7th Annual Sacramento Food Film Festival is fast approaching!

March 27, 2018 0 Comments

Seven and a half years ago I had a small idea. Have a film festival for all the food documentaries that I never seemed to catch in Sacramento. Now it's time for the 6th edition of this great event series with another incredible line-up of films about food.

My friends at The Food Literacy Center have taken over this event as their main means of fundraising. It's a worthy cause of educating elementary school children to learn to love vegetables and eat more fresh, healthy foods. 

This  year's goal is to have fewer events that can reach more people with larger attendance. Therefore, there are only four events...and one is already sold out!

Check out the schedule below and then buy your tickets. We sell out every year, so don't procrastinate!

April 9, 2018 6:30 pm
Jeremiah Tower: The Last Magnificent
Crest Theatre, 1013 K St.
Famed chef Jeremiah Tower is coming to the Crest Theatre April 9 to present the film Anthony Bourdain created about him, “Jeremiah Tower: The Last Magnificent.” The kickoff to the 2018 Food Film Festival is a special screening that will be preceded by an exclusive question-and-answer session. This is your chance to see the man Sacramento chefs are excited to meet, and who played a pivotal role in transforming the way America eats to focus on farm-to-fork fare.

Tower is renowned for leading the kitchen at Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse in Berkeley, where the insistence on fresh local ingredients quickly gained notoriety. He is also known for Stars, a restaurant he ran in San Francisco for 14 years, as well as other projects across the country. This event will be Tower’s formal introduction to Sacramento as the Farm-to-Fork Capital of America, and he will be back in September to work with Sacramento chefs and lead the program for the Tower Bridge Dinner.

The film tells Tower’s story – beginning with his entrance into the industry and following the rise and tumultuous times that have made him a controversial figure and America’s first celebrity chef. Find out from the film and from the man himself why Anthony Bourdain says, “Jeremiah Tower’s menus made…a complete reevaluation of not just American food and ingredients – but food.”

Event Details:
• Q&A and Film Screen will take place at Crest Theatre, 1013 K St.
• April 9, 2018
• Doors open at 6 p.m. with Q&A beginning at 6:30 p.m.
• Film screening will be at approximately 7 p.m.
• Ticket pricing: $15 in advance / $20 at the door

 PURCHASE TICKETS HERE




WASTED – SOLD OUT!Lucca Restaurant & Bar

Location: Lucca Restaurant & Bar, 1615 J St, Sacramento, CA 95814
Film: Wasted! The Story of Food Waste – Nari Kye & Anna Chai


April 14, 2018 - 5:30pm - 8:00pm

Saturday Night ShortsColonial Theatre

A fast-paced night featuring food from top local chefs, short films about food, a comedy pun-off and tasty libations.
Tickets:
PURCHASE HERE
  • General Admission $50.00
  • General Admission $60 (Prices go up in 2 weeks)
  • Early Bird $40.00 – SOLD OUT
  • VIPea $75.00 – SOLD OUT
Location: Colonial Theatre, 3522 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95820
Chefs: 
  • Ernesto Delgado, Mayahuel
  • Edward Martinez, Milk Money
  • Brenda Ruiz, GEO Academy at Grant High School
  • Cesar Cienfuegos, UC Davis Dining
  • Santana Diaz, UC Davis Health
  • Whole Foods Catering
Films: Short Film Contest Winners
  • Super Veggies – The Superha Family
  • Hand Picked – Casey Toth
  • Tuka – Ian Midgley
  • Operation Apple – Giselle Kennedy
  • Food City: Feast of the Five Boroughs: Lars Fuchs & Matthew Fleischmann
  • Camelina – Lucas Bryce
At Saturday Night Shorts, you’ll get:
  • 5-7 small plates/bites prepared by some of the Sacramento region’s best chefs
  • Beer and wine available for purchase
Upgrade your experience! Go VIPea! Tickets include:
  • Swag bag
  • 1 free drink
  • Reserved VIPea seating
  • Exclusive free small plates/bites during pre-party
  • In-seat wait service (drinks for purchase)
All proceeds from this event will benefit Food Literacy Center.
Please note: Tickets are nonrefundable and nontransferable. Parking is limited. We recommend carpooling. We are unable to accommodate special diets. 




