Craft beer booming in Sierra Foothills, Truckee-Tahoe

THE FOOTHILLS AND TAHOE-TRUCKEE are becoming a mecca for taphouses, brewpubs and craft beer breweries. Ol’ Republic Brewery in Nevada City just won city approval for an expansion that will quadruple its production. It will begin selling bottled beer this fall. Knee Deep Brewing received approval from the city of Auburn to expand operations to […]

2013 Food Trends: Our top predictions for the New Year

Here are our top food, wine and beer trends for the new year and where to find them in our Sierra foothills: 1. ARTISAN FOOD Hand-crafted food sales are booming. Food lovers crave artisan cheese, crusty bread and dry-cured meats. New laws, such as California’s Homemade Food Act, will spur further growth. • Smokey Ridge […]

Beer & Food Pairings: “We want a lively dance”

EVEN WINE LOVERS HAVE learned that craft beer has an amazing ability to pair with food. Beer-and-food tasting events have multiplied, and more restaurants are offering “beermaker” dinners, pairing beer with menu items. Some people say lager is like white wine, and ale is like red. “When matching beer and food, the most important thing […]

March of the Microbrews

ALONG WITH LOCALLY MADE WINES, craft beers are on a roll. Though American beer consumption is flat, the microbrew market is booming, with double-digit sales growth last year. Craft brews have more than doubled their U.S. market share to nearly 6 percent in the past decade and 250 breweries opened last year. The more than […]

Lovin’ Meat: Where to get it

OUR REGION OFFERS some of the most flavorful steaks, barbecue and burgers anywhere. There are also abundant supplies of local beef, pork and lamb. California has more certified organic beef cows than any other state. For do-it-yourself BBQ, try the organic pork ribs from Llano Seco Ranch in Chico, carried at BriarPatch Co-op. For beef, […]

Grass Valley: What’s new in this gold-rush town

GRASS VALLEY REFLECTS THE RESURGENCE of small towns all across America. It has beauti- fully restored buildings, an historic downtown, festivals, top-notch dining and shopping—and world-class hiking, biking and kayaking nearby. Grass Valley also boasts The Center for the Arts, which hosts big-city talent such as Lily Tomlin and Kris Kristofferson. The historic Holbrooke Hotel […]

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