Are You That Woman

Heart your local farmers with a Taste of Butte County

The Sierra Oro Farm Trail will celebrate its annual Passport Weekend in partnership with Chico State’s Virtual Alumni &  Family Weekend on Saturday, October 10, 2020.

In an effort to keep our community, visitors, farmers and wineries safe, the Sierra Oro Farm Trail is pivoting to a virtual effort this year with deliciously creative options in place. Instead of in-person visits, direct-order tasting boxes from farms and wineries on the trail will be available for delivery or curbside pick-up the first week of October. Boxes will arrive in time to coincide with the virtual farm-to-fork tasting opportunities presented through hosted interactive online tasting videos through a partnership with California State University, Chico’s Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement .

“This year, residents and guests can tour, taste and toast their way through the Sierra Oro Farm Trail without leaving their homes,” said Nicole Johansson, organizer of the Sierra Oro Farm Trail since 2004. “A purchase of a tasting box supports family farms and wineries and allows everyone to partake in a variety of virtual tasting experiences that keep our ‘meet the farmer’ experience alive for loyal trail goers.”

California State University, Chico’s Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement, a 16-year partner in the Sierra Oro Farm Trail’s signature passport weekend, is inviting parents and alumni to celebrate Virtual Alumni and Family Weekend by participating in the tastings and tasting box delivery.

“This is a great way for us to engage parents and alumni in celebrating our local community and college atmosphere while students are distance learning,” said Shari Anderson, director of the University’s Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement. Plans for virtual family weekend can be found here. The site will be updated as plans unfold.

Food, wine and craft beer enthusiasts can order a Sierra Oro Farm Trail tasting box starting August 17, 2020. For less than the price of two passports and a tank of gas (valued at $150), guests can experience a virtual tasting experience by selecting from three tasting options at www.sierraoro.org.

• Food Box $79.99: Will include farm-fresh products made in Butte County, including Lundberg Family Farm’s debut of its new Organic Rice Cake Minis.
• Food and Beverage Box $124.99: Will include all food box items plus two bottles of wine and a limited-edition bottle of the new Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Farm Trail Harvest Baltic Porter, which will be available in limited quantities starting this fall. The first 500 Sierra Oro tasting box orders will receive the sample in their shipment. For more information on the beer collaboration visit www.sierraoro.org
• Sierra Oro Farm Trail Case of Wine $249.99: Will include a case of 12 wine bottles from Sierra Oro Farm Trail boutique wineries.

As part of the University’s participation, beef sticks from the California State University, Chico Meats Lab are included in the tasting boxes. The University Farm has also provided peaches from its beloved peach orchard for Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.’s Farm Trail Harvest Baltic Porter.

Virtual tastings will take place to coincide with the items in the tasting box. Interactive videos will run on the University’s GoToMeeting Platform, registration will be required to attend , space is limited. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. will debut Sierra Oro Farm Trail Baltic Porter and a toast to Butte County. Maisie Jane Hurtado, Anders Lundberg, Dave Daley from the University Farm will participate in the video.

Three great choices of boxed Butte County foods, wine, and beer delivered right to your door! My box is already on order and will be ready for pick-up the first week in October. I can't wait! Order #1257 confirmed.

Sacramento's Best Cookies

Goodie Tuchews wears the crown for more than 35 years! 
Hoping to re-open in early June 2020. Open! Open! Open!

It’s shocking to hear that some of you are not into sweets! A box of expensive chocolate truffles holds no fascination and luscious cakes aren’t your Achilles’ heel. You don’t wait breathlessly for all those candy-laden holidays – Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween, or Christmas – to be swept away into a sugar coma. However, on the rare occasion when your sweet tooth is itching to be scratched do you know where to go? A place – special above all others – called Goodie Tuchews. Sacramento’s bona fide cookie castle and where Terry O’Reilly, owner and lone baker, reigns as the Cookie Queen.

