A New Start
This season brings renewal and rejuvenation. It’s the time of year when we shake off the dormancy of winter and turn our faces to the increasing light of the sun. I too am embracing the change that comes with this season, stepping out of my home in Willits that I have loved for fifteen years into a tiny cottage in Fort Bragg. I have visited the coast my entire life, but this moment seemed right to take that experience to the next level. A change like this is as exhilarating as it is at times stressful—and challenging, sorting through a decade of “stuff” that I had accumulated not just in the house but in the attic, the garage, and the yard. I welcomed the deadline of moving, requiring a final date to force me to decide “does this stay in my life or can I let it go.”
Throughout this process, I am reminded of the importance of self-renewal and rejuvenation. The passing of the holidays, family obligations, and taxes that come in winter can take a personal toll. The springtime is a moment to consider turning that energy inward. Maybe it is a good time to take a mini-vacation to a hot spring, see page 45, to soak up the heat of those mineral-rich waters. Wilbur Resort is a dream, Orr Hot Springs is close enough for a day trip, and Harbin Hot Springs has just reopened after years of fire recovery.
Or maybe your idea of self-care is to take the time to make some nutritious homecooked meals. Cooking with foraged nettles, like the recipe by Chef Janelle Weaver on page 32 can reduce blood pressure, calm inflammation, and a provide a host of other benefits.
However you choose to replenish, we welcome this season as as a time of new beginings. I, for one, will be settling into my new cottage, where restorative walks on the coastal trail are just steps away. Just as the new blossoms are reaching for the strengthening sun, let us embrace the changes in our lives that bring renewal and growth. Yours in gratitude, Holly Madrigal
Peas Be With You
by Emily Polsby
“I like to cook with spring peas because they contain the essence of springtime,” says Chef Cooper Bogard of The Inn at Newport Ranch. The Inn opened to the public in late 2015, and immediately thereafter they set about planting an organic garden to supply the inn’s kitchens. The inn sits on 2000 acres beside the ocean near Westport, and with the stiff salty breeze off of the Pacific, brassicas thrive. As a result, the guests’ plates are graced with cabbage, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. The garden also grows vegetables, herbs, greens, and flowers—and, in the spring, PEAS.
This versatile vegetable is light, crunchy, and sweet. It’s a great nibbler raw but can undergo high heat and fermentation without losing its crispness. It’s high in fiber and packed with vitamins, hitting that good-for-you-and-also-delicious sweet spot. Chef Cooper likes to remove the peas from the pod to add their fresh sweet flavor to his dishes in the form of tiny, caviar-esque packages.
The inn’s guests particularly like his spring pea fricassée with local ling cod, whipped herb crème fraîche, watercress, smoked chili oil, pickled mirepoix, and pea blossoms. “Pairing the seafood from this region with our spring peas is a great way to achieve delicate yet full flavored dishes that accentuate the sweetness of the peas and mild brininess of the fish's flesh,” he observes.
Chef Cooper advises home cooks that spring peas cook in a short amount of time, so don’t get distracted when steaming or sauteéing them as they can overcook easily. They are fairly easy to grow in most parts of the country. Ask around to find out which varietals work best in your particular hardiness zone—and remember, it's important to help the tendrils catch the trellis. If you grow them yourself, the blossoms from most varietals can be added to salads and pasta.
Keep this tasty spring staple in mind next time you want to add some fresh flavor to your dish. Beware when picking them— they are so tasty raw that it’s easy to deplete your harvest before you make it back to the kitchen.
Chef Cooper’s Spring Pea Fricassée with Local Ling Cod
Ingredients:
• 1 c thinly sliced whole spring peas
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 c mirepoix (2 oz. diced carrot, 2 oz. diced celery, 4 oz. diced onion)
• 1/2 c fumét (fish stock—see below)
• 1/4 c white wine
• 2 T butter to sweat the mirepoix
• 1 T butter
• 6 oz piece of ling cod
• About 3 c of bouillon (enough to
cover the piece of fish)
• 1/2 c basil and mint infused crème fraîche (see below)
• 2 oz watercress
• 1 T smoked chili oil
• 2 oz pickled mirepoix
• 3 pea blossoms
• Sea salt to taste
Start this recipe at least 24 hours in advance to prepare the creme fraiche and the fumét.
Fricassée
Cook the first three ingredients on low heat until translucent. Add wine and fumét and cook the mixture until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Add pieces of cold butter and rotate the pan slowly as they melt. Set aside. Poach the cod in bouillon. Whip the crème fraîche. Toss the watercress with vinaigrette. Assemble the plate by putting fricassée down first, fish second, then pipe three quarter sized dots of the herb creme fraiche around the plate, place a blossom on each. The watercress and pickled mire poix go on top of the fish. Drizzle chili oil over everything, then sprinkle sea salt over the fish.
Créme Fraîche
Mix 2 c heavy cream, ¼ c buttermilk, 10 basil leaves and 5 mint leaves in a glass jar. Cover tightly with cheesecloth and a rubber band and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours. Remove the herbs, refrigerate mixture until cold, then whip with whisk attachment until stiff peaks form.
Fumét
• 1 ling cod carcass
• 4 oz leek chopped
• 4 oz carrot chopped
• 4 oz celery chopped
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 T black peppercorns
• 1oz parsley
• 3 gloves garlic smashed
• 1 T ginger grated
• 2 T salt
Put all ingredients in stock pot and cover with ice. Turn on low heat until ice is melted and turn off just as it reaches a simmer. Strain and reserve liquid. Discard solids into your compost.
The Inn at Newport Ranch lies between Fort Bragg and Westport on the site of a former lumber chute. They strive to serve "North Coast seasonally-inspired ranch cuisine” and use as many local ingredients as possible alongside the bounty from their own gardens.
31502 North Highway 1
Fort Bragg, California 95437
TheInnAtNewportRanch.com
Carson & Bees
The Business of Bees—Here and Elsewhere
Carson Elmer is as local as it gets. He was born and raised in Potter Valley, did 4H with his mom and woodworking with his dad, and started beekeeping at the age of 12 under the guidance of family friend Jack Booth of Cinnamon Bear Farm. He has run some version of his business, Carson & Bees, ever since, most recently with his wife Elizabeth, out of their home in Ukiah. The business has never earned enough to be his full-time occupation, though, so he worked for 11 seasons as a CalFire wildland firefighter before the birth of his daughter, Marian Alice (“Mae” for short), in 2017. After that, he became a carpenter with Hawkes Construction to stay closer to home.
The dream to work for himself as a beekeeper has always been at the back of his mind. To take a step in that direction, in February Carson, Elizabeth, Mae, and their dog Bee made the move east to Davis. It’s the first time he’s ever lived outside of Mendocino County, and it was a tough decision to make. Carson and Elizabeth are both deeply rooted in the community. “Having to tell so many people that we were leaving was incredibly hard,” says Elizabeth. “Every time I left the house, I would run into someone I had to break the news to. Lots of people thought I was joking at first— that’s how unexpected this move was for us.”
Carson is now a full-time beekeeper for Davis-based Tauzer Apiaries. “Our friends own and operate the business,” says Carson. “I feel really lucky to have an opportunity to work with people I respect and like. When we decided to take Carson & Bees to the next level, they were our first stop.” Carson plans to work for Tauzer for two years to learn the ins and outs of commercial-scale beekeeping, and then he plans to return home to give it a go on his own. “There isn’t anyone in Mendocino County that can give me this kind of experience,” explains Carson. “The biggest operations that are nearby are in the Central Valley, close to the almonds.”
Late winter and spring are the most intense time of year for beekeeping. During almond pollination, it’s estimated that upwards of 90% of all U.S. hives are in the Central Valley—literally hundreds of thousands of honeybee hives. Beekeepers negotiate contracts with almond growers, move their hives in before the trees bloom and back out again six weeks later. Then the springtime work starts. Healthy hives are split to form two or three new hives, queens are bred to replace older generations, and bees are moved around to pollinate a variety of crops including apples, pears, and sunflowers. Spring and early summer are also peak honey production time. The more rain a region gets, the more honey it produces. “By starting work in February, I got to start at the beginning of the beekeeping year,” says Carson. “That will let me watch and learn from the full cycle, rather than starting in the middle.”
For the next two years—or until the Elmers return to Ukiah—Carson & Bees will be on hiatus. They have enjoyed working with Mendocino County locations that support the local food movement. Carson & Bees honey can be found at the Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op, Westside Renaissance Market, Hopper’s Corner Store, Redwood Valley Market, Surf Market, several winery tasting rooms, and through the MendoLake Food Hub. “We stocked everyone up before we left,” says Elizabeth. Buy now, because once the stock is depleted there will be no more until the family returns. The good news about honey is it never goes bad, so their 2018 surplus can be stored until they return. Says Elizabeth, “We still have lots of jars and labels, so when we come back it’s just a matter of putting our stored honey in the bottling tank, and we’ll be back in business.”
