It's true! I actually went to a restaurant in Davis. I know this is SACAtomato, but we would like to be inclusive of our nearby towns—especially one with as many eating places as Davis.

So lunch on Tuesday was a tasty meal with Brendon of Something in Season. Tuco's (the editor in me wants to add the apostrophe, although their menu doesn't use it) is a little place on 1st Street, right by the train tracks. They have a counter where you can order food to go, or you can sit at one of the 8 or so little tables in the small, sunny room lined with shelves of wine.

The paper menu changes with the season, using lots of local, organic produce from farms like Riverdog, Good Humus, and Sun Valley, which are listed on the menu. You can order a shot ($1.50) or bowl ($6) of the soup of the day, a serving of Trebbiano Balsamic Vinegar, and oysters on the half shell (there were 3 offered the day we were there). There are also salads, sandwiches, small plates, and "special" plates, not to mention a nice selection of wines by the glass or flight. You can even order a tasting flight of sakes or sparkling wines.

I started with a special plate of Roasted Butternut Squash Float ($5; see the picture at the beginning of the post). It was an espresso-sized cup of satiny smooth butternut with a little cheese soufflé floating on top and a dollop of crème fraîche. It was wonderfully silky, with a fresh butternut flavor not muddied by too much cream or spice. Next up was a Niman Ranch Pulled Pork Sandwich with House-Made Bun ($9). I'm a sucker for pulled pork, since I went to school in North Carolina. It wasn't exactly what you'd get in the South, but the meat was tender and flavorful, with bits of diced onion scattered throughout and the bun was soft without being chewy, and shiny with an egg glaze. In the tradition of NC, I could have stood a little pickled something on the sandwich, like coleslaw, but I have no complaints about the flavor of the meat. A few leaves of lightly dressed mixed lettuces sat on the side, topped with well toasted, rosemary-flavored blanched almonds. Delicious!

Brendon got the Steak Sandwich with Pickled Red Onions, Cheese Fondue, & Dijon Mustard ($12). It was a bit larger than my sandwich, with a small bowl of fondue for dipping. The cheese was tasty, but not as smooth as I expected. Maybe I should have stolen a few of those onions for my pork? Oh, and we each had a glass of wine with lunch (ah the life of the self-employed!).

Then we indulgently ordered the Valrhona Chocolate Soufflé ($6.50), which took 20 minutes because it was made to order. We also got the Pomegranate Crème Brulée Cream Puffs ($6.50), which were 3 to a plate, dusted with confectioners' sugar. The soufflé was divine—softly puffy and not too dense. You could taste the floral characteristics that make Valrhona such good chocolate, without too much sweetness. It came with freshly whipped cream but we didn't need it. The cream puffs were bite-sized and filled with a loose pomegranate custard. The name was a bit misleading, since the custard was pourable, but the flavor was fantastic. It occurred to me later that the pomegranate custard sauce would have been good with the soufflé. I'll have to go back and try that. I might have liked the cream puffs to be a bit less baked so they retained more of the soft eggy interior that I like in that kind of pastry.

But overall, lunch was really satisfying, with pure, uncomplicated flavors. Nothing was overdone or too fancied up. It was a great way to enjoy the best of local produce in a laid-back atmosphere.

130 G Street, Davis
530-757-6600
Mon-Thu 11:30 to 9; Fri/Sat 11:30 to 10

Posted by Ann Martin Rolke at 3:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

My husband and I do sushi for dinner about every other week, we would probably do more but I have a hard time justifying what I spend on food already and we all know that a few rolls, some sashimi, a Sapporo and before you know it your borrowing from your kids college fund. But that's not my dilemma with sushi, it is that I seem to have the misfortune of gravitating towards fish that I know, or have heard, I shouldn't be consuming due to depletion, high levels of mercury or a myriad of other unethical issues that are absolute no no's. But as I sit at the sushi bar I can't for the life of me remember what the healthy, sustainable, ethically correct choices are. So I happened upon this particular query on grist.com where the author "Umbra" answers this very question far more eloquently then I ever could.