It’s amazing – nay, stunning – that longtime downtown residents and workers say they’ve never noticed the cookie heaven at 1015 L Street (circa 2007) and for many more years at 10th & J streets. Terry’s love affair with cookies pre-dates Goodie Tuchews’ 1981 opening. For five years she honed her cookie skills as a regional manager for Cookie Magoo, a Berkeley cookie chain (which eventually succumbed to the wilds of Mrs. Fields.) Terry had a short-lived break on the road to cookie connoisseur when she went to “live” in Europe . Three months later she was back in Sacramento working at the family-run Goodie Tuchews.

Terry’s dad came up with the 10th Street location. Though lackluster, the rent was cheap. And the name? Just a fun play on words, Goodie Tuchews, it was somehow fated. They found out after the fact that people use to call the Cal Western building the “Goodie Two Shoes Building ” because it housed so many non- profits. Terry, along with her father, Gerald, and six siblings crafted their cookies. Six Cookie Magoo recipes (Terry was granted these as long as she stayed out of the Bay Area) evolved into 19 and a local cookie legend was born. Eventually the other family members left the business and Terry became the cookie maven in 1994.

In more than 25 years at her 10th Street shop and now 13 years at 1015 L Street, Terry has baked thousands and thousands of cookies. About relocating she said, “Everything happens for a reason. The new space is luxurious by comparison and a better location.” Though she’s joined the ranks of prettier storefronts, her cookies will never be cookie-cutter. Each one is made with love. The most popular cookie is always the semi-sweet, chocolate chip without nuts. The only cookie to ever be retired was the gingersnap – due to lack of interest. And rumor has it that the chocolate cookie with peanut butter chips is a real “adult cookie”…try it with red wine. My personal favorites are Snickerdoodle and Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut!

Quoting the Cookie Queen:  “People said, ‘We thought you’d never make it!’ I never imagined after more than 35 years that I’d still be doing this. I made myself a job that I love. My motto has always been, Peace & Cookies on Earth!”

I say, "Amen to that and eat more cookies!"  You can also enjoy Sacramento's Best Cookies and Ice Cream Sandwich!

Abbey House Inn feels like home in Visit Yolo

Rating:  Stars*Stars*Stars*Stars*Stars

We'll all be wondering where we were - where we had been - before, during, and after the pandemic! I'm thankful to have enjoyed my first stay at the Abbey House Inn, Winters, California, just before everything went crazy and to reflect on the memory. Once the dust settles, I'll be back again to enjoy the warm hospitality. Every detail! Nothing was overlooked. Intimate seating areas throughout the garden and porches. Public spaces were cozy and, yes, just like coming home - especially if you love small-town life! This is not a B&B in the traditional sense - breakfast is not cooked to order. All types of snacks, beverages, cereals, yogurts, jams, jellies, breads, eggs - uncooked and hard boiled - are there for the taking. Dining room or alfresco, it's up to you.

After settling into our room we enjoyed a quiet beer and glass of wine on the front porch. Then the manager, Annette, treated us to a complimentary pedicab tour around town before dropping us off at Hooby's Brewing - the newest brew in town and locally owned and operated by twin sisters Courtney and Jackie - so much of Winter's seems to be a family affair. Again, you'll feel right at home once you arrive. All the best foods, brews, wines and spirits are within walking distance of the Abbey House Inn, a park and walk destination. Or biking, of course!

Under new ownership since 2017, Abbey House Inn has been meticulously decorated and outfitted to address your every need including free WiFi and flat-screen TVs. Pam and Eric Tavenier, the owners, and Annette appreciate my "feels like home" mantra.

We look forward to coming home to Abbey House Inn in the weeks ahead and the rest of our Visit Yolo story! Stay tuned and stay safe says this California omni-local!

Chocolatiers make life sweet: Chocolate elixir of the gods

Ginger Elizabeth Hot Chcolate Photo Courtesy of Ginger Elizabeth

  Aztec and Mayan civilizations created "Xocoatl”. Made from cocoa tree beans, they believed it was the elixir of gods. Conquering Spaniards brought this divine beverage, and chocolate, to the world. Possibly the most coveted confection on Earth, chocolate most certainly topped a godly list. Considered an aphrodisiac and cure for whatever ails you, it’s the birthday, holiday, and centuries-old romance gift of choice. Chocoholics idolize chocolatiers who religiously create chocolate works of art. Practically health food, studies have shown dark chocolates -- 72% cacao plus – may help keep blood pressure down, your blood flowing, and your heart strong.
Eat more chocolate!

