Posts by Edible East Bay
Workshops Bloom at the Oakland Public Library, various dates in May
The Oakland Public Library is hosting a grand array of garden workshops throughout the month of May. You can learn about pollinators, native plants, and growing an herbal garden from a variety of garden experts. Program locations are wheelchair accessible. To request disability-related accommodations or to request American Sign Language (ASL), or other forms…
Read MoreGood Food and Frank Exchanges at the Saturday Berkeley Farmers’ Market
By Nora Becker Photo by Carole Topalian On most any Saturday, throngs of people gather by 10am at the Berkeley Farmers’ Market: families with young children pushing carts, elderly folks in masks and light down jackets, groups of friends standing in circles huddled over warm crêpes and espresso drinks. Weekenders move casually, taking many laps…
Read MoreBBQ Without Borders, May 13 at OMCA
At its second BBQ Without Borders, held this year on May 13, 5–9pm at the Oakland Museum of California, the nonprofit No Immigrants No Spice (NINS) invites you to celebrate the importance of immigration to our culinary experience. The dinner features regional barbecue prepared by chefs from Cuba, Japan, and India. Join Chef Lilly…
Read MoreBay Area Book Festival: May 6–7 in Berkeley
The Bay Area Book Festival returns with nearly 300 prominent authors for adults and youth, appearing on indoor stages on Saturday and Sunday, May 6–7. Exclusively on Sunday, May 7, the festival includes a large outdoor stage, literary exhibitors, gourmet food vendors, a lively family area, and a youth expo in Berkeley’s Civic Center…
Read MoreSweet World of Beekeeping: Hayward Farmers’ Market, April 15
Discover the sweet world of beekeeping and local honey production at the Hayward Farmers Market on Saturday, April 15, 11am, with an exciting event that features a live observation hive, honey extraction and bottling, honey tasting, and free arts and crafts for kids. You’ll also be treated to presentations and a chance to talk to two…
Read MoreGardening for the Good Bugs: April 13 Webinar
Did you know that over 90% of the bugs you see in your garden are good bugs? And did you know that encouraging those beneficial insects is one of the best ways to effectively reduce the number of pests in your garden? At this free webinar on Thursday, April 13, 5-6pm, you’ll learn how…
Read MoreDavid Lance Goines: A Remembrance by L. John Harris
When I met Berkeley’s celebrated printer and poster artist in the 1970s, it was during those ecstatic early days of our fledgling food revolution. Of course, we didn’t know it was a revolution; we were just enjoying ourselves, each other, and great food like we had tasted on trips to Europe in the…
Read MoreEl Mesón de Violeta Opens at Public Market Emeryville
Since 2017, Public Market Emeryville’s La Cocina pop-up kiosk has been a magic launchpad for notable new eateries like Nyum Bai, Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement, Mama Lamees, and A Girl Named Pinky. Now it’s time to welcome Carmen Figueroa, chef/owner of El Mesón de Violeta. Stop by the kiosk any Tuesday through Sunday, 11am to…
Read MoreCook and Learn in the Decolonized Kitchen, April 15 in Oakland
Come to the Decolonized Kitchen, a gathering for learning about Indigenous foodways, ethnobotany, and cooking with environmental educator Maribel Garcia. In this hour of connection and reclamation, you’ll learn about our native plant relatives as you enjoy a discussion, presentation, and cook-along, where everyone can share their insights, stories, and wisdom with others. Maribel…
Read MoreHallmarks of Spring Risotto with Asparagus, Snap Peas, and Fava Beans
Here’s a recipe that truly shows off spring’s fresh asparagus, peas, and fava beans along with garden herbs like mint and chives and the winter season’s new extra virgin olive oil. I much prefer a fruity, grassy extra virgin olive oil with mild to medium intensity for this dish, and suggest seeking out one…
Read MoreWomen Lead at March 23 TCHO Chocolate Factory Nightlife Event
TCHO Chocolate of Berkeley opens its doors to the public on Thursday, March 23, 5:30–8:30pm to celebrate Women’s History Month with an event that features factory tours and chocolate tastings of some never-before-seen chocolate products. It’s also a chance to meet nearly a dozen women who own and/or lead East Bay–based food and beverage businesses,…
Read MoreHave You Eaten Yet? April 2 Chinese Food Event in Oakland
Everyone certainly knows that Chef Martin Yan can cook, but on Sunday, April 2, 2–4pm, when we sit down with the star chef at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center, we’ll learn about an excitingly wide world of Chinese food in Chef Yan’s conversation with Cheuk Kwan, author of Have You Eaten Yet? Stories from Chinese…
Read MoreSprout Your Summer Veggie Garden Now
Gardener’s Notebook by Joshua Burman Thayer Although it’s barely spring, summer is right around the corner, at least when it comes to having a garden full of vegetables. Sure, you could wait until May and purchase six packs (I mean squash starts, not beer) or you could plan ahead and sprout your summer…
Read MoreCanning Basics Workshop, March 25 at Urban Adamah
Looking to get into canning? Join farm director Debbie Harris at Urban Adamah in Berkeley on Saturday March 25, 10-11:30am, for a free demo and hands-on workshop covering the basics for home fruit and vegetable preservation using a water bath. Walk away with the skills to make your own preserves, jams, and more! All…
Read MoreInnovating our Food System with Biotech: Virtual Panel on March 10
Welcome to the future in food, where visionary startups are producing alternatives to conventional meat and dairy products using pioneering technologies in fermentation and cultivation. With missions to be kinder to animals, the planet and human health, The Better Meat Co., Perfect Day and UPSIDE Foods are three California companies at the forefront of…
Read MoreSet Up Your Garden for Success: March 16 Online
Spring is around the corner, so it’s time to tune in for this free organic gardening webinar with the Alameda County Clean Water Program. On Thursday, March 16, 5–6pm, you’ll hear about the benefits of building a healthy garden from the ground up and you learn how to grow healthy plants with a water-wise approach and…
Read MoreTwo East Bay Tours on April 5 Enrich the Bioneers Conference Experience
For more than 30 years, Bioneers has served as a fertile hub where social and scientific innovators can share practical and visionary solutions for the world’s most pressing environmental and social challenges. This year, for the first time, the nonprofit is bringing its annual conference to Berkeley, and the April 6–8 event kicks off with two…
Read MoreCalifornia Artisan Cheese Festival: March 24–26 in Sonoma County
“Life is Great. Cheese Makes it Better,” wrote Avery Aames, author of the bestselling Cheese Shop Mystery Series, and we agree. That’s why we’re looking forward to three full days of cheese bliss, coming up soon at the 17th Annual California Artisan Cheese Festival. This festival is a true celebration of craft, and since the…
Read MoreA Sri Lankan Street-Side Cooking Adventure from Hoppers
Dip your toes into Hoppers: The Cookbook with one of chef Karan Gokani’s lamb or chicken curry recipes. It you want to dive into a street-side Sri Lankan experience and assemble your own kothu, you might pair that curry with chopped roti (skillet bread) plus whatever vegetables, eggs, cheese, etc. you like. Hoppers: The Cookbook…
Read MoreSri Lankan Flavors from Hoppers: The Cookbook at Market Hall, Feb 25
Hoppers: The Cookbook: Recipes, Memories and Inspiration from Sri Lankan Homes, Streets and Beyond is the debut cookbook of Karan Gokani, chef and co-owner of London’s extremely popular Sri Lankan restaurant, Hoppers. This new book showcases signature Sri Lankan recipes from the restaurant along with Gokani’s personal story and the stories of…
Read MoreCulinary Art Fills the Table at ACCI, March 2 – April 8
Grief and Donuts Writer Nora Becker interviews culinary artist Carolyn Tillie about her show “Mixed Emotions,” opening March 2, 2023 at ACCI in Berkeley Carolyn Tillie collects culinary treasures. The treasures find their way into her artwork, into her food history research, and into her conversation with me, which took place via video, due…