Carson’s hives have been absorbed into Tauzer Apiaries. When he is no longer an employee there, he will get the same number of hives back. “It also takes away the burden of caring for my own hives while I work for them,” says Carson.
Anyone who has been paying attention to the news knows that bees are in trouble, and beekeeping is a tough industry these days. “It used to be that you checked on your hives once a year, and most of them survived the winter,” says Carson. “Now beekeepers have to intervene with mite treatment and supplemental feeding several times a year, and it’s normal to lose half or more of your hives every winter.” The next two years will give Carson the opportunity to see if his dream of being a full-time, independent beekeeper is viable or not. But one way or another, Carson & Bees will return to Mendocino County.
“We’re not selling our house or any of my equipment,” says Carson. Adds Elizabeth, “We love it here—this is our community. We’ll be back.”
Photos by Dustin Cantrell
Beth Swehla
& the Anderson Valley High Agricultural Education Program
by Torrey Douglass
To truly grasp a concept, there is no substitute for direct experience. Although the benefits of hands-on, project-based learning has been recognized by educators for a long time, it has risen to new popularity in recent years as schools focus on STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) in an effort prepare students for 21st century jobs. Hearing a teacher discuss how to plant a garden is one thing. Going outside and putting your hands in the dirt is entirely different, and offers a much better method for understanding what gardens are all about.
It’s just that kind of outdoor getting-your-hands-dirty work that is most satisfying to agriculture teacher, farm manager, and FFA advisor Beth Swehla. Beth began working at Anderson Valley Junior and Senior High School the summer of 1989. She was hired to manage the 7-acre farm, maintaining and improving facilities, watering gardens, and supervising student projects. At the time, the program was nationally known, employing two ag teachers and a secretary, as well as the farm manager. Exchange students would come from other countries to participate. Within a couple of years, Beth began teaching part-time, and while you could say she’s been working in the classroom ever since, she’s actually been working outside of it as much as possible.
“I’m not a fan of paperwork. I like to be outside with kids doing stuff—I like the hands-on, active learning,” Beth muses. She thinks of the agricultural education program as “the original STEM education,” where students pick a destination and Beth helps them get there. Earlier in the year, two of her 11th graders wanted to start a fall garden. It was too late to put seeds in the ground, and Beth didn’t have any young plants, so she reached out to the agriculture instructor at Mendocino College in Ukiah, Jim Xeangeanes. A day or two later, the students and Beth drove over to Ukiah to visit Jim. They came back with the bed of the pickup full of donated seedlings—more than enough for their gardens—and got a tour of the college’s new hoop houses to boot.
The gardens the juniors planted represent one circle in the three circle model that comprises the ag program at Anderson Valley Junior/Senior High School: Future Farmers of America (FFA), classroom teaching, and Supervised Ag Experiences (SAE). FFA guides students in moving up levels by earning degrees through various activities, focusing on leadership skills, character development, and preparation for careers in agriculture, like practice job interviews. The organization currently has 80,000 members in California, and the highest level a student can reach is the state FFA degree. Students who achieve this are like the Eagle Scouts of FFA.
Supervised Agricultural Experiences are another aspect of the model, and this is where the hands get dirty, quite literally. The 6’ x 8’ gardens her students will each plan, plant, and care for this spring qualify as SAEs, as did the gardens of her two 11th graders. (Bonus: Getting kids to eat vegetables is a lot easier when they’ve grown them on their own.) These projects can also happen over the summer and include anything from running a lawn mowing business, working at the local feed store, or raising chickens or other farm animals to show at the Redwood Empire Fair in August. If a student expresses interest in a particular project for their SAE, Beth will go to great lengths to put the tools and materials in their hands to make it happen.
The one thing she won’t do is the actual work—that’s up to the students. The farm has fenced pasture, livestock barns, and chicken coops where the students can house their animals. There are tools, equipment, and most importantly, the experience and knowledge of Beth herself. But the students need to show up every day to care for their farm goat, sheep, or chickens.
Beth has been teaching in the ag program for thirty years and does what she can to keep things fresh. Gone are the days when an ag program enjoyed the staff and support it had when she started, and just in the last couple of years the farm manager position was axed as well, leaving Beth to run the program on her own. Fortunately, there is an extensive online community of ag teachers from across the country she can turn to—there’s even a podcast specific to this particular group of educators. Still, it’s a lot of work. “We could work 100 hours a week and still not get it all done,” she says. But she does what she can, and to hear her start listing the various fundraisers and service projects, the SAEs and field trips, it’s no small amount.
One way Beth gets so much done is by tapping into a strong local network of ag teachers and professionals. Her generous attitude toward sharing resources and knowledge turns out to be typical of those teaching in her field. “I know all of the ag teachers in this county and the counties around us. I don’t think teachers in other disciplines could say the same for their colleagues at other schools. We’re always talking, sharing ideas—it’s a big help.” Due to the wide variety of projects students pursue, that network comes in handy for answering questions about anything from irrigation systems and pest control to how to help a goat give birth. It’s also great if you need to call up the head of the department of Agriculture at Mendocino College for some plant starts.
What seems to drive Beth’s high commitment to her students is the joy of expanding their worldviews and showing them how capable they are. “The program changes kids’ lives,” says Beth. “The more involved they are, the more it changes them. It gets them out of this tiny town and teaches them skills, like how to use a t-post puller.” To illustrate, she pulls out her phone to share a video of a group of boisterous seventh graders circled around a t-post with the aforementioned t-post puller in their hands. They try various ways to get that post out of the ground, but the device is not exactly intuitive. Beth stands back, occasionally giving tips but mostly staying out of their way as they experiment. The kids talk to each other, sharing turns and giving suggestions, and finally the post is pulled free as the kids step back, looking satisfied.
Not a lot of curriculums get kids outside to find out how a t-post puller works. The ag program is a place where students who might not thrive in the traditional classroom setting can stretch their proverbial wings. Kids who think they aren’t artistic take Beth’s floral design class and discover they can make beautiful arrangements. Those who join the lambing and kidding crew get pulled out of other classes to help a goat birth her kid (and, believe me when I tell you, after seeing the video, that is truly a HANDS ON task). They travel around the state for FFA gatherings and get together on a Saturday in late October to bake hundreds of cookies that are frozen so they can be added to the food bank’s Thanksgiving boxes. They plant seeds. They submit veggies in the county fair and make wreaths and centerpieces in December. They sell flowers to the student body for Valentine’s Day and work the plant sale on Mother’s Day. It's a busy scene.
Beth is one of those rare people who heard her calling at a young age. Although her dad worked for the telephone company, he was also an avid gardener at their home in Fort Bragg, teaching Beth the joys of planting and harvesting. She joined the Fort Bragg FFA, where she fell in love with ag education, and later attended Fresno State for ornamental horticulture and plant science. Now with thirty years' experience behind her, she’s not showing any signs of slowing down. AV FFA hosted 150 FFA members in January for a speaking contest, the goats began birthing in February, the sheep in March, and not long after the Mother’s Day plant sale will help raise funds for the program in May. Did I mention it's a busy scene?
Beth's work has not gone unnoticed. At the 2014 National FFA Convention in Louisville, KY, she was awarded the Honorary American FFA Degree. In 2018, she won two awards from the California Agricultural Teachers Association: one for Mendo-Lake Section Outstanding Single Person Department and another naming her a Mendo-Lake Section Teacher of Excellence. While it’s nice to get recognized, her motivations run a little deeper, and it’s fair to say her career has embodied the FFA motto:
Learning to Do, Doing to Learn,
Earning to Live, Living to Serve.
Torrey Douglass is a web and graphic designer living in Boonville with her husband, two children, and a constantly revolving population of pets and farm animals.
The Long and Winding Road to Poleeko
by Alan Thomas
John Bemesderfer is used to growing things. From farming to parenting to raising pigs with his wife's uncle, he knows how to put in the hard work and thoughtful care to bring an idea to fruition. An experienced restaurant worker with a childhood spent in the kitchen with his aunts, he'd thought about opening an eating establishment before. Then, a couple years ago, he watched along with the rest of the community as the former site of the highly popular Mexican restaurant in Philo—Libby's—received an extensive makeover. Combine that with encouragement from friends and family, and John made up his mind to open the Poleeko Roadhouse.
When locals learned of John's intentions, an anticipation took hold that bordered on impatience for those of us who had already tasted John's cooking. Opening a restaurant takes time, and all we could do was wait as the lengthy list of permits and regulations were applied for and attended to. In the meantime, we remembered the home-raised pork dishes John has served up at parties and local community events, as well as his pop up Asian food night in Boonville a few years ago, inspired by his wife Regine's fried rice, where he sold 94 meals in 40 minutes.