Ginger Elizabeth – Hot Chocolate Central
Chocolate devotees sang hallelujah when Ginger Elizabeth’s appeared on the scene. GE shares her passion for chocolate with connoisseurs and neophytes, converting many nonbelievers to chocolate worship. Believers flock to intricately fashioned bon-bons, but with winter closing in Ginger Elizabeth’s Hot Chocolate warms body and soul. Prepared with local organic milk and garnished with fresh whipped cream or house-made marshmallows, your taste buds will be doing the happy dance. A signature blend of semisweet hot chocolate infused with cinnamon, chilies, vanilla bean and ginger, the Oaxacan Spicy Hot Chocolate better than a cozy sweater.

1801 L Street
Sacramento, CA
(916) 706-1738

The Candy Box Little Farmhouse Candies – Are You a Turtle?
In 1867, Daniel Peter invented milk chocolate. Used by chocolatiers worldwide, it’s the essence of The Candy Box chocolates in historic Marysville, truffles, fruit creams, nuts and chews. Other than its location and owners, little has changed since 1954. Good chocolate is always in fashion. Signature Turtles, now called McIntosh Turtles, honor the original owners – Irene and Floyd. These chewy, chocolaty delights are so popular that a single special order numbered 350 one-pound boxes. 

415 D Street
Marysville, CA
(530) 742-3124

Kobasic’s Candies – They say Kruffles
No surprise you passed this kitschy industrial building on Riverside Boulevard that houses amazing handmade chocolates. Those in the know are loyal followers, returning again and again for gifts and chocolaty self-indulgence. Small batches, by hand, nothing artificial – truly a labor of love poured into every luscious piece. Kobasic’s fan favorite are Salted Vanilla Caramels which they’ve been crafting since the 1950s. Kruffles, a traditional truffle, are laced with Balsamic Vinegar and local Carvahlo wine. Studies have shown that dark chocolate may keep your heart healthy. Athletes and doctors prescribe Kobasic’s healthy 72% plus dark chocolates. Your heart will thank you.

5324 Riverside Boulevard
Sacramento, CA
(916) 448-3555

Annabelle’s Chocolate Lounge – Chocolates & Wine OMG!
Tucked away in historic El Dorado, handmade chocolates are paired with yummy local wines. Annabelle’s Chocolate Lounge is a bucket list experience and day trip into Gold Rush foothills. House-roasted almonds, slightly salted coat buttery rich English Toffee – one taste explains why it’s #1 with Annabelle disciples. Also much beloved are Jalapeño Almond Clusters, Nutella Bars and Coffee Butter Cream. Cozy corners, tables and tasting bar invite you to linger. New this fall, 100% organic chocolates feature traditional and exotic flavors. Oh, yes, how about some belly dancing with that chocolate and wine? Schedule your next special event in the lounge.

6240 Pleasant Valley Road
El Dorado, CA
(530) 295-9390

Sacramento Sweets – Old Sacramento Sweet Landmark
A second-generation chocolatier, Jason Minow’s DNA is chocolate dipped. An Old Sacramento destination since 1976, Sacramento Sweets handcrafts old-fashioned favorites: chocolates, brittles, taffy, and fudge. However, locals and visitors flock to sweets on a stick including Chocolate Dipped Twinkies, Rice Krispies Treats, Rocky Road, and Caramallows – marshmallows dipped in caramel and chocolate. Other specialties include Chocolate Drizzled Caramel Corn and Maple Bacon Fudge. A family tradition since 1964, Sacramento Sweets has tempted thousands into this chocolate lair.

1035 Front Street
Sacramento, CA
(916) 446-0590

More Chocolaty Delights
Capital Confections – Chocolates and gelato!
Le Grand Confectionary – Classic truffles and glacé fruit.
See’s Candies – California famed since 1921.
Snooks Chocolate Factory – Honeycomb is calling you to Old Folsom.

