My New Pop-Up Book

I got this beautiful woodcut pop-up book made by Alison Yates at Pretty Penny’s craft exposition this weekend.  This combined with a recent trip to Addison Endpapers is really tempting me to start making books.

It’s Monday Morning and I’m Excited About…

• Mandela Food Cooperative’s opening this past weekend.  West Oakland has not had a full service grocer in three years.  It’s unconscionable.  The worker-owned MFC is working to set this wrong right by supplying locals with food from farms no more than 170 miles away from Oakland and offering nutritional education workshops.  In addition, the cooperative will soon make grocery pick up available directly from West Oakland BART.  More from the Oakland Tribune here.  Congratulations to everyone who worked hard to make this happen!
• The Au Revoir Simone show this Saturday, June 13th at Bimbo’s in San Francisco.  You should visit their website to see some amazing collages and listen to lightly twinkeling bells and organ behind their smooth vocals (song: “The Lucky One”).  At $16 the show is a steal.  Why don’t you join me?

The women of Au Revoir Simone

• Heronswood, a new nursery discovery for special perrenials.  Heronswood has tons of hellebores (my favorite flower) in every color imaginable.  In spite of the fact I just planted seven new hellebores ranging from green to dark purple/black, I still want more.  I’m considering the “Ivory Prince” in particular.  And how about this oriental poppy called “Ruffled Patty?” How wild is she?

Ruffled Patty in all her glory

Announcement: What\’s Hot in Local Eating~Peko Peko!

I recently attended this fabulous event at 826 Valencia, moderated by the talented and beguiling Chris Ying.  How can you resist someone who dug up a mid-50\’s copy of James Beard\’s Cooking Fish and used it as his sole prop during a panel on the politics and science of food?

Each of the panelists talked about why we\’re interested in food and what about it interests us now.  If you, like these esteemed food journalists, are passionate about delicious morsels that meet Bonnie Azab Powell\’s critera for SOLE food (Sustainable, Organic, Local, Ethical) you\’ll LOVE Peko-Peko.  The mastermind behind the affair, Sylvan Mishima Brackett, cut his teeth as assistant to Alice Waters at Chez Panisse and editing The Slow Food Guide to San Francisco and the Bay Area.

This month, Peko-Peko  has created a Spring bento box available for delivery in the Bay Area.  

The bottom level of this two tier bento is filled with kanimeshi: fresh steamed Dungeness crab, seasoned California-grown Japanese rice, pickled ginger, and sansho pepper. The top layer includes three menchikatsu: Marin Sun pastured pork and onion cutlets and dashi maki tamago: rolled farm egg with fresh dashi. Made primarily with ingredients from around the Bay Area, it’s a taste of Tokyo by way of San Francisco. This bento serves 2-3 people and is $65.

Deliveries will be made every Wednesday in March. Orders must be placed by the Monday prior to delivery.

We had their osechi bento for New Year\’s and it soothed hard.  In other words, open a bento box and say hello to Soothistan!