Newsletter

  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…

    During this first week in April, pickers at Brentwood’s famed Frog Hollow Farm are choosing a small quantity of the farm’s organic Independence almonds to harvest at an immature stage when this drupe fruit looks like a small green apricot. The farm’s resident chef, Mario Hernandez, describes green almonds as “tart, crunchy, and juicy,”…

  You appreciate wine, right? And you’re interested in learning more about regenerative agriculture? How about cute animal videos? Watch Molly Frey talk about how her family’s playful grazing goats benefit their biodynamic gardens and vineyards in Mendocino. Here’s the link to Frey’s YouTube video. And if you want more valuable information about how the goats…

April 2 Seed Swap The Bay Area Seed Interchange Library (BASIL) resumes its popular Seed Swap at the Saturday Downtown Berkeley Farmers’ Market. You’ll find free educational resources for sustainable gardening and seed saving, as well as a space to connect and learn with other local gardeners. Come share your seeds with BASIL and community…

  Pysanky, a Ukrainian tradition, are empty eggshells covered with elaborate, colorful decorations inscribed in wax. The beautiful shells remind us about the fragility of life. For nearly 20 years, Oakland architect Marcie Gutierrez has hosted an annual spring pysanky-making gathering at her home. This year, her longtime friends Michelle Hlubinka and Casondra Sobieralski suggested…

  Join Chef Maria Capdevielle for a beginner’s baking class where you’ll learn professional but easy techniques as you make an apple galette and spinach-ricotta turnovers. A week before the class, you will receive a shopping and equipment list, prep instructions, and a link to the virtual classroom. During the class, you will cook along…

  Experience a rare opportunity to taste experimental wines with industry experts and graduate researcher James Campbell, who produced two wines that illustrate naturally occurring pigments’ effect on tannins. The event opens as Campbell discusses the research with Dr. Andrew Waterhouse, a professor in the UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology, and is followed…

  Concerned about water use and pests? Learn how you can successfully grow an abundance of food the eco-friendly way, using water most efficiently and managing pest problems using alternatives that are healthier for your family and better for the environment. This webinar, offered by the Clean Water Program Alameda County in collaboration with Our Water Our World, is ideal for any level of…

  Berkeley’s ACCI Gallery presents “A Place at the Table,” a unique exhibit that interprets the idea of “place” and the visual connection between food and ceramics in works by regional ceramic artists. The juried show is curated by Bay Area artist and writer Maria Porges, who describes her selection process as follows: “I considered both the idea…

  Want to cook something yummy without going to the store? Chef Alison Mountford of Ends & Stems shows how to cook frittata and pizza, two of her favorite “from the fridge” recipes. She talks about how easy it can be to reduce your food waste by keeping track of what’s in your refrigerator and…

  Tune in April 11 at noon for a fascinating online lecture offered by the UC Botanical Garden. “Finding Solace in the Soil: The Archaeology of Gardens and Gardeners at Colorado’s Japanese American Incarceration Camp,” is an online lunchtime lecture by Dr. Bonnie J. Clark (University of Denver). During World War II, Americans of Japanese…

  Masumoto Family Farm welcomes the public for a blossom bathing experience amid the peach, apricot, and nectarine trees at their farm in Del Ray. The fruit tree blossoms are especially magnificent during the coming two-to-three-week period  as the trees, certified organic peaches, nectarines, and apricots (plus grapes for raisins), undergo fertilization. Blossom Bathing is…

  According to our Tri-Valley–based friends, there’s one place to go if you want the sine qua naan (best naan ever). It’s Livermore’s Sansar Indian Cuisine. “We also really like the food at Ashoka in Pleasanton, a little hole in the wall place. When we’re jonesing for high-end Chinese, it’s going to be Andy and…

In her documentary, Breaking Bread, (showing at the Albany Twin Theater through Tuesday, February 22), director Beth Elise Hawk tells the story of the A-Sham Festival, a three-day annual food celebration in Haifa, Israel. Hawk set out to show how food can build bridges between communities and remind the people of the region that they…

  Join Chef Alison Mountford of Ends & Stems for an online class on how to maximize the life of our greens and cook them in appealing ways. When we purchase leafy greens fresh and store them correctly, there’s more time to enjoy them and less chance that we’ll have to throw them away. This…

  If you need some seeds to get your garden started or have some to share, stop by this lovely home-based farm in the Berkeley hills on February 26. MariLark Farms owner Charlie Costello says he’s using the concept of “It takes a village” as he brings people together to support one another in many…

  All gardeners rely on healthy soil for beautiful, pest-free gardens. Learn to build and maintain nutrient-rich soil and find out why healthy soil supports plant growth, reduction of pests, and more efficient use of water. This free webinar, presented by the Alameda Countywide Clean Water Program, is for gardeners of all levels. The Clean Water Program is…

Again, the humble bake sale comes to the rescue when we are feeling powerless. Join Annelies Zijderveld in a tasty way to donate to the International Rescue Committee with their focus on helping Ukrainians survive and rebuild their lives by enjoying some handmade conchas and conchinitos here at home. Preorder here by March 7 for…

  Toast National Absinthe Day on March 5 with a Verte. It’s made by combining equal parts Absinthia Absinthe Verte, Campari, and vermouth. Stir and strain over a large ice cube and garnish with an orange slice. This cocktail was created by Absinthia Vermut, an Oakland gal who acquired that storybook name as she was…

  The Good Food Awards represent both superior taste and responsible practices, recognizing the value of craftsmanship and flavor as well as social and environmental responsibility. Nearly 200 winners are selected annually in a blind tasting from over 2,000 entries submitted from all 50 states. Congratulations to these East Bay winners of the 2022 Good…

  Attend a free webinar on January 20, 4–5pm, to learn about StopWaste grants to Alameda County businesses and nonprofits, including many for food-category projects. Applications are due by February 25. This new cycle of grant funding in five categories is related to innovation in waste prevention. A total of $700,000 is available to Alameda…

Oliveto—1986–2021—An appreciation by L. John Harris   It’s Never Over Till It’s Over: Oliveto Restaurant and Café closed its doors for good on New Year’s Eve, 2021 after 35 years in business in Rockridge. But for me it’s just the beginning of a new chapter in a very long relationship with the restaurant, and with…

Our gardens are loving the recent rains—but so do the weeds! If you’re seeing dandelion, crabgrass, annual bluegrass, and other weeds sprouting up, learn what steps to take now to ensure fewer weeds all year long. Why reach for toxic herbicides when you can use organic, eco-friendly techniques for safe and effective weed management? Alameda…

