By Tanya Henry
Slowly but surely a collective shift from long school days and harried work schedules is giving way to a more relaxed, summertime pace, and plums, apricots and nectarines are hitting the farmers’ markets. Here are a few ideas to celebrate the season.
Kick off summer with a trip out to Marshall for some briny bivalves. There are several options on Tomales Bay, but The Marshall Store is a favorite with its funky, local vibe. Order inside the store; outdoor seating is first come, first serve. There are a handful of choices—raw, smoked or with chorizo—and they couldn’t be fresher; themarshallstore.com.
Check out an organic apple farm in Tomales that specializes in heritage apple trees. AppleGarden Farm produces “estate” hard cider from its own apples, and it’s now offering weekend farm tours, which include a tour of the apple orchard and a tasting of organic hard cider. The cost is $5 per couple; larger groups (up to 15 people) are $20; admission costs are waived if you buy cider. For more information, send an email to
in**@ap*************.com
.
Attention all gardeners: The Marin Open Garden Project has officially started its veggie exchange program. Seeds, starts, fruits and veggies can all be swapped on Saturday mornings from 9-10am on the lawn in front of the Town Hall at 525 San Anselmo Avenue. The exchange will continue through October. To find out about other programs in Marin, visit opengardenproject.org, email
co*****@op***************.org
or call 415/419-4941.
Learn new ways to prepare the bounty of the season from a pro! Sweetwater’s celebrated chef, Gordon Drysdale, will be offering a cooking class and preparing a menu of Organic Toasted Beet Salad with Oranges, Avocado, Mint & Fresh Horseradish, and Seared Dayboat Scallops with Wild Mushroom Pastina & Herb Salad, as part of Homeward Bound’s Fresh Starts Chef Events at the Key Room in Novato. Thursday, June 22, 6:30pm; $60; hbofm.org.