Like so many life dreams, the restaurant idea took root long before John had even heard of Philo, California. John was raised in West Virginia by his father and two aunts on the family farm, 150 acres on the edge of the Ohio River. They grew a mix of dairy cattle, row crops, and 100 acres of alfalfa. From the age of ten, John worked the hay fields and remembers those river-flooded bales as the heaviest he's ever lifted.
As the youngest in his pack of cousins by four years, John was often left behind as the older kids went out to have their fun. Consequently, he spent a lot of time in the kitchen with his aunts as they prepared large family dinners. One of his earliest memories is picking turkey meat off a carcass to make stock, then later rolling out the handmade noodles and cutting them with an electric carving knife for turkey noodle soup.
With all of his fingers still intact, John graduated high school and went straight into the Navy. He got to travel the world as a Bosun's mate on the USS Enterprise, a photo of which sits above the bar in the restaurant. Correspondence courses at sea helped him further his education, and at 24 he left the Navy and entered college in Arizona as a junior. He loved world history and thought he'd teach high school, but after a stint as a substitute teacher—wearing a tie daily and getting worn down by both the kids’ attitudes and their sometimes heartbreaking home problems—it became apparent that teaching was not the career path for him.
In high school, John had worked as a dishwasher in local restaurants. Later, he tended bar when he could and worked as a line cook while on leave from the Navy to supplement his low pay. His unstoppable work ethic and versatile skills meant he could pick up shifts wherever he was, be it the Tap House in Norfolk, Virginia (where he was stationed in the Navy), the Kingfisher restaurant in Tucson, Arizona or, as it was known locally, Bob's Eat and Get the Hell Out Grill in Nagshead, North Carolina. In college he worked in carpentry on the weekends. As his father said, if you can cook or tend bar and also know carpentry, you'll always make a living. When things are good there'll be plenty of building work, and when times are hard, folks need a drink!
Work in construction brought John to Santa Cruz. It was a great scene for his 20s, but in his 30s it felt a little too fast-paced, and there was no way he was going to be able to afford a home. Ready for something else, he helped a friend move to Anderson Valley for a summer job. He stuck around for the season, and when the time came for his friend to head back, John took a look around, liked what he saw, and decided to stay.
The fact was the rolling green (at least in spring) hills covered in oaks, as well as the easygoing community, reminded John of growing up in West Virginia. At first he worked construction in the valley and around the county, building high end homes for the contractor whose niece John would later marry. He began raising pigs—Mangalitsa and Mangalitsa cross breeds, a Hungarian pig with wool-like hair, known for its flavor and good marbling. He catered a friend's wedding, as well as his own to wife Regine, then later he was hired to do hog roasts and bbqs at the Not-So-Simple Living Fair and various AV Wine Association events. From this "hobby" came a joint venture with his uncle-in-law, Jim Boudoures, and Mendocino Heritage Pork Company (MHPC) was born. Together they raise and sell free range pork to restaurants and locals alike, who purchase the meat by the quarter pig, half pig, or whole pig.
When the restaurant opportunity materialized, John and Regine paid considerable attention to the type of eatery they wanted to offer. They wanted to serve high quality food at a price that locals could afford, and they wanted to minimize the number of outside suppliers, keeping food sources as local as possible. Other than their own Mendocino Heritage Pork Company, the restaurant uses two purveyors: one for meat and one for produce. Regine travels to the coast to pick up fresh fish off the boats, so the fish tacos and the fish and chips are as fresh as can be.
The menu is concise and diverse, with Hawaiian, Asian, and even Indian dishes showing up on the menu beside the "country cooking" entrees. Breakfast options include homemade biscuits and gravy, as well as fresh egg dishes with hand cut country potatoes, and a memorable corned beef hash adorned with egg and gravy. Dinner starters include six Rocky Chicken wings in a housemade, sticky ponzu sauce and Dungeness crab cakes on baby greens with a garlic aioli and chili sauce.
The entrees usually include at least one MHPC product including my personal favorite, the Farm Burger. Unlike a regular beef hamburger (named after the German City of Hamburg where it was first created), this burger is a ham(pork)burger. The ground pork is mixed with peppers and mushrooms and topped with smoked bacon, served on a rustic roll with cheddar and homemade pickles. Accompanied by hand cut fries and coleslaw, this popular burger contains a depth of flavor that keeps me coming back. Regine's House Fried Rice with either pork, chicken, or veggies has also become the best seller—after all, as John says, almost everyone likes Chinese food. You'll usually find these dishes alongside Jay's World Famous Ribs, house smoked using local hardwoods, and the fresh local Rock Cod and Chips. Personally, I've not made it to the dessert menu as I'm usually fully satiated at this point— the portions are very generous!—although I'm reliably informed by my wife and kids that they're equally good!
The Poleeko Roadhouse is most definitely a family affair. Regine takes care of the administrative work for the restaurant, placing food and beverage orders with the purveyors, prepping in the kitchen, and making the coast runs for fresh fish. After school, the bus drops off their three boys—Noah, Cyrus and Sam—at the restaurant, where they grab a little family time before Regine takes the boys home and John takes the helm for the evening.
John and Regine’s son, Sam, helps in the kitchen
When asked what have been the highs and lows to date, John ran off a list of things that I found quite telling, both of him as a restaurant proprietor and as a father. One highlight occurred when he found himself talking at the bar with an Indian couple from San Francisco visiting the valley for the weekend. The woman, Shafali, was 8 months pregnant, and the conversation turned to John's love of Indian food. John said he'd love to take a culinary course at some point in order to improve his skills cooking Indian cuisine, and the next day Shafali turned up and proceeded to spend the next three hours teaching him how to make chicken curry the way her grandmother taught her, including chapati (thick Indian bread). He's served it a few times—look for Shafali's Chicken Curry on the menu—and they've stayed in touch.
Regarding the lows, John did not even stop for a second before stating he missed having the time to take the boys fishing. It's gone from twice a week before the restaurant opened to only once over the entire 2018 summer! Of course, there are more restaurant-based worries, like how do you forecast the size of crowds you're going to get and the challenge of managing staff, but I just love the fact that it was family that came up first!
On the ride home, I turned to my 13 year old daughter and said, "You're getting to grow up amongst some really great people. I could listen to his stories for hours." As the conversation had lasted longer than her teen-age patience, she sarcastically replied, "We just have!"
Poleeko Roadhouse
8651 Highway 128, Philo, CA (707) 895-7427 | poleekoroadhouse.godaddysites.com
Open for breakfast and lunch Fri – Sun, dinner Wed –Sun
You can purchase local, free range, GMO-free pork by the quarter hog through Mendocino Heritage Pork Company. Call 707 376 5563 to order.
Alan Thomas lives in Boonville. He has a small homestead where he raises livestock and a pair of kids with his wife. He enjoys making a good meal almost as much as eating one. p15 photo by Mimi Giboin Photography; p16 door handle photo
Copper River Mother Lode
The Challenges and Rewards of Eating in the Alaskan Wilderness
by Lisa Ludwigsen
Doritos and Twinkies for lunch was a low point in our fast and furious tour of northern Alaska. But when you’re in the tiny town of Anaktuvuk Pass, in the heart of Gates of the Arctic National Park, deep within the Arctic Circle, you gratefully eat what is on hand. Fortunately, our Alaskan culinary adventure became much more appetizing in subsequent days.
I was tagging along on the painting odyssey of my friend, Mary Fassbinder. Mary was three years into an ambitious project to paint each of the nation’s 60 national parks. I was lucky to be invited along on visits to four of the eight Alaskan national parks. We visited Denali, then traveled into the Arctic Circle to the utterly remote Kobuk Valley and Gates of the Arctic national parks, which are accessible only by plane. In fact, Kobuk Valley has no roads, no rangers, guest quarters, or visitor centers—nothing except an undeniable and absolutely exhilarating wilderness. In order to paint that park, Mary chartered a single engine plane out of Fairbanks. Flying low for over six hours, I could not have imagined that this breathtaking landscape was so expansive. After a fast, short landing on the sculptural Great Kobuk Sand Dunes, Mary jumped out, quickly picked a spot, and started painting. This was the moment I truly understood Mary’s style of plein air painting—painting out in the open, recording a scene as it is right in the moment. We left Kobuk Valley a quick 1-1/2 hours later, headed for our next destination.
During those few days, food was clearly a secondary concern. We ate what was on hand, including that distantly familiar moist, creamy, and fluffy Twinkie. It had been decades since I had consumed one of those perennial Hostess delights.
