DIY, foraging, urban homesteading
Looking for spooky inspiration for your Halloween table? Enjoy our holiday round-up of all things pumpkin-y and Halloween-y. They’re scarily delicious!
Nothing quite embodies the spirit of Halloween like the Jack-o’-Lantern does. Creepy or funny, creative or classic, the carved gourd is more than just simple holiday decor. It’s also a symbol of fall harvest and that winter will soon be amongst us. But did you know, the pumpkin was not the original carved vegetable for this time of year–it was the turnip!
Are you feeling sad that the local pepper season is drawing to a close? Don’t be. The owners of Emmy’s Pickles and Jams, Jarred SF Brine and Paulie’s Pickling show how a little vinegar, salt and aromatics will let you enjoy those late-season jalapenos and serranos well into the winter.
I wanted to share the joy of a good tomato with everyone. Now, a store-bought tomato is never going to taste like it was plucked straight from the vine. But there’s no reason it can’t be a great tasting tomato! All it takes is the steps outlined in this post.
Love avocados? Of course you do! Which is why it’s sad when the fruit goes bad before you can use it all, especially since it is so expensive. So use these simple tips to make your avocados last a lot longer!
Get out the canning jars, locavores! It may be hard to imagine the long months of kale and tangerines ahead, but our local tomatoes, berries, and peaches will only be around for another couple of months. Time to get canning to capture the taste of summer in January, without having to succumb to the pricey carbon footprint of out-of-season produce. Bay Area Bites writers share their favorite tips and tricks for making homemade jam, jelly, pickles, sauces, and more.
Popsicles are quite possibly my new favorite thing to make. I simply love how creative you can be with them. Seriously, there are no limits. I’ve used tea, cake, booze, you name it…and I have made a popsicle with it. I had planned for these figs be soaked in bourbon but they were so fresh and bursting with flavor, that it broke my heart just to freeze them. I didn’t want anything else to alter their taste. So I refrained and I am glad I did. These pops are scrumptious!
Excited by the return of California California salmon, locals are keeping fishing charter boats busy.
If all commercial fishermen used the methods of Kirk Lombard, sustainability would be a non-issue. He goes for lesser know species using the most sporting methods possible. He hand-tosses a net, Hawaiian style, for smelt, he poke-poles for monkeyface eel, and catches red crab with a fishing pole and snare. He shares his maritime adventures and knowledge of the bays edible intertidal zone in his “Sea Forager Tours.”
Want to treat your burger, your grilled salmon, your potato salad, even your carrot sticks and asparagus spears right? In less than 10 minutes, you can whip up some lush and golden homemade mayonnaise perfect for slathering, dipping, and dunking.
One of San Francisco’s newest urban wineries opens a tasting room in the Dogpatch.
In celebration of LGBT Pride month, Mary Ladd profiles culinary artist Yasmin Golan, who lives in Oakland and has worked locally in the pop-up scene and restaurant world. Golan’s ideas on cooking and living are based around community and sustainability.
Food in Jars author Marisa McClellan talks with Sarah Henry about the renewed interest in the age-old art of preserving.
Raising rabbits and goats not only provides appealing pets, but their poop turns a garden into a sustainable urban farm. A recent tour of 7 East Bay farms sponsored by the Institute of Urban Homesteading demonstrated how even tiny backyards can produce prodigious amounts of food with the help of chickens, quail, bees, rabbit and goats.
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.
Hot Dogs, Bacon And Red Meat Tied To Increased Diabetes Risk
A fresh study looks at what happens after people change their meat-eating habits. Those who upped their intake — about 3.5 servings more per week — saw their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes during four years of follow-up increase by almost 50 percent.
Nudging Detroit: Program Doubles Food Stamp Bucks In Grocery Stores
Incentive programs that double the value of food stamp dollars spent at farmers markets have been hailed as one of the most effective ways to encourage healthful eating and support local farmers. The flaw: Most people don’t shop at farmers markets. So a new program will soon pilot the concept at three grocery stores in Detroit.
