Newsletter

  Step into the Community Kitchens’ Central Kitchen during #oaklandrestaurantweek to taste Oakland’s culinary future! Future Chefs of Oakland is a pop-up event that will highlight three exciting new players in Oakland’s food scene, each offering a selection of dishes on March 27–30, 5:30–9pm at 2270 Telegraph Avenue in Oakland. These up-and-coming pop-up chefs are…

    Slow Food East Bay is the San Francisco’s Bay Area’s East Bay chapter of the global Slow Food movement, a grassroots community of people dedicated to championing Good, Clean, and Fair Food for All. Using that broader mission, the group creates inclusive projects and gatherings that reflect the diversity of the East Bay,…

  If you’ve never met Mr. Garlic in person, you’ll have the pleasure at this evening of good fun, good food, and a lot of garlic, aka the spice of life. In 1975, when Berkeley journalist and artist L. John Harris published The Book of Garlic (Holt, Rinehart, Winston), a revolution in taste was launched,…

  A federal funding freeze is hitting Alameda County, where six agricultural conservation projects approved for funding are now on hold. The Alameda County Resource Conservation District (ACRCD) is reaching out to the community to ask for help raising $15,000 to fully fund these critical projects located in West Oakland, Hayward/Ashland, the Oakland Hills, and…

  Join Oakland-based nutrition consultant Lila Volkas to learn the art of non-alcoholic mixology. This month, Lila offers in-person workshops as well as virtual sessions with shipped kits, and she’s also launching The Mocktail School, your ultimate guide to zero-proof mixology! Choose from these tasty March offerings: Mocktail Mixology Tuesday, March 18, 6pm at Sipeos, 126…

  Looking for fresh ideas for a sustainable world? Boost your optimism and energy by taking part in the Urban Foodscape Tour: Innovators Nourishing the East Bay. It’s happening on Wednesday March 26, 9am–4:30pm, one day in advance of the March 27–29 Bioneers conference exploring solutions to environmental and social challenges. Guided by Bay Area…

Edible East Bay’s Valentine Surprise Guide We see Valentine’s Day as a time to celebrate love in all its forms, and we believe a celebration can be anything we want it to be, from a simple sweet treat enjoyed on a park bench to a drink with a best friend… For our Valentine Surprise Guide,…

  Edible East Bay shares in the sorrow of the Di Ruocco family on the recent passing of Carlo Di Ruocco in his 90th year. The founder of Oakland’s Mr. Espresso roasting company, Di Ruocco brought Italian-style coffee to the Bay Area when he began importing Italian espresso machines in the 1970s and then applied…

Join Gold Ridge Organic Farms’ resident cheese expert Alli Keyser-Marti for a hands-on cheese board workshop on Saturday, January 25, 11am–1pm at Gold Ridge Organic Farms in Sebastopol. Explore how to create your own beautiful board showcasing a wide array of flavors, textures, and colors. Learn how to incorporate a variety of edible flowers and…

  We recently reconnected with Mackenzie Feldman, co-director of Re:Wild Your Campus, the outgrowth of the organization she founded in 2017 to help her own campus, UC Berkeley, stop using toxic garden chemicals. She also co-wrote Groundbakers, a cookbook featuring 60 recipes for plant-based comfort food as a joint project with her mother, Kathy Feldman.…

  Mark your calendar for the Golden Gate Chapter California Rare Fruit Growers’s Annual Scion Exchange. At the event, fruit growers select from hundreds of fruit varieties grown in Northern California. The event includes a free beginner class, free grafting class, demos, rootstocks for sale, fruit tasting, and a plant sale. Select from hundreds of…

  Cheese lovers won’t want to miss the 2nd Annual Epic Cheese Fest at Rockridge Market Hall. On Saturday, Jan. 25, from noon to 3pm there will be free tastings and demonstrations with some of Market Hall’s favorite artisan cheesemakers from the Alps and beyond. Meet the makers, importers, and industry icons while sampling renowned cheeses…

