Posts by Edible East Bay

Twenty positions are available for women who want to be mentored by leading chefs and restaurateurs. Now in its fourth year, the James Beard Foundation Women in Culinary Leadership program offers women already working in the industry a chance to develop in-depth skills either in the kitchen and/or in restaurant management. Applicants must have a minimum…

Over at Berkeley’s Fournée Bakery, owner and pastry chef Frank Sally has been perfecting his heart-shaped Chocolate Babka just in time for Valentine’s Day. It’s made with a sweet, buttery dough, and Sally swirls Valrhona chocolate throughout, then adds a hazelnut streusel topping. The special miniature babka is a perfect Valentine’s brunch item or dessert…

Dark Heart Chili Sauce will be at the LocaLove Pop-up Crafts Market selling an array of their savory and sweet chili sauces, some on the mild side and others with plenty of heat. Stop by the pop-up at CelerySpace to make hand-printed Valentines and shop for baked goods, coffee, textiles, jewelry, and more. Dark Heart was born…

It will be a lively afternoon at Alameda Natural Grocery‘s Chocolate Festival, with a variety of chocolate demos, wine tasting at Farmstead Cheeses & Wines, and live music by Our Fireside Romance. One lucky guest wins a basketful of chocolate goodies. The market also offers a terrific selection of local and organic produce, hard-to-find special diet…

Enter a paradise of bars, confections, and truffles at Berkeley’s Market Hall 8th annual For the Love of Chocolate. Local chocolatiers, including Barlovento and Charles Chocolates, offer samples, and executive pastry chef Sally Darling demonstrates techniques for chocolate decorating. Visitors can taste cheese pairings with dark and milk chocolates as well as a house-made mole sauce prepared…

Reclaiming Traditional Mexican Foods Meet the authors of Decolonize Your Diet as they discuss their popular cookbook celebrating foods native to the Americas. Professors Luz Calvo and Catrióna Rueda Esquibel share the research and philosophy that led to the book and discuss the healing properties of a diet rich in corn, beans, squash, herbs, and…

Ready, Set, SCOBY! Join Edible East Bay artist Lila Volkas for a lively evening of kombucha making. Learn to safely brew your own kombucha and find out about its health benefits like improved digestion and boosted energy. Everyone receives a starter kit and can enjoy kombucha samples made with teas from Teance. Kombucha is prepared…

Professionals and home cooks are invited to join expert olive oil taster Nancy Ash at Séka Hills Olive Mill in the Capay Valley for an exploration of extra-virgin olive oil. Tour the mill and learn to taste and evaluate oils made from different olive varieties and a range of producers in California and abroad. Enjoy food pairings developed…

The chefs at Tender Greens in Walnut Creek offer local Dungeness crab three ways: Housemade Dungeness Crab Ravioli, Dungeness Crab Cioppino, or Whole Garlic-Roasted Dungeness Crab. The chefs’ ongoing relationships with local fishers keeps prices affordable at $15 per plate. Enjoy an optional wine or beer pairing for an additional $5. Info: here or 925.937.5100  Dungeness…

Join Chef Lisa Books-Williams for a class that highlights gluten-free and low-glycemic recipes and eating strategies. Learn to prepare Berry Green Smoothie, Kale with a Kick Salad, Squash Hummus with Seed & Veggie Crackers, Red Lentil Stew with Cashew Sour Cream, and “Snicker” Balls. Participants receive generous samples of each item and recipes to take…

As photos of snowy scenes in the Sierra Nevada appear on our screens, I can’t help remembering the times I went with my dogs up to Hope Valley for a few days of cross-country skiing. Coming back to my cabin at Sorensen’s Resort all tired out and hungry, I could hardly wait to change out…

  Oakland Restaurant Week kicks off next Thursday with 11 days of prix fixe meals offered for lunch and/or dinner. On January 19–29, special menus will be available for $20, $30, $40, and $50 at popular eateries including Clove & Hoof, Miss Ollie’s, Lungomare, Shakewell, and Encuentro. Some restaurants donate a portion of Restaurant Week…

