Posts by Edible East Bay

Come celebrate Northern California’s craft breweries with plenty of burgers, sliders, gourmet snacks, brews, and samplings from vendors. Visit local business booths and arts-and-crafts vendors, and don’t miss the Burger Throwdown, a burger-cooking competition featuring local celebrities. Beer-tasting packages $5–$60. Info and tickets: here Fourth Annual Fremont Burger and Brew Fest Saturday May 26, 11am–5pm…

Meet Oakland author Michele E. Lee and hear about her engaging, informative book, Working the Roots, Over 400 Years of Traditional African-American Healing. The book is filled with firsthand accounts from elder healers along with traditional African-American remedies for a range of ailments. An opening performance features Yemanya Napue from Nicodemus, Kansas (a town established…

Help Oakland youth go to soccer camp by attending the ninth annual Jamaican Jerk Cook-Off at Drake’s Dealership. The fundraiser benefits the My Yute Soccer, which provides free summer camps and teen mentorship programs. Come explore Jamaica’s spicy culinary tradition as you enjoy Jamaican jerk cooked by local chefs. Craft beer, live Caribbean music, dance,…

Spend a lively Saturday at the Ecology Center’s Family Fun Fest. Held right next to the Berkeley farmers’ market, this wonderful annual event features activities like the Strawberry Walk, a B-boy dance lesson, and opportunities to meet friendly critters at the petting zoo. Other highlights include a bounce house, face painting, bike repair, and puppet-making. You’ll also want to…

Show Mom some love with a visit to the Jack London Square Farmers’ Market this Sunday! Celebrate Mother’s Day with brunch on the waterfront, enticing candies or baked goods, and locally grown flowers. Everyone, young and old, can taste the herbal spritzers (market mocktails) at the CUESA classroom, and kids can create DIY gifts at the…

Oakland’s own Bryant Terry, chef in residence at the MOAD, hosts a summit encompassing issues of health, food, justice, media, and the arts. Come learn through presentations, panel discussions, and dialogue about the role of art and media in creating a healthier and more sustainable food system. The event offers a forum for exchanging ideas…

Celebrate the shop’s fifth anniversary with a weekend of fun and learning. Take part in hands-on activities, demos, and skill shares, and meet experts like urban farmer Novella Carpenter. Explore a variety of topics including backyard chickens, soil sampling, cannabis growing, and composting. Enjoy special activities for kids, prize raffles, a food truck, and baby…

Show Mom some love with a visit to the Jack London Square Farmers’ Market this Sunday! Celebrate Mother’s Day with brunch on the waterfront, enticing candies or baked goods, and locally grown flowers. Everyone, young and old, can taste the herbal spritzers (market mocktails) at the CUESA classroom, and kids can create DIY gifts at the…

  Celebrate the shop’s fifth anniversary with a weekend of fun and learning. Take part in hands-on activities, demos, and skill shares, and meet experts like urban farmer Novella Carpenter. Explore a variety of topics including backyard chickens, soil sampling, cannabis growing, and composting. Enjoy special activities for kids, prize raffles, a food truck, and…

If you read our Fall 2017 issue story about culinary arts instructor Vernon McNece, who teaches students at the California School for the Deaf (CSD), you may recall that he and his students were disappointed when they didn’t win at the annual Deaf Culinary Bowl in 2017. McNece vowed a triumphant comeback in 2018, and now…

All are invited to enjoy a paleo-style, allergen-friendly dinner. The Intentional Vegetable Feast is prepared with organic, nutrient-dense ingredients free of gluten, dairy, soy, eggs, nightshades, and alliums. The spring menu features fennel prepared in several ways throughout the meal along with locally sourced, pasture raised, and organic meat products. Cost: $55. Info and tickets:…

Spruce up your garden with new plants at this popular annual event. You’ll find an impressive variety, including perennial vegetables, rare fruits, heirloom annual edibles, herbs, California natives, and Mediterranean climate plants, many grown by students at the school. Enjoy local food, music, children’s activities, and ask-the-expert tables. Park on the main campus and walk…