  Oakland based food artisan, teacher, and storyteller Henry Hsu (@eatoramasama) describes his past identities as public health worker, architect, and designer, but food was also a great passion, so he took on a job with Oakland tofu maker Hodo Foods. Like many living in the vast Chinese diaspora, Hsu understood that his Taiwanese heritage…

  November 4, 2023, was a memorable morning at Edible Communities’ annual Edible Institute. None among us—the assembled publishers of regional magazines like Edible East Bay— can forget the exhilarating keynote speech delivered by Steve Sando, founder of the Rancho Gordo bean company. In an hour filled with passion, warmth, and humor, Sando revealed how…

  Will you join us on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, 6–8pm at Revival Bar + Kitchen? This informal and affordable gathering is an easy way for Edible East Bay staff and readers to spend some time together, conversing while enjoying Chef Amy Murray’s warm hospitality and the restaurant’s delicious pizza as described in our Winter…

    Edible East Bay began reporting on California’s Homemade Food Act in 2013, the year after the bill first made it possible for home-based food artisans to unleash their creativity in the marketplace. A decade later, home-based makers are populating pop-up markets all over the state, and some of these venues, like the annual…

  When you pick up a copy of Edible East Bay from a local business each quarter, chances are it got there thanks to PIIKUP, the small local delivery company founded and operated by April Fenall. This unique Oakland-based nonprofit makes a big impact on the lives of the people they hire and train in…

  Tamales are one of the oldest foods in the Americas, dating back to 7,000 BCE. The steamed corn husks wrapped around different deliciously seasoned fillings—from meat, fish, and beans to insects—were an easy-to-carry meal for warriors, hunters, and travelers in ancient civilizations like the Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas. They’ve continued to be a popular…

  One of our favorite holiday-season habits is to go out to Malcolm and Karen Bond’s frantoio (olive mill) in Winters for their lively holiday party. We’ve attended in all kinds of weather, but it’s always fun to gather on the patio next to the olive grove where a fire crackles in a huge outdoor…

  Way back in the early years of Edible East Bay, we met the incredibly industrious K. Ruby Blume when she was just starting to create an urban farm in Oakland as the home for her Institute of Urban Homesteading. Years went by and her longing for real farmland took her to Oregon, where she…

  Fun is right there in the name, and the MSSF Fungus Fair promises a day filled to the brim with it. You can count on lots of great hands-on mushroom activities for all ages. Here’s what you’ll find: Displays of 300+ species of locally collected fungi and an ID table where you can bring…

  Here’s a chance to visit one of the wineries covered in our Winter 2024–25 issue story on East Bay Pinot Noir. On Saturday, December 7, noon–5pm at Perfusion Vineyard, 6102 Park Avenue, Richmond, you’ll find wine tasting, live music, artisanal grilled cheese, and 12 local makers selling holiday gifts at the winery’s Pre-holiday Makers…

For most of us, the holidays are about spending time with the people we love and sharing special meals and food together. During the holiday season, between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, more food goes to waste than at any other time of year. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, each year, about 200…

    Support your neighbors and community by partnering with your local food bank and pantries. Each week throughout the holiday season, we’ll highlight a fun new way to lend your support starting with an offer from Emeryville’s Prizefighter Bar. Join in to prevent hunger and ease food insecurity. This week, our highlighted event is…

  Celebrate art and chocolate on Election Day as flying noir moves to a new home. Chocolatier Karen Urbanek will give you a taste of her wares when you show her your “I Voted” sticker or share your tale of voting. Read more about flying noir’s exquisite gourmet chocolates in our Winter 2019 issue. Election…

  In the short film Wrestling the Angel, artist Ann Arnold shares her work and insight as she faces a life-threatening crisis. The film delves into Arnold’s creative process and artistic journey, drawing on visual metaphors from Aesop’s fables and the story of Jacob wrestling with the angel. Rich in metaphor and meaning, her paintings…

A New Law Allows Mobile Farmers’ Markets to Take Payments by WIC Fresh fruits and vegetables are important to a healthy diet, but good access to is not easy for everyone, due to costs and whether a community even has a green grocer open for business. Mobile farmers’ markets help fill the gap. With support…