Sushi Consumption the Right Way...

Posted by Jennifer Cliff at 2:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I'm embarrassed to say that I haven't yet read The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals(although it's on my Christmas list!), but from what I hear, it's a must-read for people concerned about how their food gets to the table. This Wednesday at UCDavis, you can see the author, UCBerkeley professor Michael Pollan, speak on a panel discussion, sign books, and then speak solo.

Pollan is also the author of The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World, an interesting take on how some plants have evolved to meet the needs of humans. His newest book takes apart four types of meals and follows the ingredients from production to plate. He looks at a fast-food meal, an organic meal from Whole Foods Market, a grass-fed chicken from a small farm, and a meal that Pollan hunts and gathers himself. Since the book publication, there has been an ongoing exchange between Pollan and Whole Foods CEO John Mackey on how his company sources their "organic" and "whole" foods. Interestingly, Whole Foods has recently committed to buying from local farmers in each of its markets.

Learn more tomorrow at Mondavi Center at UCDavis
4-5:30, panel discussion, FREE
5:30-6:15, book signing, FREE
8-9:30, Pollan solo talk, $19-$29 (50% discount for students & children)
Info: 866-754-2787 or 530-754-2787

Posted by Ann Martin Rolke at 9:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

We have all been there, sipping on wine at our parents or in laws and we are stuck with that token tasting glass from some winery on the central coast that we have only vaguely heard of. And you say to yourself “I need to buy them a set of decent glasses for the holidays”. Well here is an interesting article about the glasses that you think they absolutely must have. You will be happily suprised that your gift to them, and to yourself, doesn't have to come with a gold and crystal plated price tag.

Shattering Expectations

Posted by Jennifer Cliff at 8:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The 100-Mile Diet is a site started by Alisa Smith and James MacKinnon in Vancouver. They decided to try to only eat food produced within 100 miles of their apartment. They had some challenges, like how to eat bread without any local wheat, but eventually relaxed the rules a bit to allow for locally milled wheat (although it wasn't grown locally). In any case, lots of people took them up on the challenge, and some even limited the scope to within 50 miles!

Now, this idea is somewhat controversial, especially with people who live in parts of the country (read: almost everywhere else) that don't have year-round farming. If you're interested in exploring some other points of view on the eat local issue, visit the great post (and comments) on Michael Ruhlman's site.

But, for us extremely lucky Central Valley Californians, now there's a 100-Mile Thanksgiving Challenge going, and the 100-Mile Diet site will show you the 100-mile radius from your home address. You can also sign up for email alerts on the local food movement. So I started thinking: What could we eat for Thanksgiving that was produced within 100 miles? Here's what's on my proposed menu, with some explanations and sources:

The Turkey I've ordered a Branigan free-range turkey from Taylor's Market. Branigan's farm is in Woodland, and they grow their birds a bit longer than usual, to acquire more flavor. Their site lists other stores that carry their birds. Diestel Turkey Ranch in Sonora is another local choice. Their turkeys are sold at the Sacramento Co-op.

The Vegetables Whether you prefer white potatoes or yams, beets or glazed carrots, you can find a farmer who grows these locally by visiting the Davis Farmers Market site. If you like the classic green bean casserole, then you're out of luck, since they're out of season right now. Although you might look for canned green beans from a local farm if you have to have them. That still counts! You can also search the PlacerGrown site for local producers.

The Rolls and Butter Did you know that California's wheat flour milling is the second largest in the U.S.? A trip to the Sac Co-op found bulk all-purpose and pastry flours from Giusto's in South San Francisco. They mill organically grown wheat from the western U.S., so there's no guarantee it's from within 100 miles of you, but pretty close. You could also buy some locally made breads from the farmer's market. As for butter, we've got lots of dairys nearby. Both Straus and Clover Stornetta are brands that are produced within 100 miles. For something a little different, try Meyenberg goat butter from Turlock.

