Hot time, late summer in the city!

Except for those dreaded Friday nights when all that’s on your buff arm is your reusable canvas shopping bag.

Lumbering home from your hood’s green grocer, you pass that trendy Indian bistro and spy handsome couples in the window on double dates. They’re nursing ginormous chalices of red wine and laughing up a storm, eyes tearing from the tandoori and terribly clever banter. You feel resentful. You like red wine, too.

Take heart, neo nester. It’s commendable to eat in and save money. But hey, don’t do it alone, silly! Invite your cheap friends over Saturday night and play frugal gourmet as a unit.

For seven tips, I went to the source, Executive Chef Annie Somerville of the celebrated Greens Restaurant of San Francisco.

Greens is owned by the San Francisco Zen Center and Somerville teaches classes throughout the year at its Green Gulch organic farm. She has earned an international reputation for her imaginative approach to elegantly composed and simple vegetarian cooking, and is the author Everyday Greens (Simon & Schuster, 2003).

Here’s her greenprint for wearing your own chef’s hat and becoming the coolest home-buddy in town.

Annie’s Guide to Planning and Entertaining at Home in August:

1. Sustain your energy.

Don’t overextend yourself. You are having friends over so make sure it is fun for you, too.

2.The shopping is part of the deal.

It should begin at the farmers’ market and you should enjoy the entire experience as you plan your evening.

3. Shop at your local farmers’ market.

There is so much great seasonal produce right now at the farmers’ market, so cook up some great dishes using these fresh choices. I know it sounds cliche, but the most fun thing to do is grilling, which is great when you are running behind.

Appetizers: Stone fruit is good now, like peaches and nectarines. We are brushing a little olive oil on them and grilling them lightly, then drizzling lightly with local honey and serving on watercress, or any greens. Add a nice cheese like fromage blanc or a fresh white goat cheese. You can also shave cheese over the fruit. For figs, which are coming in now and will last quite late into the season, I use a big, aged balsamic or golden vinegar to create a reduction, and serve with goat cheese.

Entree: You could make a rustic, savory tartlet filled with eggplant, peppers and  grilled onions. You can grill those ingredients or roast them. You could also do corn which is so good now, making a tart filled with corn, chilies, onions, cheddar and cilantro. A simple dish is rounds of eggplants with big slices of peppers, onions and summer squash, all roasted separately. Make a gratin, layering in a baking dish with some cheese and big, torn up leaves of basil. Sprinkle Parmesan and crunchy delicious bread crumbs over the top. Put it in the oven, bake and serve. Delicious! The best of summer.

Side dish: Another thing we are doing as a side dish is using rosemary skewers, leaving a few sprigs on the tops, and grilling fingerling potatoes, wedges of squash and torpedo onions. You can put a big cherry tomato on them. The sprigs are fun and taste good.

Salad: Make a big green salad adding quinoa, parsley, tomatoes, olive oil and lemon. This is always a refreshing salad people dig into.

3. Invite your guests to help cook.

If things aren’t coming together as quickly as you like, ask friends to step in. They love to get involved and it actually puts them at ease, socially. Hand  someone a pair of tongs and say, “Hey, can you flip these onions?” I taught an outdoor cooking workshop at Tassajara and got everyone involved. It gets people engaged in a real way.

4. Make it informal and family style.

Anytime I can eat outdoors I do, and the more relaxed the better, and that is my rule for restaurants, too. I don’t feel like I’m a captive inside. I like the idea of everyone sitting down to a long, informal picnic table with big platters of food and good wine. Maybe you can set up a second table for a buffet if you need to. The more informality the better to make people feel at ease. These days everything is so structured and people need to relax and have a good time.

5. Opt for light, refreshing drinks.

A fresh iced mint tea is always good or  lemon verbena spritzer with lemonade and mineral water and sprigs of  verbena from the garden. On a warm night, a beautiful rose is ideal. I also like Spanish wines and Sauvignon Blancs on a warm summer night.