  Now in its 38th year, the Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition celebrates the city’s art and artists with a dazzling array of works in all media. The public is invited to this annual juried art show, featuring paintings, sculpture, photographs, prints, drawings, ceramics, textiles, and furniture, along with performance art and poetry. The event showcases…

  Ten years ago, Berkeley made history as the first U.S. city to successfully take on Big Soda as the community passed the nation’s first sugary drinks tax with proceeds benefiting healthy equity in our community. The Ecology Center and a broad coalition of community leaders and organizations invite you to a special screening of…

  Do you love fresh local food? The Berkeley Farmers’ Market has a special slice of local for you on September 19 when they guide you on a tour of the North Berkeley Farmers’ Market, where you’ll get to meet the passionate farmers and vendors and discover the sustainable practices that bring fresh, locally grown…

  Celebrate agricultural arts and sustainable living at the 33rd annual Hoes Down Harvest Festival at Full Belly Farm on Saturday, October 5, 2024. The festival opens at 11am and goes full steam with live music and dancing until 11pm. Those who choose to stay and camp out at the farm also get treated to…

  Brentwood’s Smith Family Farm welcomes the community for two popular traditions! The annual Tomato Day on Saturday, September 28 features samples from Bay Area chefs, tomato-themed games and prizes, live music, and food and craft vendors. And the day marks the opening of the Pumpkin Patch, which continues through October 31, 9am to 5pm…

Imagine the San Francisco Ferry Building Grand Hall with unlimited samples of artisan cheeses—plus pairings and drinks—live music, a gorgeous grazing table, and the beautiful views. That’s what you’ll find on Saturday, September 21, 6–9pm, at the 9th Annual SF Cheese Fest. “SF Cheese Fest celebrates our diverse cheese community and the bonds between rural cheesemakers, urban cheesemongers, and…

  Help spread the word! Alameda’s Bay Farm School is seeking to hire a new TK-5 Garden Science teacher for their award-winning garden teaching program. Applicants should be passionate about edible and native gardening. This is a wonderful job opportunity for someone wanting to work with kids within a super-supportive faculty and parent community. For…

This owl knows a healthy environment when she sees one, which is why she resides at Castillo de Canena in Spain, where the Vañó family grows olives and produces extraordinary extra virgin olive oils. “The groves are fully irrigated, creating a natural ecosystem where cultivation is based on a deep respect for the environment and…

  When restaurateur, cookbook author, philanthropist, food journalist, and radio host Narsai David passed away on June 20, 2024, the East Bay lost a light that blazed over our local culinary scene for more than six decades. A few days after Narsai’s passing, local author, artist, and raconteur L. John Harris shared some thoughts on…

  Here are a few options we found for your Bastille Day pleasures: You can impress the staff at Rockridge Market Hall with your marvelous French pronunciation when you ask for PEA-sah-LAH-dee-AIR (pissaladière) or Mool FREET (moule frites), but these are just a couple of the delicieux highlights you’ll find at the market’s Bastille Day…

Creating a plastic-free future is possible only if we change our plastic use habits. Through July, the Berkeley Ecology Center shows us how, with a series of events providing education about plastics and how to avoid them: Perils of Plastic Foodware On Saturday July 13, 11:30am–12:30pm at the Downtown Berkeley Farmers’ Market, you can learn…

  Urban Farm Oasis (formerly Biofuel Oasis) invites you to come see what your East Bay neighbors are up to in their gardens and urban farms. On this free tour on July 13, 11am–3pm, you’ll learn about water saving techniques and how to keep rabbits, bees, and chickens. You’ll start at the Oasis, where you…

  The Bay Area has blossomed into a thriving hub of seed libraries. It started with the Berkeley Ecology Center’s Bay Area Seed Interchange Library (BASIL) in 2000. Then Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library, which was founded in 2010, popularized the idea by creating an easy-to-follow model of how to open such a library. The result…

  Who ever thought to match matcha, parsley, or milkweed blossoms with a cupcake or make a savory version for dinner? Cupcakes are a great medium for creativity, as these seven recipes from around the Edible Communities amply demonstrate. You’re sure to find one that inspires you, and nature has plenty of flowers for decoration!…

