Day Trip: Passport To Farms

Cruising along the Delta roads, with the river on one side and bountiful pear orchards on the other...I was ready and amped for the Passport to Farms event by the time this weekend rolled around. However, it didn't quite turn out how I thought it would. My friend and I had a pleasant enough time but I'm not sure if I'll attend this particular event next year. I found it to be a bit disorganized which is surprising because it's not the first event the Sacramento River Delta Grown Agri-Tourism Association has put on.  I was able to buy my ticket online- no problem, but when we showed up to check in at our designated location on Sunday at 930am, nothing was set up and the doors were locked. We had to hunt down someone to help us, who in turn had to hunt down another person who knew what was going on with the event. What was odd was that the event (according to the website and our tickets) was supposed to run from 9am to 5pm (???). Anyhow, we got a quick rundown from a friendly gentleman and were finally on our way. Unfortunately for us, we weren't familiar with our way around the Delta and the maps that we were given were a bit unclear so we got slightly lost. After taking the "scenic route" which involved several U-turns and a recrossing of a bridge, we were able to reach our first destination, Delta Islands Organic Farm. The two nice young ladies working the stand gave us 3 lbs of beautiful, ripe heirloom tomatoes. We even got to choose which ones we wanted from the several varieties on display. Then we were off...the flyer had stated there would be a tomato tasting but we didn't see anything set up.

Next, we headed to Steamboat Acres where there some tables set up, displaying organic pears, pear butter and fresh honey. We bought some delicious looking green Bartlett pears and then inquired if would be okay if we could walk around the orchard a bit. (Here too there were no tastings or offers to show us the grounds. What a bummer.)

 

From Steamboat Acres, we hopped over to the Double M Farms/McDowell Hunting Preserve. One of the owners was kind enough to show us these baby pheasants and let us wander around.

Aren't they adorable? I had to restrain myself from scooping them up and snuggling them. After we got our daily dose of cuteness, we grabbed a complimentary pear and headed out to look at the pear orchards, the corn and alfalfa fields and the larger pheasants.

We closed out our tour with a stop at Vierra Farms in West Sac where we were given a free Imagination melon (a seedless watermelon with an almost black rind). I'm looking forward to cutting this sucker open and seeing if it really is as sweet as the guy working the stand proclaimed it to be. (I'll let you know.)

So all in all, I guess the ticket cost ($15) wouldn't have been so bad if we had partaken in any of the wine tasting at Bogle, Scribner or the Sugar Mill but quite frankly it was too early, too hot and I didn't think it would be a good idea to be driving under the influence on unfamiliar, twisty river roads.  I have to admit, I was a bit letdown by this event. I guess from the event descriptions I was anticipating something a bit different. I felt like we ended up just visiting produce stands and what I really wanted was to see the farms. I think the event could be greatly improved if samples of the produce were offered at the various stops (not just Sugar Mill), there were a few farm tours and maybe even some cooking demos at a location or two. Something to get the attendees interested and engaged.  I would have loved to learn more about the Delta farms and their produce. Anyhow, even though the day was a bit of a bust, one thing I would like to point out is how super sweet and friendly the farmers and workers at each stop we went to were. Great folks!

Day Trip: Sloughhouse - Strawberries & Corn

Davis Ranch L.L.C.
13501 Jackson Road, Sloughhouse, CA 95683
(916) 682-2658

The weather started to cool down a wee bit this weekend so I asked my friend Rose if she'd like to go with me out to Sloughhouse on Friday. I hadn't been out there in ages and was craving some of their sweet, fresh corn. We headed out on Jackson Highway and made the quiet, relaxing drive out to Davis Ranch where I stocked up on a big bag of white corn and some red potatoes. There was also a colorful array of squash, zucchini, gourds, beans, peppers and nuts out at the produce stand as well.

We then ambled out back to clip some juicy, red strawberries. Davis Ranch has a big lot where they have hanging strawberry baskets and you can pick your own ripe strawberries straight from the source.  You check in at the stand and they give you a pair of tiny scissors, a basket and instructions to, "wash your hands and clip the strawberries, not yank them." It's a fun summer activity especially if you have little ones with you. For us "older ones," it's great because there's no stooping involved. ☺ Note: The berries were on the smaller side but quite delicious.