6. Use beeswax candles for ambiance.

Candles for sure, they are fun. Sometimes I resort to any ones I have. I have just been given beautiful beeswax candles from the farmers’ market people who produce honey for us, Snyder’s Farm. They are at the Tuesday farmers’ market at the SF Ferry Building.

7. Extend the simplicity to the dessert.

It’s always nice to offer coffee and tea and can be great to have a wonderful dessert wine, really simple. I love fruit crisps and cobblers. Short cakes also are easy to do. But if you can’t bake, just make a simple sundae with delicious vanilla ice cream and an assortment of berries. You can mash them and make a sauce. Or serve some good cookies and berries. A cluster of grapes is even good or melons and a cheese plate (light fresh goat, a cow’s milk cheese and  a sheep milk cheese, with toasted walnuts and almonds). Add a pretty platter with toasted bread.

* These days, Annie is “keeping her nose to the grindstone at Greens” but come the start of the year, you can visit her at the Chef’s Holiday Series at the Ahwanee Hotel in Yosemite.

Images: mccun934, Marilynn Taylor

Earth Day humbuggery aside, what are you doing on April 22nd? Here’s a list of treehuggin’ ideas and entertaining events across the country to celebrate our planet while having a blast.

Green Apple Festival

Uniting green advocates from ten cities from coast to coast, the nationally-coordinated Green Apple Festival is the largest Earth Day celebration in the country. While it began as a single event in New York City three years ago, the major metropolises of Boston, Washington DC, Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Austin, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle will all take part in the action this year and co-host this monumental gala the weekend before Earth Day. Through live entertainment, environmental activities and distinguished guest speakers, this combined effort aims to raise awareness of the green cause and inspire individuals to take an eco-friendly initiative.

Party for the Planet

Pass on eco-friendly practices to your little ones by treating them to a Party for the Planet in celebration of Earth Day. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums sponsors this fun-filled event at over a hundred locations across the country, including Phoenix, Denver, San Francisco, Dallas and Pittsburgh. In addition to learning about wildlife, they’ll enjoy activities that are both fascinating and fulfilling, such as measuring their eco-footprint, building a birdhouse and planting a seed to bring home and nourish. Click here to find one year you.

Disney’s Earth

Following the incredible journeys of a family of polar bears, African elephants and humpback whales, Disney’s Earth opens in theaters on Earth Day. From the creative team responsible for the acclaimed television series Planet Earth, this epic environmental film will touch and dazzle nature lovers of all ages with its remarkable footage and spectacular landscapes. Plus, if you buy a ticket to see this flick on Earth Day a tree will be planted in your name.

Earth Day in Central Park

Think you can’t get anything for free in the Big Apple? Well, get yourself to Earth Day in Central Park. Without spending a cent, you can commemorate this environmental holiday with demonstrations in composting and tree care, mulching and planting projects, recycled material crafts and live entertainment – all thanks to the Central Park Conservancy. Events will be held from noon until 4 pm on Sunday, April 26.

Environmental Film Festival

From April 16-19, Yale University is hosting an Environmental Film Festival in honor of Earth Day. Filmmakers of showcased documentaries and experts on featured topics will be on hand to answer questions and further educate attendees about critical green issues. And, it’s not just for students. Screenings and events are on the house and open to the public.

Earth Day on the National Mall

On Sunday, April 19, the nation’s capital will be abuzz with environmental solidarity in observance of Earth Day with famous figures like Edward Markey, member of the House of Representatives, Majora Carter, founder of Sustainable South Bronx and Denis Hayes, the man behind the very first Earth Day. In addition to these eminent guests, the anticipated Eco-Roadshow will feature exhibits from green companies and non-profit organizations.

Earth Stroll

With the purchase of an $8 eco-passport, Bay Area dwellers and visitors can honor Earth Day on Crissy Field. On Saturday, April 18, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy will host entertainment for the whole family at this popular outdoor spot as a tribute to the environment. Attendees of all ages can learn about native plants, participate in a bicycle rodeo and ride a biodiesel bus, all with live music jamming in the background.

