Archive for October, 2010

Small Giant Zingerman’s Guided by a Vision

By Susie, 27 October, 2010,

Although I have yet to read it, I’m pretty confident in recommending both new and existing food and non-food entrepreneurs read Ari Weinzweig’s new book: A Lapsed Anarchist’s Approach to Building a Great Business: Zingerman’s Guide to Good Leading, Part 1 (“behind-the-scenes “secret” stuff that goes into making a very special, sustainable business of any kind”)

Hearing Ari speak yesterday in the “Small Giants” part of a great Enlightened Business teleconference, I marveled that he had taken the time to sit with me in the deli after just returning from a trip, demonstrating how well he manages: that he didn’t need to manage.

He shared that from the get-go, the team agreed to expand locally vs. grow geographically. The result is Zingerman’s community of businesses.

On the call, Ari imparted his one bit of advice that if you do anything, define your company’s vision following 4 principles:

It should be inspiring.
Strategically sound, doable while being hard to achieve which I take to mean if it’s too easy, it’s probably not that inspiring or grand a goal.
Document the vision in writing.
Communicate and teach the vision.

These are the “clif” notes. His book tells the full story.

Zingerman’s Mission in Action

A few pics from my September tour of Zingerman’s businesses…may I call it the Disneyland of business? I’d never encountered so many helpful and smiling people, clearly empowered and loving what they do. The captians refer to the mission statement above:

Selling food that makes me happy…

Giving service that made me smile…

and cajeta ice cream that mde me keep smiling from the Creamery…

Showing love and care in all their actions…

In passionate pursuit of their mission… (love the passion in the branding and graphics!)

zingerman's deli

enriched my life by showing that a successful business can have an honor box…

and by giving me great coffee from Zingerman’s Coffee Company, one of the businesses…

“It was good.”

Read more how Zingerman’s defined their vision in their newsletter (PDF) or get the book to learn how letting go of your anarchic tendencies can bring you success. (Or something like that.)

peach pie

Making It Easy to Preserve Organic Farm Bounty

By Susie, 25 October, 2010,

If you’re in Northern California and psyched to DIY your preserves this Fall, check out Happy Girl Kitchen’s Food Preservationists program, which helps farmers sell more of their crop, as a natural extension of their own preserved products and workshops at their beautiful new kitchen in Pacific Grove.

If you can’t make it down there, it’s easy to get your hands on the goods, with pickup locations in the South Bay, San Francisco, Central Coast, Peninsula and East Bay to get cases of organic produce at very reasonable prices for canning, pickling, and saucing: apples, squash, plums, pears, blends.

Yes it’s just as good to buy cases direct at the farmer’s markets but this is just one more easy option to load up before it’s too late and get the kitchen smelling great.

Check out what’s available this week!

Walnuts to Walnut Oil, a Visit to Glashoff Family Farm

By Susie, 24 October, 2010,

How does an American family farm thrive in a time with imports flooding the market? Great produce, value-added products, and diversity.

Through San Francisco’s CUESA – The Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture – I recently toured Glashoff Farms, an 89-acre, 100+ year old Suisun Valley farm owned by the Glashoffs for several generations. Today they grow berries and walnuts (with trees over 150 years old!), as well as oranges, prunes, persimmons and more.

Obsessed with walnuts, I was in heaven seeing the harvesting and processing, ending with a taste of their walnut oil. Take a tour though the farm through my eyes and taste the Glashoff’s produce at the Ferry Building on Saturdays.

Visiting the Farm

Plan to visit Glashoff next year for their berry u-picking. You can also orer online or drop by the farm on a trip to Napa (just a few miles away!) to buy some fresh walnuts, jams, and more in their “honor system” store.

A diversified family farm is a good thing! Look for the sign...

Down go the walnuts!

walnuts under the tree after shaking - photo by susie wyshak

Walnuts are raked up after they shake the tree.

The walnut skins and shells have a natural herbicide quality.