  Ends & Stems founder Chef Alison Mountford returns for her first Ecology Center class of 2022 with more great ideas on how you can reduce your food waste! Using seasonal vegetables, you’ll learn how to make homemade soup stocks (vegetable and chicken), and turn them into hearty minestrone and creamy vegetable soups. The “Stock…

  Perhaps you’ve been to Soba Ichi Restaurant to enjoy a bowl of Chef Koichi Ishii’s soba noodles. If so, you’ve experienced some of the remarkable artistry that goes on at the site of an old oxygen factory in West Oakland. Master wood joiner Paul Discos bought the property in 2000 and turned it into…

  Imagine a dense, multilayered garden hosting a wide diversity of food-producing plants. The permaculture practitioners who like to create such gardens model them after healthy natural forest environments. That’s where they go looking for clues on how to establish and maintain a healthy plant community. A food forest can provide a long-lasting food system…

  With winter solstice upon us, we decided we needed to spike up our Winter Wassail recipe, so we wandered over to Wine on Piedmont at 4183 Piedmont Avenue in Oakland and asked Adriana Fabbro what she would pour into such a drink. “It would be Home Base Bourbon Batch 22, one of our local favorites,”…

The East Bay has some of the most diverse and advanced urban ag projects in the country, and on this bus tour, you’ll get to visit and experience hands-on activities at six notable projects (plus enjoy a plant-based lunch with seasonal ingredients). You’ll see how urban agriculture goes far beyond backyard gardens and community plots…

  A member of Edible East Bay’s editorial team for many years, artist Helen Krayenhoff has a fall tradition of creating an illustrated book each year. This time, it’s a small, colorful cookbook with 12 simple vegetarian recipes that she’s illustrated with watercolors. The recipes were created with Sandy Sonnenfelt, an expert olive oil taster…

  By Nicole Riggs “I got into fresh-infused foods when a friend of mine sent a recipe for making bhang tea with fresh ganja,” recalls Sunshine Cereceda, a well-known small-farm cannabis cultivator in Humboldt County. “Well, shoot!” I thought, “I have fresh ganja in my backyard, I’m going to make it.” She ground up the…

  This exciting multicultural market in Oakland’s Temescal district, which features produce from Black and other under-served farmers, has now gone year round. Come on the second Saturday each month for delicious, affordable, chemical-free fruits and veggies grown in California. Stay for activities like a sweet potato pie tasting, live music, chess championship, trash fashion…

  Taste some of California’s best new olive oils at Market Hall Foods, Oakland, Saturday December 11, noon–2pm. Meet the makers, producers (including Samir from the Olive Truck), and olive oil experts, discuss harvest news, milling innovations, and the differences in varieties. Taste and enjoy a 10% discount on these new oils from Bondolio, CaliVirgin,…

  Visit the Freedom Farmers’ Market at 4521 Telegraph Ave, Oakland on Saturday, December 11, 10am–noon, to sample four sweet potato pies. Vote, shop, mingle, and stay to see which baker will be crowned at noon (and win a cash prize) as the creator of 2021’s best tasting SWEET POTATO PIE! Read our Fall 2021…

Join Karen and Malcolm Bond, owners of Bondolio Olive Farm near Winters, to celebrate the holiday season and the treasure of this harvest’s fresh olio nuovo (the fresh new olive oil). In addition to the prized and extremely limited 2021 Olio Nuovo, the Bondolio 2021 Extra Virgin Olive Oil and their Mandarin Orange Olive Oil will…

  Join K. Ruby Blume and the Institute of Urban Homesteading on December 11 and 12 for a year-end celebration of the bounty with tasting, shopping, serendipitous encounters with urban farming friends, and micro-workshops. A seminal instigator of the Bay Area’s urban homesteading movement, Ruby now handcrafts a plethora of beautiful, tasty, and useful items…

  The Good Food Foundation has announced its finalists for the 2022 Good Food Awards and created this opportunity to shop from 150 of these celebrated makers. Through November 14, the Good Food Awards Finalists Pop-up Shop is live, with an outstanding selection of food and drink items. Shipping costs are included and revenues from…

  A traditional herbal remedy, fire cider has become a staple in the herbal health world. It’s a go-to elixir for supporting the immune system throughout the winter months. This easy-to-make recipe can be crafted using simple kitchen ingredients and can be taken by the whole family. Join East Bay Herbals on December 6 for…

  Join the folks at Sol Root Farm to learn about caring for plant allies, farming according to the lunar cycles, and working with plants for health and wellness. Herbal products at the outdoor botanica include simple tea blends, Rosemary herb wands, herbal balms to nourish your skin, and more. Sol Root Farm Pop-up Saturday…

  Yolanda Burrell of Pollinate and Helena Sylvester of Happy Acre Farm invite you to the Happy Acre olive orchard to make your own gorgeous natural holiday wreath. The two have foraged a load of local natural materials perfect for wreath making, and they will tell you all about these plants as they speak about the…

  Celebrate with The Local Butcher Shop as the business arrives at a milestone anniversary and transitions shop ownership to the employee team. The shop’s philosophies about sourcing environmentally responsible meat and fostering a transparent, respectful workplace will continue as strong as ever. Take part in the fun and enjoy beef sliders, samples, live music, and a…

  Join food writer and cook Annelies Zijderveld for a class that will make your kitchen smell like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. Bake scrumptious, scary Spiderweb Cupcakes, mix up some Matcha Peanut Butter Cups, and top things off with spooky Fig Spiders and Ghosts. Young kids are welcome to participate with an adult; teens can come…

  Celebrated food activists Rowen White and Jocelyn Jackson join Real Foods Real Stories (RFRS) for a conversation on decolonizing mainstream food culture. Rowen is a Mohawk seed keeper, farmer, and activist, and Jocelyn is a Black cook-activist, artist, and cofounder of the People’s Kitchen Collective. The two will explore food culture and the way…

  East Brother Beer Company and Book Passage present a conversation between Jeff Alworth, author of The Beer Bible: Second Edition and Paul Liszewski, head brewer at East Brother Beer Company. First, enjoy a guided tasting of four of East Brother Beer’s classic styles, followed by an audience Q&A. Ticket holders will receive a signed…

  Biofuel Oasis is offering three pop-up classes open to the public: In Botanical Drawing, you’ll learn how to draw seed pods and flowers with artist Susan Lorraine. Bring a pad, pencil, eraser, and pen. A gardening class with Biofuel’s intern, Ellie, focuses on growing sprouts and microgreens. The third class is a double header:…