Next up was Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, down a 66-mile dirt road winding through the Copper River watershed. Before jumping onto that long bumpy road, we fueled up at a gas station in the small town of Copper Center. It was here, amid the jumble of hunters, tourists, and locals, that the culinary aspect of our journey took a fortuitous turn. When looking for locations to camp or paint, it always helps to talk to the locals, and Mary is a gifted talker. The rig filling up ahead of us hauled a trailer laden with two dusty ATVs and two equally dusty camo-clad guys, who were heading home from a fruitful fishing trip where each of them had landed 60, yes 60, salmon. That’s world-renowned Copper River sockeye salmon! When Mary asked if they had any to spare, one friendly fellow reached into his cooler and handed us three gallon-sized ziplock bags filled with glistening, deeply orange, sweet-smelling filleted salmon. After days of food on the go, we did a little happy dance and headed to Wrangell.
So three car-camping Californians headed down a 66 mile dirt road to a place we’d never been, in a borrowed pick-up with very limited camping gear. Little did I know that I was about to enjoy one of the best meals of my recent life.
According to the Copperriver.org, a collective of Alaskan fishermen, “The Copper River is the birthplace of three wild Alaskan salmon species. The salmon live as adults in the Gulf of Alaska and the Pacific Ocean. Every year king, sockeye, and coho return to the Copper River to make the arduous 300-mile migration up the turbulent waters in order to spawn. Because the Copper River is so long and steep these fish must pack on sufficient fat reserves to fuel their epic journey— resulting in salmon rich in heart-healthy fatty acids and flavorful oils. The fish’s distinct regional DNA and lifecycle yield the world’s finest salmon.”
When these professionals describe the Copper River as turbulent, they aren’t kidding. As an explorer of our beloved Sierra Nevada and Northern California, I know clear running rivers, where fish are visible. Alaskan glacial rivers are quite different—brown, murky, rushing heartily downstream. I couldn’t understand how a fish could live in that ultra-murky water. Boy, was I wrong.
As soon as we were somewhat settled at our campsite along the chocolate milk colored, sediment-laden, rushing river draining from the Kennicott Glacier, Mary ventured out to paint, and I ventured into preparing dinner, while her husband, Dusty, made the fire. We were limited to just a tiny backpacking stove, vintage aluminum pot, salt and pepper, and a few basics from the cooler—olive oil, lemon, and parsley.
And here is where I learned the beauty of seared salmon, because our set-up did not allow for any subtleties; the old lightweight pot was either cold or screaming hot. What resulted was crispy skin and cooked flesh that transitioned to barely opaque pink interior. I tend to cook and eat simply, and this silky textured treasure from the wild waters needed no more than what we had available. We ate that fish for four days, for breakfast and dinner, and snacked on leftovers, folding the last remnants into an omelet in the kitchen of kind friends in Anchorage on my last day in Alaska.
Fortunately, Mendocino County shares a rich history and appreciation for our own salmon and steelhead varieties, and although river populations have been decimated due to a variety of man-made factors, there are some glimmers of hope and many environmental groups working to restore vital habitat. Sustainably caught ocean king and coho salmon can be found at Princess Seafood Market in Noyo Harbor and at the Ukiah Farmers Market. The Fish Peddler in Ukiah also sells local salmon.
And if you ever get a chance to visit ANY of our national parks or the Copper River, jump on it. The wild places are waiting for you!
To find out more about local salmon and steelhead populations, check out the Nature Conservancy’s extensive reporting at casalmon.org.
Follow Mary Fassbinder’s National Parks Painting Project at www.fassbindergallery.com.
Previous page: Center photo by Mary Fassbinder. Other photos by Lisa Ludwigsen.
Lisa Ludwigsen is marketing manager at Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op. For the last 25 years, she has worked with families, farms, and food through school garden programs, small scale farming, and the media.
The Best Picnic Spots on the Mendocino Coast
by Holly Madrigal
It’s a local secret that the best time to get outdoors on the coast is in the spring or fall. Leave the socked in foggy days to the summer tourists and place your blanket or pick a bench at these stellar spots, organized from north to south.
Usal’s Candelabra Trees, Lost Coast
Very rugged dirt road is 13 miles north of Westport or 14.5 miles from Leggett. Easy to miss the turn off, so use that odometer. 6 miles to the trail. Truck or 4WD recommended. Best picnic spot to see elk. Challenging to get to but well worth the trek, this enchanted forest is unlike anything you have seen before. When the rugged dirt road descends toward Usal Beach, the trailhead to the Peter Douglas Trail is on your right. Don’t be surprised to see herds of elk grazing nearby as you step into the coolest otherworldly forest.
Provisions: Don't miss The Peg House in Leggett for their truly world famous chocolate brownies. House-made signature sandwiches and a great selection of beer and wine will fill out your picnic basket.
Pacific Star Winery, Westport
33000 Highway 1 (12 miles north of Fort Bragg)
Best picnic spot to see whales. Yes, this is on private property but has hands-down one of the best views, perched above a rock shelf that creates incredible crashing waves and blow-spouts of mist. Lean back in their Adirondack chairs, sip a glass of Pacific Star vino, and count whales to help with their ongoing whale and wildlife tally.
Provisions: Grab some delicious local cheese and crackers as well as wine at the Pacific Star tasting room. The Westport Market has a great specialty food selection.
Coastal Trail, Noyo Harbor to MacKerricher S.P.
Trail access at multiple locations throughout Fort Bragg and Cleone
The challenge here is to pick your favorite artist-crafted redwood bench along this ten-mile stretch. The benches are truly works of art (some made by Krenov Woodworking School grads). Fort Bragg has invested in developing this stunning trail that is now connected so that you can park at the Noyo Headlands or Pomo Bluffs and walk or bike on the trail, past Otsuchi Point (named for the sister city in Japan) and Glass Beach all the way to MacKerricher and Ten Mile beach. This flat, accessible trail bustles with happy families and dogs out on their afternoon walks. The entire length is peppered with sandy beaches if you want to dip your toes in the sand.
Provisions: Harvest Market is where the locals go for their plethora of ready-made salads, sushi, entrees, flavorful olive bar, and top-ofthe- line cheese display. The General Store on Redwood Avenue has great culinary finds like vintage candy, Mexican soda, and readymade sandwiches. Roundman's Smokehouse cures their own meats and can provide a tailor-made charcuterie for your tastes. You can also grab some horseradish-garlic-honey mustard and specialty cheese. Yum!
Greenwood State Beach, Elk
Across the street from the Elk Store in this tiny village 13 miles south of Mendocino.
Greenwood State Beach has a couple of sweet spots for picnicking. At the top of the bluffs overlooking the ocean, under shade-giving trees, there's a collection of wooden picnic tables. Alternatively, head down the path to the beach and spread a blanket on the sand, where you can snack as the waves nudge up the shore.
Provisions: Right across the street, Elk Store has wonderful sandwiches (including a gluten-free wrap that is truly delightful) as well as excellent local wine and cider. They have Lovers Lane Honey Lattes and Lavender Lattes by Black Oak Coffee in perfect travel-sized cans.
Pelican Bluffs Trail, Point Arena
Just about 1 mile south of downtown Point Arena.
Best picnic spot for bird watching and geology. Newly created by the Mendocino Land Trust, this mostly level two-mile walk brings you to the edge of soaring white cliffs and prehistoric geological outcroppings. The view stretches for miles, and you can watch the birds of prey and ravens dance on the wind currents.
Provisions: Franny’s Cup and Saucer offers confections that will make your taste buds swoon. If traveling from the south, Surf Market has everything you could need, including Palazzo Creamery cheese, rustic Pelican Bread, and travel sizes of your favorite local wines.
Café Beaujolais
New Offerings are on the Table for this Renowned Mendocino Institution
by Anna Levy
photos by Ree Slocum
Café Beaujolais itself is not a secret, but the venerable Mendocino institution that celebrated its 50th year in 2018 has some surprises in store these days, even for those who know it well. With a young executive chef excited to balance tradition with innovation, it seems that this local favorite is determined to bring a sense of discovery both to those who visit Mendocino and to those who call it home.
Two years ago, Julian Lopez and his parents, Peter and Melissa, were seeking a new venture. Peter and Melissa were looking towards retirement and knew they wanted to leave Los Angeles, where Peter was a silent partner in an Italian restaurant. They’d visited Mendocino over the years and quickly learned that Café Beaujolais was for sale. Julian remembers thinking, “We can’t really turn this down,” as he recognized that the restaurant—known for excellent meals and white tablecloth service—was beloved for good reason.
Still, as he prepared to take over the kitchen, it felt a little daunting. “I knew I needed to be patient,” he remembers. “Instead of just jumping in, like a bull in a china shop, we took the long-term plan where we wanted to do this slowly.” Though he’d formally studied business, Julian had been an informal culinary student for years, starting with his family’s restaurant when he was 13 and eventually working his way through restaurants in Washington, California, Italy, and France.
