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Written by Ann Shepphird
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Thursday, 29 October 2009 21:29 |
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San Luis Obispo County will host a new food and wine event in the fall of 2010. Sponsored by Sunset magazine, Sunset's Savor the Central Coast will be held September 30-October 30, 2010, and showcase the wine and cuisine of California's Central Coast. The event is expected to kick off on Thursday, September 30, at San Luis Obispo's popular Farmers Market and then move on Friday to the 15,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch. Separate events and excursions will also be staged at cities throughout the county. Highlights are expected to include the Sunset Western Wine Awards Gala, Celebrity Chef appearances, culinary tours, winemaker dinners and more than 150 wineries offering food and wine pairings. For more information on the event, contact Molly Morrison at (805) 781-2531. |
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Written by Ann Shepphird
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Tuesday, 06 October 2009 22:01 |
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 Visitors looking for a farm-to-table experience in San Diego County can find it in many places. With more than 6,000 farmers (according to the San Diego County Farm Bureau), the county offers more small family farms than any other county in the nation and an abundance of places to find their wares. The best place to buy fresh produce directly from the growers is at a farm stand. Here are a few of the most popular:
Chino Farms. Located in Rancho Santa Fe, Chino Farms is a favorite among California’s top chefs. Luckily anybody can buy from their farm stand, which provides some of the prettiest produce you’ve ever seen. For more information, call (858) 756-3184.
Carlsbad Strawberry Company. The family owned company offers strawberries from January through July. Visitors can purchase strawberries -- or get out in the field to pick the berries themselves beginning each April. www.carlsbadstrawberrycompany.com
Lavender Fields. In the foothills of Palomar Mountain in northern inland San Diego County, the region’s only organic-certified lavender farm grows dozens of varieties of English and French lavender and sells dried culinary lavender at their on-site store. Open Saturdays and Sundays. www.lavenderfields.com
California Certified Farmers Markets. Every day in San Diego there is a farmers market taking place, with the number growing. For a complete schedule of San Diego’s farmers markets and a regional harvest calendar, visit www.sdfarmbureau.org/Pages/farmersmarket.html.
In addition to the farm stands and farmers markets, a number of restaurants in San Diego County have embraced the farm-to-table concept. (Click "Read More" for list of restaurants.)
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Written by Ann Shepphird
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Monday, 07 September 2009 14:47 |
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 In the last year, Maui’s Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, has added an extensive array of organic chef's gardens – starting with herbs and then fruit trees and, ultimately, vegetables (175 varieties of vegetables, to be exact). The gardens were the brainchild of Executive Sous Chef Marc McDowell, who offers a personal tour of the gardens every Monday at 3 p.m. that also includes instruction on making a raw food spinach-and-berry smoothie he promises is “delicious.”
In undertaking the project, McDowell has found that growing the food for his kitchens is a lot of fun and inspiring. He’s also found that gardening can be a lot of work, but work he’s found a real passion for -- something he may have gotten from his mother, Mary, who was an expert rose gardener and able to see her son’s project come to life before being diagnosed with stage four cancer and passing away this summer.
I recently spoke with McDowell about the new gardens and some of the things he’s learned along the way. He’s also provided recipes for a cilantro-and-macadamia nut crust and a tropical citrus marinade, both of which can be used on fish, chicken or tofu. (Click “read more” for the whole article and to see the recipes, which are also listed under the “Recipes” tab.)
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Written by Ann Shepphird
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Friday, 14 August 2009 22:51 |
 Surrounded by the fertile Central Valley of California and with a weekly farmers market just outside its front door, the Grange Restaurant & Bar in Sacramento prides itself on using the freshest seasonal produce. Local farms such as Capay Organics and Del Rio Farm are even credited on the menu, which changes daily based on what’s in season. Even the wine list is focused on the local, featuring small production, boutique wineries from approved viticulture areas in California.
As this is the season of the tomato, we asked Chef Michael Tuohy for some tips on how to get the most out of those lovely heirlooms:
 “In a perfect world, tomatoes would be ripened by the sun and enjoyed directly off the vine,” said Chef Tuohy. “In order to preserve farm-fresh flavor, I suggest storing heirloom tomatoes on their shoulders and out in the open air. Storing tomatoes refrigerated cuts flavor and brings out acidity.”
Chef Tuohy offers more seasonal tips (and his own ode to summer tomatoes) on his blog at http://michaeltuohy.typepad.com/
But, in the meantime, enjoy his Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho (click "read more" for the recipe). If you’re looking for a wine that will go well with the gazpacho, Chef Tuohy suggests the Albarino, Ca’ del Solo, Soledad, 2007 to accompany it. The wine is from Bonny Doon’s Biodynamic estate vineyard, Ca' del Solo. For more information, visit https://www.bonnydoonvineyard.com/
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