Day Trip: Cowgirl Creamery & The Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Store

Last week, the weather here in Sacramento took a turn and became quite uncharacteristically hot for April. To escape the heat and to have some fun, my friend Amanda and I decided to head out of town for a day trip. Embracing Henry Miller's saying of "One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things," we decided to hit up the small town of Petaluma and learn how some of our favorite cheeses are made at the Cowgirl Creamery. We arrived a little early so we decided to wander about the little industrial area where the creamery is housed. While reading a flyer about the town's annual Butter and Eggs Days in the window of a small café (Aqus Café), we were approached by a friendly Irishman. He turned out to be the proprietor of the stylish coffee house and was kind enough to walk us over to our destination. Glad he did because we might have passed by the creamery completely--walking by on the road, it's easy to miss the inconspicuous sign jutting out high above.

Inside the creamery, we were greeted by Vivien Straus of the Strauss Creamery in Marshall. (Cowgirl Creamery gets a lot of their dairy from the Straus farm.) Vivien was the perfect person to guide our tour- she's sweet, enthusiastic and has a true love for her work. The tour started with a simple demonstration on how cheese in general is made. We then moved onto learning about how the Straus family got involved in the making of cheeses with Cowgirl Creamery, how the various artisanal cheeses are created and packaged and how the Marin Agricultural Land Trust was formed. This was followed by a guided tour of the cheesemaking facility and of course the tasting of an assortment of delicious cheeses (including the Mt. Tam in various points of the aging process). My favorites were the Red Hawk (a pungent triple crème with a washed rind, that is very full-flavored with a slight hint of tang) and the ever popular Mt. Tam (a smooth triple crème with an edible bloomy rind and buttery taste). Can you say cheese nirvana? Yum.

At the conclusion of the tour, we were sent home with a couple of issues of Culture magazine (a publication devoted to cheese) and little Cowgirl Creamery refrigerated lunch bags that included a wrapped round of Mt. Tam, a container of Fromage Blanc (a clean tasting creamed cheese) and a cute little cheese knife.

419 First Street,  Petaluma, CA 94952. (866) 433-7834
www.cowgirlcreamery.com

* Tours are held on Wednesdays at 11:30am and are about a hour long. $30
* Reservations required.
* This facility does not offer retail sales.
* More info can be found here: Cowgirl Creamery Tour

After our tour, we headed over to downtown Petaluma. We decided to have some lunch at Della Fattoria on Petaluma Boulevard. In hindsight, I wish we had chosen somewhere else. Although the décor of the bistro was quite adorable, the food was nothing to write home about and the service downright awful. To make up for our craptacular meal, we decide to walk down the street and check out the Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Store. This store is housed in a gorgeous historic building (it was constructed in the 1920's and formerly housed the Sonoma County National Bank) and offers a plethora of heirloom seeds (1200 varieties!), plants, gardening supplies, books and gourmet spices.

 

If you go downstairs, they have various gardening gifts and a small room devoted to air plants. While the sheer choice of seeds will awe you, make sure to look up and check out the ceiling of the store. The architecture is breathtaking.

(Photo of Seed Bank interior by Amanda Blosser)

 

* 199 Petaluma Blvd. N, Petaluma, CA 94952. (707) 773-1336. http://rareseeds.com
* Closed Saturdays and major holidays.

All in all, the town of Petaluma is quite charming. The weather was great, there's a lot of fun shops and businesses to explore and it's just a short drive from Sacramento. For those who are interested- the Butter and Eggs Days is coming up on April 27th & 18th. You can find out more info here: Petaluma's Butter and Eggs Days 2013

Day Trip: WPA Rock Garden

 

In William Land Park. 15th Ave off of Land Park Drive

I know I've been a bit MIA recently but I have a good excuse...really! My dad's in town visiting from out of state. We've been spending a lot of time eating out and cruisin' around town, so my kitchen activities have been pushed to the back burner temporarily. I can't help it- my dad's one of the coolest people to hang out with. He loves to try new food and since he used to live in Sac he'd rather go explore a farmers' market with me then hit up a museum. In fact today, we went and checked out the Thursday's farmers' market on Florin Road. I'd never been there and was actually quite impressed with the selection. Mind you, I'm not about to give up my Sunday W Street farmers' market buuuuuuuuuut Florin had a lot more selection then the weekday markets by the Capitol. It's also really handy if you want to get some fresh produce to cook up for a Friday or Saturday night dinner. I also dialed him in to my favorite banh mi joint (Duc Huong) and we popped by there to grab some sandwiches for lunch and a few of their delicious garlic rolls.