“I’ve been exposed to a lot of different chefs and a lot of different techniques,” he says, “and when it’s something that you love, you tend to learn.” Coming to Mendocino has continued that journey, as Julian has gotten to know local purveyors—such as Fortunate Farms, Wavelength Farms, and Magruder Ranch—and chefs. He talks appreciatively about his neighbors at Luna Trattoria, and he credits Mark Bowery, of the Albion River Inn, with helping him learn about Mendocino County’s wines.
“Anderson Valley wines are just phenomenal,” he says. “We’re so lucky.” To complement local options on the wine list, Julian turns towards those he came to love while working in Europe, from French regions such as Burgundy and the Rhône Valley, as well as those from Spain and Italy.
It is, in fact, his desire to honor what is local while maintaining a global perspective that characterizes Julian's approach to Café Beaujolais. The menus, which change regularly and are designed very much with the seasons in mind, aim to appeal to both those seeking a fine dining experience as well as those looking for excellent, yet more casual, fare.
One example of this is the Monday Night Dinner (November through April) that Julian implemented last year. “The idea was that I wanted to do comfort food from around the world,” he says, and he keeps it affordable. The result? A weekly prix-fixe menu of two courses, including a vegetarian option, from various cultures for only $15, served alongside the regular menu. “We wanted to challenge our staff and myself, and we’re booked every single night.” In addition, Julian is exploring the option of offering a set menu to go, for those who don’t want to cook but who want to enjoy their meals at home.
Julian is also excited about expanding their pizza lunches, served Friday through Sunday out of the ‘brikery’ in the back. Though there is some outdoor seating, all orders are taken at the counter or over the phone, and the bulk of the business has been takeaway. The model is simple: a changing menu that includes a couple of salads and five different, affordable pizzas, along with a few options for drinks. At least two or three of the pizzas highlight “seasonality,” as Julian puts it, with recent options that have included garlicky marinated kale; house made spicy pork sausage; pesto with snap peas, fava bean tips, lemon confit, and homemade chevre; and the Indian-inspired turmeric pizza, with a base of curry sauce and toppings of roasted cauliflower, kale, and sun-dried tomatoes. “It’s really fun because we get to use a lot of different ingredients and fun ideas,” Julian reflects.
Even as they look toward making changes, Julian and his family recognize that it’s important to honor the success that has helped build Café Beaujolais’ reputation. To that end, at dinner it’s possible to still find the local Macgruder Ranch steak tartare appetizer, roast chicken and ribeye for main courses, and coconut cream pie and a cheese plate for dessert. Yet alongside those items are such options as a wild-foraged cream of chanterelle soup; local black cod and herb lentil cakes; house made fruit sorbets and a deeply rich chocolate pot de crème. It’s clear throughout, from the aperitifs—such as the delicate, effervescent 961 Ukiah—to the after-dinner drinks—including Thanksgiving coffee—that precision is paramount throughout.
“We want to appease those people who have been here for so long, who have created this community,” Julian says, “and then also try to bring an edge that will be beneficial in the long run.” If it's been a while since you've crossed the threshhold of this sweet yellow Victorian on Ukiah Street, a visit is in order. Whether for a pizza lunch in the garden, a convivial Monday night dinner, or an intimate dining experience influenced by global favorites and local resources, it’s sure to be a meal to remember.
Café Beaujolais
961 Ukiah St, Mendocino | (707) 937-5614 | www.cafebeaujolais.com
Dinner open daily 5:30–9:00pm Lunch Wed–Sun 11:30am–2:30pm. Reservations recommended.
The Brikery Pizza Fri-Sun 11:30am–3:00pm Hours may expand in the summer.
Anna Levy writes, cooks, and plans travel of all sorts whenever she can. She lives on the Mendocino Coast with her husband and two dogs.
Ree Slocum is a fine art freelance photographer and writer who calls the wilds of Mendocino County home. She takes pleasure living with bird song, the breathing fog, and wildlife’s cast of characters when not on assignments. Ree can be reached at reeslocumphotography com.
A Taste of Alsace
by Holly Madrigal
What better way to while away a sunny spring afternoon than by hosting a wine tasting with friends. That is just what longtime wine enthusiasts, the Talmage Tasters, did. Hosts John and Heidi Dickerson welcomed this diverse group of expert winemakers to blind sample an assortment of Alsatian Whites. They have been meeting like this since 1982, allowing these industry insiders to keep their palates sharp while indulging in Heidi’s legendary cuisine and visiting with friends. Alsace style wines are a personal favorite, so I was invited for an insider’s view.
Primarily known for dry Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Pinot Gris, the Alsace region of France is one of the delicious secrets of the wine world. Located in the northeast corner of France near the German and Swiss border, the area was at times French or German as the political winds shifted. Characterized by dry, hot summers, they produce opulent whites that balance aromatic wines with bright minerality. Regions of Anderson Valley in Mendocino County have a similar terroir, leading some winemakers to produce varietals that rival the Alsace natives.
This evening, John Dickerson brought an eclectic selection of Alsatian whites from near and far—three each of Riesling, Gewürtz and Pinot Gris varying in price from $19-$75 per bottle. As each bottle was wrapped in a paper bag, we had no idea if what we were tasting was local or imported, high-end or moderate. And the group was as varied as the wine preferences. No pour was unanimously favored or reviled. I heard terms I had never considered like “citrusydiesel,” “good acid,” and “sweet and sour petrol.” The Gewürtz came back with “grapefruit” and “touch of botrytis, the noble rot.” The thirteen gathered members swapped opinions and stories. One winemaker thought a pour tasted like Anderson Valley, and sure enough, she was right! When the bottle was uncovered, it was a Handley 2014 Gewürztraminer! And this local wine had held its own alongside a Hugel 2009 Jubilee and a 2015 Weinbach Cuvee Laurence.
I couldn’t be prouder that the local 2016 Pinot Gris from Toulouse stood its ground with a Hugel “Grossi Laüe” (Grand Cru Pflostig) Pinot Gris. The names of these wines and regions reminded me of an article I read about Alsace, which said that the wines are less common because the names can be hard to pronounce with the English tongue. Perhaps there is some truth to that.
After all the bottles had been tasted and judgments cast, Heidi brought out the food. One of the joys of Alsatian whites is that they are so versatile. Dry Rieslings pair well with seafood, with white meat, and with foods of their French/ German origins, like sausage and onions. We devoured a Manchego and a Petit Basque cheese, a savory onion Alsatian tart, and Redwood Valley sausage. Filled to the brim with good food, the conversation lasted well into twilight, discussing how the Husch family had been the first vineyard to plant Gewürztraminer grapes in Anderson Valley, and the future of the local vintages. Our host John, well satisfied with his wine choices, couldn’t resist some bad humor. “I know they call German Shepherds Alsatians, but there is not a dog among this flight.” Groans all around as we reached for another slice of onion tart.
You can host your own Alsatian White tasting with these noteworthy bottles. Not too sweet, the skill and quality of our local wine makers is sure to impress a crowd:
Husch 2015 Dry Gewürztraminer
Navarro 2017 Gewürztraminer
Handley 2015 Pinot Blanc
Toulouse 2016 Riesling
Blue Quail 2016 Dry Riesling Organically Grown (not Anderson Valley but delish all the same)
Holly Madrigal is a Mendocino County maven who loves to share the delights of our region. She takes great joy in publishing this magazine.
Nettles!
Spiky and Splendid
by Janelle Weaver
At our restaurant, The Bewildered Pig, we can’t get enough wild nettles when they are in season! They have an earthy flavor that’s often compared to spinach, but “wilder.” The puree recipe below is our favorite method of “preserving them,” because it takes little time and the end result takes up little space. Blanching the nettles is great as it “locks in” the chlorophyll and the nutrients. Kept frozen, you can use this bright green puree for all kinds of things. Not only does it taste great, but also nettles are packed full of nutrients to keep you super healthy! If you want to forage for nettles yourself, bring along an experienced, knowledgeable forager. It’s smart to wear gloves to work with raw nettles to avoid getting “stung.” Only purchase nettles from a reliable source.
Nettle puree is excellent with all kinds of dishes—as a pasta “sauce,” added to aioli (wow—how healthy to make a fresh garlic & nettle aioli with farm fresh eggs?!), or mixed with ground toasted nuts and fresh garlic to make a pesto. Use as-is for a sauce for vegetables, cheese, fish, or game. Stir into an egg custard, mix into fresh pasta dough. Add to whipped cream cheese and serve with bagels and lox. The possibilities are endless, and we’ll explore as many as we can while spring lasts!
