Grazing Local on Vacation

After years of learning about where my food comes from and trying to change my habits and routine as it relates to food while at home, I'm starting to want to know where my food comes from (and shop at farmers' markets, visit farms, etc.) while we're on vacation too. Especially since we travel so much in California (and we often stay in houses with a kitchen), there is no reason we can't often find a farmers' market or a farm nearby.

During a recent weekend in Pismo Beach, I made a point of checking out the lively Thurs night San Luis Obispo farmers' market, the Arroyo Grande Meat Company and Village Butcher Shop, and Avila Valley Barn. At the SLO farmers' market, we stopped by several stands to buy peaches, raspberries, watermelon and eggs (chicken and duck). At the local butcher, we took home some delicious sausage And in the u-pick orchards at Avila Valley Barn, we picked some delicious white peaches.

Summertime Salsa

Heirloom tomatoes from Rhodes Family Farm in Visalia, spring onions from Fat Cabbage Farm in Pescadero, sweet white corn from G&S Farms in Brentwood, white peaches from Kashiwase Farms in Winton

Farm-to-Table Dinner

I feel very lucky that my work recently has lead me to visit with small, sustainable farms that produce delicious food. This past week, I was able walk the fields with Fred at Baia Nicchia and Shawn at Terra Bella Family Farm. Baia Nicchia is at the Sunol Ag Park and sells heirloom tomatoes, peppers and other veggies like baby radishes to high end restaurants such as Oliveto. Terra Bella Family Farm in Pleasanton sells through farmers' markets and a successful CSA in the East Bay.

After picking up produce at these farms, I was excited to prepare dinner that night using some of these freshly harvested ingredients including the "micro-green" radishes, yellow squash, and heirloom tomatoes (to go along with ravioli from Santa Cruz Pasta Factory).

I can't say definitively that the food really tasted better because it was harvested that morning, but I can say that it tasted pretty darn good. And perhaps more importantly, I felt more connected to the food after spending some time with Fred and Shawn, learning about and seeing the food they grow.

Summertime Dinner

Summertime dinner from the Mountain View farmers' market:

Meatballs: ground pork from Full of Life Farm, ground beef from Pampero Ranch

Asparagus from Bounty of the Valley Farm

Roasted Bintje potatoes from Thomas Farm

Brunch at 18 Reasons

18 Reasons is a non-profit in the Mission District of San Francisco that is connected to the legendary Bi-Rite Market and that has a great mission:

18 Reasons brings people together to deepen our relationship to food and each other. Through an innovative community center and thought provoking, fun programming, we inspire action and foster collaboration toward creating a just and sustainable food system.

How cool is that?

We recently took our friends to brunch at 18 Reasons with produce mostly harvested from Bi-Rite Farms in Sonoma. We were celebrating our good friend's birthday - and it was nice to be able to celebrate her birthday with delicious, sustainably grown food while introducing her to 18 Reasons and the inspiring work that they do.