Following its sold-out New York event, Hop Culture comes to Oakland with Juicy Brews WestFest, a craft beer festival benefiting City Slicker Farms. Founded by former Oaklander Kenny Gould, Hop Culture is a New York–based craft beer and lifestyle magazine. Juicy Brews WestFest takes place at Classic Cars West in Oakland and offers exclusively IPAs and…

Learn about growing medicinal herbs and teas from permaculturist and herbalist Maria del Carmen Cortez. After the presentation, the group heads outside to the garden planters in Dimond Park to plant herbs using seeds from the seed library. This program is a collaboration between the Dimond Branch Library and the Dimond Recreation Center. Free. Info:…

Tour Elegant Homes in Piedmont and the Oakland Hills Five beautiful homes designed in a variety of styles are featured on this annual home tour. Enjoy a food truck-catered lunch and find great gifts at a pop-up boutique at the Piedmont Community Center. The Children’s Support League of the East Bay hosts this event and…

Honor Earth Day at a historic ranch and 18-acre nature preserve that’s rarely open to the public. Meet red-legged frogs and western pond turtles, try out DIY gardening projects, and take part in nature-themed arts and crafts, face painting, and games. Tour the meadows, woodland, ponds and streams, and the historic home site of Theodore…

Make it a memorable Earth Day by taking part in hands-on farming, learning, and a tasty free lunch of soup, salad, and bread. Explore new ideas through a community seminar on the topic of Living on Ohlone Land. Kids activities throughout the day. Lots of local organizations offer information and demos. You can help the…

Dine with the author of Big Hunger Two organizations focused on ending hunger invite the public to a dinner with Andy Fisher, author of Big Hunger: The Unholy Alliance between Corporate America and Anti-Hunger Groups. His book encourages the anti-hunger movement to turn away from charity and towards economic justice and local economies. Join Food…

Join fermentation and preservation pro Andrew Renard at Three Stone Hearth to learn about why live-culture kombuchas and water kefirs—alternatives to sodas and other sweetened drinks—are so nourishing. You’ll leave with beverages you have crafted during class, plus cultures to try at home. Parents, bring your kids and enjoy this fun experience together. Cost: $60. Info…

Join the worker-owners at Niles Pie Company as they mark five years in their current location and look ahead to the next five. Relax and enjoy an afternoon of music, chalk art, promotions, prizes, and a pie-eating contest. The event is free, with plenty of pie, pastries, and merchandise for sale. Enjoy favorite pies— both…

Part conference, part festival, and part seafood-stravaganza, Slow Fish 2018 serves up three days of tastings, demos, and fun. Join a group of fishers, scientists, chefs, students, and sustainable seafood advocates all committed to promoting ocean health and building awareness about local fishing communities. Hosted by Slow Food San Francisco and part of a broader Slow…

In this class for kids ages 7–12, tofu experts from Hodo Soy teach young chefs to make silken tofu from soybeans and then use it to make a scrumptious peanut-butter chocolate pie. As the pies are baking, participants make their own breakfast scrambles with tofu, herbs, and veggies. Class finishes with preparation of angel hair…

A special Easter Egg Hunt at the Moraga Farmers’ Market connects kids to their local food producers. Children go through the market searching for coupons hidden in eggs to win farm-fresh produce prizes. As Moti Phillips, marketing director for the California Farmers’ Markets Association, explains, “Searching for Easter eggs in the market stalls gives young participants a…

Calling local gardeners, landscapers, urban farmers, and other garden enthusiasts! At the Plant Exchange, you can donate and bring home plants, tools, and equipment. This lively event also offers garden-related items like yard art, soil, pond supplies, pots, compost bins, and patio furniture. Enjoy a live band, food trucks, and gardening demos, and get plenty…

Learn to make pickled vegetables to spice up salads and enjoy as snacks and side dishes. After a brief intro to the processes of quick pickling and fermented pickling, participants get the opportunity to create some of each. As an extra treat, instructor Stacie Sandoval demonstrates her Southern grandmother’s quick Cha Cha pickle. Cost: $60.…

Meet wine writer Jon Bonné and celebrate his newest book in an event at Paul Marcus Wines in Market Hall. The New Wine Rules: A Genuinely Helpful Guide to Everything You Need to Know offers 101 short and smart lessons on drinking, buying, storing, and sharing wine. Here are two examples: Rule 47: You can…