Join Pollinate Farm & Garden for “Fruit-Filled Sundays,” a series of workshops they are holding this year to help gardeners plant and tend bare-root fruit trees. At the first of these events, you’ll learn the basics of a scion exchange and how to make the best of upcoming winter exchanges, including the Berkeley event on January 21. Fruit…

Scion: A detached living portion of a plant—such as a bud or shoot—that can be grafted onto rootstock to create a new plant that joins the strength of the rootstock with the desired characteristics of the scion. Gardeners interested in having heirloom varieties of fruit growing in their yard do this sort of grafting.  The…

For those seeking in-depth knowledge about soil ecology, Dr. Elaine Ingham offers her annual Compost Tea & Soil Food Web Intensive at GreenFriends Farm. Ingham is a renowned soil biologist who shares her know-how in this workshop for farmers, landscapers, ranchers, creators and distributors of agricultural products, waste management professionals, and soil and garden enthusiasts.…

  This annual juried crafts fair showcases affordable, handmade art and crafts and benefits KPFA 94.1 FM public radio. More than 200 exhibitors offer their handmade or limited-edition goods in a wide variety of media. Festive food and live music add to the experience. Admission: $12; $8 for seniors and people with disabilities. Free for…

The Berkeley Farmers’ Market hosts local artists, artisans, and crafters at this annual fair, now in its 25th year. Find an assortment of goods made using sustainable practices, such as upcycled messenger bags, wooden bowls, nontoxic jewelry, clothing made from local wool, and natural body care products. And like every week of the year, the…

Healthier giving is high on the Alameda County Community Food Bank’s wish list this year. The food bank, which serves one in five county residents, has teamed up with the nonprofit SuperFoodDrive to encourage nutritious food donations. If you’re participating in a canned food drive, opt for higher-nutrition items like quinoa, lentils, nuts, rolled oats, canned salmon…

This annual event organized by the Institute of Urban Homesteading offers small-batch, one-of-a-kind artisanal goodies. Sample an assortment of foods, sip some mead, and get to know other homesteading fans. Items available for purchase include syrups, mead and port wines, mustard, jam, handcrafted soap, beeswax candles, herb salt, butcher block conditioner, cayenne and ghost pepper…

A holiday market with plenty of creative flair pops up on Saturday at CelerySpace, a Berkeley gallery and workshop venue. Find unusual gifts, meet local artisans and makers, and munch on delicious food from Alicia’s Tamales Los Mayas. CelerySpace presents innovative graphic design, lifestyle products, fine art, fashion, and food. Their exhibits and workshops promote creativity,…

Blue Heart connects local artists, grassroots organizations, and supporters of social, environmental, and food justice. Started by Stanford grads Lindley Mease and Theo Gibbs, the group chooses a different organization each month and shares visual art and stories about that organization with its subscribers.  In December, Blue Heart donates funds to Planting Justice, an urban farming…

  Slow Food members and friends from around the world are invited to be part of a joyful recipe swap. Share a family recipe by December 10, and receive a recipe from someone else on December 15. Make a new friend in the process! Slow Food was started 30 years ago to focus on the…

For its final First Friday event of the year, Donkey & Goat serves up its fabulous wine by the glass or bottle, and the Del Popolo Pizza Truck rolls in with personal pies from the wood-fired oven. Live bluegrass adds to the fun, and local art is on display in the cellar gallery. Free admission. Info:…

Dine out on Thursday December 1 in Berkeley, and help school gardens thrive. Participating restaurants give a portion of their proceeds from that day and evening to the Berkeley Public Schools Gardening & Cooking Program, which brings garden-based education to pre-school through high school students. At Berkeley public schools, nutrition-based cooking classes are also offered…

