their own herbs for their stations. I’ll go out and find things for a daily special. It gets us out of the kitchen and reminds us of the beauty we are constantly surrounded by and why what we do is so special. We bring Mother Nature to the table.” natural flavor,” says Hohmann. “I make a condiment with the hot chilies and poblanos that I call fuoco, which means ‘fire’ in Italian. I slice the Anaheim peppers and pickle them very lightly for a salmon crudo dish. There’s also cinnamon basil, which I use fresh with a tomato, watermelon salad and balsamic vinaigrette for a fried chicken dish. When the season was right during the summer, everything for this dish was coming out of the garden … except for the chicken of course.”

It’s not the first time he’s had a restaurant garden to work with. When working with Keller and Chiarello, he had the opportunity to use and learn about sustainable agriculture and organic produce.

As with those mentors, Hohmann believes it is his and his kitchen staff ’s responsibility as chefs to understand and respect the products they use every day.

“It’s awesome. The cooks go out to pick their own herbs for their stations. I’ll go out and find things for a daily special. It gets us out of the kitchen and reminds us of the beauty we are constantly surrounded by and why what we do is so special. We bring Mother Nature to the table.”

Hohmann is on a roll with flavor-packed dishes like diver scallops with sunchokes, beets and spiced cocoa, and fennel salad with lobster, Kalamata olives and citrus purée. Those are studies in California-

inspired haute cuisine, but he’s also putting out rustic dishes so extraordinary they feel and taste right at home atop white linen.

Chief among these are tender tripe served in a zesty tomato sauce, crispy fried veal brains with risotto and sage butter, and vitello tonnato, veal with a tuna emulsion.

The recipe for the latter is included here along with the steps for creating a timehonored cheesecake from the German side of Hohmann’s family tree. The chef ’s ancestors operated bakeries in Hamburg for many years and, later, after emigrating to Staten Island in the early 1900s, set up shop in Tottenville, New York. The bakery was sold before Hohmann was born, but the recipe has lived on as a treasured family heirloom.

“I have never given my cheesecake recipe out to anyone,” says Hohmann. “But I feel that Edible San Diego is the right publication in which to do so.”

Thank you, Chef. We’re honored.

Brandon Hernández is a native San Diegan with a passion for the culinary arts and the local dining scene. He has been featured numerous times on the Food Network; regularly contributes to over a dozen national and local magazines, newspapers and online outlets; has contributed to several cookbooks and is responsible for communications at local craft beer producer Stone Brewing Co. Follow him on Twitter at @offdutyfoodie or drop him a line at brandon@thebrandonhernandez.com.

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Vitello Tonnato (veal in tuna emulsion)

Salt and pepper to taste

Serves 1 (scale up for additional servings)

1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest 3 tablespoons tonnato sauce (recipe follows)

8 ounces veal tenderloin 2 tablespoons tonnato spice (recipe on next page) 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon capers 5 caper berries 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 2 cups fresh arugula 1 teaspoon olive oil

Place the veal in a shallow dish, and rub all over with tonnato spice. Place in the fridge and let sit overnight. Preheat oven to 350° F. Heat oil over medium high heat in a large, heavy-bottomed, oven-proof skillet. Add veal and brown on all sides, then transfer pan to the oven. Roast until a meat thermometer registers 135° (for medium-rare meat), or to your preferred doneness. Remove veal from pan, cover with foil and let rest until temperature rises to about 145°. Meanwhile, set the

pan on a burner, turn heat to medium-low, and add butter to pan. Let butter brown slightly, then deglaze pan with lemon juice. Add capers, caper berries and parsley, and remove pan from heat. In a separate bowl, mix arugula with oil, salt, pepper and lemon zest. To serve, spread tonnato sauce on a plate, then arrange arugula on top. Slice the veal thin, then carefully place slices on top of arugula. Top veal with the brown butter and caper pan sauce, and serve.

Tonnato Sauce This recipe makes use of Chef Hohmann’s fuoco, a house-made condiment consisting of fresh, very spicy chili peppers, capers and olive oil. You can also substitute Calabrian chiles.

9 ounces tuna (salted and poached in olive oil) 3 large egg yolks 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar 3 tablespoons fuoco or Calabrian chile 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons lemon juice

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1 cup cornichons (or pickles) 1 cup capers ½ cup scallions, minced 1 teaspoon chili flakes 2 tablespoons colatura di alici (anchovy essence) 1 teaspoon garlic, minced Salt and pepper to taste Chopped parsley, to finish 2 cups olive oil

Put all ingredients except the olive oil and parsley in a food processor. Purée until smooth while drizzling the olive oil in.

Transfer to a Vita Prep or blender and, in small batches, purée until even smoother.

Do not pass through any strainers.

Sprinkle with chopped parsley to finish.

Hohmann’s Cheesecake For crust:

For cake:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

6 large eggs (cold)

1 cup flaked coconut, dried unsweetened

24 ounces cream cheese, softened (or mascarpone, if desired)

½ cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

1 cup sugar, divided

½ cup sugar

1 lemon rind, grated

¼ pound butter, melted Mix ingredients together in the bottom of a springform pan, then flatten down with the bottom of a glass until the crust is firm and even.

Preheat oven to 325° F. Separate egg whites and yolks into two mixing bowls. Add ½ cup sugar to the egg whites and beat until stiff peaks form.

Add remaining ½ cup sugar to the egg yolks and beat until mixture becomes a creamy soft yellow. Add the cream cheese into yolk mixture and mix until smooth. Gently fold in egg whites and fold in lemon rind so that the meringue doesn’t deflate. Transfer mixture to the springform pan lined with crust. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn off oven and leave cake in oven for about 30 minutes to let the cake slowly start to cool.

Garnish Chef Hohmann’s classic cheesecake recipe can Pictured is a version garnished with blackberries be garnished with any number of seasonal fruits and blackberry-cabernet sauvignon sorbet made and spices depending on what is in season. from blackberries and red wine.

Tonnato Spice 1 tablespoon coriander seeds 1 teaspoon cardamom seeds 2 whole cloves 1 whole nutmeg 1⅓ cups salt

Grind the coriander, cardamom and cloves in a spice grinder. Grate the nutmeg. Mix the salt and sugar together and fold all of the spices into the mixture. Use immediately or store in a dry air-tight container in a cool place.

¾ cup + 2 tablespoons sugar

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{Liquid Assets}

Winemaking Beneath the Moon

La Serenissima is a Warner Springs Gem

By Britta Turner Photos by Chris Rov Costa

D

ry and withered, the landscape appears less than promising for what a bountiful coastal vineyard should offer. It seems as though nothing more than cactus should grow here. But as we drive closer to the estate, acres of sun-kissed vines sprawled across the rocky hillsides reveal themselves. Here lies La Serenissima—an agricultural gem in the midst of what could be perceived as barren high desert.

Arriving with my family, we pull into the wide, gravel driveway facing the house. The air smells sweet, with a dry heat rushing about silently. Two big dogs greet us, along with smiling members of the Tiso family, who own and operate the estate. John Tiso has been a purveyor of fine wine since before his son, Tony, was born.

Tony took the reins of producing wine in 2005. Their property spans nearly 30 acres just outside of Warner Springs.

I ask John how he acquired this land. “It just happened,” he laughs, “a figure of fate.”

John arrived in America in 1958 when he was 28 years old, after having been raised on a small family vineyard in Venice, Italy. He moved to San Diego from Palo Alto after retiring as an electrical warfare engineer, wanting to pursue growing grapes as his family did when he was a child. He founded La Serenissima on virgin soil that had never been tilled. In 1999, John and Tony planted their first vines; they harvested their first crop two years later.

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wine in Venice, so one could say that wine runs in the veins of John and Tony. They were inspired by John’s background when choosing which grapes to grow: Cabernet Franc is the most popular varietal in the area where he grew up, so naturally it is one of his favorite wines to drink and make.

John and Tony respect their roots—they do everything according to trusted Italian traditions. They’ve never used fertilizers or pesticides, and pride themselves in natural winemaking and blending varietals.

Typically, vines produce the best yields between 10 and 20 years after being planted, so the fruits growing now have the potential to be the best La Serenissima has harvested yet.

John and Tony respect their roots—they do everything according to trusted Italian traditions. They’ve never used fertilizers or pesticides and pride themselves in natural winemaking and blending varietals. The entire image and feel of La Serenissima boldly reflects their Italian roots: their family history, the appearance of their homestead, the way they approach farming and invite strangers in as family members. It all blends together to reassure the authenticity of what’s inside the bottles they sell. John smiles, recalling a familiar phrase, “The vine told the farmer, ‘make me poor and I’ll make you rich,’ so that’s how we began.”

Tony leads us about the entire vineyard, explaining his farming techniques and philosophies on winemaking. People grow up with

The Tisos emphasize quality over quantity and pride themselves in old, traditional Italian winemaking styles: dry farming, organic principles and using the land wholly.

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The vineyard produces an impressive variety of small-batch, estate-grown wines, meaning the final product is wholly produced on their property, which promises consistency in flavor and quality. You won’t find this term on the labels of their bottles, however, because, surprisingly, the area of Warner Springs isn’t yet classified as a wine region. Their current assortment includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Tempranillo, Merlot and Syrah. This spring they’re releasing a wonderful estate Arneis, produced in limited quantities, along with two new rosés: a demi or semiseco rosé of Cabernet Franc, and a dry rosé of Syrah. Look for this rosé by the name “Mille papaveri,” or “a thousand poppies.” The Cabernet Franc rosé will be called “Petali di rosa,” for its soft, light hues.

Natural winemaking is an intuitive craft—this operation is a breakthrough for returning to what it takes to care for the land in its most natural, virgin state. The Tisos emphasize quality over quantity and pride themselves in old, traditional Italian winemaking styles: dry farming, organic principles and using the land wholly. John says, “If I were a vine I would love the soil here. I would just go down, down and down. It’s perfect here—the wind blows away the bugs, the soil erodes and filters itself naturally.” The dark brown volcanic soil is rich with nutrients and supports drought-tolerant roots.

There’s an underlying philosophy that seeps through every aspect of the process at La Serenissima, and that is the notion of keeping the wine alive, treating it as a living organism.

For Tony and John, this translates to engaging with the plants as they grow and trying to understand them on a fundamental, biological level. For example, with some varietals, they spread pomace retained from the previous year beneath the vines, which encourages the right types of yeast to colonize on the grapes’ skins. This effort allows the winery to eliminate the extra step of post-harvest inoculation. They will be experimenting more with noninoculated, wild-yeast fermentation, based on the wonderful results they have seen so far.

The intelligence that Tony invests in caring for these vines gives La Serenissima wines their earthy taste, because the water is drawn from deeper underground where rich minerals are stored. The grapes are hand pruned and harvested each season by migrant workers. The reds are fermented in large, specially made neutral oak tanks and the whites are fermented in stainless steel. John and Tony prefer an unfiltered process—it’s a bit more labor intensive but more natural. As Tony sees it, gravity is your best friend in wine making. Vines are grown on hillsides, encouraging the natural downward flow of water. They set their fermentation tanks high up, allowing filtration to happen naturally by letting sediment settle towards the ground.

