Category Archives: Going Green and Sustainable

Discover Misfits Market — And the Winner of the Food Gal Contest

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My Misfits Market order included butternut squash and sweet potatoes billed as "unconventional in size.''
My Misfits Market order included butternut squash and sweet potatoes billed as “unconventional in size.”

It may be named Misfits Market, but it has nothing to do with forlorn, forgotten toys.

Instead, get to know this online subscription marketplace that aims to deliver mostly organic and non-GMO produce and other foodstuffs to your door at affordable prices — and in the process reach a wider audience and cut down on food waste.

Unlike most CSAs, you can choose what’s in your delivery box, too. Shipping is a flat rate that varies by zip code but starts at $5.99.

The company was founded in Philadelphia in 2018 by Abhi Ramesh, a graduate of The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, who was named EY Entrepreneur of the Year in 2021 by Ernst & Young.

A grocery delivery service whose goal is to cut down on food waste.
A grocery delivery service whose goal is to cut down on food waste.

The company sources from farmers and producers across the country, as well as some items such as citrus and avocados from outside the United States.

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A Gold Star For Gold Ridge Organic Farms Apple Vinegars

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Gold Ridge Apple Cider Balsamic is so wonderful, you will even want to drink it -- in a shrub or cocktail.
Gold Ridge Apple Cider Balsamic is so wonderful, you will even want to drink it — in a shrub or cocktail.

Sebastopol’s Gold Ridge Organic Farms grows impeccable apples — more than 75 varieties, with many of them heirloom ones — available at its farm shop and area markets such as Whole Foods.

So, it’s no surprise that any products made from such primo apples are also stellar.

Recently, I had a chance to sample two new releases: Apple Cider Balsamic and Apple Cider Vinegar.

One taste of the Gold Ridge Apple Cider Balsamic will instantly make you go “Wow!”

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World Central Kitchen’s First Cookbook

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Chef Brooke Williamson's nourishing farro salad made with carrots and carrot juice.
Chef Brooke Williamson’s nourishing farro salad made with carrots and carrot juice.

It’s a good bet that following any disaster around the world no matter how far-flung, those jumping into action immediately after first responders are the chefs and volunteers of World Central Kitchen.

This global nonprofit was founded in 2010 by renowned Chef Jose Andres, who has a roster of restaurants around the United States.

After jumping into action to cook in Haiti after a devastating earthquake, he got the idea to create the organization. Since then, WCK has mobilized to serve more than 300 million meals worldwide.

Andres never expected that people would want recipes for the food served under those circumstances, he writes. But plenty did.

That’s what prompted “The World Central Kitchen Cookbook” (Clarkson Potter), of which I received a review copy. It was written by Andres and World Central Kitchen; with Sam Chapple-Sokol, editorial director of the Jose Andres Group.

All proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to WCK’s emergency efforts.

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A Visit To The Newly Refurbished Sea Ranch Lodge

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Petrale sole in broth at the restaurant at Sea Ranch Lodge.
Petrale sole in broth at the restaurant at Sea Ranch Lodge.

Sea Ranch, CA — For those in the Bay Area longing for a serene staycation, look no further than the newly refurbished Sea Ranch Lodge.

Overlooking the Pacific Ocean on the Sonoma Coast just 100 miles north of San Francisco, this 53-acre property is the perfect place to unplug, unwind, unravel and thoroughly revel in the beauty of nature.

That’s just what I experienced when I was invited as a guest overnight recently.

The look of the property is all Scandinavian chic, punctuated by clean lines and exteriors the calming color of driftwood.

Pomo Native Americans once gathered kelp and shells from the shores. Early settlers established sheep ranching in the 1800s, which is reflected in the eye-catching ram logo of the property.

In 1964, a master plan was forged for the community that would preserve its natural beauty while allowing for the construction of 2,200 homes. Walk the trail above the beach and you’ll spot markers with more information about the community, including how the homes were built around a central meadow so that each one is afforded an unobstructed view. Some of the houses still sport the original Scandinavian-inspired sod roofs, too, with native grasses sprouting from them.

The newly refurbished Sea Ranch Lodge main building.
The newly refurbished Sea Ranch Lodge main building.
The lodge features 17 rooms.
The lodge features 17 rooms.
A fire pit steps from the accommodations.
A fire pit steps from the accommodations.

Sea Ranch Lodge, built in 1968, is one of the oldest buildings, which originally served as a community hub with post office, general store, and later a hotel.

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Exploring Southern Oregon: Long Walk Vineyard

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Grenache vines at Long Walk Vineyards, which bucks the trend for Pinot Noir in Oregon and specializes in Rhone varietals instead.
Grenache vines at Long Walk Vineyards, which bucks the trend for Pinot Noir in Oregon and specializes in Rhone varietals instead.

Ashland, OR. — Stanford grads Kathy and Tim O’Leary were looking for a second home that would allow them to take a break from their hectic lives in Palo Alto where she was an engineer and he was an attorney.

They started scouting around in a circumference of a 2-hour’s drive away in California before ultimately settling on a spot nearly 8 hours away in Oregon.

That’s why their Ashland winery was dubbed Long Walk Vineyard. Or so the story goes. You can understand why they extended their search so far north, though, once you gaze upon this this 50-acre historic orchard on a hill that they purchased in 2000.

The 2021 Carignane with charcuterie board that includes the winery's own honey.
The 2021 Carignane with charcuterie board that includes the winery’s own honey.

That’s what I found when I visited the beautiful property a couple weeks ago, where unlike most wineries in this region, Pinot Noir is not king, but Rhone varietals are.

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