Yesterday, we checked out the WPA Rock Garden in Land Park which I immediately fell in love with. Have you been there before? Nestled in the middle of the park, right next to Fairytale Town is this tranquil little garden. It's been there for over 70 years (built as part of the New Deal's Work Projects Administration). If you're curious- it's on 15th Avenue just off of Land Park Drive. Park on the side of Fairytale Town, just follow the foot path by the sign. It'll lead you through the lovingly groomed bushes, trees and paths. The garden was so peaceful! I could definitely see myself coming here often and settling in on the circular stone bench under a crepe myrtle with a book and some coffee for some quiet time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Afterwards my dad and I went over to Harry's Cafe for lunch. We filled up on big servings of chow fun and bun; when we left, we noticed someone was drying jujubes on a large tarp around the corner from the restaurant. Jujubes are a type of Chinese date. Raw they taste a crisp apple. But oftentimes, they're dried and used in teas, medicines or eaten as a snack. I thought it was pretty awesome that they were just drying them on the city street, but the worrywart part of me was thinking, "Gee, I hope a dog doesn't pee on them!"

   

 

 

We also stopped by McKinley Park on the way home for a stroll. In the garden, we happened upon some rose hips. These didn't look like they were ripe yet but it was still pretty cool to stumble across them. What doesn't grow in our fab city?




 

 

Day Trip: Life's Just Beachy

I'm a bit late getting this post up...but we went to the beach this weekend!

Mr.S. didn't have the kidlets so we thought we'd take a day trip out to Half Moon Bay and relax on the beach. We ended up having lunch at this great little casual eatery called Barbara's Fish Trap in Princeton-By-The-Sea. The Fish Trap is located in a teeny red building on stilts right on the pier. There's a covered patio area in the front and regular seating in the back.

 

We were starving by the time we stopped for lunch and everything sounded wonderful on the menu, so we decided to get a little of everything. We split the calamari, which Mr.S. loved. He thought it was the absolute bees knees until he got his fish and chips which he said was the best he'd ever tasted. I took a nibble and I had to agree. The batter was light and crispy and the fish was nice and moist. There wasn't any of that heavy greasiness that I typically detest in fish and chips. He also got a cup of their clam chowder which he wasn't jazzed about but I thought was okay- it was nice and hearty, chock-full of clams and dairy-free (which was great for me. I think they use potato as their base instead of milk or cream). I ended up ordering the Dungeness crab sandwich...and it was divine. A good-sized serving of crab on a soft bun. The crab was nice and fresh and the bun was delicious; however, I did think the sandwich was kind of pricey. The place itself was kitschy and cute though - lots of windows to see the harbor and a big fisherman's net adorning the ceiling. The service was friendly but so sloooow. They were pretty busy though so we tried to cut our waitress some slack but they really needed an additional server on duty.

After lunch we headed over to San Gregorio State Beach, just off the Cabrillo Highway. I think this is my favorite beach we've gone to so far. The first park of the beach opens up to tons of driftwood, a small lagoon and lots of people but if you go down just a bit further to the right, you'll come upon a secluded, sandy beach with nary a soul. We felt like we had the beach to ourselves...and the best part was---there's two sea caves that are accessible when the tide's low. The first cave doesn't go back very far but the second one does...it's fun in there but a bit spooky. Also according to the park ranger if we had gone further down, we would have stumbled upon a nudist beach. We didn't get down that far, instead we decided to take a trail that goes up one of the ridges. If you go, check it out! The view up there of the ocean is absolutely breathtaking (and the climb is super easy).

San Gregorio State Beach:
Beach access fee $8 (but the pass they give you is good at all state beaches for the entire day)
No dogs on beach
No fires on the beach
There are BBQ pits, restrooms and picnic tables in the first part of the beach
Beach closes at sundown

Barbara's Fish Trap- is cash only
281 Capistrano Road     (650) 728-7049

Day Trip: Mei Mei Noodle Factory

1715 10th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. (916) 448-2938

* Cash only.