  In our new issue, we’re serving up an array of holiday foods and crafts that help the honeybees. Don’t miss the buzz! We’re also highlighting warming foods from different cultures, Chef Paul Canales, trolls in the kitchen, and much more. Magazines will be appearing at local farmers’ markets and businesses over the coming days.…

  Experience a menu taste-test with The Well and Sacred Table. You’ll sample hot and cold herbal medicinal drinks, an array of seasonal, organic appetizers, and delicious raw, vegan desserts. Hosts will appreciate your direct feedback on the dishes you try. Nourish your body, mind, and soul at this event. Cost: $20–30. Info and tickets: here…

  How better to express love or gratitude than with a gift of farm-fresh food? Orinda’s Blue Egg Farm, currently featured in our CSA Guide, grows a diverse selection of beautiful and nutritious organic vegetables, fruits, and living microgreens along with fresh herbs and herbal bouquets. Farmer Kathleen Schwallie also offers gift boxes, pots, and…

Vegan favorite Sanctuary Bistro hosts a fundraising dinner to support the work of local nonprofit Fresh Approach. The three-course prix fixe meal costs $35, with 22.8{94d79dd6af1e87a94e700e4c297236468333f22e27ed5757b44711974a9a4b91} of proceeds going to benefit programs that connect low-income neighborhoods to farmers’ markets. Fresh Approach offers mobile markets in food desert areas as well as nutrition education and cooking…

Paint up a storm at Pinot’s Palette while helping grant a wish for a child with a life-threatening medical condition. Simply A Starry Night is a fundraiser benefiting Make-A-Wish® Greater Bay Area, which has made more than 6,000 wishes come true since their inception in 1984. Enjoy local East Bay wine, appetizers, a silent auction…

  Oakland Stock offers a chance to support local artists as you enjoy a scrumptious bowl of soup. Artists propose projects in need of funding and diners vote on their favorite. The winning artist takes home the funds generated by the dinner and then reports back on progress at the next Oakland Stock. At this…

Meet Dorie Greenspan and celebrate her newest cookbook as Market Hall Foods becomes a cookie pop-up. Sample treats from the book and from Market Hall Bakery, and pick up some tips at the cookie decorating demo. In Dorie’s Cookies, bakers can find cookies of every stripe for holiday events, cookie swaps, and even breakfasts, as well…

  EAT, at Crockett’s Epperson Gallery, serves up a combined gallery exhibition and retail event showcasing the form, function, folly, and beauty of dining. With artwork by two dozen local artists from across all mediums, EAT is also a retail space that brings together culinary crafts and artworks for the table and home. The show,…

    The Bg Craft Fest has become an annual tradition at Walnut Creek’s Bedford Gallery. Local vendors display fine handmade crafts, art, jewelry, home goods, clothing, artisanal foods, and more. This year, visitors can also enjoy hands-on maker workshops. Have some DIY fun creating personalized hand-lettered stationery, verdant seasonal wreaths, festive felt garlands, or…

Voters in Oakland, Albany, and San Francisco can follow Berkeley’s lead in establishing a soda tax. Measure 01 in Albany, Measure HH in Oakland, and Proposition V in San Francisco place a tax of one cent per ounce on the distribution of sugar-sweetened beverages such as soda, energy drinks, and presweetened teas. Consumption of sugary drinks…

Three local farmers’ markets host Halloween Harvest Festivals and costume parades this weekend. Get into the spirit of the season with a kids’ costume contest, mini-pumpkin decorating, and other seasonal crafts. Try to win a $50 prize by guessing the weight of a giant pumpkin. Enjoy the seasonal variety at the market as you shop…

Join Sophie Egan, author of Devoured: From Chicken Wings to Kale Smoothies—How What We Eat Defines Who We Are, for a discussion about the ways that our national character drives our food choices. In conversation with Berkeley School of Public Health (SPH) lecturer Jaspal Sandhu, Egan explores American food culture and habits, “diet” foods, holidays…