  Spend an afternoon at the UC Davis Olive Center celebrating the fall olive harvest with an olio nuovo tasting, an olive oil food pairings demo, a self-guided garden tour, and a gardening workshop. The centerpiece of the event is a special olive oil made in collaboration with the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation and the…

  At this time each year, Séka Hills celebrates the transformation of their estate olives into a seasonal treasure, olio nuovo. This special olive oil, with its bold, bright, and distinct flavor, is a reward of the harvest that represents the work and dedication of the past and the promise of a bountiful future. At…

  Join Chef Alison Mountford for ideas on creating an earth-friendly, sustainable Thanksgiving. Get great tips on shopping lists, portion planning, table settings, zero-waste cooking, food storage, and using up leftovers. Learn the details of roasting a turkey and preparing delicious alternatives to turkey. This class should help you enjoy a holiday with less stress and more…

  Learn creative ways to enhance classic holiday dishes, simply by utilizing healing herbs and spices. This online session will go over the medicinal value of classic holiday herbs and spices and teach students how to use them intentionally in their holiday cooking. Students receive a holiday e-recipe book and take part in a tea…

      Alameda Point Collaborative Farm welcomes the public to a Fall Festival to enjoy apple tasting, pumpkin painting and carving, a petting zoo, and many fall treats. Members of the Food Shift team will be there to showcase their newest product, dog treats made with human-grade ingredients, including brewery spent grains. This is…

  Nick’s Cove hosts its second annual Javelins & Jack-o-Lanterns at Tomales Bay. Come carve pumpkins and watch the sun set as the jack-o-lanterns come to life atop javelins set against the hauntingly beautiful backdrop of Tomales Bay. A spooky good time is guaranteed for all at this free, community event. Javelins & Jack-o-Lanterns Sunday…

    The introduction of the Justice for Black Farmers Act in 2020 and the Emergency Relief for Farmers of Color Act of 2021 was the first time many Americans learned about the historical and ongoing discrimination against farmers of African descent by local farm service agencies and private entities like banks. Yet, it was…

Join Italian chef Maria Teresa Capdevielle online on October 23, 11am, and learn how to make this popular Italian flatbread using a variety of seasonal ingredients. You’ll make two flatbreads: sage with parmigiano and pesto with artichoke. This is an online class via zoom. A week before the class, you will receive a shopping and…

    Tune in for this discussion about social justice and food justice issues with effective solutions presented by a group of BIPOC community leaders. Bay Area nonprofit Acterra talks with Nikia Durgin and Jeneba Kilgore from Mandela Grocery Cooperative, who will highlight local solutions they’ve implemented in Oakland. Topics covered include grocery cooperatives, access…

  Learn to make this Italian fall classic and three other dishes at “An Italian Fall Farmer’s Table,” an online class offered by Chef Maria Capdevielle. Bring the flavors of the Italian countryside to your kitchen with this online class offered by East Bay chef Maria Capdevielle. You will learn how to make pasta from…

  September 25 is Tomato Day at Smith Family Farm in Brentwood. It’s also the official opening to the farm’s Pumpkin Patch, which runs through October 31. “We invite guest chefs—often ones that have used our tomatoes for many years in their restaurants—to sample some of their favorite dishes, and we have an heirloom sampling…

Directed by Emily Cohen Ibañez, Fruits of Labor is the story of an American teen in an agricultural town on California’s central coast. ICE raids in her community threaten to separate her family, and she must become the breadwinner. Her dreams of graduating from high school are disrupted by long days of work in the…

  View over 200 pieces of artwork by 85 Emeryville artists at the 35th Annual Emeryville Art Exhibition, which begins October 1 with its opening reception and continues through October 31, Thursday through Sunday. The East Bay enclave of Emeryville is well known for its active and diverse arts community, and this juried exhibition serves…

  The call is out for a poster design to represent the Mycological Society of San Francisco’s 50th Golden Jubilee Revival Fungus Fair. Art submissions are due by September 22, and the winner will be announced in late October. The contest winner will be awarded $250. After a three-year hiatus due to Covid and other…

    Real Food Real Stories serves up this intriguing question: How can we meet this moment of unprecedented upheaval in our food system with long-term visions of abundance, equity, justice, and care? Join three food changemakers to hear their personal stories and ideas about a future of plenty. Speakers include Afrofuturist writer, food scholar,…

  By Rachel Trachten It’s a little circuitous, but here’s a story of how the Golden State Warriors became part of a team of volunteers helping Yolanda Burrell of Pollinate Farm find new footing during the challenging summer of 2020. It was during the chaotic month of July, 2020 that Burrell, co-founder of East Oakland’s Pollinate…

Learn to make useful, planet-friendly gifts and gift wrap. A great alternative to plastic cling wrap and plastic bags, beeswax wrap is washable and reusable and offers an easy way to reduce plastic pollution and help others do the same. Gather the ingredients yourself from the list you’ll receive when you register, or pre-pay and…

  In this free webinar, local IPM expert Suzanne Bontempo talks about why fall is the best time to plant. You’ll also learn out how to keep pests like ants, rats, and mice away from your home and garden.  This webinar is part of a series sponsored by the Alameda Countywide Clean Water Program, working…

  Got extra honey? Traditional meads need a year or more to age, but it’s possible to speed up the process and have mead that is drinkable in one month. Learn how at this Biofuel Oasis class with Jim Vetch, a Berkeley beekeeper who has been making fast mead for years and experimenting with different ingredients…

Photos courtesy of Laura’s Apples “Gravensteins are amazing apples,” says Laura Cheever, who has a bumper crop of them headed to Oakland from her organic orchard in Sonoma County.  “They’re sweet, tart, crispy, and juicy,” she adds. “A bite fills your whole palate with flavor. They make excellent pies, juice, sauce, dried apples, and hard cider.”…

  Biofuel Oasis Cooperative hosts leading local horticultural expert John Valenzuela on Saturday, August 28, 1–4pm at the Bancroft Community Garden in Berkeley for a hands-on best-practices class on fruit tree pruning. Winter-only pruning encourages trees to respond with excessive growth, while summer pruning and training maintains an accessible height, and better fruiting, with less…

  Summer veggies rely on nutrient-rich, healthy soil and good growing conditions to stay vigorous and produce high yields. Learn techniques that help prevent pests and disease instead of relying on harmful chemicals, and grow an abundance of food for a season-long harvest. This webinar is part of a series sponsored by the Alameda Countywide…

    A New Bill Bans Plastic Utensils with Food Delivery Except Upon Request By Rachel Trachten Ever opened a bag of takeout food to find plastic utensils, paper napkins, and tiny packets of ketchup and mustard you don’t need and didn’t ask for? That will be happening a lot less once California enacts legislation…

