Meet us…

Marin Civic Center Sunday Farmers' Market

Sunday, June 3, 2012     8am – 1pm    San Rafael
We'll be at the Information Table each month talking about Slow Food initiatives and hosting fun programs. Our April Farmer's Market strawberry taste-off was a real success. We'll do another seasonal Taste-Off at June's market!

Agricultural Art Exhibit at MOCFA
Sponsored by CUESA

March 23-July 7, 2012          San Francisco
Organized by artist Harrell Fletcher at San Francisco's Museum of Craft and Folk Art, "Only Birds Sing the Music of Heaven in this World" explores the relationship between art and agriculture from a variety of perspectives, including historical and current agricultural imagery, alternative farming projects, and the representation of farm labor. Conceived with allegiances to folk art, outsider art, craft, experimental art, and social practice, the exhibit includes artists and organizations such as Farm School, Amy Franceschini with Futurefarmers, and Pie Ranch, as well as a selection of California agricultural paintings and prints.

For more information, see the event page.

Farm Summer School
Sponsored by 18 Reasons

Wednesday and Saturdays (one each per month), May – September         San Francisco
economics of small scale farming with Darryl Wong of Free Wheelin' Farm and Simon Richard of Bi-Rite Market and Farm. Get ready to sweat, learn, and have fun! This school includes lectures at 18 Reasons as well as day-long farming classes in Sonoma, and is a partnership with Garden for the Environment.

For more information, see the event page.

Palate Development School: Tasting the Structure of Wine
Sponsored by 18 Reasons

May 14, 15, and 21, 2012    6:30 – 9pm      San Francisco
A three-part wine tasting course taught by expert and wine importer Oliver McCrum. McCrum has been in the business since 1978, while teaching sold-out wine classes led by his passionate teaching skills to students of all levels. Tickets are for all three classes. Monday May 14, Component Tasting– Learn to evaluate wine to your own liking and be able to create a more professional opinion. Tuesday May 15, Wine Faults– Nobody is perfect but a bottle of wine can be! This class focuses on wine flaws and learning one's own threshold for those faults. Apply this knowledge when buying your next bottle of wine at a restaurant! Monday May 21, Wine & Food– The final class will show the art of pairing food with wine. Learn components of foods that will allow for effortless pairings that are sure to enhance your overall dining experience at home or at a restaurant.

For more information, see the 18 Reasons event page.

Ranches & Rolling Hills Landscape Art Show & Sale
Sponsored by Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT)

Saturday, May 19 and Sunday, May 20, 2012   2 – 5pm/10 – 4pm      Nicasio
Join MALT in Nicasio for the 15th anniversary of the art show and sale, which has raised more than $1 million to help MALT protect family farms and ranches here in Marin.

For more information, see the event page.

Jamie Oliverıs Food Revolution Day at the Market
Sponsored by CUESA

Saturday, May 19, 2012    8am – 1pm      San Francisco
Join CUESA for a special family-friendly day that raises awareness about healthy eating and promotes better food and education for everyone. May 19 is the inaugural International Food Revolution Day. Epicuring and CUESA are partnering with Jamie Oliver Foundation for a day of events that bring the Bay Area community together. Through this day of action, schools around the world will receive Food Education Boxes. Come to the CUESA Classroom at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market for a full day of FREE activities.

For the full schedule and more information, see the event page.

Italian Pasta School: Dry and Fresh
Sponsored by 18 Reasons

Sunday, May 20, 2012    5 – 8pm      San Francisco
L'Ingegno in Cucina – The Ingenious Cook, Viola Buitoni, will teach you in this two-part class how to take what you already have in your pantry, apply it to a template for any level chef, and create a successful recipe. Moving here from Perugia, Umbria in 1985 this Italian native's passion for food allowed her to open Buitoni & Garretti, a catering kitchen and Italian fine foods shop in New York City. Her time in San Francisco has been well spent by giving lectures of Italian food traditions, offering cooking classes in collaboration with the SF Italian Cultural Institute and Italian Consulate. The May 20th class will focus on Dry Pasta: Pasta shaping and uses, basic technique, regionality of pastas, and basic sauce making. See separate listing for the June 3rd class.

For more information, see the 18 Reasons event page.

Dinner Conversation: Eating With All 5 Senses
Sponsored by 18 Reasons

Tuesday, May 22, 2012    7 – 9pm      San Francisco
Bring an open mind for a dinner at 18 Reasons that will challenge your senses. Come dine with Barb Stuckey, author of the new book Taste What You're Missing: The Passionate Eater's Guide to Why Good Food Taste Good. She will test all five of your senses over a 5-course meal. You'll walk away with a new appreciation for our multi-sensory experiences with food.

