Local Foods We Love

by Jack & Joanne

One of the results of last August's Eat Local Challenge was the creation of a page on our site devoted to local foods. It has blossomed into one very long page plus five sub-pages. We got this up last Fall and have updated it a few times since, including yesterday.

Fork & Bottle's  Great Local Foods

Since we took the Eat Local Challenge last August, our favorite local products are regulars in our pantry and fridge. After finding the best local choice in a number of categories, we can't go back; the quality and delicious-ness factor has made that local product a part of our lifestyle. Examples would be...

  •  Sconehenge English Muffins (amazing with good butter and jam (try LouLou's Bing Cherry - it's what I had for breakfast this morning)

  •  Primavera Tortillas (the texture and quality is so high it's like a different category of tortilla)

  •  Nana Mae's Gravenstein Apple Juice (Trent asks for it as "Gravenstein Apple Juice" - it's not just apple juice - it's *gravenstein*)

  •  Della Fattoria Breads (Semolina is our #1, but if you get a chance to buy their Polenta Pullman don't hesitate)

  •  Wild Flour Biscotti (Jack makes the trek out to Freestone just for the Hazelnut Chocolate biscotti - which he buys by the dozen - but we also love their bread and their Eygptian sticky buns)

  •  Straus Family Chocolate Ice Cream (the house favorite, but they also like the vanilla and raspberry)

We also choose either Clover Stornetta Organic Milk or Straus Milk all the time, St. Benoit Yogurt when we can find it, Fatted Calf charcuterie whenever we can get it - and of course things like Blue Bottle coffee - although I've recently found Barking Dog Roasters in Sonoma and Flying Goat in Healdsburg to be excellent alternatives. Eating Local for us doesn't happen just in May - it's year round now - but everytime we focus on eating local for a month, something new will be added to our food repetoire.

Jack & Joanne live in Sonoma County – not just wine country, but food country! They create/write the website Fork & Bottle which focuses on artisan food, wine and cheese but also offers information on gardening, what to feed kids, gourmet food reviews, local foods, etc., etc.

Comments

[Dolores Ferrero]

I also love the Sconehenge English Muffins -- dessert on Monday night was a lightly toasted muffin with 2 teaspoons of Frog Hollow Farms' lemon curd. Yum. Sometimes the simplest preparations yield the most satisfying results.

[lucette]

Great list--not for me personally, since I live in Ohio; but it's inspired me to formalize the notes I've been keeping on what's good and what's not so.

[Pat McGovern]

I'm a "Localvore" and new to this site. I'm wondering about the focus of the "local" foods cited here? Are the grains local in the tortillas, bread, biscotti and English muffins? Are there local ingredients in the ice cream? In the posted rationale for eating local there is mention of the value of food that has not traveled long distances in relation to environmental impact, food security and responsible local land development . . . . in what way do the cited foods achieve those goals?