  Berkeley’s Biofuel Oasis hosts this three-hour outdoor workshop where you’ll learn a Japanese technique of visible mending and patching aimed at repairing and reusing ripped clothes rather than throwing them away. Mending is a meditative and slow-paced activity that can serve to soothe us in our often-busy lives. This workshop will allow mending beginners…

  Indie tomato breeder Fred Hempel discusses his newest tomato varieties, Blush and Green Bee, at a talk and tasting called Blush and Green Bee: Unconventional Tomatoes Bred by Traditional Partnerships. “These are unconventional tomatoes bred by traditional partnerships,” says Hempel, who developed the new varieties in partnerships with his two kids. Alex helped with…

  Join this multicultural celebration of community building each Saturday, 9am–2pm at the corner of Shattuck Ave and 46th Street in the Temescal Business District. Now in its 8th year, the Freedom Farmers’ Marketplace is a multi-cultural market bringing Black farmers and other socially disadvantaged farmers to the Bay Area for a direct-to-consumer selling experience. On market…

  The pandemic led to a spike in single-use plastics, with the plastics industry stirring up fear about the safety of reusables. While their efforts succeeded in rolling back progress toward reducing disposable goods, it’s time to push back. To celebrate Plastic-free July, the Berkeley Ecology Center is offering a variety of events to teach…

Singer-songwriter Holly Tzeigon-Whitaker of Kalinders performed from the roof over Akshay Prabhu’s Bao House for the home-cooked-food restaurant’s soft opening on July 1.   Imagine strolling around a corner in your own residential neighborhood and ducking through a hidden gate to arrive at a tiny and distinctive restaurant venue. A folk-rock musician sings soulful originals…

  We recently found ourselves tossed back 10 years in time while driving among the apartment complexes and business parks near the Fremont BART station. Suddenly there was this soothing green growing island: lush rows of corn, thriving pepper, tomatillo, and tomato plants, and thick beds of sunflowers and cosmos. Was this heaven? Had we…

  We first got to know the Re-Up Refill Shop as one of several residents at O2 Artisans Aggregate (O2AA), a former industrial site in West Oakland run by artisans with interests in environmental activism, who also looked for ways to reduce, reuse, and repurpose their on-site generated waste. The Re-Up Refill Shop was a…

  Longtime readers of Edible East Bay may remember Willow Summer, founder of West Oakland’s City Slicker Farm and a leader with many other Bay Area urban farming projects. She grew up gardening with her dad in West Sonoma County, and returned there to farm with her husband Lew at their Three Springs Community Farm,…

  When drought conditions persist for long periods of time, it can significantly impact plant health in a number of ways. Lack of water limits a plant’s ability to produce food, and stressed plants are more prone to attract pests. Excessive heat can also accelerate the reproduction time of pests. But there are simple garden management…

  Join Chef Alison Mountford, founder of Ends + Stems, to learn about fermentation tools and techniques for making sauerkraut and kimchi from food scraps. Participants will leave class with a basic understanding of safe fermentation practices, a jar or two of sauerkraut and kimchi to let ferment, and a plan for creating a zero-waste…

  Get your hands in the dirt! Check out these in-depth in-person learning experiences offered at Gill Tract Farm in Albany this summer. Introduction to Urban Agroecology Learn about the farm’s agroecological practices, such as intercropping, composting, cover cropping, hedgerows, pollinator plants, and building seed banks. Multiple members of the farm community will give demonstrations,…

  Get your hands in the soil and reconnect with the land at this outdoors, masked, in-person event.  Help out with farm chores ranging from prepping beds to sifting compost. Lend a hand preparing healthy hot meals for delivery to those experiencing housing insecurity in Berkeley and Oakland, and please bring food staples to donate…

  Looking for a more meaningful career that brings people at risk in closer touch with nature? Check out the nonprofit Insight Garden Program, which is currently seeking Northern California team members passionate about providing trauma-informed programming in prisons, growing gardens, environmental education, “inner gardening,” and also able to navigate prison bureaucracies. The innovative 48-week…

  Charlie Cart, the handy kitchen on wheels used to teach school children about food and cooking, is making its way into public libraries. Currently in 38 libraries across the country, the carts are used online or in person to boost culinary skills and share recipes and nutritional information. “Libraries started taking notice early on,”…

  All are welcome to join in and decorate the streets of Berkeley at this year’s Chocolate & Chalk Art Festival, where the theme is “Art Sparks Joy.” Artists may work alone or in groups to create chalk art on the sidewalks along Shattuck Avenue and Cedar Street in North Berkeley. The first 25 to…

  Most people don’t realize that about 90% of the bugs in our gardens are actually beneficial. These critters help gardens by effectively reducing pests like aphids. This free gardening webinar focuses on identifying which insects are most beneficial and what you can do to attract them. The webinar is part of a series sponsored…

  “Urban agriculture can play an important role in food justice and equity,” says Gloria Montaño Greene, the Deputy Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). “Such projects have the potential to educate, innovate, and unify communities to improve nutrition and food access and increase local food production…

  “We’re grateful to have Off the Grid to help mobilize and think ahead,” says May German, co-owner of alaMar Kitchen & Bar, whose Oakland restaurant was the first to join a program created by Off the Grid (OTG) to help feed first responders. Off the Grid now urges food providers in the East Bay…

    An exciting youth-driven project aims to convert the former Santa Fe Right of Way (SFROW) railroad site into a green space and community garden. Moving South Berkeley Forward is a collaboration that involves Berkeley High School, UC Berkeley, the City of Berkeley, and the Berkeley Community Gardening Collaborative. According to coordinator Kayhill Verceles,…

  StopWaste and Bay Area Green Tours invite the community to a premiere of the short film “Food as Medicine: Community, Healing & Resilience.” Produced by Bay Area Green Tours with grant funding from StopWaste, the film looks at the parallel issues of food waste and food insecurity, and how these overlap with community members’…

  On May 22, 11am–12:30pm, Chef Alison Mountford of Ends and Stems leads Adventures in Pickling, a hands-on online pickling workshop. Learn to make your own pickles from seasonal fruits and vegetable scraps and how to jazz up your pickles with salt, sugar, and whole spices. Cost: $10–15. Info and registration: here On May 27,…

  What’s better than a homemade fruit pie? Making pie with Two Chicks in the Mix! Join this online workshop and learn to make an all-butter pie crust and seasonal pie filling. The chicks will demonstrate how to mix and roll out your crust and how to make a memorable filling with fruit as well…