    Broccoli HQ nightLeataata Floyd Elementary School

    The Sacramento Food Film Festival celebrates food and drink paired with films about our food system. On April 21, community leaders will gather for the first public experience on the future Broccoli HQ site. The evening will showcase the architectural drawings and the project’s designers will share their plans. This year’s Finale event features small plates and bites from an all-star cast of local chefs, a “school lunch” dinner prepared by Sacramento Unified School District’s Nutrition & Food Services and a feature film from America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital!
    Tickets:
    PURCHASE HERE
    Location: Leataata Floyd Elementary School, 401 McClatchy Way, Sacramento, CA 95818
    Chefs:
    • Rick Mahan – The Waterboy
    • Kurt Spataro – Paragary’s
    • Billy Ngo – Kru
    • Chris Jarosz – Patriot
    • Santana Diaz – UC Davis Health
    • Whole Foods Catering
    Film:
    Lunch Line - A documentary that takes a new look at the school lunch program by exploring its past, its current challenges, and its opportunities for the future, from filmmakers Ernie Park and Michael Graziano.
    Timeline:
    4:30PM Mocktail and appetizer stations located throughout the 2.5 acre site of the future Broccoli HQ. Guests will enjoy bites by Sacramento’s top local chefs, view drawings of the project and walk the site. Remarks from Steve Hansen, Sacramento City Council and Jay Hansen, Sacramento City Unified School District Board Member.
    6:00PM School lunch is served! Guests will join us in the elementary school cafeteria, where they will eat a family-style meal served on school lunch trays. The meal, prepared by school food service professionals, will feature the ideal school lunch.
    6:10PM Program begins. Hear from Kevin Smith, Northwest Land Park & The Mill at Broadway and Food Literacy Center’s Founding Executive Director Amber Stott about their visions for the Broccoli HQ and its ties to existing school wellness programs happening at SCUSD.
    6:30PM Film screening.
    7:30PM Event concludes.
    All proceeds from this event will benefit Food Literacy Center.
    Please note: Tickets are nonrefundable and nontransferable. Valet Parking. We are unable to accommodate special diets.



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      Event: Sustainable Seafood and Bay Area Watersheds

      March 24, 2018 0 Comments

      Many people know that I am all for food literacy - educating oneself on everything that pertains to food: where it comes from, how it is grown, the health benefits, the people who produce it, etc. One of the best ways in our area to learn more about the food system is through The Culinary Institute of America in nearby Napa. You don't necessarily have to be attending the CIA either. They have several educational opportunities that are open to the public.

       One of them is their series, Conversations at Copia. Each session focuses on a theme and has panel discussions with experts. Some of the past topics have included:

       The next one is coming up in a couple of weeks. The Culinary Institute of America has announced the theme for their April 7-8 will be a focus on Sustainable Seafood and Bay Area Watersheds.
      Guests will have the chance to learn more about sustainability and what chefs, fishmongers, and winemakers are doing to protect our rivers and oceans for the future. The highlight of the weekend will take place Saturday evening, which will include A Sea Change panel discussion and walk-around reception in their new one-of-a-kind teaching kitchen.The interactive reception will give guests the opportunity to mingle with the presenters and chefs while sampling selections from Napa Green Certified Wineries and sustainable seafood.
      Presenters for the featured event on Saturday night will be Hog Island Oyster Co. co-founder, Terry Sawyer; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration researcher, Sarah Mesnick; TwoXSea co-founder, Kenny Belov; and Cakebread Cellars founder, Bruce Cakebread; along with 25 Lusk executive chef Matthew Dolan serving as the moderator for the panel.
      Additional activities throughout the weekend include a Guest Chef Demonstration from Fine & Rare Seafood and Wine Shop co-founder Ted Wilson; a demonstration from Chef Matthew Dolan that will include a singing of his book Simply Fish: 75 Modern and Delicious Recipes for Sustainable Seafood; a double feature of the movies Blind Sushi and Of The Sea in the Copia Theater; and much more.
      Tickets will be sold separately for each of the weekend’s events and classes. For a full list of events and to purchase tickets, click here. 
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      Bently Ranch's Butcher Shop