Read MoreRoasted Radish Salad with Hard-Boiled Eggs, Chervil, and Red Oak Leaf Lettuce
California Food Forests: Free presentation Feb 25 in Benicia
Plants, like people, thrive in community. At a free presentation in Benicia on Saturday, February 25, 10am–noon, Joshua Burman Thayer, an ecological designer who works with permaculture strategies, discusses how nature evolves its plant communities so each member benefits from its associations with the others. That’s valuable knowledge to bring into the garden. “When…
Read MoreSow, Sow, Sow for Spring Abundance
February in the Garden: Gardener’s Notebook by Joshua Burman Thayer It’s still quite cold outside, too cold, in fact, for seeding summer veggies. But certain crops sprout and grow just fine in the cool, wet Bay Area winter, and you can direct sow them into your raised beds and buckets throughout the month of February.…
Read MoreTasting Notes from the Biofuel Oasis Honey Contest
By Novella Carpenter | Illustrations by Olivia Heller The first entry for the 8th semiannual Biofuel Oasis Honey Contest came in a squat jar and smelled like caramel. The next entry was the color of straw. Then they streamed in, held aloft by smiling beekeepers: Here’s my entry for the honey contest! Our store…
Read MoreFieldwork Brews Find Two True Loves at East Bay Events: Feb 14 & Feb 18
Celebrate SF Beer Week and Valentine’s Day with two East Bay tasting events. First, Fieldwork hosts a Barrel-Aged Beer & TCHO Chocolate pairing on Valentine’s Day at its Berkeley brewery. Then, on Saturday, February 18, Fieldwork and SoDo Donuts serve up delicious duos at the new Fieldwork Beer Garden and Taproom in San Leandro.…
Read MoreHow Annie’s T Cakes Grabbed the Tiger by the Tail in 2022
By Cheryl Angelina Koehler The Year of the Tiger, 2022, was a good one for Oakland baker Annie Wang, and she’s now chasing the Rabbit into a new year while catching her breath. “When I started Annie’s T Cakes in 2020, I could not have imagined all that has happened since,” says the 29-year-old…
Read MoreStrawberry Cream Wafers
Engineered to Eat
From molecular booze to lab-grown honey, East Bay makers are ushering in a new generation of bio-designed food and drink. Story and Illustrations by Bri James Ikenga Wines Oakland, California One evening in 2017, as Onye Ahanotu sat down at Kith/Kin—the now-shuttered high-end Afro-Caribbean Washington, DC, restaurant helmed by Top Chef wunderkind Kwame…
Read MoreAmigo Bob Cantisano: a Remembrance and Book Review
By David Kupfer “Essentially, all life depends upon the soil…. There can be no life without soil and no soil without life; they have evolved together.” —Dr. Charles E. Kellogg, soil scientist and chief of the USDA Bureau for Chemistry and Soils Without a doubt, the most outstanding takeaway lesson from my 40-year friendship…
Read MoreReem Assil’s Arab Hospitality
The Oakland baker, restaurateur, and author grows her Bay Area community By Kristina Sepetys Reem Assil’s delicious food honors her Palestinian-Syrian heritage as well as her Bay Area present. Fiercely passionate about promoting Arab hospitality, Assil brings equal focus to her pursuits in community building, social justice, and sustainability. With a background…
Read MoreLAZY SUSAN SUNDAYS: Favorite East Bay Dim Sum Spots
By Meredith Pakier and Bridge Ho | Photos by Meredith Pakier This season, to celebrate the Lunar New Year, I teamed up with my friend Bridge Ho, who grew up in San Francisco and went out for dim sum nearly every weekend with their family. It wasn’t just for the food. These outings…
Read MoreAt the Sign of the Slug
Story and photos by Natalya Suttmiller I generally journey to San Francisco for live DJs and intriguing food and drinks under one roof, but last summer, I found my dream space right near home. The experience starts on an impossibly pointy corner in Oakland’s Civic Center at the slim Lionel Wilson Building, a handsome…
Read MoreLemon Cornmeal Cake with Strawberries and Cream
From Good Food and Frank Exchanges
Read MoreThe Last Bite
Begin with Bread You have to start somewhere and I was perfectly content with white bread and butter. I adopted rituals early. After buttering my toast, I used the cinnamon and sugar dispenser to draw a giant Z for Zorro. I considered a challah as beautiful as a bouquet of flowers. I had reverence for…
Read MoreWHAT’S IN SEASON? Spring Alliums!
By Barbara Kobsar | Illustration by Charmaine Koehler-Lodge The Allium genus is diverse and versatile, and in springtime, it gives us many gifts at the market from leeks, chives, and green garlic to spring onions and ramps (an Allium that grows wild on the East Coast). Leeks are the largest and mildest of the…
Read MoreGuide to Good Eats: Spring 2023
From the sketchbook of urban sketcher Cathy Raingarden. Find more @cathyraingarden and cathyraingarden.com. Alameda Alameda Marketplace 1650 Park St | alamedamarketplace.com Sit down for a meal of wood-oven chicken or pizza, local oysters, house-made bread and pasta, inventive small dishes, and more substantial fare at East End. Relax with coffee, pastries, or gelato at the…
Read MoreHow to Make a Metheglin
The exquisitely fermented nectar of billions of flowers Story, recipe, and photo by Alexandra Hudson Together we wander through our backyard gardens and out to the hills where the soft young leaves of springtime are emerging. Young shoots of many edible plants offer refreshingly bright and sour flavors that can be beneficial to…
Read MoreEditor’s Mixing Bowl
It’s always a bit unfortunate that the Edible East Bay publishing calendar strands Lunar New Year and Valentine’s Day between issues. When our Winter Holidays edition comes out in mid-November, it’s too early to present those themes, and our Spring issue release date of February 21 makes it a near miss for those holidays.…
Read MoreAn Afternoon Caviar Tasting
To celebrate friendship one recent afternoon, we broke out the Champagne, truffled potato chips, crème fraîche, endive, and some little boiled potatoes to try with a selection of local caviar from Tsar Nicoulai. What…? Is that a Russian company, you ask? This Eater article from last May explains that it is not, so there’s…
Read MoreGrow Your Own Asparagus
This popular vegetable can be an ideal perennial denizen of your raised bed garden. Gardener’s Notebook by Joshua Burman Thayer Asparagus is a welcome sign of spring on the dinner plate, but it also heralds the year’s coming abundance in your garden. Planting it takes a bit of work at first, and…
Read MoreThe Woks of Life Family Comes to Berkeley Central Library on February 11
The Leungs, a family who turned their love of Chinese cooking and celebration of their heritage into a hugely popular blog, The Woks of Life, have a new cookbook and they’ll be at the Berkeley Central Library on Saturday, February 11 to discuss their family cooking and sign books. The Joys of Cooking as a Family…
Read MoreClassic Scallion Pancakes, cōng yóubǐng, from The Woks of Life
Reprinted with permission from The Woks of Life by Bill Leung, Kaitlin Leung, Judy Leung, and Sarah Leung, copyright © 2022. Photographs by Sarah Leung and Kaitlin Leung. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. To purchase the book, follow this link on indiebound.com, where you can buy your copy through…
Read MoreBake a Brownie for Your Sweetheart
Bake a healthy chocolate sweet for your sweetie, and while you’re at it, look out for all our tender little hearts with daily meals cooked with heart health in mind. The new, fourth edition of Cooking à la Heart: 500 Easy and Delicious Recipes to Make Every Meal Heart Healthy offers a science-based approach…
Read MoreWhat Shapes a Chef’s Vision? Commonwealth Club Feb 15 event
Ever wonder how professional chefs come up with their menus? For many, cooking is an opportunity to look to their roots and consider the flavors that they find most comforting, personally meaningful, and culturally significant. Food is also an important tool for bridging divides and bringing people from different backgrounds together to enjoy a…
Read MoreCrying at H Mart Author Event Almost Sold Out!