The Stuffing If you're baking rolls for dinner, then you can bake extra and make them into the stuffing. Or, you might consider a rice stuffing, using Lundberg rice, dried fruit, onions, and fresh herbs. Or, go the Southern route and make a cornbread stuffing with nuggets of locally made sausage from the Elk Grove Sacramento Co-op or Diestel.

The Cranberries Now, this is a real challenge. We just don't grow cranberries in California. So, a little flexibility is required. How about making a fig chutney or a blueberry sauce instead? When I was in Costa Rica one Thanksgiving, they served blackberry sauce with the turkey and it was delicious!

The Salad This is easy. There are a multitude of local farmers who have salad greens. Arugula is fresh this time of year, and can be tossed with slices of persimmon and onion. Dress it with a vinaigrette made with Bariani olive oil.

The Pie Since we do have local wheat (yay!), we can have pie. I'm a fan of butter and shortening or lard in my crust. Lard is more likely local, and you can fill the pie with Courtland pears for a pear-cardamom pie or local apples, pumpkin, or even pecans (although walnuts are a good choice too).

The Wine Lots of choices here, since there are thousands of acres of wine grapes within 100 miles. For really local flavor, try Clarksburg's Bogle Chardonnay or Chenin Blanc or Lodi's Michael David Vineyards wines. Or look for Amador County wines. Your choices are wide ranging.

Posted by Ann Martin Rolke at 1:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Hey its that time of year again for one of my favorite fall activities. The 13th annual Mountain Mandarin Festival is this weekend and if you don't have plans this is the perfect way to spend a crisp fall day. The festival is on both Saturday (9-5pm) and Sunday (9-4pm)

Here is the link for directions to the event Mandarin Festival Directions"

Posted by Jennifer Cliff at 3:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Okay, the weather has turned cold. The stores have already filled their aisles with Christmas decorations and holiday music and even though I don't feel quite ready for the holidays I have had no choice but to start readying myself because there is no escaping the fact that 2006 is hurling its way to a close. But then it came...the first invitation of the season to “holiday pot luck". Quite often I am bad about purchasing a hostess gift during the other 11 1/2 months of the year, I don’t really know why this is and I am feeling slightly bad about it but nonetheless there is something about hosting a party during this time of the year that always makes me want to give them a little extra thank you. Which leads me to the little find that I discovered in Selland’s Market the other day...(which by the by is a treasure trove of hostess gifts) I purchased a package of Villettes which are thin, crisp, chocolate covered French tuile wafers made by Lyla's Chocolates out of Mill Valley. Superb! This is the perfect little something that says thank you for having me to your house. Believe me even your most discerning gourmets will be delighted.

Posted by Jennifer Cliff at 11:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

If you haven't yet read Fast Food Nation(the book), then at least make plans to go see the movie, which opens this Friday.

I got to attend an advance screening last night at Century Theaters on Ethan Way, and the movie was an interestingly dramatized version of the statistics-heavy book. Directed by Richard Linklater (of "Slackers" fame), the story focuses on a fast food executive, an immigrant couple working in the meat industry, and a teenager who staffs the counter at the fast food restaurant. Through these stories, you learn about the emotionless business decisions that go into making that burger and fries that 25% of Americans eat every day.

"Eating in the United States should no longer be a form of high-risk behavior," Schlosser wrote in his groundbreaking book. Both the movie and (especially) the book will give even the heartiest meat eater pause to consider where their food comes from and how eating locally or from smaller-scale producers might just be a matter of life and death.

Posted by Ann Martin Rolke at 9:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

After seeing our post on PlacerGROWN Nancyjo who is the current director, graciously sent us a recipe that she adapted from Cooking Light. Thanks Nancy! This sounds like a perfect thanksgiving condiment to me.

Poached Quinces

You might want to double this recipe as you discover the fascinating flavor when served on polenta with blue cheese, or with roasted chicken or spread on really good whole-wheat toast for breakfast.