Join Slow Food members from around the Bay to explore Alameda through three local enterprises. Taste gin and vodka at St. George Spirits, the first artisanal distillery in America since Prohibition; visit Ploughshares Nursery, a plant nursery that also trains and employs formerly homeless Alameda residents; and enjoy lunch at Trabocco, known for its Abruzzo-inspired…

Step up your gardening game by getting involved in seed saving at this exciting celebration. Spend a convivial two hours on the evening of Friday, March 16 swapping seeds and skills at the BASIL (Bay Area Seed Interchange Library) Seed Swap. Guests donate seeds or cash and take home seeds saved by gardeners around the…

Indulge in a delightful exploration of all things cheese at the Artisan Cheese Festival in Santa Rosa. Dig in and enjoy tastings, farm tours, chef demos and pairings, and educational sessions led by industry experts. Meet a variety of California’s top cheesemakers, chefs, authors, brewers, and cheesemongers. Seminar topics range from pairing artisan cheese with…

Come celebrate the change of seasons and the arrival of spring at a family-friendly block party hosted by the Persian Center. As the sun sets, people jump over bonfires to say goodbye to the cold winter and welcome the redness, warmth, and energy of springtime. Chaharshanbeh Souri, the Persian New Year Festival of Fire, takes place on…

If you’re eager to improve your urban farming skills, you’ll find plenty to do and learn at Urban Farm Day. Biofuel Oasis hosts this annual event featuring free demos and workshops on composting, backyard beehives, and wildcrafting (gathering plants and herbs from the wild). All store items discounted 10{94d79dd6af1e87a94e700e4c297236468333f22e27ed5757b44711974a9a4b91} and biodiesel is 10 cents off…

It’s National School Breakfast Week (March 5–9). The Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) and national anti-hunger campaign No Kid Hungry marked the occasion together at Futures Elementary School and REACH Academy, where Bay Area chefs led activity stations and cooking demos and helped serve breakfast to students. In partnership with No Kid Hungry, the District provided 1.4…

Known and beloved for its diverse and locally sourced menu, Gather Restaurant debuts Cocktails for Change. In the first round of this program, sales of four enticing drinks are donated to four nonprofits representing a broad range of issues: The Lorax (top photo: cachaça, lime, and prickly pear spirit served on the rocks). Funds go…

Do a Fridge Reality Check for Food Waste Prevention Week! Next week, March 5–9, is California’s first annual Food Waste Prevention Week. With support from elected officials, public agencies, and other organizations across the state, Californians will join together in a week of action to learn about food waste and what each of us can…

Don’t miss the fun at this youth-focused food justice storytelling event. Phat Beets Produce and Earth Island Institute co-host “What Does Food Justice Mean to You?” Lunch is provided by Phat Beets, a North Oakland–based nonprofit that works to promote a healthier, more equitable food system by creating access to affordable fresh produce, facilitating youth…

This interactive exhibit unites those with a stake in local food: sustainable growers and producers, institutional buyers, food service reps, and community advocates. Come to network and explore the huge variety of local food available in California. The event is organized by Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) / The Farmers Guild, which works to build…

Edible East Bay writer Anna Mindess is also an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter. If you enjoyed her story in our Fall Harvest 2017 issue about a cooking competition among Deaf chefs, you’ll want to check out her new story in Afar magazine, which offers tips and techniques she’s learned from the Deaf community about how to be understood…

Learn practical ways of creating healthier and more productive soil from renowned expert Dr. Elaine Ingham. Participants in her Soil Food Web Course gain an in-depth understanding of soil biology and the ways it affects plant health. The workshop is well suited for farmers, landscapers, ranchers, waste management professionals, and garden enthusiasts. Sign up for one,…

Join Slow Food South Bay to explore Alameda through three local enterprises. Taste gin and vodka at St. George Spirits, the first artisanal distillery in America since Prohibition; enjoy lunch at Food Shift, a nonprofit that reduces food waste and creates jobs; and visit Ploughshares Nursery, a plant nursery that also trains and employs formerly…

