In the Wild Hare Tavern’s windowfront kitchen, the flat-top grill hisses against a layered rectangle of mortadella, Genoa salami and capicola (or “gabagool,” as the cured pork neck and shoulder is known among Sopranos fans and spanning the New Jersey-Pennsylvania border). Flipped onto a split Amoroso roll with mayo and circles of provolone, shredded lettuce, […]
Eat + Drink
Posted inOn the Table
Decolonize Your Palate
Knowing your ingredients goes further than familiarity, says Crystal Wahpepah. The Three Sisters Cake she’s teaching Cal Poly Humboldt students to bake in the stainless-steel kitchen of the Rou Dalagurr Food Sovereignty Lab today makes a solid example. The Three Sisters, as the North American Indigenous staples corn, beans and squash are called, are all […]
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Hmong-Japanese Fusion Magic at Alchemy
On Thursday before her three-day pop-up dinner weekend at Alchemy Distillery, Pangnou Vang had plenty to do but only one worry: mustard green pickles. “I’ve been pickling it since Tuesday,” she said, a process that normally takes three or four days, depending on the weather. “I’m just hoping and praying it turns out like I’m […]
Posted inOn the Table
Mi Rinconcito Pupuseria Salvadoreño Pulls into Tasty Hub
Joaquina Imelda Quintanilla’s granddaughter peers just over the ledge of the red Mi Rinconcito Pupuseria Salvadoreño truck. It’s an echo of how Quintanilla grew up in El Salvador, tagging along after school to the restaurant kitchen where her Aunt Lilian worked. By 12, she was able to help her aunt prep and cook a little, […]
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What’s Good? Luxury Fries
Fries, so often a throwaway side, at least in their preparation, deserve attention and appreciation. The potato from the Americas, julienned and immersed in a riot of bubbling fat in France or Belgium — I am not taking the side of one colonizer over another — is in itself an indulgence and, when served truly […]
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Where’s the Catch?
Not all of us are ready to catch our own crab like a sport-fishing kayaker, a seasoned commercial fisher or a wily otter. But at last, after stormy weeks and a spate of delays, the sun shines on the docks and, after some price negotiation, Humboldt crabbers are hauling their catches to market. Many of […]
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Important Research at Humboldt Cider Co.
More than a decade ago, Michelle and Darren Cartledge, along with Jamie Ashdon, launched Humboldt Cider Co. Back then, they were brewing in 5-gallon fermentation vessels. They are bigger now — several of their fermentation vessels now are 5,500 gallons and they employ 18 people — but they remain wonderfully Humboldt-centered. I was assigned to […]
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What’s Good for Arcata
The fundraising events for those affected by the Jan. 2 fire in Arcata are legion, and the music shows alone are going to eat your weekend. But what are you going to eat? Luckily, local food folks are pitching in for the cause as well, and we’ve got suggestions for your community-minded grazing, in case […]
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Drinks and No ICE at the Speakeasy
The pineapple juice, Pama liqueur, rum and lime No Raids Just Rum cocktail at the Speakeasy comes with a pinch of nutmeg in a hurricane glass; the non-alcoholic version has muddled raspberries. The spot has also featured the ginger and prosecco Sanctuary Spritz, as well as the gin and violet liqueur-tinted Burn the ICE drinks […]
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A Woodworking Campus with a Culinary Surprise
First founded in 2010 by Jennifer Parent and Johnna Christianson, J Catering is a stalwart of Humboldt events. Known for a diverse menu and local sourcing, the catering business expanded to include a café in 2023. At that point, the former Café Dolce had gone up for sale, and J Catering jumped at the opportunity […]
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Start the Year with (More) Soup
Did you start the new year with a wish to eat more vegetables? If not, you still have time to make one. Either way, here’s my suggestion on how to put such aspiration into practice: a vegetable-rich soup. Winter weather in its various versions of rainy and cold is an invitation to have a pot […]
Posted inOn the Table
Culinary Compassion
Retired chef provides fresh food for homeless pets A month ago, as the cold rain of winter was beginning to shift into frame, with the fortunate retreating to their homes, Samaya (who asks that her last name be withheld) was running errands when she noticed a person on the street with his two dogs — […]