Top 10 Divine or Dive Sacramento

Funky or otherwise and not in any order. What do all of these favorites have in common? All local. All fresh. All mainstays in the Sacramento dining scene for many, many years. And at the very, very top of my Top Ten!

1. Sunflower Drive-in 10344 Fair Oaks Boulevard, Old Town Fair Oaks
The best...I do mean best...nut burgers! This vegetarian landmark is home to the famous Fair Oaks chickens, which wander totally range free. They know they are safe here!

2. Tres Hermanas  2416 K Street
Steaming plates of Chili Colorado. Oh, yeah, the house-made cilantro salad dressing. Yes, there really are tres (three) sisters.

3. Wiener Works  5207 Madison Avenue
What do you think? The "dogs", of course. However, the biggest, best(est), baddest order of fries on the planet. Large...how about two pounds of fresh cut spuds!

4. Biba Restaurant  2801 Capitol Avenue
Lasagna Verdi alla Bolognese, 10 layers of house-made pasta laced with a Bolognese meat ragu and creamy bechamel sauce (Thursday and Friday only). Followed by Zuccotto Fiorentino. Chocolate coated, dome shaped, rum scented pound cake filled with whipped cream, chocolate, almonds and hazelnuts. I don't know how they construct these things, but trust me it's a labor of love.

5. Bodhi Bowl 6511 Savings Place
So glad I finally marked this off my bucket list. We enjoyed spring rolls, papaya salad, tofu and veggies and more. Veggie- and vegan-heads rejoice. For the very enlightened!

6. Nopalitos Cafe  5530 H Street
They are only open Monday-Friday, breakfast and lunch. Sadly for us, but works for the owners. It's all good, but the tamale in a bowl for lunch....OMG! I order mine with chile verde.

7. Giò Chả Đức Hương Sandwiches 6825 Stockton Boulevard
Locals and out-of-towners flock to their Bánh mì made with their French baguettes and pate.

8. Waterboy  2000 Capitol Avenue
Waterboy Deluxe Burger. It's been a local fave for years.

9. Pitts Stop Restaurant 6610 Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard
Don't judge a dive by its cover. Five-star hole-in-the-wall. Five-star made from scratch breakfast! You'll leave with a happy tummy and (hopefully) a few new friends. This small-time diner has been feeding locals since 1979. They must be doing something right. 

10. Goodie Tuchews  1015 L Street
It's all about the cookies! All 19 varieties. My personal favorites the Snickerdoodle and the Chocolate Chip with MaMacadamiauts. Terry's been baking these bad boys for more than 30 years. And on those warm summer days, how about an ice cream sandwich? Vanilla ice cream from local Gunther's wedged between any two cookies. Yumm.....EEEEEE!

Remembering Biba 1936 - 2019

Originally published in 2012:  Back in the day, Biba Caggiano made fresh pasta on a dais in the dining room. A commitment to only the freshest ingredients has spanned more than 25 years. Today, a staff of four creates handmade pastas and desserts. Executive Chef Steve Toso, four years on the job, brought his Sonoma roots to the kitchen and raised the bar. Menus change seasonally or daily. If a farmer brings fresh figs, it’s reflected in that day’s verbal specials. Toso has established a family-like relationship with local farmers specifically footnoting the members:  Riverdog Farm, Calivirgin Olive Oil, Ports Seafood, and Caggiano Sausage (no relation), and others on the menu.

                                                                Signature Lasagne Verdi

Yes, scream for ice cream

As I've often noted: When it comes to ice cream I can take it or leave it. Unless, that is, it's the right ice cream. I have a short list of "right" favorites, but am always open to new temptations and have been known to drive many miles for an ice cream fix. Nothing gets my taste buds a fluttering quite like fresh strawberry ice cream! Word of Two Dog Night Creamery has piqued my interest. Did someone say, "Road trip!" 

This just in from Sonoma County Tourism:  Enjoy fresh, farm-to-cone ice cream in delicious seasonal flavors at the new Two Dog Night Creamery in Windsor, in northern Sonoma County.

