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Fresh From Our Farmers: Bloomfield Farms

Thursday, at 12:29 by

Since Mike Collins relaunched his certified-organic Bloomfield Farms about three years ago, it has established itself as one of the heavy hitters of local produce, with a successful Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, a presence at Bay Area farmers markets and farm events that draw scores of visitors from both in and out of the county. The farm’s produce is also sold at several Bay Area supermarkets, including Community Market and certain Whole Foods. F.E.E.D.Sonoma and Planet Organics also purchase… Read More »

Rules For Teachers: Nothing New

Thursday, at 10:33 by

As surprised as I was to read this morning’s article that the Santa Rosa Catholic Diocese is requiring all its school teachers, Catholic or not, to sign an agreement affirming a number of Catholic beliefs, there was also something familiar about it. (You can read this morning’s article here.) When I was working on my book The New Cook’s Tour of Sonoma (Sasquatch Books, 2000), I found a document in what had been the Alexander Valley Schoolhouse and is now… Read More »

Fresh From Our Farmers: Sonrisa Family Farms

Wednesday, at 6:58 by

Everything at Sonrisa Family Farm in Petaluma seems to radiate with an inner glow, a sense of purpose, of intention and of beauty. The first word that came to mind as farmer Lisa Colorado lead me around the five acres where she and her husband have lived for more than a decade was “adorable.” This is not to suggest the farm is not a serious endeavor; it absolutely is. But there are sweet embellishment everywhere, from the way tile stepping… Read More »

Crab, Crab and More Crab

Friday, at 9:05 by

In this week’s Mouthful column, I promise to post details about upcoming crab feeds as there are simply too many to include in the column. Here are the ones taking place in the next few days. I’ll continue to add more as they approach. Several high school crab feeds are among this weekend’s events. Piner High School Boosters Club Crab Feed takes place Friday night from 5 to 9 the Veterans Building (1351 Maple Ave., Santaa Rosa). Cost is $45… Read More »

Fresh From Our Farmers: Santa Rosa Original Market This SUNDAY

Friday, at 11:57 by

The Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market will take place this Sunday, not Saturday. The change is for this week only. This shift is necessary because of a previously scheduled event at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts. Events at the Center are scheduled many months in advance and all those in place before the market moved to its current location last May must be honored. The market’s board of directors are working with the Center and the county to… Read More »

Fresh From Our Farmers: Laguna Farm

Friday, at 11:42 by

In the 1980s, three pioneer farmers–Jeff Dawson of Grandview Farm, Leonard Diggs of The Farmery and Scott Mathieson of Laguna Farm–began growing mesclun, a French-inspired mix of salad greens harvested, leaf by tiny leaf, young. Before long, mesclun from Sonoma County began appearing on restaurant menus as far away as Boston, New York, Honolulu and Miami. By the 1990s, Dawson and Diggs had moved on to other agricultural endeavors but Mathieson kept producing his popular mesclun and had grown his… Read More »

More about Halal & Kosher

Wednesday, at 5:02 by

In today’s Seasonal Pantry, which you can read here, I explore the halal and kosher, the food traditions of Jewish and Muslim cultures, respectively . In that column, I promise to promise to post Imam Ali Siddiqui’s recipe for chickpeas, which you’ll find below. I also promised to post a link to the episode of Mouthful, my radio show on KRCB-FM, that focused on these two traditions with Rabbi Stephanie Kramer of Congregation Shomrei Torah and Imam Ali Siddiqui, whose… Read More »

Cloverdale on Saturday: Crafts Fair + Gram Parsons Birthday Concert

Friday, at 3:04 by

Tomorrow, Cloverdale is the place to be, especially if you love the music of the late Gram Parsons, who was born on November 5, 1946. Doug Jayne has once again pulled together a birthday tribute concert, an evening of Cosmic American Music, which, decades after Parsons’ death in 1973, continues to exert an extraordinary influence. An entire generation may not have discovered the honky tonk if it weren’t for Parsons. At the time he came to national prominence, country music… Read More »

Welcome to the parish. Parish Cafe, that is.

Monday, at 6:30 by

I’ve known for a while that Parish Cafe, chef Rob Lippincott’s New Orleans restaurant, was due to open in Healdsburg any day, but on Saturday, when I was driving towards town after a visit to the Davero Tasting Room, I spotted an open door and people sitting at tables on the broad porch. I hit the brakes, checked the rear view mirror, backed up and slipped into the parking lot. It was a perfect time for lunch. Before long, I… Read More »

Wednesday Evening’s Farm Forum in Petaluma

Tuesday, at 9:21 by

Early Wednesday evening at The Seed Bank in Petaluma, Clark Wolf and Marcy Smothers present another in their farm forum series. The Late Summer Farm Forum features ten panelists and, if things go as they usually do, a lively audience eager to participate. The discussion takes place from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at 199 Petaluma Blvd. North, at the corner of Washington St. Although no one will be turned away for lack of funds, admission is a suggested donation of… Read More »