“ If I were a vine I would love the soil here. I would just go down, down and down. It’s perfect here—the wind blows away the bugs, the soil erodes and filters itself naturally.”

La Sereissima unfiltered wines evolve beautifully in the bottle. Early vintages are tasted regularly to monitor flavors as time passes. They hold their wines longer to develop and rack several times over many months to ensure that when they reach the consumer, they have already assumed some of the characteristics of an aging wine.

During our visit, we were led underground into a cool, cavernous room with beautiful barrels stacked all about. Wine tasted straight from the barrel is such a romantic experience. People wax poetic about how long a wine has aged, when actually, good wines should be able to give you their peak characteristics still fresh in the barrel.

Recognizing that the wine barrels are indeed porous, much like humans, Tony requires constant monitoring of humidity and air temperature in the cavern—the breath of the aging process. It takes patience with wine as it ferments, rests, changes and transforms into the lovely gift that it is. They keep a close eye on the lunar calendar, bottling their wines in accordance with the waxing of the moon, as John learned from a young age.

The Tisos plan to host a vine-grafting workshop to encourage more production of certain varietals like the subtle Tempranillo and the hearty Cabernet. Hopefully, this will draw both agriculture students and other interested vintners to the property and expand the community of local, sustainable growers. Currently the vineyard hosts private tours and tasting events, and after many requests, the Tisos are starting up a wine club—The Council. Membership will include a quarterly offering of their wines, invitations to exclusive winery events, and discounts on products such as unfiltered olive oils, crushed and locally pressed by Temecula Olive Oil Company.

Membership will be limited to 100 people.

And what does the community think? Michael Langdon, wine buyer for Whole Foods Encinitas, carries three of La Serenissima’s wines in his store—Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Cabernet Merlot. A San Diego native and big proponent of local products, Michael met Tony while working to expand his selection of native wines to match the enormous supply of local craft beers in the store. He was looking for something new and different than offerings from Temecula when he discovered La Serenissima. Of La Serenissima, he says, “they have an evident passion for wine …. They produce ‘raw’ wines, very simple and balanced with great taste.” Michael appreciates the creative approach they take to their craft, as well as their unique blends culled from a unique region in San Diego, which is what sets them apart in the local industry.

Drinking wine and spending time in the presence of family, intermingling culture with food, makes all the difference to Tony as a vintner. He wants their wines to be known as either good or bad, but not forgettable or certainly not the same as any other wines. Tony has an incredible creative ability as a vintner to experiment with all the variables of winemaking. He creates a meritage of different varietals, blending their percentages and altering the type of barrels in which the wines age.

“Look at me, I’m crazy!” he says, as he obsesses over oak profiles.

I smile, tipping my glass towards him in agreement, as I sip the delicious Claret Bordeaux and revel in the sweet fragrance that floats throughout the room.

Britta Turner strings together farmers, foodies, yogis, chefs, artists and the like. A writer and yoga teacher in San Diego, she weaves her whimsical story together in colorful words and playful movements. Find out more at brittaturner.com or follow her journey at thegranolapath.tumblr.com.

Where you can find La Serenissima: Stump’s Family Market Place (stumpssandiego.com) Mosaic Wine Bar Grape Connections Whole Foods The Wine Sellar (winesellar.com) Tango Wine (tangowine.com)

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Archi’s Acres: A Story in Sustainability

by Mo Rafael

Photo: Chris Rov Costa

Just up the road from you and me, on the unpretentious little farm known as Archi’s Acres, a quiet revolution is under way. Its story needs to be told. spring 2013

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She challenged him to re-create those special [Marine Corps] bonds here at home. What about “paying forward” the fruits of their successes by helping other new veterans transition from the business of making war to the business of growing food and nurturing life?

Step by Step As the well-trained Marine he was, Colin met the challenge head on. He chose to spend all of his noncombat hours in Iraq on the internet, piecing together an education in the whats, whys and hows of sustainable farming. Within weeks of his return to the U.S. in April 2006 Colin was building the couple’s first greenhouse and outfitting it with carefully chosen hydroponic technology.

Photo: Chris Rov Costa

By 2007, the Archipleys were growing profuse crops of organic salad greens and herbs. With Jimbo’s and Whole Foods as their outlets, Archi’s Acres started feeding San Diego. In record time they had learned how to farm organically, profitably and sustainably.

I

Karen and Colin Archipley

n 2005 Karen and Colin Archipley purchased a scant three-acre avocado farm on a sun-drenched hill in Valley Center. They had a dream of living in a peaceful country setting and growing their own organic food. When escrow closed, Karen moved in and had to start learning how to farm on her own. Colin was on his third Marine combat deployment in Iraq and would not be coming home until April 2006. With Colin’s long-distance encouragement but none of his muscle, Karen gamely rolled up her sleeves and set about resuscitating the farm’s long-neglected avocado grove.

A month later came Karen’s rude awakening. It arrived in the mail in the form of a water bill for $849.97. Colin got the wake-up call in his combat zone halfway around the world when he looked up their new farm expenses on the internet.

They were stunned—not only by the size of their bill, but by its implications. Water had just pronounced itself to be a make-it-orbreak-it issue for them. What other big lessons had to be learned, and learned fast, if they were going to make their living as farmers?

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Today the farm has a second greenhouse with a third one on its way, to be equipped with innovative, sustainably produced, nontoxic polyethylene water channels they have designed. Employing live, nutrient-rich, home-brewed compost tea for fertilizer and using 87% less water than in-ground vegetable farming, their production yield is 17 crop turnovers per year (versus seven turns for in-ground farming).

Paying It Forward End of story, right? Not by half. Turning themselves into bona fide farmers proved to be only the first step for Karen and Colin. When it came time for Colin’s Marine company to redeploy to Iraq in 2007, Colin felt he owed it to his buddies to be with them. Karen was resolute in her “No.” But she also knew how important Colin’s military family was to him.

She challenged him to re-create those special bonds here at home.

What about “paying forward” the fruits of their successes by helping other new veterans transition from the business of making war to the business of growing food and nurturing life? After all, she reasoned, “fighting for America” could mean helping to guarantee its food security as well as its safety. How better than by turning veterans into farmers who would feed the nation and help reverse the long-term, alarming and unsustainable decline in the number of farmers in the U.S.?

Colin rose to this new challenge. He wrote an entire curriculum, started recruiting students through the VA and local military bases and launched the Veterans Sustainable Agriculture Training (VSAT).

Seed-to-Market Farming Homeless, unemployed and unhappily employed veterans along with active-duty military have come from as close as the margins of Balboa Park and as far away as the East Coast and the South to take the six-week, 270-hour VSAT program. Every one of the eight

Photo: Ron Gerber

graduates I spoke with said that their training was “life changing.”

Daily hands-on contact with green and growing plants have helped them heal. Classes have helped them expand their talents with new tools, cultivate their ideas and reframe leadership skills that have not been used since their days in combat.

VSAT is a comprehensive program that covers soil science, water use and availability, organic food production, bio-hydroponic and greenhouse farming technology, all aspects of irrigation, live fertilizer production, food handling and marketing, entrepreneurship, business practices and farm management. For their final projects students are required to present a business plan to a panel of farming, marketing, finance and food experts.

“ This program embodies our vision for the future in terms of the perspective it offers our students. ... It teaches students how to be responsible, sustainable businesspeople and leaders who care about the physical, financial and psychological health of their fellow man.” ~CSU San Marcos Director Jill Litschewski, PhD

To date, 160 men and women have graduated from VSAT, of whom 95% are employed. Many have become

Farm manager Sandy Schutze and greenhouse assistant Zach Callan in the greenhouse harvesting leafy greens.

small-scale organic farmers or have gone into related fields such as beekeeping, agricultural irrigation and soil science. Still others have launched careers in the food handling and safety industry or have become entrepreneurs with their own lines of food products.

Notably, the first VSAT grad to see his food products come to market was a veteran who was homeless when he took the class.

The Power of the Vision To say that Archi’s Acres has changed lives would be a gross understatement. Just ask the individuals who have uprooted themselves and their families to move here from across the U.S. Some had chanced to meet the Archipleys in person while others had only seen news coverage about Archi’s Acres when the vision caught them and wouldn’t let go.

Because Marine Master Sergeant Ruben Villarreal couldn’t wait to get the VSAT training under his belt, he opted to add two years to his military service so that he could relocate his job and his family from Quantico, Virginia, to Camp Pendleton.

Archi’s Acres core team: Colin Archipley , CEO; Rob Lewis, General Manager; Dylan Ratigan, consultant, Archi’s Acres National; Diane Callan, Career Development Manager; Karen Archipley, V.P. and Marketing Director.

Photo: Ron Gerber

In the works are plans to offer VSAT through all 23 California State University campuses. Currently, VSAT is a certificated class given through the Extended Learning Program at Cal State San Marcos. (Note: Tuition scholarships are available to veterans through the Veterans Valor Fund.) CSU San Marcos director Jill Litschewski, PhD, says, “This program embodies our vision for the future in terms of the perspective it offers our students. ... It teaches students how to be responsible, sustainable businesspeople and leaders who care about the physical, financial and psychological health of their fellow man.”

Photo: Ron Gerber

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“ It’s hard to find anything wrong with having our veterans solve the food problem in the United States and make a good living in the process.” ~ Rob Lewis As the founder of Wellness for Warriors, Diane Callan immediately recognized the healing power of farming for veterans. Pulling up stakes and her family of three in North Carolina, she came out to volunteer her skills. She found her niche assisting VSAT grads as career development manager and her son Zachary found his as fulltime greenhouse assistant.

Archi’s Acres’ new general manager, Rob Lewis, had loved his job as public relations director with Disabled American Veterans in Kentucky, but when he witnessed a 2011 VSAT class in person he knew he belonged here. The Lewis family relocated in December, 2012.

“It’s hard to find anything wrong with having our veterans solve the food problem in the United States and make a good living in the process.” Those very strengths of the VSAT program are what motivated Dylan Ratigan to quit his job, transplant himself from

New York to San Diego and offer his services at Archi’s Acres.

Former host of a popular news analysis show on MSNBC, Ratigan had gotten tired of “just talking” and wanted to take action that would make a difference. At Archi’s Acres he is working closely with the Archipleys to create the financial vehicles for private investment that will take Archi’s Acres national. The first two veteran-run greenhouses slated to be funded and built this year will be in San Bernardino and Boston.

Quiet Revolution “Never doubt,” said Margaret Mead, “that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Just up the road from you and me, on the unpretentious little farm known as Archi’s Acres, a quiet revolution in sustainability, veteran employment and food security is under way. It is being led by a small group of very passionate people who are, indeed, changing our world.