4 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon whole cloves
1 julienne-cut lemon rind
4 cored peeled quinces, quartered (1 ¾ pounds)

Bring first 6 ingredients to a boil in a Dutch oven, and cook 2 minutes. Add quinces; reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and cool to room temperature. Remove quinces from liquid with a slotted spoon. Strain liquid through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Pour liquid over quinces. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to two weeks. Yields approximately 2 pints.

Nancyjo is the Agricultural Marketing Director for Placer County, owner of Food to Dine For and a member of numerous sustainable agricultural associations, along with being on the Boards of PlacerGROWN and the Slow Food Placer Gold Convivium. She can be reached at nancyjor9@placer.ca.gov

Posted by Jennifer Cliff at 8:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

What: Pork Bao, or Chinese buns filled with a spicy pork mixture; come in steamed and baked varieties, and sometimes with other fillings (these are baked)

Where: King's Restaurant, 1500 West Capitol Avenue, West Sac, 371-8131
Make sure to call ahead by 10 a.m. on Saturday or Sunday—they're only made on the weekends.

Why: These are really best when they're fresh. The sweet, chewy dough gives way to a delicious filling of chunks of barbecued pork and sauce. You can reheat them (if you actually have leftovers), but I challenge you to not eat them all up. You'll want to order at least a dozen.

Posted by Ann Martin Rolke at 9:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Brian Halweil, a senior researcher for World Watch and also the editor of Edible East End, has just published a new World Watch paper: Catch of the Day: Choosing Seafood for Healthier Oceans.



Here's a blurb: "The world’s beleaguered fish populations have found an unlikely ally: seafood eaters, according to a new Worldwatch study by Brian Halweil, a senior researcher and globally recognized food expert. From Chinese universities that refuse to serve shark fin soup, to U.S. supermarkets that feature sustainably harvested shrimp, to Japanese consumers who are restoring wild oyster beds, a well-informed population of seafood eaters, distributors, restaurants, and supermarkets is playing a growing role in fostering a more sustainable, lower-impact fishing industry."



Click here to read a sample.

Posted by Jennifer Cliff at 3:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It occurred to me this morning after receiving an email regarding where to find quince that I should share with you a great resource that we have available to us should you be having one of those "where in the heck can I find that ingredient moment". PlacerGROWN is a nonprofit, membership organization formed to assist Placer County farmers and ranchers with marketing their produce and farm products. A goal of the organization is to bring farmers, ranchers and community members together to maintain and enhance the viability of agriculture in Placer County. And though it may not help you locate a desperately needed pantry item, it will indeed help you find everything from, yes, quince to local buttermilk. Now you might be thinking, hey I live in Sacramento or Davis I'm not going to drive to Placer for produce. But if you're like me, a half hour sounds a whole hell of alot better than not cooking at all. Check it out. If anything, it's wonderful to realize the access we have to such great producers and growers in our back yards. Oh and yes, this link did help find that quince, so that's always a good thing!

Please use this link to check it out for yourself...
PlacerGROWN

Posted by Jennifer Cliff at 11:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

From Susan Purdy's cookbook As Easy As Pie. I add a little lemon juice to the crust with the ice water to ensure flakiness. Also make sure the fat you use for the crust is very cold.

Makes one 9-inch double-crust pie

Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled
3 tablespoons shortening or lard, chilled
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or unflavored vinegar
5 to 6 tablespoons ice water

Filling:
6 or 7 medium, fairly ripe pears (such as Anjou or Bartlett)
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for garnish
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca or cornstarch
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
1 to 2 teaspoons milk or cream

To make the Crust: In a large bowl, toss together the flour and salt. Have the ice water ready. Cut the butter and shortening into 1/2-inch cubes and use your fingers or a pastry blender to cut the fat into the flour. Continue blending until there are pieces the size of peas and corn. Drizzle in the lemon juice, tossing the ingredients together, then begin drizzling in the water. Toss thoroughly, but don't squash the mixture, until it begins to hold together. Set it aside for 5 minutes for the liquid to soak in, or form the dough into a disk on waxed paper, wrap well, and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Roll out two-thrids of the dough between pieces of waxed paper until it is about 11 inches in diameter. Peel off the top sheet of paper, invert the dough over a 9-inch pie plate, and peel off the bottom sheet of paper. Ease the dough into the pan without stretching it, so that it fits into the corners. Use a paring knife to trim the edge to 3/4 inch beyond the pan edge. Refrigerate the crust. Roll out the remaining dough and scraps from the bottom crust, as above, until it is about 10 inches in diameter. Refrigerate the crust between the sheets of waxed paper.

