Archive for ‘Food Shopping’

No Brainer Food Gift Basket Idea That Keeps On Giving

By , 12 December, 2011,

A few weeks ago the 2012 Good Food Award finalists were announced. A box or basket made up of a variety of foods from these good food producers–as well as the 2011 award winners–makes a gift that’s 1) delicious, 2) tells stories you can chat about AND 3) a chance to have your own judging competition. Many of these only sell locally–very likely found in your best local specialty and cheese shops.

For those selling online you’d need to act fast (apologies for the slackerly late post!) to get them in time for the holidays. Enjoy!

The 2012 Finalists:

Beer

Alaskan Brewing Company, Smoked Porter Alaska
Almanac Beer, Summer 2010 Vintage Blackberry Ale California
Ballast Point Brewing Company, Sculpin India Pale Ale California
Brooklyn Brewery, Local 2 New York
The Bruery, Oude Tart California
COAST Brewing Company, 32/50 Kolsch & HopArt IPA South Carolina
Drake’s Brewing Co., Drakonic Imperial Stout & Drake’s 1500 Pale Ale California
Fish Brewing Company, IPA & Winterfish Seasonal Ale Washington
Goose Island Beer Company, Pepe Nero Illinois
Hopworks Urban Brewery, Abominable Winter Ale & Hopworks IPA Oregon
Independence Brewing Co., Convict Hill Stout Texas
Lagunitas Brewing Company, a lil’ Sumpin’ Sumpin’ California
New Belgium Brewing, Mothership Wit Colorado
Odell Brewing Company, 90 Shilling & Odell IPA Colorado
Pagosa Brewing Company, Coconut Porter Colorado
Pike Brewing Company, Pike Naughty Nellie Golden Style Ale Washington
Smuttynose Brewing, Robust Porter New Hampshire
Victory Brewing Company, Helios Ale & HopDevil Ale Pennsylvania

Charcuterie

Adesso, Speck California
Café Rouge, Duck Pate California
CHOP Butchery and Charcuterie, Herbs de Provence Salami Oregon
Columbus Foods, Finnochiona California
Creminelli Fine Meats, Bresaola Piccolo & Finnochiona Salami Utah
Cypress, Soppressata South Carolina
Fatted Calf, Pork, Rabbit, and Duck Terrine California
Formaggio Kitchen, Rabbit Pate Massachusetts
Gary West Smoked Meats, Elk Strips Oregon
La Quercia, Country Cured Bacon Iowa
Letelier Food Co., Chicken Liver Pate Texas
Marche, Duck Liver and Apple Mousse Oregon
Olympic Provisions, Chorizo Navarre Oregon
Pine Street Market, Coppa Georgia
Red Apron Butchery, Crème de Cochon Virginia
S. Wallace Edwards and Sons, Surryano Ham Virginia
Tails and Trotters Charcuterie, Liver Pate & Pork Pastrami Oregon
5 Knives, a project of Vermont Smoke and Cure, Cob and Maple Smoked Ham Vermont

Cheese

Achadinha Cheese Company, Capricious California
Avalanche Cheese Company, Cabra Blanca, Hand Bandaged Goat Cheddar & Lamborn Bloomers Colorado
Bellwether Farms, Carmody & Whole Milk Ricotta California
Canal Junction Farmstead Cheese, Charloe Ohio
Cellars at Jasper Hill (Scholten Farms), Weybridge Vermont
Cherry Grove Farm, Toma New Jersey
Cypress Grove Chevre, PsycheDillic California
Garden Variety Cheese, Black Eyed Susan & Hollyhock California
Goatsbeard Farm, Goatsbeard Fresh Cheese Missouri
Goldin Artisan Goat Cheese, Certoux Oregon
Hidden Springs Creamery, Driftless Wisconsin
Mozzarella Company, Hoja Santa Goat Cheese Texas
Old Chatham Sheepherding Co., Kinderhook Creek New York
Rainbeau Ridge, Meredian & MontVivant New York
Rivers Edge Chevre, Sunset Bay & Valsetz Oregon
Saint Benoit Yogurt, Organic Yogurt Cheese California
Uplands Cheese, Pleasant Ridge Reserve Wisconsin

Chocolate

Amano Artisan Chocolate, Guayas Utah
Bittersweet, Rich Milk California
Dandelion Chocolate, 70% Costa Rica California
Escazu Artisan Chocolate, 60% Goat’s Milk & 65% Costa Rica North Carolina
Fresco Chocolate, 214 Madagascar 74% & 217 Chuao 70% Washington
Lillie Belle Farms, Perfect Illusion 65 Oregon
Patric Chocolate, LLC, PBJ OMG & Signature 70% Blend Missouri
Rogue Chocolatier, Inc., Hispaniola & Sambirano Massachusetts
Theo Chocolate, Theo and Jane Goodall 70% Dark Chocolate Washington