Mo Rafael is a freelance writer, editor, nutritionist, cooking teacher, happy vermiculturist, 40-year organic gardener and novice outdoor hydroponic gardener. She loves living in Encinitas and is delighted to spread the word about the people and activities that champion healthier living, environmentalism and community building. She can be reached at morafael@cox.net.

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{Good Reads}

Vegan and Vegetarian Cookbooks Whether you are looking for a comprehensive vegetarian manual, dishes from a variety of international vegetarian cuisines or a book aimed at holiday vegan cooking, these three authors have what you need to turn everyday vegetarian fare into works of flavorful art.

At around 1,000 pages, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian (2007) can seem daunting, but Mark Bittman’s simple but delicious meatless recipes will make you want to dive in. Bittman, who hosts the cooking show “Minimalist” on the Cooking Channel, has poured 2,000 recipes into Vegetarian, covering salads, soups, eggs and dairy, vegetables and fruit, pasta, grains, legumes, tofu and other meat substitutes, breads, condiments, desserts and beverages. Favorite recipes include spinach with chiles, chickpea fries, and braised tofu with eggplant and shiitakes. The “Equipment” and “Techniques” sections ensure the novice cook is well prepared and “30 minutes or less” icons identify meals that can be made quickly. Line illustrations throughout the book spice up the text and give pertinent instructions. Hardcover and Kindle editions are available, each for around $20.

The World Goes Raw Cookbook: An International Collection of Raw Vegetarian Recipes (2012) is author Lisa Mann’s solution for vegetarians who long for more flavor and variety. Mann is the creator of Lisa’s Living Well, a nutrition and educational company focused on raw food preparation. Raw features six chapters devoted to Italian, Mexican, Middle Eastern, Asian, Caribbean and South American dishes, all of which span the entire meal—from soups to dessert. “Basics” introduces both mandatory and optional materials to prepare raw cuisine, and the helpful metric conversion table in the back makes translating units of measurement a breeze. Kindle and paperback versions can be purchased for around $10.

Enjoy these delicious dining events with locally sourcing restaurants.

We’re teaming up with one restaurant each month to feature seasonal fare and showcase the talents and dedication of local farmto-table chefs and restaurants.

Visit ediblesandiego.com and subscribe to our monthly newsletter for up-to-date details and to purchase tickets.

March 27, 2013 TickeTs now on sale.

Gluten-Free and Vegan Holidays: Celebrating the Year with Simple, Satisfying Recipes and Menus (2011) is Jennifer Katzinger’s healthy homage to holiday eating.

Katzinger is the former owner of The Flying Apron restaurant in Seattle. Her book features 70 simple, stylish and satisfying recipes for the holidays, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Fourth of July, Easter and Passover. “Birthday Cakes” and “Holiday Cookies, Cakes and Breads” are wonderful chapters that can be used year round. Favorite recipes include a matzo ball soup and coconut dream cake.

Beautiful color photographs make this cookbook a joy to flip through. The Kindle version is around $12 and the paperback $16.

april 2013

May 2013

—Kristen Fogle

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Are We There Yet? Steps Toward a Healthier Food System

By Amy Finley • Photos by Chris Rov Costa

O

utspoken food-system critic Mark Bittman began the New Year with a plea for patience. Comparing what he called a “nascent” food movement to the past and present work of abolitionists, female suffragists and gay-rights organizers, he wrote in the New York Times, “Activists who took on these issues had in common a clear series of demands and a sense that the work was ongoing.”

Yes. However, with all respect due to Mr. Bittman, we of the grassroots should quibble with him on his verbiage, if not his meaning. For patience, I’m afraid, is generally a top-down order, as any adult who’s ever piloted a car full of children (“When will we get there!?”) can attest.

Patience is passive. It is acquiescence to authority, which is step one in eventually absolving oneself of individual responsibility. And the greatest single threat to our budding food movement, broadly and locally here in San Diego, is that small actors within it will eventually tire of the monotony of the work and the waiting and take to the sidelines, letting others—more knowledgeable, more connected, more powerful, they rationalize—decide what will happen. Think of it this way: A favorite food writer of mine, discussing cuisines of the world, once wrote that every country possessed the cuisine it deserved, as these were the product of collective desire and subsequent, constant, collective decision making with regards to what one put in one’s mouth.

As goes the least of us, so go the rest of us.

But a second threat to the movement does surface when the caring care more passionately than systematically. In his New Year’s missive Bittman also wrote, “We can’t ask for ‘better food for all’; we must be specific.” Which is why I recently asked several visible members of the San Diego food community: Where, from their unique perspectives, is the most pressing work yet to be done? What, specifically, should our clear demands be? And what meaningful action can we, the grassroots, take now? Here, for the benefit of all of us small actors, that we might encourage and organize our energies, are their thoughts.

Amy Finley is a cook, grassroots food activist, and author of the book, How to Eat a Small Country.

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“If we all took the time to understand, participate in and pass on to future generations the slow process of growing, preparing and recycling food—from seed to compost bin—we would value that process. We collectively perceive food as a commodity. In our pre-packaged world, we have lost touch with the magic of a tomato seed morphing into a pot of simmering tomato sauce—a huge amount of time, natural resources and labor went into it!”— Chelsea Coleman, co-leader, Slow Food Urban San Diego

“The demand for our Seeds@City program has been overwhelming. But like most nonprofits, we need funding.

If we could offer as many classes as our popularity demands, that would be a triumph. The more we educate, the more our mission is known to the public, the more we can help shape San Diego’s food scene.

And I’m not just talking about the gourmet scene—organizations like Food Not Lawns and the International Rescue Committee are becoming more visible outside of the small but active food justice world.”—Jenny Goff, farm coordinator, Seeds@City, San Diego City College “I am optimistic, but changes [in fishing practices] presently underway will have to accelerate. Management of artisanal fisheries must devolve to local institutions; fishermen must develop into generalists rather than specializing in only one species, returning to ‘portfolio fishing’ across a wide variety of species and with a lighter touch; consumers will need to adapt to this new variety through experimentation; and the Port District must foster a reconnection between local fishing enterprises and the community by setting aside and promoting Tuna Harbor and a fishermen’s market.”— Peter Halmay, commercial sea urchin diver, San Diego Fishermen’s Working Group

“Instead of excessive regulation, there must be political will to tackle affordable water prices for farmers and the creation of a guest worker program. And local produce companies [must] buy from farmers in the county and not at [larger] L.A. farmers’ markets and from the L.A. Produce Mart.”— Noel Stehly, third-generation family farmer, Stehly Farms Organics; president, San Diego County Farm Bureau

“In addition to clear and permissive zoning (the City made a bold step in legalizing some urban husbandry—bees, chickens, goats—in early 2012), it would also be helpful if governing bodies did outreach and education to help grow homesteading in the public consciousness. For most people driving from cubicle to big box to subdivision, it’s not exactly a top priority or even a potentiality.”— Rebecca Tolin, documentary filmmaker, Chicks in the City

“It starts at the street and the public space. Until we fix our urban design mentality, there’s little that can be done by the agricultural sector to fix our food. [We need to] draw large numbers of skilled, thoughtful people into our urban fabric to live at a high density and create industries that financially sustain them and their [sustainable] food choices.

[I’ll know things have changed] when the independent meat ranchers that we work with waive their delivery charge because they’re delivering to enough other restaurants here anyway.”— Jay Porter, founder, The Linkery, El Take It Easy

“We are educating for the ecological and social transition. Our neighborhoods should function as integrated village ecosystems.

Food should be incorporated throughout our walkways and pathways and irrigated with passive rainwaterharvesting earthworks and grey water. All waste should be viewed as organic matter and continually cycled—boosting soil fertility, food production and biodiversity. When this happens, the SDSLI’s handson classes on sustainable living will no longer be necessary.”— Josh Robinson, director of education, San Diego Sustainable Living Institute

“Outdated local government thought processes pose challenges to more urban farming. Why not grow orange trees instead of oleanders or palm trees in public spaces? And eliminate regulations standing between fresh food grown on public lands and distribution to the needy. And our local community colleges have horticulture rather than agriculture programs.”— Karen Contreras, owner, Urban Plantations

“Shop smarter. Our goal is to foster collaboration/ ideas/relationships between growers, chefs and the consumer. Anyone with a smart phone can use apps we developed in 2010 to organize and distribute all the information on fruits and vegetables we’ve gathered over the years.”— Roger Harrington, co-owner, Specialty Produce

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“[I’m working toward] the day all bureaucracy is set aside and we come to a real solution about feeding our children healthy food in our school system.”— Ricardo Heredia, chef, Alchemy Restaurant, Alchemy Scratch Culinary Program (Albert Einstein Academy and McKinley Elementary)

“So that real food can become a priority and local farmers and food purveyors can make a viable living, the government needs to stop subsidizing processed food and irresponsible farming methods. Then families at all income levels must/will discover how to prepare fresh, healthy meals with the same ease and affordability of artificially priced fast foods.”— Catt White, director, San Diego Weekly Markets; co-founder, San Diego Public Market

“Since children spend so much time at school, the more we can support healthy eating and garden-based education there, the more children will understand our undeniable tie to food and nature. I hope school garden programs will be fully supported at the district level in the future, and fully integrated into schools’ academic programs.”

– Diana Bergman, Program Director, Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center “Be open minded about the power of big. First and foremost, think of animal welfare. Get to know GAP [Global Animal Partnership].

We’ve got 200,000 acres under organic certification, our beef in every Whole Foods in San Diego and now our ranchers believe in their commercial future so they’ve changed the way they operate. We’re making a closed system so every dime stays in San Diego County, creating jobs and protecting the environment.”— Matt Rimel, owner, Homegrown Cattle Company, Homegrown Meats

“This is what Robin and I try to do: grow hope. We know that we are succeeding when we have tours on the farm. People make the connection when they pull a carrot straight from the ground. They recognize the effort it takes to wrench the carrot free, they calculate the number of months the carrot has taken to grow, the plant’s desire to stay hunkered in the earth, the way the lavish greens can fool you into believing that the carrot is longer or sturdier than it truly is, and for one moment they don’t take that carrot for granted.”— Lucila de Alejandro, farmer, co-owner with Robin Taylor, Suzie’s Farm

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{Grow}

Getting Started in Backyard Gardening A Beginner’s Guide to Growing Food

Story and photos

by Matt Steiger

I

t’s March. Winter has spent the past three months coiling back, and now it’s ready to spring. Now is the perfect time to start your backyard garden—preferably one that’s edible.

Wait ... save your excuses, I’ve heard them all before. Usually it’s some form of “I don’t have the space/money/time” or “I don’t have a green thumb.”

I’m here to tell you that you can do it.

You can start growing your own food immediately without much money or space. You will need a bit of time to set up, but after that maintenance is easy.

As for green thumbs, that really boils down to good knowledge, good prep and good choices. Here is a quick primer on how to start your spring garden with minimal time, money and effort.