Join author and activist Peter McCoy to discuss his work and his new book, Radical Mycology. The event includes a reading and presentation on fungal ecology, mushroom cultivation, mycoremediation, and the role of mushrooms in health, medicine, and spirituality. Founded in 2006, Radical Mycology is a grassroots movement based on teaching the value of mushrooms…

Pumpkins, apples, and seasonal pies await at CUESA’s harvest celebration. Come down to the Jack London Square Farmers’ Market for a harvest festival complete with trick or treating, pumpkin decorating, apple cider pressing, a cooking demo, and green smoothies. Edible East Bay’s publisher and editor Cheryl Koehler will help to judge the Fall Pie Contest, an opportunity…

Taste dishes native to the Philippines as interpreted by top chefs at this culinary expo hosted by the nonprofit Filipino Food Movement. Enjoy ten unique tastings with offerings like Popcorn Chicken Sinigang, Pork Belly Adobo Congee, Dueling Fish Relleno, and a Mango Panna Cotta with Coconut Foam. At the Buksan Dinner (ticketed separately) five chefs…

Two experts dive into issues of food diversity. Jonathan Foley is executive director of the California Academy of Sciences and Simran Sethi is the author of Bread, Wine, Chocolate: The Slow Loss of Foods We Love. Sethi says that American foods consist primarily of just corn, wheat, rice, palm oil, and soybeans. She traveled to…

Meet Mark Bittman, author of the How to Cook Everything series, the award-winning Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating, and New York Times bestseller VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00. Bittman has starred in four television series, including Showtime’s Emmy-winning Years of Living Dangerously. In 2015 he was a distinguished fellow at the University of California…

The East Bay Waldorf School welcomes the community for lively games, music, wholesome food, crafts, vendors, theatrics, marionette puppet shows, and more. Be sure to taste the special harvest soup. Admission is free. Game tickets, food, and wares for sale. Info: here Saturday October 15, 11am–3pm Harvest Fair at East Bay Waldorf School 3800 Clark…

SAGE (Sustainable Agriculture Education) welcomes the public to a festive open house at the Sunol AgPark. Bring the whole family to explore the different farms, meet the farmers, and celebrate the season. Learn about the organizations involved with the AgPark, and enjoy the pumpkin patch, farmers’ market stand, gardening workshops, and kids activities like making corn-husk…

  Culinary co-working space Forage Kitchen launches with a public opening as part of Oakland’s First Fridays. Founded by cousins and food entrepreneurs Iso Rabins and Matt Johansen, this incubator for startup food businesses provides kitchen workspace, a communal office area, and business resources. Rabins and Johansen hope to create a community of working chefs, novices,…

More than 2,500 plants will change hands at Oakland’s Plant Exchange, where gardeners, landscapers, urban farmers, and outdoor enthusiasts from around the Bay Area swap a huge variety of plants as well as tools, other garden items, yard art, mulch, goldfish, books, equipment, compost bins, and lawn furniture. Master gardeners and plant specialists are on…

Indie bookstore Mrs. Dalloway’s hosts a brief talk with Stanley Ginsberg, author of The Rye Baker: Classic Breads from Europe and America. You’ll get to taste recipes from the book– a collection of more than 70 classics spanning rye’s regions and terroir.  Free.  Info: here Meet the author of The Rye Baker: Classic Breads from…

    You’ll find an abundance of good foods and amusements at this favorite annual event in Oakland’s Rockridge district. The Picnic With Market Hall features products, tastings, and chef demos from Market Hall Foods (formerly known as The Pasta Shop), Hapuku Fish Shop, Marin Sun Farms, Market Hall Bakery, Market Hall Produce, Paul Marcus…

  Each year Emeryville celebrates its thriving arts community with a juried show highlighting the work of both established and emerging artists and craftspeople. Open to artists who live or work in Emeryville, the exhibition features paintings, sculpture, photographs, ceramics, textiles, jewelry, furniture, and glass works. At the gala public reception on October 7, you…

