Edible Marin & Wine Country Winter 2014 by Gab Benham

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Issue 24 Winter 2014

MARIN & WINE COUNTRY

Celebrating the harvest of Marin, Napa and Sonoma counties, season by season

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY œőŒŕ

winter DECEMBER, JANUARY, FEBRUARY

CALISTOGA POTTERY KEEPS THE FIRES BURNING PHOTOS BY ROBB MCDONOUGH

A HAPPIER MEAL BY NAOMI STARKMAN

HILLTOP 1892 BY KRISTEN JONES NEFF

TAKE HEART, TAKE ACTION BY KATY MAMEN

20 GLUTEN-FREE HOLIDAY BAKING 23 ESCOFFIER QUESTIONNAIRE: BARBARA ALEXANDER BY MARISSA LA BRECQUE

26 NO SNOW? NO PROBLEM! Sweet treats capture the joy of winter BY JENNIFER CARDEN

28 FOOD OF LOVE BY FERRON SALNIKER

32 DUNGENESS CRAB BY GEORGEANNE BRENNAN

35 MARIN ORGANIC PHOTOS BY MICHAEL LAMOTTE

EDIBLE GIFT GUIDE

52 FARMERS’ MARKET & CSA DIRECTORY 54 INSIGHT GARDEN PROGRAM BY SARAH HENRY

59 YUMMY SUPPER, INDEED Local author and photographer Erin Scott’s new cookbook serves up 100 fresh, luscious and honest recipes

67 DIY HOLIDAY SPIRIT—VIN DE CITRON BY GEORGEANNE BRENNAN

69 NOSE TO TAIL—THE ROAST BY MARISSA LA BRECQUE

76 EDIBLE EVENTS CALENDAR 80 CHERRY ON TOP

MARIN ORGANIC Cultivating Our Farmers

THIS PAGE Cowgirl Creamery’s Mt Tam triple cream cheese Photo by Michael LaMotte, LamotteStudios.com

ON THE COVER Photo by Erin Scott, ErinScottStudio.com EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

GRIST FOR THE MILL

Welcome to winter! In addition to the especially expansive and exciting edition of our annual Edible Gift Guide in this issue, always a crowd pleaser, I am honored to bring you the stories of five food- and ag-related nonprofit organizations in our area, each with its own mission, each doing vital work to nourish our fellow citizens, in body, mind and soul. From childhood we are encouraged to think of and do for others, especially during the holidays. These organizations and their staffs and countless volunteers walk the walk all year long. It is a gift in and of itself to be reminded that we live in a place where there are so many wise and generous people.

edible Communities James Beard Foundation Publication of the Year, 2011

PUBLISHER AND EDITOR IN CHIEF Gibson Thomas COVER Erin Scott, ErinScottStudio.com DESIGN AND LAYOUT

Reading about the many accomplishments of these groups, and the important work that still needs to be done, may just inspire you to join in to help make this world a better place. Even our small part of it. Not to mention the fact that the members of these organizations who we got to know sound like they are having a grand time doing all of this “work.”

Bambi Edlund CONTRIBUTORS Georgeanne Brennan, Jennifer Carden, Matthew Carden, Todd Davies, Brooke Gray, Heather Hardcastle, Barbara Herwitz, Marissa La Brecque, Robb McDonough, Katy Mamen, Kirsten Jones Neff, Ferron Salniker, Laura Schneider, Naomi Starkman, Carole Topalian, Stacy Ventura

It is also the season for our beloved local Dungeness crab, and Meyer lemons, so look for recipes in this issue that elevate these perennial favorites into holiday treats for your friends and loved ones. Our gluten-free brethren are in for a special treat, as well. You’ll have to dive in for details; I don’t want to spoil the surprise. I hope that when you’re reading this Grist for the Mill you’re curled up by a roaring fire, a glass of Georgeanne Brennan’s Vin de Citron in hand, enjoying the pitterpatter of raindrops on the windowpane. Nourishing winter rains are definitely high on my list for Santa this year, and when he delivers I’ll be sure to send a care package filled with lots of local food and drink to the North Pole to show my gratitude.

COPY EDITOR Doug Adrianson DISTRIBUTION Douglas Chambers Western News Service douglaschambers@sbcglobal.net 707.486.3302

Every good wish to you and yours this holiday season from the entire Edible Marin & Wine Country team,

CONTACT US Edible Marin & Wine Country 160 Summit Ave., Mill Valley, CA 94941 415.515.4456 info@ediblemarinandwinecountry.com EdibleMarinAndWineCountry.com

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EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

Edible Marin & Wine Country is published quarterly by Edible Marin & Wine Country LLC. All rights reserved. Distribution is throughout Marin, Napa, Sonoma and San Francisco counties, and nationally by subscription. Subscription rate is $28 annually. Call the number above to inquire about advertising rates, deadlines or subscription information, or email us at info@ediblemarinandwinecountry. com. No part of this publication may be used without written permission of the publisher. © 2014. Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspelling and omissions. If, however, an error comes to your attention, please accept our sincere apologies and do notify us. Thank you.

FARIBAULT 1865 WHIPSTITCHED LEATHER-WRAPPED WOOL THROW Wraparound warmth arrives in a tidy, handsome package. It’s a superb gift you may just want to keep for yourself. USA made. $88

BRITISH PEWTER HIP FLASK A little nip can’t hurt. Hallmarked and boxed for giving. 6-oz capacity. $88

Thoughtful Gifts for Thoughtful People HAND-PAINTED PADDLES Each designed and hand-painted in our Mill Valley atelier, perfect for on-water dash and inspired in-abode display. See online for more styles. $195

FITZPATRICK WORK & WEEKENDER BAG Handcrafted in America, this handsome hybrid is ﬁtted with an incredibly luxe and supple baseball-glove leather bottom. See online for more colors. $188 ALGONQUIN FIELD JACKET Tailored in handsome yarn-dyed Japanese cotton canvas with blanket lining. Dashing in the ﬁeld and on the street. Cut & sewn in New York City. Brown or Navy. $495

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

CALISTOGA POTTERY KEEPS THE FIRES BURNING BY GIBSON THOMA S • PHOTOS BY ROBB MCDONOUGH Nestled at the end of a long gravel drive off Highway 29 just before the bend in the road that ushers you into the fairytale-like wine country town of Calistoga, Jeff and Sally Manfredi’s Calistoga Pottery studio and retail shop has welcomed locals and tourists alike since 1980.

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

And that’s just one page in their book. Much of the elegantly simple pottery cookware and tabletop items the Manfredis jointly craft there graces the tables and tasting rooms at many of our area’s most discerning restaurants, inns and wineries. The Manfredis’ special talent for creating pottery that is not only beautiful but also tough enough to do service in the kitchens at Bottega and Calistoga Ranch, among many others, was honed during Jeff ’s time in the restaurant business. He “gets it.” The couple first met when Jeff was studying art under Sally’s father, a professor at Cornell University. Little did Sally’s mother know when she asked Jeff, who had become a family friend, to “check in on” Sally while she was attending art school in Greece during his own European travels, that the two would fall in love. It was not long before the couple headed back to the States—Jeff to San Francisco, where he worked as a cook at Scott’s Seafood, throwing pots on the side, and Sally to Oakland to finish her bachelor of fine arts degree at California College of the Arts. The couple eventually moved to Bodega Bay where they opened their first studio, jumping into the pottery crafting business with both feet and their whole hearts. Their first large order was for cioppino bowls for Scott’s Seafood. When a former fellow Scott’s Seafood chef bought the Calistoga Inn, the Manfredis joined him, soon thereafter purchasing the site at which they raised their business, and two daughters. You can find Jeff throwing pots, and Sally hand decorating them, most every day of the year at Calistoga Pottery, and they will be glad to see you and show you around. 1001 Foothill Blvd., Calistoga; 707.942.0216; CalistogaPottery.com Napa Valley photographer Robb McDonough is known for his commercial work with such distinguished wineries as Ovid and Spotswoode. McDonough also documents vineyard activity for the Napa Valley Grapegrowers and puts an artistic spin on annual harvest events and local celebrations. He operates a letterpress company, Barn Simple Press, when he’s not behind the camera lens. RobbsWork.com 6

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

A HAPPIER MEAL Ceres Project Cooks for the Community BY NAOMI S TARK MAN In ancient Roman religion, Ceres was a goddess of agriculture, grain crops, fertility and motherly relationships. The Ceres Community Project, founded in Sebastopol in 2007, adopted her name in a nod to the celestial goodness delivered by the goddess. Ceres’ mission is to build healthy communities by restoring fresh, whole and organic food to its place as the foundation of health. The organization does this by providing free, nutrient-rich meals, delivered with a healthy dose of caring, to individuals impacted by cancer and other acute illnesses. According to the group, theirs is the only meal program in the country committed to providing 100% organic foods to those suffering with illness. This year, it delivered 81,300 meals to 500 clients and engaged 450 teens in 19,000 hours of service learning. The organization is the real-life manifestation of Hippocrates’ famous prescription: “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” With operations in both Marin and Sonoma counties, and a new location sprouting up in Oakland, Ceres’ primary chefs and gardeners are teenagers who, along with growing and cooking organic, nutritious meals, gain life skills in creating community around healthy food. “If we’re in a relationship with a healthy food system and with ourselves, it generates well-being,” says Cathryn Couch, Ceres’ executive director, noting that cultures live well and longer when they have a deep connection to the earth and to each other. “Ceres’ meal program is that connection,” she says. This emphasis on connection is deeply woven throughout Ceres’ work. And, according to Couch and many others, Ceres’ unique approach is making an immediate and profound difference in the lives of its clients and supporting long-term prevention of disease by giving its teen volunteers the knowledge, skills and inspiration to make healthy choices for themselves and their families. The teens at Ceres come from more than 60 schools and a number of group homes serving foster youth, developmentally disabled youth and those struggling with mental illness and drug addiction. “Ceres puts kids in an incredibly rich stew of values and they discover their 8

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

power to be contributors,” says Couch. “All of the kids learn to eat and cook kale, but they also learn how to make a greater contribution to the world.” And it’s not just the kids who benefit from Ceres’ mission to connect. Executive Chef Rob Hogencamp says working in the Ceres kitchen is the most important thing he’s done. “A parent told me that she heard her teens talking, and they said, ‘Do you think that, when Rob decided to become a chef, he knew he was going to change the world?’ That totally changed the way I view my job. Instead of simply teaching teens to cook, I see myself as creating catalysts for positive change and I can’t wait to see what these amazing human beings will accomplish,” he says. Sebastopol teenager Alya Bohr knows firsthand the importance of Ceres’ work. A volunteer at Ceres since July 2011, she became a Teen Leader in January 2014, serving as a peer teacher and role model in the program. Her father, who had liver cancer, was a client of Ceres. She says it’s easy to overlook the value of food, but when her dad stopped having the energy to cook and was lacking much-needed nutrition, “opening the refrigerator to find containers of gorgeous healthy food honestly changed our lives.” And though her father sadly passed away in 2013, Bohr has learned the larger story of food. “Whatever we choose to eat, that’s the story we’re perpetuating,” says Bohr. “We can support local, healthy environmentally conscious farmers and businesses or we can support large corporations that harm the environment, put chemicals in our food and pay their workers low wages. We, as consumers, have much more power than we think, and it’s so important that we realize that and become characters in the right stories.”

A HAPPIER MEAL The link between diet and health is now undeniable and many studies have shown that how cancer patients eat during treatment can both reduce side effects and increase treatment effectiveness. Marin-based Rebecca Katz, MS, a culinary nutritionist and author of The Cancer

Fighting Kitchen, explains it this way: “Your body is a garden and you want to make it inhospitable for cancer cells to grow. When you’re going through cancer treatment that puts your body in a pro-inflammatory state, the goal is to let food nourish you and mitigate the side effects.” Katz, who also sits on Ceres’ National Ambassador Council, is one of those who believe that there’s more at play than just the food, and notes that the human contact and interactions during delivery are critical. “When we’re sick, there’s something about being nourished by the community. It’s the fact that you’re being delivered this nourishing food, cooked with attention and intention, that is remarkable,” she says. “Ceres goes further, it creates a community, a circle that surrounds you and helps you through it.” Here’s how it works: Each week, clients receive four entrées with side dishes, soup, salad and a healthy dessert. And what’s more, everyone in the family is eligible to receive meals, so that the entire family can dine together and learn about healthy eating. In addition to its commitment to organic, much of the food used by Ceres is locally raised or produced. The poultry is free-range and antibiotic-free and the fish is primarily wild-caught. Everything is made from scratch and Ceres follows the American Institute of Cancer Research’s recommendation that two-thirds of one’s diet be plant-based. Meals include dark leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, dark orange vegetables, sea vegetables such as arame and kombu and mushrooms such as shiitake, maitake and trumpet royale. According to Ceres, these foods have proven supportive benefits for those who are ill, particularly with cancer. They also cook with a wide variety of organic beans and grains, including quinoa, millet, wild rice and brown rice. They don’t use white or refined flours, refined sugars, processed foods or additives of any kind. Their desserts are made with whole grains and whole sweeteners such as raw honey and organic maple syrup.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CERES COMMUNITY PROJECT

Clients receive these meals for free for up to 12 weeks. After this initial period, a second 12 weeks of delivery is available, if needed. Ceres asks for a donation in the range of $10–$50 per week for this second 12 weeks, but no one is turned away for lack of funds. After the 24-week period, clients are eligible to be considered for Ceres’ low-cost meal program ($65 per person per week), which is offered for another 24 weeks. In total, someone who is facing a serious illness could be fed well and connected to their community for almost an entire year at a fraction of the cost of being in the hospital. Sonoma County client Robert Karcie, who has undergone treatment for a recurrence of cancer, says, “Ceres has given me permission to try and eat in a different way. The other times [I was in treatment] it was just hard. I didn’t even want to eat. The Ceres food is just delicious. When I learned that the food was being made by teens who are volunteering, what struck me was that everybody wins because we’re all learning together. It’s a community. I can’t believe how powerful it is and how many people it touches.”

SOIL-TO-COMMUNITY EDUCATION Just down the road from Ceres’ Sebastopol headquarters lies a halfacre organic production garden, overseen by garden coordinator Sarah McCamant. There, Ceres’ teen volunteers learn firsthand about where food comes from, gaining skills to grow their own, and the important role that local organic food production plays in community health. The

produce is harvested and then used in Ceres’ Sebastopol kitchen. “The teens get to experience health from the soil to the table to the community,” says McCamant. “We wanted to give them an experience that makes them think about the whole food system and how it affects our health and our planet. They learn about how healthy soil that is teeming with microorganisms means more nutrient-dense foods, which means healthier food for our clients. We also know that giving teens the experience of pulling out a carrot and eating it does more for getting them to eat more vegetables than any lecture.”

CERES GROWS Since the fall of 2010, Ceres’ Marin County site has served Marin families in need. In 2013, Ceres launched its second Sonoma County site to better serve both clients and teens in the Sonoma Valley area, and is now operating out of the catering kitchen at the Hanna Boys Center, as well as growing food in a small garden on the campus. Ceres’ next outpost will pop up in Oakland in 2015. The intention is that the meals prepared by the teens in that program will support clients at the Charlotte Maxwell Complementary Care Clinic, whose cancer clients are all at or below 200% of poverty-level income; 40% don’t speak English and 78% are nonwhite. As interest in Ceres’ Healing Meals for Healthy Communities model has spread across the country, the organization has also created training and support programs to aid new communities in successfully replicating its work. Affiliated programs span the country from Positive Community Cures in Eugene, Oregon, to Meals 2 Heal in Brentwood, Tennessee, to Pathways Cooks in Summit, New Jersey.

CIRCLE OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT Ceres survives, in part, due to its impressive list of donors and thousands of volunteers, from the mentor chefs and kids in the kitchen, to delivery “angels,” to the dozens of Northern California food producers who contribute to Ceres’ widening circle of love. In 2013, Ceres received nearly $200,000 in in-kind donations from local farmers, ranchers, dairies, other food producers, grocers and others, including Laguna Farm, the nonprofit WHOA Farm, meat producers Marin Sun Farms and Felton Acres (which also supplies pasture-raised organic eggs), tempeh producer Alive and Healing, Gibson Honey, Gourmet Mushrooms, Wild Brine, Redwood Hill Dairy and Oliver’s Markets. Oakland-based Artisana, which produces organic nut and seed butters and coconut oil, became a Ceres partner in 2013 and now donates thousands of dollars of product each year. Two and a half years ago, Whole Foods Market in Sebastopol started selling salads made from some of Ceres’ recipes and donating a part of each sale back to the nonprofit. Ceres now receives a $1 donation for every pint of the salads purchased. Today, all nine stores in Marin and Sonoma counties sell the Ceres-branded salads, generating more than $30,000 annually for Ceres—enough to provide three months of meals to 58 clients. Whole Foods says it hopes to expand the program in Northern California. The local Whole Foods also support Ceres by donating food and providing meal bags. They also sell the Ceres cookbook and are the main sponsor of its annual fundraiser. EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

Ceres is also supported by a number of well-known Sonoma County chefs, including Barbara Hom of Night Owl Catering, Duskie Estes and John Stewart of zazu, Daniel Kedan and Marianna Gardenhire of Backyard Restaurant, Justin Wangler from Kendall Jackson Wine Estates and Karen and Lucas Martin of K&L Bistro, all donating their time to help train the student chefs. And, in the spirit of offering teens real life skills, some of Ceres’ current and former teen chefs now work at zazu, the Railroad Square Hyatt and Backyard Restaurant. “We got involved with Ceres not only because of the great work that they do for individuals, but also for how they bring the entire community together through helping people,” says Chef Daniel Kedan of Backyard Restaurant in Forestville. “We are fortunate enough to have two teens working with us, at the restaurant, from Ceres. The dedication, passion and work ethic that these young people possess is inspiring. They are really setting the standard for future generations.”

REAL RESULTS Ceres just undertook an evaluation of its work as part of a California Specialty Crop Block Grant to measure changes in consump-

tion of specialty crops (fruits and vegetables) as a result of program participation by both clients and teen volunteers. They discovered that the youth increased their consumption by 16% and their clients increased consumption by 23%. That is remarkable given the fairly short-term investment of time and resources, and the potential to reap huge short-term (for clients) and long-term (for both clients and teens) health benefits that research shows are related to increased rates of fruit and vegetable consumption and decreased consumption of unhealthy fast and processed foods. Add to these tangible results what Rebecca Katz calls “sustainable nourishment,” because, she explains, “Ceres empowers people to incorporate this kind of eating over the long run, during a time when they have little control over their life,” and that is a real return on investment. CeresProject.org Naomi Starkman is the founder and editor-in-chief of Civil Eats, a daily news source for critical thought about the American food system and the James Beard Foundation’s 2014 Publication of the Year.

WILD RICE SALAD WITH WINTER SQUASH AND CRANBERRIES From Ceres Community Project’s Nourishing Connections cookbook Yield: 6–7 cups INGREDIENTS FOR THE RICE

{ cup brown Basmati rice, soaked overnight Sea salt 1{2 cup wild rice, soaked overnight 2 cups peeled and diced winter squash (like the Delicata or Butternut varieties) Olive oil 1{4– 1{2 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted 2 stalks celery, diced 3 green onions, sliced very thinly 1{2 cup diced red, yellow or orange bell pepper (optional) 1{4– 1{2 cup fresh parsley, chopped 1{4 cup dried cranberries or goji berries INGREDIENTS FOR THE DRESSING 1{4 cup olive oil 1{4 cup apple cider vinegar 1–2 tablespoons honey 3{4 teaspoon ground sage 1{2 teaspoon sea salt 1{2 teaspoon black pepper TO PREPARE

Place the brown rice in a small saucepan with a dash of sea salt and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes or until the rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed.

Place in a bowl to cool slightly. In the meantime, place the wild rice in a pot with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low and cook, uncovered, at a gentle boil until the rice is tender, about 30 to 45 minutes. When the wild rice is tender, drain, allow to cool slightly and add it to the brown rice. While the rice is cooking, preheat oven to 400°. Toss the diced squash with a bit of olive oil. Place it in a baking pan and roast until just tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 to 20 minutes. You may also steam the squash in a steamer basket until tender, 5 to 8 minutes. At the same time, roast your pecans or walnuts on

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

a small baking pan for 6 to 8 minutes, or just until they are fragrant and starting to color. Watch nuts carefully as they can burn quickly! To make the dressing, whisk all the ingredients together, then taste and add more sea salt, apple cider vinegar and/or sweetener, to your taste. When the rice has cooled slightly, toss with the dressing and add the remaining salad ingredients, stirring to combine evenly. Cook’s notes: This salad is easily made ahead, tossing the dressing with the rice and other ingredients at the last moment. Additional brown rice may be substituted for the wild rice. It can also be eaten warm or cold, and adding cooked, diced chicken, turkey or tempeh turns it into a main dish.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CERES COMMUNITY PROJECT

1 4

HILLTOP 1892 A Peak Experience for the Eyes and Taste Buds BY KRIS TEN JONE S NEFF • PHOTOS BY L AUR A SCHNEIDER The soil throughout this township is a rich, sandy loam, and is especially fertile in the valleys. It is well adapted to the growing of grains, vegetables, fruits and vines. Grass grows very luxuriantly on all the hill and mountain sides, over which large herds of kine roam at will…” From A History of Novato Alley, Bowen & Company, Publishers San Francisco, 1880

There is a well-kept secret in Novato, and it is sitting in plain view. Perched atop one of the town’s signature stand-alone hills is a historic home hosting Hilltop 1892, a restaurant that offers some of the most stunning sunset views in our area. And working away in the kitchen of this “hidden” gem is Todd Davies, arguably one of the best chefs in the region. While it has been largely overlooked in the blossoming of the local food movement during the past decade, Novato is in fact a town with deep agricultural roots, a historic hub of locally produced foods. Thirty-ish minutes from every place a local-loving epicurean might want to be—Sonoma, Napa, Russian River Valley, Point Reyes Station, Sausalito—Novato is, of late, becoming a destination in its own right, boasting foodie havens such as Boca Tavern and Pizzeria, Trek Winery and Rustic Bakery. Based on its altitude, the recent hiring of the celebrated chef and a menu designed to follow the seasonal offerings at local farmers’ markets, Hilltop 1892 appears to be setting its sights on becoming Novato’s new culinary crown jewel. The historic home was built, you guessed it, in 1892 by an early Novato resident named Daniel Hayden. The location has housed several restaurants since the 1930s, the most popular being The Hilltop Café that thrived as a favorite choice for local celebrations for almost 30 years. When that closed during the recession of 2008, restaurateur Erick Hendricks, a Marin native who has piloted several restaurant ventures, including Forbes Island at Pier 39 in San Francisco, took over the lease and spent a year remodeling. 12

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Hendricks comes from a legacy restaurant family: His father, Sidney Hendricks, was an owner of the iconic Sid and Jim’s in Mill Valley. He has sommelier training and connections to local vineyards, including his own family’s Rockin’ H Ranch Vineyard, so adding a state-of-theart wine cellar was a priority. In 2010 he reopened the site as Hilltop 1892, with a new farm-fresh slant on California Cuisine. Last year, when Hendricks was looking for a new executive chef, his path luckily crossed with Davies’. Chef Davies’ resume reads like a who’s who of prominent partner chefs and restaurants—he has worked in top restaurants across the country, with and for Jeremiah Towers, Bradley Ogden and Charlie Palmer, among others—but he was ready for a position that would keep him closer to home, near his wife, a teacher in Central Marin, and young daughter. Now both Davies and Hendricks live in Novato with their families, and, yes, their children enjoy dining at the restaurant. In similar stages when they met, the two men say they were looking to create a venue that walks that delicate line between approachable and comfortable and exciting high-end dining. In their own words, they were striving to create a “refined family restaurant” that “highlights local farmers and seasonal produce.” Because Hilltop 1892 is situated in a bedroom community with a loyal local following, and is also an elegant venue with one of the most beautiful and dramatic outlooks in Marin, it was the perfect place to pursue this goal. “We really are in an ideal location,” says Hendricks. “We can bridge the gap between wine country and Southern Marin and San Francisco. We have many Novato families who have come to this spot for special occasions for generations. And now we want to help people in other areas understand that Novato should not be stigmatized.” According to Hendricks, the restaurant is beginning to achieve a nice balance between beloved local diners and foodies from far and wide. Hendricks is grateful for both. “The business is exceeding expectations,” he says. “We are part of this community now, and the locals are adamant about supporting us. I am very involved with the Chamber of Commerce, and we hire a lot of the high school kids. We design menus for special events, like Nostalgia Days in downtown, and Oktoberfest. At the same time, we are a perfect place to eat if you are traveling north from the East Bay or Southern Marin.” Davies and Hendricks both voice an appreciation for Novato’s geographic proximity to agriculture, in all directions. Davies is a regular at the Civic Center farmers’ market and has developed ties to many local producers, including Marin Roots, County Line Harvest and Redwood Hill. “I try to support the little guy,” he says. “I find that the produce here rivals any produce in the world. The Northern California cheese rivals the best French and Italian Cheese. So while I am buying from some of the best producers and purveyors possible, I am also cooking in a way that is seasonal and sustainable.”