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City Dwellers: Balconies and Tight Spaces

Spreading Out: Setting Up Raised Beds

If you have limited space—even a balcony, outdoor staircase or window box—start small, with a few potted plants. There are a variety of shallow-rooting plants that grow well in pots: herbs, leafy greens and peppers are all great choices. If you have room for some five-gallon pots, you can grow larger plants like tomatoes and beans.

As a general rule, use a pot as big as the mature plant.

You can spend a lot of money on handsome raised beds, but it’s easy to put together something cheap and functional yourself. Home Depot sells eight-foot two-by-tens for less than $8, and will cut the wood for free. Have these cut to five feet and bang together three-by-five-foot frames with galvanized nails. Stack the frames two-high, fill 2/3 of the way with good dirt and you’re good to go. If you like, you can drive stakes down the inside corners to keep the top frame from sliding around. If you’re really ambitious you can finish them with an attractive veneer or some burlap on the outside.

Tight-space gardens are made easy with self-watering pots. These minimize maintenance and eliminate guesswork in watering; plants take up exactly what they need. A multitude of DIY designs are available online.

These raised beds go together for about $30 in materials. They can be used to grow spring 2013

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garden soil, plus a few more cups of gypsum.

Build a C-shaped ring of clay and rocks around the tree, three feet in diameter, with the opening pointing uphill. The mound will retain water you add and catch run-off.

Add gypsum and mulch in the tree ring once every year or two. Buy a good book on pruning; different trees have different needs.

Soil: Your Garden’s Foundation

Edible weeds. Blackberries are an invasive weed—a delicious mistake.

pretty much any garden fruits, veggies or herbs you can think of—especially if you set them on the native soil so water and roots can permeate downward. The top foot or so of good, loose soil really helps give plants a healthy start and makes end-of-season maintenance (weeding and composting) easy.

The Long Haul: Fruit Trees If you’re planning to grow your garden for a few years or more, consider putting down some roots. Fruit trees are easy to maintain and can crank out lots of produce once mature, typically in three to seven years.

San Diego’s climate accommodates a broad range of fruits ranging from tropicals (guavas, bananas, passion fruit), to coolloving high-elevation plants (apples, cherries, grapes, stone fruits). Plants that fall in the middle (arid varietals like citrus, avocado, olives, figs, pomegranates) can be grown here without much worry.

When digging in San Diego you are most likely to encounter clay, loaded with river stones. Wait until late winter/early spring to dig your hole. Wet clay is like beach sand; dry clay is like a dinner plate, half a mile thick. You’ll want a digging bar for those rocks. Clay blocks water flow and binds iron; applications of gypsum when planting, and periodically thereafter, help clear it up.

Dig a hole about twice as deep and three times as wide as the pot the tree came in; sift out all the rocks and clay. Lay down one to two inches of gypsum, then backfill the hole with a 50:50 mix of native dirt and good 32

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The most important aspect of a garden is good soil. Soil supplies virtually all the nutrients for plants, regulates moisture and provides structure for roots. Whether you are growing in pots, raised beds or in the ground, you need to be thinking about your soil all the time. Our San Diego soil is mostly sand and clay, so it benefits from regular and frequent applications of compost.

Compost comprises a whole ecosystem of bacteria, worms, bugs and tiny organisms.

This microcosm provides continual slow release of nutrients and management of the soil. Compost does not provide the instant boom-and-bust garden you get with chemical fertilizers. Instead it is a gradual building process that sometimes takes years. But those are rewarding years of growth, resulting in a healthy, beautiful, organic, self-replenishing garden.

The City of San Diego makes compost and mulch from the contents of our green

bins. Residents can obtain a self-loaded truckload of either for free anytime, or have it loaded for a small fee. The City also now offers rebates on composting and vermiposting (worms!) bins in an effort to reduce organic waste in the landfill.

Making your own compost is fun and easy, and you will find you need to take the trash out less often. If you have room for chickens, they also provide a continuous stream of good compostable material.

When watering, let your garden tell you what it needs. If you have mushrooms coming up, you are watering too much. If your plants are wilted, you are watering too little. Generally you want soil that is moist but not wet.

Start Small and Grow Start gardening with the easy stuff, and soon you will find you’re inspired to continue learning and growing more. One day you will look out over your crops with satisfaction. You will harvest the produce for your dinner. And yes, you will notice a slight green tinge on your thumbs and forefingers.

Matt Steiger is a physicist, fisherman, home brewer, gardener, forager and wannabe chef. He is always on the lookout for the best produce, fresh fish, great brews and the perfect cup of coffee. Follow him at TheFoodLunatic.com, on Twitter @foodlunatic, or contact him directly at steigey@gmail.com.

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Finding Our Roots

By Diane Morgan

pickled and preserved and planted backyard gardens out of necessity and economy.

Author of Roots: The Definitive Compendium with more than 225 Recipes (Chronicle Books, 2012)

I remember fondly the tomatoes my father grew and the sinus-clearing horseradish my grandfather uprooted from his garden in preparation for Passover. My maternal great grandmother “put up” pickles,

mishmash of vegetable scraps and bones simmered all day on a back burner, cabbage was fermented and turned into sauerkraut, leftovers were eaten, and nothing was wasted.

I love this sensibility, and believe root I was young when the back-to-the-earth vegetables, more so than many other natural foods movement of the 1960s edible plants, reflect these earlier times of started. When Frances scarcity and economy.

Moore Lappe’s seminal Without the threat book, Diet for a Small of war in Europe, my Planet, was published great-grandparents on my in 1971, I bought it and paternal side emigrated read it cover to cover. from Munich, Germany To my mother’s dismay, The definitive compendium with more than 225 recipes in the 1850s, prior to I declared myself a the American Civil War. vegetarian who only ate They found their roots fish—what is labeled a in Savannah, Georgia. pescatarian today. It was My maternal greata valiant effort that didn’t grandparents emigrated last once I went to college. from Lithuania in the I look back on those 1880s. Like most leaving beginnings and think Europe, they came to about where we are today, the land of promise thanks to victory gardens, and opportunity, living community-supported modestly as they built a agriculture (CSAs), a better life. I know from growing network of my grandparents’ and farmers’ markets, and parents’ love of family ever-expanding national gatherings that their chains of natural foods Jewish traditions and stores. When the big box holiday foods thrived. stores promote packaged Old world ingredients, and fresh organic cooking methods, and products, you know the recipes were passed down. message has trickled These family stories down. And the push Diane Morgan of uncertainty, travel, phOTOgRaphS by ANTONIS ACHILLEOS fORewORd by DEbOrAH MADISON toward healthier eating and hardship from the continues with schoolyard Old World to the New gardens and with World are not unlike educational initiatives coming directly canned beets, and turned summer fruit the intriguing tales of a vegetable’s diaspora from the White House. into preserves. The neat rows of filled from its origins to scattered lands. It’s a lovely Are we finding our roots? Are we going and labeled glass canning jars lined her metaphor to consider. back today, to generations not so long basement pantry. On a low shelf were the Most root vegetables have curious lore and ago, when our grandparents and greatcrocks of pickles covered with linen cloth. odd stories from antiquity. Stories range grandparents ate seasonally and shopped What I think of as the revival of back-tofrom how some roots were used medicinally locally because that was their only option? basics home cooking is what our forebears as aphrodisiacs and to how others were used They ate roots because they were cheap, did out of necessity.

Bread was baked to treat scurvy. The carrot common in every stored well, and were nutritious. They at home, soup stocks were made from a

ROOTS

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supermarket today was originally purple in color, native to Afghanistan, and can be traced back three thousand years. However, upon arrival in Europe, its purple hue was not well accepted, and it wasn’t until it was hybridized in the Netherlands from its original purple color to orange that it found favor.

The Buddhists held lotus root sacred as a symbol of purity. It is native to tropical Asia, the Middle East, and Australia, and has been cultivated for more than two thousand years.

By around 500 BC it was being grown in the Nile Valley for its exceptional beauty, though the poor found greater value in boiling, drying, and grinding the seeds and rhizomes for food. In China, evidence of its cultivation dates to the Han dynasty (207 BC–AD 220). In India, a golden lotus flower is said to have grown from the navel of the god Vishnu, and, in China and Japan, Buddha is often depicted either holding or seated on a lotus blossom.

An Old World vegetable popular in central Europe and the Netherlands, parsley root is just beginning to catch on in the United States, where it is most commonly found at farmers’ markets.

An Old World vegetable popular in central Europe and the Netherlands, parsley root is just beginning to catch on in the United States, where it is most commonly found at farmers’ markets. It was grown and used in Germany in the sixteenth century and was introduced to England from the Netherlands in the eighteenth century, though it never really caught on with cooks there. In central Europe, parsley root was one of several vegetables and herbs known as Suppengruen, or “soup greens,” which were traditionally added to the water in which poultry or beef was boiled for use in

a soup or stew. If you ask a grandmother of Jewish or central European descent for a list of the essential ingredients in chicken soup, she is likely to include parsley root—my maternal grandmother did!

These tales of families and foods are intriguing and deeply interwoven—not to be forgotten, and in many instances revived. That was my hope in writing my cookbook Roots.

Diane Morgan is an award-winning cookbook author, culinary instructor, and freelance food writer. She is the author of 17 cookbooks including her newest cookbook, Roots: The Definitive Compendium with more than 225 Recipes. Roots has been included on lists of featured cookbooks for 2012 by the New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, the Seattle Times, Epicurious.com, and The Daily Meal.com.

Radish Top Soup From Roots: The Definitive Compendium with more than 225 Recipes

by Diane Morgan (Chronicle Books 2012) Until I began working on this book, I did what most cooks do: I bought beautiful radishes with bushy green tops and lopped off and discarded the tops. Never again. Radish tops are both edible and absolutely delicious, fresh or cooked. This recipe, reminiscent of a classic French potage, takes full advantage of the radish tops, delivering a brilliant green puréed soup with a silky texture and spicy, bright taste. Serve it in the traditional manner as a starter, or offer soup shots for a fun and unexpected appetizer.

Makes about 5 cups/1.2 L; serves 6 2 tbsp unsalted butter 1 leek, white and light green part only, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise into half-moons 1 small yellow onion, diced 1 carrot, peeled and diced 11/2 tsp kosher or fine sea salt 1 medium russet potato, about 61/2 oz/185 g, peeled and diced 4 cups/960 ml water 11/2 tsp granulated sugar 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper 5 cups/120 g lightly packed chopped radish tops (from 3 bushy bunches) 36

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5 or 6 radishes, trimmed and cut into matchsticks In a heavy soup pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat and swirl to coat the pot bottom.

Add the leek, onion, carrot, and salt and stir briefly. Cover and cook, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are very soft but not brown, about 20 minutes. Uncover, add the potato, water, sugar, and pepper, increase the heat to mediumhigh, and bring to a simmer. Adjust the heat to maintain a simmer, re-cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork and soft enough to purée, about 35 minutes. Add the radish tops and stir until the greens are wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let the soup cool for about 10 minutes.

