holidays and traditions
Kim O’Donnel, author of The Meat Lover’s Meatless Celebrations, dishes with Sarah Henry about serving a fun, festive holiday feast without the beast.
Food banks are in the business of combating hunger — and they want to nourish their clients too. Sarah Henry reports on a new initiative designed to help places like the Alameda County Community Food Bank better serve people in need of a good feed.
Sweet, tart, with a subtle kick of jalapeno and a twist of lime, this cranberry relish packs a punch of flavor.
This recipe for Sausage, Sage, Pecan, Cornbread Stuffing Balls ensures optimal crunchy to moist stuffing ratio.
Halloween is over but Thanksgiving is on the horizon. Whether you carve your pumpkin or just use its meat for pie, don’t throw out those slimy pumpkin guts! In the spirit of conserving food waste roast the seeds to make a simple and tasty snack. Here are three simple ways to season and roast pumpkin seeds.
Mary Ladd interviews James Oseland, who edits Saveur magazine and has a new book out called The Way We Cook: Portraits from Around the World. Oseland explains the best and worst part about being an editor, and shares that he had around $800 to his name when he accepted the job offer.
San Francisco celebrated Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, on Friday November 2 in the Mission. This traditional Mexican / Mexican-American holiday honors ancestors and loved ones who are no longer with us, and helps us take a moment to acknowledge and reflect on the importance of those people. The images portrayed show the beauty of community, the commemoration of lives, and the rich cultural tradition that the Mission District has held for decades.
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!
Decorate sugar skulls with icing, sequins and feathers or learn to make bone-shaped Pan de Muerto bread for the upcoming Day of the Dead festivities in the Bay Area.
The chewy pumpkin cookie of your dreams, full of pumpkin spice and buttery toffee bits. Don’t you already feel all warm and cozy and fall-like just thinking about it?
Porridge Head! Sweetie-Pie. Adaptable Tomato. Every language uses descriptive food phrases as insults, endearments, warnings and advice. Here is a smorgasbord of food metaphors and idioms in 17 languages including French, ASL, Danish, Chinese, German, Spanish, Turkish, Hebrew, Italian and Arabic.
Black Rock French Quarter Organizers plan for an epic dinner to thank theme camp volunteers.
Lali Ghlonti is thrilled to introduce Georgian specialities to the 2012 SF Street Food Festival, sponsored by La Cocina. The native of Tbilisi will make kidney bean spread with corn bread, and chicken blintzes with “Georgian salsa.”
A traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony was presented for SF Chefs by Chef Marcus Samuelsson and Fetlework Tefferi of Oakland’s Cafe Colucci. The bean roasting demo was followed by a brunch of Ethiopian specialties.
What does Dad really want, besides an uninterrupted nap on the couch? Beer, bacon, and a few really good reads.
Where’s the best place to take a first date? We round up ten varied, vetted spots to ensure your first dinner a deux is unforgettable.
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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