Nettle Puree
Ingredients:
Up to 1 lb. wild Nettles (or more)
Sea Salt
Oil of Choice~see notes
Equipment/Other things needed:
Stock Pot or large saucepan
Spider (hand held strainer)
Blender
Gloves
Large bowl fitted with a basket strainer
Clean towel
Pair of trimming scissors
Depending on the size/growth stage of the nettles, you will need to trim them accordingly. Very young nettles don’t need to be trimmed, whereas with older nettles, you will need to clip the leaves from the woody, spiky stems. You should rinse the nettle leaves before blanching to ensure they are free of forest debris and bugs.
Have your trimmed nettles at the ready. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Salt like the sea. While the water is coming to the boil, prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. Once the water is boiling, add the nettles. Do not overcrowd the pan—you may need to do this in batches. Boil for 20 seconds.
Using your handheld strainer, remove the nettles from the water and plunge them into your ice bath. Jiggle them to insure they chill quickly. Remove, wring them out with your hands (blanching makes the sting go away, so you won’t need your gloves at this point). Place onto the clean towel and wring out again to further remove excess water. In small batches, place nettles in the blender. Add oil to cover. Blend until smooth. Store in small containers and freeze until needed.
A note on oil: If you do not want the oil to impart flavor, you should use a non-GMO canola. Olive Oil is fine, but it will lend its flavor, so keep that in mind. You can blend canola & olive oil to dilute the flavor of the olive oil. Peanut or coconut oils are not recommended.
You can add herbs of choice to flavor your puree as desired. If you only have a small amount of nettles, you can use spinach to increase your quantity. Blanch the herbs separately (they only need 10 seconds in the boiling water).
The Bewildered Pig serves dinner from Thurs–Sun 5:00–9:00pm.
1810 Highway 128, Philo. | (707) 895-2088 | bewilderedpig.com
Photo by Paul M on Unsplash
Alive Retreats
Revitalize yourself with a deep dive into holistic wellness
by Sara Stapleton
It is a warm and sunny late morning, and I am sitting with Karla Downing, founder of ALIVE Retreats, talking over fresh pressed celery juice and Bieler's Broth, a healing, restorative soup that works to achieve the ideal acid and alkaline balance in our bodies. Our conversation moves fluidly as we discuss food, family, and the joy in facilitating healing— the roots of ALIVE Retreats. It is instantly apparent upon meeting that this is truly Karla’s passion, and she, alongside a host of other compassionate practitioners, comprise a team committed to guiding us back to our deepest health and wellbeing. The team aims to give people the space to “know what we already know,” to come home to our innate wisdom and instinct, because we already hold much of the knowledge that we need to heal ourselves. We often just need the opportunity to slow down and truly tune in. Through a retreat, you are not alone. They provide compassionate support as you dive in.
With the belief that health is holistic, the retreats are multifaceted and offer many different healing modalities in depth. The first, and one of the most essential to our daily wellness, is that of whole and healthful foods. Karla’s son, Jamil, and his wife, Rosemary, prepare nourishing meals that incorporate a vibrant bounty of living foods—fresh juices, vegetables, ferments, and sprouts, as well as their delicious award-winning raw crackers. These snacks and meals decrease inflammation and allow the digestive system to rest while aiding in the restoration of its function, as well as allow attendees to cut out processed foods and refined sugars. The aim is to wake up the tastebuds and leave with a new relationship to food.
Karla's son, Kalin, with her grandson TaiTashi Zlakat.
While Jamil brings his deep love for food, Rosemary brings her understanding of healing herbs, and Karla’s husband, Rik Halstead, brings his passion for meditation, QiGong, and acupuncture, with many years of experience and a master’s degree in Chinese medicine. Rik uses acupuncture to treat folks for a wide range of disorders including gut and digestive challenges, which he considers to be the core of a healthy, vibrant physical body. Doctor Nicole Yezman offers her expertise in Naturopathic Medicine. She also specializes in gastrointestinal health and will speak on the subject, as well as be available for private appointments during the retreat. Nicole helps people identify the root of health issues and trace symptoms back to their original source, “allowing for true change and healing to occur.” Nourishing the microbiome is an important key to wellness that will be emphasized and explored, allowing students to utilize new knowledge through everyday habits.
With the emphasis on holistic health, there are as many offerings to soothe the soul as there are to soothe the body. Barbara Juniper offers deep sound healing and Robin Winn a wide breadth of inspiring and empowering mind and spirit-based tools and teachings. Robin uses Qigong, NeuroMovement, and the template of Human Design as well as her “infectious enthusiasm and inspired curiosity” during the retreats to connect attendees to their inner guidance—to meet yourself with new eyes and navigate the path to living at a higher level of coherence. Attendees will practice iRest, or Integrative Restoration Meditation, inquiry, and compassionate listening in addition to having time to reflect and relish in all that they are gaining through these varied experiences.
It's not just the food that's delightful during these retreats. The natural settings—like Leonard Lake in Redwood Valley or Karla and Rik's serene property in Willits overlooking mountains and valleys out to the North coast—feed the eyes and rest the soul. The picturesque locations are intentional. This year’s summer retreat at Four Springs, in the forest just north of Napa Valley, will allow attendees to ground their awareness and feel at peace in their surroundings.
“Being in nature connects us to something bigger than ourselves, giving us the perspective that we are not separate, but an integral part of the natural world,” says Karla. And that is really the idea of it all—in being our best selves, we are able to give our best to others and to our world in whatever way, big or small. May we, like Karla and Rik, dedicate our days and thoughts to the benefit of all beings. May we cultivate wellness, and kindness, through the support of our communities!
ALIVE Retreats won an Iron Chef-style food competition at the Wild Willits Fest last October. They stole the show with a raw vegan apple slaw with hummus on a raw cracker, and were awarded this article for their prize.
Join ALIVE Retreats this summer, Saturday June 29th to Sunday July 7th, at Four Springs Retreat Center, or for one of their single-day retreats in Willits on select days throughout the year. Karla will soon be offering weekend-long New Parent Empowerment retreats once a month as well. They can be found at aliveretreats.com / info@aliveretreats.com.
Sara Stapleton lives high upon Greenwood Ridge and feels most at home in the tall trees, alongside meandering streams and birdsong. She is a passionate eater, seeking out local food wherever she goes. You can find her serving
Pomo Baskets
The Best Around the World and throughout Time
by Torrey Douglass
Imagine you’re a woodpecker. After a decent night’s sleep in the tree hollow you call home, you hop up onto the lip of its opening to greet the day. Something’s different. Where normally you’d launch yourself into the sky, there’s now a structure made of branches attached to the opening in your tree. But the holes in it are large to let in light and air, and there’s enough room for you to move around, so you’re not bothered.
You start exploring your surprising new addition, keeping your head down to watch your step as you move further into the structure. Eventually you notice that the walls are getting much closer, the sides narrowing in. To take stock of the situation, you poke your head up through one of the holes to get a look around—only to discover you can’t pull it back down. You’re caught.
The device that enabled your capture is a basket, specifically a hunting basket. As a woodpecker, your imagination is limited, so it’s unlikely you can appreciate that your entrapment was devised by a Pomo basket weaver, a member of a community generally understood, basketmaking-wise, to be the masters of their craft.
“The best baskets in the world are right here. More different types of techniques are used to make Pomo baskets here than around the world and throughout time.” So asserts Sherrie Smith-Ferri, former director and current Curator of Education and Exhibitions of Grace Hudson Museum in Ukiah. And she should know. Sherrie grew up in a Dry Creek Pomo family that included numerous generations of basketmakers and has seen over 10,000 Pomo baskets over her career. “After the first thousand, I thought I would have seen it all. I don’t think that anymore. I am always surprised by something new, a new expression of the weaver’s creativity.”
I was a little naïve when I first reached out to Sherrie for this article. This space is usually reserved for sharing a homesteading, farm, or craft skill, and I thought Sherrie could point me toward some local plants that can be harvested in the spring and used to make baskets. In retrospect, it was a little like asking a curator at the Louvre if she could recommend a good house painter.
Because baskets are made from natural materials that decay over time, it’s hard to say just how long people have been creating these multi-functional containers. The oldest known examples are 10,000 to 12,000 years old. Baskets can be found across continents and cultures as functional artforms made from local materials. So the idea that the world champion basket makers, across all space and time, lived and are still living right here in and around Mendocino County, is quite a revelation.
The Grace Hudson Museum has an excellent collection of Pomo baskets, the oldest piece made over 150 years ago. It was given to the the painter Grace Hudson's great-aunt, Mrs. Samuel Mewhinney, as a present from some of her Pomo friends. Born in Potter Valley and trained in San Francisco, Grace became known throughout the United States for her portraits and lifestyle depictions of the Pomo. A primary motivation for Grace's work was her belief that she was documenting a culture that would not survive far into the 20th century. Fortunately for all of us, she was wrong, but like all Native peoples, the lives of the Pomo were forever changed by the arrival of white settlers and the disease, violence, and economic upheaval they brought.