    Come out to Livermore’s Wente Vineyards on Sunday, May 19, 11:30am–2:30pm for a spring luncheon buffet as the San Francisco Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier holds its Karola Saekel Craib Excellence in Food Journalism Fellowship Celebration. You’ll enjoy award-winning wines plus a lively and provocative conversation about challenges facing our nation’s food supply.…

  When I first dined at Lo Coco’s on Oakland’s Piedmont Avenue in 1984, I was charmed by the two child waitresses who served up our pizza. (Oh… did  I say wine?…) One turned out later to be a snappy good writer, and gosh, how much else I didn’t know was going on there… In…

The 2024 Bay Area Book Festival returns to Berkeley in its 10th anniversary year with panels, readings, and other activities for book lovers of all ages. The fun starts early on May 4 with Family Day and resumes on June 1 and 2 with the anniversary celebration. In order to help Edible East Bay readers…

  Head out to Lafayette on Sunday, April 28 for an afternoon of wine tasting, food, and entertainment as wine growers and winemakers in the Lafayette, Moraga, and Orinda area celebrate the anniversary of the Lamorinda appellation. Try award-winning micro batch wines from the Lamorinda Appellation as you taste old favorites from Thal Vineyards, Meadow…

At Edible East Bay, we admire Alice Medrich for her James Beard Award–winning cookbooks, chocolate expertise, and those lovely former Cocolat shops that we used to frequent in Berkeley. For her third act, Alice has been turning toward environmental activism by helping to create new gluten-free and vegan baking mixes with local upcycled ingredient company…

  Have you become intrigued with discovering the flavor sensations of California’s premium extra virgin olive oils? If so, you may yearn for an opportunity to taste them together with experts and makers who can guide you through the different monocultivar flavors and milling styles as you learn what makes each special. Your chance to…

  More than 100 new films are on view at the 27th annual Sonoma International Film Festival, including the short documentary From Kitchen to Community about local restaurant owners. We were excited to hear about the film from Romney Steele, the cook at Oakland’s the Cook and Her Farmer, one of the restaurants in the…

Take two quick actions to help food-insecure consumers and farmers’ markets Act now to save Market Match, a program that helps food-insecure Californians afford more fresh food and incentivizes the purchase of fruits and vegetables. It works like this: a customer who uses $15 of their CalFresh/EBT benefits for groceries at a farmers’ market will get…

By Claire Bradley   In the East Bay’s mild climate, our edible gardens provide us with year-round nourishment. But as gardeners, we can also pay it forward by incorporating native plants that nourish the ecosystem we depend on. It’s common knowledge that adding flowers to a vegetable garden attracts pollinators and beneficial insects, boosting productivity…

The ramifications of new weight loss drugs on the pleasure of the table, the health and food industries, polices, and nutrition. A virtual panel hosted by Les Dames d’Escoffier International San Francisco Chapter Tuesday, March 26, 9:30-11am on Zoom     The San Francisco LDEI chapter hosts a provocative and timely online Table Talk panel…

A perfectly ripe moment for California Artisan Cheese By Cheryl Angelina Koehler   Photo courtesy of the California Artisan Cheese Guild Notwithstanding wine, chocolate, potato chips or (insert your personal obsession here_______), cheese stands alone in its power to tempt. The reason? Well . . .  beyond the obvious pleasures of protein, fat, and salt,…

    Calling all chocolate lovers who also love learning! Come explore the chemistry of chocolate and cocoa as you learn about their hydrophobic (water repelling) nature. This free online event is hosted by Scientific Adventures for Girls and the Lawrence Hall of Science to promote family participation in fun science activities. Elementary students and…

  Join Slow Food East Bay at Korner Oakland in Fruitvale  on Sunday, March 3, 5–8pm, for the next installment of their Cultural Food Traditions Project. The March 3 event features the traditions of Puerto Rico as experienced through the cooking of Chef Manny Rodriguez, a fine-dining chef who is now diving deeper into his…

