Culinary Delights, Social Implications in Agriculture, What is Organic

America’s First Organic and Biodynamic Vineyard Rising from the Ashes

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Frey Vineyards is a third-generation family-owned and operated winery located at the pristine headwaters of the Russian River in Redwood Valley, in Mendocino County, CA.

Jonathan and Katrina Frey met while apprenticing with the famed organic gardener, Alan Chadwick, in Covelo, CA in the 1970s.

When they returned to the family farm, they gathered up Jonathan’s brother, Matthew, and the rest of the enthusiastic younger siblings and established extensive vegetable gardens, vineyards, and fruit tree plantings. These continue to be planted and nurtured to this day. I recently interviewed Katrina Frey about the winery. Continue reading “America’s First Organic and Biodynamic Vineyard Rising from the Ashes”

Culinary Delights, Environment, What is Organic

My Auckland Excursion: A Taste of New Zealand

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New Zealand is a narrow spit of a nation consisting of two elongated islands that almost kiss in the middle. Once part of the massive Gondwanan supercontinent,it drifted away and nestled in the far southwest of the Pacific Ocean.

New Zealand then is the last landmass to be inhabited by humans. The Polynesians arrived by canoes a mere 1100 years ago and established the Maori culture. The Europeans arrived soon thereafter with vigor in the 17thCentury.

Both invasions brought enormous changes to the natural flora and fauna.

They both carried their culinary traditions and applied them to this new exotic landscape creating a gastronomic legacy found nowhere else on the planet. Continue reading “My Auckland Excursion: A Taste of New Zealand”