When she’s not working as an Interactive Producer for KQED’s QUEST, the science, nature and environment multimedia series, Jenny Oh is ruminating on food. An ex-resident of New York City, she took a hiatus from media production and served as a cheese buyer for the Union Square Whole Foods store in New York City. Jenny also had a memorably tough one-day stint at David Chang’s Momofuku restaurant where she realized her passion for food was best nurtured on the home front and not in professional kitchens. A resident of Oakland, you can often find Jenny pedaling around on her bike to keep tabs on food happenings in the East Bay.
The 3rd Annual Eat Real Festival kicked off their food extravaganza this past weekend. I’ve attended the event since its inception and have always come away with a full, happy belly.
For the past month, every meal I’ve had at home has included tomatoes in some form. I’m not exaggerating. This time of year brings out the greedy tomato monster in me and I decided to can some for wintertime eating.
Heirloom tomatoes are getting more and more popular—but what does “heirloom” really mean? And how do these colorful tomatoes differ from their supermarket relatives?
How does San Francisco’s 600 tons of compostable waste become a nutrient-rich material that improves the quality of our local wines? Watch QUEST’s Science on the SPOT story, Dark Matter: Inside the Compost Cycle to hear from agronomist Bob Shaffer, Northern California’s “compost guy,” and learn about the composting process.
Chef Scott Spencer is a cycling and food enthusiast who owns Oakland-based Spencer’s Pantry. He’ll come over and prepare an exquisite 6-course meal using fresh, local and seasonal ingredients.
So it’s time to make a meal, and you’re stumped. You’re bored with making the same old dishes and it’s time for a refresher. Now there’s curated recipe websites to help you recharge your repertoire.
Wendy and Susan Lieu of Socola Chocolatier are celebrating the launch of their new Sriracha Chili Truffles with a whimsical four-part video series, “For the Love of Chocolate.”
People are using the “Hangouts” feature of Google+, Google’s new sharing project, in creative ways. Learn about a real-time video cooking school that uses this collaborative tool.
This past spring I traveled with fellow QUEST producer, Gabriela Quirós, to the Sacramento area to film at Sterling Caviar, one of two Californian companies currently producing caviar.
A big crowd gathered last night at the Make-Out Room to celebrate Mission Street Food’s forthcoming cookbook, “Mission Street Food: Recipes and Ideas From An Improbable Restaurant,” published by McSweeney’s new cookbook imprint. Includes a Q&A with authors, Anthony Myint and Karen Leibowitz.
Yesterday was Chop Bar’s first big roast pork party hosted at the Linden Street Brewery as the event had outgrown their restaurant space. Four big pigs from local farmer John Bledsoe were on deck for the hungry crowd.
There’s tasty Korean food to be found beyond Telegraph Avenue in Oakland at Be Bop in Berkeley.
Coming up this Saturday is the Oakland Zoo’s 19th Annual Walk in the Wild: An Epicurean Escapade, their biggest fundraising event of the year.
A cookbook filled with 52 recipes from Gobba Gobba Hey maestro Steven Gdula will be available in late August. Recipe for Original Chocolate & Vanilla Gobs included.
Oakland’s Hawker Fare offers a simple Southeastern Asian-inspired street food menu of starters, rice bowls and desserts made with organic, sustainable and local ingredients when possible.
It takes courage to fight cancer, and sometimes cooking can provide comfort in a multitude of ways.
Xolo Taqueria is the latest addition to the burgeoning East Bay Mexican food empire of Thomas Schnetz and Donna Savitsky.
Bay Area Bites (BAB), KQED's public media food blog, feeds you visually compelling food-related stories, news, recipes and reviews from the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Enter your email address to receive updates each time we publish new posts.
Flax Seed: The Next Superfood For Cows And Beef?
After years of research, an animal scientist looking for ways to keep inflammation down in cattle came up with a novel approach: feed them flax. The flax in their food helps keep animals healthy and has an added benefit for those who later eat their meat: omega-3 enriched beef.
Congress: Where Food Reforms Go To Die?
As Congress gets to work on the farm bill, two common-sense, bipartisan reform measures seem to have gotten run over somewhere along the way. The first would set minimum standards for housing egg-laying chickens. The second sought to change how the U.S. provides food aid to people in foreign nations.
For Supreme Court, Monsanto’s Win Was More About Patents Than Seeds
The high court ruled unanimously that when farmers use patented seed for more than one planting in violation of their licensing agreements, they are liable for damages.
Try A Do-It-Yourself Mother’s Day
Rather than waiting for someone to give you a treat, why not make one of your favorites for yourself? Something you can snack on all week when no one’s around. Or, better yet, something you don’t have to share. Food writer T. Susan Chang recommends slow-roasted pecans, salty-sweet matzo candy and more.