Leap for Green

Kicking off the festivities on Saturday, April 18 with the Early Bird exploration, the Leap for Green Earth Day event outside of Seattle invites locals to get acquainted with the Reptile Man, EarthCorps, Full Circle Farms, renowned artist Marita Dingus and more. Wrap up the green celebration in the heart of nature by taking the Busy Beaver tour of the north wetlands.

Miami Goin’ Green

Featuring unique environmental exhibits like a bike-powered blender and a Nintendo Wii that runs on solar power, the Miami Goin’ Green Earth Day festival is sure to pique your eco interest. Here, you can honor our planet with workshops, seminars, live entertainment and interactive green experiments that will amuse children and adults alike. Ride your bike to Bayfront Park on April 25 and, in addition to complimentary admission, you can have your eco-friendly ride valeted for free.

Earth Day Festival and Flea Market in Clark Park

On Saturday, April 18, the City of Brotherly Love is expressing its devotion to Mother Nature with an entertaining festival in her name to commemorate Earth Day. Join your fellow environmental supporters at Clark Park for complimentary workshops on sustainability, health and gardening, a farmers’ market, green information booths, live music and more.

Earth Fair

With three stages for live entertainment, a long list of eco-friendly exhibitors, an activity area just for children and more, San Diego’s Earth Fair is shaping up to be quite the green gala. On Sunday, April 19 at Balboa Park, locals can learn how to make their living space more sustainable, admire artistic representations of endangered species made from recycled materials and take a peak at the future of more environmentally-conscious automobiles at the cleaner car concourse.

Wilshire Center Earth Day

If you live in Los Angeles or the surrounding area, spend Earth Day on Wilshire Boulevard. Here, you can sample organically-grown local produce at a farmers’ market or enjoy live entertainment from performers like Naked Rhythm and Mystic Journey. Bring your old electronics to have them recycled free of charge and take home a free fruit tree, compliments of the Mayor’s Million Trees Initiative.

Live too far from these major festivals? Click here to search for local celebrations in your area.

Image: mysi anne

Just when you thought a website like Etsy was fulfilling in satisfying your every desire to buy unique and handmade, Foodzie, a food marketplace shows up and tantalizes us with their “artisan producers and growers.”

Foodzie co-founders Rob LaFave, Nik Bauman and Emily Olson (twentysomethings all) started the online farmers market to connect farmers and food artisans from all over the country. Now, with over 35 producers (”and more in the pipeline,” says Olson), Foodzie can say their success in being the middleman is also to our benefit – allowing us access to homemade California cheeses, stone ground, organic chocolate from Massachusetts, and gluten free popcorn from Boulder, Colorado.

Single malt scotch bar by BonBonBar

Eager entrepreneurs with little capital to start a full-throttled retail or online business but wanting exposure to town lines far from their own see the impression Foodzie is having on the artisan and organic marketplace. Not only has Foodzie aggregated them on their site proper but has lent credibility and exposure to each where once they swam the internet sea without distinction.

We caught up with co-founder Emily Olson for some background on how it all got started.

How did you come up with the idea to start Foodzie?

I was working for a specialty food retailer as a brand manager working directly with the buyers. We had small food producers sending in samples everyday, trying to get their products on our shelves, but there were so many hoops they had to jump through to make it into the store. In a retail setting, there is limited shelf space and at the end of the day, everyone can’t make it onto the shelves. I was discovering some amazing products from small producers and realized that they just needed a better way to connect with all the foodies out there who are looking for high quality, unique and delicious products. So Foodzie was created to bring the two together.

How many food shows do you go for finding talent at Foodzie? What is your criteria?

We travel to about 4-5 shows per year. We tend to spend more of our time at farmers markets than food shows, simply because they are a better place to find the kind of producers we are looking for. Our criteria is listed at Foodzie.

