Great Wine Country &
Bay Area Local Food
Updated April, 2008 - Joanne 
Roxanne's Fine Cuisine - Novato, CA
Chef Roxanne Klein (of the now closed Roxanne's in Larkspur) was famous for her radical all-raw cuisine. She recently introduced a packaged line of raw foods. We understand there are 34 different products. We tried three: two desserts and a snack mix. Definitely the desserts are on the heavy side (as they are nut-based), so plan on each container containing multiple servings.
Fish Brothers Wild Line Caught Smoked Salmon - Blue Lake, CA
Based in Humboldt Co., they offer small batch, smoked fish which is naturally smoked, using Native American traditional methods (hickory wood). They offer mostly wild fish (but not all). They do both cold and hot smoking. Really good, look for it.
Gabriel Farm's Asian Pear Apple Juice - Sebastopol, CA
New at our local Whole Foods are both Gabriel Farm's Asian Pear Jams (Asian Pear & Ginger and Asian Pear & Blackberry) and Asian Pear Apple Juice. We've had their Asian Pear juice at the Marin Farmer's Market and it's divine, this version with Apple juice blended is less intense but still wonderful. Who knows how much they have to sell? So don't miss out.
Bellwether Farms Sheep Milk Yogurt - Sonoma Co
While it's not organic, it is local and it is delicious (I'm a big sheep's milk fan). It's got a great balance of acidity. The fruit is from the Northwest and actually doesn't do alot for me (it's also not organic). The fruit is on the bottom so you can skim the yogurt off the top if you wish. Of course if you are lucky enough to find the Vanilla you won't have to mess with the fruit issue. The Vanilla is really good and is my favorite! The flavors I've seen: Plain, Vanilla, Strawberry, Blackberry and Blueberry.
Point Reyes Preserves Raspberry Jam - Marin Bright, tart and very raspberry. Not too sweet and it makes a perfect topping with some sweet butter. This is the local jam I've been looking for! Pretty close to the perfect raspberry jam.
Rancho Gordo Heirloom Beans - NapaI can't pick just one type. I just love what Steve Sando has done for Heirloom Beans! Apparently he started growing heirloom tomatoes and was saving seeds, so he thought he would try his hand at beans - and are we ever glad he did. Rancho Gordo also offer dried corn (posole) and grains like wild rice & quinoa. Check out the recipe section of their site.
Robert Lambert's
Golden Date Syrup - San Rafael This artisan-made syrup is a great treat on pancakes or waffles. I've been enjoying it on top of oatmeal or drizzled on a piece of good toast. The ingredients include sugar but it's not too sweet. Really fun and well made.
Gianna's Artisan Baking Company
I *adore* this Seaside, CA's gingerbread pumpkins, which are one of their seasonal offerings. They appear around Halloween and last until after Thanksgiving. Their recipe for gingerbread is amazing and I have yet to manage a re-creation. These cookies get me through the Thanksgiving rush. Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea. Yum!
Yogurt Saint Benoît - Bodega Bay
We've been enjoying the wonderful yogurt made by the de Korsak brothers in Bodega Bay for many months now, but we didn't have a very local source until recently. They offer the yogurt plain or with local jam (organic) on the bottom. Flavors change by the season: In late July, 2006 they are Honey, Plain, Strawberry, Meyer Lemon and we've just seen the return of last winter's flavor: Plum. I love the plain with sliced peaches, Jack likes the Meyer Lemon and Plum, Trent prefers the Honey. We love the porcelain pots that the Saint Benoit yogurt come in.
Flying Goat Coffee - Healdsburg
Amazing stuff. Their roastery is in Healdsburg, CA and they have coffee counters in Santa Rosa and Healdsburg (and unofficially at Larkfield at Bungalow Tea). They offer many organic and fair trade options. See our write-up in Coffee & Chocolate.
I've been waiting so long for Paul Bertolli's (formerly of Oliveto) new charcuterie company to come online that I almost can't believe I have one of the first 3 products in my hands. A much larger roll-out is expected in June – can't wait until his Mortadella and Sopressata are available. These plump sausages come in classic or spicy Italian and are packaged with a bay leaf. Yum!
Bouchon Bakery - Yountville, CA
The tiny Bouchon Bakery in Yountville, CA next door to the restaurant offers artisan breads and pastries as well as small selection of sandwiches to go. Pictured here are the Pain au Chocolate, chocolate and almond croissant, 2 currant scones, 2 pate de fruits and a sweet baguette.