Korean-American Michelle Zauner, author of memoir Crying in H Mart and lead singer of the Grammy-nominated band Japanese Breakfast, makes a Bay Area Book Festival appearance at Oakland’s California Ballroom on Saturday, April 1 at 7pm. Her memoir is woven with food as much as it is with memory, and Zauner artfully traces those connections between…
Read MoreDoes Your Alameda County Organization Need Funds for Waste Prevention? Jan 31 online info session
Public agency StopWaste is offering grants for innovative projects that prevent waste in Alameda County. A total of $1.1 million in funding is available for businesses, nonprofits, and institutions for projects in these six categories: Food Waste Prevention and Recovery: to prevent food waste through product or process redesign or recovery and redistribution of…
Read MoreCalling Local Artists with a Passion for Food, Justice, and the Environment: Jan 30 deadline
This year’s Art/Act Local exhibit at Berkeley’s David Brower Center features perspectives from emerging artists on food, justice, action, and the environment. Co-authored by José Gonzalez, founder of Latino Outdoors, along with Brower Center staff, “All on the Table” will examine an array of topics including food as an expression of care as a community…
Read MoreHow to Design Microclimates into your Bay Area Garden
Gardener’s Notebook by Joshua Burman Thayer In 2003, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, reported that a simple brick wall can shift the air temperature adjacent to the wall by over 13°F compared to the surrounding area. Walls, berms, pergolas, and other human designs can significantly increase or decrease temperature in various parts of…
Read MoreGeechee Crab Gravy
This recipe: From a Gamblers’ Den to the White House
Read MoreReconnect at the 43rd EcoFarm Conference, January 18–21 at Asilomar
“I often feel like I am alone in my thoughts, ideas, hopes, and wishes for a better world,” says beekeeper and activist Sarah Red-Laird. “My week at EcoFarm reminded me that I’m part of a movement containing some of the brightest people on the planet, and now they are only an email or phone…
Read MoreFollow the Wild Mushrooms to the Fungus Fair, January 29
When the first rains tease up the porcini and chanterelles, Bay Area fungus lovers head to the Fungus Fair. This year’s fair is coming up on Sunday, January 29 at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill. Presentations and activities feature exciting speakers on topics that run from science and medicine to cooking, art, and…
Read MoreA Chocolate Legacy Continues at Casa de Chocolates in Berkeley
The first Latin American–inspired chocolate store in the Bay Area has changed hands and is now owned by its first employees, Jesus Chavez and Linda Sanchez. “There is a rich history here,” says Chavez. “Having been part of it from the beginning, and connected all these years to Casa de Chocolates, I am proud to…
Read MoreLearn How to Start a Food Business: Free Online Training Starts January 10
Are you thinking about starting a food business or opening a restaurant or café in Alameda County? The Food Entrepreneurship Training Academy‘s 10-part online workshop series, offered by the Alameda County Economic & Civic Development Department and the East Bay Small Business Development Center, starts on January 10. The free, online series takes place…
Read MoreLocal Cottage Food Makers Pop-Up at Flowerland, December 18
Because we are always interested in small local cottage food artisans, and because Albany’s Flowerland is bringing a bunch of them together on Sunday, December 18 at their “first annual open-air market of culinary offerings,” we’re heading to 1330 Solano Avenue from 11am to 4pm to meet these creative makers and see what they’ll have for…
Read MoreCookies with Character
Yes, we know you have a million cookie recipes already, but here’s a savvy collection from all over the continent cooked up by our sister Edible Communities magazines. Tie on your apron and start baking. Salted Chocolate and Almond Sandwich Cookies from Edible Nutmeg Gingerbread Cookies from Edible Vancouver Island Sugary Sugar Cookies from…
Read MoreWarm Lentil Salad with Pesto and Salami
Have You Finished Your Fall Gardening Chores?
Gardener’s Notebook by Joshua Burman Thayer The fall season is nearly done and everything seems to be at a pause, but are those new plants sprouting under those piles of autumn’s fallen leaves? Why not choose what will grow there instead? By sowing cover crops into your growing spaces and fruit tree basins now, your…
Read MoreHoliday Open House at Bondolio Olive Farm in Winters, December 11
One of our favorite events of the holiday season comes up this Sunday, December 11 from 10 am to 4 pm when Karen and Malcolm Bond open their Bondolio Olive Farm for their annual Holiday Open House. Join them in celebrating both the season and the treasure of this year’s olive harvest, the 2022 Olio…
Read MoreBraised Chicken Thighs with Barbecued White Beans and Scallions
From Tanya Hollands’ California Soul: Recipes from a Culinary Journey West by Tanya Holland
Read MoreFresh Gingerbread Cupcakes with Molasses Buttercream
From Tanya Hollands’ California Soul: Recipes from a Culinary Journey West by Tanya Holland
Read MoreWinter Chicory Salad with Blood Oranges, Pomegranates, and Creole Mustard Vinaigrette
From Tanya Hollands’ California Soul: Recipes from a Culinary Journey West by Tanya Holland
Read MoreGift Ideas from the Edible East Bay 2022 Bookshelf of Favorites
It’s odd to be thankful for a positive covid test in the household, but scuddled travel plans meant extra time for our editor’s favorite solo activity, multitasking. “Yes, I love the magic of successfully doing two things at once,” says Cheryl Angelina Koehler, publisher and editor of Edible East Bay. “In this case, it was…
Read MoreSalad of Roast Chestnuts, Brussels Sprouts, and Kale
Connecting with our Ancestors’ Narratives: Dec 3 book talk in Oakland
When Kenneth Tan started this oral history project for his Asian American Studies class at UC Berkeley, he had no idea he would ultimately create a memoir and art book with his grandmother, Crescenciana Tan. In Crescenciana, Kenneth weaves together their artwork, conversations, and memoirs to tell his grandmother’s life story. With heart and…
Read MoreA Black Chef’s Journey into California’s Soul
Tanya Holland’s New Cookbook Review by Kristina Sepetys Tanya Holland is justifiably famous for many reasons, including her much-loved (sadly, now closed) Brown Sugar Kitchen in West Oakland, where she cooked up delicious buttermilk fried chicken and waffles, bacon-cheddar-scallion biscuits, thick shrimp gumbo, rich macaroni and cheese, and other deeply satisfying soul food dishes. The…
Read MoreHow to Party with a Pasta Nonna
In early November, Vicky Bennison, British author of the hit cookbook, Pasta Grannies, spent time in Oakland with a group of local chefs and food media around two large wooden tables, where 89-year-old pasta grannie Maria Dito, a native of Calabria, demonstrated how to make “knitting needle pasta,” literally rolling dough around a knitting…
Read MoreFranchina’s Fusilli Con Grassato Di Capra from Pasta Grannies
(Fusilli with Goat Ragù from Cilento) Recipe, text, and photos excerpted with permission from Pasta Grannies: Comfort Cooking by Vicky Bennison, photos by Emma Lee, published by Hardie Grant Books September 2022, RRP $32.50 Hardcover. Click here for a book purchase link. Franchina lost her mother when she was nine years old; she died at…
Read MoreSeason of Pie: Touring the Old Oakland Farmers’ Market with Chef Mike Raskin
Story and photos by Nora Becker Part II in a series of visits to East Bay Farmers’ Markets. Read Part I here. The Old Oakland Farmers’ Market has the rhythm of a morning commute. The crowds seem calmly accustomed to the routine—the standing in lines with bags and carts, the steady movement from one…
Read MoreEasy Thanksgiving Leftovers Pie
How to Peel a Pomegranate
Story and photos by Nora Becker On a recent visit to the Old Oakland Farmers’ Market, Robert Serna of Twin Girls Farms showed me how he peels a pomegranate. It’s a clean and easy process that most anyone can master with just a little practice. First, I would recommend wearing an apron or clothes that…
Read MoreBalsamic Brussels Sprouts and Figs: Meet One & Done Cookbook Author, Nov 17 in SF