      March 10, 2018 0 Comments

      When you go over the Eastern Sierra Mountains and first see the Carson Valley, you can't help but think of the settlers coming across the valley in wagon trains and seeing the mountains that towered in front of them that they would need to climb. The Carson Valley itself is wide and impressive when looked down upon from 7,000 feet. For over a century it has been the home of many cattle ranches and generations of families. 

       Much of the valley was owned by the Dangberg family in the early 1900s, but over the decades pieces of it were sold off. In 1997, the main ranch was bought by the Bently family. The Bentlys have also been in the valley for over 100 years and have a tight bond to the region.

       The Bently's have done great things with the ranch and for the area. In my prior piece on Wild Horses, I noted how they have limited fencing to allow the horses onto their land. As for the ranch itself, they are creating a sustainable, green, environmentally friendly ranch that helps not only the area around them, but their neighbors as well. That's for another, future post. 

      This month the Bently's opened up their own modern butchering facility in Gardnerville. What makes it particularly special is that they will have a USDA Inspector on site. They are the only ranch on the west coast that can say that. All other ranches must send their beef to be processed at USDA certified processing centers. Some of that beef will end up at Sacramento's new Echo & Rig steakhouse. 

       But let's talk a little beef first.

       Most people have no idea how the meat on that styrofoam plate ends up in the store. Many have no idea of the way animals are raised, what they are fed or given in the way of antibiotics or treatments, the process that goes to getting them to slaughter, or the butchering process. They just pick up that package of meat, cook it, and eat it.

       The ideal is to have an animal that is raised humanely, with plenty of room to roam and live a happy life outside of pens.

       Bently Ranch does just that. Their cattle are all completely grass fed. There are many ranches that start their cattle off grass fed, but finish them on grains to fatten them up during the last stage of their lives before slaughter. Not the Bentlys. "Grass fed beef is naturally lower in calories and offers significantly higher values of many nutrients than conventional beef. Our cattle eat only natural grasses and hay grown on our farm. They never eat grains or silage in order to promote fattening."
      click to open larger
      Bently Ranch has been certified as Global Animal Partnership Step Level 4 by IMI Global. You've probably seen that when you go to Whole Foods and they have the signs over the meat section. Step 4 pertains to being Pasture Raised. 
      When it finally is time to slaughter, they are lucky enough to not be too far from Reno. The less travel time, the less stress on the animal. The cows are harvested in a small scale, local processing facility called Wolf Pack Meats. It is part of the University of Nevada, Reno. The facility is USDA inspected, and follows all guidelines for humane animal slaughter.  The beef is then returned to the Bentlys for processing at their new butchering facility. 

      The beef is aged for three weeks minimum before being shipped off. Aging is an important process to the flavoring and tenderizing of meat, so it is a valuable step for quality meat. Bently Ranch is testing different aging times to see which is the best for their meat and the tastebuds of their customers. 

      The butcher shop is the first to be LEED certified since it, like the ranch, meets green, sustainable goals for use of energy and reduction of waste.

      Nathan Thomas is their Head Butcher. They knew they had found the right guy when he asked them more questions then they asked him. His butchery interest started in 2003 and he has held Head Butcher positions in several specialty shops in Seattle and Nevada. After being offered the job, he was told he could order whatever he wanted for equipping the cutting room, so he's in butcher heaven.

       The meat is sold to restaurants, online, and to the locals. The Bentlys felt that their neighbors in the valley should be able to enjoy their local beef, and so the shop sells everything at a price point that makes sense for their community. I picked up some of their delicious beef, marrow bones, and bone broth. I make bone broth all this time, but theirs pops out of the container like a giant jello cube because it has so much healthy collagen. 