Sorry, Dr. Oz, Green Coffee Can’t Even Slim Down Chubby Mice
An extract from raw, green coffee beans has been called a “miracle” weight-loss aid. But a study in mice casts doubt on the supplement’s fat-burning effects — and even offers preliminary evidence that it could be harmful.
Stalking The Elusive, Worthy Apricot – Summer Recipes
Apricots are the finest of summer’s fruits, with dense, juicy flesh and delicate, velvety skins. That’s why it is so disheartening when you bite into one, only to find it is mealy and flavorless. To find the best ones, head to your local farmers market.
Perfect for Summer! Recipe for Herbed Zucchini Fritters with Stone Fruit Salsa
Too many zucchini? Get the jump on summer’s abundance with this recipe for tasty Herbed Zucchini Fritters with Stone Fruit Salsa.
Kitchen Window: A Guide to Grilling Beyond ‘Dude Food’
As Father’s Day approaches, you can remind Dad that there’s more to Father’s Day grilling than just cheeseburgers.
Watch Master Fruit & Vegetable Carver Jimmy Zhang Make Melons Bloom and Carrots Fly
Want to carve a rearing horse out of taro, tropical fish from carrots or a roaring dragon out of giant radishes? Watch Chef Jimmy Zhang, Master of the Chinese Art of Fruit and Vegetable carving in this video as he fashions an exquisite watermelon rose and shares the secrets of this ancient craft.
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.
Watch Master Fruit & Vegetable Carver Jimmy Zhang Make Melons Bloom and Carrots Fly
Want to carve a rearing horse out of taro, tropical fish from carrots or a roaring dragon out of giant radishes? Watch Chef Jimmy Zhang, Master of the Chinese Art of Fruit and Vegetable carving in this video as he fashions an exquisite watermelon rose and shares the secrets of this ancient craft.
Sunset’s Celebration Weekend: Yigit Pura Demos and Shares Thai-Hawaiian Inspired Dessert Recipe
Stephanie Rosenbaum shares some highlights from Sunset’s Celebration Weekend — including a recipe for Coconut Tapioca Pudding with Papaya and Mango from Yigit Pura of Tout Sweet Patisserie.
Modern Day Food Foraging Comes to San Francisco
Gina Scialabba attended the third annual Wild Foods Dinner at the Hotel Vitale. Americano’s Executive Chef Kory Stewart and food foraging expert Connie Green, author of “The Wild Table” prepared a unique six-course meal that was shaped largely by the bounty they located in nature.
Burger Bonanza in the East Bay
Moxy Burger, The Bureau 510 and Grazzy Burgers are several of the latest arrivals to the East Bay burger scene.
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).
Spotlight on Summer Vegetables: “River Cottage Veg” Cookbook
British homesteader and meat-lover Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall comes to San Francisco to spread the gospel of greens with his new book, River Cottage Veg. With a recipe for River Cottage Summer Garden Soup.
Sunset’s Celebration Weekend: Yigit Pura Demos and Shares Thai-Hawaiian Inspired Dessert Recipe
Stephanie Rosenbaum shares some highlights from Sunset’s Celebration Weekend — including a recipe for Coconut Tapioca Pudding with Papaya and Mango from Yigit Pura of Tout Sweet Patisserie.
Cheese Books for the Curd Nerd
Every aspiring curd nerd yearns to embiggen their knowledge base about the dairy darlings they adore. Garrett McCord shares two books that help you gain a broader understanding of cheese and supply you with tasteful cheese-centric recipes.
Watch Master Fruit & Vegetable Carver Jimmy Zhang Make Melons Bloom and Carrots Fly
Want to carve a rearing horse out of taro, tropical fish from carrots or a roaring dragon out of giant radishes? Watch Chef Jimmy Zhang, Master of the Chinese Art of Fruit and Vegetable carving in this video as he fashions an exquisite watermelon rose and shares the secrets of this ancient craft.
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.
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