  Join Chef Bryant Terry, Tofurkey founder Seth Tibbott, and Ashley Kirk of Planted Foods as you discover the magic of plant-based cuisine at the Plant Futures Fest. This plant-fueled culinary adventure and career catalyst is geared for students and early-career professionals looking to meet experts, innovators, and changemakers in the plant-centric food sector. Plant…

  Looking to learn in community about Indigenous foodways, ethnobotany, and cooking? Join environmental educator Maribel Garcia at the Decolonized Kitchen, an hour of connection and reclamation while learning about our native plant relatives one recipe at a time. Enjoy a discussion, a presentation, and a cook-along. Come prepared to take notes and share your…

  Now in its 35th year, Bioneers hosts social and scientific innovators who explore solutions to global environmental and social challenges. As the annual conference returns to Berkeley on March 28–30, it starts out with a pre-conference urban food and farming tour hosted by Bay Area Green Tours. Heading out on Wednesday, March 27, the…

Years ago on a visit to Fez, Morocco, I found myself conveyed along in a crush of people moving through the narrow corridors of the medieval medina. Fearing that I might get tipped into a display of spices at the entrance to one of the cubbyhole shops, I turned my head and found that the…

  An especially hip place to crowd in and swoon over sweets (plus savories and flowers) on Wednesday, February 14 is the old brick factory at 2701 8th Street in West Berkeley that was turned into the collective workplace + shops  known as the Berkeley Kitchens. Nine of the makers who create their treasures in…

  At the Golden Gate Chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers’s Annual Scion Exchange, gardeners trade scions from heirloom varieties of fruit grown in Northern California. The event includes a free grafting class, demos, rootstocks for sale, a fruit tasting, and a plant sale. Select from hundreds of varieties to graft onto your trees…

  By Kristina Sepetys Morningtide, a home goods shop off Solano Avenue in Albany, offers regular pop-ups that draw lines to the local food artisans they host. On Saturday and Sunday February 10 and 11, 11am-2pm, they’ll be hosting a Valentine’s pop-up with Topogato, a specialty chocolate company known for their vividly colored artful truffles…

By Kristina Sepetys     CHANGE OF VENUE ALERT: Blooms End has announced that the Saturday, January 13, 2024 pop-up from 10am to 1pm will be held at Hammerling Wines, 1350 5th Street, Berkeley. (The Hammerling tasting room is located between streets, behind Hammerling and Donkey & Goat on 5th Street and Vinca Minor on 4th…

  Finalists. Congratulations for making the Finalist cut at the 2024 Good Food Awards with your tasty, authentic, and responsibly made products! We’ll be watching and hoping to see you among the Winners at the ceremony in April. Readers! Check out our East Bay finalists list here and let us know which yummy foods are…

An apple (and more) caught our eye as we read about upcoming programming at the UC Botanical Garden, 200 Centennial Dr, Berkeley. Plants Illustrated Exhibition: Edible Native Plants of California January 17–February 4, 10am–4pm except Tuesdays We’re especially excited about this exhibition showcasing edible California native plants. The closing reception on Sunday, February 4, 5–6pm, features…

  Californians are known to be wimps about cold weather, and folks in truly cold climes don’t buy the excuse that our houses lack insulation. Better than making fun of us would be to soothe us with hot soup. Click here for 9 soup recipes from around the Edible Communities, most from parts north. 1:…

  One of our holiday-season habits is to go out to this lively party at Malcolm and Karen Bond’s olive orchard and mill in Winters. Having attended more than once on a rainy day, we know that whatever the weather, we’ll have fun. We’ll gather under the huge umbrellas on the patio, where a fire…

  Come join the humans of Soul Food Farm and Morningsun Herb Farm—along with the donkey elves—at this festive holiday fair. Local artisans offer handmade soaps, pastries, local meat, honey, bread, handmade knives, candles, photography, lavender products, and more. Entrance and parking are free. Please bring a small new toy to be donated to a…

  Join Slow Food East Bay for a dinner at Korner Kitchen with Cleodia and Ryan Martinez of catering company Midsummer Kitchen. The two chefs are dedicated to flipping the narrative on Filipino cuisine away from the stereotypical pork-filled and fried dishes toward beautiful and delicious plant-based dishes. They’ll be using recipes from Ay Sus!…

