Winter 2017 Issue

Photography By | Last Updated December 01, 2017
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In July, I attended a panel discussion titled “The Future of Good Groceries,” convened largely in reaction to the seismic shift in the food world triggered by the purchase of Whole Foods by online retailing giant Amazon. Marin’s own Albert Straus of Straus Family Creamery was on the panel, as was Liz Martinez, director of product for San Francisco’s Bi-Rite Market. Bi-Rite owns a farm in Sonoma County where it grows a significant amount of produce that is sold in Bi-Rite’s two San Francisco locations. Sam Mogannam, the founder of Bi-Rite, also has a home in Sonoma. Albert and Sam are both superheroes of our local food community and personal heroes of mine.

Marin County resident Bentley Hall, CEO of San Francisco–based Good Eggs, was also on the panel. As you will read in the feature on Good Eggs in this issue, the online grocery and meal kit delivery company has set itself apart in this exploding sector of the grocery market by committing itself to sourcing from, and nurturing, the local food community. In fact, according to the company, 80% of what it offers comes from local farmers, ranchers and other food producers.

My overall takeaway from the discussion and my own personal experience is that there is a need and a place for multiple channels through which today’s overly busy consumers can stock their (our) refrigerators and pantries. I excitedly look forward to the days when I have the time to go to the farmers’ market and connect with the people who are growing and raising and making the food that I eat. I also enjoy walking up and down the enticingly stocked aisles at our world-class local grocers, filling my basket with produce, meats and artisan-crafted food products from local purveyors. On other days, the fact that Good Eggs will deliver to my doorstep not just fresh flowers from Sonoma’s Oak Hill Farm, but Stemple Creek Ranch beef and Rancho Llano Seco pork, Rustic Bakery crostini and Tomales Farmstead Creamery cheese, is an answer to this busy mom’s prayers.

For me, the non-negotiable requirement of any food retailer where I spend my hard-earned dollars is that they support our local food community. Aside from the obvious reasons, including quality, taste and environmental impact, I can think of no more manifest evidence of why a thriving local food economy is vitally important to each and every community than the unhesitating and tremendous outpouring of support that I witnessed from our local food community in response to the horrific fires in Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino counties in October.

Gibson ThomasThe power of lovingly prepared food was unmistakable on the faces of first responders as they accepted breakfast burritos, served piping hot at 4am, as they climbed into the fire engines to head back to the front lines; and in the smiles of children in evacuation shelters as they savored housemade baked goods donated by local bakeries. It’s called the hospitality business for a reason. The call to feed others comes from the heart.

The spring issue of Edible Marin & Wine Country will be filled with stories of how our community has come together to nourish one another, the bright light in the midst of the darkness. If you have a story you believe should be included, please send me a note at Gibson@ediblemarinandwinecountry.com.

In the meantime, I wish you all a peaceful, nourishing and delicious holiday season.

Good Eggs

DELIVERING A PEEK AT THE FUTURE OF FOOD There are few things more widely available than food. From supermarkets and corner stores to gas...

Don't Give Up Your Salad Days

SIMPLY UPDATE THOSE SUMMER FAVORITES FOR WINTER As fall’s harvest fades and the last local tomatoes are canned, frozen or left in the field...

Herring and Salmon Oil Smoothies

THE MARINE MAMMAL CENTER WHIPS UP NOURISHMENT FOR THE SENTINELS OF THE SEA California’s Moss Beach is a small harbor town, unremarkable...

A Chef Finds his Place

CHRIS COSENTINO COMES TO NAPA Chris Cosentino is in a good place now. Not just geographically, even if his surroundings at the moment are...

Hearty, Bold and Robust

THE BITTERSWEET PERFECTION OF WINTER CHICORY The arrival of winter also means the arrival of locally grown chicories at our farmers’...

Cranberries

Make Winter Sparkle It is believed that Native Americans introduced the first European settlers to the native species of cranberry that...

The 8th Annual Edible Gift Guide

This year we come to our holiday tables humbled and grateful for the most important things in life: our loved ones, our health and a safe...

The Escoffier Questionnaire: CHEF EVAN BLOOM

WISE SONS, LARKSPUR & SAN FRANCISCO Every other Escoffier Questionnaire I have authored for Edible Marin & Wine Country has...

Sonoma County's Farms Leadership Program

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Ooey Gooey Good

MELTED CHEESE IS THE ULTIMATE COMFORT FOOD “Many’s the long night I’ve dreamed of cheese… toasted, mostly.” —Ben Gunn in Treasure Island,...

Leave Seals Be

The opportunity to view wild marine mammals is part of what makes California’s Central and North Coasts so special. While young seal and...

What's in Season: California Dates

Dates have long been associated with the holidays—savory stuffed and bacon-wrapped dates, date bars, date cakes and breads, date cookies...
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