Erick Hendricks

Running a kitchen in the center of the agricultural Eden that is the North Bay, says Davies, is “a chef ’s dream.” California crops are a boon and a blessing, year-round, and he designs menus to take advantage of the range of root vegetables, leafy greens, citrus, game and seafood available in the foodshed, even in our cool weather months. This winter you will find Sonoma County-raised Liberty duck breast with lacinato kale and Cara Cara and blood oranges; Dungeness crab salad; Marin oysters; cedar plank salmon; Cabernet-braised short ribs; and pork belly with Rancho Gordo beans on the menu. Culinary comfort, straight from the market stalls and fishermen’s nets. And Hendricks has tuned his almost entirely Northern California wine list to Davies’ menu. The extensive cellar includes a Syrah from Novato’s own Trek Winery as well as Syrahs and Pinots sourced from the Hendricks family’s Rockin’ H Ranch in Petaluma. With ties to both Novato and the greater region, it is no wonder that both Hendricks and Davies are stopped multiple times by familiar faces when they walk through the Hilltop 1892 dining room. The building itself has a distinct warmth and coziness to it, and it seems fitting that two family men should be at the helm of a restaurant operating in this celebrated family estate. The dining room seems to hold its own history of home and community, which makes it a nice choice for holiday meals. Like the town of Novato itself, the restaurant is beautiful but exudes an authentic quality that is sometimes hard to come by in high-end restaurants. “With this setting,” says Hendricks, his eyes following the green ridgeline south to the Bay, “I just had to give this old property some love.” Kirsten Jones Neff is a journalist, poet and middle school gardening teacher at the Novato Charter School. She feels extraordinarily lucky to live with her family in a small rural corner of northern Marin County. Links to her work and organic gardening and food blog can be found at KirstenJonesNeff.com. EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

PAN-SEARED LIBERTY DUCK BREAST WITH DUET OF ROASTED BEETS, LACINATO KALE AND CARA CARA BLOOD ORANGE SALSA VERDE Recipe courtesy of Chef Todd Davies, Hilltop 1892 Yield: 4 main course servings INGREDIENTS FOR THE BEETS

1 bunch golden beets 1 bunch Chioggia beets (Beets are widely available at the winter farmers’ markets.) 1{4 cup canola oil Salt and black pepper 1{4 cup butter for heating in final dish preparation INGREDIENTS FOR THE KALE

{ pound baby lacinato kale (County Line Harvest and Marin Roots almost always offer this kale. If not, substitute chard or any other braising greens.) 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1{4 cup chicken broth 1 garlic clove, sliced very thinly Salt and black pepper, to taste (Use less if the chicken broth has salt in it.) 1 2

INGREDIENTS FOR THE CITRUS SALSA VERDE

1 Cara Cara orange 1 blood orange (other oranges can be substituted

for either of these) { cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 4 cloves crushed garlic 2 tablespoons lemon juice Minced jalapeño, to taste 1{2 teaspoon crushed dried red peppers Salt and black pepper, to taste 1 2

INGREDIENTS FOR THE LIBERTY DUCK BREASTS

2 each (12-ounce) Liberty duck breasts (Available at Thistle Meats in Petaluma and other bay area retail locations. LibertyDucks.com) 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon coriander 1 {2 teaspoon cinnamon 1{2 teaspoon dried ginger 1{2 teaspoon cayenne 1 tablespoons kosher salt 1{4 cup canola or olive oil (for cooking the duck breasts) Additional flat-leaf parsley for garnish TO PREPARE AND SERVE Mix spices and salt for duck. Cut any overlapping skin off duck breasts and score the skin diagonally and horizontally every 1{2 inch, down to the meat.

Season duck breasts on both sides with seasoning spices and refrigerate until ready to cook. Preheat oven to 375°. Wash beets and cut off green tops and the very bottom of the roots. Toss beets in a bowl with the canola oil and salt and pepper. Wrap each beet in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Place into oven and set timer for 40 minutes for smaller beets and 60 minutes for larger beets. Check beets at the end of time period by unwrapping one and inserting a knife into it. If the knife does not pull out easily, continue roasting, checking for doneness every 10 minutes. When done, remove beets from the oven and allow to cool. In the meantime, zest the oranges. Place the zest, parsley, garlic and jalapeño on a cutting board and chop finely. Place into a small bowl and add the rest of the ingredients, adjusting seasoning with salt and pepper. Peel the oranges and separate into segments for garnishing the duck. Peel the beets by using a couple of paper towels to rub the skin off, then cut into bite-size pieces. Place the peeled beets into a saucepan with the butter and season to taste with the salt and pepper.

Heat a heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat. Pat duck breasts dry with a paper towel and place skin side down in the heated pan. Render the duck fat out of the skin, adjusting the heat down if the skin is getting too dark or up if the fat from the duck breasts is not rendering. When nicely caramelized, turn the duck breasts over and continue to cook until they are medium rare. While the breasts are continuing to cook, place each of the pans containing the beets and lacinato kale on medium-high heat. Stir the kale to expose all leaves to the heat. When all of the leaves are wilted, the kale is done. When the duck breasts have reached medium rare, remove them from the pan and allow them to rest on a room temperature plate while you are plating the dishes. Place the lacinato kale down the center of 4 plates. Place beets on either side of kale. Slice the duck breasts into 1{2-inch slices and fan over the kale. Dollop a spoonful of citrus salsa verde over the duck, then garnish with citrus sections and parsley sprigs. Serve warm. 14

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

PHOTOGRAPHS: LAURA SCHNEIDER | SAKINTERMEDIA | ABOUT.ME/LSCHNEIDER013

Place all of the ingredients for the lacinato kale into another medium-size saucepan.

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EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

Chris Mann and other Daily Acts volunteers plant a Gravenstein apple tree.

TAKE HEART, TAKE ACTION The Uplifting Secret Ingredient Behind Daily Acts’ Success BY K AT Y MAMEN

PHOTO: KELLEN WATSON

On the surface, the Petaluma-based nonprofit organization Daily Acts looks like many other groups working to lighten our footprint on the land. Their programs encourage the widespread adoption of household- and community-level sustainability projects, empowering people with the tools to grow their own food, reduce water and energy consumption, and other efforts to build community resilience in the face of climate change. The group works with a wide swath of society, from individuals to municipalities, churches and businesses, to foster change one action at a time, while also working to remove policy barriers that stand in the way. But look a little closer and you’ll find that Daily Acts has a certain je ne sais quoi that reveals a richness far beyond the practical aspects of its programs: The organization radiates a particular constellation of spirit, warmth, intelligence and resolve.

Daily Acts is one of those rare organizations that manages to marry concrete and effective action for a better world with an attention to the inner landscape, which founder Trathen Heckman refers to as “personal ecology.” Take Judy Mazzeo, for example, a retired editor living with her husband in Petaluma, who says she found a new lease on life as a result of her engagement with Daily Acts. For many years, Judy was active in fighting for a better world—attending marches, speaking out on issues. One day she woke up so depressed and hopeless about the state of the world that she felt she just couldn’t do it any more. The weight of the crises in the world had taken their toll. It wasn’t until she experienced the Daily Acts community and “every choice matters” message that she remembers feeling that “I can do this, I can have a positive effect on the world. It may be just a little but EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

that it’s really savvy health care. If you want long-term community health care, these kind of programs are really good to be involved in and support.”

With the encouragement and technical support of Daily Acts, Judy was one of dozens of individuals who transformed front lawns into a food forest as part of the Community Resilience Challenge (previously the 350 Home and Garden Challenge). This campaign provides a DIY guide to individuals and encourages them to save water, conserve energy, grow food and build community—lofty but tangible goals that can be easily achieved by selecting actions via their online registration.

Nowhere is the “special sauce” of Daily Acts more apparent than in the charismatic presence of its founder, Trathen Heckman. I visited Heckman in his lush downtown Petaluma backyard one hot day, nestling in among the cob pizza oven, greywater wetland and chicken playground. Sleeping pads were still scattered on the garden path where the family had slept under the stars the night before.

As part of this effort, Judy installed a greywater system that has captured and repurposed 10,000 gallons of wastewater over the last two years, and she has contributed to the similar transformation of several other public sites on Daily Acts workdays. “It’s just so inspirational,” she says. “There’s such a feeling of camaraderie. It’s the best thing I’ve found and it has brought such a measure of joy to my life. Most people who brush up against it have similar feelings.” Indeed, speaking with some of the people who orbit Daily Acts, it’s clear that the organization has a strong magnetic effect. Inevitably, a twinkle will appear in their eyes, a slow smile will spread across their faces, and a wistful sigh might escape their lips when talking about their experience with the small but mighty organization. Daily “Actor” Jacqui McGrath attributes her move to Petaluma to the seductive effect of this organization: “I felt like I found a place to land. There was a community of people doing work, I could immediately jump in, be in service, and learn more practical skills. It’s not just about the world but about the inner terrain. Daily Acts is an organization that heals not just our connection with the Earth, but with each other and with ourselves.” Daily Acts Board President Miriam Volat echoes this curative effect of the organization’s ripple effect in the individuals’ lives they touch, explaining that “the way I think about Daily Acts more and more is

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

Marveling at his upbeat outlook, I asked Heckman how he managed to maintain an unfailingly positive approach in the face of such global problems. Half-expecting to hear a canned intellectual analysis, I was surprised to learn that Heckman is 99.9% optimist. “Some people say we’ve already missed the boat, but that doesn’t change my commitment or resolve. I’m trying to focus on being present and being reverent and focusing on creating change in all aspects of my life,” he says. “I’m so focused on that that I don’t spend a lot of time worried or even being attached to outcomes.” Heckman’s passions, which include mindful leadership and spiritual practice, have helped to infuse the organization and its activities with a sense of meaning and deeper purpose. Heckman signs correspondence with the salutation “Take heart, take action.” While many organizations are true to the latter half of this aphorism, few take on the former with such complete commitment. Heckman attributes Daily Acts’ success to three things: doing what they can to sustain joy and optimism, keeping a focus on positive inspiration and maintaining a personal practice. He explains: “A few years into Daily Acts, I got clear that heart-centered mindful presence in action is core. Being heart-centered affects your mental clarity, your effectiveness, your emotional balance, so it’s a practical strategy as well as just feeling good.” Personal ecology is an integral strand in the organization’s DNA. The staff work hard to walk their talk, to model what they live and love.

Photo: Carl Shuller

Photo: Kellen Watson, Daily Acts Program Coordinator it doesn’t matter because if a lot of people did just a little, a lot can get done. That’s exactly what you see on a workday; we can transform 5,000 square feet in just a few hours.”

Photo: Mary Heckman Daily Acts founder Trathen Heckman million gallons of water per year. Its work led to the first permitted single-household greywater system in Sonoma County and Heckman was a key architect of the collaborative effort to create and implement the Sonoma County Healthy and Sustainable Food Action Plan (SonomaCoFSA.org/fap).

Photo: Carl Shuller

Daily Acts calculates that, over the last decade, it has engaged close to 40,000 citizens in taking at least one conservation action such as these over the course of 800 program events.

They meditate at the beginning of each staff meeting. “A big question is, how can we support each other in living into our potential more?” says Heckman. While it’s clear that the community of people working with Daily Acts in various capacities is feeling good about the work, it leaves one wondering: Does it actually deliver real results? The answer is a resounding yes; for all its heart-centered optimism, the organization actually achieves remarkable outcomes. Four years ago, Daily Acts launched its 350 Garden Challenge, aiming to sign up 350 families to plant water-wise food gardens in the county in one weekend. The response was tremendous: 628 families planted gardens. This year, in its updated Community Resilience Challenge, the organization aimed for 3,500 actions to build community resilience through food, water and energy conserving activities. Over 7,000 actions have been registered so far, from the planting of new gardens to grow more food to the installation of home rainwater harvesting barrels. Daily Acts has hosted the largest do-it-yourself greywater workshop in the country and helped inspire a municipal program which has provided free resources to sheet mulch (adding a protective layer to the soil so as to conserve moisture, suppress weeds and improve fertility) over 500 lawns, resulting in an estimated savings of about 22

Since Daily Acts got started in 2002, much has changed in the field— many more groups are now leading workshops in everything from gardening and food preservation to energy efficiency. In light of this, going forward, the organization is shifting its emphasis from delivering such workshops to supporting the success of other groups active in the field. Daily Acts is building strong alliances and networks, and supporting the leadership development of new community leaders while being a resource for model projects. It is also working to reach a broader demographic cross-section and is developing youth educational programs and partnerships by collaborating with partners who work in underserved communities. The marriage of head and heart that lies at the core of Daily Acts’ methodology represents a powerful new paradigm of activism, one that holds great hope for the future. In the words of Judy Mazzeo, “It’s about having the sense that you can matter. I don’t mean that in a selfish way—that’s what everyone wants, to feel a part of something, to feel like their life matters. You can accomplish good things. It isn’t just work, it’s fun.” DailyActs.org Katy Mamen is a sustainable food and agriculture consultant based in west Sonoma County. She was previously director of programs at Ag Innovations Network and coordinated the US Local Food Program for the International Society for Ecology and Culture.

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

GLUTEN-FREE HOLIDAY BAKING Heather Hardcastle, owner and founding chef of San Anselmo’s Flour Craft Bakery, knows that the holidays can be especially tough on those with gluten intolerance. She was diagnosed with the condition herself in 2000. Since then Hardcastle, a graduate of the general pastry program at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, has made it her mission to re-create a wide array of sweet and savory favorites using gluten-free ingredients so that everyone can enjoy delicious treats, year round. This recipe for orange polenta cake is one of Hardcastle’s personal favorites and a bestseller at her bakery. The chocolate ganache icing gives it a rich and luxurious finish, without being too heavy. She also promises that you do not need to be a pastry school graduate to wow your friends and family with this easy-to-make-at-home cake. Hardcastle’s award-winning baked goods, breads and granolas can be found at the Marin Civic Center Farmers’ Market in San Rafael, Whole Foods Markets throughout Northern California, Equator Coffee cafés and many other local markets, as well as at her Flour Craft Bakery, where she also offers gluten-free (and vegan and Paleo) sweet and savory breakfast and lunch items. 702 San Anselmo Ave., San Anselmo FlourCraftBakery.com; 415.453.3100

GLUTEN-FREE ORANGE POLENTA CAKE from Heather Hardcastle, Flour Craft Bakery INGREDIENTS FOR THE CAKE

8 ounces butter 1 cup sugar 3 eggs 2 tablespoons orange zest 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla sƓ1{3 cups almond meal 2{ 3 cup + 1 tablespoon quick polenta 1 teaspoon baking powder 1{ 2 teaspoon xanthan gum Vegetable oil for greasing baking pan INGREDIENTS FOR THE GANACHE

8 ounces chocolate 4 ounces heavy cream 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier TO PREPARE THE CAKE

Preheat oven to 325°. Cream together butter, sugar and orange zest. Add eggs and vanilla 20

and mix until combined. Scrape down bowl. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Lightly grease an 8-inch round cake pan with the vegetable oil and line the pan with parchment. Spread batter evenly in pan. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10–20 minutes, until cake is golden brown and center is set. TO PREPARE THE GANACHE ICING:

Bring cream just to a boil in the microwave. Pour hot cream over chocolate and let sit until chocolate is melted. Whisk until smooth and shiny. Whisk in Grand Marnier. Let ganache sit until thick and cool but still spreadable. Pour onto center of cake and spread until just shy of the edge using an offset spatula.

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

PHOTO: STACY VENTURA, STACYVENTURA.COM

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

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PHOTO: MARISSA LA BRECQUE

Barbara Alexander with visiting chef Hiroo Nagahara

ESCOFFIER QUESTIONNAIRE

BARBARA ALEXANDER BY MARISSA L A BRECQUE A mention of “cooking school” is often the beginning to a rollicking conversation amongst chefs.

PHOTO BY MARISSA LABRECQUE

There are those who feel that showing up for the abuse and intensity of an actual commercial kitchen every day until you are worthy to chop, and then one day to filet, and then one day to cook, is the only career path for a chef. And then there is the other school of thought. Chef Barbara Alexander has been the executive chef of the Napa Valley Cooking School in St. Helena for 12 years (after a stint at that other culinary school in St. Helena). Observing her with her students reminded me of the sanctity of the culinary school path to a life in the back of the house. How well she understands the phases of confidence and competence, how each student becomes a cook over the course of their education.

Whether you are baptized in potato peels or coursework, cooking is still blessedly a world of mentors and students. Cooks learn from masters—sometimes just one, but often many. I spent a few days at the very beginning of this school year with Chef Barbara and her students. Some were “Yes, Chef!” eager acolytes and others were still holding on to the indifferent mask of adolescence. But all of them were in her dynamic sway. I felt her chops from years on the front lines of fine dining. Even more than her experience, I felt the confidence in her that didn’t seem to need to grind the students down to lift them up. There are many ways to learn the craft, and one of them is from Chef Barbara, in a sweet little kitchen in the Napa Valley, where there will be blind butter tastings and, yes, you will also peel potatoes. EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

restaurants in SF. I just wish Anthony Bourdain hadn’t gone there … the lineups are crazy. … breakfast? My deck. My chickens’ eggs in a Hangtown Fry and a super cold Bloody Caesar (Canadian Bloody Mary with Clamato juice).

What was the first meal you made that you were proud of ? My dad and I tackled a classic Fraisier Cake for Mother’s Day—a complicated genoise as the base—we used 14 dozen eggs trying to get it right. It was never great, but I was proud when I carried it out at age 10 to my mama. I often think about this cake and how important cooking school or a great mentor is to perfecting a recipe.

What is your favorite hangover meal? Hangtown Fry. Breaded oysters, organic eggs and artisan bacon

What kitchen utensil is most indispensable to you? Sauce spoon and small offset spatula

… a late-night/after-work meal? In the Valley, we are strapped for late-night eateries … but I love Ryder Zetts’ tater tots at Archetype in St. Helena.

What was your favorite food as a kid? Embarrassingly, Pop-Tarts. They were contraband in my house growing up, and only brought in by naughty, single, childless friends of my parents.

Whom do you most like to cook for? Anyone obsessed with food. Anyone who wakes up thinking about what they are going to eat today. They also have to be interesting and fun. My husband and daughter fit the bill most nights.

… a cup of coffee? I am kind of a hussy when it comes to coffee, flitting from one to the next … right now I am drinking 49th Parallel from Vancouver, BC, but I also love Blue Bottle, Ritual and anyone that makes a thoughtful cup of coffee.

If you could do one other job, what would it be? Sourcing and buying mid-century modern furniture

… a greasy spoon meal? Not really a greasy spoon, but love the Fremont Diner’s sausage biscuit.

What food do you love unreasonably much? Dungeness crab and oysters What is the most difficult cooking technique to do well? A rolled, perfectly baveuse French omelet What are you exploring in your kitchen now? Dirt. Making interesting crunchy “dirt” or “earth” from dehydrated rye, raisins, nuts and seeds—makes a great salad crunch. What non-culinary influence inspires you? A beautiful garden—when I look at it, I see the elements on a plate bursting with flavor. What is your idea of a very healthy meal? I love greens and beans. Lots of shredded kale, garlic, olive oil and perfectly cooked heirloom beans with a crusty piece of toast— OK … maybe a slathering of butter and some chunks of creamy French feta. What is your favorite ingredient? Cheese 24

What is your favorite midnight snack? Good homemade ramen What most satisfies your sweet tooth? Gingersnaps or Licorice Allsorts What would you eat at your last meal, if you could plan such a thing? Hmm … maybe a twice-baked crab and Gruyere soufflé. What’s your favorite place to go (and what is your favorite thing to order) for … … a splurge meal? Just about one of my favorite food experiences and meals is always at the Swan Oyster Depot. I love to sit and drink plenty of Sauvignon Blanc while eating oysters, Crab Louie and great bread. The guys who work there are amazing to hang out with—genuinely hospitable and it is one of best atmospheric

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

… groceries? Berkeley Bowl, for sure … worth the drive from the Napa Valley … kitchen equipment? Can I say E. Dehillerin in Paris? It is the most romantic kitchen equipment shop in the world, bar none. JB Prince in NYC is a close second. … ice cream? Here at the Napa Valley Cooking School we make fantastic ice cream—Brown Sugar and Rhubarb Crunch; Mace, Vanilla Bean and Licorice Swirl; Salted Chocolate Caramel, Prune and Armagnac are our seasonal faves. We should sell it! … chocolate? Michel Cluizel milk chocolate was an epiphany for me. I am a dark chocolate lover, but this is something very special.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NAPA VALLEY COOKING SCHOOL

What food do you wish you loved? Tripe

What restaurant in the world are you most dying to try? El Celler de Can Roca in Spain

… pastry? So easy: Eric Kaiser in Paris—nothing even comes close—his croissants are God’s way of showing you he loves you!