Prior to this cultural cataclysm, baskets had been an integral part of almost every facet of Pomo life. There were baskets for storing acorns, baskets that could hold water and baskets that could drain water, baskets for hunting and others for fishing. Baskets were made for holding infants, toasting edible seeds from native grasses, and cooking food. Some even caught woodpeckers. The museum’s display includes a set of half-size baskets young girls would use to mimic their mothers, as well as miniature versions to play with, dollhouse-style. Baskets were diverse, sturdy, and ubiquitous.
Some of the most highly prized baskets were gift baskets. They were exclusively decorative and often the most creative, incorporating shiny clamshell beads or colorful bird feathers. They served as social currency among Pomo and were used to strengthen relationships and familial connections.
While Pomo baskets are renowned for their artistry and sophistication, you don’t have to master their challenging techniques to sample the craft. A basket can be made out of all sorts of natural materials, and the basic principles aren’t difficult. During our conversation, Sherrie pulled up some online examples of baskets made from kelp that were loosely woven, imaginative and funky, if not particularly functional. Even the Pomo would sometimes make a basket that was quick and easy, designed to serve a purpose but not to last particularly long.
Those aren’t the type of baskets that solidified the Pomo weavers' reputation as masters of the craft, however. They are more known for the finely made coiled or twined baskets, made from the roots and branches of local plants. Willow branches, redbud shoots, and bulrush roots add their individual hues to the design. For the basket to be well made, each piece must be straight, smooth, and absolutely equal to its fellows. Nature’s creations are rarely so technically exact, so basket weavers will cultivate their source plants over years in order to encourage the kind of growth they need. Besides ensuring each piece is equivalent, the material also has to be dry, so today’s harvested material will take many hours of preparation and then six months to a year to dry out. Pomo basket making is not for those who seek immediate gratification.
By the late 1800s, the Arts and Crafts movement had become established in both Europe and America. Originating in England, the movement was a response against industrialization and the alienation that occurred from removing the human touch from the production of goods. Followers decried the identical clones mechanically churned out by factories as soulless and uninspired, and in response all things authentic, handmade, and native were suddenly very much in vogue. Any group seen as living close to nature was romanticized, and their crafts became highly valued. In Europe, fans of the Arts and Crafts movement looked to folk traditions to satisfy their nostalgia for pre-industrial living. Here in the States, art from Native cultures became the hot thing, including jewelry, blankets, and baskets.
The result was a resurgence of basketmaking among the Pomo, reviving a tradition that had been fading in the face of learning how to survive in their changed world. Whereas baskets once had been tools essential to the basic tasks involved in daily living (as well as gifts to honor important relationships), now they became both a means of making a living and a commodity, purchased by collectors and shipped all over the country. They went from production for internal use to production for external sale. As a result, that essential economic force—“the market”—literally shaped the baskets from that time forward. The original utilitarian baskets were not marketable, but the gift baskets sold like hotcakes, and the basket makers produced increasingly fine and sophisticated work to satisfy the market. Stitches per inch became a noted metric, with some of the more delicate examples exceeding 100 stitches per inch. Devoted craftspeople are forever pushing the limits of what’s possible, and the Grace Hudson Museum displays baskets that are small enough to be worn as earrings, as well as one so tiny it is kept in a test tube and could be mistaken for a seed.
While for much of the 20th Century Pomo baskets left the makers’ community as they were sold to collectors, today there’s new interest in basket-making among native weavers as an artistic endeavor and also as a link to past generations and cultural heritage. In other words, people are again learning how to make baskets to enjoy making baskets. For most weavers, it’s not a practical source of income—it would be impossible to charge enough to compensate for all the time and effort required to do it well. But it can serve as a creative pursuit that is deeply connected to the natural environment and that results in a thing of function and beauty.
For an easy introduction to basket making, look for preassembled kits at the Grace Hudson Museum’s gift shop. For hands-on instruction, local Pomo basket weaver Corine Pearce teaches basketry at the Redwood Valley Education Center periodically. In a recent PBS documentary about craft traditions in California, she says, “I like to teach basketry because it connects us all as humans.” When she was 11, Corine had a dream in which her grandmother encouraged her to become a basket weaver. She then devoted herself to mastering the art and went on to teach locally, and then throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, and even Lebanon. She says, “Everyone already has a basket in them. I’m just helping to bring it out.”
To see the best local exhibit of Pomo Baskets, visit the Grace Hudson Museum in Ukiah, open 10am–4:30pm Wednesday through Saturday, and 12pm–4:30pm on Sundays.
431 South Main Street, Ukiah, CA 95482 (707) 467-2836 | GraceHudsonMuseum.org
Torrey Douglass is a web and graphic designer living in Boonville with her husband, two children, and a constantly revolving population of pets and farm animals.
James’ Jalapeño Margaritas
by Holly Madrigal
As the weather warms, speed up the process by mixing up these zesty drinks. Far from too spicy,
the pepper adds just a slight kick and a wonderful flavor. My friend James says that some are put off
when they hear what is in these, but once they try one, they get rave reviews.
Ingredients:
• 1 lime
• 1 part triple sec
• 1 part jalapeño-infused agave nectar (below)
• 2 parts high quality tequila
• flake salt for glass rim
• couple slices of jalapeño for garnish
Combine triple sec, agave nectar, and tequila into a pitcher. Add juice from the lime. Use the rind to moisten the rim of the glass, dip in salt, and set aside. Add ice and jalapeño slices to each glass and pour in blend from the pitcher.
Jalapeño infused agave:
Add equal parts agave nectar and water into a small saucepan. Slice jalapeños and add to liquid. Simmer 10-15 minutes until reduced. Cool.
Cultivo
Ukiah's Unassuming Food Find
by David Ballantine
photos by Bobby Cochran
Over the past year, Cultivo Restaurant has become a central part of the thriving restaurant culture of Standley Street in Ukiah. More than once I've arrived at the restaurant to find hungry diners lined up outside, huddling under patio heaters and sitting on the curb, choosing to wait for a table rather than seeking out a less-crowded alternative in the neighborhood. Fortunately, if there is a table open, friendly staff work fast to seat you. And from the lines I've seen, I'm not the only one who wants one.
The translation for Cultivo, says Chef Fernando Plazola, is “to cultivate.” When looking for a place to build their restaurant, he and wife Ashleigh thought hard on the name and its meaning. Cultivo, to Fernando, refers not only to the local foods that are essential to his culinary creations, with their California Modern Cuisine leanings, but also to the cultivating of their restaurant within the social garden of this community. Once the popular eatery Saucy, with a following all their own, the Plazolas kept the pizza and on-tap wine and beer, and then added the new heart and soul of Cultivo, Fernando’s twist on “farm to fork.” Locals are now treated to entrees and fine locally vintaged bottled wine in an updated interior.
Initially looking for a site to build their dream from scratch, Fernando and Ashleigh settled on reinventing Saucy’s local appeal, but with a restaurant that had its own following. Two stories high, with a smoky glass front that is almost as tall as the restaurant is deep, the space includes a smaller version of balcony akin to the famous Postrio in San Francisco, owned by world renowned chef Wolfgang Puck, under whom Fernando worked for several years before leaving to design his own menus. The interior, furnished in rustic chic, features a ten-seat table made of a 3” live-edge redwood slab. Patio seating is available for lunch and balmy evenings.
With subdued lighting at night, there are warm southern exposures to light daytime dining. The walls are a muted assortment of greens, tans, and grays that are inviting and calming at the same time. Once the food arrives, however, the scenery fades as the five senses converge. First, delighted sight responds to artistic articulations of food placement, which is quickly surpassed by smell and taste; then texture with the soft internal ahhs that emanate of their own volition, culminating in a singular expression of pleasure.
When talking about Cultivo's pizzas, Fernando says that he couldn’t part with the beautiful Mugnaini Pizza Oven left by the previous owner. “You know, it’s a $20,000 pizza oven. I couldn’t let it go, it’s a really nice oven.” Despite his admiration of the oven, when it came to the menu Fernando felt that, while he would continue to have a generous offering of pizzas, they would not be the dominant feature. His entrees speak for themselves and come from a rich body of experience that is evident in the preparation.
On a recent evening, wanting a nice meal before going to a local music production, my wife and I found ourselves in the warm, inviting entry for the first time. Cultivo, this night, was crowded with three large parties upstairs, but the host found a table on the first floor right away and was able to serve us in a more than timely manner—Heritage Pork Chop with gnocchi, shallots, roasted broccolini topped with a delightful dried fruit compote for me and the Local Cod with Rancho Gordo Corona Beans, sun dried tomato pesto, and brussel sprouts for her. Worrying about the time became secondary to enjoying the heavenly flavours, one after another, on the plates before us. We left for the show but vowed to return, because meals like this are meant to be savored.