  Round loaves of challah are traditional during Rosh Hashanah, when pieces of the eggy bread are dipped into honey to represent hopes for a sweet new year. Market Hall pastry chef Neucimar “Nel” Dias da Silva adapted this recipe from one he learned while attending a bakery conference at the Culinary Institute of America at…

  Join in for an afternoon pig roast including live music, locally produced wines, and hard cider. Savor a meal of roast pig, all the sides, and dessert, presented by the producers at Riggers Loft: R&B Cellars, Carica Wines, Irish Monkey Cellars, and Far West Cider Company. Enjoy the great views right on the Bay…

  Visit the historic Wagner Ranch Nature Area and celebrate the olive with tastings and cooking demos. Take a docent tour of the ranch, which is a nature preserve that offers hands-on experiential education for 1,000 school children each year. Meet turtles and baby goats and enjoy nature arts and crafts, food, music, and garden…

  Biofuel Oasis offers an afternoon of free urban farming workshops and a chance to taste and vote for the best East Bay honey. Learn about edible flowers, backyard beehives, raising baby chicks, grey water harvesting, biochar, and more. Celebrate the harvest with a 10{94d79dd6af1e87a94e700e4c297236468333f22e27ed5757b44711974a9a4b91} discount on all store items and 10 cents/gallon off on…

  The annual Foods of the Americas Exhibition showcases an array of crops, from chocolate to quinoa, that originated in the Americas thousands of years ago. Come enjoy various special events associated with the exhibit: a family day featuring corn husk dolls, tastings, and crafts; a presentation on food biodiversity and forgotten crops; and a…

    The first hints of autumn are in the air, along with the scents of seasonal treats from a magical culinary crew—the trolls! You might be surprised, but the trolls have a thing or two to teach us about food. As explored in The Troll Cookbook (Dromedary Press, 2016), troll cooks combine fresh local ingredients…

At the annual Fall Plant Sale at Merritt College, find water-wise options, native plants, succulents and cacti, and a wonderful variety of winter edibles. Activities on Saturday include demonstration tables, mushroom cultivation, floral design, a children’s corner, local food, and more. Sunday features plant sales only. Parking is limited at the Horticulture Department, so please…

This annual celebration at Full Belly Farm features traditional arts and crafts, hay rides, farm tours, fresh food, nature walks, and hands-on workshops. It’s a chance to learn about rural living and local agriculture while also enjoying games, contests, music, and dancing. Advance registration is required for Sunday workshops. Camping in the orchard is available. Cost:…

This sale offers a broad selection of water-wise plants, including many California natives and a wide array of lawn replacement options. Find exotic and unusual plants including rare cycads and palms, carnivorous plants, cacti, and succulents. Expert staff and volunteers are on hand to answer questions, offer advice, and help you create a drought-resistant garden.…

  Entrepreneurs looking to open a business can learn from the masters in this professional development course offered by Oakland’s Food Craft Institute (FCI). Develop the skills and knowledge to launch a craft beer business as you learn from top brewpub owners and micro-brewers about sourcing equipment and ingredients as well as managing finances and…

Seed sharers can celebrate a new law, just signed by Governor Brown, that removes regulatory barriers which previously threatened seed libraries and other non-commercial seed sharing. The California Seed Exchange Democracy Act, an amendment to the California Seed Law, exempts non-commercial seed-sharing from the labeling, testing, and permitting required by commercial seed businesses. The new…

Fiber artists from Nevada County display and sell their handmade art and wares at Berkeley Horticultural Nursery. Visitors can purchase handwoven scarves, shawls, and towels, as well as fleece blankets, hand-spun yarns, felted items, and more. Artist Sierra Mohr gives a presentation on the art of wet felting at 10:30am, food vendors provide treats, and…

Bring a good appetite to this high-energy street-food festival, where you’ll find a delicious variety of food and drink made from regionally sourced, sustainably produced ingredients. The popular annual event, now in its 8th year, features street food from regional food trucks and vendors, all priced at $8 or less. Look for an array of…