Coffee

Broadway Café and Roasting Company, Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Missouri
Counter Culture Coffee, Buna Ababa – Haru North Carolina
Equator Coffees & Teas, Ethiopia Watadera FTO California
Flying Goat Coffee, Ethiopia Sidamo Moredocofe California
George Howell Coffee Company, Konga Yirgacheffe Massachusetts
Gimme! Coffee, Colombia Finca San Luis New York
Kaldi’s Coffee Roasting Co., Organic Ethiopia Koke Missouri
Kickapoo Coffee, Organic Biloya Yirgacheffe Wisconsin
Klatch Coffee Inc., Ethiopia Worka California
Noble Coffee Roasting, Colombia Finca San Luis Oregon
Sightglass Coffee, Ethiopia Shakiso California

Pickles

Ann’s Raspberry Farm and Specialty Crops, Savory Brussel Sprout Relish Ohio
CHOP Butchery and Charcuterie, Our Bread and Butter Oregon
Coldwater Canyon Provisions, Spiced Crabapples California
Cuisine en Locale, Pickled Peaches Massachusetts
Datil B Good Products, Datil Pear Relish Florida
Emmy’s Pickles and Jams, Turmeric Cauliflower California
Farmhouse Culture, Smoked Jalapeno Sauerkraut California
Firefly Kitchens, Cortido Sauerkraut Washington
Let’s Be Frank, Devil Sauce California
McClure’s Pickles, McClure’s Garlic Pickles Michigan
Miss Jenny’s Pickles, Habanero Bread and Butter Pickles North Carolina
OlyKraut LLC, Eastern European Sauerkraut Washington
Real Pickles, Organic Garlic Dill Pickles & Organic Red Cabbage Massachusetts
Sour Puss Pickles, Ramps New York
Spirit Creek Farm, Curtido Wisconsin

Preserves

American Spoon, Heirloom Tomato Preserve & Wild Thimbleberry Jam Michigan
Ann’s Raspberry Farm and Specialty Crops, Jalapeno Raspberry Gourmet Jam & Red Raspberry Gourmet Jam Ohio
Artisan Preserves, Orange Honey Marmalade California
Chez Pim, Blueberry and Golden Raspberry Jam California
Confituras, Bourbon Brown Sugar Peach Preserves Texas
Dagstani and Sons, Pear Vanilla Preserves Colorado
Deluxe Foods, Jeweled Strawberry Preserves Washington
Ellelle Kitchen, Fig Walnut with Backyard Orange California
Farmer’s Daughter Brand, Strawberry Honeysuckle Jam North Carolina
Half-Pint Preserves, Rhubarb Strawberry Rose Petal Jam New York
HeathGlen Organic Farm & Kitchen, Blueberry Lavender Merlot Jam Minnesota
P&H Soda Co., Hibiscus Soda Syrup New York
Plumline, Raspberry Jam California
Sweet Creek Foods, Organic Raspberry Fruit Spread Oregon
Sweet Deliverance, Concord Grape Jelly New York
The Orchard at Flathead Lake, Organic Blushing Tart Cherry Jam Montana
Wine Forest Wild Foods, Wild Elderberry Shrub California

Spirits

1512 Spirits, Barbershop Rye California
Balcones Distilling, LLC, Rumble Cask Reserve Texas
Ballast Point Brewing Company, Aged Three Sheets Rum California
Cascade Peak Spirits, Inc., Organic Nation Vodka Oregon
Clear Creek Distillery, Poire William Eau de Vie Oregon
Death’s Door Spirits, White Whiskey Wisconsin
Downslope Distilling, Wine Barrel Aged Rum Colorado
Finger Lakes Distilling, Cherry Liqueur & McKenzie Rye Whiskey New York
Leopold Bros, Maraschino Liqueur & Tart Cherry Liqueur Colorado
Marian Farms, Ltd., California Pisco California
Peak Spirits, CapRock Gin & CapRock Vodka Colorado
RoughStock Montana Whiskey, Montana Whiskey Montana
Square One Organic Spirits, Basil Vodka & Organic Vodka Idaho
Wylie Howell Spirits, LLC, Whiskey, California

Celebrate the Power of One – Awesome Gifts from Single-Food Businesses

By , 5 December, 2011,

Most of the articles I rip and file get discovered only when I’m moving. Since April 2005, I’ve had a Sunset Magazine article “The power of one” — restaurants that stake their reputation on a single item. At the time, cereal, grilled cheese, and cupcakes were already on the list. Some trends endure.

Why did this article grab me so that I saved it through countless moves?

Making only 1 thing takes commitment, courage, conviction, focus.

