Local Food in Oakland with Happy Girl Kitchen – and Great Party Ideas

By Susie, 3 May, 2010, No Comment

As I thought about what to write regarding an amazing Spring party, organized by Happy Girl Kitchen, at the oldest barn in Oakland California…well there’s almost too much to write. Yet I will.

The party was full of good ideas, good people, and amazing food. I had to compost my plate to cut myself off, being full of Happy Girl dry farmed tomato juice bloody marys.

1) Delivering produce from farms to a central pickup

My understanding is it’s not a CSA but more a “you want to buy a crate of organic cucumbers? Pick it up in Oakland.” Saves time, gas, and it’s farm fresh!

2) Giving classes in your craft

Chocolatiers and bakers do it. Happy Girl does it really well – teaching canning and preserving classes from jams to liquors. It’s worth taking a class if only to be at this amazing house and to meet the Happy Girl team. (Seems like a perfect Mother’s Day gift!)

3) Making food using products you previously made from recipes

One woman had made orange conserve which she used in a granola recipe and in an olive oil cake with orange conserve glaze. She’d made the conserve in a Happy Girl class then shared the recipes at the party.

PS: Buckwheat Cheese Straws, with a recipe from 101 Cookbooks, were chewy, flavorful, and dense unlike cheese straws made with white flour. If I’d seen this recipe in “print” I might have passed it by but I made sure to ask where it was from and am delighted to see Heidi Swanson’s original looks exactly like what I experience.

4) Getting drinks donated from local beverage makers

Taylor’s Tonics is a local olde tyme tonic / elixir maker whose array of interesting flavors quenced and delighted. (PS – They are going to make it big!)

5) Inviting people who will swoon over and tell everyone about your party, initiatives, and company.

6) Asking for donations to offset party costs

A big pickle jar requested party donations. Why not? With good music, good people, good food – the jar quickly filled up with people wanting repeat performances.

7) Live music

(I have to upload the video) but a great fiddlin’ trio added even more old time flavor and energy. Live music is easier to arrange than we might think for a garden party.

Were you there? What else was great about this fest?

More party pics

Pistachio Lovers Note – Feb 26th is National Pistachio Day!

By Susie, 24 February, 2010, No Comment

Feb 26th is National Pistachio Day!

My pistachio growing friends at Fiddyment Farms of Lincoln, California will be including a free cookbook with pistachio purchases on that day. The cook book is a publication was done by the California Pistachio Commission and is a cute, well done little book. Its 6×7 inches, 39 pages and has recipes ranging from salads to desserts.

When recently sending a gift to someone, I chose Fiddyment’s Garlic Onion Pistachios. Trust me…

My Top 5 Pistachio Eating Experiences

Kofte recipe from Parties That Cook‘s recipe deck (probably similar to Jamie Oliver’s recipe)
Pistachio macaroons (like amaretti) that were green in color, in Sicily. Chewy, pistachio goodness.
Of course any and all baklava
Pistachio locum from Nory Locum which you often find in middle eastern stores
And all of Fiddyment nuts> True confessions: I almost ate a whole bag of their toffee chocolate covered pistachios while skiing.

Underground Farmer’s Market Not So Underground

By Susie, 5 February, 2010, No Comment

Last week I experienced my first ForageSF Underground Farmer’s Market, on the second floor of a loft in San Francisco’s Mission District – starting with a line down the block which seemed to keep up for hours.

The market, which is actually a private event of sorts, gives home food makers a chance to share their foods, make a little money, and get feedback whether or not they plan to transform their food into a business.

Jam packed with hungry shoppers the event had all the buzz of a great craft sale combined with a compact market.

The vendors rotated in and out all night, ranging from meals to desserts to packaged foods – all delicious and impressive. This Examiner.com article has lots more details about the event.

Here are a few people I met:

Shakirah from Slow Jams delighted me by saying that selling on Foodzie was in her business plan! Philip Clark, a designer responsible for their cool branding as well as an event poster, was there was well.
berkeley honey

I had to snap up some extremely limited edition honey after hearing exactly where the hives were located in North Berkeley and that the honey was largely eucalyptus flower. Talk about terroir! With adorable hand stamped and doodled tags to boot.

Delicious fermented things from the farmer’s market to the jars to the underground farmer’s market.

Indigenous Edibles wins my “hard core forager” award for brownies made with acorn flour that the maker had gathered and ground himself. As much as possible he uses native ingredients to make his foods.

indian street food at underground market

People ooh’d and aah’d at their cones of Indian street food.

And Forage SF had lots and lots of foraged mushrooms on hand.

Overall one of the most vibrant exciting food events I’ve been too with great energy, fabulous food, and lots of inspiration among shoppers and the food producers.

Look for me selling at the next market!

Sources tell me Stephanie Rosenbaum sold our of her homemade preserves at the event!

2010 Food Related Goals

By Susie, 23 December, 2009, No Comment

1. Win a cooking contest!

How could the person who told a story about someone hunting for “walnut tusks” in Alaska not win the walnut baking contest?!

2. Help people all over the country start successful food businesses

3. Help millions of people discover the most unique and interesting foods available!

4. Lead community fruit harvests in the San Francisco bay area East Bay

5. Try marketing my own artisan food! I’ve talked about it long enough

Five more goals to come…What are yours?

Best Gourmet Food Cyber Monday Sale

By Susie, 30 November, 2009, No Comment

On Foodzie of course. Plus the chance to win some amazing sustainable caviar, foodzie gift cards, as well as weekend long artisan food gift discounts.

The thing I love about Foodzie is when you buy, you’re directly supporting small food producers many who are from small towns across America, living their dreams of starting a food business.

Each gift or food you buy for yourself has a story behind it which makes it all the more delicious.

I’m happy to help you shop for jams, granola, chocolate, or whatever catches your fancy, for yourself or for company gifts etc.