Working in batches, process the soup to a smooth purée in a blender or food processor. (At this point, the soup can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days.) Return the puréed soup to the pot and place over medium-low heat. If the soup is too thick, add a little water to achieve a creamy consistency. Heat, stirring occasionally, until steaming hot.

To serve, ladle the soup into warmed bowls. Place a little clump of matchstick-cut radishes in the center of each bowl for garnish.

Serve immediately.

Carrot Ribbons with Sorrel Pesto and Crumbled Goat Cheese From Roots: The Definitive Compendium with more than 225 Recipes

By Diane Morgan (Chronicle Books 2012) Knockout gorgeous on the plate—I like to make this salad in the springtime, when freshly dug carrots are abundant at the farmers’ market and some farm stands have sorrel for sale. Sorrel isn’t always easy to find, so know that baby arugula or even watercress is a suitable substitute.

Although basil is usually readily available and would work for the pesto, too, I want a bit of bite, an edge of sharpness to balance the inherent sweetness of the carrots. For the dressing, I adjust my pepper mill for a coarser grind, which delivers a welcome spice note, adding to the complexity of the salad.

Serves 6 as a first course Dressing 4 tbsp/60 ml extra-virgin olive oil 1 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar ¾ tsp kosher or fine sea salt

To make the pesto, in a food processor, combine the sorrel, garlic, Parmesan, pine nuts, lemon juice, and salt and process until finely chopped. Stop the machine once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the machine running, pour the oil through the feed tube and process until the sauce is combined.

Set aside. (The pesto can be transferred to a jar with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Remove from the refrigerator 45 minutes before serving.)

To prepare the carrot ribbons, fill a large pot three-fourths full of water. Add the garlic and salt and bring to a boil over high heat.

Have ready a large bowl of ice water and a pair of tongs to remove the carrots quickly after blanching.

Using a vegetable peeler, preferably one that is sharp and serrated, firmly peel each carrot lengthwise to create long ribbons, rotating the carrot so the ribbons are all the same width. Stop peeling when you reach the core, then discard the core. Add the carrot ribbons to the boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Using tongs, transfer the carrots to the ice water to cool, about 2 minutes. Drain thoroughly and then wrap the carrots in several thicknesses of paper towels to dry. (The carrot ribbons can be wrapped in dry paper towels, slipped into a lock-top plastic bag, and refrigerated for up to 1 day before continuing.)

½ tsp freshly cracked pepper Sorrel Pesto 2 ½ cups/65 g lightly packed roughly chopped sorrel 2 large garlic cloves, chopped ⅓ cup/40 g freshly grated Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano ¼ cup/35 g pine nuts 1 ½ tsp fresh lemon juice ½ tsp kosher or fine sea salt ⅔ cup/165 ml extra-virgin olive oil Carrot Ribbons 2 large garlic cloves, crushed 2 tbsp kosher or fine sea salt

To assemble the salad, place the carrot ribbons in a bowl. Give the dressing a last-minute shake, pour over the carrot ribbons, and toss to coat evenly. Make a pile of carrot ribbons in the center of each salad plate. Drizzle a spoonful or two of the pesto in a circle around each plate.

Divide the goat cheese into small dollops and scatter the dollops evenly over the carrot ribbons. Serve immediately.

5 large carrots, about 11/2lb/680 g, trimmed and peeled 4 oz/115 g fresh goat cheese To make the dressing, in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Cover tightly and shake vigorously to blend. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Set aside until ready to serve.

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Ways to Grow Your Involvement With 9 the Local Food Scene

A

By Lauren Duffy Lastowka

s spring turns a corner and winter fades, I can’t help but think about new growth. Growth for my terribly neglected garden, for the vines that will start to emerge against the fence in my yard, for the potted herbs in my kitchen. As I start thinking about what I want to accomplish this season, I realize that growth is more than what emerges from the soil. There is more I can do, more I can learn, more I can talk about with others to grow myself as well. As immersed as I am in the San Diego food scene, and as knowledgeable as I have tried to be about the environmental, health and social justice issues tangled up with our global food system, there is always more I can do and more I can learn. This spring, I am taking steps to help strengthen my ties with our local foodshed as well as learn more about what I can do to help ensure a resilient food system that provides nutritious food for all while treading lightly on the Earth’s resources. If your thoughts run similarly, here are a few ideas to help grow your involvement with local food, farms and the food community.

1

Take a class

Our food system is increasingly complex and, as consumers, the more we know, the more we can make informed choices that benefit our environment, our community and our health. Fortunately, there are a vast number of educational resources available to us, both locally and online. Stores like Hipcooks in North Park, Great News Cooking School in Pacific Beach and the Conscious Cook in Mira Mesa can help you expand your skills in the kitchen.

Organizations including the Solana Center, City Farmers Nursery and Victory Gardens San Diego offer gardening workshops and classes for a range of skills

and interests. And a growing number of online resources allow those who are curious to dive deeper into the science, policy and cultural issues intertwined with our food system, such as the massive online open courses (MOOCs) offered through Coursera. Where to begin: Identify the topic you’d most like to learn more about, then commit to taking a class this spring.

2

Buy something locally that you usually buy at the store

If you’re reading this magazine, chances are at least some of your weekly food purchases are done locally, if not most of them.

But are there products you could source locally that you haven’t yet explored?

Digging deeper to explore the full reaches of our local foodshed can help expand our awareness of where our food comes from and what it takes to produce it. Take stock of your fridge and your pantry to determine whether there are items you use that could be purchased from a more sustainable source. Whether it’s olive oil, meat, rare fruit or even kitchen equipment such as cutting boards or tableware, there are dozens of products we can buy locally, helping to support local businesses, reduce food miles and keep dollars in our community. Where to begin: Branch out from your regular farmers’ market or CSA and explore a farmers’ market you’ve

never been to. Or search Edible San Diego’s online archives or Facebook page for information about local products!

3

Sign up for a CSA membership

CSAs, or community-supported agriculture programs, connect local farms directly with consumers, providing subscribers with a regularly scheduled box of food in exchange for financial support for the farm. There are at least a dozen CSA options in San Diego County, including both produce and meat CSAs. Programs vary by contents, pick-up spring 2013

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locations and quantity, meaning chances are high you can find a program that works for you. If you hesitate because you aren’t confident you’d know what to do with everything in your box, don’t worry— there are plenty of resources that can help.

For example, Great News Cooking School offers classes called “What to do with your Suzie’s Farm CSA bag.” Where to begin: Edible San Diego lists 26 produce CSAs, 8 meat CSAs and one fishscription! (See Resources on our website Homepage.) The San Diego County Farm Bureau website lists several local CSAs at SDFarmBureau. org. Explore each program to find one whose contents, price and location best meet your needs.

4

Grow something (new)

Whether you have an apartment balcony or a sloping south-facing hillside, growing your own food can be both educational and rewarding.

Coaxing a vegetable from seed to start to harvest involves patience, knowledge and skill, but it is a skill anyone can learn. This spring, stretch your imagination and sow something new in your soil—whether you’re a first-time container gardener or a seasoned urban farmer trying out a new crop.

Where to begin: The San Diego Master Gardeners’ website has videos, instructions and links to help you get started growing just about anything that can be grown locally (MasterGardenersSanDiego.org). San Diego Botanic Garden offers classes on gardening, keeping chickens, and hydroponics (sdbgarden.org/classes). And take a look at Matt Steiger’s article on the basics of starting a backyard garden (page 31).

5

Start a compost bin

Composting helps turn food waste from your kitchen into nitrogen-rich humus that can be used in yards, gardens and containers. Converting food and lawn scraps into compost also helps keep waste out of landfills. And in San Diego, both compost supplies and instruction are readily available. City of San Diego residents qualify for discounted compost bins from the City of San Diego, which are available at Dixieline ProBuild

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locations, and City of Encinitas and Carlsbad residents can buy discounted bins through the Solana Center. You can also build your own bin with a few basic materials. If you already compost at home, consider starting a compost bin at your office or school. Where to begin: The Solana Center’s website, SolanaCenter.org, has a wealth of composting information, including how to buy discounted bins.

The Center offers free compost workshops at various locations throughout San Diego County. If you have a composting question, you can also call the City of San Diego’s “Rotline” at (760) 436-7986 x222

6

Make something (new) from scratch

Readers of Edible San Diego are no doubt handy in the kitchen, but even for the most talented chefs, there is always something new to learn. Try preparing a dish you’ve never tackled before, using a new ingredient, or learning a new technique. Expanding your culinary repertoire builds new skills, helps you feel more comfortable in the kitchen and can be thrilling when the results turn out well. Where to begin: The San Diego Public Library has an extensive cookbook collection, with many of the books available through inter-library loan. Or use FoodBlogSearch.com to explore recipes from hundreds of food blogs.

7

Try eating less meat

Globally, conventional (industrial) meat production puts an enormous strain on the Earth’s resources.

Calorie for calorie, the amount of water, grain and fossil fuel needed to produce industrial meat is from 7 to 10 times greater than plant-based food. [Editor’s Note: However, there is some evidence that carefully managed pastured animal production has a neutral and potentially negative carbon footprint.] Reducing your meat consumption positively benefits the environment, while eating less red meat also benefits your health. Purchasing less meat may also allow you to afford more expensive grass-fed or local meat, which compared to industrial meat is far better

for both the environment and your health.

If you eat a lot of meat, consider cutting down on the amount you consume. Could you rely on plant-based meals once a week?

Or explore dishes that use meat sparingly?

Could you allocate your meat budget to a smaller amount of local, sustainable meat from Da-Le Ranch, Sage Mountain, Womach Ranch or other local farms?

Where to begin: Visit MeatlessMondays. com to learn about a campaign to encourage the public to eat meat one less day a week.

8

Talk with a farmer

Talking with the men and women who grow our food can help us better understand what is involved in food production. It can remind us of the hard work that goes into the greens, grains and growth we take for granted. And it can help us see the passion, the challenges and the innovations that our farmers face each day. Where to begin: Start by asking questions the next time you shop at the farmers’ market. Ask about how something is grown, how it can be prepared or what makes it unique.

9

Get more involved with the local food scene

San Diego is fortunate to have many local organizations working to ensure a just and equal food system.

If you’ve done all of the above, or even if you’re just starting to dip your toes in the food system waters, your participation in our area’s nonprofits can help strengthen our local food system; raise awareness about critical environmental, policy or justice issues; or help improve the health of our community. Whether your interests are in health, access to food, sustainability or keeping food dollars in the community, I encourage you to make 2013 the year you get involved. Where to begin: Check out Victory Gardens San Diego, San Diego Food Not Lawns or San Diego’s local Slow Food chapters for volunteer opportunities, or join a networking organization such as San Diego Green Drinks.

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{Resources & Advertisers} EVENTS COLLABORATION KITCHEN Bring your own beer or wine and get ready for fun, great food and to learn about seafood from top San Diego chefs.

