Our holiday gift ideas

EMILY’S CATERING A first-rate, full-service caterer with imaginative dishes made from scratch using fresh, local ingredients. Some of Emily’s pies were used in the 2019 film “Pie–The Movie not 3.14.” Emily’s also offers delicious homemade baked goods, desserts and gift packages at its “pop-up” bakeries: November 26-27 for Thanksgiving; and December 20-23. 421 Colfax Ave., […]

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 […]

Eat like a local in Grass Valley, Nevada City and Auburn

LUNCH AT BRIARPATCH DELI The deli at the BriarPatch Coop in Grass Valley offers fresh ready-to-eat meals, light meals, a salad bar, drinks and baked goods, all from the same ingredients sold in the store. A hot bar offers theme days, such as Indian cuisine. The “Patch” also is open for breakfast and dinner. BriarPatch.coop […]

Food & wine pairings for Foothills Celebration in Grass Valley on Saturday, March 1

Click for larger image of map: The Foothills Celebration in Grass Valley on Saturday, March 1, is one of the region’s premier wine and food pairing events. Spend the afternoon, from 1-4 p.m., strolling the shops and sites of historic downtown Grass Valley. Tickets are $45. The ticket includes unlimited wine tasting from foothill wineries […]

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 […]

“These are a few of our favorite things”

These are a few of our favorite things for the holidays: Foothill Flowers An institution since 1966, the Johnson’s family-owned shop creates exquisite arrangements with hand-picked flowers from the San Francisco Flower Mart. Foothill also offers a selection of fine wines to compliment your bouquet. The holiday window displays are among the best in the […]

Good Times Roll Below the Snowline

GRASS VALLEY IS A JEWEL among the foothill’s gold-rush towns. At times, the snow does fall, but most of the winter it is snowless. This season you can attend the Foothills Celebration food and wine festival on March 3 and a classic Car Show on April 28. Visitors can enjoy boutiques, gift shops and art […]

Cornish Christmas in Grass Valley

“PEOPLE BELIEVE THE CAROL TRADITION is old in Grass Valley, but few realize it’s as old as the city itself,” Gage McKinney writes in When Miners Sang—The Grass Valley Carol Choir. The choir, originally made up of Cornish gold miners, has a famous past. In the ’40s, the Grass Valley choir sang Cornish Christmas songs […]

“A few of our favorite things” for the holidays

Editor’s note: These are a few of our favorite things in the foothills: Breakfast at Ike’s Quarter Cafe, Nevada City We like the Applewood smoked ham topped with caramelized onions, eggs with a side of fresh-made bbq sauce, served with Yukon hash, potatoes and cornbread. Ike’s uses naturally raised meats, organic eggs and makes its […]

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