Last-Minute Green Zebra

Seattle has the Chinook book; the Bay Area has Green Zebra.  Green versions of the usual coupon books for meals, activities and services, they contain offers mainly from locally-owned businesses.  And those expire on December 31 - so I'm giving the Zebra a last browse.

2008 was a year for cooking at home rather than eating out, with some notable exceptions (a fabulous meal at Venus in Berkeley, for instance).  But as it winds to a close, and the economic downturn threatens businesses of all sizes, I feel increasingly compelled to put the dollars I can spare into local ventures that support the health of my community.  Not a huge raw food fan, I nonetheless plan to try Burlingame's Que Seraw SeRaw.  Who knows?  It may be my next food epiphany.  

A few other local bistros and markets made the cut, too; but the biggest enticement is the CoolEatz coupon.  It offers "a bowl of seasonal soup made from local organic ingredients" at any of Jesse Ziff Cool's restaurants.  I have only been to the Cool Cafe at Stanford's art museum so far.    Trying tapas at the jZcool Eatery or splurging on an upscale dinner at Flea St. Cafe both sound like magnificent ways to get ready for 2009.

The Perfect Hostess Gift

During the holidays (whichever ones you celebrate that involve going to other people's homes), the question of what to bring the host or hostess always comes up. Flowers are a popular standby; and wine is a common fallback. But why not invest the same effort and expense in something local, hand-crafted, and nicer than you would buy everyday for home? Something like a small round of Harley Goat Farms chevre, for instance.

We made the pilgrimage to Pescadero (CA) this summer, and bought a stock of gorgeous fresh cheese selections. At a grocery store, the purchase would have overwhelmed me; but there near the coast, watching the happy goats in their field, it felt like a worthwhile investment.

The pleasant store staff assured me that the chevre freezes well; so I laid my fears of wasting any aside and indulged (the tasting samples are wicked enticements). One particularly beautiful round went into the freezer; and I we didn't think about it much until it surfaced in October. By then I knew which special occasion it was for - Thanksgiving. I appreciated so much not hosting the supper this year that I wanted to bring something really delightful. And it fit the bill.