Point Reyes Original Blue Dip & Dressing - Point Reyes
This farmstead cheese company, famous for it's Point Reyes Blue Cheese, offers a dip/dressing which has converted, me, a non-blue cheese eater. It keeps popping up on local menus and I keep adoring it – so much so I now have my home supply. Try it with cripsy bacon and lettuce, or drizzle on a BLT. Yum.
Bennett Valley Bread & Bakery's Mt. Taylor 5-Seed Bread - Santa Rosa
This local bakery uses organic flours and natural leavenings. We like their Mt. Taylor 5-Seed, which is not too seedy inside, and has really good overall flavor. They have no website but their phone number is 707-575-9345 - and they do appear at some of the local farmer's markets.
Black Sheep Farm - Occidental
They sell locally raised Pork & Beef - the beef comes from a type of Italian Heritage Cattle. We've bought prime rib roasts twice and my only complaint is that they need to leave more fat on top. The Bacon is not very smokey and results in a more porkish tasting product - Jack liked it. You can find them at the Santa Rosa Farmer's Market on Saturday during the Winter and the Healdsburg & Sebastopol Farmer's Markets in the Spring/Summer/Fall.
We love the Corn Salad, Baby Artichoke Hearts and Pickled Mushrooms, and the Asparagus is also a winner. Julie Evans' recipes have been passed down from generation to generation (perhaps that's why the preserves taste like Grandma's). The preserves are cooked on a stovetop, and made in small batches without artificial additives or preservatives. I've also tried and liked the Apricot Preserves. They source most of the ingredients from local farms.
Although Point Reyes Preserves' website is under construction, you can buy the Baby Artichoke hearts and some of the venerable Point Reyes Blue Cheese as a Jule's Jewels package from Point Reyes Farmstead Blue Cheese (another local treasure).
Robert Lambert's White Fruit Cake - Marin
The fruitcake is based on his English Grandmother's Recipe - and wow did it ever taste like it! It comes tightly wrapped in cheesecloth with a beautiful dried fruit decoration. You can really tell it made with good quality ingredients and it's really packed with nuts and fruit. You can taste the brandy. This was a winner. Robert Lambert, famous for his fruit syrups, also makes a Dark Fruit Cake and a Summer Fruit Cake for the holiday season. We bought it from him directly at the Marin Farmer's Market. But you can also order from his website - although the White Fruit Cake is exclusive to Dean & DeLuca.
Robert Lambert's White Fruit Cake - Marin
Damnation from The Russian River Brewing Company, a Sonoma micro-brewery, is my latest local indulgence. It's a Belgian-style Strong Golden Ale. It was available at the 2nd Slow Food Fast Food Picnic and t'was great with a hamburger. It's smooth but has a golden malty characteristic which I like a lot, and just a hint of bitterness. It comes in 750ml bottles with a cork and cage.
Primavera - Sonoma
Tortillas made in Agua Caliente (just north of Sonoma, CA). They are hand made corn tortillas. Not being a fan of corn tortillas in general, I made a leap from whole wheat ones to these and am an instant convert. The bean ones are especially delicious with just a hint of spiciness. I’m not switching back. They are available at the Santa Rosa Whole Foods but they also appear at the Ferry Marketplace Farmer’s Market on Saturdays in SF.
I haven’t found a website for them – but here is their contact info: Primavera, 17070 Sonoma Hwy, Agua Caliente; (707) 939-9350. Janet Fletcher wrote a great article recently that included them.
Sconehenge English Muffins - Berkeley
A great local alternative to other English muffins. This bakery in Berkeley is well known for their scones but these English muffins are great! You need to keep them refrigerated to keep them fresh if you aren’t using them all the day that you buy them.
They are thicker than the standard English muffin (thicker than bagels) so you sort of have to squish them a bit to get them into even a wide mouthed toaster but it’s worth your effort. If you have thin toaster you can cut them in 3 and that works well too.
Straus Dutch Chocolate Ice Cream - Marin
Jack remains insane about Straus Family Creamery's Dutch Chocolate. (He's met a few other fanatics, too.) We never seem to be able to keep a pint in the freezer untouched. The Raspberry is nicely mild and the Vanilla Bean (greatly improved sometime in late 2005) has tons of vanilla flecks in it - it's a runner up to the Dutch Chocolate. Two new flavors have just been introduced: Coffee and Mint Chocolate Chip. Organically made in Marin County.
Two Rock Valley Cheese