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San Diego Botanic Garden March 16 and 17, 9am–5pm: Herb Festival, Spring Plant Sale, and Tomatomania®.

March 23, 10am–12 noon: Book Launch – The California Native Landscape.

March 30: Spring Party with Bunny Early party: 10–11:30am. Late party: 11:30am–1pm Get details at sdbgarden.org/events.htm

DEL MAR FARMERS’ MARKET In the Del Mar City Hall parking lot.

Open 1-4 pm on Saturdays year round.

1050 Camino Del Mar • 858-342-5865 • delmarfarmersmarket.org

BLUE TURTLE PRODUCTIONS FARMERS’ MARKETS Mira Mesa (Tue, 3-7), Kearny Mesa (Fri, 10:30-1:30), La Costa Canyon, (Sat, 10-2), and Leucadia (Sun, 10-2). Local, farm-fresh produce, seafood, meat, bread, flowers and specialty foods, arts & crafts and entertainment! 858-272-7054 • leucadia101.com

ENCINITAS STATION FARMERS’ MARKET At the corner of E Street & Vulcan every Wednesday 5– 8 May-Sept, 4 to 7 OctApril. High quality produce, meat and artisan food vendors; no arts & crafts and no hot foods. Bring your own bags: no single-use plastic bags allowed.

SANTEE FARMERS’ MARKET Wednesdays from 3-7pm in the abandoned school parking lot. Fresh, local & sustainably raised produce, bread, dates, cheese, arts & crafts and more. 10445 Mission Gorge Road • 619- 449-8427 • santeefarmersmarket.com

FAMGRO Famgro Farms’ indoor green farm in Carlsbad, delivers to local chefs, distributors and markets. Their signature SWEET-KALE™ is on the menu at Burlap, AR Valentien and ParkHyatt Aviara, and available via natural grocery stores, Earthgrown Market and Frazier Farms.

• famgro.com • info@famgro.com • (760) 476-1710

SAN DIEGO PUBLIC MARKET Open for farmers’ markets Wed & Sun 9–2. 1735 National Ave. near Petco Park.

Permanent spaces open spring 2013.

Call to apply for space 619-233-3901 or email info@sdpublicmarket.com. • sdpublicmarket.com

FARMS & FARMERS’ MARKETS BRIAN’S FARMERS’ MARKETS Weekly markets: Morena District (Tue, 3-7), Mission Hills (W, 3-7), UTC (Thur, 3-7), Golden Hill (Sat, 9:30-1:30) and Point Loma (Sun, 9:30-2:30). Unique farmers’ market CSA. EBT Market Bucks accepted. • 619-795-3363 • briansfarmersmarkets.com

EDIBLE EATS Edible San Diego’s monthly dinner series in which we team up with one restaurant a month to feature seasonal, locally sourced fare and to showcase our talented and creative farm-to-table chefs. Sign up for our newsletter, watch

CORAL TREE FARM Specializing in guavas, avocados, cherimoyas, antemoyas, heirloom vegetables and herbs and heritage breed chicken eggs. CSA option combines berries and other produce from Crows Pass Farm.

Chocolate Festival May 11 10

am

–4

pm

SDBGarden.org 230 Quail Gardens Drive Encinitas, CA 760-436-3036

HILLCREST FARMERS’ MARKET Sunday 9-2 at the DMV on Normal St. with over 140 vendors. Locally grown produce, meat, fish, bread, artisan foods, gifts, arts, crafts and flowers, and hot prepared food items—you name it! 3960 Normal Street • 619-299-3330 • hillcrestfarmersmarket.com MOROCCO GOLD DATES Raw, organically and sustainably farmed Medjool dates are grown in the Imperial Valley and sold at San Diego farmers’ markets. Find them at these farmers’ markets: Escondido (Tue); Santee (Wed); North Park (Thur); La Mesa (Fri); Little Italy Mercato (Sat); Hillcrest and Leucadia (Sun) • 619-449-8427 NORTH SAN DIEGO FARMERS’ MARKETS Sundays 10:30-3:30 at the Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead. Fresh, locally grown produce, eggs, honey, artisan foods and hot food. I-15 at Via Rancho Pkwy, Escondido • northsdfarmersmarket.com

SD WEEKLY MARKETS San Diego Public Market (Wed & Sun 9-2) Pacific Beach (Tue, 2-7), North Park (Thu, 3-7), and Little Italy (Sat, 9-2) Cheese, pastured meats, local seafood, honey, fruit, vegetables, flowers, prepared foods and crafts. 619-233-3901 • sdweeklymarkets.com SUZIE’S FARM Organic farm and CSA grows, sells and delivers USDA certified organic produce and micro greens to chefs 5 days a week, and to the public at many local farmers’ markets and through their CSA. 619-6621780 • suziesfarm.com • 800-995-7776 • sungrownorganics.com

FOOD REVIEWS & DISCUSSIONS LET THERE BE BITE LTBB helps you make the best food choices at your local store and online from trusted vendors, and provides tips on becoming your own four-star chef. • lettherebebite.com

CERTIFIED AND NON-PROFIT

www.leucadiafarmersmarket.com

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Saturdays 1-4pm

City Hall Parking Lot

10th & 11th Streets

delmarfarmers market.org

FOODIE DESTINATIONS & CATERING ALCHEMY Light, healthy, sophisticated cultural fare, craft beer and cocktails. Highquality ingredients and local produce.

1503 30th Street, San Diego • 619-2550616 • alchemysandiego.com ANNEL & DREW’S KITCHEN Mobile catering service featuring locally grown, organic produce. Specializing in events, farmers markets and private parties. At Oceanside Sunset (Thur) and Leucadia Farmers’ Market (Sun).

858-210-5094 • anneldrewskitchen.com

Delicious, seasonal desserts! 1468 N Coast Hwy 101, Encinitas • 760-943-6221 • fish101restaurant.com GLASS DOOR Casually sophisticated atmosphere in Little Italy with a panoramic view of San Diego Bay. The seafood based menu (much locally sourced) is prepared using techniques from Eastern Europe, Spain, Italy, France, Asia and the Middle East. Craft cocktails & local microbrews.

1835 Columbia St. San Diego 92101 • glassdoorsd.com • 619-564-3755

BISTRO WEST Contemporary comfort food using the highest quality and freshest ingredients, much from their own organic garden.

Ask about the West Room for a party or meeting. 4960 Avenida Encinas, Carlsbad • 760-930-8008 • bistrowest.com

HARNEY SUSHI The most aggressive sustainability program of all Southern California restaurants. San Diegans’ perennial “best sushi” pick. Sushi made with sustainably harvested fish. 3964 Harney Street, San Diego • 619-295-3272, and 301 Mission Avenue, Oceanside • 760-967-1820 • harneysushi.com

BLIND LADY ALE HOUSE A certified purveyor of honest pints.

Local & craft brews, Neapolitan style pizza topped with fresh made mozzarella, local veggies and charcuterie housemade from sustainably produced meat. 3416 Adams Avenue, San Diego • 619-255-2491 • blindladyalehouse.com

JSIX Chef Christian Graves consistently delights and surprises with his farmto-table and boat-to-pan cooking using locally sourced ingredients and made-from-scratch methods. Great cocktails too! 616 J Street, San Diego • 619-531-8744 • jsixrestaurant.com

BURGER LOUNGE Great tasting hamburgers made from healthy ingredients and sustainably raised, grassfed beef. A simple premimum quality menu apeals to health and environmentally conscious diners, vegetarians and salad lovers.

Kensington, Coronado, Little Italy, Hillcrest, Gaslamp, La Jolla and soon at Flower Hill Mall. burgerlounge.com

LOCAL HABIT Creating a community around local organic produce, meats and craft brewed beers. Hand-crafted pizzas, sandwiches and small plates. Produce from local organic farmers and award-winning craft brews. 3827 5th Avenue, San Diego • 619-795-4770 • mylocalhabit.com

CAFÉ MERLOT Dine from their own micro farm at the Rancho Bernardo Winery. They plant, grow and cook every meal to order.

Cooking classes, specialty events, culinary medicine! 13330 Paseo del Verano Norte, Rancho Bernardo • 858-592-7785 • cafemerlot.com EL TAKE IT EASY Mexican wine country cuisine, local produce, pastured meats and local seafood. Local wines, craft beers and cocktails made with artisanal mescal, tequila, American whiskey and other spirits. 3926 30th Street, San Diego • 619-291-1859 • eltakeiteasy.com FARM HOUSE CAFE Rustic, country French cuisine in a quality, affordable neighborhood eatery. Local, fresh and seasonal produce, meat and cheese. Excellent eclectic wine selection. 2121 Adams Avenue, San Diego • 619- 269-9662 • farmhousecafesd.com FISH 101 Local and seasonal fish, shellfish and produce. All seafood is sourced in accordance with Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program.

MISS SUSHI SAN DIEGO Catering, foodtruck, sushi-making parties. Menus and complete information on the website. • misssushisandiego.com • Follow on Facebook. Often at San Diego Public Market.

MITCH’S SEAFOOD Casual waterfront dining in the historic fishing neighborhood of Point Loma, serving up locally caught seafood with a view of the bay and the San Diego Sportfishing Fleet. 1403 Scott Street, San Diego • 619-222-8787 mitchsseafood.com NATE’S GARDEN GRILL Delicious fresh food made with locally sourced and healthy ingredients. Great selection of craft brews and local wines.

Rustic dining room and casual patio seating. On City Farmers Nursery’s property. 3120 Euclid Ave., San Diego.

Open Tue-Sat, 7:30 am to 9 pm, Sun 7:30 am to 2:30 pm. • 619-546-7700 RITUAL TAVERN Humanely raised natural Niman meat, Jidori chicken, sustainable seafood, and locally grown organic vegetables in simple, delicious dishes. Great wine and craft beer menu. Many vegetables and herbs grown in the patio seating area.

4095 30th Street, San Diego • 619-2831720 • ritualtavern.com

winning ham cured on the premises; great charcuterie! Local craft beer, and local wine. Open every day and late every night. 3794 30th Street, San Diego • 619-255-8778 • thelinkery.com

SBICCA Cozy neighborhood restaurant.

Traditional California cuisine. Ocean view. Given Wine Spectator’s “Award of Excellence” as the 2011 Gold Medallion Recipient for Best Neighborhood Restaurant. 215 15th Street, Del Mar • 858-481-1001 • sbiccabistro.com SOLARE Ristorante Authentic Italian cuisine with focus on fresh and locally sourced ingredients: fresh made pasta, organic produce, wild-caught fish and hormone free meat.

Large selection of wines, beers and craft cocktails. Happy hour Tuesday-Sunday, Tuesday wine specials, live jazz Thursdays.

