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My First California Olive Harvest
By Emily Shartin, Epicurator When I moved to California from Massachusetts, I knew one of the main things I wanted to learn about was olive oil. We had access to great European oils in Boston but, as you might surmise, the New England climate is not exactly conducive to growing olives, which thrive in a more Mediterranean environment. I am a passionate supporter of artisanal foods and the people and traditions that surround them, and have happily been able to fashion a career out of learning about everything from cheese to chocolate to coffee. In California, I wanted to add olive oil to that list, and to be able to…
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Distance Makes the Heart (and Appetite) Grow Fonder
As the newest member of Epicuring, I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Maya and I recently returned from studying Food Culture and Communications in Italy. Italy’s culinary scene delighted my taste buds but after the first few months I began making a list of California foods I missed. Now that I’m back I’m getting to rediscover those foods and finding out about new food adventures. Below are some of the highlights from my list. I hope you will visit these places if you haven’t already. If you have been lucky enough to experience their magic, than you know the withdrawal I experienced. Either way, I hope to see…
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How to Make Killer Lemon or Orange Marmalade – A Happy Girl Kitchen Workshop
by Epicurator Susie Wyshak What bliss to learn how to make lemon, orange, and / or grapefruit marmalade at a mini 2-3 hour workshop with Jordan Champagne, the girl behind Happy Girl Kitchen, in the oldest farmhouse in Oakland, California. At once point Jordan called out “Would you pick a lemon from the back yard?” This was music to a new Bay Area dweller’s ears. “I’m from Massachusetts,” she explained. “Seeing cactus growing outside a window is totally new to me.” Then again I remember my glee upon seeing blueberries growing right there out of the ground in Maine. While I’m a Californian, turning the bounty of citrus into edibles…
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My Real San Francisco Layover Food Stop, Candy Fix Included
San Francisco is all a-twitter over Anthony Bourdain’s San Francisco layover show on where to eat when you’ve got a short stop. What a perfect time to share my own SFO layover (or 8 hour delay) recommendation: Step 1: Find the airport shuttle to the Best Western Grosvenor hotel in South San Francisco. Step 2: Cross the street and walk 1/8 mile to Costco South San Francisco. A non-native might beeline for the pepperoni pizza. The insider San Franciscan / Costco regular will direct you to the brown rice sushi, conveniently packed in a giant plastic clamshell for your carry on bag or for a tacky yet delicious in-airport-dining experience.…
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Our 2012 Epicuring Resolutions!
Here at Epicuring, we believe a new year means new food adventures. We’re excited for what’s to come and have set our own personal “food resolutions” for a great 2012: Do you have food resolutions for 2012? We’d love to hear them. Happy New Year! Let’s go Epicuring!
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Cheap Tickets on Virgin + the Good Food Awards = Be in SF in January
Whether you’re in the Bay Area or So Cal, if you’re into food, plan a trip to the Good Food Awards Reception (January 13) and Marketplace (January 14) at the Ferry Building in San Francisco. Virgin has some great airfares right now, and the Epicuring team would love to meet you. You can meet the winners and taste the food and drink crafted by the people redefining ‘good food’ all around the country. New to the Good Food Awards Marketplace this year is a dedicated Beer & Spirits Garden with small pours of winning brews and spirits (straight and mixed). Also new for 2012, there are a few tickets on…
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Beverly Hills Insider – 5 Spots for Adventuring Epicurators
By Susie Wyshak, a former Angeleno I stumbled upon a 2010 Sunset Magazine article Beverly Hills for the rest of us, about how to live large on a budget in this legendary city. It has fabulous tips for places to stay, eat, and gawk. Here are a few more insider tips for So Cal epicurators on the hunt for unique experiences: 1) Richard Simmons’ aerobics studio. When was the last time you said “aerobics?” He hasn’t changed locations since opening and you can still work out to the oldies! A bunch of friends and I did, making the moves back when leg warmers weren’t ironic. It is on Little Santa…
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Learning Wild Fermentation at an Oakland Market
It was cool enough that the Phat Beets farmers market in North Oakland had a free Fermented Ginger Beer making class, using Sandor Katz’s Wild Fermentation book. But this weekend they’re at it again with a Pickled Root Vegetables class, free! The market is tucked in a parking lot, easy to get to if you’re coming off highway 24 or off of Stanford (the Powell Street exist on 80). The interactive ginger beer teacher invited us to take part in the making. She gave us bottles and my beer is sitting in the fridge after two weeks fermenting. (We had to swear that we’d store the bottle in a sock…
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Epicuring’s Holiday Food Gift Picks
Creative gift giving is fun & easy with Epicuring’s Picks & Markets Love Apple Farm has 25% off gift certificates for their classes which include cider making, gardening, bee-keeping, and an array of classes with Chez Pim from jam making to macarons and Thai food. Your chocophile friends will love Tante Marie’s “Professional Chocolate Techniques,” taught by the legendary Alice Medrich. She has written many books on working with chocolate and is the former owner of Cocolat. Starting in January, 18 Reasons will host a six-month Urban Gardening School, guaranteed to teach participants everything they need to know about growing their own fresh vegetables in small city spaces. A perfect gift…
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Thanksgiving Food Volunteering…and Thanks !
This Thanksgiving, the Epicuring team is thankful to see so many great small food businesses and farms creatively engaging and teaching people about good food! If you are able to donate time or food this year, here are some resources: Thanksgiving Day Volunteer Match lists opportunities to serve food on Thanksgiving Day across California. Feeding America lists statewide food banks. Yelp members share their suggestions. Please add more to our Facebook page! Check for needs at local churches too, before and after Thanksgiving. Spotted on Craigslist: Philanthropic Gingerbread Cookie Making Like to make cookies? The Gingerbread Project Needs You! (dublin / pleasanton / livermore) Tri-Valley Haven is looking for volunteers…