San Francisco-based environmental publishing company Stone Pier Press emphasizes plant-based cooking as an approach that’s good for the health of humans, animals, and the planet. Their newest cookbook, The One & Done Cookbook: 87+ plant-based recipes for easy weeknight cooking, delivers with an appealing approach that gets cooks thinking about how to cook—and even learn…
Read MoreHeirloom Apple Almond Olive Oil Cake from Gold Ridge Organic Farms
We recently spent a day visiting Gold Ridge Organic Farms, where farmer Brooke Hazan grows apples, citrus, and olives on 88 idyllic acres near Sebastopol. It’s a good place to experience an expert, multi-faceted olive oil tasting right beside some gorgeous old olive trees like those in our Olive Oil Heaven gallery of orchards.…
Read MoreUrban Homesteader’s Winter Open House Social & Sale: Dec 3-4 in Oakland
The Institute of Urban Homesteading (IUH) is holding its annual Winter Open House Social & Sale at a unique venue—Mariposa Grove Co-Housing Community in North Oakland—and the event includes a chance to tour the community and learn about the co-housing model. IUH founder K.Ruby Blume says, “There will be more beautiful and tasty goodies…
Read MoreGather for the Planet: A Gala Fundraiser for the Future of Food, Dec 3
Do you love stories that give hope for the future of our food system? Would you like to dine and dance the night away to live music in a legendary venue, in community with visionaries, farmers, local leaders, and friends? If so, mark Saturday, December 3, 2022 on your calendar and get your tickets for Gather…
Read MoreSéka Hills Olive Crush Festival: Nov 13 in Capay Valley
The season of the olive crush is always a special time at Séka Hills Olive Mill and Tasting Room in the heart of the Capay Valley. This year is also the mill’s tenth anniversary, so come out to celebrate! You’ll get to experience the transformation of olives into the seasonal treasure called olio nuovo.…
Read MoreFall Bean Feed: Nov 13 in West Berkeley
Join Slow Food East Bay, Hammerling Wines, and Donkey & Goat Winery for an afternoon of good eats, good wine, and good fun, all centered on BEANS! The group will be shutting down Fifth Street between Camelia and Gilman for the afternoon of Sunday, November 13 so the bean curious can come to explore…
Read MoreHow to Create Moisture Microclimates on Your Property
Gardener’s Notebook by Joshua Burman Thayer While microclimates might not seem like something you can create on your own property, in fact you can. Even if you have a small or flat piece of land, you can diversify your local topography by reshaping it with mounds that direct the flow and retention of water.…
Read MoreLetters to the Editor
A response to our Summer 2022 interview with Dr. Gail Myers on the documentary, “Rhythms of the Land” Received October 1, 2022 Dear Editor, I’d like to give my sincere heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Gail Myers for her incredible article on the history of African American farmers and her stupendous dedication to this (more than…
Read MoreEditor’s Mixing Bowl
W ho in the Southwestern United States has not spent most of 2022 dreaming of rain? At Edible East Bay, we have been dreaming of rain as well as liquid pleasures like sauces and cocktails. Looking out at our gardens, we wondered how to capture the laundry greywater as liquid pleasure for the plants. Thus…
Read MoreOakland Fortune Factory Celebrates the Year of the Rabbit
By Anna Mindess | Photo by Alicia Wong Lunar New Year begins on January 22, but preparations are already underway at the 65-year-old Oakland Fortune Factory, one of the last bakeries that still makes these crisp cookies one at a time, using a traditional recipe that’s vegan and preservative-free. The mother-daughter team of…
Read MoreBagna Cauda
A Northern Italian Ritual to Warm Up Your Bay Area Winter By Cheryl Angelina Koehler | Photos by Scott Peterson Chef Peter Chastain remembers being nine years old and standing on the back porch of his family’s Hollywood home when he had an epiphany that would follow him through his long career. “Everyone…
Read MoreFrom a Gamblers’ Den to the White House
The Wonderfully Worldly Career of Chef Helen Tribble Roberts By Cheryl Angelina Koehler | Photos by Scott Peterson It was her mom’s covert home enterprise in Brooklyn that got Helen Tribble cooking. “Every Friday night, we held card games at our house. People had to ante up to get in, and we sold plates…
Read MoreAdaptogenic Rhodiola Mushroom Chai
Sink Your Teeth into Temescal
Big Flavors in the Little Neighborhood Story and photos by Meredith Pakier North Oakland’s Temescal district has no shortage of notable restaurants and bars. It’s also where I’ve been lucky enough to live for the past six years, curating a list of reliable favorites. When I want to stay close to home, here…
Read MoreOn the East Bay Spirits Trail
How Local Distillers Are Pushing Libations to the Limits By Mary Orlin So much for traditional booze. A new generation of distillers and adventurous imbibers is at work, reaching for boundary-pushing mash-ups, uncommon ingredients, and full transparency. Here are four local new-wave labels to explore when you’re seeking diversity in your glass. Four…
Read MoreWhat’s in Season? Chestnuts & Brussels Sprouts!
By Barbara Kobsar | Illustrations by Charmaine Koehler-Lodge Holiday cliché aside, chestnuts are a culinary highlight of the season as they add depth to soups, salads, entrées, and desserts. When chestnuts are dried and ground into flour, they make a welcome baking alternative for anyone with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or wheat allergy. In…
Read MoreGuide to Good Eats: Winter Holidays 2022-23
Join us in congratulating artist Cathy Raingarden for winning “Best Illustration” in the 2022 Edible Communities Best of Edible awards. She was recognized for her illustrations for writer Derrick Schneider’s feature story, “At the Chez Panisse Sunday Market,” in our Fall Harvest 2021 issue. Follow her work @cathyraingarden or cathyraingarden.com. Alameda…
Read MoreVegetable Lovers Will Rejoice for this New Cookbook!
Groundbakers cookbook offers new twists on favorite dishes plus thoughts and analysis about our food system Review by Rachel Trachten GROUNDBAKERS 60 + Plant-Based Comfort Food Recipes and 16 Leaders Changing the Food System by Mackenzie and Kathy Feldman (Kulani Publishing, 2022) Vegetable lovers can rejoice in Groundbakers, a new cookbook that…
Read MorePaella Fiesta is Back! November 12 in Alameda
After two years of pandemic delays the Dashe Cellars Paella Fiesta returns with Gerard Nebesky’s famous paella, Spanish guitar and fabulous live Flamenco dancers, and a chance to taste nearly every wine this Alameda Point winery creates. At this open house celebration on November 12, you’ll enjoy incredible food as you explore the Dashe Cellars wines,…
Read MoreEdible East Bay Wins Best of Edible
We’re proud to say that we won five awards at the 2022 Edible Communities Best of Edible Awards celebration on October 30, 2022 in Denver. Please join us in congratulating artist Cathy Raingarden for her winning set of nine illustrations for our Fall Harvest 2021 issue story “At the Chez Panisse Sunday Marketplace.” Each…
Read MoreWhen Is the Best Time to Install a Greywater System?
The Answer is Now! By Rachel Trachten When Ayse Sercan was training as an architect, the topic of greywater came up frequently. “We talked about the fact that we waste a lot of water that’s perfectly usable just because it’s a little bit used,” says the Alameda resident. “I wanted to see what the…
Read MoreFall Pear and Gorgonzola Sandwich
Story, recipe, and photos by Alexander Christiano This sandwich is a great way to celebrate the abundance of fall fruit. I elected pears for this version, but apples and other pomes would serve as a seasonally appropriate substitute. Some neighborhoods in the East Bay have pear trees that produce an incredible yield—sometimes too…
Read MoreBaked Mac & Cheese with Cauliflower
Winter weather has arrived! Perfect timing for this mac & cheese makeover recipe from writer Nora Becker, who was inspired to create it after interviewing farmers at the Saturday Berkeley Farmers’ Market. Read the story of that fun and informative visit here (and find three more recipes)!