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STONE’S SOUP CORNER

NO SNOW? NO PROBLEM! Sweet treats capture the joy of winter BY JENNIFER C ARDEN PHOTOS BY MAT THE W C ARDEN Did you love building snowmen as a kid? If you grew up in California, you probably just dreamed of snowball fights or a snow day vacation from school. Growing up in the state of New York, I built more snow forts and snowmen as a kid than I can recall. After hours of snow play, we would reluctantly drag ourselves inside only as the sun went down—frozen, dripping wet and hungry. Always hungry. Pushing that frozen stuff around not only yields snowmen, but huge appetites, too. These mini cupcakes with their coconut snowmen toppers are super fun to make, and eat, even when you live in a region where real snow is only a dream. The “snowmen” are constructed with a coconut modeling paste that can be molded however you like. Build a traditional snowman, or just a face like I did. These treats also make great hostess gifts for holiday parties! Jennifer Carden is a mother, wife, chef, author and food stylist. She is dedicated to helping families get excited about food, and with her creative recipes she inspires kids and adults alike. Her latest book is the Little Pretty Baking Kit: Petite Cakes to Make and Give (Chronicle Books, 2013). Her blog is PlayfulPantry.wordpress.com/

CHOCOLATE CARDAMOM COCONUT BITES INGREDIENTS FOR CUPCAKES

sĆ&#x201C;1{4 cups all-purpose flour 1{2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder rĆ&#x201C;1{2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon rĆ&#x201C;1{2 teaspoons ground cardamom 1{2 teaspoon salt 1{2 cup desiccated shredded coconut, unsweetened 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut 2 cups brown sugar 4 large eggs, at room temperature 1{2 cup butter, melted and cooled 1{2 cup milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1{ 2 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips TO PREPARE CUPCAKES

Preheat oven to 350Â°F. Line a mini cupcake tray with cupcake liners. ( ' #/' )1&} -# . .)! ." , Ĺ?)/,} cocoa powder, baking soda, spices, salt and both coconuts. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat together the sugar and eggs until smooth. Stir in melted and cooled butter, milk and vanilla extract. Gradually add in the dry mixture, stirring until only a few streaks of dry ingredients remain. Stir in mini chocolate chips. Drop a tablespoon of batter into each cupcake paper. Bake for 6 minutes. DO NOT OVER BAKE; under baking will result in a better cupcake. If you would prefer to make these as standard-size cupcakes, follow the same directions, but use an ice cream scoop to drop the batter into your lined cupcake pan, and bake for 12 minutes.

INGREDIENTS FOR COCONUT PATTY MODELING PASTE TOPPING

rĆ&#x201C;1{4 cups confectionerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sugar 1{2 stick unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 1 egg white 1{8 teaspoon salt rĆ&#x201C;1{4 cups unsweetened coconut, packed rĆ&#x201C;1{2 teaspoons vanilla extract Powdered sugar for rolling patties ADDITIONAL DECORATING ITEMS

{ cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips Carrots or orange candies for making snowman noses Edible art markers, black food coloring or chocolate sauce for mouths 1 2

TO PREPARE TOPPING

In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk together the confectionerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sugar, butter, egg white and salt, then place the bowl over a pot of simmering water, creating a double boiler. Whisk continually until thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut and vanilla. Spread the warm paste out on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 15â&#x20AC;&#x201C;30 minutes. TO DECORATE

To shape the topping, roll out the chilled paste and cut into circles sized to cover the top of each cupcake, using a cookie cutter or a drinking glass. Roll in confectionerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sugar, shaking off excess. Place a circle on top of each cupcake. Add two mini semi-sweet chocolate chips for eyes. To create the nose, use a piece of real carrot trimmed down to a very small triangle. You can also use a soft orange candy such as a Starburst or Candy Corn. Cut a sliver off and roll them between your fingers to soften and mold. For the mouth, use edible art markers to make dots, or a toothpick dipped in black food coloring or chocolate sauce.

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

Francis with Chef Delio Cuneo

FOOD OF LOVE Youth Program Nurtures Both Givers and Receivers TE X T AND PHOTOS BY FERRON SALNIKER Walk into the St. Helena Grace Episcopal Church on most Tuesday afternoons and you’ll hear chopping, sizzling and the pounding of a pestle and mortar; the long and narrow commercial kitchen crowded with cooks, the tops of their heads adorned with bandanas in different colors. Bursts of fresh basil might waft through the air over the steady, sweet smell of sautéed onions. The center island will likely be piled with ingredients, bunches of carrots and dinosaur kale lit up by the sunshine filtering in from the only window; the crew focused, like the pause before a dishwasher starts up again. But spend a minute at the doorway and you’ll quickly notice that this isn’t a group of professional chefs: There’s no dirty banter, someone is standing in the corner eating an orange popsicle and everyone is just a little bit young. These are the volunteers for Food of Love, a program that teaches culinary skills to teenagers while they make healthy, free meals for cancer patients. Food of Love began in 2010 under the inspiration of Cindy Cantrell, 28

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

nurse navigator of St. Helena Hospital’s Martin O’Neil Cancer Center; Amy Cohen of A and A Kitchen; and the Napa Valley Youth Advocacy Center. The program is modeled after the Ceres Community Project, a largerscale initiative in Sonoma and Marin counties that serves meals to cancer patients through youth volunteers and that is also profiled in this issue of Edible Marin & Wine Country. Food of Love engages youth ages 12 to 19 who make meals for about 10 cancer patients who are being treated at the Martin O’Neil Cancer Center. The students get together once a week after school, make several dishes and deliver them to the Rianda House, where they’re picked up the next day. Meals are provided for free for three months and afterwards paid for on a donation basis. Altogether, the program has served hundreds of meals to people battling cancer. But it’s not just about the meals. Food of Love supports three distinct populations, which is part of what makes the program dynamic: Young people gain culinary skills, learn about teamwork and experience the value of helping other people; adult volunteers serve as

mentors; and patients get nutrient-rich food delivered to their doors, in addition to a community of folks who are volunteering, cooking and rooting for them.

A DIFFERENT EDUCATION Tom Amato, executive director of the Napa Valley Youth Advocacy Center, has been an educator for four decades, teaching in grade school up to college level classrooms before launching the center. He air-draws his ideas for me while we’re at lunch, starting with our basic needs as humans—survival, love, belonging, freedom, fun, purpose, value and identity—and ending with his hands waving in the air describing the ways in which educational systems can stifle those needs or fulfill them. He’s Sicilian and a child of the 1960s, which we both agree makes him fiercely passionate. “School systems tell kids that one day when you grow up you’ll have purpose, identity and value if you just do what we tell you to do,” he said. “But I want kids to feel that they have purpose, identity and value, and that they can make a difference right now—just the way they are.” Founded in 2004, the center opened as an after-school program serving Angwin, Deer Park and St. Helena. Their clients range across the spectrum, the focal point being on youth that are high risk and susceptible to drugs, alcohol, rebellion and lack of support from their family and community. In 2012 there was a defining shift in programs into a new paradigm of youth support, expanding beyond the walls of the center and into community service. The center overlays group counseling and individual support with community service programs, a combination that Amato said allows students to develop meaningful relationships, life skills and emotional well-being while providing support to other often under-appreciated populations. These programs include monthly dinners made by youth for combat veterans at the Pathway Home; a collaboration with the Rianda Senior House; and, of course, Food of Love.

KITCHEN SKILLS AND BEYOND Before we entered the kitchen, Amato told me that most of the students volunteering for Food of Love that day are not among the most at-risk students at the center. Still, it’s uplifting to watch any group of teenagers—especially women—demonstrate confidence, teamwork and some serious cooking skills.

braces, and her red sweatshirt matches her red bandana that covers so much of her head it makes her seem more petite. Ebersole looks a little older, maybe because she’s taller and has been volunteering with the center since she was 8. I note teasingly that they’re not cutting any corners and that a lot of people would use a food processor for pesto. “Well, it wouldn’t taste the same,” said Ebersole matter-of-factly, making me wish I knew her better to justify my proud smile. Electra Lyman, 16, barely refers to the recipe as she works the stove browning chicken thighs in batches. Both Lyman and her sister are the veterans; they’ve been coming here since the beginning of the program and they navigate the kitchen like it’s their own. On the other side of the kitchen is Francis Aquilina, 13, the youngest in the room. He sticks to Cuneo’s side, who shows him how to dice potatoes and julienne carrots. Later he does it on his own, his baby face now intently focused on cutting the carrots into sections before cautiously slicing them lengthwise. When the meals are completed they’re put into paper grocery bags labeled with names and Amato delivers them to the Rianda House or straight to the recipient’s home. Cards with well wishes and inspirational messages written by the students accompany the meals. June Huang, a Chinese exchange student, sits in front of a pile of brightly colored cards with smiley faces and suns, struggling with what to write. Alexandra Abend is sitting next to her; she’s a high school senior but she’s gracious beyond her years. She pauses thoughtfully before she speaks and several times uses self-mockery to get a laugh from the two other young women sitting next to her. She said that teamwork is her biggest takeaway from Food of Love. Then she pauses, “and valuing what I have.” She turns to Huang and offers several prompts to help her start writing.

HOLISTIC HEALING It strikes me that almost everyone I talk to volunteering that day, no matter their age, has a personal experience with cancer. It’s a reminder that cancer doesn’t exist in a vacuum and that many of the volunteers are doing their own healing, as well. Chloe Hagen, also on card duty, has long straight blonde hair that’s swooped to the side and tucked behind her left ear. When she was 6 years old Hagen was diagnosed with cancer and at age 10 the left side

Food of Love begins around 3pm on Tuesdays. The students come in, greeted by Amato and volunteer chef Delio Cuneo, who together have done the grocery shopping and prepped each station with a recipe and ingredients. The recipes are simple comfort foods full of vegetables and leaning towards Italian and Californian cooking styles. There’s minestrone, polenta with mushrooms, a light coleslaw and chicken with Jerusalem artichokes. The first thing I notice is that the students hold their knives properly, their thumbs resting on the blades, hands wrapped around the bolster of the knife. They’re more at ease chopping vegetables than most adults I know. Claire Ebersole, 13, and Vola Andrianarijaona, 15, make the pesto with a mortar and pestle, checking in with each other on taste and adding more garlic or salt as needed. Andrianarijaona has glasses and

Electra with Tom Amato EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

dietician, Laura Grinnell. Grinnell then assists the Food of Love team with recipe selection and modification based on the individual person’s needs. “Our physicians and registered dietitian recommend this program because nutrition is so important while going through chemotherapy and radiation treatment,” said Shari Bluband, executive director of the cancer center. Indeed, good nutrition during treatment has clear benefits: support for the immune system, reducing side effects, improving energy levels and maintaining weight. The meals are designed to contain specific ingredients that provide the vitamins, minerals and natural plant compounds (phytonutrients) to enhance a patient’s wellness. David Kernberger lost his wife to cancer six years ago and has been in the program since he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Vola and Claire work a mortar and pestle. of her brain was removed. Doctors predicted she wouldn’t be able to talk or walk afterwards, but she woke up asking for water. Today she can’t move her right arm, but is as active as any teenager, with a little help from a brace on her right leg. “It feels good to give back. I know I would be thankful for these meals,” she said. She’s now in her freshman year of high school, and has been volunteering for the center since middle school. “The kids realize that they have the ability to make a difference in other people’s lives, and that changes them instantly. They keep coming back because they need a fix of this joy that they’re experiencing,” said Amato. It’s not just kids who come back each week. There are typically three adult volunteers in the kitchen: a head chef and two mentors. Cuneo, clearly the head chef in his stark white chef ’s coat and hat, speaks in a thick Italian accent from his native Genoa and a quiet, raspy voice. He goes from darting around the kitchen looking for a specific tool or spice to gently giving students instructions. Before coming in he spends a few hours putting together the recipes, writing them by hand on lined sheets of paper in slanted block capitals. While shaving the skin off a particularly gnarly celery root, he tells me that he and his wife used to cook together. They owned two restaurants, one in San Francisco’s North Beach and another in St. Helena. About seven years ago she passed due to lung cancer. “She was gone in six months. She was only 61,” he said. For Cuneo, bringing some relief to the patients’ families gives him comfort. “It’s not easy for anybody,” he said, shaking his head. While cooking meals for his wife must have been second nature for Cuneo, a homemade meal stacked with nutrients isn’t always accessible to patients, especially those who don’t have caretakers. For starters, many patients don’t know how to cook healthy meals, or like many Americans are used to a diet based on processed foods. Plus, treatments can be debilitating, making it difficult to shop, cook or clean. To enroll in Food of Love, a patient’s healthcare team (their nurses, doctors or the clinical care navigator) refers them to the cancer center’s registered 30

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

“I’m not a cook and live alone, so the program is a wonderful way to get a variety of food that I would never dream of having. The rest of the week I’m eating really ordinary food that I can grab at the market,” he said. “It really adds a sparkle into my eating and the cards are wonderful, too.” After undergoing two radiation treatments, Kernberger says he’s cautiously on his way to recovery. In an effort to help patients continue with good nutrition habits even after treatment, the cancer center also offers a monthly nutrition class with cooking demonstrations, available to patients and their families at no cost. These days, Bluband says it’s not uncommon to find programs linking nutritional support to cancer patients. But Food of Love is unique for its dual mission: Whether cooking or eating, the program provides purpose and healing to youth and adults at an important time in their lives. How much sweeter the food must taste, when cooked with compassion and hope. The day after I shadowed the volunteers, Amato sent me a letter he had received from a patient, Iris. Here are a few excerpts: Your Wednesday surprises are the highlight of our week and we feel so fortunate to be benefitting from your program! It is amazing how the love and thoughtfulness, in terms of healthy food to combat cancer, gets translated into deliciously complex and tasty meals. The picture of all of you—however many in the kitchen, talking, laughing, tasting and learning with the knowledge that you are making food to help a lot of people you don’t even know almost makes me envious. She signs with the words I doubt most teenagers hear on Tuesday afternoons: “Take care of yourself, I love you, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” NVYAC.org/nvyac-programs/food-of-love Ferron Salniker is a freelance travel and food writer, and works for nonprofit SFMade advising artisan food and beverage manufacturers in San Francisco. She regularly contributes stories about local food and drinks to SF Weekly and Vision Hispana. Follow her eating adventures around the globe at Ferronlandia.com.

WHAT’S IN SEASON

DUNGENESS

CRAB BY GEORGE ANNE BRENNAN

The local Dungeness crab season opens just in time for the holiday season, and for Bay Area old timers—and newcomers, too— it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving or Christmas without Dungeness crab on the table. Tom Sancimino, who with his brother Steve owns the venerable Swan Oyster Depot Fish Market and Restaurant on Polk Street in San Francisco, says, “Everybody wants Dungeness crab—it’s a San Francisco tradition. People come from all over the Bay Area to buy it— 32

they’ve been buying it from here for 100 years.” Steve and Tom’s family has been selling crab since 1946, having taken over from the previous owner who started the business in 1912. Not being a native Bay Area person, my first initiation into the must-have Dungeness crab world was when my second husband and I were invited to his parents’ home in Lafayette for Christmas Day dinner, along with his six siblings and their spouses. We were all asked to bring a couple of Dungeness crabs. Crabs

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

for Christmas? I was appalled. Christmas dinner in my life was standing rib roast or glazed ham and all the sides. To me, crab was walk-away snack food you bought at Fisherman’s Wharf, not a holiday meal. However, since then I have become dedicated to the must-have-Dungeness-crab-forthe-holidays mentality and so have my children. Furthermore, not just any crab will do: It must be Dungeness, and it must be local, not from the coastal waters of Washington or Oregon.

As Tom Sancimino tells it, “Our supply here is smaller, but our crabs are better.” Maybe that’s why the big boats, with a 100 or more crab pots per boat, come down from the Pacific Northwest to fish the waters off our coast. “Yeah, it’s been going on for years,” Tom said when I asked him about this fishing incursion. “That’s just part of the way it is in crab season.” There are plenty of regulations, too, about taking Dungeness crab that I learned firsthand when I went out on a crabbing boat. First thing to learn was how to identify the males from the females, the deckhand told us. No females are to be kept. Picking up one of the crabs, he turned it over, pointing out a rounded belly flap referred to as the apron. “That’s the sign of a female. A male’s is pointed, more like an arrowhead. Back she goes,” he said, as he tossed the crab overboard. Then the males had to be measured. “Anything over 5¾ inches we keep; anything under goes back.” He pulled out a metal crab-measuring tool, a sort of short ruler, and measured the crab in his hand at its widest point. Picking my own live crab out of the crab pots was a great experience, but it is not all that easy to get out on the water yourself, and I’ve only done it once. So, what to look for when shopping for crab?

LIVE OR COOKED? When shopping for crab, if you are choosing cooked, it should feel heavy in your hand for its size, meaning it has solid meat development and it should smell sweet, never fishy, nor should it smell of ammonia—both sure signs that the crab is past its prime. If you would rather start with live crab and cook them yourself, choose a fishmonger you trust. Live crabs should be active.

COOKING LIVE CRAB Fill a big pot ⅔ full of water. Add about ¼ cup of salt to the water. For spicier crabs, you may add about ½ lemon per crab, a bay leaf and combinations of mustard, coriander and dill seeds; and crushed red

pepper to the water. Bring to a rolling boil. To pick up the crab, grab it from the back, putting your thumb firmly on the top and your fingers underneath on the belly. Or use tongs. Drop the crab into the boiling water. Bring back to a boil and then reduce the heat to maintain a slow boil for 20 minutes. Be careful not to allow the water to boil over the sides of the pot. In the meantime, fill the sink or a large pot or basin with ice and water. After 20 minutes, remove the crab to the ice bath and let stand 10 to 15 minutes before cleaning and cracking. The ice helps to stop the cooking, and causes the meat to pull away from the shell, making for easy cleaning. After the ice bath, the crabs may be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before cleaning and cracking, or cleaned and eaten right away.

CLEANING CRAB To clean the crab, break off the legs by twisting them at the joint closest to the body and set them aside. Place the crab body on its back and, with the heels of your hands, press down on each side of the shell until it cracks down the back. Pull off each half-shell, then pry up the tail flap, pull it back, and twist it off. Turn the crab over and clean off the spongy gills, referred to as the “dead man’s fingers,” and discard. Pinch the mouth and mandibles and pull them off and discard. Remove the soft, grayish-yellow mass of “crab butter’’ from the body cavity and from the interior of the shell, and reserve this to use in dipping sauces, if desired. It is deliciously rich and unctuous, although not to everyone’s taste. Rinse the body well under cold water and break it in half, if you wish. Use a crab cracker or nutcracker to crack each segment of the legs and claws at the joint, being careful not to crush the meat, then place on a platter with the body. Serve with drawn butter and lemon, a spicy aioli, cocktail sauce or any other sauce you prefer.

WHAT’S IN

SEASON in Marin, Napa and Sonoma counties

DECEMBER, JANUARY, FEBRUARY

FRUITS

Apples Avocados Blood Oranges Dates Grapefruit Kiwi Kumquats Lemons Mandarins Oranges Pomegranates Pomelos Quince Tangerines NUTS

Almonds Chestnuts Pecans Pistachios Walnuts VEGETABLES

Arugula Asian Greens Beets Bok Choy Broccoli Cabbage Carrots Celery

Celery Root Chard Cima di Rapa (Italian Sprouting Broccoli)

Collards Endive Escarole Fennel Green Garlic (Feb.) Kale Kohlrabi Leeks Lettuces Mushrooms Mustard Onions Potatoes Pumpkins Radicchio Radish Spinach Turnips Watercress Winter Squash HERBS

Chervil Chives Cilantro Parsley Rosemary Thyme

WHITE HAILSTORM RADISHES, MARIN ROOTS FARM

MARIN ORGANIC Cultivating Our Farmers PHOTOS BY MICHAEL L AMOT TE

Marin Organic was founded in 1999 as a farmer-led nonprofit organization with a combined mission of educating consumers about the value of organically produced foods, and supporting local farmers in their utilization of organic practices, thereby making it economically feasible to preserve the agricultural way of life in Marin County. Together with the Marin County Department of Agriculture, the group also established its own criteria for organic certification that went above and beyond the federal governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s then-newly codified standards for organic. At the time of Marin Organicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s founding, Marin County was home to 13 certified organic producers, working a combined total of 400 certified organic acres. Today the organization partners with 40 local organic farms, and there are over 40,000 certified organic acres in the county. These numbers are proof that Marin Organic has been extremely successful in accomplishing the goals set by its founders, but the organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current leaders are not satisfied to rest on its laurels and have evolved its mission to include promoting organic agriculture, providing food system education and increasing access to fresh produce for people in needâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;not to mention serving as a model and mentor for like-minded groups the world over. Current Marin Organic programs include Farm Field Studies, the Kâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;12 on-farm education program that teaches schoolchildren about the connections between the natural environment, good nutrition and our food system; and a weekly gleaning operation that recovers organic produce that otherwise would get composted (or worse, left to rot), contributing over 15,000 pounds of leafy greens, vegetables and fruit to local food pantries each year. The most recent addition to its advocacy work is Farming 101, a series of monthly workshops that provide professional development for beginning farmers. Farming 101 also encompasses a year-long mentoring program, pairing experienced organic farmers like Star Route Farmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Warren Weber with beginning farmers. MarinOrganic.org

FROM THE SOURCE The creator of the extraordinary food images shown here, all products of Marin Organic member producers, is Michael Lamotte, a San Franciscoâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;based food photographer. Lamotteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s From the Source project was inspired by his passion for food and the local food movement. Regarding this important body of work, Lamotte says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;My hope is the From the Source project and blog will help promote small, local food purveyors and, with an aesthetic depiction, foster a deeper level of appreciation through photography. We are so fortunate to live in an area that cultivates and encourages the production of so many delicious foodsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;my supply of subjects is endless.â&#x20AC;? According to Lamotte, the collaboration with ,#( ,! (# 1 - ( ./, & Ĺ?. ), ,)' ." Source. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Collaboratively we featured nine Marin Organic members and their products. We opened with a gallery show and fundraiser for Marin Organic and ended with a pop-up dinner utilizing the food photographed in the From the Source images. It was a perfect match.â&#x20AC;? We wholeheartedly agree. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Gibson Thomas LamotteStudios.com From-The-Source.com

LITTLE GEM LETTUCE, STAR ROUTE FARMS

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: DRAGON TONGUE BEANS, LA TERCERA • APPLEWOOD SMOKED SALT AND BAY LEAVES, ALLSTAR ORGANICS T-BONE AMERICAN WAYGU STEAK, TRUE GRASS FARMS • DRAKES BAY OYSTER, DRAKES BAY OYSTER FARM

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: GUIDO FROSINI, TRUE GRASS FARMS • TAMARA HICKS, TOLUMA FARMS AND TOMALES FARMSTEAD CHEESE COMPANY WARREN WEBER, STAR ROUTE FARMS• JESSE KUHN, MARIN ROOTS FARM

KENNE GOAT CHEESE, TOMALES FARMSTEAD CHEESE COMPANY

RUSSIAN RIVER

Dine & Stay packages available in our restored 1905 Green Meadow Chalets 16467 HW Y 116 GUERNEVILLE, CA 95446

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

BY BROOKE GRAY

rumroll, please. We now present our biggest (by far) and best holiday gift guide yet. Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re shopping for your craft-coffee-lovinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; cousin, beer-brewing brother or baking-obsessed aunt, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ! ." , .)! ." , ( )0 ,Ĺ?)1#(! -% . ) /(#+/ # - -/, .) &#!". 0 ,3)( )( 3)/, &#-.| Ă&#x152;( } best of all, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll feel great about supporting our local good food producers and merchants with your purchases. (Pssstâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to treat yourself while youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re at it. You deserve it!)