The majority of the walnuts are processed into walnut oil. Previously part of the Blue Diamond growers co-operative, when the price of walnuts plummeted, the Glashoffs decided to process the nuts into the high value walnut oil (delicious as a bread dipper, in desserts, or dressings).

The walnut processing is a pretty old fashioned, compact operation.

Honor Farm Stand

Maria said the farm stand has been very successful in terms of selling their products without oversight. I marked up the photo to point out a few things for other farms thinking of doing the same.

They have detailed instructions for visitors (1) as well as promotion of the u-pick. The stand has both fresh products (2) as well as their jams (3) and other “value added” higher margin products.

Glashoff's Honor Farm Stand. Click to see larger.

CUESA provided a 5 star lunch made with farmer's market produce.

The Future: Helping the Family Farm with Agri-tourism

After studying at Chico, daughter Lizzy is returning to the farm to help the business diversify even more by hosting events and possibly agri-tourism stays. An idyllic setting with gardens and so close to major roads, it’s a natural! Stay turned for more.

Maria, Susie (the nutty fig girl) and Lizzy

About CUESA Events in San Francisco & Beyond

CUESA “is dedicated to promoting a sustainable food system through the operation of the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market and its educational programs.

They arrange some wonderful educational events both at the Ferry Building Marketplace and outings in San Francisco in beyond – great for tourists and locals who want to learn more about sustainable food and agriculture.

Great Oakland & LA Food Events – October 23-24

By Susie, 19 October, 2010,

October 23-24 bring several fabulous festivals combining the best of California culture and food. If you’re game to drive or fly Saturday night, you can make it to most of these!

Bay Area People: Be in Oakland on Sunday October 24th

It’s a major culture fest across Oakland, and I’m sure this just scratches the surface. The itinerary:

1) Dia de los Muertos Festival (10-5pm, FREE)
This long time BART-accessible street festival in the Fruitvale district of Oakland celebrates the Day of the Dead (November 1st). With a huge variety of street foods, dancing, music and crafts it’s a great festival for families and anyone who appreciates rich cultural heritage. (more info)

2) Oakland Museum

Whether you’re in a car or on BART, hop over to the wonderful Oakland Museum near Lake Merritt. Recently remodeled, the museum reliably has interesting and poignant (not often I can use that word) Day of the Dead exhibits with “altars” by artists celebrating loved ones who have passed on.

Plus the Pixar exhibit is still going on!

3) East Bay Mini Maker Faire – Over 100 Makers & Crafters (10-5pm)

While the “maxi” Maker Faire fills a fair ground, the mini faire is a celebration of the Do-It-Yourself spirit. Bring the whole family for a day of cool projects, urban homesteading workshops, beautiful crafts, great food, music and more. All on the beautiful 4-acre Park Day School campus – accessible from Macarthur BART – in Oakland.” (tickets and more info)

Then get your Temescal food fix: The school is just a few blocks from Pizzaiolo, Dona Tomas, Lanesplitter Pizza and lots of other great, family friendly restaurants near Telegraph and 51st St (aka the “trendy Temescal district.”)

Alternative Itinerary: If you’re new to Oakland and love scones: I can highly recommend flipping the itinerary to exit 51st St from Highway 24 and land at Bakesale Betty (the place with the line down the street) at 51st and Telegraph for some baked goods, before heading to the Maker Faire.

Los Angeles – October 23 & 24

Artisanal LA (Sat & Sun, $10 advance) - Whether you’re visiting Los Angeles or if you made it to every other food fest in LA, Artisanal LA – “LA’s finest local handmade artisanal edibles” – is a must-go for anyone who likes eating well or is seeking unique holiday foods gifts…or better yet, personal pre-Halloween indulgence.

You’ll meet a great group of hard-working food entrepreneurs whose foods you’ll be dreaming of for days. (I know about half the people there, so these aren’t empty words. Or empty calories!) Make sure to check out Homegirl Cafe.