Read MoreGrilled Crispy Chicken Breast with Lemon & Thyme
More Feast, Less Waste
Tips to make the most of food this holiday season For most of us, the holidays are about spending time with the people we love, and sharing good food is a big part of that. Sadly, more food goes to waste between Thanksgiving and New Year’s than at any other time of the year. Here…
Read MoreBig Wheel of Cheese Rolling Down the Street and Other Excitements: November 5 in Rockridge
Here’s a Market Hall Foods tradition that exuberantly pays homage to a favorite Italian cheese from the Trentino-Alto Adige region. Wearing traditional Italian garb, staff members roll a 400-pound wheel of Crucolo cheese down Shafter Avenue. The Crucolo Parade begins outside Market Hall Foods in Oakland, and the procession ends at a parklet, where…
Read MoreA Celebration of Italian Regional Comfort Cooking: November 5 at Market Hall
Author Vicky Bennison is a YouTube sensation and the author of Pasta Grannies: Comfort Cooking. Her second cookbook, it highlights traditional Italian dishes and the remarkable women who cook them. Based on her popular YouTube series of the same name, Vicky’s latest release features 60 recipes and the fascinating life stories of the Italian grandmothers…
Read MoreAre Pests Invading Your Home or Garden? Nov 10 Webinar
The good news about home or garden pests is that you can manage and prevent them without using toxic chemicals. Traditional fixes include toxins that can harm water, wildlife, and even children’s or pets’ health. Join this informative webinar to learn easy techniques and tools for prevention of pesky ants, rodents, and raccoons. Also,…
Read MoreAutumn Organic Farming Workshop at Cloverfield Farm: November 3 in El Sobrante
Once per season, the farm invites volunteers to come work and learn about organic farming and help with chores. Activities planned for this fall event include planting garlic, seeding cover crops, preparations for planting bare-root fruit trees, orchard fertilizing, weeding, and sheet mulching. Autumn Organic Farming Workshop Cloverfield Organic Farm 501 La Paloma Road, El…
Read MoreNachos with Fresh Shelling Beans and Butternut Squash
An Early-Autumn Visit to the Berkeley Farmers’ Market
Story and photos by Nora Becker On the first day of October, people flocked to the Saturday Berkeley Farmers’ Market. Despite the grey sky and the chilly autumn air, here they were: families with young children pushing carts, elderly folks in masks and light down jackets, groups of friends standing in circles huddled over warm…
Read MoreArtisan Cheeses and a Stunning SF Skyline View: October 22
Come out to Riggers Loft in Point Richmond to enjoy the Cheesemaker Celebration. At this event, which is part of the San Francisco Cheese Fest, California’s artisan cheesemakers mingle with guests as they present their offerings made from cow, goat, sheep, or water buffalo milk. Sample the cheeses paired with locally made artisan pickles,…
Read MoreTaste of Capay: an October 23 Farm Dinner in Guinda
Spend an afternoon with the farms of the Capay Valley for the 21st annual Taste of Capay! Enjoy a multi-course dinner featuring produce, meats, and other products sourced from the region’s organic farms like Full Belly and River Dog. Chefs from Savory Cafe, Kitchen 428, Lucy’s Café, and Full Belly Farm will collaborate…
Read MoreRhythms of the Land: Virtual Film Screening on October 28
Here’s a special chance to view the documentary honoring Black farmers by filmmaker Dr. Gail Myers, who was interviewed by Edible East Bay for our Summer 2022 issue. Click here to read that interview. Ear to the Ground is a virtual opportunity to see the documentary film Rhythms of the Land, by Dr. Gail…
Read MoreHalloween Harvest Fests Around the East Bay
Find your thrills and chills at farmers’ markets and other scary spots around the East Bay with u-pick pumpkins, costume parades, pumpkin decorating, scavenger hunts, face painting, and contests to guess the weight of the giant pumpkin. Here’s a list of events by date. All events are free unless noted. Dig Deep Pumpkin Patch…
Read MoreMeet Cookie Bible Author Rose Levy Beranbaum at Rockridge Market Hall: October 22
Meet Cookie Bible author Rose Levy Beranbaum, for a book signing event at Rockridge Market Hall On October 22. Two recipes from the book, Chocolate Whoopie Pies and Lemon Lumpies, will be available for sampling and for sale. Beranbaum is a James Beard and IACP Award–winning cookbook author with expertise that extends from cookies and cakes…
Read MoreDesign your Garden in Harmony with Nature
Gardener’s Notebook by Joshua Burman Thayer Out in wild areas, nature supports a wide variety of plants living in close relation to each other. Look up in a forest and you’ll see a canopy of tall trees and a sub-canopy of smaller trees. At eye level, there are bushes and shrubs, and if you crouch…
Read MoreBerkeley’s Bird Festival Takes Flight: October 16
Come out to honor and celebrate our local birdlife at the Berkeley Bird Festival, a free public event in venues throughout Berkeley. Take part in bird-themed activities including birding field trips, family-friendly art and craft activities, chalk art, and a lecture/performance series titled “Winged Wonderment.” The festival is organized by Golden Gate Audubon Society and California…
Read MoreEmeryville’s Annual Art Exhibition Teams Up with a Favorite Local Dining Destination, October 7–30
Come enjoy an exhibition featuring the creativity of artists and craftspeople who live and work in Emeryville, California. At the 36th Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition—a juried show of over 150 artworks created by 96 Emeryville artists—works range from paintings, sculpture, photographs, and prints to ceramics, glass, textiles, and jewelry. Additional highlights include a site-specific…
Read MoreBaba Ganoush: a Favorite Dip for a Fall Party
Have You Been to the Orinda Farmers’ Market?
On the occasion of this market’s 25th anniversary, come see how this beautiful park-like setting adds to the market’s value as a community gathering place. Stroll through and meet its close-knit community of vendors who work to bring you hyper-fresh food. When farmers can sell directly to consumers, it helps strengthen our local food…
Read MoreCurious About Biochar and Biomass Thermal Conversion for Broad Public Use? APL open house on September 30
All Power Labs in West Berkeley likes to call their work, “carbon sequestration with benefits,” which is a short way of describing their longtime work on a means for converting biomass to power for public use with a byproduct (biochar) that’s useful in gardening. Come out on Friday, September 30, 5–7pm for a demo of…
Read MoreCorks, Forks, Rhythm & Brews at Alameda Point: October 1
On Saturday, October 1, 1–4pm, Alameda Point’s City Hall West Parade Lawn becomes the site of the island’s annual food and drink festival featuring local wineries, breweries, restaurants, and spirits. This epicurean event and outdoor regional festival showcases the wider Northern California food and drink culture. All proceeds support the Alameda Boys & Girls…
Read MoreNourishing Meals Lift Community Spirits
The Table Catering offers delicious meals with a focus on sustainability By Rachel Trachten “How do we offer high-quality, farm-to-table meals that are accessible to a broad audience while honoring our farmers, our team members, and our own expertise?” Nicole Callis and her chef husband, Peter Callis, try to answer that question each day…
Read MoreA Cool-Season Trio to Seed in September
Gardener’s Notebook by Joshua Burman Thayer Your summer crops are winding down and the first autumn rains have come to the Bay Area. That means it’s time to reload the gaps and edges of your patch with cool-season veggies. These three are easy to grow from seed. Radishes are easy to sprout and quick…
Read MoreDreaming of a Better Chocolate Chip Cookie?