The organic ice cream and cones are handmade daily using fresh (never frozen) organic dairy products from local farmers. The small batch ice cream is frozen using liquid nitrogen, which means little air is whipped into the cream, resulting in an ultra creamy, dense texture. Sample seasonal flavors include Blueberry Pie, with organic blueberry preserves and cinnamon streusel, and Yuzu Lemon, which blends lemon, mandarin orange, and grapefruit.

Note: The original Two Dog Night Creamery store in The Barlow center in Sebastopol is temporarily closed after the February floods, but will reopen soon.

Barbara's Best Bite on Sacramento Ice Cream Sandwich
Ginger Elizabeth's spin on ice cream and sandwiches

Laughter, love, local bounty highlight Woodland's Dinner on Main

When I began writing about Woodland, I did what I always do: adopted the town and its people and became an "omni-local"— all local—according to my friend Sarah. I made the place my own - as if I had always lived there. In return, my new Woodland family of friends adopted me. Home is where the heart is and mine is often in Woodland.

Last year I was asked to write about Woodland's Dinner on Main. Sadly, another commitment kept me from attending. So I was honored when, in 2018, I was invited to break bread and share the feast with nearly 600 friends. I'm a hometown girl at heart. Woodland's small town charm is easy to love. My visits often include the back roads from Sacramento to Woodland's Main Street. Away from heavy interstate traffic, skirting the Sacramento River, paralleling the Fremont Trestle and Yolo Bypass and cruising ever so quietly into town—is how I arrived on September 16th.

Festivities were still unfolding. Despite all the hard work and more to come, everyone was smiling and laughing. Beneath the setting autumn sun and starry white lights, Woodland Dinner on Main gathered alfresco. It was magical. Pictures tell the story.

Sacramento River Cruise intimate wine & beer tasting experience

Five friends spent a leisurely afternoon on the Sacramento River.  With lots of chatter and laughter we cruised into a beautiful California Delta sunset.

After months of planning and securing just the right vessel, Sacramento River Cruise officially launched (pun intended) in September 2018 abroad the 24-foot Sisu (Fishman East) boat. Sisu is a Finnish word that means stamina, fortitude, and guts which is what new owner Captain Emil Gagliardi had when he towed the Roccus earlier this year across country from Connecticut. Built in New Hampshire, the one-time lobster boat that fished out of Boston Harbor is now relishing the California life.

This two-hour cruise for 2-6 passengers is just what the river and the Roccus needed. Enjoy flights of local wine and beer and delicious charcuterie of cheeses, prosciutto, fruit, olives, breads and more. A quiet afternoon or sunset sail is the ideal way to spend time with family and friends. Captain Emil welcomes you aboard with a broad smile to relax at the padded and intimate seating area and table. Located at the Clarksburg Marina, Sacramento River Cruise is waiting to greet you. Be sure to bring your sunglasses and a warm sweater as river weather is changeable from warm, sunny days to cool Delta evenings.

Make this a day trip. Stop by Husicks Taphouse in Clarksburg. Take a quiet drive down the River Road to historic Walnut Grove before or after your cruise. Other nearby options to dine and wine include the Freeport Wine Country and Freeport Bar & Grill. The Old Sugar Mill offers a variety of wine and olive oil tasting options, too.

Keep your eyes on the sky as local and migratory wildlife make their way up and down the river. Part of the Pacific Flyway, during winter months the California Delta is home to thousands of migratory birds. For more information visit California Watchable Wildlife.

More photos!

Two Rivers Cider Company a Sacramento Maker

There were few craft ciders 25 years ago. When opportunity knocked, Vincent Sterne answered. His was a pioneering effort since there was little information and no one on the local craft cider scene.  Any given week there are 12 cider varieties from apple and fruit to hops! Two Rivers Cider is drier and made from 100% fresh-pressed apples. No added sugars or preservatives. It’s the “real McCoy”!  Along awaited tasting room opened in 2016. Cyclists will love the eclectic collection of bikes and very family friendly.

Live music and fun and games for kids of all ages. Very dog friendly. Bring a picnic. Call ahead about food trucks, house-made pizzas and BBQ.

4311 Attawa Avenue, #300, Sacramento, CA
Days and hours vary seasonally; Tuesday-Sunday spring and summer.