As a variety seeker it especially impresses me when someone can stick to one thing, over and over. As a food producer the nice thing about a single product is you’re known for it. You can carve your space with simple messaging. It’s easier to create a cult following since it’s easier for people to know what to obsess over.

That all being said several of these folk have taken the plunge to adding a second type of product. Yet you can tell by their name they made their way with the original:

Maple Honey Caramels from Sweet Revolution. Old news is good news. For a few years now, Anastasia has spread her caramels farther and wider while still making them in tiny batches. If caramel candies aren’t decadent enough, she makes a spread you can eat off a spoon. Fewer calories when it’s one continuous stream of goodness anyway.

Nut butter crunch from p.o.p. candy is featured in Foodzie’s tasting box this month. If eating food with heart tastes better, crunch into Rachel and Bill’s nut butter toffee-like candy. I’ve visited them late night as they crank out their butter crunch using as many local ingredients as possible, in the types of small batches normally reserved for a home kitchen. (I remember a) how cranky I was as an early bird, marveling they could work so late b) that I intrepidly sampled the new experiments to give feedback.) Their tins with pop-ping holiday labels are flying off the shelves as corporate gifts. (Disclosure: I’m thrilled that I’ll be helping them sell their candy soon!)

Aurelia’s Chorizo from Austin is like gourmet Slim Jim’s meets Mexico. Meaning, it’s so dry and meaty it’s tempting to pull one of the pre-cooked chorizos out of the pack and munch it. Not needing refrigeration makes these perfect for packing on a hike or cooking up with eggs…or whatever. If I were you I’d order 10 packs. They’re pretty much the best for anyone who likes it hot.

Embrace Brownies from a hard working, sweets loving mother-daughter team make the perfect gift for moms…or daughters.

Alfajores from Maitelates. Candy disguised as cookies in wrappers that remind you or artisan food from Spain. Only these babies are made in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Brown Butter Cookies. Need I say more? I will if you need me to.

And the experience gifts: Also remember, local cooking, health education, and DIY product classes local food makers and retailers are a gift that keeps on giving! Like this Northern California Wild Mushroom Camp with Dr Andrew Weil in January. (Who woulda thunk it?)

Products I Wish Had Made the List

Obviously there are unlimited wonderful holiday food gifts from people who make more than one thing. Today one sticks in my mind: Cream-Nut Peanut Butter Clusters. I’m sure at one time these were their only candy item. Koeze make a few other candies now, which I haven’t tried, but it was worth it just to see the words “Koeze Cream-Nut Peanut Butter Clusters.” When they describe them as infamous, I know why. There is just something about the flavor, the mouth feel, that gets my heart racing. Plus the retro packaging is adorable.

What favorite food companies thrive on the power of one?

My Fair Farmer’s Market Shopper

By , 11 May, 2011,

The image of Eliza Doolittle getting schooled by Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady comes to mind as I peruse the Chicago Tribune’s 10 things not to say at the farmer’s market. (My fave is “how come these carrots have dirt on them?”)

Not only that, it reminded me of the list Darya Pino (aka @summertomato) pulled together of Top 10 Mistakes Made by Farmers Market Noobz.

How come these carrots don't have dirt on them?

Who knew shopping could be so stressful?

My short list of how to shop at farmers markets is:

  1. Brace yourself for higher prices than you may be used to. However if you shop at mainstream supermarkets, honestly the prices could be very similar. Build into the price that you know where the produce came from; it was just picked; and it likely has many more nutrients than the older produce.
    If price is keeping you away, show up at the end of the market when you might be able to get produce cheaper. Many markets take “food stamps” cards too.
  2. Enjoy the market as if you took a trip. It’s a free way to connect to your community, good food, and the season.
  3. Ask questions. You’re meeting the growers, or people who work for the growers. This is your chance to learn about food and growing.

And enjoy!!

 

carrots by susiefoodie

Hey what's that green stuff on the carrots?

Free & Food-ish Bay Area Shopping Picks – Dec 10-12

By , 8 December, 2010,

Friday 12/10: La Cocina Gift Fair in San Francisco - Always beautiful and scrumptious gifts from the lower income food entrepreneurs of the La Cocina incubator.

Friday 12/10: The Hub in San Francisco hosts a benefit holiday party for local human services non-profits.

Sat & Sun: 12/11-12: Aftelier Perfumes Open House in Berkeley – Perfumes and teas made the truly artisan way using the  “purest, most sublime botanical essences from around the world.” I have yet to experience Mandy’s perfumes but I have a feeling they are the perfume equivalent of experiencing the finest chocolates.

Saturday: 12/11: Omnivore Books – San Francisco – Jessica Theroux reads from her new book Cooking with Italian Grandmothers.” How cute would it be to give this book along with Italian ingredients? Molto!

Or spend a weekend donating:

Lots more. Add any links here!

Making It Easy to Preserve Organic Farm Bounty

By , 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!

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