Chef Peter Callis of the Table Catering in Berkeley was thinking of his own kids when he took a standard chocolate chip cookie recipe and packed it with added nutrition. He was also inspired by J. Kenji López-Alt’s experiments with chocolate chip cookies published on Serious Eats. In this recipe, Chef Peter experiments with yeast as…
Read MoreLearn the Secrets of Dill Pickles and Sauerkraut at Berkeley Hort, September 24
Join Elizabeth Vecchiarelli, the owner of Preserved in Oakland, as she demonstrates how to make the most of your veggie garden by fermenting nutrient-dense probiotic pickles. Enjoy the magic as Elizabeth makes sauerkraut and New York deli-style dill pickles. Come learn about the history, nutritive value, and basic techniques of fermented pickling. This event is…
Read MoreSpaghetti and Meatballs with Homemade Pasta
Chef Peter Callis of the Table Catering in Berkeley took some pointers from celebrity chef/entertainer Alton Brown as he layered up numerous alluring umami flavors in his red sauce and meatball recipes. His deeper inspiration, however, came from his favorite local organic and regenerative farmers and ranchers, who he visits weekly for his ingredients. Check out…
Read MoreThe Decolonized Kitchen: Indigenous foodways, ethnobotany, and cooking, September 17 in Oakland
The Decolonized Kitchen is a gathering focused on Indigenous foodways, ethnobotany, and cooking. Maribel Garcia leads a morning of connection and reclamation while teaching about our native plant relatives. This two-hour session includes a discussion, presentation, and tepary bean salad cook-along. Maribel is a descendent of the Purépecha people from the state of Michoacán,…
Read MoreFall Feast in the Fields: September 24 at Live Earth Farm in Watsonville
Looking for a satisfying weekend getaway with a regional food and wine feast? On September 24, 2022, Farm Discovery at Live Earth hosts “Mesa,” the annual benefit dinner at Live Earth Farm supporting Farm Discovery’s empowering programs for kids and families’ health in the Monterey Bay area foodshed. This magical evening includes craft cocktails,…
Read MoreBack to (Pretzel) School at Squabisch Bakery in Berkeley
Come out to Squabisch Bakery on a Tuesday evening to learn how to make authentic German soft pretzels. You’ll glean a bit of German culinary culture as you learn how to form, dip, and bake pretzels at one of these twice-monthly, hour-and-a-half-long hands-on classes. You also get to eat your creations with the group…
Read MoreRhythms of the Land Screening, September 10 at Bryant Terry’s Black Food Summit
Oakland-based cultural anthropologist Dr. Gail Myers made her documentary, Rhythms of the Land, as a valentine to generations of Black farmers in the United States, from the enslavement period to the present. The film shows how an intense love of the land and dedication to community enabled these farmers to survive against overwhelming odds.…
Read MoreOne Hundred Years and Thriving
Four generations strong, Berkeley Horticultural Nursery remains a family business with a powerful reach By Rachel Trachten | Photos by Rachel Stanich “It’s not a home until it’s planted,” was a motto George Budgen adopted after he founded Berkeley Horticultural Nursery 100 years ago. The words still resonate today as the community celebrates this milestone…
Read MoreCooking Eggplant Meltdown for my Father
By Alison Negrin My sister and I swooped into our parents’ home in Palo Alto when we learned that our father’s health was rapidly declining. David Negrin had suffered a fall a month earlier and was willing himself to stay alive to see my sister, Lenore Arnberg, who would be arriving from far away…
Read MoreCheese Fever in Livermore Valley
The Cheese Parlor’s punk rocker entrepreneur jams with the local winemakers Story and photos by Deborah Grossman The Cheese Parlor Owner Brandon The shop is a place to watch us crack some wheels of cheese and gather with friends and family for some cheese and beverage,” says Brandon Wood. “I also want to raise the profile…
Read MoreAunt Rose’s Sweet Potato Pie
From A Southern Farmer’s Summer Supper
Read MoreFesenjān
From Saffron & Rose Water
Read MoreShirin Polo (Sweet Rice)
From Saffron & Rose Water
Read MorePersian Halwah
From Saffron & Rose Water
Read MoreSaffron & Rose Water
At Syma’s Grill in Albany, Sima Dehestani recaptures blissful flavors from a Persian childhood By Anna Mindess | Photos by Shannon Kelli Sima Dehestani (right) enjoys working together with her daughter, Sara Aboei, at Syma’s. The enticing aromas of saffron and rose water wafting through an open kitchen window attracted a six-year-old growing up…
Read MoreCon Mucho Cariño
Story and photos by Chava Oropesa When I would go visit my mom every year in Mexico, before I arrived, she would ask, “What do you want me to cook for you?” I would say, “Please make some chicharrón en salsa verde.” This and several of my other favorites would be ready when I…
Read MoreGuide to Good Eats: Fall 2022
Alameda C’era Una Volta Italian Kitchen & Catering 800 West Tower Ave on Spirits Alley at Bladium Sports Club 510.769.4828 | ceraunavolta.us Everything Starts with a Good Meal! Traditional Tuscan recipes with many vegetarian, vegan, & GF options. Daily Pick-up & Delivery. Pre-ordered Weekly Delivery. Catering for every occasion. Member of Associazione Cuochi Fiorentini. Dashe…
Read MoreUrban Sketcher Cathy Raingarden in Her Own Words
“I love to sketch my food and try to capture the color and texture of the dishes as well as the human interest and ambience of the dining area. There are so many layers of interest in a food sketch: color, pattern, location, culture, and conversation. I’ve learned to sketch quickly to…
Read MoreAlameda Alimentation
Island-Side Food Finds Story and photos by Meredith Pakier Through the past summer, I found myself whizzing through the Webster Street Tube on many occasions to visit a recently relocated friend. Always hungry on arrival, I had plenty of chances to explore some island-side eats. Here are some memorable meals and bites. The Tuesday…
Read MoreCooking Classes for Health and Budget, with a Side of Joy
“Getting people excited about making meals at home.” That’s a goal that would seem easy to reach with mouth-watering classes like “Flavors of Malaysia” or “Japanese Baking and Sweets” at the community cooking school run by 18 Reasons. But this San Francisco–based nonprofit also teaches students how to prepare wholesome, delicious food when budgets…
Read MoreThree Ways to Capture Carbon in Your Garden
and other carbon-capturing gardening ploys By Edible East Bay’s Staff Garden Fairies in Interview with Joshua Burman Thayer and Other Human Experts Inside your home, the practice of fixing, repurposing, or improving items you already own can help you avoid purchases that incur carbon debts during manufacture and transport. Out in your garden, you…
Read MoreWhat’s in Season? Apples & Winter Squash
By Barbara Kobsar | Illustrations by Charmaine Koehler-Lodge Apples New-harvest apples are here, and the varieties are crisp, juicy, and plentiful. While Gala, Red Delicious, Fuji, and Honeycrisp remain all-time favorites, I’m ready to enjoy some of the more intriguing heirloom varieties such as these: I won’t pass up the Hubbardston Nonesuch. Under mottled…
Read MoreCreamy Squash & Apple Soup
From What’s in Season? Apples & Winter Squash!
Read MoreWhat’s Cooking in the State Legislature?
By Rachel Trachten Our California state legislators have been busy working on bills that would affect our food and the farmers who grow it. Here’s an update on three important bills that may be passed into law in the coming months: SB 907- Electronic Benefits Transfer Systems: Farmers’ Markets Authored by Senator Richard Pan…
Read MoreEditor’s Mixing Bowl
The ancestors showed up this summer. Hovering over my shoulder as I was preparing this Fall Harvest 2022 issue, they offered no opinions. I think they simply wanted to watch. The dead are like that, you know. You can ask them questions and never get clear answers. We like to imagine that they have our…
Read MoreLive as the Tomatillo Reaches for Life on a Hot July Day
A three-month-old tomatillo, branches thickening, bursting forth like firm poles filled with fruit and flower— how it rises underneath the lemon tree, set on pulling itself toward the canopy straight to sun—it sends out fragrance meant to fill its flowers with bees and butterflies, bends itself until it’s squat set to take all summer…
Read MoreThe Virtues of Small Fruit
By Mike Madison | Watercolor illustration by Meegan Painter This year I planted apple trees on my farm. I didn’t plant in the usual way with freestanding trees about thirty feet apart. Instead, I bought bare root trees on dwarfing rootstocks and planted them only three feet apart in a straight line. The trees…
Read MoreFarm Fest Brings Finance Back Down to Earth: August 28
