sustainability
Many shoppers are willing to shell out more money for organic produce because they believe it is healthier — but a new report casts doubt on that. The Stanford University study challenges whether organic foods are more nutritious than conventional foods grown with pesticides. KQED’s Forum discusses the benefits of organic foods and the impact of ingesting trace amounts of pesticides. Do you buy organic? Will this new study change the way you eat?
Garden inspired cocktails are simply one of my favorite things. And this margarita is no exception. It’s not only spicy (thank you, jalapeños!) but the cilantro adds all these lovely citrus notes to it, plus keeps it feeling fresh and crisp so you can drink many more than you should!
I’m very excited to announce the best job that I will probably ever have. The Perennial Plate, the online weekly documentary series about sustainable and adventurous eating is going around the world!
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.”
In the heart of Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley, nestled between grapevines and the area’s rolling foothills, is the modern yet rustic Medlock Ames Tasting Room and Alexander Valley Bar. The tasting room is the only place in town where you can enjoy all of the lovely wines made by Medlock Ames just up the road at their Bell Mountain ranch. And just as it’s making its last call, the bar next door starts serving up fresh, garden-inspired cocktails using ingredients grown at that very location.
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.
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.
A culinary staple of Sonoma County is Sondra Bernstein’s the girl & the fig, which is why it was my pleasure to spend the day farming, cooking and eating with the self-proclaimed “fig girl” herself. This lovely and fresh Lavender Mojito is just one of the many cocktails we made using biodynamically farmed ingredients from their plot at Imagery Estate Winery, located in Glen Ellen.
Now there’s a new trend burgeoning, which I am calling “gill to adipose fin,” or using the whole fish. This summer, California is enjoying a strong Chinook salmon comeback.
The head of sustainability and food safety for the Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich restaurant empire tells Sarah Henry what her job entails — and offers a rebuttal to critics who sniff at whether the culinary world has a role to play in sustainable food matters.
May 18-20, The Monterey Bay Aquarium is having their annual “Cooking for Solutions” with over 70 chefs and 60 wineries. Chef Waller and Schooners Coastal Kitchen will be participating.
Douglas Gayeton is the co-creator of “The Lexicon of Sustainability”, an ambitious, collaborative multimedia project that aims to educate the public about food systems in the U.S.
Azahar is a coffee company doing something that no one else is–or probably ever has. Their coffee is “Farm Fresh” from Colombia; they roast their beans only two weeks to two months off the farm, versus other companies, whose beans are up to a year old before they are roasted. Azahar’s focus on quality and freshness is combined with a sustainable business practice (economic, social, and environmental) that also happens to be incredibly beneficial to the farmers with whom they work.
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.
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.
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.
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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