Book Review - Summer Cookbook Roundup - NYTimes.com

Book Review - Summer Cookbook Roundup - NYTimes.com

Cooking competition dishes up culinary scholarships - LA Daily News

Cooking competition dishes up culinary scholarships - LA Daily News

Sweet Summer Beverages: Blackberry And Mint Tonic With Lime | Earth Eats - Indiana Public Media

Sweet Summer Beverages: Blackberry And Mint Tonic With Lime | Earth Eats - Indiana Public Media

The Future of Food in Northern California: Rural and Urban Environments




Endive & Citrus Salad with shaved pecorino romano cheese

The outlook for the food system of Northern California is promising. The foundation of its food system is sustainability, which should enable the food system to withstand the various challenges that threaten its existence. Challenges such as water rights issues, people who are not environmentally conscious, an organic niche market, and state budget deficits could limit the growth and demand for foods produced by local small scale growers. At Gizdich Ranch we heard about the dispute over water rights that have been revised , which leads to new or increased utility expenses. Theses increased expenses threaten a farmers ability to operate at a profit and stay in business.



Endive harvesting

Another issue that could threaten the food system is the lack of awareness among the general public for high quality foods. According to Rich Collins of California Vegetable Specialties their “biggest challenge is ignorance” a lot of people don’t know what his product is or what to do with it. A large portion of our country eats a poor diet, is uninformed about healthier food alternatives, or cannot afford the more expensive organic products. These individuals are potentially less conscious of the environmental impact of their food decisions and this could work against the efforts of the green movement. This creates a imbalanced food system that has  educated high income  individuals eating  quality organic foods in relative small quantities  on one side and everyone else eating massive quantities of conventionally processed foods on the other.   Budget deficits may also challenge the food system in California. As the state  and local governments look for ways to increase revenue; small business can end up being the scapegoat. Tax increases, increased regulation, and a reduction in government subsidies for small farmers could strip any hope of making a profit out of the farmers hand. If this scenario played out even in part we would see farms sold or abandoned leaving gaps in the food system in Northern California.

The culture of  Northern California informs food practices in rural environments through its “back to the farm” culture. Here people live out what they believe and quality over quantity is the dominate ideology. Harley Farm is a good example of the hard work and dedication that goes into producing goat cheese that is representative of the place. These business savvy farmers understand the importance of multiple streams of income and offer a diverse line of products from soap & lotion to goats milk feta. Here is where urban culture meets rural. The urban influence of Northern California penetrates the rural culture by providing the business expertise developed by fortune 500 tech companies to organic farmers. These farmers apply the same diversified product line techniques that a Starbucks or Bath & Body Works might offer. While not on the same scale but in principle.

The diversity of  the Urban environments in No. Cal. also informs the food practices. The diverse population contributes cuisines from around the world. With the influx of cuisines from other countries comes a demand for fresh produce similar to what a given culture produces in its own country. And this is where No. Cal. excels in its ability to meet this demand for fresh produce.

Expectations and Realities



frisée salad with poached egg and bacon



What I expected to find in Northern California agriculture were small local farms focused on producing quality produce and protecting the environment. I also expected to find farmers with an idealistic vision to save the planet.  Californians have had a reputation for being a bunch of tree hugging hippies who have lost touch with reality. So I anticipated meeting long haired farmers wearing Birkenstocks, shorts, and patterned long sleeve shirts with a down vest over top. What balanced my expectations was the exposure to California’s agriculture industry in part one of this course. This tempered my expectations and brought them into a realistic frame.  So early on I developed an understanding of the vast spectrum of agriculture in Northern California.



I found that my expectation of experiencing a wide spectrum of agricultural producers was fulfilled. The site visits exposed me to both ends of the spectrum and the balance found in the middle of the spectrum. The similarities across the spectrum interested me most. Practices such as sustainability, knowledgeable staff, forward thinking innovation, and professionalism were common in the sites we visited thus far. The momentum sustainability has gained in agra-business is encouraging because the industry has recognized the importance of reducing waste and pollution, which benefit the planet and profitability. Understanding the depth of knowledge required in producing food and beverage on a commercial scale is what I found valuable. Our visit to UC Davis gave me an appreciation for the research that goes into our food system. I found the Food Science Department impressive and learning about its research methods exceeded my expectations.