Kristina’ Bookshelf Power Plates: 100 Nutritionally Balanced, One-Dish Vegan Meals By Gena Hamshaw (Ten Speed Press, 2018) “My intent is for this book to help bring some simplicity and ease to healthful eating,” says blogger, nutritionist, and Food52 author Gena Hamshaw at the outset of her latest cookbook. And she delivers, with more than 100…

Could plant-based protein help solve hunger? Thanks to Redwood City startup Impossible Foods, meal centers run by local food banks are now serving the Impossible Burger, a plant-based food that looks, tastes, and sizzles deliciously like meat. According to Jessica Appelgren, vice president of communications at Impossible Foods, the company wants to address food insecurity. “We…

Come enjoy an evening of memorable films about Black farmers at Pollinate Farm & Garden. The second annual Black Hands in the Soil celebration includes a feature documentary and shorts about the legacy of Black farming in the United States and the United Kingdom. The feature film The Language You Cry In tells a scholarly detective story…

What does a mad scientist do to woo a sweetheart? Find out on Sunday, February 11 at Counter Culture Labs, a biohacking space for education and experimentation in Oakland’s Temescal district. You can learn to grow pink edible mushrooms, brew love potions, or make bubbling, luminous cocktails. Sign up for one workshop or all three. Counter Culture Labs,…

Taste samples from Bay Area chocolatiers like Barlovento Chocolates, Charles Chocolates, Endorfin Foods, and Guittard Chocolate Company at Market Hall Foods’ ninth annual For the Love of Chocolate event, which offers scrumptious one-stop shopping and tasting for Valentine’s gifts. Pick up tips for Valentine’s Day entertaining and dinner, discover chocolate and cheese pairings, and enter…

Learn about year-round gardening with Pam Peirce, San Francisco Chronicle columnist and author of Golden Gate Gardening. Pam shares information on garden planning, choosing crops and varieties for a small garden, growing edible flowers, attracting beneficial insects, and avoiding common pests. All gardening levels welcome. Cost: $30. Info and registration: here or 510.686.3493 At right: Garden…

Join Alice Waters at Chez Panisse, where you’ll get to know Iowa Democratic Congressional candidate Austin Frerick. Formerly a U.S. Department of the Treasury economist, Frerick has Waters’s support for his views on land and agriculture, including his opposition to the merger of Bayer and Monsanto. In Waters’s words, “He wants to protect and lift…

Nite Yun brings her unique brand of flavorful Cambodian street food to Fruitvale’s Transit Village starting February 17. The chef and owner of Nyum Bai has run her successful pop-up in the Emeryville Public Market, but now, she welcomes the public to her new restaurant of the same name, “Nyum Bai,” which means “to eat…

Julie’s Oakland welcomes guests to Partial Recall, an art opening that examines the way experience translates into memory. Paintings by Francine Hsu Davis are based on the artist’s memories of living abroad in Taipei, Taiwan. Enjoy the art, the company, and special drinks. Info: here Partial Recall: Paintings by Francine Hsu Davis Saturday February 10, 4–6pm…

Get in the Valentine’s spirit by choosing gifts made with care by local crafters. Find jewelry, ceramics, skincare products, and artisan foods, including Barlovento chocolates, Just Date Syrup, and Swelter Coffee. For those inclined to create their own Valentine’s cards, Leigh Wells offers a hand-lettering workshop (Cost: $75–$85.) Event info: here and on Facebook. Workshop…

The Rake opens its doors on January 26 in Alameda, offering beer, pub food, and the chance to watch malt being made. Read our Fall 2017 story about the founding of Admiral Maltings. Opening on Friday, January 26 The Rake 651 W. Tower Ave, Alameda

Six East Bay producers took top honors at the 2018 Good Food Awards competition. Edible East Bay offers heartfelt congratulations! Here’s who won: Akka’s Handcrafted Foods, located in Fremont and offering traditional chutneys, curry sauces, and Indian pickles, got the nod for its Garlic Relish. Drake’s Brewing Company in San Leandro was recognized for Cherryland, its heirloom…

