Did you notice that most everyone had a smile on their face this Monday?  That’s because most  of us spent the weekend building raised beds, adding compost to the soil and planning -  or planting -  our vegetable beds.  I went to a plant sale in my neighborhood and it was so popular, I had to park about  a block away for the first time ever.    I checked in with farmer /chef Jeff Mall of Zin Restaurant last week… Read More »

     This is a terrific time of year to shop at the farmers market for tender, spring veggies like leeks and carrots, peas and asparagus. But sometimes we need an extra push, such as this simple recipe for Braised Spring Vegetables from  Kay Baumhefner, a former chef at Della Fattoria Café  in Petaluma.     Recently Kay shifted the focus of her cooking school, Come Home to Cooking,  from classes in her home to personalized cooking consultations over the phone. The classes are on… Read More »

   Copain Wines in Healdsburg is kicking off its 2012 Supper Club series at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 28 with a festive, farm-to-table dinner prepared by well-known Dallas chef Sharon Hage and paired with Copain’s food-friendly wines.    Held at the winery, the dinner series will continue through the summer with top chefs from across the country, from David Chang of Momofuku in New York and Corey Lee of Benu in San Francisco.    Tickets are  $199 for mailing-list members and… Read More »

Are you feeling a little short on cash this week?  Yes, the deadline for filing those pesky tax forms is looming,  which means that most of us are tightening our belts and looking for relief in the form of cheap, comfort food. For some fresh ideas, check out Santa Rosa native Gabi Moskowitz ‘s  popular food blog,  brokeassgourmet.com,   The former kindergarten teacher started the food blog as a way to educate her thirtysomething peers about eating well on a budget… Read More »