  Meet chef-restaurateur Sylvan Mishima Brackett, author of the new RINTARO: Japanese Food from an Izakaya in California at a book signing event and tasting on Saturday, November 4, noon–2pm at Rockridge Market Hall, 5655 College Avenue in Oakland. The New York Times recently named Rintaro one of the best restaurants in San Francisco. Come meet Sylvan,…

  Come join Maria del Carmen Cortez, clinical herbalist and permaculturist, to learn about food plants that originated in Latin America. Each participant will pot three different plants to take home and learn how and when to plant them and when to harvest. Saturday October 28, 11am–noon Dimond Branch Oakland Public Library 3565 Fruitvale Ave…

  Spend a lovely hour in the Crops of the World Garden at the UC Botanical Garden learning about traditional amaranth harvesting methods and practices. Members of Indigenous Permaculture will share the rich history of this food and its importance to the people of Mesoamerica. Participants will share in community while celebrating the deep Indigenous…

Celebrating a 3,000-Year-Old Tradition in the Time of Climate Change By Annie Wang     Three-thousand years have passed since the time of the Shang Dynasty when the Mid-Autumn Festival began. Through the millennia, people all over East Asia and throughout the Chinese diaspora have celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival on the 15th day of the…

  Oakland filmmaker Dr. Gail Myers calls Rhythms of the Land a “valentine to generations of Black farmers.” The documentary premieres at the Oakland International Film Festival on Thursday, September 14 at the Grand Lake Theater. Dr. Myers, a cultural anthropologist, visited 10 Southern states to interview 27 elderly Black farmers, gardeners, dairy ranchers, and…

  Urban Adamah’s Rosh Hashanah Festival & Weekend Retreat features drop-in events or a full weekend of activities and lodging, September 15–17 in Berkeley Urban Adamah, in partnership with Base Bay and Moishe House, is opening its doors for Rosh Hashanah ritual, learning, celebration, nourishment, and rest. Attend the full retreat on-site with room and…

  The SF Cheese Fest is celebrating its 8th annual event in San Francisco proper, bringing together more than 20 California artisan cheesemakers, cheese lovers, and anyone wanting to deepen their knowledge of cheese. All attendees can savor and pair cheese and cheese accompaniments with local wines, beers, and other beverages while enjoying live music.…

When our editor was a kid, she was obsessed with learning to cook every imaginable kind of dessert and exploring every available type of ingredient. She made donuts, baked Alaska, even marshmallows from scratch. When she found a recipe for watermelon ice cream, she had to try it. Nobody wanted to eat it, and her…

Renovation Balances Form and Function to Offer Greater Community Access and Great Home Gardening Ideas By Claire Bradley   What happens behind that thick hedge? It’s a mystery that many a visitor strolling the rose garden at 86 Cañada Road in Woodside may have pondered since the historic Filoli estate (built in 1917 as a…

  Coming up on Thursday, July 27, 6–7pm is a chance to hang out on Zoom with Erika McKenzie-Chapter, herd manager and head cheesemaker at Pennyroyal Farm in Mendocino’s Anderson Valley. At this California Artisan Cheese Guild event, you’ll discover the secrets behind Pennyroyal’s award-winning cheeses. Pennyroyal Farm is a goat and sheep dairy, farmstead…

    Roxx On Main at 627 Main Street in Martinez is always a fun place for food and music, but through September, it becomes an informal art gallery as artist and gardener Gary Crandall displays his 12 original linocut prints in a show called “Farm Hands.” Roxx on Main is open Tuesday through Friday…

  Plastic-Free July is an ideal time to practice and learn more about ways to minimize your personal (or business) use of plastics and single-use disposables. The Ecology Center is here to help with a variety of free events packed with information and tips for reducing your use of plastics year-round. On Saturday, July 22,…

  Did you know that 35 percent of all edible food is wasted in the United States and that 25 percent of the food we bring home winds up in our garbage bins? You could save time and up to $1,500 a year for a family of four by making the most of your food…