For more information, see the event page.

Women in Coffee: Their voices, lives and dreams from farm to cup
Sponsored by 18 Reasons

Wednesday, May 23, 2012    6 – 8pm      San Francisco
Women are changing the coffee business. Learn how at this lecture and tasting class with Equator Coffee's Kimberly Easson and Helen Russell. The class will begin with a talk by Kimberly, widely recognized for her knowledge about coffee and social justice. Through stories and photographs you will learn about women farmers in South America, Africa, and the USA who are changing the landscape of coffee production, processing, and marketing. In the course of the conversation, you will explore sensitive and critical topics as food security, housing, health, maternal care, domestic violence, wages/income, and land ownership. After a Q&A with Kimberly and Helen Russell, you will taste a selection of Equator's excellent coffees produced by women and poured by Caitlin McCarthy-Garcia, Roaster.

For more information, see the event page.

May Flowers: Spring Cocktails of the Farmers Market
Sponsored by CUESA

Wednesday, May 23, 2012    5:30 – 8pm      San Francisco
CUESA and the Northern California chapter of the United States Bartenders Guild (USBG) will welcome the return of warmth, sunshine, and all things floral with their spring edition of Cocktails of the Farmers Market. With the extended daylight hours and the promise of favorable weather (fingers crossed!) they plan to move out to the patio and enjoy a bit more elbow room as you savor and sip. Join an all-star lineup of bartenders and chefs while you enjoy 2 full-sized signature cocktails, 10 sample-sized drinks, and hors d'oeuvres -- all featuring fresh farmers market produce.

For more information, see the event page.

Soup for Supper
Sponsored by 18 Reasons

Friday, May 25, 2012    6:30 – 8:30pm      San Francisco
Soup is a nourishing, soul-feeding, delicious way to enjoy dinner. We love it and 18 Reasons wants to share some soup with you. Drop anytime for a bowl of vegetarian goodness and slice of crusty bread (and a beer if you like). As always, there will be music, too! They're making enough for 40 people, so bring a friend! If you RSVP they will be sure to have a bowl of soup for you. If you don't — they'll do their best! They want to feed the lot of you.

For more information, see the event page.

Learn to Forage
Sponsored by forageSF

Saturday, May 26, 2012    10am – noon      San Francisco
Education is a large component of what forageSF is trying to do. They teach people about whatıs edible in their local landscape, and in doing so, help them look at the area they live in a different way. Through guided walks, youıll learn to identify some of the wild edibles you see every day, with a focus on sustainable harvesting techniques, as well as the history of foraging in the Bay Area. The location, as well as details on your walk will be sent after you reserve a spot.

For more information, see their ticket page.

Handmade Tofu Workshop
Sponsored by 18 Reasons

Tuesday, May 28, 2012    7 – 9pm      San Francisco
Join 18 Reasons and author Andrea Nguyen for a demo on how to make your own tofu at home! Andrea will demonstrate and give you skills to make your own: Homemade tofu pudding, Sichuan-style savory tofu pudding with assorted garnishes, and pressed tofu and peanuts in spicy bean sauce. She will discuss how to choose soybeans, make fresh soy milk, and possible shortcuts. She will also talk about key Asian ingredients used in the recipes, such as chile bean sauce (dou ban jiang) and fermented black beans. Don't worry! There will be plenty of tasty bites to go around.

For more information, see the event page.

Make Your Own Greek Yogurt and Kefir with The Milkmaid
Sponsored by CUESA

Wednesday, May 30, 2012    5:30 – 7:30pm      San Francisco
This is Urban Kitchen SF's third class in a three-part series with The Milkmaid, Louella Hill. Fresh from traveling the country to share her cheese-making expertise with fellow cheese enthusiasts, The Milkmaid is partnering with CUESA and UKSF for a three-part cheese series. In the third and final class, we'll be learning how to make our own Greek-style yogurt. Not only is yogurt easy to make; it can be more economical than store-bought yogurt and is a great source of probiotics. As a bonus, the Milkmaid will also show you how to make kefir!

For more information, see the event page.

Italian Pasta School: Dry and Fresh
Sponsored by 18 Reasons

Sunday, June 3, 2012    5 – 8pm      San Francisco
L'Ingegno in Cucina – The Ingenious Cook, Viola Buitoni, will teach you in this two-part class how to take what you already have in your pantry, apply it to a template for any level chef, and create a successful recipe. Moving here from Perugia, Umbria in 1985 this Italian native's passion for food allowed her to open Buitoni & Garretti, a catering kitchen and Italian fine foods shop in New York City. Her time in San Francisco has been well spent by giving lectures of Italian food traditions, offering cooking classes in collaboration with the SF Italian Cultural Institute and Italian Consulate. The June 3rd class will focus on Fresh Pasta: Make 3–4 different doughs and the perfect sauces for each. In conclusion, of course, eating the creations.