       As Echo & Rig opens this month, the Bentlys will be looking for others who might be interested in serving their beef. 

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      Visiting the wild horses of Carson Valley

      February 20, 2018 0 Comments
      all photos courtesy of Carson Valley Tours

       One of my favorite wildlife shows has been Meerkat Manor. It is like a soap opera with meerkats. It followed a couple of meerkat troops in the plains of Africa and monitored the social dynamics that take place. Each troop had a queen, her mate, and all the lesser meerkats who were responsible for childcare and security of the troop.

       What about the social dynamic of horses? After all, horses have been domesticated for millennia. They are, for the most part, kept apart in stalls and pens. What are horses like in the wild with no restrictions of man? What social structure and dynamic do they have?

       Normally cheapskate me would be just crossing my fingers hoping that I might see some wild horses from my own car. After four trips to Virginia City, this did happen when some wild horses actually wandered into town. OK. Good. Been there, saw that.

      This month was an entirely different experience when I went on a jeep tour to see the wild horses of the Carson Valley near Minden, Nevada. My guide was Dwayne Hicks, who runs Carson Valley Tours. Dwayne is a retired veteran who loves photographing the wild horses and the raptors in the area. He supplements his pension by selling his photographs and doing various tours in the valley. Dwayne loves the Carson Valley area the same amount as I love Sacramento - a lot. He knows its history, its inhabitants, its terrain, and its wildlife. He was a fountain of information and a wonderful tour guide. He is also nice enough to take care of the photography and send you the photos later. A bonus for me!

       Dwayne drove us out to the east side of the valley, trying to get away from the ever increasing housing that eats away at the horses' territory. We were on part of the Bently Ranch (another blog post soon). The Bentlys are contrary to many ranchers in that they love the wild horses and so they keep their ranch pretty much free of fencing. Dwayne went over the rules regarding wild horses and the laws that are overseen by the Bureau of Land Management - no feeding or watering of the horses. Leave them alone and don't interact with them. Just observe. 
      Red

       It didn't take long before we came across a group of three stallions. These guys were buddies hanging out for a drink. Dwayne explained that males that don't have a band or care about procreating hang out together in bachelor groups. All the local wild horse followers know and name the horses. This group had Red and two others. 

       Dwayne was looking for particular bands with his favorite horses. We took off over a couple of more hills and came across another bachelor band with a few more stallions. In this group was Socks and Socks Jr.  Socks is an older horse of about 20 years old. Socks had once had a large band of his own until one day a younger stallion, Samson, came into the area and challenged him. Dwayne says that at the time, Socks was not at his healthiest and so when Samson challenged him, Socks took a stand and then changed his mind and said, "OK. You win." and walked off with his son Socks Jr. The locals didn't see him for several weeks and feared that he had gone off to die, but he later returned, recovered and healthy. Ever since he's been hanging out as a bachelor.

       We moved further along and were very lucky to find more bands hanging out in close proximity to each other. 

       Off to our right was Blondie with a group of about 14. Blondie has been in charge of his band for a few years and is about 10 years old. He was named, obviously, due to his recognizable blond mane. 

       In the middle was Zorro with his two mares. He's a new stallion who only recently came into the region and decided he was ready to have his own band. He took over his females from another stallion, Skip. And then I was lucky enough to witness a confrontation...
      Zorro confronts Blondie

       Some of Blondie's group started to shuffle and Zorro, from a distance, saw and started galloping over. Blondie saw this and took a dump to mark his area. He then went out to meet with Zorro. Zorro approached all cocky and reared up. Blondie just sort of stood there like, "yeah, what?" Zorro kept up his testosterone act and then takes a dump also, saying, "Don't cross this line!" And that was that and both returned to their areas. 

       Dwayne explains that is the usual interaction. The stallions meet up, discuss, go back to their groups. There's one case that he knows where the stallions actually fought to the death. The new stallion killed the elder.