2820 Roosevelt Rd., Liberty Station, Point Loma. • 619-270-9670 • solarelounge.com STARLITE Dinner. Cocktails. Late night dining. Cuisine that uses year-round local produce. Menu changes frequently to offer San Diego’s seasonal bounty. Wonderful brunch! 21 and up. 3175 India Street, San Diego • 619-3589766 • starlitesandiego.com TENDER GREENS Organic classics and daily specials using the best of seasonal ingredients, local farms and artisan foods. Easy on the wallet. San Diego locations: 2400 Historic Decatur Road • 619- 226-6254; and 4545 La Jolla Village Dr. at UTC • 858-455-9395; 120 West Broadway, Downtown San Diego • tendergreensfood.com TERRA AMERICAN BISTRO New American food with emphasis on ingredients and preparation styles from North, South and Central America. Local, sustainable and organic ingredients.

7091 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego • 619-293-7088 • terrasd.com

THE RED DOOR RESTAURANT and WINE BAR A casually elegant neighborhood hangout serving classic American Comfort food. Organic produce sourced from their own ½-acre garden, local seafood and humanely raised meat. 741 W. Washington Street, San Diego • 619-295-6000 • thereddoorsd.com TIGER! TIGER! House baked breads, lots of excellent draught beer, salads, sandwiches, sausages and other hearty fare. Lunch served Fri– Sun. 3025 El Cajon Blvd. • 619-987-0401 • tigertigertavern.com

GARDEN RESOURCES GARDNER & BLOOME Helping create beautiful gardens for over 85 years, find Gardener & Bloome premium organic garden soil, mulch and fertilizer products at Anderson’s La Costa, L&M Fertilizer (Temecula & Fallbrook), Myrtle Creek (Fallbrook), Plant World (Escondido), and El Plantio (Escondido) Nurseries. • kellogggarden.com GREEN THUMB NURSERY Excellent selection of organic and natural solutions for your edible garden.

Knowledgeable staff. Complete selection of home canning supplies. Find Coupon for $10 off any purchase of $60 or more on page 30. 1019 San Marcos Blvd • (760) 744-3822 • supergarden.com NORTH PARK NURSERY A neighborhood plant and garden supply enterprise owned and staffed by neighborhood residents. Supports local growers. Committed to reusing and up-cycling • 619-795-1855 • northparknursery.wordpress.com

THE FISHERY Seafood market at the center of the restaurant. Menu is market driven and changes seasonally. Sustainably raised and wild caught fish and fresh, local produce. Try the 3-course Tuesday Tastings menu. 5040 Cass Street, San Diego • 858-272-9985 • thefishery.com THE LINKERY Great food made with local produce, local seafood and pastured meats. Award

REVOLUTION LANDSCAPE Specializing in the design, installation and maintenance of edible gardens and eco-friendly, water wise landscapes for businesses and private residences. • 858337-6944 • revolutionlandscape.com

Your North County Destination for Hands-on Fun!

Explore

Imagine

Experiment 320 North Broadway Escondido, CA 92025 (760) 233-7755 www.sdcdm.org

Call now to learn about our Birthday Party packages! spring 2013

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{Local Marketplace}

Coral Tree

Farm & Nursery

Visit our Encinitas farm for: Events. Great venue for dinners in the field, birthday parties, art classes, and cooking classes.

Heirloom vegetables & organic tropical fruits Eggs from pastured chickens and ducks

10% off

an event* or an order of produce Bring this ad or download coupon from ediblesandiego.com *not valid for cooking classes

Direct to the public on Saturdays from 8:00 to 2:00.

Tuesday’s by appointment. 951-445-2342.

598 Park Lane, Encinitas

Local, Seasonal, Organic Fare Serving you at the Leucadia farmers’ market and Oceanside Sunset market Catering • Cooking Classes • HolistiC HealtH CoaCHing

Custom cakes and desserts for weddings, birthdays and celebrations.

Baked from scratch with the best ingredients.

Cultural Fare & Cocktails served nightly Brunch on Weekends

619.356.0536 jennywennycakes@gmail.com www.jennywennycakes.com

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858-210-5094 • anneldrewskitchen.com

1503 30th Street in South Park 619.255.0616 www.alchemysandiego.com

SAN DIEGO BOTANIC GARDEN Four miles of garden trails on 37 acres, flowering trees, majestic palms, and the nation’s largest bamboo collection.

Plants from all over the world thrive in a variety of microclimates. 230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas • 760-436-3036 • sdbgarden.org URBAN PLANTATIONS Design, installation and care of edible landscaping for your home and for corporate and assisted living gardens and Restaurant Supported Agriculture. Over 25 years experience providing home orchard care, garden coaching and permaculture solutions. karen@UrbanPlantations.com • (619) 563-5771 • urbanplantations.com

GROCERY JIMBO’S NATURALLY A local, family owned grocery that provides the highest quality organic and natural foods at reasonable prices.

Jimbo’s is committed to supporting organic growing practices, and they are staunch supporters of the drive to label GMOs. A fifth store to open downtown in Spring 2013. 4S Ranch • Escondido • Carlsbad • Carmel Valley • jimbos.com

treasures and more. Closed Mondays.

2207 Fern St., San Diego • 619-563-4600 • themakegood.com PROGRESS Conscientious products for the home and garden, sourced from small design studios. Highest quality and accessible pricing. 2225 30th Street, San Diego • 619-280-5501 • progresssouthpark.com

MEAT DA-LE RANCH Sustainably raised pork, lamb, beef, bison, rabbit, chicken, duck, goose, pheasant, quail and turkey by the cut at farmers’ markets. Custom order beef, pork and lamb by the side, half or quarter. CSA option available. • da-leranch.com/ • dave@da-le-ranch.com GREEN BEEF San Diego’s premier grass fed beef CSA. Family raised grass-fed beef since 1968. CSA shares of American Grassfed Association Tier 1 certified, Animal Welfare Approved grass-fed beef delivered to Golden Hill Farmers’ Market (Sat), and San Marcos (Tue, Thur). • 888-524-1484 • eatgreenbeef.com

KRISP Family owned and operated since 1975.

Best Damn Beer Shop and Best Damn Homebrew Shop inside Krisp. Natural and organic foods, local beers and wines, brewers supplies.1036 7th Ave., San Diego 92101 • 619-232-6367 • krispsd.com

SAGE MOUNTAIN GREEN-FED™ BEEF Cattle fed organic wheat grasses, alfalfa, and other farm forages. No growth hormones, stimulants or antibiotics. Six and 12 month CSA options. Single order beef packages available at farmers’ markets. • sagemountainbeef.csaware.com/store

RIPE NORTH PARK A local produce market and deli (Boar’s Head Meats) featuring local, organic and sustainable products. Local farm produce is fresher, more flavorful and has better nutrient value, and by shopping at Ripe you support the local economy. 3302 32nd St. in North Park • 619-876-4647 • RipeNorthPark.com

TAJ FARMS A CSA/subscription farm in Valley Center selling pastured turkey, chicken, goat, pork, rabbit and beef. Dedicated to sustainable and responsible agriculture practices and creating safe and healthy food. • 760-670-7012 • tajfarms.net

HEALTH & BEAUTY RADIANCE YOGA & THERAPEUTIC CENTER Experienced, caring teachers guide you through postures gradually at a comfortable yet challenging pace. Yoga, therapeutic yoga, personal fitness and massage therapy. Private and group classes daily. • 619-299-1443 • radyoga.com THRIVE WELLNESS Education, fitness training and lifestyle programs. Acupuncturists, massage therapists and other specialty doctors.4080 Centre Street, Suite 202, San Diego • 619- 795-4422 • thrivewellness.com

HOME & GARDEN LIVING MAKE GOOD Art, clothing, jewelry and accessories handcrafted locally by San Diego and Tijuana artisans from found objects, precious metals, bicycle parts, vintage

of the growing national movement to reclaim and preserve good food and food traditions. • slowfoodsandiego. net • slowfoodurbansandiego.org • temeculavalleyslowfood.org

PET CARE DEXTER’S DELI Suppliers of all natural diet and supplements for dogs and cats, including fresh raw foods and selected natural dry and canned foods. All are humangrade and chemical free. Two locations, Carlsbad, 760-720-7507; and Del Mar, 858-792-3707 • dextersdeli.com

RESTAURANT SUPPLIES

SALT FARM A small San Diego based company devoted to spreading the word about gourmet sea salt and its many uses or cooking delicious dishes. Find them at the Little Italy Mercato and the Hillcrest Farmers’ Market, or on saltfarm.etsy. com. 619-674-9946 • ShopSaltFarm@ gmail.com • www.salt-farm.com

SPECIALTY PRODUCE Local, organic and sustainably sourced produce from over a dozen farms each week. Promotes freshly picked, organic produce. 1929 Hancock Street #150, San Diego • 619-295-3172 • specialtyproduce.com

SOLAR RAIN A pure, great-tasting premium drinking water sourced from the ocean off San Diego, purified locally using a clean, renewable energy resource, and packaged in a biodegradable bottle.

760-751-8867 • solarrainwatery.com

SUN GROWN Sungrown cultivates six categories of quality produce: micro-greens, microherbs, sprouts, micro-mixes, edible blossoms and specialty greens and shoots. Also available through Suzie’s Farms. Call to order • 800-995-7776 • fax 619-662-1779 • sungrownorganics.com

TEA GALLERIE Tea retailer and wholesaler sourcing the world’s finest organic teas and botanicals from the classic to the rare and exotic.

Over 75 teas to choose from to spice up your life and stimulate your senses.

7297 Ronson Rd., Suite B, San Diego • 800-409-3109 • teagallerie.com

SEAFOOD

WINE

CATALINA OFFSHORE PRODUCTS Recently remodeled wholesale and retail seafood market open to public, with fresh sushi grade and other local fish and shellfish. Friday and Saturday cooking demos. Open M-F, 8-3; Sat, 8-2. 5202 Lovelock Street, San Diego • 619-297-9797 • catalinaop.com

CARRUTH CELLARS A boutique urban winery in the Cedros Design District. Tasting room open five days a week. 320 Cedros Ave. #400, Solana Beach • 858-847-9463 • carruthcellars.com

THE MEATMEN Artisan dry sausages made using an old world, cold fermentation process. Find MeatMen at Ocean Beach (Wed), La Mesa (Fri), Poway (Sat), Leucadia (Sun) and both Oceanside farmers’ markets (Thur) • 619-708-9849 • meatmenstore.com

PACIFIC SHELLFISH Locally owned and operated for over 30 years. Fish, shrimp and lobster are wild caught unless specified otherwise.

Seasonal and subject to availability. Inside The Fishery restaurant at 5040 Cass St. Pacific Beach • 858-272-9940 • fax 858272-9615 • thefishery.com

ORGANIZATIONS

SPECIALTY RETAILERS

SD COUNTY FARM BUREAU Leading advocate for the farm community. Promotes economic viability of agriculture balanced with good stewardship of natural resources.

Membership open to all, helps your local farmers and has many benefits. • 760-745-3023 • sdfarmsbureau.org

CURDS AND WINE Home winemaking and cheese-making supplies. Large selection of wine kits.