For more information, see the 18 Reasons event page.

Unsung: Neglected Vegetable Heroes
Sponsored by 18 Reasons

Monday, June 4, 2012    6:30 – 9pm      San Francisco
Unsung illuminates the idea that some of the most delicious, enjoyable and memorable things to cook and eat are the foods most neglected in the modern kitchen: pea shoots, garnishing a tart of spring onion and bacon; fennel fronds, pounded into a piquant salsa verde; cardoons, braised and tossed with pasta and pecorino; kohlrabi, simmered with apple and pear and pureed into the most phenomenal soup. These overlooked foods are some of the most delicious and most affordable items at your farmers' markets and grocery stores! In this series we will tackle two unsung veggies per class. Class 1 of 3: Cardoons and daikon (maybe nettles . . .you'll have to sign up to find out!)

For more information, see the event page.

Peruvian Pop-Up
Sponsored by 18 Reasons

Wednesday, June 6, 2012    7 – 9pm      San Francisco
Join local chef Nico Vera for a night of a classic Peruvian food! He will be making the classic Peruvian dish: Aji de Gallina, a chicken stew. This will be a slightly spicy and very creamy chicken stew served with potatoes, boiled eggs, rice and a light salad. As always, there will be music to set the mood. Check out Nico's blog here.

For more information, see the event page.

Butter Love Bakeship: Sweet & Savory Dough Workshop
Sponsored by 18 Reasons

Sunday, June 10, 2012    3 – 7pm      San Francisco
Join 18 Reasons and Esa Yonn-Brown owner/ chef of Butter Love Bakeshop, a small bakery in SF. Working with her mom's recipes, Esa has perfected the art of the pie crust and wants to share the love! In this class you will learn the tricks to making the perfect doughs at home: sweet pie dough, savory pie dough, a tart dough and shortbread dough. Then you learn the secrets to make pies, empanadas, tarts and galettes! You will get to taste some of the recipes Esa is famous for! Everyone will get to go home with doughs they made to start baking in their own kitchen and lots of recipes to inspire the palate!

For more information, see the event page.

Unsung: Neglected Vegetable Heroes
Sponsored by 18 Reasons

Monday, June 18, 2012    6:30 – 9pm      San Francisco
Unsung illuminates the idea that some of the most delicious, enjoyable and memorable things to cook and eat are the foods most neglected in the modern kitchen: pea shoots, garnishing a tart of spring onion and bacon; fennel fronds, pounded into a piquant salsa verde; cardoons, braised and tossed with pasta and pecorino; kohlrabi, simmered with apple and pear and pureed into the most phenomenal soup. These overlooked foods are some of the most delicious and most affordable items at your farmers' markets and grocery stores! In this series we will tackle two unsung veggies per class. Class 2 of 3: Fennel (fronds and flowers) and purslane.

For more information, see the event page.

8th Annual Marin County Wine Tasting
Sponsored by Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT)

Saturday, June 23, 2012    3 – 7pm      Larkspur
Enjoy celebrated local wines and food at this benefit for MALT. The 8th Annual Marin County Wine Celebration will include some well-known labels and some promising new ones including: Dutton-Goldfield, Pacheco and Skywalker Ranches, Sean Thackery, Coulier, Pey-Marin, Point Reyes Vineyards and Stubbs Vineyards. Wine by the bottle and by the case will be for sale at a discounted price.

For more information, see the event page.

Unsung: Neglected Vegetable Heroes
Sponsored by 18 Reasons

Monday, June 25, 2012    6:30 – 9pm      San Francisco
Unsung illuminates the idea that some of the most delicious, enjoyable and memorable things to cook and eat are the foods most neglected in the modern kitchen: pea shoots, garnishing a tart of spring onion and bacon; fennel fronds, pounded into a piquant salsa verde; cardoons, braised and tossed with pasta and pecorino; kohlrabi, simmered with apple and pear and pureed into the most phenomenal soup. These overlooked foods are some of the most delicious and most affordable items at your farmers' markets and grocery stores! In this series we will tackle two unsung veggies per class. Class 3 of 3: Tomatillos and watermelon rind (alright, not a veggies, but really unsung).

For more information, see the event page.