  Meet Ruth Stroup the Insurance Lady at the Grand Lake Farmers’ Market on Saturday, May 8, 9am–2pm for the Great Big Bag Giveaway. These “Greetings from Oakland” shopping bags are seriously awesome! Large capacity. Super sturdy, fun, and colorful. Sporting Oakland Love! We asked Ruth what she’ll bring home in her own market bag…

  Looking for some of those famous Boichik Bagels, a slice of delight from Ono Bakehouse, vegan sweets from Tai Zhan Microbakery, or just a chance to stand in solidarity with our Asian community? Step into the online auction April 30–May 2 to bid on products, services, gift cards, and experiences, or the bake sale…

  The impact of the pandemic has been severe at Community Foods Market, the full-service grocery that opened in 2019 on San Pablo Avenue in West Oakland. In addition to providing fresh produce and other affordable foods, the store also served as a neighborhood hub with a café, seasonal gatherings, and community wellness events. But…

  Did you know that over 3 billion single-use cardboard pizza boxes end up in the waste stream each year? Well, you can be sure that plenty of ice cream cartons are piling up next to them, and that’s why MudLab, Oakland’s zero-waste café and grocery store, is fighting back with ways to buy two…

If you like heartwarming success stories, then you must meet Javier Zamora of JSM Organics. This is a man whose love for farming started in elementary school in Michoacan, Mexico. His path from growing carrots and radishes at age seven to landing at the Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) at 38 in Salinas was a…

  Join Farms to Grow, Inc on Saturday, April 24, 3–4:30pm for a conversation with Black chefs celebrating African American foodways, cultural preservation of ancestral agriculture and recipes, contributions to America’s supply chain, and barriers. Panelists include Kevin Mitchell, Jason Wallace, Tia McDonald and the event is moderated by sixth-generation farmer, chef, and author Matthew…

  Are you a social entrepreneur, impact or angel investor, or a fund or foundation manager? Do you want to know how to move more money to social impact companies and organizations solving problems that benefit the East Bay community? If so, join the East Bay Community Foundation for its online Inclusive Economy Showcase highlighting…

  Registration is open for the popular Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour, now in its 17th year. This award-winning annual tour of East Bay native plant gardens (running this year, like last, on Zoom) happens on four Sundays, April 25, May 2, May 16, and May 23, 10am–3pm. The tours feature 25 beautiful native plant…

  Herbicide Free Campus is calling all visual artists (and poets) to enter its April 21 art contest to help show how weeds can be beautiful and beneficial. The goal is to spread awareness of Herbicide Free Campus’s mission toward reducing use of herbicides and other chemicals that are harming our environment. The idea is…

  The Berkeley Historical Society has opened its Berkeley’s Fascination with Food exhibit through April, and to amp up the fun, the inimitable L. John Harris is spinning out tales (plus Q&A) of his “50-Year Obsession with Over-Roasted Coffee, Goaty Cheese, Baby Vegetables, Stinky Garlic, Fatty Pastrami, and More” at the virtual Berkeley City Club.…

  Tune in for this live hour-long fireside chat exploring what it means to build an ethical and climate-friendly supply chain for baking staples like chocolate and flour. The discussion comes through the lens of two Bay-Area brands: the beloved Guittard Chocolate and award-winning upcycled food company Renewal Mill. Amy Guittard and Renewal Mill founder…

As part of its TCHO Pro initiative, the Berkeley-based chocolate maker tapped into the creativity of Sam Butarbutar, founder of West Berkeley’s Third Culture Bakery. Best known for his wildly popular mochi muffins, Butarbutar came up with Chocolate Truffle Daifuku Mochis, a dessert inspired by renowned cookbook author and truffle maker Alice Medrich. Butarbutar, who…

  Are you a renter who wants to grow a garden but you have no yard? No problem! Most renters, especially if they’re not planning a long stay at their rental, prefer not to spend too much time or money fixing up someone else’s property. But the benefits of home gardening—lowering your grocery bills, making…

  A native of New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood, Oakland Chef Nelson German of alaMar Kitchen & Bar and Sobre Mesa Afro-Latin cocktail lounge learned about the rich culture and history of his Dominican roots from his mother. His live virtual cook-along event, hosted by The Global Food and Drink Initiative, includes stories of his…

  The Oakland Asian Cultural Center presents its first-ever virtual South and Southeast Asian New Year Celebration April 12–17 with a week full of events featuring new year’s traditions from Cambodia, Thailand, India, and more. Enjoy an array of engaging demonstrations and performances, shop for good food at the Virtual Community Night Market, and experience…

  Sustainability Concierge April Apeliski welcomes you into her kitchen on April 15, 6pm, for an interactive online event. She’ll share her favorite ideas for reducing waste and toxins and finding sustainable alternatives for a range of household items. April has worked on the policy level at the San Francisco Department of the Environment and…

  There’s no question that the meringue-based fruit- and cream-topped dessert called Pavlova originated Down Under, but Aussies and Kiwis will forever debate who came up with it first. They all agree, however, that the name was attached in the 1930s to honor the beloved Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova. And we think it would be…

  Celebrate the power of women with a community food box from the nation’s first women-led food hall. The Municipal Marketplace, created by San Francisco nonprofit kitchen incubator La Cocina, opens this spring for takeout/delivery. These community boxes preview some of the food that will available when the hall opens. Each box features a seven-course…

  This recipe for the Middle Eastern classic spread comes from Market Hall Executive Chef Scott Miller. It includes instructions for making your hummus come out perfectly creamy plus Chef Scott’s ideas for spiking it up with spice, zing, and heat. Preserved lemon adds a bright pucker of winter citrus. Harissa—the North African condiment of chiles,…

  Slow Food East Bay invites enthusiasts dedicated to good, clean, and fair food to join the organization in one of various leadership positions. The group is a volunteer-run nonprofit and a chapter of the Slow Food USA organization. It strives to tailor Slow Food USA’s national principles to serve the cultural and racial diversity…

    Like many businesses, Pleasanton software company Veeva sent its employees home to work during the pandemic. That was best for everyone, but not so much for the company’s executive chef, Jeremy Goldfarb, who had been running a daily family-style lunch program and wanted to keep cooking for Veeva’s 400–500 employees. Goldfarb’s previous experience…

  Join in to cook dumplings, share memories of the Lunar New Year, and raise funds for Good Good Eatz. The organization’s goal is to keep residents of Oakland Chinatown nourished and safe amidst two pandemics: Covid-19 and systemic racism. Good Good Eatz is working to create a bridge between Oakland’s Asian and Black communities…

  Celebrate Black History Month at this virtual screening of a trailer for Rhythms of the Land, a documentary film project spotlighting Black farmers and their struggles and survival against overwhelming odds. By cultural anthropologist Dr. Gail P. Myers, the film is scheduled to be completed in October.  You can help raise production funds by…

  Seeing piles of pea shoots? By all means, bring them home and make these Spring Rolls with Miso-Seared Beef and Pea Shoots or this Pea Shoots Salad with Hobbs Speck, Ricotta Salata, Dates, and Tarragon Dressing.