Happy Lot Farm welcomes the community to its fifth annual block party and day of service. Individuals and groups are invited to help out with painting, weeding, and watering. Stay for lunch, birthday cake, music, and prizes! Led by founder and head farmer Andromeda Brooks, Happy Lot volunteers have been busy over the past year…

Savor the diversity of excellent food available in Oakland during Restaurant Week, when participating restaurants offer prix-fixe lunch and/or dinner menus. As part of California Restaurant Month, the week runs January 11–21 and includes two full weekends and over 100 restaurants. Dine at Chop Bar, Lungomare, Italian Colors, and many other spots, with meals offered…

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.  At…

Be one of the first to hear the names of the 2018 Good Food Awards winners, those outstanding food producers and farmers honored for their delicious, authentic, and responsibly produced foods. Enjoy the gala ceremony led by keynote speaker Madhur Jaffrey, honorary hosts Alice Waters and Nell Newman, and master of ceremonies Sam Mogannam, owner of…

Buzz into 2018 with a new adventure: Become a beekeeper! Learn the basics of having a Langstroth backyard beehive, and enjoy the rewards of delicious honey and increased pollination in your garden. Expert beekeeper Jennifer Radtke teaches all you’ll need to know about acquiring bees and equipment, where to place the hive, how to extract…

Winter pruning helps your roses and fruit trees thrive in warmer weather. Learn the skills for basic pruning through these demos at Orchard Nursery & Florist in Lafayette. Free, but reservations are required. Call 925.284.4474. Info: here Saturday January 13, 10am–noon: Roses, Fruit Trees, and More Tuesday January 16, 10–11:30am: Roses Thursday January 18, 10–11:30am:…

Spread light and love with luminous gifts from local merchants. In each issue of Edible East Bay, we look to spark ideas on how we all can participate in making a more vibrant local economy. Many of our advertisers offer locally made gifts at their shops, but maybe you’ve run out of time to get there? By gifting…

Edible East Bay’s book editor Kristina Sepetys serves up her year’s local favorites for cooks, readers, and eaters alike. Read her reviews: Autentico: Cooking Italian, the Authentic Way by Rolando Beramendi Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking by Samin Nosrat with illustrations by Wendy MacNaughton Sourdough by Robin Sloan Unforgettable: The…

Julie’s and New Moon Apothecary host a special solstice gifts event. Find memorable gifts among a selection of handcrafted bath and beauty products, elixirs, crafts, jewelry, and other locally made wares. Enjoy herbal tea and snacks and learn more about herbal medicine as you support local businesses and celebrate the season with the community. Info: here…

Earlier this month, staff from Alameda County public agency StopWaste attended a fundraiser put on by local nonprofit Food Shift. Both organizations are dedicated to preventing food waste and finding delicious ways of using available foods. Edible East Bay is delighted to share this story from StopWaste along with recipes for two of the dishes served…

If you can’t get enough seafood, you’ll be happy as a clam on Christmas Eve at Lungomare. Chef Craig DiFonzo and the Lungomare team host a traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes honoring the Italian-American holiday ritual. Enjoy a special four-course dinner menu featuring fresh fish, seafood, and other festive seasonal delicacies, plus optional wine…

It’s a double pleasure to shop at the downtown Berkeley Farmers’ Market this Saturday and next, when the Ecology Center holds its annual Winter Crafts Fair. You’ll find beautiful and sustainably made gifts from Bay Area artisans alongside the market’s terrific selection of fresh local produce, organic options, and prepared foods. The crafts fair features a…

Pizzaiolo hosts its fourth annual Holiday Pop-up Maker Fair, with local vendors offering handmade goods. The fair is expanding out to the back patio this year, with more than 20 artisans taking part. Find jewelry, ceramics, skincare products, calendars, tea, tallow balm, and leather goods from vendors like Leaves and Flowers, Sarah Kersten, Summer Sequoia Tallow,…

East Bay printmaker Rigel Stuhmiller was inspired by the renowned Chino Nojo produce farm in San Diego to create a 2018 wall calendar offering a full year of illustrations of fresh, local produce. But this calendar not only helps you keep track of when produce is in season throughout the year: Purchasing it will help people with…