       I really enjoyed the day and loved learning about the lives of wild horses. It's something that did require a guide who knew the area and bands. The only way to get a real experience, short of living in the area yourself, is to do a tour. 

       Carson Valley Tours
      (775) 781-8808
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      Sacramento to shine at special Pebble Beach Food & Wine event

      February 18, 2018 0 Comments


      Wow! This year Sacramento has 10 chefs going to the Pebble Beach Food & Wine weekend. During the weekend of April 5-8, they will be representing us and our Farm to Fork flavors. 

       Our first female Sacramento representation will be Ginger Elizabeth Hahn, who is listed as from San Francisco as a way to promote her new location there. Meanwhile, nine other chefs will be representing us in a special Sacramento Farm to Fork event on Friday afternoon. The chefs are named and pictured above.

       In the last three years that Sac chefs have attend PBFW, they've been usually scattered through other events such as the golf tournament, after-hours parties, and the Grand Tasting Tents. This year they get an event all to themselves!

       Pebble Beach Food & Wine is a series of food and wine events sprinkled across four days. Celebrity chefs from around the country attend as well as California chefs. Among the celebrity chefs this year are Daniel Boulud, Jeremiah Tower, and Top Chef contestants John Tesar, Bruce Kaplan, Fatima Ali. 

       Tickets are not cheap and are sold a la carte. The Grand Tasting Tents are $250 and our Sac F2F event is $225. 

       I'll be there to cover it for you, but if you can, come join me for this extra special event. 
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      March Food Events - Cochon, Yountville

      February 15, 2018 0 Comments
      Some of my favorite food events are coming in the next two months. They are definitely pricey, but if you can afford a special culinary treat to check off your bucket list, then either of these will do. 

      Cochon555 at AT&T Park - March 4

       I love pork and this has always been worth the money. A couple of times local favorites have participated - Kelly McCown and Michael Tuohy.

      Cochon555 is a culinary competition to promote local family farming and whole pig cookery through the eyes of five notable chefs. Each tasked with the goal to win votes from celebrity judges and participants, chefs have one week to prepare a 200 pound pig and present a “Judge’s Plate” scored on utilization; technique; and overall flavor. The winner of the local competition is announced the Prince or Princess of Pork and advances to the national finale, Grand Cochon on September 30.  Grand Cochon spotlights the 'Best 3 Bites' from all Cochon555 regional events in a head-to-tail, winner-takes-all showdown for the crown.


      Tickets for general admission start at $130; VIP tickets (early admission + exclusive access to cocktail competition and allocated wines and spirits) are $200. Guests can purchase a $400 ticket that includes VIP and the Silver Oak "Swig for Swings" Vertical Tasting and Seminar with winemaker Nate Weis in the Press Box paired with four of the Giants' "Greatest Moments" on the big screen.
      Where:           AT&T Park, 24 Willie Mays Plaza, San Francisco, CA 94107
      When:              Sunday, March 4, 2018
      Time:               4 p.m. for VIP entry, 5 p.m. for General Admission, 3 p.m. “Swig for Swings” Seminar

      Yountville Live - March 15-18

       Last year I went to Yountville Live and really enjoyed it. The location is, of course, beautiful, the food and music are wonderful, and it wasn't too crowded!  I think it's the best little secret right now and will be sad as it grows each year. Sometimes you want things to stay secretly your own.

       You can enter a chance to win a VIP experience here.

       Yountville Live will feature James Beard celebrity chef Stephanie Izard, chef and Food Network host Bob Blumer and local renowned chefs including Bob Hurley, Chris Kollar, Morgan Robinson, Nick Ritchie, Nate Lindsey, Cindy Pawlcyn, Anita Cartagena and more. The four day event will include headline performances by X Ambassadors, Foy Vance, and NEEDTOBREATHE and intimate performances throughout the weekend by Dave Barnes, Emerson Hart, Marc Broussard, Jon McLaughlin, Logan Brill, Corey Harper, Keelan Donova, High Noon and more. Health and  wellness guru from the Today Show, Joy Bauer and “Eat Travel Rock” TV host Kelly Rizzo will host events throughout the weekend. Also set to be featured are some of the most celebrated wineries.

