Our Favorite Things

SWEETLAND POTTERY We enjoy our Three Forks ceramic coffee mugs, the handiwork of Paul Steege of Sweetland Pottery on the San Juan Ridge. Paul’s fine porcelain pottery also includes cups, bowls, and tea pots (including one with a handsome manzanita twig handle). “I enjoy the challenge of making pots that are pleasing to the eye […]

Our local bounty: Farm to you

NEVADA AND PLACER COUNTIES ARE home to a growing, healthy and vibrant base of local farms, rivaling the Central Valley, Sonoma and San Luis Obispo. From fruits and vegetables (Riverhill Farm and Machado Orchards, for example) to grass-fed beef (Nevada County Free Range Beef and Sinclair Family Farm) — from olive oil, jams and honey […]

Chef’s Notes: Emily’s turns 10, Stone House opens and more

OLIVE GROOVE The Olive Groove olive oil store in Grass Valley provides the freshest extra virgin olive oils, infused olive oils and aged balsamic vinegar’s on tap. The store is at 126 Mill St. in the heart of the historic downtown. Visit the store and sample over 70 different flavors of the freshest extra virgin […]

Food trends: What’s hot for 2017

HYPER-LOCAL SOURCING Chefs are putting extra emphasis on the freshness of their produce. Produce Plus supplies Truckee and Tahoe chefs with fresh, local produce in winter from farms in Yolo County. Nevada City is debuting a winter farmers market the first Saturday of each month. Tahoe Food Hub is building “growing domes” to grow food […]

What’s new: Morgan’s Lobster Shack and Fish Market expands to mid-town Reno

MORGAN’S EXPANDS TO MIDTOWN RENO For three years, Morgan’s Lobster Shack & Fish Market has been the most popular location in Truckee for “wicked fresh” fish, shellfish, lobster rolls, decadent lobster bisque, and creamy clam chowder. The fresh fish arrives almost daily, and the lobsters are flown in live from Maine. We are regulars. Opening […]

Cocktail 101 at Golden Era

COCKTAIL CLASSES AT GOLDEN ERA Starting March 6, the award-winning mixologists at Golden Era lounge in Nevada City— led by Eric Giardina and Darren Crawford—will begin hosting comprehensive craft cocktail classes. It is a first for the foothills, reflecting the region’s more refined food and drink scene. “Don’t make a drink; make a masterpiece.” Golden […]

“Cooked”: Exploring culinary experiences in the Sierra Foothills

AWARD-WINNING FOOD AUTHOR Michael Pollan and Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney are receiving widespread praise for their Netflix documentary Cooked. In Cooked, Pollan explores how cooking transforms food and shapes our world. Each episode examines one of the physical elements used throughout the ages for cooking: fire (barbecue), water (pot cooking), air (bread making), and earth […]

“The best thing I ever ate” in Grass Valley and Nevada City

On Food Network, stars describe a different food they consider to be one of the best things they’ve ever eaten. Here are some of the best things we’ve ever eaten in our region: FRESH-FRUIT PANCAKES, TOFANELLI’S Fresh blueberry, pecan, or banana pancakes dusted with powder sugar and served with butter and syrup. Tof’s also has […]

Fresh, local feasts

“COOKING IS AN ART. CAREFUL SHOPPING, fresh ingredients and an unhurried approach are nearly all you need,” summed up the late British celebrity cook Keith Floyd. “There is one more thing — love. Love for food and love for those you invite to your table. With a combination of these things, you can be an […]

Clean Eating: How the Sierra Foothills’ region shines

FORGET THE OLD ADAGE ABOUT cleaning your plate, which dates back to the Herbert Hoover era of the government’s “clean plate club” cam- paign. Clean eating refers to making what’s on your plate “clean”—or free of processed or refined foods. The emphasis is on eating whole natural foods, including generous portions of fruits and vegetables […]

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