Join a group of entrepreneurs, investors, and food activists on August 28 for an outdoor event on a working farm in Petaluma. Slow Money’s Farm Fest at Tara Firma Farms offers a chance to network and learn about the impact of investing on sustainable food and ag businesses. The festival includes farm tours, a…
Read MoreHeirloom and Cherry Tomato Salad with Creamy Anise Hyssop Dressing
Learn to Make Foccacia, Ciambella, Churros, and Tapas: August 20, 27, and September 10, 17
Roll up your sleeves for in-person and virtual classes with Chef Maria Capdevielle. Adults and teens (15–17) can join in for one or all of these tasty opportunities. Fried Pastries Workshop—Doughnuts & Churros—with Chef Maria Capdevielle: August 20 It’s hard to beat a good donut! This virtual hands-on class covers the tips and…
Read MoreTomato Tasting at Berkeley Horticultural Nursery: August 27
Come to Berkeley Horticultural Nursery on August 27 for a tomato tasting event part of the 100th Anniversary festivities. “We had to put this off for the past two years for obvious reasons,” says a spokesperson for Berkeley Hort. “Our goal is to have at least 10 different varieties—from heirlooms to hybrids—to sample…
Read MorePlant a Screen of Edibles and Natives for Food and Habitat
Gardener’s Notebook by Joshua Burman Thayer Among the advantages of planting food-producing trees in cohabitation with native ecology are food for your table, better pollination, and good habitat for your local wildlife like bees, hummingbirds, and native moths. The dry hedge plants below prefer full sun. If you have drought as part of…
Read MoreMake Sidewalk Art at the Chocolate & Chalk Art Festival: August 13
The theme for this year’s Chocolate & Chalk Art Festival in Berkeley’s North Shattuck District is “Chalking Beautiful Music.” Families or groups may work together, artists may work alone, but everyone comes away with a sense of pride in creating ephemeral work for everyone to enjoy. Not an artist? Just come to shop and have fun at this…
Read MoreArt in the Nursery: August 6
Edible East Bay will be well represented on Saturday, August 6, 11am–3pm, at Art in the Nursery, one of Berkeley Horticultural Nursery’s many 100th Anniversary Celebration events. Spend a lovely afternoon with the art, the artists, and the nursery’s beautiful greenery as you enjoy live music by Montalvo Strings. Art in the Nursery August…
Read MoreCelebrate a New Regenerative Farming Project at Ardenwood Historic Farm: August 17
The Grand Opening Celebration for the new 90-acre Dig Deep Farms Regenerative Farming Project at Ardenwood Historic Farm is coming up on Wednesday, August 17, noon to 3pm, at 34600 Ardenwood Boulevard in Fremont. Come to learn how this new project supports local BIPOC farmers, creates living wage farming jobs, boosts regenerative food production,…
Read MoreRev Up Your Creativity for Diablo Valley Farmers’ Market’s Zucchini Car Race: July 30
Do you have too much zucchini? Does someone at your house have too much time on their hands? The Zucchini Car Race at Diablo Valley Farmers’ Market on Saturday, July 30, 2022, should take care of both problems. Race details are being posted on the Diablo Valley Farmers’ Market website, so be sure to…
Read MoreHow to Hug a Hügel: July 21 Workshop at Cloverfield Organic Farm
While you can’t actually hug a hügel, you can learn about this bio-intensive garden-building technique while helping to build a hügel at Cloverfield Organic Farm in El Sobrante on Thursday, July 21 during the farm’s Summer Volunteer Workshop. Susan Truscott, who founded this small u-pick farm in 2011, explains that building a hügel is a…
Read MoreExplore Climate-Friendly Cambodian Food with Chef Nite Yun in this New Video: July 21
Chef Nite Yun’s award-winning Cambodian restaurant, Nyum Bai, closed earlier this year, but here’s an opportunity to hear the chef talk about her journey, food, and culture while watching a demo of climate-friendly, plant-based cooking. Acterra’s new video will premiere here on July 21 at 10am. Nyum Bai was listed in MICHELIN Guide San…
Read MoreSprout Your Fall Seeds in Coconut Coir Fiber
Gardener’s Notebook by Joshua Burman Thayer When midsummer brings loads of tomatoes and zucchini into your weekly harvest bowl, it’s time to start planting for fall. Back in the day, I used to sprout seeds in black garden soil, but I would often lose up to half my sprouts to dampening off (a horticultural condition caused…
Read MoreIn a Pickle? In a Jam? Check out Preserved’s Summer Classes!
Are you watching good fruit go to waste that could be turned into some mighty good jam? Do you want to learn how to make the perfect pickle or discover the magic of sourdough? Preserved in Oakland has resumed in-person classes. (Note that proof of a negative covid test is required of all participants.)…
Read MoreMy Garden of a Thousand Bees: July 10 Film Screening on the Farm
Come enjoy an outdoor screening of the PBS documentary My Garden of a Thousand Bees, a 55-minute film that follows one person’s journey to discover the dynamic life of bees in his backyard. This Urban Adamah screening includes a chance to build seed bombs so you can go out and spread the pollinator magic in…
Read MoreAre Pests or Pesticides the Problem? Learn more on July 8
In this virtual program by the Sierra Club SF Chapter, Angel Garcia, Organizing Director with Californians for Pesticide Reform, speaks on the need to reduce pesticide use as a critical environmental health and environmental justice issue. Californians for Pesticide Reform Virtual Program Friday, July 8, 7:30pm Register here for link to attend
Read MoreMinty Melon, Peach, & Cuke Salad
From What’s In Season? Melons, Peaches, and Cucumbers 3 cups 1-inch melon cubes 2 large peaches, skin removed, sliced into wedges 2 Persian cucumbers, sliced into ½-inch rounds 8 ounces crumbled feta or goat cheese or small-cubed gorgonzola 2 tablespoons shredded fresh mint (plus extra whole leaves for garnish) 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive…
Read MoreReduce Your Plastics Footprint During Plastic-Free July!
An international effort, Plastic-Free July began in Western Australia in 2011 to raise awareness and seek lasting solutions to the crisis of plastic pollution. In 2017, the City of Berkeley joined the effort when it declared July a “Plastic-Free Month.” Each year since 2017, Berkeley’s Ecology Center has welcomed the public with Plastic-Free July events…
Read MoreNew Crop Swap Near Oakland’s Lake Merritt Starts July 10
We recently heard from Kerstin Firmin, a gardener and cook who lives near Oakland’s Lake Merritt and wanted to see who else in the neighborhood might like to swap. “I’m curious to meet others in the area who grow their own food and herbs, make jams and pickles, food starters, and more, who would…
Read MoreGet Academic with Your Local Food Interests
Explore your local community through the lens of food and agriculture and take a deep dive into the social issues surrounding agriculture, such as food sovereignty, accessibility, and justice at this Merritt College course, which runs August 22 through December 17, 2022 at the campus in Oakland. Learn more about cultural and traditional foods…
Read MoreMidsummer Garden Bed Reload
By Joshua Burman Thayer Your tomatoes are in, your beans are climbing tall, your squash is creeping wider by the day. Time to sit back? Well, maybe it’s a good time to assess spots in your garden where you can plant more food. Check around the edges and margins and you may find good places…
Read MoreCall for Art: July 15 deadline
The Bankhead Gallery is seeking artwork that captures the central place that all things fermented and distilled play in our lives, including the beauty of the growing areas, the excitement of the fermentation process, and the pleasures at the table. Called FERMENT, this spirited exhibition, produced by Livermore Valley Arts, will be on display at…
Read MoreSend Me to Seaweed Camp!
“Do you like your food super fresh and your outdoor experiences rugged with plenty of nature connection, exercise, cool science, and brisk open air? Then you might enjoy a weekend of seaweed foraging with community herbalist, nutrition consultant, gardener, permaculturalist, ethnobotanist, licensed commercial kelp harvester, and longtime Berkeleyite, Tanya Stiller,” wrote Edible East Bay…
Read MoreGrilled Tombo Tuna with Cherry Herb Salsa
Bring in the Pollinators! Free Webinar, June 9
In addition to bees and butterflies, the insects, birds, and mammals that pollinate plants are vital to sustaining our food supply and ecosystems. Come learn who these garden visitors are, how to create environments to attract and protect them, and see the wide variety of nectar and pollen-rich flowers you can plant in your…
Read MoreProject Pick
Sharing Backyard Fruit and Community Spirit Got a fruit tree in your backyard? Then you’ll know how plentiful the harvest can be! It’s not a surprise that fruit often goes uneaten as many owners are too busy or physically unable to harvest. Others simply have more than they can possibly eat or give away. That’s…
Read MoreWhat’s Cooking at the East Bay School for Boys?