  By Juliana Uruburu, Market Hall Foods’s retail director and member of the Guilde des Fromagers   At Market Hall, cheese and chocolate are two of our favorite food groups. Both are comforting, craveable and delicious, so each Valentine’s Day, we bring the two together in new and irresistible ways. Here are some basic principles…

  “Have you eaten yet?” It’s a common question among acquaintances who meet on the street in Oakland Chinatown, a congenial neighborhood that’s especially beloved by people who have grown up there. During the pandemic lockdowns, pressures to develop these blocks have been growing due to Chinatown’s location near City Center. The threat has prompted…

  The ox symbolizes hard work, positivity, and honesty, and all are attributes needed for the year ahead. All are invited as the Oakland Asian Cultural Center (OACC) presents a week-long, virtual, family friendly Lunar New Year celebration with new year’s traditions from China, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, and more. You can enjoy performances, demos, interactive…

    Join in as Alameda chefs serve up a fundraising series and virtual cooking experience to benefit Alameda Family Services. Take part in one or more interactive cooking demos as the chefs share some favorite seasonal dishes and techniques. Later, you can make the dishes at home with the help of the full recipes…

  Here are three classic wings recipes, generously offered by The Kitchen at Rocky’s Brooklyn Basin for a memorable Super Bowl Sunday at home on Sunday, February 7. If game day won’t be the same without a big screen and a chance to watch other people having fun, you could try stopping by the expansive…

  A certain locally famous Berkeley bear has joined in with the #pantsdrunk campaign to raise funds for the James Beard Foundation, and you can, too. @jimmybearberkeley likes the foundation’s “Open for Good” charity to help bartenders and restaurants. Pantsdrunk (or kalsarikännit) is the art of relaxing at home in your underwear and enjoying a…

  In this free webinar produced by the Santa Cruz Master Recyclers, eight industry professionals examine the role plastics play in packaging. Regional waste management representatives from Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito Counties discuss how plastics get recycled in their counties, consumer challenges, goals for sustainability, and how the public can help in transitioning…

  East Bay–based Koolfi Creamery honors Vice President-elect Kamala Harris with a new, velvety-smooth, rose-pink ice cream flavor. Made with lotus seeds, rose water, and a sprinkle of pistachio nuts, Kamala Blossom celebrates our first Black, first Indian-American, and first woman elected as vice president of the United States. The name “Kamala” means “pink lotus” in…

  On Tuesday, January 19, in cities across the country, essential restaurant workers, and restaurant owners are holding celebratory pre-inauguration events to welcome the incoming Biden-Harris Administration and support President-elect Biden’s #BuildBackBetter plan to provide one fair wage to all workers. Khalid Kaldi of One Fair Wage describes Oakland’s local event as an opportunity to…

With the recent rains, ForageSF founder Iso Rabins says they are now seeing tons of delicious mushrooms as they lead their safe, socially distanced foraging walks through the Santa Cruz Mountains, Sonoma, and Mendocino. “With so many people cooped up in their houses, and everything in cities closed, there’s never been a better time to get…

    Join “Compost Gal” Lori Caldwell for a jump start on the edible garden you’ll enjoy this spring and summer. Learn about seeds vs. starts, crop rotation, building healthy soil, watering and irrigation, best spring crops, and how to transition from your fall garden. Instructor Lori Caldwell is an Alameda County Master Composter, a…

Join Sustainable Contra Costa and Drive Clean Bay Area to learn about EV (electric vehicles) and e-bike models, incentives, and how to charge at home and on the road. Chat with EV and e-bike owners and ask questions in breakout rooms. According to the California Air Resource Board, driving electric and plugging into clean energy…

Our long-running Farm Direct Food and CSA Guide has become a hot spot on the internet as people seek out the safest ways to get farm-fresh food and simultaneously support our local farmers during the pandemic. The options below emphasize social equity, so check them out first, and then head to our full, updated guide.…

  Kristina’s Bookshelf   Looking for a new adventure in your pandemic kitchen? Author and Edible East Bay contributor Kaori Becker is offering free copies of her book, Mochi Magic: 50 Traditional and Modern Recipes for the Japanese Treat (Storey, 2020) to the first four readers who contact us. Send an email to info@edibleeastbay.com, or get in touch on Facebook.…

  The home cooking movement continues to gain steam as counties throughout the state begin to set up systems to allow home cooks to sell their food. According to the COOK Alliance, the City of Berkeley passed their MEHKO (Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation) ordinance and hopes to begin issuing permits in early 2021. In Alameda…

  Grand Lake Farmers’ Market fan Megan Hertzler’s Instagram gallery of greats (excerpts above) shows how a farmer’s market gift certificate or Bounty Box could be your perfect last-minute pick for your precious family, friends, and self. Did you know that most farmers’ markets sell gift cards? Some have truly giftable options like the Bounty…

  Recipe by Corinne Kinczel of Two Local Girls Catering and Rocky’s Market “This recipe is super simple and so yummy with ham or as a dessert. My mom used to serve this with ham, and I remember sneaking bites out of the pan after dinner when I was a kid… oh wait, that was…

When our market sleuth Barbara Kobsar found Hollister’s Royal Green Farms selling artichokes at the Orinda Farmers’ Market, we pulled out this salad of shaved fennel, artichoke, and mushrooms from our Winter 2008 issue. Give it a try!

  . . . we have at least that many good seafood recipes collected here. Read our story from 2013 on the origins of the revered Italian-American Christmas Eve tradition.      

