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 […]
On the Table
Posted inEat + Drink
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 […]
Posted inOn the Table
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 — […]
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Deep Roots at Paskenta Mad River Brewery
It had been too long since I last visited Paskenta Mad River Brewery in Blue Lake. It’s not that I hadn’t been drinking their beer all that time, but returning to those comfy surroundings reminded me to get out more, and farther. CEO Linda Cooley met me in the bar. She’s been in the beer […]
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What’s Good: Birria Brunch
The siren call of Taco Loco’s (955 Main St., Fortuna) cushy, thick, handmade tortillas is nearly impossible to resist but sometimes lashing yourself to the mast and sailing on to a couple new items on the menu pays off. Not that there’s a wrong time for chilaquiles, as excellent for breakfast as they are for […]
Posted inOn the Table
Throw a Potato Party
A couple months ago, I received a mysterious summons with strict instructions for secrecy. “There is no Potato Club,” it read. I will not divulge the identities of the guests or the hostess here. We were invited for an evening of starchy revelry among women, a potluck to which we’d each bring a topping for […]
Posted inOn the Table
Ambitious Cuisine Along the Avenue of the Giants
Southern Humboldt’s food scene, notably homemade and crafty, doesn’t seem a likely location for high-end dining. Certainly, there are pseudo versions of high-end cuisine, and often restaurants that claim such experiences remain in the overpriced and staid tourist trap category. But that stigma saw a serious blow this past summer with the reopening of the […]
Posted inOn the Table
Return of the Strange
I’m writing this while simmering in the mild, buzzy afterglow that follows attending a beer festival. In the past few years, Humboldt’s beerfests have slowly come back, and the return of Strange Brew, a benefit for the Eureka Theater, feels like a full-circle moment. With at least three dozen libations to sample, I tried, I […]
Posted inOn the Table
‘Don’t Wait to Be Asked’
Feeding folks amid loss of SNAP benefits Avi Leibson estimates the cost of the ingredients for the big pot of chicken soup he made in his Falafel Love kitchen, aside from the few unsold roasted chicken quarters from the day’s special, at around $10. He added potatoes, sweet potatoes, croutons made from the day’s leftover […]