EDIBLES & POTABLES: Crackers & cheese, chocolate & wine, hogs & rocks is guaranteed to impress. Sample offerings include the art of making crĂ¨me de ricotta and then pairing it with a winter compote or Champagne and chocolate. 122 W. Napa St., Sonoma; TheEpicureanConnection.com

Shopping for a culinary connoisseur can sometimes be challenging, but the exceptional array of offerings at Healdsburg SHED makes it a breeze. If you have not yet had a chance to visit SHED, you should run, not walk, to check it out. A market, cafĂŠ and community gathering space designed to bring us closer to the way we prepare and share food, SHED is truly a modern-day grange. The artisans showcased at SHED inspire creativity in the kitchen and SHEDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pantry contains all the â&#x20AC;&#x153;salt of the earthâ&#x20AC;? supplies, as well as rare and hard to find ingredients, needed to bring those inspired ideas to the table. A gift certificate for one of SHEDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s workshops, beautiful cookware or tabletop items, or Shedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cafĂŠ and fermentation bar are all crowd pleasers. 25 North St., Healdsburg; HealdsburgSHED.com Sheana Davis, cheesemaker, culinary educator and owner of The Epicurean Connection in Sonoma, has enthusiastically supported the artisan and farmstead cheese movement for more than 20 years. Epicurean Connection is another great spot for one-stop shopping for local wines (many small-production exclusives), hard to find artisan and farmstead cheeses, craft beers, coffee, cookies, Sonoma Valley olive oils, honey, jams and more. Cheesemaking classes are Sheanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s specialty, and a gift certificate for a â&#x20AC;&#x153;cheese courseâ&#x20AC;?

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for something sure to dazzle at your next holiday gathering, look no further than local superstar Rustic Bakery. Owner Carol Levalleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sweet and savory goodies shine all year long, but she and her team really pull out all the stops for the holidays. Choose from glazed gingerbread, chocolate reindeers, nostalgic cut-out cookies, confetti stars and moreâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;or, better yet, pick up a wooden gift-tub full of holiday treats. Perfect hostess gifts, office party

assortments and treats for the jolly old elf are all wrapped up and ready to go at Rustic. Visit Rustic at 1139 Magnolia Ave., Larkspur; 1407 Grant Ave., Novato; and in the Marin Country Mart, Larkspur. RusticBakery.com If gluten is off the menu for someone on your list, visit Flour Craft Bakery in San Anselmo for holiday treats specially crafted with them in mind. Heather Hardcastle, head baker and owner, offers her sought-after gluten-free granola mixes in three-month, six-month and one-year subscriptions, shipped right to your lucky recipientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s door. While youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re there, pick up some delectable gluten-free treats that will make even non-gluten-free folks swoon. Traditional pumpkin, organic apple crumb and maple bourbon pecan are just a few of Flour Craftâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gluten-free pies youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be proud to display on

your dessert table this season. 702 San Anselmo Ave., San Anselmo; FlourCraftBakery.com The artisans at Cowgirl Creamery have got us all â&#x20AC;&#x153;California dreaminâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? on this winterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s day with their California Dreaming collection special holiday offering that includes their own seasonal winter cheese, Devilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gulch, a rich, bloomy-rind wheel dusted with a mixture of sweet and spicy ground heirloom peppers from Nicasioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Allstar Organics farm. The creameryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tomales Bay collection delivers Cowgirl Creameryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s iconic Mt. Tam cheese, neighboring creamery Point Reyes Farmsteadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Original Blue and Bellwether Farmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Carmody. Other special packages include Cowgirl Creameryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own logoed Swiss Army knives and cutting boards for slicing up those heavenly curds. Shipping is available across the country. Delivering a bit of California to your friends and family back on the â&#x20AC;&#x153;right coastâ&#x20AC;? just got a lot easier. CowgirlCreamery.com And where would cheese be without crackers? Or should we say â&#x20AC;&#x153;krakkers?â&#x20AC;? Organic, glutenfree Kettel Krakkers, produced in San Francisco, are the perfect accompaniment to artisan cheeses, whether you are steering clear of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;G wordâ&#x20AC;? or not. Make sure you have a supply of these crunchy and delectable crackers on hand for all your holiday gatherings and pop them into all your gift baskets! Available at local grocers and specialty markets including Tomales Bay Foods in Point Reyes Station, Bay Area Whole Foods Markets and at KettelKrakkers.com. EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

Handcrafted Brie and Camembert cheese from Marin French Cheese Company is perfect for holiday parties, gifts and Santa’s late night snack—just add your favorite bubbly beverage! Can’t make the drive to their idyllic creamery shop and picnic grounds? No problem—they’ll ship to your door. Gift basket collections feature a variety of luscious soft-ripened cheeses with locally made honey, jams, mustards, olives and artisan foods selected to pair perfectly with the cheeses. Some collections include signature cutting boards and knives. Order before Wednesday December 17 to insure delivery by the 25th. Open daily at 7510 Pt. Reyes-Petaluma Rd., Petaluma; MarinFrenchCheese.

Continuing the California dream theme, how about sending a box of briny bivalves harvested from the waters of Tomales Bay to your lucky friend or loved one? Boxes of succulent Sweetwaters from Hog Island Oyster Farm can now be shipped directly to their doorstep—nationwide. Two shipping dates only (12/23 and 12/30) arriving in time for Christmas Eve and New Years’ Eve. Order up and let the party begin! HogIslandOysters.com Speaking of hogs… hams and the holidays go hand in hand. Rancho Llano Seco, now in its sixth generation of gentle land stewardship, produces sustainably and humanely raised pork and beef near Chico. Their pigs are a cross of Duroc and Yorkshire breeds and are fed a GMO-free vegetarian diet, most of which is grown right there on the 42

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

rancho. These happy hogs are well taken care of, from birth through harvest, and the result is utterly delicious. A Llano Seco holiday ham would be an exceptional gift this year, sure to be the star of your recipient’s holiday table. Look for Rancho Llano Seco meats, and heirloom variety dried beans, at local butchers and grocers including Petaluma’s Thistle Meats, Healdsburg SHED, Palace Market in Point Reyes Station and the Mill Valley Market. LlanoSeco.com

Award-winning cookbook author, journalist, educator and entrepreneur (not to mention regular contributor to Edible Marin & Wine Country) Georgeanne Brennan has recently launched La Vie Rustic—Sustainable Living in the French Style, an online store that reflects her longtime love affair with France. Georgeanne romanticizes French fare and daily life simply through her passionate enthusiasm for the traditional. She will tell you that growing and raising one’s own food was, and is, not romantic, but essential, in the French countryside. Even if you do not have your own basse-cour (barnyard) or year-round potager (vegetable garden), you can order the wares, tools, larder and fodder from La Vie Rustic to help you get there, even if only metaphorically. Our favorite pick this year is the DIY Jambon Cru (French-style proscuitto) set. From the wooden salt curing box and finishing rub, down to the red and white butchers’ string, this set contains all you need for making your own French-style prosciutto from beginning to end, except the pig (and we just told you where you can get that!). LaVieRustic.com While on the subject of all things salted and cured, let’s talk about Omnivore Salt, the new locally produced salt blend that is creating quite a stir among local chefs and home cooks alike. Creator Angelo Garro learned the secrets of his spiced salt blend as a young boy in Sicily, as most Italians do: from his grandmother. Garro, a blacksmith by trade, and hunter, gatherer and cook by passion, has called San Francisco home for many decades, but he still maintains his Sicilian traditions. Garro’s friends had told him for years that he needed to sell his “secret

salt,” and so he finally did! Harvested off the coasts of Northern California, the natural sea salt is mixed with wild fennel and other organic, GMO-free herbs and spices for a blend that livens up meats, as well as vegetables, hence the name. You’ll find Omnivore Salt in the pantries of Michael Pollan and Alice Waters, and on the shelves of many local grocers including Driver’s Market, both Oakville Grocery locations and Whole Foods Markets. OmnivoreSalt.com We’re all a bit harried during the holidays, so what better gift to offer your loved one, or boss or co-worker, than the luxury of a week’s worth of delicious, nutritious ready-to-eat meals delivered right to their door? Jessie et Laurent has been lovingly preparing and delivering meals throughout the SF Bay area for over 30 years. With sumptuous entrees, soups, salads and desserts prepared fresh each day using locally sourced ingredients, Jessie et Laurent will fill their fridge or freezer with a host of delicious dinnertime options. JessieEtLaurent.com or 415.485.1122. The Giacomini family has gone way “beyond the blue” in recent years with the development of their Point Reyes Farmstead dairy operation, creamery and culinary center, The Fork. Farm dinners at The Fork sell out seemingly before the dates are even posted, so get in early and surprise your loved one with seats at the table. For a gift that will continue to give back for many meals to come, enroll yourself and a loved one in one of The Fork’s cooking classes. And for the folks on your list who live too far away to enjoy a hands-on experience at The Fork (and even for those who can!), a Point Reyes Farmstead gift basket is sure to thrill. The Taste of Point Reyes gift pack includes wedges of Point Reyes Farmstead’s award-winning Original Blue, Bay Blue and Toma cheeses, along with The Fork’s own Maple Pepper Nuts, a jar of Bonnie Bee San Rafael honey and wooden honey dipper and logoed cheese knife, all hand-packed inside a Point Reyes Farmstead soft cooler. Shipping is available to anywhere in

the country and includes a personalized note and a greeting from the farm. PointReyesCheese.com or PointReyesCheese.com/TheFork. Need something for that special someone who seemingly has everything? Rae Vitorelli of San Anselmoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cocoagraph offers edible photographsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;your own image, printed onto bars of organic Guittard chocolate. Send Rae your favorite â&#x20AC;&#x153;Instasâ&#x20AC;? and sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll turn them into art thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good enough to eat! Cocoagraph.com Life is sweet at La ForĂŞt chocolates. The chocoholics on your list will be most impressed when gifted a )2 ) ." - Ĺ?( ") )& . - crafted in the heart of wine country. Sample seasonal selections of their confections at their retail shop or send their Holiday Gift Box, gift wrapped and ready for delivery nationwide. A seasonal La ForĂŞt collection might include favorites like dark chocolate honeycomb, Maldon sea salt caramels, almond turtles, peppermint cups, chocolate-dipped orange peels and buttery pecan toffee. 3261 Browns Valley Rd., Napa; LaForetChocolate.com

The folks at Clif Family Farm and Winery have once again gathered a wide array of delicious gift ideas featuring their Clif Family Wines and Clif Family Kitchen specialty foods. A trio of farm fresh preserves from their certified organic Clif Family Farm will deliver the best of summer to their table all year long, or intrigue with a gift of dukkah (pronounced DEW-kah), an exotic accompaniment to bread and olive oil (which the Clif Family Farm can also provide), and delicious sprinkled on roasted veggies, pasta, meats and salads. These gifts and more can be found in the wineryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s St. Helena tasting room or online. Use code EDIBLECFW for 20% off all gift sets, wine and specialty food products through December 31. Velo Vino Napa Valley, 709 Main St., St. Helena; ClifFamilyWinery.com.

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve made your list but have you checked it twice? This next gift is a perfect present for that friend who needs a little boost out of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;nestâ&#x20AC;? when it comes to cooking. Saffron + Kumquats is a foodie subscription box designed to make 2*&),#(! ( 1 Ĺ? 0),- -3 ( /(| ), $/-. ÂĽsqÂ&#x2022; ')(."} 3)/, ),./( . )) # 1#&& , #0 Ĺ?0 recipes and the spicy ingredients needed to cook up an exotic feast. One month might focus on Persian food and the next on Thai. Just make sure you are on their invite list! SaffronAndKumquats.com During the old days at Stornetta Dairy, Al Stornetta had a holiday tradition of mixing up a 500-gallon batch of eggnog with â&#x20AC;&#x153;a little something special added inâ&#x20AC;?: 30 gallons of whiskey from Vallergas Market in Napa. This â&#x20AC;&#x153;Brandied Eggnogâ&#x20AC;? was packaged in special cartons and given as gifts to customers, distribution managers and chefs. We say Clover Stornettaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Organic Eggnog is â&#x20AC;&#x153;a little something specialâ&#x20AC;? with or without the addition of the hard stuff. Rich and creamy, the eggnog is made with Cloverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s organic milk sourced from family farms in our area, organic cane sugar, eggs and special holiday spices. Cheers to that! CloverStornetta.com And speaking of the brown stuffâ&#x20AC;Ś â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bourbon. And then thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s divine inspiration painstakingly crafted into a spirit so sublime youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll want to share it with the world.â&#x20AC;? The distillers of Angelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Envy Cask Strength Limited-Edition start their process by producing Ĺ?( )/, )( ( ,3 } ." ( ! the bourbon in ruby port wine casks and the rye in rum barrels. The results are intense, sexy and super-premium bourbon and rye that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be proud to gift (and serve!) to your most discerning cocktail connoisseurs. Available at many local spirits specialists and at AngelsEnvy.com/Expressions/Cask. Another destination sure to delight the chocolate lovers on your list is St. Helenaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Woodhouse Chocolates. The sophisticated Hatbox Samplers from Woodhouse are simply to die for. In shades of blue or red, these elegant gift boxes are as pleasing to the eye as they are to the palate. Or sweeten up your recipient with a tin of Dark Hot Chocolate, assorted Caramels with Fleur de Sel, assorted Caramels with Aleppo Chile Salt, Dark Chocolate Bars with Fleur de Sel, Milk Chocolate Bars with Fruit & Nuts, Salty Savory Bars,

Elephant Peanut Butter Cups, assorted Caramel Helenas, dark chocolate Sea Turtles, milk choco& . (!&#-" ) ), ,% .,/ Ĺ? -| rtwx #( .|} St. Helena; WoodhouseChocolate.com After taking home several awards from local homebrew competitions, Fran Toves decided to bring her Common Cider to a wider audience. And, boy, are we glad she did! Brewed in the Sierra Foothills, the cider stands apart from its sweeter competitors by remaining dry and incorporating unique Ĺ? 0), *,)Ĺ?& - -/ " - "# #- /-} & ')( saison and pumpkin pie. These local, seasonal brews are sure to light up any holiday gathering, and would make fabulous adult stocking stuffers, too! Available at independent grocers throughout the North Bay. Facebook.com/CommonCider

As Alexander Fleming said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Penicillin cures, but wine makes people happy.â&#x20AC;? Give the gift of happiness this holiday from Three Birds Wine Bar in Corte Madera. Offering over 20 wines by ." !& --} /( ( / .#)( & Ĺ?#!". . -.#(!- ( delicious locally sourced â&#x20AC;&#x153;snacks,â&#x20AC;? Three Birds showcases unique small-production boutique wines that any wine lover would be thrilled to receive. This season Three Birdsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; owners Nat and Kate Doran especially recommend three small production wines that have deep connections to Marin County. Brooks Note 2012 Pinot Noir, Marin County, offers â&#x20AC;&#x153;vibrant raspberry, cherry, blueberry and earthy notes, supported by an elegant structure.â&#x20AC;? Skywalker Vineyards 2011 Pinot Noir is produced from George Lucasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Skywalker Vineyards, high on a ridge in Marin County. This is a wine with â&#x20AC;&#x153;stunning ruby and violet color, and warm spice and dark cherry notes.â&#x20AC;? Located in the cooler part of the Anderson Valley, Angel Camp vineyard (owned by Mill Valley residents) rests below the coastal fog each morning, before emerging into the sunlight near midday. Its Angel Camp 2012 Pinot Noir is Â&#x2C6;#(. (- ( Ĺ?), & ." ()- )* (- 1#." ,)- * . &} bramble and strawberry, followed by hints of marjoram and white pepper.â&#x20AC;? Make sure you have time to savor your own glass, or two, while youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re shoppingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thirsty work! 207 Corte Madera Ave., Corte Madera; ThreeBirdsWineBar.com EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

CONSIDER THE CRAFT: Budding baristas and beer-loving besties Coffee culture is described as â&#x20AC;&#x153;a social atmosphere or series of associated social behaviors that depend heavily upon coffee as a social lubricant.â&#x20AC;? If you have a craftcoffee-lovinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; cousin or co-worker on your list this year, Equator Coffee is where itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s at. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing new about coffee, but there is a new place in town to rediscover how itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s meant to be served and savored. Coffee and coffeehouses date back to 14th century Turkey, and Marin-based Equator Coffee has brought back the coffeehouse in the traditional sense of the word. Anyone who has visited them at their Proof Lab location (244 Shoreline Hwy., Mill Valley) knows they have perfected the craft and can brew a quality cup of joe (Chef Thomas Keller apparently thinks so, as Equator coffee is poured at all of his restaurants). A bag of beans is an obvious go-to gift, but what about the coffee-loving cycling enthusiast? If you have one of these on your list (and you probably do), Equator is proud to announce the arrival of their custom cycling kits manufactured in Italy by Capo Cycling. Budding home baristas seem to abound these days and Equator also offers a variety of brewing kits to get them going each morning. With names like The Commuter, The Dorm Room Special and The Coffee Pro, the kits are practically pre-selected for you. While holiday shopping in downtown Mill Valley, be sure to stop in and refuel at Equatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newest F &) .#)( . sĂ&#x2039; #&& , Ă&#x152;0 | ( #.#)( .) Equatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signature coffees and teas, this location serves wine and beer, as well as sweet and savory waffles, salads and other treats. EquatorCoffees.com The Mill Valley Market boasts a selection of over 400 nearly impossible-to-find beers. A subscription to their carefully curated Mill Valley Market Beer Club is just the thing your suds-loving family member, friend or co-worker would be thrilled to find under the tree this year. The club offers its members a sampling of world-class craft brews including refreshing pilsners, deep pale ales, hop-ified IPAs, burnt chocolate porters and cigar-pairing stouts delivered right to their doorstep (pickup is also available). The Mill Valley Market also offers a Wine Club for all the oenophiles on your list! 12 Corte Madera Ave., Mill Valley; MillValleyMarket.com 44

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

Cibo, pronounced â&#x20AC;&#x153;CHEE-bo,â&#x20AC;? continues to serve the Sausalito community, visitors and beyond with its refreshingly simple, yet sophisticated, vision of how great food should be sourced, prepared and enjoyed. Owners Alfredo and Tera Ancona and their team craft savory and sweet fare in their warm and welcoming cafĂŠ and coffee bar and Tera herself roasts Ciboâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s special hand-selected single-origin, organic, fair-trade, green coffee beans sourced directly from small farms in the cafĂŠâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s candy apple red Giesen roaster. Pick up Ciboâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exceptional house-roasted beans packaged in recyclable and refillable tins or bags for all the coffee lovers on your list this holiday season. Oh, and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget the cookies! 1201 Bridgeway Ave., Sausalito; CiboSausalito.com

TAKING CARE: Detoxes, cleanses and gifts that grow Focused on providing exceptional natural healthcare products, education and support, Gathering Thyme is a community herb shop and holistic health education center. In the retail shop you will find a wide array of high-quality herbal products; an extensive selection of organic face and body care products for women, men and children; and a large selection of new and used natural healthcare books. But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the knowledgeable service provided by owner Cheryl Fromholzer and her staff that really make this place special. Just talking to them brings a sense of well-being. For the more curious loved one, enroll them in one of Gathering Thymeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s educational offerings like a Food as Medicine workshop, or the extensive Explorations in Traditional Western Herbalism certification course. Well above and beyond â&#x20AC;&#x153;an apple a day,â&#x20AC;? stuffing their stockings with these gems will show them you really care! 226 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., San Anselmo; GatheringThyme.com

If good health is on your radar, then your compass should point north to Petalumaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cold Press Organic Beverage Company. Cold Pressâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

mission is to craft fresh, delicious, energizing and nutritious beverages for all to enjoy. Give a gift guaranteed to revitalize and rejuvenateâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; and what more could anyone want, especially after the holiday feasting. New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resolution time, anyone? Cold Pressâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s detoxifying nectars are sure to deliver. 256 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma; TheColdPressOrganic.com Give the gift of green this year. Did you know that microgreens have four to six times the nutritional value of the fully grown plant? That means that eating one-half cup of microgreens is the nutritional equivalent of eating two to three cups of the fullsize leafy vegetables. The profound health benefits of eating fresh, highly nutritious vegetables every day are obvious, but what isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t so obvious is that these babies are easy to grow, easy to harvest and even easier to prepare and digest! Mount Tam Microgreens custom mixes include non-GMO seed packets with names like One World (Chinese tatsoi, Russian kale, American rocket, Indian amaranth, Japanese mustard and mizuna, and Italian broccoli) and Nicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mix (super-spicy blend of scarlet mustard, red mizuna, arugula, red kale and red lettuces) make unique gifts for budding gardeners and even the smallest city-slicked porch, deck, patio or rooftop space will do. Available at the Marin Country Mart Farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Markets on Saturdays, and at Green Jeans Garden Supply, 590 Redwood Hwy., Mill Valley. MtTamMicrogreens.com

Somebody on your list loves salsa. Maybe everybody. Give the gift that will allow them to reap what they sow and produce a fresh gardento-table salsa next summer thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so good theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll

want to put a label on it. Marin-based Living Seed Company offers 100% open-pollinated organic heirloom seeds, individually packaged or in tasty â&#x20AC;&#x153;collections.â&#x20AC;? Their Salsa Collection includes the seeds of heirloom varieties of jalapeĂąo pepper, cilantro, San Marzano tomato, yellow pear, purple tomatillo, green tomatillo and purplette onion, as well as recipes. The companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pizza Garden Collection would make terrific stocking stuffers for every kid on your list! Find Living Seed Company seeds and collections at Healdsburg SHED, Bayside Nursery in Tiburon and at LivingSeedCompany.com. Salute the sun this holiday. Yoga Tree SFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Corte Madera location offers a wide variety of classes and styles to fit the needs of everyone in our community, including Hatha, Vinyasa, Iyengar, pre- and post-natal, restorative, power yoga and meditation. Gift certificates for classes and workshops and a wide array of spiritual tools and yoga accessories and clothing make wonderful gifts. From Acroyoga to Forrest and Shadow Yoga; to each their own. Align your list as well as your posture over the holidays. YogaTreeSF.com

If you missed last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Napa Truffle Festival, mark your calendars for January 16â&#x20AC;&#x201C;19, 2015, for a chance to taste, test and experience â&#x20AC;&#x153;the diamond of the kitchen.â&#x20AC;? Where world-class cuisine meets cutting-edge truffle science, this highly anticipated annual culinary event highlights all that is the glorious subterranean fungi. NapaTruffleFestival.com Music, wine and food lovers on your list this year? Of course there are! Deliver all three in one tidy package with a gift from Napaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hottest new venue, City Winery at the historic Napa Valley Opera House. With sister properties in New York City, Chicago and Nashville, you know this crew knows how to deliver good music, and good food. Dining gift certificates, memberships to City Wineryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s VinoFile Wine Club and tickets to world-class live music are all available at 1030 Main St., Napa, and CityWinery.com/Napa.