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      Old Skool Cafe - Educating Youth

      February 11, 2018 0 Comments



      It's rare for me to go into San Francisco for a weekday event, but when I got an invitation, I decided to schedule work at our Bay Area location for that day so I could stay late to go to dinner at Old Skool Cafe.
      Old Skool Cafe is a faith-based, violence prevention program, providing marketable employment skills in the restaurant industry to at-risk youth ages 16-22. Old Skool Cafe provides the opportunity to transform the loop of incarceration and recidivism into healthy life loops. Youth come from jail, foster care or situations of abuse and neglect into a supportive environment. 
      The invitation had piqued my interest because the program reminded me so much of Saint John's Program for Change, which I had written about in 2015. Both programs help those struggling and in need of assistance with support and education. Both use restaurant programs to teach skills that will lead the participants to jobs in the industry. 

      Old Skool is a much younger program in terms of age and, of course, its participants. Back in about 2004, Founder Teresa Goines came up with the idea. The first few years she was operating the program from her own home and with help from caterers and people who were able to give them spaces to do occasional popup dinners. As word spread, she was blessed when a church gave them an old building to use with minimal rent. In 2012 Old Skool Cafe opened in the Bayview Hunter’s Point neighborhood. In 2014 they purchased the building and over the last six months they've been closed for renovation. 

      I was invited to a soft opening as they prepare to reopen in the next few weeks. We were treated to a menu of International Soul Food that included gumbo, ribs, a Tongan ceviche style dish, and a West African peanut butter stew. Everything was executed very well, from service to the tasty dishes. Please watch my short video with interviews with the founder and one of the participants.


      Old Skool Cafe
      1429 Mendell St
      San Francisco
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      Foodie Podcasts - Updated

      February 02, 2018 0 Comments

      As podcasts gain in popularity I figured it was time for an update to my list. I listen to podcasts at work where I can stream off my work's wifi. I feel pretty food knowledgable and a lot of it has to do with continuous education - through podcasts.

       The best way to find podcasts is through the recommendations of others. So here are my recommendations for foodie podcasts and at the bottom is a list of Sacramento (not foodie) podcasts.

       Sporkful - Host Dan Pashman hosts this James Beard Award nominated podcast. The slogan is "It's not for foodies, it's for eaters. These are only half hour podcasts, so usually stay to one interview or topic.

       Splendid Table - One of the most listened to podcasts features Francis Lam who talks to chefs, authors, restaurant owners, and food specialists. I like it because there are interviews mixed in with call-in questions and other fun food features.

       Milk Street - After Christopher Kimbal left PBS and America's Test Kitchen, he basically copied everything for his new Milk Street. Same format as the old podcast with call-ins, advice, and food information.

       Gastropod - This show mixes history and science to bring a new food topic to the show each week. You  might learn about the history and science of ice cream, for example. They interview people who have researched and written books on the subject or others who practice the science involved. An especially good one is the recent one on a sourdough study. I highly recommend that particular one. 

       Special Sauce - This podcast is done by Ed Levine, the founder of Serious Eats. He talks with friends and celebrities about food.  

       Good Food and Good Food on the Road by KCRW is a podcast covering all sorts of things food. Added benefit, the restaurant reviewer is the famed Jonathan Gold.

       Eater - If you follow restaurants and Eater.com, then this is for you. Interviews with famous chefs and restaurateurs about topics concerning the dining industry. 

       Bon Appetit - No surprise, this comes from the magazine covering a variety of food discussions.

       Spilled Milk - Need a laugh? Then this one is a great one. Two besties talking about a different food each week, cracking jokes. 

       Burnt Toast is the podcast of Food52.com and, as they say, includes stuff that they haven't put on the website. Hasn't been active for a few months, so it may be dead. 
      Local Sacramento podcasts:

       Sactown People (My episode from August 2014)

       Serious Talk, Seriously (My interview February 2016)

      Finding Sacramento
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