It’s really just a little thing but, honestly, I hate being called ma’am. The only person who can call me ma’am is a tall thin Texas cowboy with his thumbs hitchin’ up his jeans and a cowboy boot brushing floor as he says something like, “Aww, shucks, ma’am, you’re just so pretty I don’t know what to say.” I thought about this on Saturday, as I munched a delicious muffaletta at the new Parish Cafe (you can read my post… Read More »
Hector Alvarez of Hector’s Honey Farm just may be the James Brown of local agriculture. Granted, he doesn’t sport a satin cape or fall to his knees in faux heartbreak. But when you look at his schedule–nine farmers markets a week at the height of the season–it’s hard to argue that he’s not the hardest working man in farming. Although Alvarez is best known for his award-winning honeys, honeycomb and bees wax candles, he has been growing produce, as well,… Read More »
Just as the reality of drought settled in, the rains came, welcome, wonderful and disruptive, especially of early spring’s harvest. The effect was all over the Sebastopol farmers market on the last Sunday in March. Farmers don’t skip a market because it is wet outside. In some instances–Sebastopol’s Laguna Farms, for example–heavy rains prevent them from getting into their fields to pick. Others can get into certain fields but not others. Hector Alvarez and Triple T Farm could not get… Read More »
It’s peach season! Dry Creek Peach & Produce has opened for the season. And if you find yourself with a bounty of ripe peaches, here are some great recipes from the Seasonal Pantry Archives.… Read More »
When you prepare polenta is a slow-cooker, it stays creamy for hours, leaving you free to relax and enjoy your guests. It’s a perfect way to entertain on, say, New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day. Polenta has the added attraction of being very inexpensive. Look for Golden Pheasant brand or Guisto’s Organic Polenta.… Read More »
