Sustainability. This is our focus, in food, wine, business & life. We strive personally for a carbon footprint of zero.  We know we can’t necessarily make a positive impact on the planet,  but we are dedicated to not making a negative one.  Professionally, we think we make a small difference on the world as we do, so we strive towards sustainability every day. Ingredients we can respect. Unbleached organic sugars & flours for our pantry. Humanely treated, antibiotic-free, organically fed beef, lamb & poultry.  Eggs sourced from pasture raised hens. Produce from local farms and local farmers markets. We are proud to be a partner of Buy Fresh, Buy Local which is committed to using resources from within our local foodshed to minimize the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere.. Antibiotic & hormone free dairy products. Artisan cheeses made by small producers using traditional methods. Fair-trade coffees, teas, chocolate, bananas, spices & nuts.  Seafood from healthy populations and concerned fishery management. Look for CleanFish & Monterey Aquarium Seafood Watch logos.  Wines from vineyards that have been certified as sustainable, organic or biodynamic. Encouraging producers to restore waterways, eliminate chemical pesticides & fertilizers. Extensive reuse & recycling programs. For our operation, staff training is key in this area. Caustic chemicals are not our friends. Use of traditional methods & common sense allows us to clean smart & safe. Actively protect open space, and support renewal of the Urban Limit Line here in Contra Costa County. 

Earth Day gives us a reason to do in one day what we wish we did all year.  Kind of a vacation for the planet, yes? Be kind to the planet, think about where everything comes from.  What would it be like to ask yourself every day every meal. Where does my food come from? How far does it travel to to get to my plate? Take it one step further and ask yourself how many people have touched this before it got to me?  From farmer to chef? or from farmer to machine to processing plant to packing plant to store to checkout stand to car to home. 

Today is a day to take to heart just how wonderful the 100 miles around San Francisco Bay can be. From Monterey to Mendocino we have waters filled with edible delicacies from abalone to urchins to the squid we use in house for our calamari. We have the vast vineyards of Napa and Sonoma within 50 miles as well as the delightful vines in Santa Cruz. Animals of all kinds from the Santa Cruz shores up to Marin. Berries from Solano. Vodka from Alameda. The amazing bounty from Livermore and Brentwood.  Here is a wonderful place to live.  And what a great day to give us an excuse to celebrate what we thrive on every day.

Think personal, local on the small scale in a global picture. Know where your food comes from. Don’t be afraid to ask. Start a compost program for your neighborhood. Join a CSA. Talk about it with friends. Educate the next generation. Take action.

Make a difference. Vote with your dollars.