  Breads associated with Jewish life and culture range from rye bread and challah to matzah, bagels, pita, wheat pancakes, and more. Learn about these traditional Jewish breads as you bake with Aliza Grayevsky Somekh in this free workshop on Sunday, July 2, 3–4:30pm at Berkeley’s Urban Adamah and on Zoom. Come to the Urban…

By Anna Mindess   Many annual festivals have their special foods, and so it is with the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival, which falls this year on June 22. Zongzi are this festival’s special dish. The bamboo leaf–wrapped rice rolls are stuffed with a variety of treats like salted duck egg yolks, roast pork, and shiitake…

  Set out your happy hour spread and pull up a chair for a chat with San Luis Obispo County cheesemaker Jack Rudolph of Stepladder Creamery. It’s part of Meet the Maker, the California Artisan Cheese Guild’s educational series, where cheese enthusiasts, industry members, and food lovers get to meet the artisan producers who make…

  The Oakland Public Library is hosting a delicious variety of garden workshops throughout the month of June. Learn from a variety of experts about growing an herb garden, African American staples, and caring for yarrow. This program location is wheelchair accessible. To request disability-related accommodations or to request American Sign Language (ASL), or other…

Join Harlem-based chef Steve ‘Toúchef’ Coupet and Oakland-based Kay In The Bay Curated Events on Sunday, July 2 for an unforgettable five-course dining experience exploring the impact of Black food on the American palate. As a first-generation Haitian-American, Toúchef is experienced in French technique, and is self-taught in world cuisine. He has hosted exclusive pop-up…

  What are the possibilities when building with edible ingredients? The question prompted San Francisco’s Mason Kirby architects to put out a challenge. Who among the Bay Area’s many food and design enthusiasts might be game to step up and enter their First Annual Edible Architecture Competition? Maybe you? Entries will be on display on…

  Up for a road trip? Head down to Kingsburg Historical Park near Fresno on Saturday, June 24, 4–8pm to join the Ecological Farming Association at the 15th Annual Organic Stone Fruit Jubilee. Taste and purchase fresh produce from small farms that specialize in growing delicious varieties of nectarines, peaches, plums, pluots, and apriums plus…

  Get on down to the Grand Lake Oakland Farmers’ Market on Saturday, May 20 at 10am for this fantastic event. You’ll get to meet geologist/geoscience writer Andrew Alden whose new book, Deep Oakland: How Geology Shaped a City, is just out from Berkeley’s Heyday Books. Buy a copy and get it signed or buy…

  Here at Edible East Bay, we eagerly await each year’s Good Food Award winners, those products recognized by the Good Food Foundation for superior taste as well as for the businesses’ social and environmental responsibility practices. This year, we’re thrilled to see so many local businesses honored, including both repeat winners and first timers.…

  Learn how to grow food in your own garden with gardening, composting, and landscaping educator Lori Caldwell. At this Berkeley Central Library event, Lori will cover topics including crop rotation, seeds vs. starts, soil fertility, plant succession, transplanting seedlings, watering /irrigation, and the best crops for your garden. Emphasis on reuse materials will also…

  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…

  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…

  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…

  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…

  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…

  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…

  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…

  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,…

  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…

  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…

  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…

  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…

  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…

  “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…

      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…

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…

  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…

  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.…

  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…

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…

  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…

  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…

  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…

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…

  “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…

  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…

  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…

  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…

  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…

  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…

  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…

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…

  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…

  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…

  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.…

  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…

  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,…

  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…

    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…

  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,…

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…

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…

  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,…

    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…

  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…

  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…

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…

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…

  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…

  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…

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…

  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…

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…

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…

  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…

  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,…

  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,…

  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…

  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.…

  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…

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…

    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…

  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…

  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…

  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,…

  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…

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…

    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…

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…

  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.)…

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…

  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  

  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…

  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…

  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…

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…

  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…

  “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…

  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…

  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…

  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,…

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…

  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…

  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…

  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.…

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…

  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…

  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.…

  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…

  California’s premier cheese festival, the California Artisan Cheese Festival, is returning on Saturday May 7, 2022, for a one-day in-person event! Cheese-lovers from across the Bay Area will be able to sample products from over 60 award-winning cheesemakers, winemakers, breweries, and crafters of other local artisan goods at this 16th annual festival for the senses. This…