I read in a recent New York Times article that Foodzie has gotten over 43,000 hits (now more of course) even with the sour economy. What makes you stand out? Why do people want to buy from you?

For us it’s about creating a whole different experience when it comes to buying food online. We love the stories behind our producers and from the beginning we’ve wanted Foodzie to be about their stories and their products and allow customers to connect with them. We’ve designed the site to really showcase how special each of their products are. This market of small producers is also very fragmented and I think our customers are excited to find a community where they can discover new products all in one place.

How do you decide who to feature on your blog?

Whatever we’re excited about that particular day.

Is there any chance you could run out of finding new artisans or are there too many to keep up with?

Not anytime soon. It’s amazing, once we started looking into this market, we realized how many small producers there are selling at farmers markets and small, independent grocery stores whom most people have never heard of.

What has been the overall reaction from your producers?

They seem really excited about the opportunity, not only to get their name out there but to be a part of a community that’s devoted to supporting producers like themselves. Most of them understand the importance of being online, but they just don’t have the time to focus on their own site and they lack marketing people to it. They are each really passionate about making their cookies, truffles or olive oil and that’s where they want to spend their time. They welcome the idea of letting us help them with their online business.

What was your most memorable taste experience since Foodzie began?

I’ve been seeking out the best granola for a long time and I never really felt like I had found “the one.” My sister introduced me to Cherry Chocolate Macadamia Nut Granola from Michele’s Granola in Baltimore, MD and I have been obsessed ever since. It has a light crispy texture that’s perfect with milk or just scooped up and munched on by the handful. Absolutely the best.

Shown at top: Brown sugar pecan shortbread cookie mix by The Lazy Baker.

]]> http://www.ecosalon.com/indie-foodzie/feed/ 2 http://www.ecosalon.com/pocket-markets-a-growin-trend/ http://www.ecosalon.com/pocket-markets-a-growin-trend/#comments Fri, 19 Dec 2008 11:00:20 +0000 Sarah Irani http://www.ecosalon.com/?p=4435

We crave convenience. Some of us are able to go out of our way to shop, live and act greener, but for a lot of very busy people, “going out of their way” is just not an option.

Enter pocket markets. These are single-stand farmers’ markets serving up fresh, local produce and eggs in places like government buildings, college campuses and neighborhood street corners every day of the week. Pocket markets are a perfect option for people on the go who don’t have the luxury of spending their Saturday morning perusing all the choices at the main farmers’ market.

Currently, FoodRoots out of British Columbia is on the pocket market forefront, but if you’d like to try setting one up in your community, check out the Pocket Market Toolkit. This is a trend I’d like to see crop up everywhere! Food is increasingly going the way of speedy and sustainable.

Image: Phil Romans

I’m a regular at the Farmers Market in my hometown. The vendors know what I like “Granny or Fuji, red or green, heirloom or cherry” and welcome me each Sunday with an update on their specials of the week.

It’s only if I’ve run out of something that I’ll reluctantly buy produce from the grocery store. This happened a few months ago when my brother called last-minute to tell me he was coming to town in two days.

I stock up on everything edible before he arrives. Kevin is younger than I, but taller and bigger and hungrier. Fujis are a favorite, so I bought five at the store to add to my fruit bowl, placing the one Fuji left from my Sunday market trip on top.

Upon his arrival, I received a quick hug before he made a bee-line for the fruit bowl. Rather than grabbing the apple on top (Farmers Market Fuji), he dug for one of the shiny, waxy versions (store Fuji). It was in that moment I realized the most counter-intuitive difference between a tasty, local, organically-grown apple and the grocery store version.

The store version may be attractive but ugly tastes better. A locally grown apple is more nutritious, having more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. And it isn’t coated with wax to preserve it during a week of traveling from farm to store. The organic farmer can avoid the wasteful packaging needed when apples are transported longer distances. And shorter travel time means fewer carbon emissions.

Find your own ugly apples at a Farmers Market near you.

Image: wuyeah