LA Magazine’s The Food Event: From the Vine ’10 (1-4pm, $95 unlimited)

At the “upper end” of the food spectrum both in location (Malibu) and price, Los Angeles Magazine celebrates its 50th anniversary at Saddlerock Ranch. LAist recommends this afternoon of “great chefs, culinary experts, sommeliers, and more, up close and personal, plus lots of food, wine, and other treats.” ($95 is the advance price, and LA people may care: parking is included (tickets and more info)

Making the Daily Candy Top Cookies List

By Susie, 13 October, 2010,

Was thrilled to see ClaireSquares featured in the Daily Candy today. A delightful Irish woman, Claire makes her buttery shortbread topped with buttery caramel and tender milk chocolate in San Francisco. Many seek them out at Bi-Rite, the Ferry Building, and at other shops in the city.

Seeing the Daily Candy article was titled “The 18 Best Cookies That Come Right to Your Door” I quickly knew that many other artisan cookie makers I adore would be part of this list.

With my personal experience, I would like to share some thoughts on why I think these bakers made the list:

Damn Good Cookies from Chocolate Gourmet

Last month I visited chocolate gourmet in Chicago where they happened to have the mint filled chocolate sandwich cookies shown in the Daily Candy article on hand. They’re not your mama’s Oreo. The cookie are more like two fudgey brownies. And the filling is all natural made with wonderful ingredients. Kind of like your mama’s mint patty.

Extra icing: With a great shelf life and able to be packaged in various ways such as stacked in cellophane, they are a perfect cookie for a party, for personal indulgence or as a gift. The colored icing is fun

Oh, and it’s called a Chubby Wubby, a name you can’t help say over and over.

Clairesquares

I’ve already covered the finer points of why Clairesquares take you a bit closer to heaven.

Extra icing: With a variety of packaging options from pretty cellophane packed to fancier gift tins, Claire makes it easy to choose Clairesquares for all occasions. (The Flapjacks are perfect for breakfast too!

Williams-Sonoma Moravian Ginger-Spice Cookies

From the classic round ginger cookie I discovered years ago, the Salem Baking Company has expanded to making their delicate thin cookies that pack a holiday spice punch into beautiful shapes in a very nice gift tin.

Elsylee Galetes Artesanals

I’m happy to see Elsylee‘s beautiful and tasty cookies on the list. Elsylee makes a dizzying variety of cookies, each thoughtfully named and designed. While the DC highlights her Fall varieties, all Elsylee cookies are reliably great.

Extra icing: She packs the cookies in hefty cello bags with pretty ribbons, then nests them in a nice gift box. From the several times I’ve had Elsylee’s cookies they were all a perfect gifting and eating experience.

These are some “faux-reos” I enjoyed:

More Great Mail Order Cookie Gifts

All of the cookies in the Daily Candy article look fabulous and they highlighted many I hadn’t heard of. Toward the end of their list I found myself tense, wondering if bakers I considered amazing would appear.

A few more I would like to add to their list. I have specifically chosen artisans who only make 1 type of cookie to show how you can make it by mastering a a unique and perfect treat!

Maitelates Alfajores – Chocolate covered alfajores cookies hand made with local ingredients from Michigan – including the chocolate, made in super small batches by Mindo in Dexter MI. A unique cookie in beautiful eco-style packaging. Very giftable. (Now available at fellow Ann Arbor business Zingerman’s – equally exciting for Maite as the team at Zingerman’s.)
Brown Butter Cookies – That’s all these sisters make and they do it WELL. Buttery sugary salty shortbread like cookies. Cute simple brown boxes, perfect as small holiday gifts.
Simply Nic’s are shortbread bars flavored with locally picked herbs as well as flavors like candied ginger. Nic offers her shortbread either in individual packs or in a big rustic baske. They’re nice alone with tea or as the base for interesting pairings with jams. (Yay I avoided saying buttery again. Ok I said it. Buttery crowd pleasers!!!)

Any cookie maker should know: there is seriously stiff competition in the cookie racket. I have yet to conduct or see a scientific survey but based on inquiries while I was at Foodzie believe it is the #1 business that people choose when starting a food business.

Luckily it’s a low rent business to start and there are plenty of people looking for the next great cookie.