The new “Art of Real Food” cookbook and farmers markets

WHEN IT COMES TO PLANNING DINNER, the answer should be a simple enough: “What’s in season?”

Once a challenge in the “boomer” era of processed food, that’s changing rapidly, thanks to the growth of local farms, farmers markets, food co-ops, CSA “veggies in a box”—and education.

In The Art of Real Food: Seasonal Recipes for Every Week of the Year, authors Joanne Neft and Laura Kenny take readers on a journey through what’s in season 52 weeks of the year. Their first cookbook Placer County Real Food was a similar theme: scratch cooking with local food 52 weeks a year.

The pair realized the first cookbook helped foster a grassroots dialogue about food. “It’s our hope these stories will continue the dialogue that’s already begun and hopefully will never end,” Neft writes.

Here are some local farmers markets:

THE FOOTHILL FARMERS MARKET ASSN. has a dozen markets including:
— Auburn (Courthouse) and Rocklin Saturday I Granite Bay Sunday
—Roseville, Truckee & Kings Beach Tuesday I Auburn (DeWitt Center) Wednesday
— Roseville, Tahoe City, Truckee and now Folsom Thursday
FoothillFarmersMarket.com

MILL STREET CERTIFIED FARMERS MARKET
—Thursdays, 6 – 9 p.m., on Mill St., downtown Grass Valley.

NEVADA COUNTY CERTIFIED GROWERS MARKET
North Star House, Grass Valley on the grounds of a 1905 mansion designed by Julia Morgan of Hearst Castle fame. Saturdays, 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. 12075 (Old) Auburn Rd., about a half mile south of McCourtney Rd.
The market features fruit, vegetables, flowers, eggs, meats, olive oil, bakery goods, jams and more.

This fall, a statewide festival honoring Julia Morgan will be held, and the North Star House will participate. TheGrowersMarket.com

NEVADA CITY FARMERS MARKET
—Held on Saturdays, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Robinson Plaza in the historic downtown Nevada City. NCFarmersMarket.org

(photo credit: Keith Sutter)