A Fresh Pod Cast: Savoring Spring’s Green Peas
Emerald green and tender, yet with a gentle crunch, garden peas can be so delightful when fresh — and so disappointing when not. Try them now in their seasonal prime in these recipes for chilled soup, a citrusy spread and a traditional rice dish.
Spring has sprung! And it’s time to bask in the garden, celebrating the sweet greens of spring with Fava-Bean Crostini topped with mint and Pecorino Romano cheese.
Hunan Home’s Restaurant, Radius, Guerilla Café: Check, Please! Bay Area reviews
Restaurants reviewed: Hunan Home’s Restaurant (San Francisco), Radius Restaurant and Café (San Francisco) and Guerilla Café (Berkeley).
Chris Hadfield: Space Chef In Chief
The Canadian astronaut didn’t just tweet and sing his heart out during his five months as commander of the International Space Station. He also took time out to show the world what it’s like to eat up there.
Bocanova, Willi’s Wine Bar, The Rotunda of Neiman Marcus: Check, Please! Bay Area reviews
Check, Please! Bay Area reviews these restaurants: Bocanova (Oakland), Willi’s Wine Bar (Santa Rosa), The Rotunda of Neiman Marcus (San Francisco).
Celebrate the Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market 20th Birthday Bash with CUESA
In honor of its 20th anniversary, Bay Area Bites looks back on how the Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market has become a San Francisco institution for chefs, home cooks, and curious eaters from around the world.
Exploratorium Elevates Museum Eating Experience
Chef Loretta Keller, the force behind the Exploratorium’s new culinary options, talks bee jet lag, living foods, and seawater cocktails with BAB’s Sarah Henry.
Grits, Fried Chicken and Gospel Brunch – Chef David Lawrence Discusses Life at “1300 on Fillmore”
Mary Ladd interviews Chef David Lawrence about his restaurant “1300 on Fillmore” which is known for fabulous grits, fried chicken and a lively Sunday Gospel brunch.
Hunan Home’s Restaurant, Radius, Guerilla Café: Check, Please! Bay Area reviews
Restaurants reviewed: Hunan Home’s Restaurant (San Francisco), Radius Restaurant and Café (San Francisco) and Guerilla Café (Berkeley).
First Impression: Healdsburg SHED
What would a wine country locavore’s paradise look like? Stephanie Rosenbaum talks to Cindy Daniel, owner of Healdsburg’s new SHED, a 21st-century grange, store, and sustainable-living center.
Bocanova, Willi’s Wine Bar, The Rotunda of Neiman Marcus: Check, Please! Bay Area reviews
Check, Please! Bay Area reviews these restaurants: Bocanova (Oakland), Willi’s Wine Bar (Santa Rosa), The Rotunda of Neiman Marcus (San Francisco).
Pompei’s Grotto, Lillie Mae’s House of Soul Food, SPQR: Check, Please! Bay Area reviews
The fourth episode of Season 8 features these restaurants: Pompei’s Grotto (San Francisco), Lillie Mae’s House of Soul Food (Santa Clara) and SPQR (San Francisco). Leslie Sbrocco shares wine tips about Napa Valley wines.
Michael Pollan talks about his new book ‘Cooked’
As in his previous books, Michael Pollan argues in “Cooked” that relying on processed food disrupts our link to the natural world and weakens our interpersonal relationships. But this time he takes a more hands-on approach, doing apprenticeships with a variety of culinary masters who teach him the fine points of fermentation, the benefits of bacteria, and other secrets of honest cuisine. He joins KQED’s Forum in the studio.
KQED’s Forum: Mark Bittman on Part-Time Veganism
Mark Bittman talks about his new book, and how a full-time meat lover adapted to part-time veganism.
Art as Food as Art: Caitlin Freeman and her “Modern Art Desserts”
Cailtlin Freeman’s new book details the drama and recipes behind her self-made dream job: responding to SFMOMA’s art through food.
Are the benefits of genetically engineered foods worth the risks? Check out this half-hour special from QUEST Northern California that explores the pros and cons of genetically engineered crops and what the future holds for research and regulations.
Baby & Toddler On The Go: fresh, homemade foods for a busy life (VIDEO)
A precociously independent toddler packs a healthy homemade lunch and heads off to snack in Bernal Height’s Holly Park in San Francisco. This video is a promo for Kim Laidlaw’s new book: Baby & Toddler On The Go: fresh, homemade foods for a busy life.
Deaf Foodies Savor Gourmet Ghetto Tasting Tour in Sign Language
A dozen Deaf Foodies relish the tastes and history of Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto in a 3 hour tasting tour presented completely in American Sign Language (ASL) by food writer (and ASL interpreter) Anna Mindess through Edible Excursions.
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