Thursday, September 4, 2014

Discovering Capay Valley & a picnic lunch at Riverdog Farm {Nopalize Seasons}

Nopalize Seasons Riverdog Farm {photo © Julia Spiess 2014}
Nopalize Seasons Riverdog Farm
Last Thursday came with a generous invitation : to join Chef Laurence Jossel of Nopa & the Nopalize team for their second Nopalize Seasons event - a curated series of unique events and excursions.  All events share a common goal, offering access to local growers, producers, makers to help discover the origins of our food.

After working on the Nopalize re-design for weeks, it was a welcome reward - and perfect excuse to escape the office for  day. The day's destination was stunning Capay Valley, a tour of Riverdog Farm & an amazing picnic lunch prepared with Riverdog Farm produce & meats by Chef Laurence Jossel & team. 

Nopalize Seasons Riverdog Farm {photo © Julia Spiess 2014}Nopalize Seasons Riverdog Farm {photo © Julia Spiess 2014}

After meeting at Nopa over fresh baked cardamom buns and Blue Bottle coffee, we embarked on the two hour drive to stunning Capay Valley, a narrow slice of farmland heaven hidden between the mountain ridges of western Yolo County. The Valley is home to some of the more well known farms providing organic produce and meat to farmers markets & restaurants in the Bay Area.

While I had often read the name, this was my first time venturing to Capay Valley …

Nopalize Seasons breakfast Nopa Restaurant in San Francisco
cardamom bun at Nopalize SeasonsAnna Lee baker at Nopa Restaurant

Arriving at Riverdog Farm, we were greeted by Trini Campbell and Tim Mueller for a walk around their farm, stopping along the way to visit the happy free range chickens roaming the green pasture and admiring Riverdog's incredible variety of late summer produce at the sorting barn and sprouting in the shade houses.

Riverdog Farm Nopalize Seasons
Nopalize Seasons Riverdog Farm produce

After the farm tour we got to sit down at a long picnic table under an old walnut tree, taking in the views of the farm fields and surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains, while Chef Laurence Jossel fired up the grill with fragrant almond wood ...

Nopalize Seasons at Riverdog Farm {photo © Julia Spiess 2014}
 Nopalize Seasons lunch at Riverdog Farm

the menu.
~ tomato and melon salad with feta and basil
~ green beans, shaved fennel, black olives and fire roasted Riverdog peppers
~ Riverdog pork chops, grilled over almond wood
~ roasted Riverdog peaches with chocolate sea salt cookies

Nopalize Seasons farm lunch at Riverdog Farm
Nopalize Seasons at Riverdog Farm
Nopalize Seasons farm picnic Riverdog Farm
Nopalize Seasons picnic lunch with Chef Jossel at Riverdog Farm
Nopalize Seasons Riverdog Farm {photo © Julia Spiess 2014}
Nopalize Seasons event at Riverdog
Nopalize Seasons at Riverdog Farm {photo © Julia Spiess 2014}
Nopalize Seasons picnic lunch with Chef Jossel at Riverdog Farm Chef Laurence Jossel of Nopa
{Happy Birthday, Chef!}


More information about upcoming Nopalize Seasons events here

Follow along on Instagram ...

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all photos © dinners with friends

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