The need for pedestrian-friendly gathering spots predates the pandemic, but efforts to rescue our restaurants make the need for parklets hyper-apparent. You can pitch in with your time and/or dollars to help create more parklets for small businesses in Oakland as outdoor space for dining and other purposes will help keep these businesses going during…

  You’ll want to frame and hang these seasonal posters made by architects and graphic designers Meghan Dorrian and Brian Friel. The duo, who run the architectural firm Young America Creative, started making posters in 2012 following a good-natured argument about when citrus was in season. They realized that even though they’d both grown up…

  This year, artist and farmer Ruby Blume’s traditional winter open house and sale goes outdoors. Wear warm clothes and your silliest mask while shopping for hand-crafted items like mustard, shrubs, salves, tinctures, CBD on the cheap, soap, ceramic tiles, sachets, pickles, lip balms, hand-spun yarns, and lots more. Ruby also offers short workshops on…

    Come to the old West Oakland train station to find unique handmade gifts. Choose among lots of plants including organic veggies, herbs, and ornamentals to fill your fall garden. Peruse botanical aprons, cotton bags, notecards, calendars, naturally hand-dyed knit hats, wreaths, granola, salsa, pickled goods, and more—all made by local artists, growers, bakers,…

  You’ve heard of FOMO (fear of missing out). Well, you’ll be feeling some ROMO (regret over missing out) when you see what was in this great box that’s already sold out! So why are we showing it to you? Because you can buy from each of those local businesses separately on your own, and…

  Gifts For the Season is our new e-book made from an article we first published in 2012. It includes recipes for culinary spice mixes and handmade dog biscuits, plus artistic labels you can print. Also from our archives are numerous fun DIY gifts from Anna Beauchemin of East Bay Herbals, who shows how to make…

  Take part in a virtual community sharing as the Ecology Center celebrates 50 years of creating a more sustainable, healthy, and just community. This event is free and features key figures from the Ecology Center’s past and present. In addition, guests have the option of enjoying a meal sourced from the Berkeley Farmers’ Market…

  Making your own olive oil is not a simple DIY, but if you have a tree loaded with olives, you might want to check out Community Milling Day at Il Fiorello in Fairfield. Healthy olives of all sizes and types are welcome, and no amount is too small. Once your olives are weighed and…

  Enjoy a sneak peek at how the Yocha Dehe people produce premium olive oil in California’s Capay Valley by combining ecological knowledge with modern science. This free screening of the episode “Reclaiming Agriculture with the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation” is part of KCET’s documentary series Tending Nature. Join in for the 30-minute screening and other events…

  Calling all farmers, cooks, butchers, millers, and others working in the food chain to the virtual Young Farmers and Cooks Conference titled Transforming the Future of Food. Take part in workshops, panels, and talks that address the complex relationships that get food from field to plate and the intersections of farmer and cook, processor…

  Sprouts Cooking Club invites young people ages 6–15 to boost their cooking skills in this series of live, interactive Zoom sessions with award-winning chefs. Start with any of the sessions below: SEASONAL FALL SWEETS: Sunday November 8, 10:30am–12:30pm Get your hands dirty with pastry chef Avery Ruzicka, partner and head baker of Manresa Bread,…

  When Cabrillo Farms’ Brussels sprouts on the stalk showed up at the Walnut Creek Farmers’ Market this week, it reminded us that Julia Cost’s little bears like to make this recipe from Chef Colleen Patrick-Goudreau as part of their Vegan Holiday Feast. The bears also adorn the artist’s line of hand-printed, handmade aprons, pillows,…

  Live music and a cooking demo are highlights as City Slicker celebrates past work and future plans for creating food justice. Come learn about the food justice work happening at City Slicker Farms and the exciting vision for its future. Guests at this fundraising event receive a special treat from the Farm Park, a…

The Berkeley Food Institute (BFI) has joined forces with TakeoutTheVote.org to share essential voter registration info. BFI is tapping its network of restaurateurs and restaurant workers and encouraging restaurants to print free posters, share social media graphics, and register takeout customers and delivery drivers to vote. Using the mobile-friendly TakeoutTheVote.org, users can easily check their…

  Restaurants all over the world are hanging on by a thread by upping their takeout and delivery through the pandemic shutdowns. That also goes for Niles Pie as they celebrate their 10th anniversary while offering their many great options for takeout and delivery all over the Bay Area. “We officially began at the end of…

  The Home Herbalist A four-part online lecture series with follow-along herbal product–making tutorials Join Clinical Herbalist Anna Marie Beauchemin of East Bay Herbals for a four-week course on how to  incorporate everyday herbalism into your life. The series covers the basics of herbal medicine, natural remedies for common ailments, and ways to use herbs in your…

Click the picture to read our recipe e-book! Bookmark this page to return to the recipes.

  Lucky You Orchards has opened its orchards to the public for the first time, inviting cooped-up folks to come out and pick Pink Lady apples and pumpkins. Managed by the fourth generation Chinchiolo Family Farms, the Lucky You orchard site is located in the Central Valley just off the typical East Bay driving route…

Here are two workshops featuring seasonal fun and exploration with apples. On October 17, the whole family can learn about the botanical side of apples and then use them to make crafts. It’s recommended to have one or two apples per child and some finger paints on hand for the crafts. Cost: $10. Info and…

  Kitchen incubator La Cocina hosts its 10th multisensory storytelling event, Voices from the Kitchen, on its YouTube channel. Join in to hear a lineup of writers, activists, artists, and La Cocina entrepreneurs reflect on the theme of  “choices” through the lens of food. Participants include Fernay McPherson of Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement, Aileen Suzara of…

  Learn the basics of starting a food business through the Food Entrepreneurial Training Academy. This series of 10 online classes offered by the Alameda County Small Business Development Center is free of charge. Info and registration here.   Food Entrepreneurial Training Academy Mondays & Wednesdays, October 19-November 18, 5:30–7:30pm

    Don’t miss this lively day of speaker panels, workshops, live music, and social spaces for learning and sharing. Featuring both established and emerging local “makers,” the family-friendly East Bay Mini Maker Faire features rockets and robots, digital fabrication, DIY science and technology, urban farming and sustainability, alternative energy, bicycles, handmade crafts, and educational…

  Mix a cocktail with Chef Tanya Holland of Brown Sugar Kitchen as you settle in on October 2, 5:30pm. for this Dine for Democracy and City Arts & Lectures virtual conversation about voter engagement and the critical tools for empowering people to overcome historic voter disenfranchisement. LaTosha Brown, jazz singer and co-founder of Black Voters…

  Art has power, even when virtual as Emeryville’s annual arts exhibition is this year. Start with the live-streamed opening night celebration with a slide show of the 2020 Exhibition artwork, music by The doRiaN Mode: Vintage Jazz & Blues, and introductions by Mayor Christian Patz with the announcement of the City Purchase Award recipient.…

  Thanks to Barbara Kobsar for this shot of Inzana Farm’s early Fuji crop apples at the San Ramon Market and her 2008 article on fall apples just uncovered from our 2008 magazine archives. It includes four fantastic recipes for using those apples!    