The Farm Series: Early Summer Inspiration
Sponsored by 18 Reasons

Saturday, June 30, 2012    9am – 5pm      San Francisco
Yeehaw! 18 Reasons is hittin' the road this summer! In the first of their three part farm tour series with their trusty tour guide Simon Richards, the Head Farmer at Bi-Rite, they are visiting two incredibly inspirational farms: Mariquita Farm and Catalan Farm!

For more information, see the event page.

Pizzaiolo Primer: Making Homemade Pizza and Mozzarella
Sponsored by 18 Reasons

Sunday, July 1, 2012    4 – 8pm      San Francisco
The simplest recipes are often the trickiest to master. Jill Santopietro thinks pizza is like that. Join 18 Reasons for a pizza and mozzarella workshop. In this class, you'll learn how to make authentic Italian-style pizza and homemade mozzarella. You'll discuss flours, yeasts, doughs, ovens and temperature, as well as how to knead, make pizza sauce, and prepare toppings. You'll learn tricks of the trade that will take your pizza from just good to delicious. Next, you'll pull mozzarella curd to show you how easy and fun (not to mention delicious) it is to make mozzarella at home. In just 4 hours, you'll be on your way to becoming the resident pizzaiolo of your house. Forget burgers, this Fourth of July stun your friends with the best pizza they have ever eaten!

For more information, see the event page.

Fundamental Techniques of Asian Cuisines
Sponsored by 18 Reasons

Sunday, July 8, 2012    4 – 8pm      San Francisco
Thy Tran teaches intimate, casual, hands-on cooking classes that introduce home cooks to essential ingredients and techniques of Asian cuisines. In this series, emphasis will be placed on understanding the cultural context of each dish and developing confidence, common sense, and multi-sensory awareness in the kitchen. Get back to basics in this intensive series dedicated to the simple pleasures of cooking and eating whole. After scaling and gutting fish, butchering a chicken, and learning all about eggs, you'll learn how to prepare classic dishes of East Asia using traditional techniques. Class 1: Fish – Students will clean & fillet a whole fish. Emphasis will be placed on understanding dry heat vs. moist heat methods, identifying basic types of fish and judging desired doneness.

For more information, see the event page.

The Farm Series: Mid-Summer Sweetness
Sponsored by 18 Reasons

Saturday, July 21, 2012    9am – 5pm      San Francisco
Yeehaw! 18 Reasons is hittin' the road this summer! In the first of their three part farm tour series with their trusty tour guide Simon Richards, the Head Farmer at Bi-Rite, they are visiting two incredibly inspirational farms: Yerena and Tomatero Farms!

For more information, see the event page.

Fundamental Techniques of Asian Cuisines
Sponsored by 18 Reasons

Sunday, July 22, 2012    4 – 8pm      San Francisco
Thy Tran teaches intimate, casual, hands-on cooking classes that introduce home cooks to essential ingredients and techniques of Asian cuisines. In this series, emphasis will be placed on understanding the cultural context of each dish and developing confidence, common sense, and multi-sensory awareness in the kitchen. Get back to basics in this intensive series dedicated to the simple pleasures of cooking and eating whole. After scaling and gutting fish, butchering a chicken, and learning all about eggs, you'll learn how to prepare classic dishes of East Asia using traditional techniques. Class 3: Eggs – Eggs are among the most versatile and powerful ingredients in the kitchen. After learning some simple but fascinating science, you'll apply basic principles for creating varied tastes and textures in savory foods. In addition to preparing these recipes, we'll discuss many other ways that Asian cuisines highlight eggs.

For more information, see the event page.

The Farm Series: Late Summer Harvest
Sponsored by 18 Reasons

Saturday, August 25, 2012    9am – 5pm      San Francisco
For the final edition of 18 Reasons' farm tour series, they are staying close to home and visiting two farms that are near and dear to them. Guided by our fearless leader, Head Farmer at Bi-Rite Farmer Simon Richard, they are going to head north to Sonoma and visit Bi-Rite Family Farm and Oak Hill Farm. Operating the Bi-Rite Farm, even at their small scale, not only teaches us where our food comes from but also helps us understand the hard work that farmers and ranchers do to feed us. Like many of the growers 18 Reasons work with, they never use any chemical inputs, but prefer to farm organically and harvest at peak flavor. Additionally, many of their staff members help out on the farm and can share that experience with their guests. They also host Farm Summer School and the Full Moon Barn Dance. When in season, Bi-Rite's shelves are stocked with their apples, tomatoes, peppers, figs, cucumbers, eggplants, lettuces, honeys, jams and more!

For more information, see the event page.