EXPERIENCES & ENTERTAINMENT

SALTY STAYCATIONS California Highway 1 is one of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most scenic and idyllic roadscapes. Lucky us to be living within an easy hop of the coastal drive with its world-class views, and the many outstanding stops along the way . Only about a 35-minute drive on Highway 1 from San Franciscoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Golden Gate is the sleepy and salty seaside town of Stinson Beach. Stinsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s locals and visitors alike flock to the beach for daily doses of sun, sand and surfâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;year round! Let the experts at Seadrift Realty find the perfect property for your stayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;oceanside or on the lagoon, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll tuck you in. Stay salty, Stinson. We love you. SeadriftRealty.com Just a bit farther north youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find the oyster-centric outpost of Marshall and the historic cottages of Nickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cove. If you read â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Croftâ&#x20AC;? writeup in our Fall 2014 issue, you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be surprised to be eating hyper-locally, as well as deliciously, while dining at Nickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s restaurant and oyster bar. Thrill your loved one with a reservation to get cozy in one of Nickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s collection of waterfront cottages named after iconic characters who have made their mark on this historic habitation, from previous owners of the site Ruthie and Al Gibson to the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Red-Legged Frog.â&#x20AC;? 23240 California Hwy. 1, Marshall; NicksCove.com If getting away from it all is the goal, Riverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s End in Sonoma Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coastal gem, Jenner, is the place to set your compass towards. You wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Ĺ?( - ), 1#Ĺ? #( ." ).. ! - . #0 ,Â&#x2039;- ( Â&#x201D;)( */,*)- Â&#x201D; /. 3)/Â&#x2039;&& Ĺ?( ,)' ( } -* . /& , views, lovingly prepared locally sourced food, craft cocktails and plenty of warm hospitality. 11048 California Hwy. 1, Jenner. ILoveSunsets.com

Even Prince Charles came to West Marin when he wanted to learn more about organic farming practices, not to mention savor world-class, locally sourced and prepared foods. Now even non-royals can experience the best the area has to offer through Elizabeth Hillâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s West Marin Food & Farm Tours. For a gift thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fit for a king, treat your loved one to one of Hillâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fabulous new farm dinner offerings, or a cheese, oyster or Flavors of West Marin culinary tour, or an overflowing gift basket filled with the best artisan food products from our area. FoodAndFarmTours.com

This holiday season â&#x20AC;&#x153;youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll fall head over Healdsburgâ&#x20AC;? as the town invites you to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dine Around Healdsburg.â&#x20AC;? This progressive feast includes four courses from 15 of Healdsburgâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest restaurants, all conveniently located near the historic Healdsburg Plaza or a short drive to your next stop. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Healdsburg Shared Ministries Food Pantry and North County Consortium Healdsburg. December 3 & 4 and 10 & 11. Healdsburg.com

Travel a bit inland from the Sonoma Coast and follow the Russian River to Guerneville and Dawn Ranch. The historic 15-acre property sits along the river, nestled amongst towering redwoods. Individual cottages blend harmoniously into the stunning landscape of ancient apple orchards, bamboo groves, grassy meadows and beautifully landscaped gardens. And did we mention the gorgeous swimming pool!? The Agriculture Public House restaurant at Dawn Ranch serves up locally sourced, organic fare and the full service bar offers local beers, wine and handcrafted cocktails. Check in and you might never leave! 16467 River Rd., Guerneville. DawnRanch.com EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

AND EVEN MORE EDIBLES

Stay out of the malls this holiday season, and support our local food artisans, by taking your entire shopping list to one (or several!) of our wonderful year-round farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; markets. Agricultural Community Events Farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Markets in Fairfax, Kenwood, Cotati, Marinwood, Novato (Downtown), Petaluma (East-Side) and Santa Rosa (Veterans Bldg.) (CommunityFarmersMarkets.com); the Agricultural Institute of Marinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Thursday and Sunday farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; markets at the Marin County Civic Center (AgriculturalInstitute. org); and the Golden Gate Farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Markets in Corte Madera and Mill Valley (415.382.7846) all offer lush winter produce, local California olive oils and vinegars, artisan-crafted cheeses, local honeys and bee products, nuts, jams and jellies, plants, Ĺ?)1 ,-} , -"&3 % , -} % !)) - #( &/ ing sweet and savory pies and cakes, handmade -) *- ( ." - &.-} Ĺ?( ,.} , '# -} $ 1 &,3 and gift cards for absolutely everyone on your list.

This year the Agricultural Institute of Marin is making it easy to build your own farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; market gift basket by offering jute totes and hand-woven baskets at their information booth at the Thursday and Sunday farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; markets at the Marin Civic Ă&#x160; (. ,| # % )( /* ( Ĺ?&& #. 1#." !)) # - ,)' your favorite local farmers and craft food producers. 46

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

We still really love the idea of giving a subscription to a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program this year. Your recipient will thank you every time they open their box filled with locally grown or produced bountyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and, hopefully, invite you over to share! Check out the list of CSAs on page 54 of this issue of Edible Marin & Wine Country to find one close to you and the folks on your list!

Good Earth Market has settled quite nicely into its not-so-new (anymore) larger home in Fairfax and, with plenty of space to showcase the organic local bounty, the impeccable-sourcing market is also offering more than just good food this holiday season. Their floral department offers a gorgeous assortment of cut flowers and arrangements, as well as living plants, all guaranteed to dress up any holiday table. And all Veriflora certified. Unique, feel-good gift ideas from Good Earth are handcrafted felt ornaments made in the villages of Mount Kork-Kichik-tau, Kyrgyzstan. Good Earth has supported the co-op of artists in these isolated Central Asian villages in a collaborative effort with Silk Road Bazaar for many years. A Good Earth gift certificate is always a â&#x20AC;&#x153;no-failâ&#x20AC;? gift, providing your fortunate recipient with the opportunity to choose just the thing they really need or love. 720 Center Blvd., Fairfax; GENatural.com Good Earth has San Rafael-based Sun First Solar to thank for installing the massive solar project at their new location. 852 panels cover 40,000 square feet of rooftop, parking lot and neighboring spaces and structures; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the sixthlargest solar system in Marin County. By choosing 100% renewable energy, Good Earth has reduced their annual greenhouse gas emissions by a whopping 500,000 pounds of CO2 per year. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the equivalent of saving over 25,000 gallons of gasoline annually, or planting nearly 6,000 tree seedlings each year, and letting them grow for a decade. Contact Sun First Solar to find out how easy and cost effective it can be to do your part this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a gift to yourself, and the environment. SunFirstSolar.com

Founded in 1881, Oakville Grocery is the oldest continually operating grocery store in California. A must-stop place to shop while traveling through the wine country, Oakville Groceryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original location sits alongside the St. Helena Highway at the Oakville Crossover Road. Their second location sits just off the plaza in Sonoma Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wine country destination of Healdsburg. The gifting possibilities here for a California food and wine lover are endless. The shelves and bins of both stores are stocked full of gourmet snacks and spreads, oils and vinegars, housewares and more. Too hard to choose? No worries. The talented team behind Oakville Grocery has put together a gift basket that is sure to please. The Taste of Oakville basket includes their five best selling signature products; strawberry preserves and pumpkin butter made fresh from strawberries and pumpkins grown at their own Rudd Farms; smoked sea salt, which will add a hickorysmoked kick to your favorite meats; artichoke almond spread, which is a blend of artichoke hearts, lemon, almonds, fire-roasted garlic and parmesan cheese; and lemon curd made from locally grown lemons, which they love scooped on scones or drizzled on vanilla ice cream. 7856 St. Helena Hwy., Oakville. 124 Matheson St., Healdsburg. OakvilleGrocery.com At Whole Foods Marketsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; eight locations in the North Bay, every aisle is filled with edible gifts for the local-loving foodie on your list. Consult with specialists in their holiday ordering department for your catering and party platter needs, visit their floral department for holiday centerpieces, and stroll down seasonal gift aisles where youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find unique items like Sausalito-based Green Toys for the little ones. Made locally in California from recycled plastic milk jugs, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll feel great about placing these under the tree. Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make up your mind? A gift card is another great stocking stuffer, which guarantees they will like what they get. WholeFoodsMarket.com

Ginger, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon and saffron, oh my! The sites, smells and tastes of this NorthAfrican-meets-Mediterranean-style-cuisine culinary storehouse has the potential of transporting you to the cobblestone streets outside the Alhambra of Granada or across the Straits of Gibraltar to the medinas of Fes and Tangier. For the wanderlust and spice enthusiasts on your list, a tagine starter kit from The Spanish Table is a well-seasoned and cultured gift. The kit includes a traditional clay tagine pot, as well as harissa and couscous from the Les Moulins Mahjoub farm in Tebourba. Following 3,000 years of agricultural tradition and located in one of the most fertile regions in Tunisia, the farm employs the entire village in the care, production and packaging of their acclaimed artisanal goods. A house-made Tagine Spice Blend brings it all together. Don’t worry. The kit comes with a step-by-step cookbook, Tagines and Cous Cous: Delicious recipes for Moroccan one-pot cooking (Ryland Peters & Small, 2010). Put all the above together and, with a few turns of the wooden spoon, you will be whisked away to the ancient walled cities of Morocco and Tunisia. 800 Redwood Hwy., Mill Valley; SpanishTable.com or SpanishTableWines.com Beekind, purveyor of all things bee-related— honey, beeswax, candles, lotions, soaps, ointments and more—not only barters for bees but will also teach your friend or family member how to raise them themselves. Beekeeping classes are taught by expert beekeeper and owner of Beekind, Doug Vincent. A truly unusual and wonderful gift—for the lucky recipient and our local environment. 921 Gravenstein Hwy. S., Sebastopol; and the Ferry Plaza Building, San Francisco. Beekind.com Butterscots at Cairdean Estate is a brand new bakery, deli and culinary boutique that is another one stop-hot spot for your holiday gifting needs. In addition to delicious breakfast and lunch items that will keep your energy up for all of the shopping, Butterscots offers artisan

food products expertly curated by Chef Joseph Humphrey, alongside vintage and cutting edge kitchen and culinary accessories. A few of our favorites include hand-foraged specialty ingredients from Napa’s Wineforest Wild Foods and sea salt hand-harvested off the Oregon coast from Jacobsen Salt Company in flavors like Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir. Coveted by top chefs across the country, these treats will add spice to the flavors of your favorite home cooks. DeJong & Co.’s exquisite hand-turned rolling pins and cutting boards will make any baker on your list kiss you under the mistletoe. Raw Material’s handmade organic cotton table linens, made in Seattle using 100% USA grown-cotton, and white cedar grooved chargers from Whidbey

GET SMART Our area is blessed with a wealth of wonderful cooking schools, offering exciting culinary classes for students of all levels. Classes make great gifts for kitchen novices and seasoned chefs alike because, as anyone with a wooden spoon and recipe file knows, there’s always something unexpected and delicious to discover in the kitchen. Check out the wide array of unique classes offered at Sonoma’s Ramekins Culinary School (Ramekins.com). Classes and workshops for the nutritionally minded abound at Bauman College (BaumanCollege.org). And for any aspiring professional chef on your list, the Napa Valley Cooking School (NVCookingSchool.com) in St. Helena offers the highquality, intensive training required for a culinary career. The disciplined and professional learning environment, availability of global externships, low student-teacher ratio and focus on sustainability make the Napa Valley Cooking School unique. They also offer year-round individual classes for everyone taught by world-class chefs!

THE GIFT OF GIVING BACK

Island, Washington’s Wood Turnco Goods are just a glimpse of the other unusual gift items you won’t find anywhere else. And last, but certainly not least, any of Cairdean Estate’s wines, or a membership to their wine club, will thrill the oenophiles on your list. 3111 St. Helena Hwy., St. Helena. CairdeanEstate.com For many folks on your list, a dining gift certificate is just the perfect gift. Teachers, coaches, neighbors, friends or colleagues—who wouldn’t be thrilled with the gift of $$ to spend at one of our area’s wonderful restaurants and cafés. In Marin, look to Cibo, Piazza D’Angelo, Driver’s Market, Flour Craft Bakery, Foodniks, Equator Coffee, Hilltop 1892, Hog Island Oyster Co.’s farm, Marche Aux Fleurs, Molina, Nick’s Cove, Piatti Mill Valley and Rustic Bakery cafés. In Napa, treat them to some delicious fare from Butterscots, Ca’Momi, City Winery, The Farmer & The Fox, Hog Island Oyster Bar, Oakville Grocery or Whole Foods Market. In Sonoma County, choose from Agriculture Public House at Dawn Ranch, El Dorado Kitchen, Epicurean Connection, River’s End, Thistle Meats, Underwood Bar and Bistro, Whole Foods Markets and Willow Wood Market Café.

Sometimes it really is the thought that counts. We all have folks on our list who “have everything.” Think about making a gift in their name to one of the non-for-profits featured in this issue, Ceres Community Project (CeresProject. org), Daily Acts (DailyActs.org), Marin Organic (MarinOrganic.org), Insight Garden Program (InsightGardenProgram.org) and Food of Love (NVYAC.org/nvyac-programs/food-of-love), or one of the other very worthy organizations in our area working towards a sustainable, clean, fair and delicious food system. A donation in your loved one’s name to one our local food banks; Community Action Napa Valley’s Food Bank (CANV.org), Sonoma’s Redwood Empire Food Bank (REFB.org), or the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank (SFMFoodBank. org) also makes an important and meaningful gift—of time or money. Any (and all) of the three land trusts in our area—Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT. org); Napa Land Trust (NapaLandTrust.org); and Sonoma Land Trust (SonomaLandTrust. org)—that actively promote sustainability, organic and family farm practices, as well as the preservation of open space for future generations to enjoy, are also very worthy organizations to consider donating to this holiday season. EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

ADD SOME SPARKLE Let the inner-botanist in you come out and play. At Cottage Gardens of Petaluma 3)/ 1#&& Ĺ?( living treasures that are sure to turn any average thumb greenâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;for the holidays at least. Considered one of the best nurseries in the North Bay, these guys specialize in everything from fruit trees to berries, currants to clematis. 3995 Emerald Dr., Petaluma; CottageGardensOfPet.com Green Door Design in Mill Valleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tam Junction offers custom floral installations year round, specializing in orchids and succulents. During the holidays, the jewel box of a storefront transforms into a wonderland of fresh and fragrant holiday wreaths, decorative garlands and flowering plants. Nothing spreads Christmas cheer like the sight of a spectacular red or white amaryllis. Visit owner Susie Turner for dazzlingly designed gifts and your own holiday decorations at 231 A Flamingo Rd., Mill Valley. GreenDoorDesign.net Matthew Carden, the creator of Edible Marin & Wine Countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cherry on Top art, uses toys and )) #( "#- Ĺ?( Â&#x2019; ,. *").)!, *"3 .) ,#(! /- #(.) different realm. You can pick up one of Matthewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s playful pieces at his studio in downtown Novato, Super Fresh Food Art Gallery. 906 Grant Ave., Novato, or online at MatthewCarden.com

Matthewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wife, Jennifer, talented chef, cookbook author, and Edible Marin & Wine Countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Stoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Soup Corner columnist, recently released Little Pretty Baking Kit: petite cakes to make and give (Chronicle Books, 2013). Crafty culinarians will love this adorable mini-treat baking-and-decorating kit that includes recipes, mini-baking pans in three gorgeous designs, colorful ribbon, die-cut gift labels and treat bags. Use the playful kit to make your own edible gifts, or gift the kit itself! Available at local booksellers. PlayfulPantry.Wordpress.com 48

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

Gifts of the handmade variety never go out of style. Mill Valleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Once Around is a one-stop shop for all things crafty! Visit the store to be inspired and motivated, then pick up all the supplies you need to get startedâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;or get them started! Once Around, the felting, stamping, sewing, wreath-making, dĂŠcoupage, drawing, candle-crafting, fabric-printing, bookbinding, painting, knitting, calligraphy, embroidery and moreâ&#x20AC;Ś arts & crafts store. 352 Miller Ave., Mill Valley; OnceAround.com

Bright, bold and beautiful, Terrestra in Mill Valley is a shop worthy of gallery status. The space itself is a gift to the eye, with jewelcolored goods lining the walls and filling the tables. From housewares to finely crafted accessories, Terrestra is the place to shop for one-of-a-kind pieces guaranteed to impress your most artistic and elegant friends. Our special pick this year is the picture-perfect pour of an Orbix glass pitcher, the most popular version of the Curly pitchers crafted by Alabama artisan Cal Breed. Each pitcher is a unique functional art object designed to be used daily and treasured for a lifetime. 30 Miller Ave., Mill Valley; Terrestra.com

Good things come in small packages, and our friends at Alix & Co. Jewelers continue to prove this old adage to be true. Janet Alix and her team responsibly source gems, stones and metals to make one-of-a-kind, madeto-order masterpieces. The Leaf & Vine and Fresh Rock design collections are my personal favorites. Alix says she was inspired by the luscious green hills and forests of Marin

County to create the Leaf & Vine series. Spanning the gamut from simple bands to elaborate bouquets, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find something perfectly beautiful here. 55 Throckmorton, Mill Valley; AlixAndCompany.com

If luxury, quality and care are high on the list for your wife, mother, daughter, sister or friend this year, be sure and stock their vanities with â&#x20AC;&#x153;scents that smell beautiful and anti-aging skincare that really worksâ&#x20AC;? from Mill Valley-based True Nature Botanicals. Deliver her a â&#x20AC;&#x153;spa in a jarâ&#x20AC;? with True Natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pacific Exfoliating Moisture Mask. Used once a week, this luxurious mask will keep her skin soft, bright and smooth. We can say from personal experience that it worksâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;wonders. For all-over luxury, look to True Natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pacific Body Oil, made with nourishing and luxurious watermelon, sesame seed and apricot kernel oils that penetrate deep to where dryness originates to keep winter skin soft and hydrated. Used after a soothing bath, this transportive oil gives the gift of relaxation. Made with an abundance of noble materials, True Natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brand new line of luxury solid perfumes is available in three scents. Noble Citrus will take her on a stroll through a perfect Pacific orange grove surrounded by fragrant cypress trees, twisted and tangled by the cool western winds, with its notes of bergamot, orris and cypress. Noble Floral will leave her luxuriating in a California garden in bloom, nectar-rich, dappled with peppery-leaved citrus trees of orange and lemon. Noble Woods with its high notes of vetiver, amber and labdanum, will lead her to discover a majestic forest nestled between the Sierra Mountains and the wild Pacific coast, rich with deep resins and sacred woods. True Nature Botanicals products are crafted without the use of any toxic ingredients. Ever. Visit the retail store at 29 Miller Ave., Mill Valley, or shop online. TNBotanicals.com

DREAM BIG

BOOKS FOR COOKS

Why not turn your dream house into a reality this year by soliciting the help of Earthtone Construction. The Sebastopol-based LEED-certified general contracting company’s creed is “sustainable, practical and mindful,” and their long list of clients and projects is impressive for its inclusion of leading green businesses and family homes built to the highest sustainable standards. Building structures “that fit the environment and the community,” Earthtone can turn your vision into a foundation. Whether you’re looking to remodel or start from scratch, or leaning towards “farmhouse” or something more contemporary, the expert team at Earthtone Construction can make it happen. 6932 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol; EarthtoneConstruction.com

One of the most beautiful and long-lasting ways to contribute to your loved one’s kitchen is by giving them one (or several) of the wonderful new cookbooks published in the last year. We are blessed this year with dozens to choose from, but we’ve narrowed it down to a handful of our favorites. All are available at your local bookseller!

If Stephen Gordon’s guideboats could talk, they just might say “don’t call me a canoe” (with a flip of an oar). A guideboat by definition refers to the length of the oars, the leverage the rower has, the depth of his seat, and the high bow and stern (all better to keep the waves out). In plain speak, a guideboat is a handcrafted work of art designed to float, and just plain sexy. Visit Guideboat in the historic Mill Valley Lumber Yard to see this eye candy for yourself, and all the other absolutely fantastic gear brought to us by Guideboat and Restoration Hardware founder Stephen Gordon. The ultimate gift of the guide this year is Guideboat’s rendition of the late-19th-century rowboat, the Peapod. No body of water to row? Gordon’s exquisite eye has searched the studios and workrooms of the world’s finest craftspeople to bring back women’s and men’s clothing and accessories that you simply won’t find anywhere else. Shop online at GuideBoatCompany.com or visit the flagship store at 129 Miller Ave., Mill Valley.

Chef Christopher Kostow of The Restaurant at Meadowood has just released his cookbook, A New Napa Cuisine (Ten Speed Press, 2014) in time for the holiday season. As the title suggests, Chef Kostow aims to shatter preconceived notions about Napa Valley chefs, their cuisine, techniques and menus with this gorgeous book. Chef Kostow sheds light upon a transformative effect that new, raw talent has brought to the valley—one “full of dynamism, youth and promise.” The book also tells Kostow’s own story—from festival cook to the driving force behind a three-Michelin-starred restaurant that the Wall Street Journal recently praised as a “temple of modern American cuisine.”

Another cookbook that’s sure to awe and inspire this season, Bar Tartine by Chad Robertson and Elisabeth Prueitt (Chronicle Books, 2014). Anyone who has dined at Bar Tartine can attest to the house-made everything… From fermented foodstuffs to pickled produce; Bar Tartine will help the home cook deliver dishes from their favorite SF eatery; soups to salads, to shared plates and sweets.