By Anna Mindess | Photos by Shannon Kelli What can you accomplish in one tiny kitchen with nine 13-year-old boys overflowing with energy in just 50 minutes? “Plenty,” says Andi Kotrozo, who teaches a weekly elective cooking class at Berkeley’s East Bay School for Boys (EBSB). “It’s a power-packed hour. It has to…
Read More‘Rhythms of the Land’
Dr. Gail Myers honors Black farmers in a new documentary film Photos by Dr. Gail Myers In the summer of 2012, cultural anthropologist Dr. Gail Myers drove through 10 Southern states on a mission to document the life stories of elderly Black farmers. During this tour, she interviewed 27 farmers, gardeners, dairy ranchers,…
Read MoreA Southern Farmer’s Summer Supper
Recipes by Chef Wanda Blake | Photos by Dana Plucinski Many in the set of mostly elderly Southern Black farmers that Dr. Gail Myers interviewed for Rhythms of the Land mentioned growing greens, peas, okra, and cabbage. If they raised poultry, it was often guinea fowl, an ancient species that originated in Sub-Saharan Africa. In order to…
Read MoreOrchard Feast
A Farmer’s New Restaurant, Pomet, Opens on Piedmont Avenue By Bonnie Powell | Photos by Bart Nagel When high-end chefs start their own farms, it’s to grow the exact peak-flavor produce they want for their menus. But why, two years into a business-battering pandemic, would a successful farmer—who already sells to Michelin-starred restaurants…
Read MorePomet’s Blackberry Oolong Pavlova
From Orchard Feast
Read MoreAn Artist’s Roasted Beet Salad
Add These Legumes to Your Midsummer Veggie Garden
Gardener’s Notebook By Joshua Burman Thayer Illustration by Charmaine Koehler-lodge As the solstice sails on by, and your tomatoes, basil, peppers, melons, and zucchini come into their full summer swagger, it’s prime time to assess your garden for open spaces and unused corners where you might be able to get a new crop established before…
Read MoreFamily, Love, and Vegetables
Vegan chef Edgar Castrejón nurtures the heart of his Mexican food traditions By Kristina Sepetys Edgar Castrejón can count himself among a huge constellation of bloggers and media personalities who have parlayed popularity into a book contract. But while there’s no question that Castrejón’s posts @edgarraw are immensely popular, the pathway this 30-year-old followed…
Read MoreWhat’s in Season? Melons, Peaches, and Cucumbers
What’s in Season? Melons, Peaches, and Cucumbers By Barbara Kobsar | Illustration by Charmaine Koehler-Lodge Melons Fresh-picked, vine-ripened melons roll into the market in large crates, ready to offer a quintessential taste of summer. But how do you pick out the best? The heaviest melons are the juiciest! If it’s a cantaloupe or Persian melon,…
Read MoreNo Immigrants No Spice
By Natalya Suttmiller “Food is our common denominator and serves as a profound vehicle to inspire curiosity about another culture. We can learn so much about each other through the foods we eat if we do so mindfully.” The words above come from Vibha Gupta, an emergency room physician, mother, and founder of…
Read MoreFood with a View
Good grub on the water’s edge Story and photos by Meredith Pakier Do you think (as I do) that food tastes better when you’re gazing out over the water? Here’s my list of East Bay spots with waterfront views where you can test out this theory: For a laid-back, New England–style…
Read MoreGuide to Good Eats Summer 2022
All Around the Bay Venga Paella Catering around the Bay Area | 510.628.0018 | vengapaella.com Do something different! A delicious paella arriving at your doorstep is always a treat! Voted best paella catering company. Serving the entire Bay Area since 2003. For small fiestas to large corporate events. Purpose & Hope Delivery around the…
Read MoreEditor’s Mixing Bowl
April 25, 2022 I’m writing this from a little Airbnb cabin about five miles away from the spot in the Sierra Nevada foothills where the infamous Caldor Fire began its rampage toward South Lake Tahoe on August 14, 2021. Here, bluebirds, oak titmice, house finches, and at least one hairy woodpecker keep company with bears…
Read MoreReem Assil’s Arab Hospitality
How this remarkable Oakland baker, restaurateur, and (now) author has grown her Bay Area community By Kristina Sepetys Reem Assil is committed to producing delicious food that honors her Palestinian-Syrian heritage as well as her Bay Area present. Fiercely passionate about promoting Arab hospitality, she brings equal focus to her pursuits in community building, social justice,…
Read MoreFresh Strawberry Mousse
Fermentation Legend Sandor Katz Hits the Bay Area!
In his two decades of worldwide travel, Katz has been teaching and learning about the many fascinating and delicious techniques humans have developed for fermenting foods. Wherever he’s gone, he has gleaned valuable insights into the cultures and traditions of local and indigenous peoples, whether they make familiar ferments like sauerkraut or less common…
Read MoreBay Area Black Restaurant Week Runs Through May 22
Eating out this week? Try out a spot featured in Bay Area Black Restaurant Week. Then make it a habit to support Black-owned restaurant and food producers throughout the year. This story in Berkeleyside talks about why this initiative is both different and important.
Read MoreLearn to grow organic herbs in outdoor containers, May 22 in Berkeley
Want to harvest herbs at your doorstep? It’s easy to grow fresh, thyme, oregano, parsley, and more in outdoor herb containers. Join certified landscape designer Patricia St. John (a former teacher at the Merritt College Landscape Horticulture department) for a planting demonstration at Berkeley Hort. You’ll find out which herbs do well in containers,…
Read MoreAn Oyster Mushroom Bed For Your Garden
Gardener’s Notebook By Joshua Burman Thayer | Illustration by Charmaine Koehler-lodge I first got turned on to growing oyster mushrooms years ago when I was installing raised beds at several community gardens. I realized that mushrooms could thrive in dappled shade near trees and other shrubbery, where full-sun lovers like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant…
Read MoreFlight of the Salsas, May 15 online class
Here’s a salsa double header: First, join Chef Alison Mountford on Sunday, May 15 as she takes on the challenge of creating four kinds of salsa without fresh tomatoes. In this online class, she’ll demo making roasted chipotle, salsa verde with avocado, pico de gallo, and pineapple habanero salsas. Next, taste these salsas and more good…
Read MoreHot Stuff in Berkeley: Farmers’ Market Salsa Festival, May 21
Enjoy a full day of environmental and cultural experiences with music, dance, food, beverage, and SALSA! at Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Park in downtown Berkeley on May 21, 10am–5pm. Visit the festival event site for more or stay here for a moment to read the highlights below. Local Chefs demonstrate and sample out…
Read MoreFeast in a Basket: a Regenerative Culinary Experience, May 19
Sit back at home and savor an exquisite supper curated by Alice Waters of Chez Panisse as you tune in for a unique culinary experience, presentation, and panel discussion on cultivating a climate-friendly food system. The Feast Alice Waters has put together is a basket of farmers’ market provisions plus a prepared soup and…
Read MoreHave You Suffered These Garden Indignities? Tune in May 12
Join the Alameda Countywide Clean Water Program for this special webinar about how to manage common spring garden pests. You will learn how to identify, reduce, or even prevent common problem pests in the garden and home, including leaf- sucking insects, slugs, ravenous rodents, and more! This class is for gardeners of all levels.…
Read MoreWhat’s that Blob Preserved Proprietor Elizabeth Vecchiarelli Is Holding?
Get to know such cool kitchen creatures as kombucha SCOBYs and sourdough starters at Preserved workshops By Rachel Trachten Good news is rising along with the sourdough at Preserved, a unique shop in Oakland’s Temescal district that’s been a special haven for fermentation enthusiasts since the store opened in 2016. “We are so…
Read MoreMaking a Dutch Baby at the East Bay School for Boys
From What’s Cooking at the East Bay School for Boys?
Read MorePlanning Your Medicinal + Pollinator Herb Garden
Learn how to plan, plant, and enjoy a medicinal + pollinator-friendly herb garden. This recorded class from Anna Beauchemin of East Bay Herbals focuses on herbs that are easy to grow in pots and raised beds. You’ll learn that many of our most common kitchen herbs and spices are powerhouses in the medicinal world…
Read MoreSpringtime in Italy Virtual Cooking Class, May 14
Celebrate spring with a cooking class exploring foods of springtime in Italy. Join Chef Maria Capdevielle for an afternoon of learning, laughter, and delicious food. You’ll make asparagus risotto and lemon budino. A week before the class, you will receive a shopping and equipment list, prep instructions, and a link to the virtual classroom.…
Read MoreFood Forests Book Event with Joshua Burman Thayer, May 14
Come for this one-hour lecture and discussion with the author and break bread on light refreshments provided by host Dig Deep Farms Permaculture Collective. The event is a fundraiser for this nonprofit, and you’ll take home your own signed copy of Food Forests for First Timers! Food Forests for First Timers Book Event…
Read MoreButtermilk Roast Guinea Fowl
From A Southern Farmer’s Summer Supper
Read MoreBraised Purple Hull or Black-Eyed Peas
From A Southern Farmer’s Summer Supper
Read MoreOkra and Tomatoes with Steamed Rice
From A Southern Farmer’s Summer Supper
Read MoreMaitake & Sunchoke Soup
Nancy Chang makes and delivers exceptionally flavorful and nourishing soups to customers around Berkeley, Oakland, and Richmond through her microenterprise home kitchen operation called Purpose & Hope. Initially, her “purpose” was to care for her mother through cancer treatment in 2006 with the “hope” for her mother’s recovery. The experience planted a seed: Could…
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