  Are you curious about medicinal plants and where they grow? Join clinical herbalist and permaculturist Maria del Carmen Cortez (Carmen) for an hour of exploration in Oakland’s Dimond Park. Learn to identify medicinal plants like dandelion, plantain, yarrow, willow, blackberry, and mugwort as Carmen discusses they use by herbalists. The group will meet at…

  After two years of virtual programming, the Bay Area Book Festival returns to Downtown Berkeley on May 7 and 8 with some of the most perceptive, spellbinding, lauded authors and thinkers of today, writing in many genres and representing a wide diversity of backgrounds appearing on indoor and outdoor stages and via livestream. Literary exhibitors,…

  This is a big all-day literary arts festival, but for Edible East Bay, the highlight will be the 2:30–4pm panel: Word of Mouth: Writing about Food and Wine with poet Gabrielle Myers (Too Many Seeds), winemaker/writer Steven Kent Mirassou (Lineage), journalist Deborah Grossman, and Sarah Cain, liqueur-maker of Muddle Me This, as moderator. David…

  Covid delayed the community event celebrating the five-year anniversary of the Lamorinda Agricultural Viticulture Area (AVA), but we’re pleased as pinot to share the news of this celebration, which goes one year better on May 1, 2022, noon-6pm, at Wine Thieves in Lafayette. The May 1 ticketed public tasting event celebrates Lamorinda wines and…

  Spend a day in the beautiful Capay Valley north of Davis, California, learning from farmers Dru Rivers and Paul Muller about the myriad of ways their Full Belly Farm has morphed over 40 years to become a diverse vegetable, flower, fruit, grain, animal, value added, and educational center using simple tools and innovative techniques on…

  Join Herbicide Free Campus (HFC) and Professor Philip Stark on Wednesday, April 27, 6–8:30pm for a foraging walk in Berkeley, followed by an evening of community + cocktails—made with the plants you foraged!—at a cocktail party in a beautiful Berkeley home overlooking the Bay. A draw to the event is the chance to spend…

  Have you ever seen a food forest? Are you interested in growing your own food or want to replace your lawn with a more sustainable landscape? Tour several demonstration gardens filled with food-producing plants fed by secondary water (roof water and/or laundry-to-landscape greywater system) in Benicia and Vallejo. You’ll learn simple techniques that you…

  Spend the April 23 & 24 weekend with herbalist Alexandra Hudson learning how to nourish yourself with the vibrant variety of edible plants growing in the Bay Area. Saturday morning: During an informative herb walk in the East Bay hills, you’ll learn to identify the plants and how to harvest and process them as…

  In two new reports, the Alliance of Mission Based Recyclers (AMBR) firmly opposes “chemical recycling” policies and pending legislation in several states. Chemical recycling technologies use heat, chemical reactions, or both to break down used plastics into raw materials for new plastic, fuel, or other chemicals. Martin Bourque, AMBR founder and director of the…

  Roll up your sleeves and head over to the UC Berkeley campus as students involved in the Herbicide-Free Campus (HFC) movement welcome the community to two upcoming events featuring herbicide-free gardening. Help students create a space where bees and pollinators will thrive on the April 15 Pollinator Garden Planting Day hosted in collaboration with Haas Sustainability.…

  Our “What’s in Season” writer Barbara Kobsar made an early April trip out to Brentwood’s Hipolito family and their Berry Best Farm. She was checking in for jam-making ingredients when she spotted these beautiful spring onions, which the farmers’ grandson Logan was helping to pile up at the farm stand. Barbara plans to enjoy…

  Grow your own food while helping to feed others! You can help provide freshly made meals for Ukrainian refugees when you purchase heirloom tomato plants at Berkeley’s MariLark Farms. All proceeds will be donated to World Central Kitchen, which serves meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. #Tomatoes4Ukraine Saturday April 16, 11am–2pm…