The first half details how to build your pantry (everything from pickling recipes to spice mixes), while the second half dives into recipes using those same larder foodstuffs. With more than 150 photographs, this highly anticipated “sequel” cookbook is a true original. Cocktails for the Holidays: Festive Drinks to Celebrate the Season (Chronicle Books, 2014). Cheers to celebrating the year’s end with 50 delicious cocktail recipes, both contemporary and classic. Author Karen Foley, James Beard Award–winning editor of Imbibe magazine, delivers an expertly curated array of recipes and gorgeous photos, making this a musthave for any host looking to keep the spirits flowing this holiday season.Bread is one of the most fundamental parts of our diet, yet so many of us rely on bland grocery-store offerings when flavorsome breads can easily be made at home. Della Fattoria Bread: 63 Foolproof Recipes for Yeasted, Enriched & Naturally Leavened Breads (Artisan, 2014), from Petaluma’s own Della Fattoria, takes home bakers on a step-by-step journey to doing just that. More than an instructional guide, the book takes the fear out of bread baking and encourages bakers to draw on their senses, experiences and instincts. Author and Della Fattoria owner Kathleen Weber’s teachings are homespun and based on passeddown wisdom, not on finicky science or dull kitchen textbooks. The book includes recipes for all levels of bakers; beginners can learn to bake yeasted breads using pans, and advanced bakers can jump right into making free-form loaves of naturally leavened breads in all shapes and flavors. Other chapters include recipes for enriched breads like brioche and challah, baguettes, crackers, breadsticks, naan and more. EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

The Story of Two Restaurants HEIDI INSALATA KRAHLING

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

Marinitas

Marin chef Heidi Krahling’s recently released book Insalata’s and Marinitas: The Story of Two Restaurants (2014) is Insalata’s Marinitas filled with recipes from both of Krahling’s local hotspots. A follow up to Krahling’s first cookbook, Insalata’s Mediterranean Table (Laura Parker Studio, 2009), this new cookbook provides an opportunity for the chef to celebrate Marinitas’ LatinAmerican-inspired dishes, as well as the classic Mediterranean-inspired favorites from Insalata’s. Artist and book collaborator Laura Parker, whose art adorns the walls of Insalata’s, illustrates the chapters with her vivid, sensuous drawings in this sure to please new release. and

Sean Brock is the chef behind the gamechanging Charleston, South Carolina, restaurants Husk and McCrady’s, and his first book, Heritage (Artisan, 2014) offers many of his most sought-after recipes. With a drive to preserve the heritage foods of the South, Brock dishes are ingredient-driven and reinterpret the flavors of his youth in Appalachia, as well as his adopted hometown of Charleston. The book’s recipes run the gamut from beloved comfort foods to the carefully crafted dishes for which he has become so well-known. Brock’s interpretations of Southern favorites like Pickled

Shrimp, Hoppin’ John and Chocolate Alabama Stack Cake sit alongside recipes for Crispy Pig Ear Lettuce Wraps, Slow-Cooked Pork Shoulder with Tomato Gravy and Baked Sea Island Red Peas. This is a very personal book, with headnotes that explain Brock’s background and give context to his food and essays in which he shares his admiration for the purveyors and ingredients he cherishes.

Insalata’s

From San Francisco’s wildly popular Italian restaurant, flour + water, comes an eponymous cookbook, flour + water (Ten Speed Press, 2014). Chef Thomas McNaughton shares his time-tested secrets to creating simple, delicious and beautiful artisan pasta, from making fresh doughs to shaping and cooking every type of pasta. A true celebration of Italy’s pasta traditions, flour + water includes 50 seasonally influenced recipes for home cooks of every skill level. The recipes cover the flavor spectrum from well-loved classics to inventive combinations such as Tagliatelle Bolognese; Pumpkin Tortelloni with Sage and Pumpkin Seeds; Tomato Farfalle with Chicken Polpettine, Roasted Peppers, and Basil; and Asparagus Caramelle with Brown Butter. Mangia!

and

The Story of Two Restaurants

Heidi Insalata Krahling Drawings by Laura Parker

From Gabrielle Hamilton, bestselling author of celebrated memoir Blood, Bones & Butter, comes the chef’s eagerly anticipated cookbook debut, Prune (Random House, 2014). Filled with signature recipes from Hamilton’s beloved New York City restaurant of the same name, the cookbook is presented as a replica of the restaurant’s kitchen binders, and written to Hamilton’s cooks with as much instruction, encouragement, information, and scolding as you would find if you actually came to work at Prune as a line cook. Highlight: recipes for Prune’s famous Bloody Mary (all 10 variations).

What’s the difference between a martini and a gibson? Does absinthe really cause insanity? Which type of glass should a moscow mule be served in? If anyone on your list this year lies awake pondering these essential questions, The Essential Bar Book: An A-to-Z Guide to Spirits, Cocktails, and Wine, with 115 Recipes for the World’s Great Drinks (Ten Speed Press, 2014) is a must. The handsome and comprehensive bartending guide for professional and home bartenders includes history, lore and 150 recipes.

edible edible edible Issue 22

Summer 2014 MARIN & Issue 23 WINE COUNTRY MARIN & Fall 2014 Celebrating the harvest of Marin, Napa and Sonoma counties, season by season WINE COUNTRY

Celebrating the harvest of Marin, Napa and Sonoma counties, season by season

MARIN & WINE COUNTRY Issue 21 Spring 2014

Celebrating the harvest of Marin, Napa and Sonoma counties, season by season

And, last but not least, we think a gift subscription to Edible Marin & Wine Country always makes a wonderful gift! It’s easy to order online and we’ll wrap it up and send your recipient a note with their first issue! EdibleMarinAndWineCountry.com As a native of Marin County, Brooke Gray brings an intimate knowledge of the San Francisco Bay Area to her work. Gray received her Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies with emphasis on agrarian reform and political economics from UC Berkeley and spent years living, studying and traveling through the Americas and Europe. Back home in Marin, Gray and her husband, Kyle, are raising their young son to appreciate local food systems and agriculture as much as they do. Gray is the co-founder of the local blog TheCountyRoots.com and also a partner in Blue Barn Marin, where she supports local farmers and ranchers on a daily basis.

For reservations please call Dinner Thur _ Sun; Lunch Sat & Sun 16467 HW Y 116 GUERNEVILLE, CA 95446

LOCAL RETAILERS: Cooper’s Public Market Marin French Cheese Company Palace Market United Markets

CLOVER MILK/DAIRY PRODUCTS: Bivalve Dairy Dolcini Jersey Dairy George Grossi & Son Dairy Ielmorini/Moody Dairy Kehoe Dairy Lafranchi Dairy McClure Dairy Neil McIsaac & Son Dairy Robert Giacomini Dairy

FRUITS & VEGETABLES:

Allstar Organics AppleGarden Farm Indian Valley Organic Farm & Garden Mann Family Farm Slide Ranch Star Route Farms

MEAT: Barinaga Ranch Dolcini Ranching Fallon Hills Ranch Grossi Natural Beef Hands Full Farm WŽǌǌŝ ĂŶĚ ^ŽŶ ĂƩůĞ ZŽƐƐŽƫ ZĂŶĐŚ Stemple Creek Ranch Tomales Sheep Company True Grass Farms

EGGS: Dolcini’s Red Hill Ranch Fallon Hills Ranch Farmer Joy’s Eggs Hands Full Farm Mann Family Farm Stemple View Farms

CHEESE: Barinaga Ranch Nicasio Valley Cheese Company Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co. Tomales Farmstead Creamery

When you see the Grown Local Marin badge at your local grocery store or farmers market, you can be certain the product was grown in Marin. Grown Local would like to thank Edible Marin & Wine Country for its partnership and support. EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

FARMERS’ MARKET & CSA DIRECTORY FARMERS’ MARKETS MARIN COUNTY Corte Madera Certified Farmers’ Market Year round, Wednesdays, noon–5pm, the plaza at Town Center shopping center, Corte Madera, 415.382.7846

FAIRFAX COMMUNITY FARMERS’ MARKET April 30–December 17, Wednesdays, 4–8pm, Bolinas Park, 415.999.5635, CommunityFarmersMarkets.com

Gospel Flat Farmstand Year round, daily, 24-hour farmstand, 140 Olema-Bolinas Rd., Bolinas, GospelFlatFarm.com

Marinwood Community Farmers’ Market

SONOMA COUNTY

Paradise Valley Produce

Petaluma East-Side Farmers’ Market

Bolinas, sdierks@marin.com, 415.868.0205

Year round, Saturdays, 9am–2pm, Marinwood Plaza, 101 Marinwood Ave., San Rafael, 415.999.5635, CommunityFarmersMarkets.com

Year round, Tuesdays, 10am–1:30pm, Lucchesi Park, 320 N. McDowell, Petaluma, 415.999.5635, CommunityFarmersMarkets.com

Sonoma Garden Park

Marin Country Mart Farmers’ Market

Santa Rosa Oakmont Farmers’ Market

Year round, Saturdays, 9am–2pm, Marin Country Mart, 2257 Larkspur Landing Circle, Larkspur, 415.461.5700

Year round, Saturdays, 9am–noon, Oakmont Dr. and White Oak, Santa Rosa, 707.538.7023

Mill Valley Certified Farmers’ Market Year round, Fridays, 9:30am–2:30pm, CVS Pharmacy parking lot, 759 E. Blithedale Ave., Mill Valley, 415.382.7846

Star Route Farms Farmstand

TaraFirmaFarms.com

Year round, Wednesdays 9am–1pm and Saturdays 8:30am–1pm, Veterans Building east parking lot, Santa Rosa, RedwoodEmpireFarmersMarkets.com

Year Round, Saturdays, 8:30am–noon, 1546 Lincoln Ave., in the parking lot between the Police Station and Community Center on Washington St., Calistoga, CalistogaFarmersMarket.org

Taylor Maid Farms Collective suedavis306@hotmail.com, 707.217.7065

True Grass Farms Grass-fed Wagyu beef raised in Marin County. Sold at their market booth at the Mill Valley Farmers’ Market on Fridays, and online at TrueGrassFarms.com

Valley End Farm

Year round, Fridays, 9am–1pm, Arnold Field at First St. West, Sonoma, 707.538.7023

Santa Rosa, ValleyEndFarm.com,

Year round, Saturdays, 9am–1pm, 19996 Seventh St. E., Sonoma, SonomaEcologyCenter.org

COMMUNITY-SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE (CSAs)

707.585.1123

RANCHERS SELLING DIRECTLY TO INDIVIDUALS OR BUYING GROUPS Clark Summit Farm Between Tomales Bay and Bodega Bay,

Bloomfield Farms

ClarkSummitFarm.com, 707.876.3516

BloomfieldFarmsOrganic.com

Devil’s Gulch Ranch

Canvas Ranch Petaluma, CanvasRanch.com, 707.766.7171

Clif Family Farm Downtown St. Helena, ClifFamilyFarm.com, 707.968.0625

Draper Farms

Nicasio, DevilsGulchRanch.com, 707.953.0923

Fallon Hills Ranch Tomales, FallonHills.com, 707.775.7708

Marin Sun Farms Point Reyes Station, MarinSunFarms.com,

San Anselmo, OntheFarm.com, 415.457.3431

415.663.8997

First Light Farm

Pozzi Ranch

Sebastopol, Santa Rosa and Sonoma, FirstLightFoods.com, 707.480.5346

Valley Ford, 707.876.3102

Gleason Ranch

RossottiRanch.com

Bodega, GleasonRanch.com

Stemple Creek Ranch

Hudson Ranch Weekly pick up at Oxbow Public Market in Napa, or Hudson Ranch in Carneros. HudsonRanch.com, 707.255.1455

Laguna Farm Sebastopol, Santa Rosa, Petaluma and Cotati, LagunaFarm.com, 707.823.0823

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

Pickup locations throughout the Bay Area,

Sonoma Farmers’ Market

Sonoma Garden Park Farmers’ Market

Near Occidental, SolFoodFarm.org

Year round, Saturdays 8:30am–1pm and Wednesdays 8:30am–noon, Wells Fargo Center for the Arts, 50 Mark West Springs Rd., Santa Rosa, 707.522.8629

NAPA COUNTY

Year round, Thursdays and Sundays, 8am–1pm, Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium and Civic Center parking lot, San Rafael, 800.897.FARM, AgriculturalInstitute.org

Sol Food Farm Tara Firma Farms

SANTA ROSA COMMUNITY FARMERS’ MARKET AT THE VETERANS BUILDING

Calistoga Farmers’ Market

SonomaEcology.org

Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers’ Market

Year round, Fridays, 2–6pm, 95 Olema-Bolinas Rd., Bolinas, 415.868.1658

MARIN CIVIC CENTER FARMERS’ MARKET

Sonoma Garden Park,

Rossotti Ranch

All natural, 100% grass fed Angus beef and lamb. Family farmed in Marin County since 1901. MALT protected. StempleCreek.com

Tara Firma Farms Open daily, 3796 “I” St., Petaluma, TaraFirmaFarms.com

Marin Sun Farms

True Grass Farms

Various pickup locations Bay Area-wide, MarinSunFarms.com, 415.663.8997

Grass-fed Wagyu beef raised in Marin

Orchard Farms

Valley Farmers’ Market on Fridays, and at

Sebastopol, Orchard-Farms.com, 707.823.6528

TrueGrassFarms.com

County. Sold at their market booth at the Mill

FLORAL DEPARTMENT ĚǍ ƸŘþƅũěǍ ƎǜƪǜĸǐǀǍōƸƎƀǍ FǜŸŸǍ ĸŸŸǰǍFþƸƀ ĚǍÞĸƸũŕƎƸþǍ ĸƸǐũœĸīǍ FŸƎǩĸƸǀǍĈǍ¦Ÿþƅǐǀ ĚǍÈƅũƪǜĸǍHũōǐǀ ĚǍ ǜǀǐƎƀǍ ƸƸþƅŘĸƀĸƅǐǀ ĚǍRƎŸũīþǰǍ ĸƅǐĸƸƝũĸěĸǀ

As the weather cools down, warm up your home for family and friends with handmade wreaths. Delight them with exotic orchids and lovely indoor plants. And fill your house and your heart with California grown fresh cut flowers.

The felting, stamping, sewing, wreath-making, découpage, drawing, candle-crafting, fabric-printing, bookbinding, painting, woodworking, knitting, calligraphy, embroidery and more…

o n c e around ...arts &

ŤƎƎǀĸǍōƸƎƀǍƎǜƸǍŸũǨũƅŘǍǀĸŸĸěǐũƎƅǍƎōĦ ũƸǍ¦Ÿþƅǐǀ ƅǐŤǜƸũǜƀǀ ƸƎƀĸŸũþīǀ þěǐũǍþƅīǍ²ǜěěǜŸĸƅǐǀ ƸěŤũīǀ .ƅųƎǰǍǐŤĸǀĸǍěǜǐǍŕƎǩĸƸǀĦ ƀþƸǰŸŸũǀ ¾ǜŸũƝǀ vũŸũĸǀ ²ǩĸĸǐŤĸþƸǐǍªƎǀĸǀ ²ĸþǀƎƅþŸǍFƎŸũþŘĸ

crafts store

352 miller ave / mill valley, ca www.oncearound.com 415.389.1667

Open 8am to 9pm Every Day 720 Center Blvd, Fairfax 415-454-0123

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

Beth Waitkus

INSIGHT GARDEN PROGRAM The Prison Gardener Offers San Quentin Participants a New Leaf BY SAR AH HENRY

For Beth Waitkus, nature as nurture started early. As a towheaded toddler in New Jersey she helped her maternal grandmother with Dutch roots plant dozens of tulip bulbs. She spent many childhood days combing the foothills of the Berkshires in Connecticut, playing in the woods. The great outdoors offered an endless refuge from the stresses of everyday life. Waitkus, a one-time Marin resident, has been both a political activist and an organizational management consultant. Her experiences in nature, whether hiking in Muir Woods or tending to her home garden, have continued to ground her in adulthood. When she had a crisis of faith in humanity following the 9/11 attacks she sought solace at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre. As part of a process in shifting her priorities and better understanding human nature, she took a tour of the medium-security San Quentin State Prison. There she met the founder and director of the Insight Prison Project, which provides meditation, yoga and restorative justice classes for prisoners. While making rounds at the facility she was stunned by the barren, gray and lifeless environment, utterly devoid of greenery. It was a turning point for Waitkus. In 2002, she launched the all-volunteer Insight Garden Program. Waitkus set about developing a curriculum for prisoners and redesigning the yard with those who signed up for her class. It took 18 months of planning and bureaucratic maneuvering, but then in four days during the 2003 winter solstice the prisoners built a garden bed in the corner of the yard.

PHOTO: STACY VENTURA, STACYVENTURA.COM

Fast forward 12 years and the 1,200-square-foot organic flower garden is a vibrant, thriving plot full of mature, drought-resistant plants, healing herbs and ornamental grasses, including wild geranium, yarrow and echinacea. It’s a welcome counterpoint to the razor wire, heavy chain-link fences and guard towers that loom over the military barracks-like buildings housing men in blue who have committed crimes and have earned a rep as a tough crew. It’s also more than an aesthetic improvement. Waitkus says it’s her mission to help these incarcerated men reconnect to themselves, their communities and nature by nurturing the soil, seedlings and their own inner lives. At weekly Friday afternoon classes, guest speakers talk with prisoners about ecosystems, landscaping, permaculture, green jobs training and healthy food. There’s also meditation, guided imagery and even an eco-therapist who comes by once a month to counsel these prisoners.

Many of the men in the medium-security unit have had little or no experience in nature or working the land. Over the years Waitkus has observed prisoners tending plants, petting bees and even naming their favorite bugs. “Our core mission is to shift behavior from reaction to response and to grow people from the inside out, and we do that through organic gardening,” says Waitkus. “When people interact with soil, insects and plants you see a curiosity and wonder where there was never any.” Around the same time she launched the garden program, Waitkus started graduate school, studying organizational development at Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business and Management. Waitkus’ master’s thesis focused on the impact of the garden on the social climate and physical environment of the yard. Prisons are notoriously racially segregated institutions. The garden, she learned, was the only place at San Quentin where different ethnic groups mixed with ease and without fear of retribution. In nature, Waitkus notes, diversity and cooperation are prized. The class of 25 to 30 mostly African American men reflects the demographics of the greater prison population, but the garden welcomes all comers. To date, 1,000 men have been through the program, spending anywhere from six months to two years among the plants. Violence has never been an issue, even though garden program staff and volunteers work alongside prisoners without officers in attendance. Waitkus says she’s more concerned a prisoner might hurt himself with a tool than use it as a weapon. She’s not naïve: She’s a woman from the outside in an all-male prison. The 53-year-old is clear, she says, about boundaries. The hardest thing for her: the no physical contact rule. “I’m a hugger,” she says matterof-factly. If anything, Waitkus adds, the men in her program watch out for her. When an officer once chastised Waitkus for planting a rose bush in the wrong place, her garden guys came to her defense. Waitkus is quick to note that over the years the wardens, officers and other prison staff have been completely supportive of the program. Some officers who are avid gardeners themselves even come to her for garden tips, and many keep tabs on the progress of the plants, she says. The Insight Garden Program has undergone its own growth in the past year. It successfully applied for nonprofit status in 2014 and received a gift of $200,000 a year for the next two years from an anonymous benefactor. The funds have been used to employ a small core staff, including director Waitkus whose “day job” up until April of

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

are encouraged to control their “weeds” and manage their “pests,” apt metaphors given the program. But it’s not all interior work. Practical, routine physical tasks include mulching, pruning, planting and weeding. Particpants learn valuable skills that can help them when they re-enter society. Several paroled men have gone on to landscaping, gardening and other green jobs. And Waitkus keeps tabs on how these ex-cons do when they get out. As proof of the program’s success, Waitkus points to a 2011 recidivism count of 117 garden program participants who paroled between 2003 and 2009. It found that less than 10% returned to prison or jail. Nationally, six out of 10 prisoners wind up back behind bars. “It tells us that we’re doing something right,” says Waitkus. “It’s both the hands-on experience outside and the behavior transformation we help facilitate in the prisoners.” this year was as an independent consultant for tech, government and philanthropic clients on organizational development, social marketing and strategic communications. The new funding will also be used to refine curriculum and expand the model beyond San Quentin. The program is now also operating in Solano State Prison in Vacaville. Correctional facilities across the country are asking for advice and assistance in greening their own prisons and some have asked to partner. Last year, the program finally got its longed-for vegetable plot. The edible garden at San Quentin came about in partnership with Oakland-based community gardening nonprofit Planting Justice, after five years of navigating through red tape. “One of the officers here dubbed it our ‘Victory Garden’ and the name just stuck,” says Waitkus. Its first harvest last fall included onions, garlic, potatoes and leafy greens; the abundance went to the SF Marin Food Bank for community members in need. A correctional facility rule prevented the prisoners from benefiting directly from the bounty: Every prisoner must have equal access to resources within an institution. Since the garden doesn’t grow enough to feed all of the almost 4,000 prisoners at San Quentin, the harvest must find a home outside the prison gates. Waitkus turns this into a positive for the gardeners: It’s a way of giving back. The produce beds also offer food for thought: Growing vibrant organic greens the prisoners can’t eat themselves offers a stark contrast to the prison grub that passes for nourishment, a reality not lost on the prisoners. Waitkus says correctional facilities are the quintessential food deserts. Still, her program helps educate prisoners about the importance of healthy eating and securing access to wholesome food when they’re paroled—including produce they can grow themselves. The program is unusual in that it’s not strictly a vocation-oriented endeavor; it emphasizes the importance of transformation from within. As part of the curriculum for this gardening class behind bars, prisoners learn how to tend their “inner gardener” as well as their “outer gardener.” For Waitkus the individual is an ecosystem that needs care and feeding as much as flower beds or produce plots. Men

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

Waitkus says that the program helped restore her faith in humanity. She’s grown to realize that people who make poor choices have the capacity to change even under the most challenging circumstances. Sometimes all it takes is letting a man get his hands in soil and giving him the chance to care for plants to teach responsibility, empathy, cooperative behavior, perseverance and discipline. Take men like Kevin Williams, a former prison participant now on the board of the Insight Garden Program who lives in Oakland, where he grew up. Williams earns a living wage working for Planting Justice as part of their Backyard Food Project, building affordable and accessible fruit and vegetable gardens, including in low-income and underserved sectors of the community. The men see the immediate benefit of their labor: providing beauty and a source of nourishment in neighborhoods in need. Several former Insight Garden Program participants, including Williams, worked to construct the Canal Community Garden in San Rafael. “We built over 100 raised beds there and people would just come out and give us the thumbs up. The support was wonderful,” says Williams, 43, who has spent 11 years behind bars, including, most recently, four years at San Quentin for assault. He spent three years in

PHOTOS: TOP, LEFT AND RIGHT, KIRK CRIPPINS; BOTTOM LEFT, COURTESY THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION

the garden program. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have nothing but love for Beth and Gavin [Raders of Planting Justice]. They took a chance on me when no one else would. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m the living embodiment of what that program is about, a poster child for turning it around and getting it right. And it feels great.â&#x20AC;? And heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s got company. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had a job to go to at Planting Justice when I came out; Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been able to totally transform my life because of the garden program,â&#x20AC;? says Anthony Forrest, 52, who did six years at San Quentin for assault and was paroled in 2011. For the past three years Forrest says heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s led a clean, green, peaceful life, building gardens for around 70 different customers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I connect with the soil I connect with myself and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a feeling of serenity. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m watering the plants so they grow but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m helping to grow myself, too.â&#x20AC;? He is also a fan of the programâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s founder: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Beth shows you how you can change and gives it to you slow enough that you can catch on and understand.â&#x20AC;? Prison chow is a distant memory now, too. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m growing my own kale and collards and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m helping other people grow their own healthy food, too. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very satisfying.â&#x20AC;? For Waitkus the motivation for supporting these men is simple. â&#x20AC;&#x153;What it comes down to is that people are in prison because theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done something wrong. But theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re still human beings,â&#x20AC;? she notes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And most of them are going to come back to our communities, so we have to do something to address this and help these men transform their lives so they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t recommit, which ultimately creates a safer society.â&#x20AC;? Waitkus says everybody deserves a second chance. And her grassroots efforts have harvested more than flowers, fruits and vegetables. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some people call what weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing rehabilitation. We prefer to call it healing.â&#x20AC;? InsightGardenProgram.org Planting Justice.org Sarah Henryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s local food stories have appeared in print in the San Francisco Chronicle, California and San Francisco and online at Modern Farmer, CHOW and Civil Eats. Henry is also a regular contributor to Edible East Bay and Edible San Francisco. Her last profile for Edible Marin and Wine Country featured advocate and cookbook author Bryant Terry. Find her in Best Food Writing 2014 and at SarahHenryWriter.com

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

YUMMY SUPPER, INDEED Local author and photographer Erin Scott’s new cookbook serves up 100 fresh, luscious and honest recipes PHOTOS BY ERIN SCOT T

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

BOLINAS CRAB PASTA WITH CITRUS AND MINT Every year around Thanksgiving, Dungeness crab season begins in Bolinas, the charming surf town where my mom lives, just north of San Francisco. Bolinas is one beautiful spot, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no wonder crabs plucked from those waters taste especially good. When we glimpse the fishermen dragging their seaweed-encrusted traps to the docks, we all wiggle with anticipation. We give thanks for those tasty crustaceans. While we look forward to the yearly ritual of buying, cooking and shelling fresh Bolinas crab, truly you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need anything more than good-quality lump crabmeat for this recipe. If you buy the crab already cooked, cleaned and shelled, this delectable dish can be thrown together in less than half an hour. Yield: 4 main course servings INGREDIENTS

1 package dried spaghetti 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 1{ 4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 1{ 2 pound cooked crabmeat Sea salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper Zest of 2 lemons 1{ 4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves Red-pepper flakes (optional) 1 lemon, quartered TO PREPARE

Start by cooking your pasta according to the directions on the packaging. (Cookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note: If you are using gluten-free pasta, stir vigorously at the beginning of cooking to ensure the strands donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stick together.) In the meantime, melt the butter

in a large skillet over low heat. Add the lemon juice, then toss in the cooked crab and season generously with salt and pepper. Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the large skillet. Stir the pasta to ) .} )0 , ( & . ." Ĺ? 0),- '#(!& for a few minutes before serving. Scoop your pasta into shallow bowls. Top with the lemon zest, mint, a few more grinds of black pepper, and red-pepper flakes (if you like the spice). Give everyone his or her own lemon wedge to squeeze over the pasta, giving the dish one last splash of citrus brightness before taking a bite. Reprinted with permission from Yummy Supper by Erin Scott ÂŠ (2014, Rodale Books). Available wherever books are sold.

