Foodie Havens

Foodie Pleasures

Bay Area Green Tours Nicasio Valley Cheese Selection Bay Area Green Tours Photo: Alice Joyce

a wonderful day participating in a recent Whole Foods Farm Tour organized by Bay Area Green Tours. Our group enjoyed various tastings, along with informative talks and presentations. After meeting at the San Rafael Whole Foods Store, we visited Christine’s Upper Crust Pies, moving on to All Star Oganics Farm, and then to the Lafranchi ranch’s diary and Nicasio Valley Cheese Company.

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Foodie Havens

Thomas Hill Organics: Farm to Table Flavorful!

Thomas Hill Organics Graphic Photo: Alice Joyce

It’s the rare occasion when a meal surpasses my expectations in every way, but lunch at Thomas Hill Organics qualifies. The dishes were so memorable that I returned the next evening for dinner. The owners’ discerning taste extends to the bistro’s graphic design sensibility, while the ambiance of the covered dining patio is a relaxed and inviting space. The Wine Wrangler, Coy Barnes provided my introduction to the eatery presided over by Joe and Debbie Thomas – with a menu based on the fresh organic produce grown on their Paso Robles farm. Coy put together an itinerary that called for a satisfying mid-day meal between our morning and afternoon winery visits. A confident, flavorful melding of ingredients emerged in each outstanding dish.

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England

Fab Food: London to Lewes

Ebury Cocktail

Travel always presents adventures in dining, and hopefully locating a restaurant that satisfies on every level, from the ambiance of the decor to the satisfaction of an excellently prepared meal. After dealing with the crowds on opening day at the Chelsea Flower Show, I chose a nearby restaurant… The Ebury – on chic Pimlico Road where I met T. for lunch and a carafe of Rosé, ready to relax and unwind. My favorite selection appeared on the A La Carte menu: Duck Confit, succulent and tasty. Tom sampled the three-course lunch Set Menu: the soup of the day followed by a delicious fish main dish, and chocolate confection for dessert that I would have photographed had I not been fully occupied with my meal. Traveling from London to Sussex for a countryside idyll in the area of the South Downs, the town of Lewes offered informal, tasty meals at Bill’s Cafe, Restaurant and Store.

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