Make wine at the shop! Cheese-making cultures and equipment available and cheese-making demonstrations. 7194 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., San Diego • 858-384-6566 • curdsandwine.com

SD CHILDREN’S DISCOVERY MUSEUM Inspiring children to learn about our world through exploration, imagination, and experimentation. Workshops.

Discovery camp. Birthday parties.

760-233-7755 • sdcdm.org

ESCOGELATO Just off Grand Ave. in Escondido, EscoGelato’s luscious, super creamy gelato is full of intense flavor and made fresh daily with the highest quality ingredients including fruit sourced from local farmers at the Escondido Farmers Market. 122 South Kalmia, Escondido, 92025 • 760-745-6500 • escogelato.com

SLOW FOOD Supporting good food in San Diego and Riverside counties since 2001. Be a part

JENNY WENNY CAKES Cakes, cookies and desserts baked from scratch using the best ingredients.

Order custom cakes and desserts for weddings, baby showers, birthdays and celebrations. See us at the San Diego Public Market on Sundays. 619-356-0536 • jennywennycakes.com

MILAGRO FARM VINEYARDS & WINERY Milagro Farm Vineyards & Winery’s award winning, estate grown wines are complex, aromatic and world class. 18750 Littlepage Road, Ramona • 760-787-0738 • milagrofarmvineyards.com TRIPLE B RANCHES A family business dedicated to producing San Diego’s finest wine grapes and premier estate wines. The wines embody the unique qualities of our region. • 760-749-1200 • triplebranches.com VESPER VINEYARDS We aim to expose wine drinkers to the diverse microclimates San Diego has to offer. We support local grapes and wine as well as all local agriculture and cuisine. • 760-749-1300 • vespervineyards.com

MEDIA KSDS JAZZ 88.3 FM JazzWeek Magazine’s Large Market Station of the Year in 2011. Full-time mainstream/traditional jazz radio station licensed to the San Diego Community College District. • jazz88.org

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Farmers’ Markets MONDAY

Escondido—Welk Resort # 8860 Lawrence Welk Dr. off Old Hwy 395 3 – 7 pm, year round 760-651-3630

TUESDAY Coronado 1st St. & B Ave., Ferry Landing 2:30 – 6 pm 760-741-3763 Escondido * Grand Ave. btw Juniper & Kalmia 2:30 – 6 pm year round 760-740-0602 Mira Mesa * Mira Mesa High School 10510 Reagan Rd. 3 – 7 pm (3 – 6 pm winter) 858-272-7054

WEDNESDAY Carlsbad * Roosevelt St. btw Grand Ave. & Carlsbad Village Dr. 1 – 5 pm 760-687-6453 Encinitas Station Corner of E St. & Vulcan 5 – 8 pm, May-Sept 4 – 7 pm, Oct-Apr 858-688-8275 Mission Hills # ON HIATUS 619-795-3363 Ocean Beach 4900 block of Newport Ave. 4–7 pm (summer 4–8 pm) 619-279-0032 San Diego Public Market 1735 National Ave. 9 am – 2 pm 619-233-3901

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Santee *# 10445 Mission Gorge Rd. 3 – 7 pm 619-449-8427

University Town Center # Genesee Ave. at UTC Westfield Shopping Plaza 3 – 7 pm 619-795-3363

Temecula* 40820 Winchester Rd. by Macy’s 9 am – 1 pm 760-728-7343 Vista Main Street 271 Main St. & Indiana Ave. 4 pm – 8 pm 760-224-9616

Chula Vista Center St. off Third Ave. 3 – 7 pm (3 – 6 pm fall/winter) 619-422-1982

Otay Ranch—Chula Vista 2015 Birch Rd. and Eastlake Blvd.

4 – 8 pm (4 – 7 pm winter) 619-279-0032

UCSD/La Jolla UCSD Campus, Town Square at Gilman/Meyers 10 am –2 pm (Sept to June) 858-534-4248

Seeds @ City Urban Farm 14th & C Sts. San Diego City College 9:30 – 11:30 am (Sept to June) erempala@sdccd.edu

THURSDAY

Morena District ON HIATUS 3 – 7 pm 619-795-3363

Pacific Beach Bayard & Garnet 2 – 6:30 pm 619-233-3901

San Marcos *# Cal State San Marcos 333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Rd. 1 – sunset, (3 – 7 pm summer) 925-301-6081

El Cajon NEW! Prescott Promenade on East Main St. btw Magnolia & Claydelle Aves. 3-7pm 619-6417510 x277 Horton Square San Diego 225 Broadway & Broadway Circle 11 am – 3 pm, REOPENS in March 760-741-3763 Linda Vista *# 6900 Linda Vista Rd. btw Comstock & Ulric 2 – 7 pm year round 925-301-6081 North Park CVS Pharmacy 3151 University & 32nd St. 3 – 7 pm year round 619-233-3901 Oceanside Market & Faire * Pier View Way & Coast Hwy. 101 9 am –1 pm 619-440-5027 Oceanside Sunset Tremont & Pier View Way 5 – 9 pm (winter 4 – 8 pm) 760-754-4512 San Carlos ON HIATUS Pershing Middle School 8204 San Carlos Drive 4 – 7 pm 619-279-0032 SDSU Campanile Walkway btw Hepner Hall & Love Library 10 am – 3 pm www.clube3.org

spring 2013

FRIDAY Borrego Springs Christmas Circle Comm. Park 7 am – noon (Nov–June) 760-767-5555 Fallbrook 102 S. Main, at Alvarado 10 am – 2 pm 760-390-9726 Imperial Beach *# Seacoast Dr. at Pier Plaza Oct-Mar, 2 – 6 pm, Apr-Sep, 2 – 7:30 pm info@ imperialbeachfarmersmarket.org Kearny Mesa North Island Credit Union pkg lot 5898 Copley 10:30 am – 1:30 pm 858-272-7054 La Mesa Village * Corner of Spring St. & University 2 – 6 pm 619-440-5027 Rancho Bernardo Bernardo Winery parking lot 13330 Paseo del Verano Norte 9 am – noon 760-500-1709 Southeast San Diego # 4981 Market St. (west of Euclid Ave. Trolley stop) 2 – 6 pm 619-262-2022

SATURDAY Carlsbad * Roosevelt St. btw Grand Ave. & Carlsbad Village Dr. 1 – 5 pm 760-687-6453 City Heights *!# On Wightman St. btw Fairmount & 43rd St. 9 am – 1 pm 925-301-6081 Del Mar 1050 Camino Del Mar 1 – 4 pm 858-342-5865

Golden Hill # B St. btw 27th & 28th Sts. 9:30 am – 1:30 pm 619-795-3363

La Costa Canyon La Costa Canyon High School One Maverick Way, Carlsbad 10 am – 2 pm 858-272-7054 Little Italy Mercato Date St. (Kettner to Union) 8 am – 2 pm 619-233-3769 Pacific Beach 4150 Mission Blvd.

8 am – noon 760-741-3763 Poway * Old Poway Park 14134 Midland Rd. at Temple 8 – 11:30 am 619-440-5027 Ramona * 1855 Main St. (K-Mart pkg lot) 9 am–1 pm 760-788-1924 Rancho San Diego 900 Rancho San Diego Pkwy.

Cuyamaca College 9 am – 2 pm 619-921-9450 Scripps Ranch 10380 Spring Canyon Rd. & Scripps Poway Parkway 9 am – 1 pm 858-586-7933 Temecula * Old Town Temecula Sixth & Front St. 8 am – 12:30 pm 760-728-7343 Vista * County Courthouse 325 Melrose Dr. South of Hwy 78 8 am – noon 760-945-7425

SUNDAY Gaslamp San Diego 400 block of Third Ave. 9 am – 1 pm 619-279-0032 Hillcrest DMV parking lot 3960 Normal & Lincoln Sts. 9 am – 2 pm 619-237-1632 Julian 2307 Main St. Bailey’s Barbecue pkg lot 10 am – 4 pm 760-765-2864

La Jolla Open Aire La Jolla Elem. School Girard Ave. & Genter 9 am – 1 pm 858-454-1699

Leucadia * Paul Ecke Central Elem. School 185 Union St. & Vulcan St. 10 am – 2 pm 858-272-7054 Murrieta * Village Walk Plaza I-15, exit west on Calif. Oaks/ Kalmia 9 am – 1 pm 760-728-7343 North San Diego # Sikes Adobe Farmstead 12655 Sunset Dr. Escondido 10:30 am – 3:30 pm year round 858-735-5311 Point Loma # Corner of Cañon & Rosecrans 9:30 am – 2:30 pm 619-795-3363 Rancho Santa Fe Del Rayo Village 16079 San Dieguito Rd. 9 am – 1:30 pm 10 am – 2 pm fall/winter 858-922-5135 San Diego Public Market 1735 National Ave. 9 am – 2 pm 619-233-3901 San Marcos *# Cal State San Marcos 333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Rd. 10 am – 2 pm 925-301-6081 Solana Beach 410 to 444 South Cedros Ave. 1 – 5 pm 858-755-0444 *M arket vendors accept WIC (Women, Infants, Children Farmers’ Market checks) # Market vendors accept EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) ! Currently only City Heights accepts WIC Farmers’ Market Checks and the WIC Fruit and Vegetable Checks.

All San Diego County markets listed except Julian, SDSU and Seeds @ City are certified by the County Agricultural Commissioner. Visit ediblesandiego.com and click on “Resources” for more complete information and links to farmers’ market websites.

LocaL Meat

Escondido, Ca

Sustainably raised beef & pork

Fallbrook, Ca

Food 951.990.7460 • sagemountainbeef.com

National City, Ca

Makes Carlsbad, Ca

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Saturdays 9:30am-1:30pm

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GOLDEN HILL

Brian’srs’

Farme Markets

At 28th and Bst East of Downtown

POINT LOMA

Sundays 9:30am -2:30pm Rosecrans & Cañon Near San Diego Yacht Club

Morena/Bay Park Coming Back Soon 3:00pm -7:00pm

New Location TBA Get the Latest at: Facebook.com/ MorenaDistrictCertifiedFarmersMarket

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Westfield Utc mall near Macys

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thursdays 3pm-7pm

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Farmers’ Markets: pick up single servings at Hillcrest, Little Italy, and Riverside farmers markets

Local

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CSA:12-month or 6-month shares

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Single-order beef packages: sampler, eighth-beef, quarter-beef, half-beef and whole-beef quantities.

Farmers Market CSA $15 & $25 Shares Multi-Farm Available at all 6 Markets More info and Online Sign Up: www.farmersmarketcsa.com

All Markets Accept

www.BriansFarmersMarkets.com

San Diego Sessions

Showcasing San Diego’s local jazz.

A delicious way to support commercial-free radio:

Jazz 88.3 Wine Club Coming soon! Details at jazz88.org

Sponsored by Edible San Diego.

Hosted by the Queen of Boogie Woogie

Sue Palmer

Sundays 5-6 p.m.

Donate now at jazz88.org

A COMMUNITY SERVICE OF