Erin Scott is an unabashed home cook, photographer, voracious eater, the voice behind California food blog Yummy Supper and author of Yummy Supper: 100 Fresh, Luscious, & Honest Recipes from a (Gluten-Free) Omnivore (Rodale Books, 2014). Her work has been featured in numerous publications. She lives with her husband and two kids in Berkeley, California, where sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s happiest cooking, eating and photographing anything that sprouts in their backyard veggie patch. Erin finds endless inspiration in the bounty of Northern California. Luckily, Erinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mom also has a green thumb: The mint and Meyer lemons in these photos came from her backyard garden.

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

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VIN DE CITRON The friend who gave me this recipe and first guided me through the steps was known for her apĂŠritif parties that always featured her house-made infused wines, as well as the local pastis and rosĂŠs. The Vin de Citron was usually the bottle that needed to be replenished first. Yield: approximately 1 (750-milliliter) bottle INGREDIENTS

1 (750-milliliter) bottle dry or fruity white wine 2 Meyer lemons, untreated 1{2 vanilla bean 1{4 pound granulated sugar 3{4 cup eau de vie, grappa or unflavored vodka TO PREPARE

Choose a clean, dry, open-mouthed jar large enough to hold all the ingredients. Zest the 2 lemons in long peels. Place the peels in the jar along with 1{4 of 1 of the lemons. Add the remaining ingredients, cover the jar and let stand for four days, unrefrigerated, stirring occasionally. Strain the Vin de Citron through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a clean, dry bottle and cork or otherwise close. Discard the other ingredients. Store the wine in a cool, dark place or in the refrigerator. It will keep up to 6 months. To serve, pour over ice or serve chilled.

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

DIY HOLIDAY SPIRIT— VIN DE CITRON BY GEORGE ANNE BRENNAN The ripe lemons of winter seem to always arrive in perfect time with my desire to make Vin de Citron, a vin maison, or house-made wine, that is made by infusing wine with lemon and sugar, then fortifying it with eau de vie, grappa or vodka. When I first tell people about this drink, they often say, “Oh, I love limoncello.” However, limoncello is quite different from Vin de Citron because limoncello is a liqueur rather than a fortified wine. Limoncello has a higher alcohol content, and it is typically served as a digestif, or after-dinner drink, while Vin de Citron is served as an apéritif. I first made Vin de Citron with a French friend in Provence, purchasing organic lemons—maybe the Eureka or Lisbon varieties—at the local open market. Next we went to a nearby winery and bought 10 liters of Vin de Pays Blanc, most likely a blend of Ugni Blanc, Rolle and Viognier at a cost of about 3 euros (at that time less than $3) a liter. From there we went to my house and she proceeded to take me through the process step by step. Even though, as I discovered, it is very easy to make, the concept was an entirely new one for me. Since that initiation, I’ve made Vin de Citron many times, but here in California I make it with Meyer lemons, because when my husband and I moved into the old wooden farmhouse where we live now, the first fruit trees we planted were Meyers—20 of them. We spaced them to frame the south side of the house, from sun porch to kitchen. Now thriving, we keep them trimmed, like a hedge, to just about seven feet, in easy reach of the kitchen windows. I have to admit I was as fascinated by the history of the Meyer lemon as I was enamored of its delicate skin and sweet tart juice. Like most citrus, the Meyer lemon originated in China, and it is thought to be the result of a naturally occurring cross between a lemon and an orange or mandarin. Frank N. Meyer, a plant explorer for the USDA, introduced it into the United States in 1908, and it became a popular backyard fruit in California and elsewhere in the Southwest, partly because it is more cold tolerant than other lemons.

PHOTO: GIBSON THOMAS

Then, in the 1940s, it was discovered that the Meyer lemon was a carrier of a deadly citrus disease and the trees were pulled from nursery propagations and destroyed, except for one strain that was found free of the disease. Happily, by the 1970s, this Improved Meyer Lemon clone was deemed virus free and was so certified by the University of California. This is the tree that is sold at nurseries today—and the variety that we planted now almost 25 years ago. In making your own Vin de Citron, any lemon variety will suffice, but they should be organic or sustainably grown and free from any pesticides. The recipe I’ve included here is for a single bottle, but for the holidays consider making up a batch of 10 bottles or so for gift-giving. Georgeanne Brennan is the author of more than 30 cookbooks and garden books. She lives in Winters, where she writes, cooks and runs her new business, La Vie Rustic. LaVieRustic.com EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

NOSE TO TAIL—THE ROAST TE X T AND PHOTOS BY MARISSA L A BRECQUE Eating “nose to tail” does not mean that you need to choke down animal organs in some kind of Fear Factor dare.

ILLUSTRATION: BAMBI EDLUND, BAMBIEDLUND.COM

It does mean acknowledging that we live as a tribe, that a living creature has been raised with care, and gave its life, in order to nourish a community. To honor that life, and to live within the natural order of things, we do well to eat or otherwise utilize every part of the animal. The modern-day priests of this practice are farmers like Julie and Tony Rossotti of West Marin’s Rossotti Ranch, who offer their meats at local farmers’ markets; butchers at shops like Petaluma’s Thistle Meats, who purchase and butcher whole animals, offering them to customers as fresh cuts as well as transformed into other delicacies like sausages and pâtés; and cooks in restaurants such as Point Reyes Station’s Osteria Stellina, where every part of whole animals is transformed into pleasure on the plate. In this new column in Edible Marin & Wine Country, we intend to bring you recipes and cooking techniques that will give you the savoir-faire to own your place in the modern food chain, as the creative and conscious omnivore. For this first edition of Nose to Tail, I asked some of our

local pasture “pastors” what animal parts they had trouble selling during the winter months. Many responded that beef roasts from the round (a primal cut, or large section, of the hindquarters of a steer) were slow to leave the case when temperatures dip. This makes sense, as in colder weather braised meats have long held sway. This season is prime time for the toughest meats suitable only for long braising. Tender steaks are perennially appreciated and snapped up year-round. Roasts are the muscles that land in between these opposite ends of the tenderness spectrum. I considered this to be a lucky coincidence as, to me, nothing is more festive than a leg roast. A lamb steamship—the whole leg, including the shank—is the essence of an ancient feast and holiday tables are often graced with a glazed ham (which is a brined, sometimes smoked and then roasted pork leg roast) or a beef roast. A roast is elegant and timeless, but quite simple to make and generally less expensive than other cuts that are much fussier to prepare. When a cut is slow to sell, it is usually priced well to entice buyers. This often only reflects that it is less familiar to most consumers, not less delicious.

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

I used a kosher salt, mustard seed, rosemary and thyme crust (chopped and blended with 1 tablespoon of olive oil). You could also wrap the roast in herbs or add some extra fat, in the form of, say, pancetta.

HOW TO ROAST Roasting is a dry cooking method that enables you to cook these mid-tender cuts of lamb, pork, beef or other large animals to flavorful succulence. For this recipe, I selected a beef top round roast, which the butcher can cut to size for a few or a large group (I like to cook enough to last a few meals). It is always nice to have the roast tied for you so that it cooks evenly. As an important first step, temper the meat by taking it out of the refrigerator for an hour or so before cooking so that it reaches room temperature all the way through. This will allow the roast to cook evenly. Preheat oven to 325°. Season the roast well with salt (I prefer kosher salt), pepper and herbs, if you like. When you think you have enough salt, add a touch more. You can also season the roast the night before. Place the seasoned roast into a roasting pan. At this point, you might want to add some vegetables, like red potatoes or hearty mushrooms, into the roasting pan so that they cook in the umami of pan drippings, and you’ll have one less step for dinner.

After about 90 minutes, this 21{2-pound roast reached an internal temperature of 135° F. After a 15 minute rest, it was a luscious medium rare and the new potatoes had cooked to perfection in the jus.

Cook this lean cut low and slow until an internal thermometer reads 135°. This will be medium-rare after it rests. Don’t ruin this cut by overcooking it to a tough medium or well done. That is an order.

Leftovers? This meat will be fantastic on a sandwich with horseradish mayonnaise or in a salad of spicy greens the next day.

LET IT REST for at least 15 minutes to allow the juices to be reabsorbed into the meat, and it will continue to cook to medium-rare. This is also an order. You may serve this roast gloriously naked, or you could make a pan sauce with the drippings by deglazing the pan with wine, adding butter and cooking on the stovetop until it is reduced by half, or to the consistency that appeals to you. Or you could make a briny and herbaceous salsa verde to accompany the meat. Carved at the table, with the juices running out, and served with a potato, soft down to the center, is ceremonial in the best way, bringing a sense of occasion to your table. 70

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

Cook’s notes: You could use this same technique with a leg of lamb (cook to an internal temperature of 150°), pork leg roast (aka fresh ham; cook to an internal temperature of 160°) or any of the following beef cuts: eye of round, round tip roast, upper loin roast and ball tip roast (though you may want to marinate this cut). When you master the methods and techniques of cooking, you can apply those skills to any ingredient. Our tribe needs more savvy and curious home cooks. Cooking is a daily act of love and a roast is a hearty expression of that love. Marissa La Brecque is a cookbook author and co-founder of The Butcher’s Guild, a national trade organization preserving the noble craft. TheButchersGuild.org. She is also the owner of Yoga At The Mercantile, Contra Costa County’s most remote yoga studio.

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MARIN CIBO Cibo (pronounced “CHEE–bo”) = food. We hold a simplistic vision $JCP for how food should be purchased, prepared and enjoyed. Cibo serves breakfast and lunch, using ingredients sourced locally and seasonally in Marin. Enjoy the housemade specialties and our own house-roasted coffee inside our historic space or dine outside at the café tables. Serving breakfast & lunch daily 7am–5pm.1201 Bridgeway, Sausalito; 415.331.2426; CiboSausalito.com

D’ANGELO’S Piazza D’Angelo offers authentic Northern and Southern Italianstyle cuisine created by executive chef Andrea Giuliani using organic, locally sourced ingredients that pair perfectly with a list of over 200 Italian and California wines thoughtfully curated by general manager Natale Cardamone. Serving lunch and dinner daily, and weekend brunch. Private dining for groups of up to 100 and off-site catering available. 22 Miller Ave., Mill Valley; 415.388.2000; PiazzaDAngelo.com and DAngeloCatering.com

HILLTOP 1892 The town of Novato’s historic Hilltop 1892 boasts sweeping panoramic views, an artisanal cocktail program, a beautifully designed wine cellar loaded with California wines and Chef Todd Davies’ menu crafted with the finest local ingredients. Serving lunch and dinner daily from 11:30am–9pm; Sunday brunch 10am–3pm. 850 Lamont Ave., Novato; 415.893.1892; Hilltop1892.com

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The best Bay-to-Bar oyster experience with locations in Marshall, San I S L A N D OYSTER co. Francisco and Napa; or contact us about Hog Island Traveling Oyster Bars. Hog Island Oyster Farm in Marshall Open daily 9am–5pm. Retail sales 9am–5pm daily; Picnic tables with grills by reservation only 10am–5pm daily; The Boat—an oyster bar on the farm F–M 11am–4:30pm. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. 20215 Shoreline Hwy., Marshall; 415.663.9218; HogIslandOysters.com

MARCHÉ AUX FLEURS The marché aux fleurs is the farmers’ market in the South of France. We have taken this name for our restaurant because we base our cuisine on the seasons or the cuisine du marché. Our produce is locally farmed and harvested at the peak of ripeness, all of our seafood is sustainable and our meats are free-range. Our daily menu selections are comprised of only the freshest seasonal ingredients available. Serving dinner Tu–Su, beginning at 5:30pm. 23 Ross Common, Ross; 415.925.9200; MarcheAuxFleursRestaurant.com

MARIN FRENCH CHEESE Beloved by generations of devoted cheese lovers since our inception in 1865, Marin French Cheese welcomes visitors from around the world to our Hicks Valley Ranch location in beautiful Marin County. Picnic by the pond and taste our cheeses in their natural habitat. Our newly renovated retail store showcases many fine locally produced foods including neightbor McEvoy Ranch’s olive oils and jams, Rustic Bakery flatbreads and cookies, Apple Garden Farm cider and fig spreads from The Girl and the Fig. Open daily from 8:30am–5pm, except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day and Easter. 7510 Point Reyes-Petaluma Rd., Petaluma. 707.762.6001; MarinFrenchCheese.com

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

MOLINA Chef/Proprietor Todd Shoberg’s Molina is a casual fine-dining restaurant that focuses on wood-fired, California Coastal cuisine. The daily rotating menu features items cooked in the famed Alan Scott oven that serves as the heart of the restaurant. Recently awarded 3½ stars by the SF Chronicle’s Michael Bauer. Open nightly for dinner, 5–10pm. 17 Madrona St., Mill Valley; 415.383.4200; MolinaRestaurant.com

NICK’S COVE RESTAURANT, OYSTER BAR & COTTAGES A coastal treasure, Nick’s Cove Restaurant, Oyster Bar & Cottages overlooks the tranquil waters of Tomales Bay. Executive Chef Austin Perkins combines classic dishes with creativity inspired by the seasons and the abundance of The Croft, Nick’s own on-site farm and garden, and neighboring farms, ranches and the Bay. Serving lunch daily starting at 11am; dinner starting at 4pm; and brunch Sa & Su 10am–4pm. Oysters and cocktails offered at the bar starting at 11am daily. Locals’ night every Tu. 23240 Hwy. 1, Marshall; 866.63.NICKS; NicksCove.com

OSTERIA STELLINA “Point Reyes Italian” with an unwavering commitment to local organic products. Open daily for lunch 11:30am–2:30pm and dinner 5–9pm. Available for catering on- and offsite and for functions in a private room. 11285 Hwy. 1, Point Reyes Station; 415.663.9988; OsteriaStellina.com

PIATTI A Marin County Green Certified restaurant, Piatti consciously sources ingredients from local farmers, ranchers and other food

artisans. Executive Chef Sebastian Lowrey’s seasonally inspired menus and daily “Market Menu” reflect Piatti’s commitment to this philosophy and to working with our community to raise awareness about where our food comes from. Open for lunch and dinner daily and offering a variety of spaces for private events. 625 Redwood Hwy., Mill Valley; 415.380.2525; Piatti.com

RUSTIC BAKERY CAFÉS We focus on organic and local ingredients in all three of our cafés. Our baked goods are made fresh from scratch daily. For breakfast, we offer a selection of French and American pastries, housemade organic granola and oatmeal, as well as grilled breakfast panini. We proudly feature Stumptown Coffee Roasters coffee. Our lunch menus feature handmade sandwiches on our housemade focaccia rolls, organic soups and seasonal salads. Our specialty flatbreads, pan forte crostini and seasonal cookies are also available in the cafés. Open M–F 7am–5pm and Sa & Su 8am–5pm. 1139 Magnolia Ave., Larkspur; 1407 Grant Ave., Novato; and in the Marin Country Mart, Larkspur. Enjoy local wines by the glass and pinxtos, small Spanish-style tapas, Th–Sa from 4–7pm at our NEW “pop up wine bar” at our Marin Country Mart location! RusticBakery.com

SHORELINE COFFEE SHOP Neighborhood American diner meets Mexico City street food in Tam Junction. Organic and local ingredients inspire creative breakfasts and lunches for early risers, trail blazers, commuters and the community. Featuring Four Barrel Coffee, local eggs, Bolinas greens, meats from Marin Sun Farms and bread from Green Gulch. Open daily 7am–3:30pm. 221 Shoreline Hwy., Mill Valley; 415.388.9085. Facebook.com/pages/Shoreline-Coffee-Shop/114091308622208

THREE BIRDS WINE BAR Located in the heart of Marin County, this relaxed and inviting wine bar and retail shop features over 20 wines by the glass daily. Pair your wine with artisan cheeses and charcuterie. The wine shop specializes in unique and boutique wines. Happy Hour is M–F from 3–7pm. Open Su–Th 3–9pm and F–Su 1–11pm. 207 Corte Madera Ave., Corte Madera; 415.927.9466; ThreeBirdsWineBar.com

EAT LOCAL GUIDE

Restaurants, cafés and seafood bars selected because of their emphasis on using local, seasonal ingredients.

EAT LOCAL GUIDE

NAPA BUTTERSCOTS AT CAIRDEAN ESTATE

EPICUREAN CONNECTION

Butterscots at Cairdean Estate is an artisan bakery, deli and culinary boutique serving unique house-made breads, baked goods and picnic provisions - sandwiches, pastas, salads and “puddings” (British slang for dessert) - inspired by Scottish and English cuisine. A destination bakery for northern Napa Valley with a menu designed by Chef Joseph Humphrey. Open daily 7am-5pm. 3111 St. Helena Hwy., St. Helena; 707.302.5104; CairdeanEstate.com/Butterscots

Featuring a Cheese, Butter, Wine & Beer Bar, Epicurean Connection in downtown Sonoma highlights local and artisan foods. Enjoy the shop’s selection of prepared foods, artisan olive oils, sea salts, chef-made jams, chocolate sauces and honey, as well as American artisan cheeses, including Epicurean Connection’s very own award-winning Delice de la Vallee & Creme de Fromage cheeses. 122 W. Napa St., Sonoma; 707.935.7960; SheanaDavis.com

CA’ MOMI

RIVER’S END

Organic, local and obsessively authentic Italian. Ca’ Momi uses only the freshest organic ingredients, grown locally or in Italy, focusing on the most traditional Italian recipes. Experience la Dolce Vita! VPN certified pizza Napoletana, wholesome soups, fresh salads, wood-fired panini, authentic Italian pastries and a staff that loves to see you happy. Buonissimo! Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily 7:30am–9pm. In Oxbow Public Market, 610 First St., Napa; 707.257.4992; CaMomi.com

The River’s End is located in the village of Jenner by the Sea about 20 minutes north of Bodega Bay. The restaurant is set on a bluff overlooking the Russian River as it spills into the Pacific Ocean. We serve seasonal California cuisine with a focus on Sonoma-sourced ingredients. Restaurant open Th–M for lunch noon–3:30pm and dinner 5–8:30pm (9pm on F & Sa). We also offer lodging and all of our cabins have spectacular vistas of the romantic Sonoma coast. 11048 Hwy. 1, Jenner; 707.865.2484; ILoveSunsets.com

THE FARMER & THE FOX

HEALDSBURG SHED

The Farmer & The Fox at Cairdean Estate is a modern gastropub for Napa Valley locals and visitors alike. Chef Joseph Humphrey’s creative, locally-inspired menu, an ode to the classic dishes of Scottish and English pubs, is complemented by local and imported craft beers and wines, as well as inventive cocktails by notable mixologist James Kendall. Proudly offering no corkage fee. Serving dinner nightly from 5-10pm. 3111 St. Helena Hwy., St. Helena; 707.302.5101; CairdeanEstate.com/The-Farmer--the-Fox

SHED celebrates the land, farming, food, art, culture and people of Northern Sonoma County. SHED is a modern-day grange hall, fresh foods market, café and store. We host workshops, suppers and cultural events. Open 8am–7pm, closed Tu. 25 North St., Healdsburg; 707.431.7433; HealdsburgShed.com

HOG ISLAND OYSTER BAR Hog Island Oyster Bar Napa at the Oxbow Public Market. Serving sustainable seafood specials and shellfish raised on our farm in Tomales Bay. Open daily. Hours M 11:30am–6pm, Tu–Su 11:30am–8pm. Happy Hours Tu–W 5–7pm. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. 610 First St., Napa; 707.251.8113; HogIslandOysters.com

SONOMA ACRE COFFEE

UNDERWOOD BISTRO

Acre Coffee is an independently owned coffee and tea establishment with locations in Petaluma, Santa Rosa and San Francisco. Honoring a handcrafted approach, we strive to bring out the best in each coffee drink served. Sweet and savory house-made pastries, and local cheeses and breads complement the experience. Open daily at 7am. 21 4th St., Petaluma; The Montgomery Center, 2365 Midway Dr., Santa Rosa; and 525 Golden Gate Ave., San Francisco; AcreCoffee.com

Underwood is the favorite watering hole for local hipsters and the “who’s who” of Sonoma County winemakers. Try Underwood’s specialty cocktails served alongside ice-cold oysters on the half shell at the bar or while playing bocce. Or select from chef/proprietor Matthew Greenbaum’s great bistro dishes like tuna tartar, duck confit or Moroccan chicken. Open Tu–Th 11:30am–midnight, F & Sa 11:30am–2am and Su 4pm–midnight. 9113 Graton Rd., Graton; 707.823.7023; UnderwoodGraton.com

AGRICULTURE PUBLIC HOUSE AT DAWN RANCH

WILLOW WOOD MARKET CAFÉ

Built in 1905, this rustic, elegant restaurant is located at historic Dawn Ranch, where the well-heeled San Franciscans summered. Ranch grown organic vegetables, sustainable seafood, free range meats, small batch spirits, micro brewed beer and limited production wines. Dinner Th–Su; Lunch Sa & Su. 16467 Hwy. 116, Guerneville; 707.869.0656; DawnRanch.com

EL DORADO KITCHEN Executive chef Armando Navarro’s farm-driven cuisine is a collection of earthy yet sophisticated, complex yet straightforward dishes that showcase the essence of seasonal produce. Chef Navarro sources his ingredients from local purveyors and nearby Sonoma farms, a commitment and dedication that is in line with El Dorado’s overall eco-friendly green initiatives. Open daily for lunch and dinner. 405 First St. W., Sonoma; 707.996.3030; EldoradoSonoma.com

Advertising in this Eat Local Guide is by invitation only. 74

THISTLE MEATS Thistle Meats is a whole animal butcher shop serving our community ethically raised and locally sourced meats in downtown Petaluma. We believe that good food, especially quality meat, should be celebrated and easily available as a genuine, custom-cut experience. We offer locally raised beef, lamb, goat, pork, rabbit and poultry from farms and ranches we know and trust. We adhere to a philosophy of whole animal butchery, offering handmade charcuterie, pates, salumi, terrines and other cured meats as well as local produce, cheese, eggs and prepared foods: a sandwich of the day, soups, stews, bone broths and marinated and seasoned meat cuts. Open daily 10am–6pm. 160 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma; 707.772.5442; ThistleMeats.com

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

Willow Wood has become a beloved favorite for locals and travelers alike. It’s good, down-home comfort food dished up with genuine country hospitality. From eggs Benedict at breakfast to a hot Black Forest ham and brie sandwich at lunch to a roast chicken dinner, Willow Wood aims to please. Voted best breakfast and brunch in Sonoma County. Open M–Sa 8am–9pm, Su 9am–3pm. 9020 Graton Rd., Graton; 707.823.0233; WillowWoodGraton.com

SAN FRANCISCO HOG ISLAND OYSTER BAR Hog Island Oyster Bar San Francisco. Enjoy incredible seafood in a stunning setting. Located in the historic Ferry Building on San Francisco’s waterfront, Hog Island Oyster Bar offers the finest selection of oysters, craft cocktails, and an ever-changing seasonal seafood menu. Open daily. Hours M–Th 11:30am–9pm, F 11:30am–10pm, Sa 11:30am–10pm, Su 11am– 9pm. One Ferry Building, San Francisco; 415.391.7117; HogIslandOysters.com

RECIPE 3 cups wizard 2 cups passion 1 cup orchestra conductor 1 cup business coach ½ cup referee ¼ cup suggestion box 3 heaping tablespoons of patience 2 generous dollops of love Mix vigorously and let rest overnight. Best if served in the early morning hours, with black coffee and a headlamp. Makes one fantastic farmers market manager. Serves thousands.