  Plastic is ubiquitous in modern agriculture, found in use on both small organic farms and  large conventional ones. Billions of pounds are used worldwide each year, with much of it destined for just one season’s use. Farmers and others in the agricultural community recognize the need for environmentally responsible ways to dispose of these…

  Based on the 1975 blockbuster utopian novel Ecotopia by Ernest Callenbach, Ecotopia 2050 is a five-episode speaker series with the first episode serving as an introduction. The zoom series is paired with corresponding book club meetings that give participants a chance to to discuss the book’s themes. Thought leaders including Michael Pollan and Annie…

YIVO Institute for Jewish Research collaborates with esteemed chefs, restaurateurs, cookbook authors, scholars, and writers for a seven-week educational course, A Seat at the Table: A Journey Into Jewish Food. Join in on your own schedule, and hear from cultural visionaries including Joan Nathan (Jewish Cooking In America), Michael W. Twitty (The Cooking Gene), Michael…

    Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are times of celebration and reflection, bringing families, friends, and communities together. For many, the 2020 High Holy Day gatherings will be different—smaller, outside, perhaps virtual—but will still feature traditional favorites and many symbolic foods like Challah, apples, and honey, that celebrate hope in the new year. We dug into our archives for three…

  At this Botanical Garden Zoom workshop, you’ll paint with shades created from ordinary spices and tea. Turmeric, saffron, and black tea are among the natural colors you’ll work with. No artistic background is needed to enjoy this playful, creative process. Take part in the workshop as it happens or watch the session and then…

  First, we just want to say that shopping at Oakland’s Re-Up Refill Shop is a great way to reduce waste from single-use plastics by switching to cooking, kitchen, body, and cleaning products in refillable containers. You can have your items delivered by bike or pick them up at the shop (curbside available).   But here’s…

  Zucchini is plentiful at local markets. We made this vegan lasagna from the Better Food Foundation and Stone Pier Press.

  You can Eat Real in spite of the pandemic! Eat Real Fest vendors have put together a box of good stuff for you to enjoy at home while you wait for the full festival to return in 2021. Here’s what’s inside the Eat Real At Home Box: Chicharon Fried Pork Rinds with Chili Lime…

Don’t yell at the birds and squirrels raiding your fig tree! Support your local fig growers and cook up some fig jam or a pork tenderloin with fresh fig sauce.

    Join DIY enthusiast Elizabeth Vecchiarelli, shop owner of Oakland’s Preserved, for an online workshop on making a flavorful, long-fermented sourdough bread loaf. What typically takes three days of fermentation will be expedited and demonstrated virtually so students can see each step in the fermentation process first hand. You’ll tend your dough after class…

  What do you want to slather on that sourdough bread you’ve been making? Enough said. In this September 20 workshop at Preserved, you’ll capture the great flavors of the season’s best berries into jars of refrigerator jam. Jam Making with Rachel Saunders of Blue Chair Jam Co. September 20, 5–7pm Online.  Register: here Rachel Saunders…

  Spend your September 4 Friday happy hour (5pm) enjoying an East Brother Beer Company Black is Beautiful Imperial Stout as the Richmond-based brewer hosts a community zoom forum on reforming the criminal justice system and how communities can foster forgiveness and support success for people transitioning back into community life. Dewanda Joseph, community activist…

  Festivities kick off with a screening of the not-to-be-missed documentary Town Spirit: A Tribute to Oakland’s Enduring Bar Spirit, and there’s plenty more fun with virtual events like a challenge to reinterpret the classic Mai Tai and a commemorative cocktail glass design competition. As bars and restaurants struggle to stay afloat during the pandemic,…

The late summer edition of Oakland Restaurant Week—September 1–13—is a chance to check out Oakland restaurants on these lists of favorite Black-owned and Vegan, plus hundreds offering takeout and delivery, and more than 70 set up for outdoor dining. Many spots are offering special prices for the occasion as a reminder that every dollar spent in…

  Recent fires in several nearby agricultural areas are causing extensive damage to small family farms and vineyards. Some farmers are losing everything, including their homes, and others have not been able to access their property to determine the extent of the damage. There are plenty of ways to help, not the least of which…

  At Oakland’s Counter Culture Labs, food-themed community science projects are currently happening online. Cheese enthusiasts can investigate the Real Vegan Cheese project for a chance to learn how scientists are making real cheese without any animal involvement. The process engineers baker’s yeast to become milk-protein factories. These proteins are combined with water and vegan oil…

In these hands-on Zoom classes, Edible East Bay writer Annelies Zijderveld prepares a variety of Mexican dishes. You’ll make Calabacitas, a classic Mexican dish that uses in-season produce as well as a cauliflower taco with a zippy tahini glaze. These are great choices for vegetarians, vegans, or those wanting more meatless meals. The second class…

  Do you rely on buying seeds for your vegetable garden? In the first months of the pandemic shutdowns there was a rush on seeds and many people hoping to grow food struggled to get what they needed. Why not make seed saving part of your gardening practice? You’ll be helping to create a more…

Corinne Kinzcel and Brady Bellis recently opened Rocky’s Market at Brooklyn Basin, bringing new purpose to the Port of Oakland’s 1920s 9th Avenue Terminal, which was built on the estuary in 1925.     Opening a new grocery store and eatery during a pandemic could try the nerves of the best of us, but Oakland…

  Learn to prepare Vietnamese dishes in your own kitchen with Chef Tu David Phu. In the first of his online cooking demos, held this Sunday, you’ll prepare Bún Nem Nu’o’ng (Rice Noodles with Vietnamese Sausage). Invite up to five friends or family members to take part. Fifty percent of proceeds will be donated to…

Farmers, chefs, and winemakers are in the spotlight at this virtual celebration in Solano County. Each week begins with a cooking demo that highlights a chef, farmer, and winemaker: The chef prepares a featured dish, the farmer talks about the seasonal specialty crops in use, and the winemaker provides pairings. Each participating restaurant offers a…

  Corinne Kinczel, co-owner of Rocky’s Market (see story here), offers this recipe from her Two Local Girls catering company, which makes a full array of dishes for her market’s eat-in/take-out menu. Kinzcel says, “I love the juicy sweetness of the peaches from Full Belly Farm and the creaminess of the burrata against the saltiness…

      Learn to track and reduce food waste as you cook with ingredients otherwise tossed out. Find out how smart menu planning, conscious shopping, proper storing, and resourceful cooking can prevent and minimize food waste. In this online class, students will measure their progress using food journals and tracking sheets. The goal will be…