Isn't it amazing that you can live in a city for years and years and not know about all the cool hidden gems that it has to offer? Some of them practically in your backyard? This past Friday, I grabbed a coffee at Temple and took a mini-fieldtrip by myself down the street to the Mei Mei Noodle Factory. Calling it a "factory" might be a stretch as it appears to be quite the small operation but the place is seriously cool and I had no idea it existed in the Grid. Located on a quiet block of 10th Street, it sits right next to New World Co. (a fortune cookie factory)...you can't miss it, the warm smell of fresh cookies will greet you about half a block down and make you instantly salivate like Pavlov's dog.

When I walked into Mei Mei (I believe the name translates to little or younger sister in Mandarin?), I was the only customer. There was a small flour-sprinkled counter separating the front of the room from the rear work area. I took a few steps in and was greeted by a jolly gentleman. We chatted for a bit and I learned that the noodle factory was open 6 days a week (every day but Sunday) and had been there for about 30 years, the current owners had acquired it from it's previous proprietors about three years ago (from what I could understand, the majority of their business is commercial accounts and only a minute portion is walk-in customers like myself). He explained that they make several types of noodles and dumpling wrappers fresh daily. I took some time to look over the list by the counter and decided to order some stir-fry noodles and potsticker wrappers. I also wanted to pick up some wrappers that I could use to make some fresh raviolis, for this the gentleman consulted a woman who was busily working at one of the back tables cutting dough. She came over to the counter and after some gesticulating and describing on my part (there was a bit of a language barrier), she suggested the #7 dumpling wrappers which she thought would be small and thin enough to work for my raviolis. Both people were extremely helpful and friendly. I have to admit when it came time to pay, I was a bit astonished at how inexpensive the fresh pasta was! A pound of noodles was 99 cents and a pound of wrappers ranged from roughly $1 to $1.50 a pound (depending on what kind), you can't beat that. As I closed the front door and walked out into the mid-morning sunlight, I half expected the Mei Mei Factory to disappear in a magical puff of floury smoke behind me. It seemed too good to be true- a figment of my culinary imagination, perhaps? If it's still there next week, I'll be back for more dumpling wrappers. I have so many more recipes I'm anxious to try out!

Tips For Cooking Your  Fresh Noodles (posted on the wall at the factory):

1. Add the noodles into boiling water. Keep boiling for 5 minutes.

2. Drain the noodles, then put them into cold water. Drain again.

3. Serve with your favorite soup base or stir-fry.

Day Trip: Preston Castle in Ione, CA

This Saturday, Mr.S. and I celebrated our 2 year anniversary. Since the kidlets were spending the day playing with their cousins, we thought it would be fun to go on a guided tour of the historical Preston School of Industry (locally known as Preston Castle) in Ione. Lloyd, our tour guide, was very informative and explained how the land where the Preston Castle stands was purchased from the Ione Coal & Iron Company and how the building of the Preston School of Industry began.  The facility focused on rehabilitating, rather than simply imprisoning, juvenile offenders and only closed when the new facility was constructed next door. During our visit we were able to tour the first two floors and the basement of the old facility, which included the kitchen where the housekeeper, Anna Corbin, was supposedly bludgeoned to death there in the 1950's. The building, especially the interior is in extreme disrepair and decay, but the Romanesque Revival architecture is fascinating. Hopefully the Preston Castle Foundation will be able to preserve the historic site.

Afterwards, we had a quiet lunch in the town of Ione and chatted about the tour we went on. Then Mr S. had some beautiful flowers delivered to me for our anniversary and we closed out our evening with a romantic dinner at Ambience. It was probably one of the most fun anniversary dates I've gone on.  A little bit of history, suspense and romance...a perfect mix.

Daytrip: Locke, CA

Mr. S. and I woke up Saturday morning and it was such a beautiful sunshiny day that we decided to take a leisurely drive down to the Delta and explore the small town of Locke. I've heard about Locke often from several of my history buff friends but have never actually been there. [Located near Walnut Grove, it was founded in 1915 and considered unique because it's the only town in the US built exclusively by the Chinese for the Chinese.] We had a nice time poking our noses in the small gambling halls, school houses and various shops. The kitchen in one of the museums caught my eye with the big wood burning pit stoves to accommodate the multiple woks and also the farmhouse style sinks for cleaning up after large groups. I wonder what kind of meals were served back then?

Anyhow, we had such a lovely time on our drive that we decided that we should do some more day trips. If you have any suggestions of places to check out, I'd love to hear them. :)