Recognize any of these friendly faces? Meet Agricultural Institute of Marin’s Farmers Market Managers. You’ve likely caught a glimpse of one at the info booth helping a customer redeem EBT, or at a farmer’s booth brainstorming creative ways to market the upcoming abundance of dino kale. Perhaps you’ve noticed them touring local chefs around the market to drum up wholesale orders for farmers, or chatting with local Agriculture or Health Department officials. Directing traffic, fixing ATMs, changing trash bags – there is no task too small when it comes to ensuring that a market day runs smoothly for all. Next time you cross paths with your trusty market manager, say hello, introduce yourself, maybe even ask them why they do what they do. It’s very likely you’ll hear something along the lines of how much they love bringing farmers and the community together around healthy, local food. Not because they’ve been trained to say that, but because they have all embraced this often unseen, yet pivotal role. They are deeply passionate about creating a more viable and vibrant local food system, and ultimately a better world. To learn more about the people and programs that support the Marin Farmers Markets, visit www.agriculturalinstitute.org.

Marin Civic Center (Sun & Thurs, 8-1, all year) OAKLAND — Grand Lake (Sat, 9-2, ALL YEAR)

Clement st - SF (Sun, 9-2, ALL YEAR) Hayward (Sat, 9-1, ALL YEAR) MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014 75 stonestown -EDIBLE SF (Sun, 9-1, ALL YEAR) newark (Sun, 9-1, ALL YEAR)

EDIBLE EVENTS CALENDAR DECEMBER Fresh Starts Chef Events: East Meets West with Chef John Ash and Mei Ibach December 4 (Novato, CookingSchoolsofAmerica.com/ FreshStartsCookingSchool/) FOCUSED TASTING: OLD WORLD/NEW WORLD WITH CHEESE EXPERT WALDEMAR ALBRECHT December 5 (The Fork at Point Reyes Farmstead, 800.591.6878, PointReyesCheese.com) Rutherford Wine Experience December 5â&#x20AC;&#x201C;6 (Rutherford, Rutherford-Appelation-Wineries.com) 12 Days of Christmas at Meadowood December 5â&#x20AC;&#x201C;20 (St. Helena, 800.458.8080, Meadowood.com/events) Calistogaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 5th Annual Winter in the Wineries December 6â&#x20AC;&#x201C;February 8 (Calistoga, VisitCalistoga.com) Winter Cookbook Extravaganza at Diesel, A Bookstore December 6 (Marin Country Mart, Larkspur, 415.785.8177) BUILDING BIODYNAMIC COMPOST AT SHED December 7 (Healdsburg, HealdsburgShed.com)

Women for WineSense: Wine on Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Holiday Table December 11 (Raymond Vineyards, St. Helena, WWS-WineonAmericasTable2014.Eventbrite.com) The Cooking School at Cavallo Point: Christmas Under the Sea December 12 (Sausalito, 888.651.2003, CavalloPoint.com) HOME CHEESEMAKING: CRĂ&#x2C6;ME DE RICOTTA & HOLIDAY TORTAS December 14 (The Epicurean Connection, Sonoma, 707.935.7960, TheEpicureanConnection.com) KIDS CHRISTMAS COOKIE BAKING December 14 (Ramekins Culinary School, Sonoma, Ramekins.com) Family Gingerbread House Decorating December 17 (Relish Culinary Center, Healdsburg, RelishCulinary.com) The Cooking School at Cavallo Point: Cooking from the Farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Market December 20 (Sausalito, 888.651.2003, CavalloPoint.com) CHRISTMAS IN MEXICO December 20 (Ramekins Culinary School, Sonoma, Ramekins.com)

5th ANNUAL NAPA VALLEY TRUFFLE FESTIVAL

(/ ,3 rwÂ&#x201C;rz Â&#x2DC; * && 3} ( * .,/ Ĺ? -.#0 &| )'Â&#x2122; HOME CHEESEMAKING CLASS WITH SHEANA DAVIS January 12 (The Epicurean Connection, Sonoma, 707.935.7960, TheEpicureanConnection.com) DUNGENESS CRAB FEAST WITH CHEF JILL SILVERMAN HOUGH JANUARY 17 (Ramekins Culinary School, Sonoma, Ramekins.com) 23rd Annual Winter WINEland January 17â&#x20AC;&#x201C;18 (Northern Sonoma County, WineRoad.com) JANUARY FARM DINNER: THE FORK AT POINT REYES FARMSTEAD January 22 (Point Reyes Station, 888.591.6878, PointReyesCheese.com/TheFork) MAKING OF THE HOME CHEF: NAPA VALLEY COOKING SCHOOL January 27â&#x20AC;&#x201C;29 (St. Helena, 707.967.2900, NapaValleyCookingSchool.org) WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE: MUSHROOMS + FORAGING January 29 (Ramekins Culinary School, Sonoma, Ramekins.com)

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE AT SHED December 7 (Healdsburg, HealdsburgShed,com)

Relish Kids in the Kitchen: Winter Cooking Camp December 29â&#x20AC;&#x201C;31 (Relish Culinary Center, Healdsburg, RelishCulinary.com)

SANTA ARRIVES AT NICKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S COVE December 7 (Tomales, NicksCove.com)

JANUARY

McEvoy Ranch Open House December 7 (Petaluma, 707.769.4114, McEvoyRanch.com)

BIODYNAMIC WORKSHOP IV: THE HEALDSBURG SHED January 4 (The Grange at Healdsburg Shed, HealdsburgShed.com)

9th Annual Hanukkah Hootenanny at Juddâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hill Winery December 7 (Napa, JuddsHill.com)

HONEY BEES - SISTER BEINGS AT SHED January 4 (Healdsburg, HealdsburgShed.com)

FEBRUARY

CHEESEMAKING WORKSHOP WITH SHEANA DAVIS AND JACKSON FAMILY WINES January 9 (Ramekins Culinary School, Sonoma, Ramekins.com)

BIODYNAMIC WORKSHOP V: THE HEALDSBURG SHED February 1 (The Grange at Healdsburg Shed, HealdsburgShed.com)

Fresh Starts Chef Events: Chef Tony Najiola of Central Market January 15 (Novato, CookingSchoolsofAmerica.com/ FreshStartsCookingSchool/)

SOUPS & STEWS: HANDS-ON CLASS: THE FORK AT POINT REYES FARMSTEAD February 6 (Point Reyes Station, 800.591.6878, PointReyesCheese.com/TheFork)

BIODYNAMIC WORKSHOP III: THE HEALDSBURG SHED December 7 (The Grange at Healdsburg Shed, HealdsburgShed.com) TOWNLEY WINEMAKER DINNER December 11 (Ramekins Culinary School, Sonoma, Ramekins.com)

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

FARM FRESH BRUNCH: THE FORK AT POINT REYES FARMSTEAD January 31 (Point Reyes Station, 800.591.6878, PointReyesCheese.com/TheFork) FEAST OF THE OLIVES DINNER AT RAMEKINS CULINARY SCHOOL January 31 (Sonoma, Ramekins.com)

HOME CHEESEMAKING CLASS WITH SHEANA DAVIS February 9 (The Epicurean Connection, Sonoma, 707.935.7960, TheEpicureanConnection.com) POP-UP RESTAURANT: NAPA VALLEY COOKING SCHOOL February 12 (St. Helena, 707.967.2900, NapaValleyCookingSchool.org) VALENTINES DINNER: THE FORK AT POINT REYES FARMSTEAD February 13 (Point Reyes Station, 800.591.6878, PointReyesCheese,com/TheFork) Cloverdale Citrus Fair February 13â&#x20AC;&#x201C;16 (Cloverdale, CloverdaleCitrusFair.org) Sonoma Valley Olive Festival Finale Weekend February 14â&#x20AC;&#x201C;17 (Sonoma Valley, OliveFestival.com) KIDS CAN COOK: VALENTINES DAY TREATS February 14 (Ramekins Culinary School, Sonoma, Ramekins.com) MARDI GRAS DINNER WITH NEW ORLEANS CHEF KIM WISS February 18 (St. Helena, 707.967.2900) FEBRUARY FARM DINNER: THE FORK AT POINT REYES FARMSTEAD February 19 (Point Reyes Station, 800.591.6878, PointReyesCheese.com/TheFork) SONOMA VALLEY CHEESE CONFERENCE February 21â&#x20AC;&#x201C;25 (Sonoma, 707.935.7960, TheEpicureanConnection.com) Fresh Starts Chef Events: Cheryl Forberg Shares Tips from The Biggest Losers February 26 (Novato, CookingSchoolsofAmerica.com/ FreshStartsCookingSchool/) MAC-N-CHEESE PLEASE! DEMO CLASS WITH HOMEROOM CHEF-OWNERS ALLISON AREVALO & ERIN WADE: THE FORK AT POINT REYES FARMSTEAD February 27 (Point Reyes Station, 800.591.6878, PointReyesCheese.com/TheFork)

presents

Currently showing on KQED www.kqed.org/tv Currently showing on PBS Television Check Your Local Listings or go to ediblefeast.com

www.ediblecommunities.com EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

EDIBLE ADVERTISERSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; DIRECTORY cocktails lunch dinner late night bocce oysters 9113 GRATON ROAD, GRATON

closed mondays 707 823 7023 www.underwoodgraton.com RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED A Local, Women-Owned Shop Staffed by Western Herbalists & Clinical Nutritionists )XOO Service Herbal Apothecary â&#x20AC;˘ Fine Teas & Spices :HOO 5HVHDUFKHG 3URIHVVLRQDO 4XDOLW\ 6XSSOHPHQWV Aromatherapy â&#x20AC;˘ Natural Beauty â&#x20AC;˘ Herbal Classes 226 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. â&#x20AC;˘ San Anselmo 415 524 8693 â&#x20AC;˘ GatheringThyme.com

GORGEOUS MT. SHASTA LAND 43 ACRES & 2.55 ACRES FOR SALE

Views of Mt. Shasta, the eddies and lush meadowlands

HIKE â&#x20AC;˘ SKI â&#x20AC;˘ FISH Both on a paved county road with power and phone

For more information call 415.515.4456 78

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

Listings with an asterisk are also found in our Dairies and Dairy Products Eat Local Guide on pages XXâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;XX of this issue. CLOVER STORNETTA FARMS CloverStornetta.com Agricultural and Animal Supplies, COWGIRL CREAMERY Classes and Services 80 Fourth St., Point Reyes Station (inside BEEKIND Tomales Bay Foods), 415.663.9335. 1 Ferry Honey shop and beekeeping supplies and classes. 921 Gravenstein Hwy. South, Sebasto- Bldg., San Francisco, 415.362.9354. Also visit our shop in Washington, DC, or online at pol, and the Ferry Plaza Building, CowgirlCreamery.com. San Francisco. 707.824.2905; Beekind.com EPICUREAN CONNECTION* COTTAGE GARDENS OF PETALUMA MARIN FRENCH CHEESE COMPANY* Helping you grow your own for 23 years. POINT REYES FARMSTEAD CHEESE CO. 3995 Emerald Dr., Petaluma. 707.778.8025; Maker of fine cheeses and the home of CottageGardensofPet.com The Fork, a culinary and educational center. Artisan Beverages Point Reyes Station. 800.591.6878; COMMON CIDER PointReyesCheese.com Facebook.com/CommonCider Events and Farm Tours SPINDRIFT NAPA TRUFFLE FESTIVAL California fresh-squeezed soda and seltzer. January 16â&#x20AC;&#x201C;19, 2015 SpindriftFresh.com NapaTruffleFestival.com

Arts and Craft Supplies

ONCE AROUND The felting, stamping, bookbinding, sewing, fabric-painting, wreath-making, embossing, scrapbooking, dĂŠcoupage, candle-crafting, soap-pouring, glitter, embroidery, knitting and more arts-and-crafts store. 352 Miller Ave., Mill Valley. 415.389.1667; OnceAround.com

WEST MARIN FOOD & FARM TOURS 415.599.9222; FoodAndFarmTours.com

Farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Markets and AgricultureRelated Nonprofits

AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTE OF MARIN FARMERSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; MARKETS Visit our Thursday and Sunday farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; markets in San Rafael, and also in San Francisco and Oakland. For more information, see our Building and Solar Contractors ad on page 17 of this issue. EARTHTONE CONSTRUCTION AgriculturalInstitute.org EarthtoneConstruction.com AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY EVENTS SUN FIRST SOLAR FARMERSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; MARKETS SunFirstSolar.com Visit our farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; markets in Cotati, Fairfax, Coffee Kenwood, Marinwood, Novato, Petaluma and ACRE COFFEE CAFĂ&#x2030;S Santa Rosa. For more information, see our ad Visit our cafĂŠs in Petaluma, Santa Rosa and San on page XX. CommunityFarmersMarkets.com Francisco. And now roasting! AcreCoffee.com GOLDEN GATE FARMERSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; MARKET EQUATOR COFFEES AND TEAS ASSOCIATION Visit our cafĂŠs at Proof Lab Surf Shop in Mill Visit our farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; markets in Corte Madera, Mill Valleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tam Junction and at 2 Miller Ave. in Valley, Ross Valley, Sausalito and Tam Valley. downtown Mill Valley. Also look for our coffees For more information, see our ad on page XX. and teas at specialty retailers. EquatorCoffees.com 415.382.7846 GROWN LOCAL MARIN Cookbooks, Kitchen Essentials and When you see the Grown Local Marin badge, Specialty Cooking Equipment you can be certain the product was grown in THE SPANISH TABLE Marin. UCANR.edu/sites/Grown_Local_Marin/ Strawberry Village, 800 Redwood Hwy., Suite Grocers and Specialty Food Markets and 123, Mill Valley. 415.388.5043; Producers SpanishTable.com ALVARADO STREET BAKERY Cooking Schools â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just another slice of bread.â&#x20AC;? BAUMAN COLLEGE 707.283.0300; AlvaradoStreetBakery.com Become an expert in therapeutic nutrition and DRIVERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MARKET the promotion of health. Organically grown and locally sourced foods BaumanCollege.org 200 Caledonia St., Sausalito. 415.729.9582; NAPA VALLEY COOKING SCHOOL DriversMarket.com Napa and St. Helena. EPICUREAN CONNECTION* NapaValleyCookingSchool.org GOOD EARTH NATURAL FOODS RAMEKINS 720 Center Blvd., Fairfax Cooking classes, weddings, special events, 415.454.1023; GENatural.com catering and inn. 450 W. Spain St., Sonoma. KETTEL KRAKKERS 707.933.0450; Ramekins.com Organic, vegan and gluten-free; THE FORK AT POINT REYES FARMSTEAD KettelKrakkers.com CHEESE CO. MILL VALLEY MARKET Farm tours, cooking classes, events and private 12 Corte Madera Ave., Mill Valley parties. Point Reyes Station. 800.591.6878; 415.388.3222; MillValleyMarket.com TheForkAtPointReyes.com

OAKVILLE GROCERY Oakville and Healdsburg. OakvilleGrocery.com SHED* THE SPANISH TABLE In Strawberry Village, 800 Redwood Hwy., Mill Valley. 415.388.5043; SpanishTable.com WHOLE FOODS MARKETS Mill Valley, Napa, Novato, Petaluma, San Rafael, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol and Sonoma. WholeFoodsMarket.com

Health and Holistic Products THE COLD PRESS Organic cold pressed juices. 256 Petaluma Blvd., N., Petaluma. TheColdPressOrganic.com GATHERING THYME The finest organic bulk herbs, culinary spices and fine teas. 226 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., San Anselmo. 415.524.8693; GatheringThyme.com TRUE NATURE BOTANICALS Serious Luxury. Superior Results. No Toxins. Not Ever. 29 Miller Ave., Mill Valley. TNBotanicals.com YOGA TREE 67 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera. YogaTreeSF.com

Hotels and Inns DAWN RANCH On the banks of the Russian River, Dawn Ranch offers individual cottages nestled among towering redwoods. Dog friendly and ideal for weddings, family reunions and corporate retreats. Also visit Agriculture Public House, our full-service restaurant and bar. 707.869.0656; DawnRanch.com NICKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S COVE Cottages and dining in a destination so naturally beautiful and removed from the noise of modern life you will begin to unwind and relax immediately. Only an hour north of the Golden Gate Bridge. 23240 Hwy. 1, Marshall. 415.663.1033; NicksCove.com RIVERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S END Fine dining and cabins on the Sonoma Coast. 11048 Hwy. 1, Jenner. 707.865.2484, ext. 111; ILoveSunsets.com

Meat and Seafood HOG ISLAND OYSTER CO.* RANCHO LLANO SECO A historic California rancho offering responsibly and humanely raised pork and beef products and heirloom beans. LlanoSeco.com ROCKY AND ROSIE CHICKEN Non GMO Project Verified. PetalumaPoultry.com THISTLE MEATS*

Photography MATTHEW CARDEN SUPER FRESH PHOTOS AND SUPER FRESH GALLERY 906 Grant Ave., Novato. 415.869.0656; MatthewCarden.com

Real Estate for Sale or Rent SEADRIFT REALTY For over 37 years Seadrift Realty has been the expert in real estate sales and premium vacation rentals in Stinson Beach and the private gated community of Seadrift. Stinson Beach. 415.868.1791; SeadriftRealty.com

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Restaurants, Bakeries and CafĂŠs AGRICULTURE PUBLIC HOUSE AT DAWN RANCH* BOOKOO Serving Southeast Asian street food with a California twist: fresh, healthy and flavorful dishes that are both fast and affordable. Serving lunch and dinner daily. Delivery available Wâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Su from 5pm to close. 25 Miller Ave., Mill Valley. 415.888.8303; EatBooKoo.com BUTTERSCOTS* CAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; MOMI* CIBO* DRIVERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MARKET See our listing under Grocers and Specialty Food Markets and Producers above. EL DORADO KITCHEN* EPICUREAN CONNECTION* THE FARMER & THE FOX* FLOUR CRAFT BAKERY 100% gluten-free & elegantly organic. 702 San Anselmo Ave., San Anselmo. 415.289.2110; FlourCraftBakery.com FOODNIKS To eat, to enjoy, to go. Cove Shopping Center, 1 Ă?& %Ĺ? & ,|} # /,)(| urv|tyt|twwt )) #%-| )' HILLTOP 1892* HOG ISLAND OYSTER BARS* MARCHE AUX FLEURS* MOLINA* NICKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S COVE* PIATTI* PIAZZA Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ANGELO* RIVERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S END* RUSTIC BAKERY* SHED* UNDERWOOD BAR AND BISTRO* WILLOW WOOD MARKET CAFE*

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Specialty Retail and Shopping Centers ALIX & COMPANY Fine jewelers. 55 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley. 415.380.0880; AlixAndCompany.com CALISTOGA POTTERY 1001 Foothill Blvd., Calistoga. 707.942.0216; CalistogaPottery.com GUIDEBOAT GuideboatCompany.com SHED* TERRESTRA Finely crafted home accessories and gifts, including wedding registry. 30 Miller Ave., Mill Valley and in Laurel Village, 3533-A California St., San Francisco. 415.384.8330; Terrestra.com

Wines and Wine Bars CITY WINERY Napaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hot new live music venue, tap wine bar, restaurant and winery in the historic Napa Valley Opera House. CityWinery.com/Napa CLIF FAMILY WINERY Visit us at our Velo Vino tasting room, 709 Main St., St. Helena. 707.968.0625; ClifFamilyWinery.com THREE BIRDS WINE BAR*

â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;Śa fantasy come to life, one of those places you read about in travel magazines and hope to stumble across but rarely do.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Michael Bauer, SF Chronicle

9020 GRATON ROAD, GRATON 707-823-0233

SUNDAY BRUNCH 9AM-3PM

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

CHERRY ON TOP

Find one of the little people in this photograph by Matthew Carden that has been hidden in another location within this issue and enter the page number of the hidden location on the Edible Marin & Wine Country homepage. The first five people to enter a correct answer will receive a $20 gift card good at any Whole Foods Market location in Marin, Napa or Sonoma county. WholeFoodsMarket.com

Enter to win at EdibleMarinAndWineCountry.com Entries are due by midnight on January 2, 2015 Winners will be notified by email. Experience all of Matthew Carden’s unique “food as art” pieces that have been published in Edible Marin & Wine Country, and more, in person at his Super Fresh Art Gallery, 906 Grant Ave., Novato. MatthewCarden.com and Facebook.com/SuperFreshArtGallery

EDIBLE MARIN & WINE COUNTRY WINTER 2014

This was once considered a love charm.

COMMON CIDER COMPANY facebook.com/CommonCider