Taste homemade mustard, mead, plum wine, ginger beer, cultured butter, caramels, jam, and honey as you explore homemade, ultra-local, super-small batch goodies available only once a year. Find handmade soaps, tinctures, and salves; local herbs, seeds, and seed balls; dream pillow sachets, catnip toys, and beeswax candles; handmade tiles, cups, bowls, arts, cards, postcards, and…

Honey Spice Cookies Recipe courtesy of Sally Darling, Market Hall Bakery Makes 25–30 cookies Bakery director Sally Darling offers this advice for home bakers: “This recipe is moderately spiced, so if you prefer a cookie with more spice, feel free to bump it up. We use anise extract, but you can also substitute one teaspoon…

Farm Fresh to You, a community supported agriculture (CSA) and home delivery service, also offers a Donate-A-Box program. Help families in need by purchasing a box of organic fruits and veggies for the food bank of your choice. Since August 2014, this program has provided over 41,000 produce boxes to its food bank partners. Info:…

Holiday shopping is always a pleasure at the Craneway Crafts Fair, which benefits KPFA community sponsored radio station 94.1 FM. Peruse 200 booths featuring handmade art, crafts, and food. Experience the work of 180 juried artisans working in a range of media, and enjoy live entertainment in a festive food court. The Craneway Pavilion is…

Surprise your friends and family this year with a batch of homemade spicy kimchi. Andy Renard, lead fermenter and resident pickle master at Three Stone Hearth, teaches the DIY skills needed to transform a bowl of cabbage and spices into a robust probiotic condiment. Develop confidence and know-how, and leave class with a recipe and…

Join Megan Bre Camp, founder of Summer Sequoia Tallow, and learn to make traditional soaps from local, grassfed beef tallow, extra virgin olive oil, and organic essential oils. Through her business, Megan offers an artisanal line of organic tallow balms, soaps, and candles handcrafted in Oakland. The class is at Three Stone Hearth, where Megan was previously…

After a summer launch at the Jack London Square Farmers’ Market, Civil Pops recently arrived at Market Hall Foods in Rockridge and Berkeley. The young ice pop business was started by Civil Labs, an Oakland-based group that creates access to jobs, education, and asset ownership for underserved communities of color. Made with organic fruit, the pops…

If you can spare a clean, gently used (or new) coat or jacket, please bring your donations to the Ecology Center or any of the Berkeley farmers’ markets November 15–December 15. Socks and towels (gently used or new) are also welcome. Clothing is donated to Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), a local organization helping homeless community…

This recipe comes from the team at Oakland-based Broth Baby, known for nutritious and flavorful bone broths. Here’s how they describe their version of a classic French dish: Fall brings so many sensations with its cool crisp mornings, softly light afternoons, and early evenings. It also whets our appetites for earthier, warmer flavors like umami-rich…

Oakland’s Preserved offers a wide variety of workshops in skills related to preserving foods. Classes are taught by local experts, and the shop also sells a range of DIY items, books, and artisan foods. Classes fill up fast, so sign up soon for upcoming holiday gift-making workshops. You’ll enjoy a hands-on learning experience as you…

Black Restaurant Week comes to the Bay Area for two delicious weeks, offering special prix-fixe menus for brunch, lunch, and dinner. Celebrate the area’s best black-owned restaurants and chefs as you dine on soul food, barbecue, Ethiopian and Caribbean cuisine, and other tasty options. A restaurant panel discussion, catering tasting showcase, and exclusive pop-up dinner…

For its annual Día de los Muertos celebration, Calavera is transformed with elaborate marigold decorations and festive altars of flowers and candles. Inventive cocktails and special dinner options combine both ancestral and more modern elements. Chef Gustavo Romero offers rotating à la carte menu specials that highlight heirloom corn. Come in costume to the Halloween…

Bring the whole family to meet the farm animals and take part in arts & crafts, kids’ games, face painting, and urban farm tours. Try out hands-on workshops in yoga, backyard beekeeping, edible weeds, and herbal remedies. A sliding-scale farm stand offering pumpkins and autumn veggies opens at 10am. Free admission. Harvest Festival info: here…