Return we did, every dish a new favorite. The Risotto with Shiitake Mushrooms is comfort food at its most elegant. But if you are listening to Fernando talk about his Hanger Steak in a Bordelaise Sauce and how “it almost melts in your mouth, you know?” he says with a big smile on his face, there is no question about adding it to the order. The steak was cooked to perfection, with puréed potatoes and roasted vegetables that were irresistible in the remnants of sauce.
The lunch menu could be mistaken for dinner entrées at any other restaurant. The only tell is the offerings come on fresh baked sourdough buns drizzled with garlic oil. Crispy Eggplant, Smoked Ducks Breast, and Spicy Fried Shrimp are not your common sandwich fare. Of course, the central bar with sumptuous pizzas and beer on tap are always at hand for a quick informal, yet delectable, bite with a friend.
The real surprise at Cultivo, however, is the cost of a meal. Says Fernando, “I want everyone to be able to enjoy my food.” The cost for one of his lavish spreads is a fraction of what you would pay at restaurants that offer similar pizzaz while missing the point on flavor. Finding Cultivo is on par with finding that rare vintage at a bargain before its reputation inflates its price out of reach.
When talking with Chef Fernando, it becomes clear that he eats, sleeps and breathes his restaurant. From Saturdays, where he can be found at the Ukiah Farmers Market picking out the freshest produce “at their seasonal peak,” to sourcing local sausages in Redwood Valley, he will still be in the kitchen at Cultivo six nights a week.
Fernando credits his mother first and foremost for his love of cooking. “She was a wonderful cook and she taught all my brothers and sisters to cook.” With nine children in the family, mealtime must have resembled the restaurant atmosphere he has chosen for his life’s work.
Living in Los Angeles as a young man, Fernando began his culinary journey working in an Italian restaurant, but it wasn’t long before he started expanding his repertoire, which led to cooking positions in San Jose and eventually San Francisco, where he attended the CCA (California Culinary Academy). “It was really fun because you get to study all the culinary arts in the world.” To enhance his tasting knowledge, he frequented the finer restaurants in San Francisco, a town known for its trendy, world class, fine dining experiences.
After graduating, Fernando landed his dream job working with Wolfgang Puck at the famed Postrio, with its edgy but elegant interiors, located in the Prescott Hotel just off Union Square in San Francisco. There, for four years, he worked with Puck, rubbing elbows with Hollywood and culinary luminaries like Jacques Pepin and Anthony Bourdain, while becoming immersed in the trendiest of California Cuisine.
After work one night, Fernando was having drinks at Zeki’s bar a few blocks down the street from Postrio. A friend excitedly told him that his brother in Larkspur was looking for a chef. At this point, Fernando was eager to design his own menus and run his own show. With little of his own money, his friend's brother offered Fernando a partnership based solely on his resume and charm. The restaurant did extremely well but suffered through the 2007 recession. After guiding the restaurant back to health, now without a partner, Fernando felt burned out running the whole show and recognized the need to move on.
Fernando continued his Culinary explorations in Guerneville, moving north to Santa Rosa, where he and Ashleigh acquired property. With Ashleigh’s parents living in Laytonville, it wasn’t long before they started considering options in Mendocino County. It was Ashleigh who suggested Ukiah, and Fernando fell in love with the place.
They sold their Santa Rosa property and bought a small farm on the outskirts of Ukiah, where they raise lamb and goats while growing vegetables that are often used in the restaurant. The long commute to Guerneville guided the decision to open their own restaurant in Ukiah. “This place has so much to offer,” says Fernando, “the wineries and fields. And it has a lot of people who like good food, and maybe they don’t want to drive to Healdsburg or San Francisco.”
After living in cities for so long, Fernando and Ashleigh seem to have settled nicely into the local rhythms of Ukiah. Fernando says people often come up to the kitchen and tell him that they are so amazed to have such wonderfully prepared food available in Ukiah. His goal realized, the fruits of his cultivation cannot be stated better than a few words from his own website—dishes that surprise, delight, and nourish.
Cultivo
Open Mon–Thu 11:30am–9:00pm, Fri–Sat 11:30am–10:00pm 108 West Standley Street Ukiah, CA, 95482
(707) 462-7007 | CultivoRestaurant.com
David Ballantine lives in Anderson Valley where he teaches high school students how to work with sharp objects, among other things.
Revitalize, Renew and Heal in the Medicine Waters at Wilbur Hot Springs
article & photos by Ree Slocum
It’s spring! What a great time to think about stepping out of winter’s hibernation to find something that’s revitalizing and renewing. Top of our list of recommendations— a personal retreat at Wilbur Hot Springs.
Wilbur is off the beaten path and located just inside Colusa County. It’s surrounded by trees and rolling hills, where different bird species are abundant during all seasons. Coyotes, bobcats, bears, and wild ponies roam nearby, and the loudest sounds you’ll hear will be running water and bird calls.
The resort is open year-round and has created an atmosphere where “You can sink into yourself and reconnect with what matters most.” I visited Wilbur with a friend to partake of the restorative experience. I found it to be every bit as wondrous as their website promises.
It all begins on a bumpy dirt road off Hwy 20, winding through the rolling tree-dotted hills, where slowing down is a must. The main gate to Wilbur is a few miles in. The delightful sight and sound of a river riffling over stone and wafts of sulfur greet you when opening and closing the main gate. You’ve begun your immersion into the Wilbur experience.
Not too far up the road is the heart of Wilbur. On the left, behind an attractive wooden privacy fence, are the central attractions: an open air bath house enclosing three flumes —long tiled channels—of ancient, ever-flowing, geothermal, mineral rich, and naturally hot water, unusual in North America. The waters are considered medicinal, healing a list of disorders and diseases. There’s an outdoor spring-fed swimming pool and a spacious sauna. Throughout are inviting areas for contemplation, reading, conversation, listening to the rushing stream, and enjoying the encircling sights and sounds of nature.
Across from the springs area is the finely arched lodge, built in 1915. It houses the reception area and gift store; a well-appointed communal kitchen; large main room for dining, lounging, billiards; and a music area sporting a variety of quality instruments. There’s impressive original art throughout with a wide veranda, completing indoor options for conversation or quiet space.
Up the hill beyond the lodge and past the managers’ office is the “Solar Lodge,” with group and private sleeping rooms. There are also sets of tandem cabins down the hill, perfect for couples. To round off the options, there are tent platforms for campers wanting to sleep under millions of stars and hear Wilbur’s nightly sounds, as well as day use.
Wilbur Resort and Sanctuary is infused with kindness that ripples out from the owner, Dr. Richard Miller, the managers, Brennan and Jerry Newberry, and continues through the staff onward to guests. One can feel a sense of comfort, respect, and well-being during their stay at the clothing-optional resort.
In a phone conversation with Dr. Miller, he told me the medicinal effects of the main healing constituents of Wilbur’s ancient waters. He explained that sulphur is an original antibiotic which cleanses the pores and heals infections; lithium adds the advantage of relaxation and stress relief; and magnesium is a tonic for the digestive system. In the hottest flume, I experienced the silkiness from minerals on my skin and a deep relaxation and sense of well-being that expanded throughout the day.
The forward-thinking Dr. Miller, who bought the hot springs in 1972, sees himself more as a steward of the land than an owner. In 1999, he bought and designated the adjoining 1560 acres as a Nature Preserve. This limits development in perpetuity. Here you’ll find a sanctuary to walk, hike, or bike to The Bat Cave, The Wishing Tree, or other contemplative sites to experience and explore.
If you’d like to truly pamper yourself, Wilbur offers Guest Chef Weekends once a month, September through May. They close the kitchen to guests as the chefs prepare all meals from Friday night through Sunday Brunch. The chefs provide local, in season, and organic ingredients when available. Check the website for the 2019 calendar and scrumptious sample menus.
At Wilbur there’s also the promise of not hearing any rings, beeps, or blings from electronic devices. It’s delightfully off the grid and out of cell reception. As the manager, Brennan, shares, “When we leave Wilbur and get close to Williams, all of a sudden our cell phones are beeping and buzzing with a week’s worth of messages from family and friends!”
Dr. Miller left me with this thought, “The busier, more congested and electrified the world gets, the more important it is to have health sanctuaries to unplug and restore our health.” He and his staff have created a glorious sanctuary in which to do that, close by in Lake County.
Wilbur Hot Springs
3375 Wilbur Springs Road, Wilbur Springs, CA
www.wilburhotsprings.com | (530) 473-2306
Ree Slocum is a fine art freelance photographer and writer who calls the wilds of Mendocino County “home.” Ree can be reached at reeslocumphotography com.It’s Spring! What a great time to think about stepping out of Winter’s hibernation and find something that’s revital- izing and renewing. Top of our list of recommendations—a personal retreat at Wilbur Hot Springs.