            The presence of agriculture in Sacramento and Santa Cruz exemplified the spectrum of agriculture in Northern California. On the small/medium, local end of the spectrum we have Yolo Land & Cattle Co., Vino Noceto, Gizdich Ranch, and Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing Company. On the large, global end of the spectrum we have E & J Gallo, Driscoll’s, and California Vegetable Specialties. In consideration of this spectrum I found myself wrestling with this question. What does all of this mean?



Driscoll's Strawberry

With the intention of becoming a caterer, I began to ask what or how do I apply this new understanding of our food system? Is one better than the other?  Is one good and the other bad?  I came to the conclusion that the food system in California has a wide spectrum because it is what consumers want. The small growers provide foods for niche markets and the large producers position themselves to feed the masses. Each producer we met has developed practices that enable them to meet the market demand for what they produce. For example, when I asked Bob Fisher at Driscoll’s if they sell to Wal-Mart he responded “not so much because their customers aren’t willing to pay as much for their berries”. Driscoll’s provides premium fresh berries to consumers who want a higher quality product and are willing to pay for it. So the question becomes: what do my potential customers want and do I know enough about it to provide it to them? Just as the researchers at UC Davis are experts when it comes to food science we are becoming experts at understanding the food system and how and where to source a variety of food and beverage products that our future customers will demand.

Wine Country and North Coast Food Ways

            California wine country and North Coast food ways are driven by sustainability. Because of limited water resources and a dependency on fossil fuels; agriculture in Northern California has embraced the idea of sustainability. The theme of sustainability not only ensures the longevity of Agra-business but it also meets consumer demand. Some of the components of sustainable practices include, water conservation, utilization of waste materials, moral stewardship of land and animals, and the utilization of technologies that increase efficiency and decrease greenhouse gas emissions.

Hog Island Oyster Co.

            Throughout our site visits water availability and quality was a direct concern for the operation the one exception is The Perfect Purée, because they don’t grow fruit. The owners of Gallo Vineyards had the foresight to create reservoirs’ on their property to help irrigate their vineyards during drought. Vella Cheese Co. sells the whey left over from its cheese production to local farms and vineyards as a means to utilize the left over water. Hog Island Oyster Co. depends heavily on the waters of Tomales Bay for its oyster production. Without adequate water Northern California agriculture would simply not exist. Therefore those who depend on water have implemented practices to efficiently use water and minimize waste. The utilization of waste materials is another way that these businesses reduce cost and utilize waste materials. Gallo grinds old barrels for mulch and Gourmet Mushroom Inc. chose to use reusable plastic containers to grow its mushrooms instead of wooden racks to cut down on waste

Moral Stewardship is another theme that is consistent throughout the sites we visited. I call it moral stewardship because the producer we spoke (Clover Stornetta Farms Inc.) believes that they have a moral responsibility to care for the animals and land in a humane manner.  They require their dairymen to use milking methods that keep the stress level of the cow to a minimum which they believe helps the cow producer a higher quantity and quality of milk. I would also argue that these methods are morally based by comparing their methods to the commercial milk production methods used in other parts of the country where—profit not cow comfort are the primary consideration.  Throughout the sites moral stewardship played a role in how a given product was produced. In general the producers we visited produce high quality specialty products, which are labor intensive and require quality inputs that are more expensive. Most food today is produced strictly for profitability—not quality. The producers we visited focused on quality and are willing to make the necessary technological improvements to ensure profitability.

UC Santa Cruz Center for Agrocology and Sustainable food systems

 The use of technology as a theme in the sites we visited included efficient irrigation systems, solar energy, wind power, electric fencing, and the Internet. These examples allow food producers to decrease costs and develop efficient production methods that reduce greenhouse gasses, minimize waste and increase sales. The use of scientific research also allows these producers to use cutting edge science to restore wild life habitats on a ranch and fertilize an organic walnut farm.

The food ways I witnessed are meeting consumer demand and fulfilling the ideals of the producers. The methods of production used at our sites have been passed on from generation to generation and if not practiced sustainably could be in danger of becoming lost arts. The producers we met understand the value of what they do, believe in it, and are taking the necessary steps to ensure that the food ways of Northern California live for a very long time. 

Food Wine & Agriculture

Strawberry field in Watsonville, California

This blog is about catering for family and friends in your home, but to begin this blog I will post a series of essays written during a three week food, wine, and agriculture trip that I took through Northern California. The purpose is to share some insight into our nations food system. Our food system does not receive as much attention as it should. I believe it is important to understand where our food comes from and what we are feeding to our family and friends.