Edible East Bay invites readers to taste a sweet array of new tomato varieties from the tomato breeders at Baia Nicchia and Wild Boar Farms. You’ll get to meet the farmers, Fred Hempel and Brad Gates, and taste their outstanding tomatoes, perhaps a Maglia Rosa Cherry, Black Beauty, or even a Michael Pollan. Then taste the tomatoes…

Perhaps you already know that millets are gluten free and contain more protein, minerals, vitamins, and fiber than wheat, corn, or rice. Visit The Millet Project at the UC Gill Tract Farm to see millets growing, meet the farmers and UC Berkeley researchers involved in the project, and taste millet beer, chips, and bread. Millets are…

Join ZeroFoodprint to explore whether or not to eat beef in light of its production effects on climate change. A foodprint is a meal’s carbon footprint or the amount of carbon-dioxide-equivalent emissions produced by that meal. Learn about beef production, grass-fed beef, and related issues through a panel discussion moderated by ZeroFoodprint and Chris Ying of…

  Edible Communities, the publishing umbrella for Edible magazines, hosts Edible Institute, a one-day conference on the Future of Food. Leaders from diverse sectors of the food industry gather in Chicago for this forum about challenges and opportunities that will impact the way we source, view, and share food. Presentations are of special interest to…

Transform your lawn through sheet mulching, a layered mulch system that improves soil health, manages weeds without herbicides, and increases soil permeability. At this workshop, learn about sheet-mulch techniques like edging, planting small and large specimens, and laying down cardboard. Sheet mulching can be used to establish a landscape or to enrich existing plantings. Workshop…

  Gardener and educator Sameer Tyagi invites the public to his Heirloom Tomato Maze, made with 370 hay bales, 200 heirloom tomato varieties, and 1,800 plants. Sample a selection of tomatoes, dig in for a gardening workshop, and pick fresh tomatoes, herbs, and veggies. Instead of soil, Tyagi uses partially decomposed hay bales to grow…

Berkeley winery Donkey & Goat spotlights local makers at upcoming First Friday events. Spend a relaxing evening at the winery sipping Donkey & Goat’s natural wines, and enjoy tasty foods, live music, and high-spirited yard games. September’s event lineup features  The Pacific Salsa Company, music by Anthony Presti, and local art from El Shamanico. Free admission.…

Join the indoor “picnic” on the future site of People’s Community Market as Real Food Real Stories brings together storytelling, live music, and food prepared by local chefs. The event features an intimate discussion with community organizer and social entrepreneur Brahm Ahmadi, who shares his story of advocating for a healthier food system and building People’s…

Learn to create realistic roses from crepe paper with Lynn Dolan of Castle in the Air. Il Fiorello offers this class as part of its Crepe Paper Botanical Series. You’ll make beautiful roses using high-quality European paper, artists’ chalk, scissors, wire, and glue. Il Fiorello hosts a wide variety of culinary and culinary-related classes. Cost: $75…

Urban vintners Bob Rawson and Fred Dick got their start making wine in Rawson’s San Francisco garage. This month the duo celebrates ten years of small-batch winemaking at Berkeley’s Urbano Cellars, known for its eclectic mix of Mediterranean-inspired wines and its popular blends in refillable one-liter bottles. Urbano sources its wine grapes from Northern California…

Tune in to FOODBIZ to learn about Eat.Think.Design, the wildly popular UC Berkeley course now available online. Meet Professor Jaspal Sandhu as he discusses the new online version of the course and how to apply design thinking to food, innovation, and health. Sandhu talks with Food Business School Dean Will Rosenzweig about the five-week online course,…

  Slow Food East Bay, Transition Berkeley, and The Ecology Center host a screening of A Place at the Table, a film about the implications of hunger in the United States. This thought-provoking exploration also offers solutions to ponder and act on. Please bring a dish to share at a community potluck before the screening. Following…