To make the Filling: Peel, core, and slice the pears 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick and toss them in a large bowl with the lemon juice as you work. Add the 2 sugars, spices, and tapioca and toss well. Pour the filling into the refrigerated pie crust and scatter the diced butter on top. Peel off 1 sheet of paper from the top crust, invert it over the filling, and peel off the other sheet of paper. Fold the lip of the bottom crust together with the top crust to form a "wall" of crust at the edge. Crimp or pleat this edge as desired. Cut 3 or 4 slits in the top crust. You can refrigerate it at this point for several hours or bake right away. Before baking, brush the top crust lightly with milk or cream and scatter lightly with granulated sugar.

Bake the pie on the bottom rack of the oven for 12 minutes. Lower the temperature to 350 degrees, move the pie to the middle rack, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes longer, until the pastry is golden brown. You might also insert a knife into one of the slits to make sure the pears are tender. Mask the edges of the pastry with aluminum foil if they begin to get too dark before the filling is done. Remove the pie to a cooling rack and cool for at least 3 hours before slicing. When it is cool, wrap it well and store at room temperature.

Posted by Ann Martin Rolke at 12:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

And what do food people do when they meet? They eat lots of yummy food and drink some delcious wines! Garrett of Vanilla Garlic brilliantly hosted a potluck for the area food bloggers this past Saturday so that we could meet. Many of us email each other and fanatically read each other's posts, but haven't actually met. So we had lots of fun trying to place faces with Web sites and photographing each other's food.

Like other foodie events I've been to, everyone brought something to represent their cooking style and present their best flavors. But unlike chef gatherings, we all had to whip out our digital cameras and get postable images of all the goodies (and each other). I didn't get all of the great dishes, but Cakegrrl got some great ones. Some of my favorite dishes (and decent photos) from the event are:

Fethiye's feta-stuffed rolls

Brendon's blackened spice-rubbed pork tenderloin

Melly and Dave's Buccaneer Chicken (the recipe for this and some of the other dishes)

Garett's Earl Grey and Murcott orange cupcakes

I took my favorite pear-cardamom pie from my friend Susan Purdy's fantastic book As Easy As Pie. See above for the recipe or click here.

*Jennifer* here...just wanting to add in a huge thanks for being included. It was a great honor to meet all the local food bloggers that are certainly keeping it real and exposing us to new wonderful recipes and restaurant reviews. Everyone was so kind and the food was really a treat!

Posted by Ann Martin Rolke at 11:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

An article in today's SacBee announced the reopening of the Florin Ceritified Farmer's Market on Thursdays from 8 a.m. to noon. It reminded me to add a link to Sacatomato on where and when to find our regional farmer's markets (under Farmer's Markets in the right column). We're lucky that our relatively mild weather allows for markets year-round! Go to a few different ones—you'll see a wide variety in the people from one to the other. I like to go to the Asian market on Sunday mornings at 5th and Broadway on my way to the under-the-freeway market at 6th and X. But I also like the fancier Davis market on Saturdays, with hot food for sale, musicians, and crafts (check out Nina & Tom Family Fashions for cute produce-themed t-shirts).

Don't be shy about asking farmers how to cook something you're not familiar with. Sometimes I buy things just because I've never tried it before and then I figure out what to do! Of course, a few hundred cookbooks in my reference library helps. A couple of my favorites for produce recipes are Vegetables from Amaranth to Zucchini: The Essential Reference and Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America's Farmers' Marketsby Deborah Madison (sister of Yolo farmer Michael Madison—author of Blithe Tomato).

Posted by Ann Martin Rolke at 1:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)