Last weekend I got to host a special project: a European consulting firm had approached me to create a multi day food tour & dining itinerary for their clients, a group of bakers & food entrepreneurs on a 4-day culinary field trip of Northern California bakeries & food trends. It was an exciting project. Not only did I get to share some of my favorite local spots, they were also open to more innovative dining than the usual restaurant experience.
On the first day I met the group of twenty-five globetrotting bakers straight off the plane at Parkside Bakery in Stinson Beach, a small coastal community about 45 minutes North of San Francisco along a spectacular coastal drive over Golden Gate Bridge & up the rugged Highway 1 coast ...
After a tour of the bakery with baker Lucia, chef John Gilbert prepared a stunning meal using only local ingredients & cooking in the wood burning oven. Sunset tables were set in the patio with views of Parkside's herb garden & Mount Tamalpais. And a true locavore dinner it was. Served on Heath Ceramics plates with wines from Bolinas vintner Sean Thackrey, beers from Fairfax brewer Iron Springs Pub, local goat & cow milk cheeses from West Marin cheese makers Cowgirl Creamery & Nicasio Valley Cheese Co., early summer produce from Star Route Farms, fresh shucked oysters from Tomales Bay, marinated olives & olive oil from McEvoy Ranch - and, of course, all breads from Parkside Bakery.
the location.
the room at parkside bakery, stinson beach, california
the menu.
~ sean thackrey wines {la pleïade, pleiades xxiii, lyra} & iron springs beers~ goat & cow milk cheeses with raw honey comb & parkside bakery breads
~ fresh breads with lemon pesto
~ beets & arugula salad with goat cheese & parkside bakery croutons
~ crisp lettuces with avocado, egg, blue cheese & bacon
~ fresh shucked tomales bay oysters served with lemon
~ “oysters olliver” {baked with arugula, bacon, horseradish, lemon & parmesan}
~ vegetable tarts with english peas, fava beans & local goat cheese
~ wood fired flatbreads with local peaches/arugula/burrata and lemon zest/bottarga
~ almond citrus tea cake with vanilla lemon-verbena poached apricots & whipped cream
~ mini sweet cherry tarts with puff pastry
Thanks & Dankeschön
to Maxine, Lucia, John, Lily & everyone at Parkside!
