James Beard Foundation Nominees Announced

Chef David Kinch and Chef de Cuisine Jessica Largey are finalists in the “Outstanding Chef” and “Rising Star Chef of the Year” categories for this year’s James Beard Foundation Awards. Manresa: An Edible Reflection was also announced as a finalist in the “Cooking from a Professional Point of View” category for the book awards. The James Beard Foundation book awards will be held on Friday, May 2. The chef and restaurant winners are announced at the James Beard Gala on Monday, May 5. For a complete list of nominees, please visit the James Beard Foundation website.

See the video of Jessica Largey produced by S.Pellegrino for her "Rising Star Chef of the Year" nomination.

Love Apple Farms—from Ice Cream to the H-O-W Days

Pack your days with workshops and classes at Love Apple Farms all summer long! Become a master at pizza making at the June 23 class, learning everything from making dough and sauces to cooking in an outdoor pizza oven! Save-the-date for the annual Tomato Masters classes with owner Cynthia Sandberg and learn her tips and tricks to growing better tomatoes. For more information on upcoming classes, farms tours, and the return of the H-O-W (Homestead Options Workshops) this August, visit the Love Apple Farms website.

Time for Tomatoes!

Love Apple Farms kicks off its annual tomato seedling sale at Ivy’s Porch in Scott’s Valley! Now through June 30, select from over 100 varieties of heirloom tomatoes, from Early Girl to Red Roma, and get growing! New this year, Love Apple Farms is excited to offer a limited variety of seedlings at Wegman’s Nursery in Redwood City and Western Garden Nursery in Pleasanton. Get all the details here.

• With planting underway, save-the-date for the annual celebration of tomatoes at Manresa’s Tomato Modernista dinners on September 21 and 22 featuring the exciting varieties from Love Apple Farms. Call Manresa at 408.354.4330 to make reservations.

Looking Ahead to Spring at Love Apple Farms

Say goodbye to winter and hello to spring with a homesteading class at Love Apple Farms! If you couldn’t get your garden up and running last year, check out the summer vegetable gardening class to learn everything from pest control to bed preparation. Tackle a new cooking class like bread making or learn a few new ways to prepare eggs! For more information on classes, workshops, upcoming farm dinners and lunch as well as some exciting tomato classes happening around the Bay Area, visit Love Apple Farms’ website.

• Congratulations to Love Apple Farms for receiving Demeter biodynamic certification, signifying that crops are produced without use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers or use of genetically modified seeds.

Love Apple Farms

Tap into your inner homesteader this February with a class or two at Love Apple Farms. Get your spring garden started by learning to grow tomato transplants from seed or pot up already growing herbs at the farm in its herb growing class. If it’s still too cold to think about gardening, master the art of home brewing, learning about everything from lagers to ales or discover how to make chevre, feta, and mozzarella in Love Apple Farms’ home cheese making class. Check out the complete list of current classes available at Love Apple Farms here.

Love Apple Farms

Feeling a little cabin fever this winter? Get out of the house and up to Love Apple Farms this month. Head to the kitchen classroom and learn how to make marmalades with Chez Pim or master the art of bread making. If you are anxious for spring, start getting your garden in order with classes on growing peppers or designing the perfect vegetable garden. Keep an eye out for classes featuring some of the Manresa team in 2013. Check out the complete list of current classes available at Love Apple Farms here.

Love Apple Farms

In the Kitchen with Chez Pim: Edible Holiday Gifts

This December, Love Apple Farms is all about gift giving. Sign up now to learn how to make your own gifts for the holidays from truffles to liqueurs or give the gift of homesteading with a Love Apple Farms gift certificate available here.

Don’t forget to check out the early 2013 class schedule. Start your springtime seedlings, learn how to build your own garden beds, or get into making marmalade.

Love Apple Farms Classes

It’s time to start your gift list for the holidays and there is nothing more personal than a homemade gift. From chocolate truffles to fruit butters and homemade liqueurs, there is a class for every person on your list. Sign up for the Love Apple Farms newsletter to stay in the know on classes for 2013 including spring vegetable gardening and backyard chicken keeping. Please visit the Love Apple Farms website for more information.

Love Apple Farms

Fall is in full swing at Love Apple Farms! Get started on your winter vegetable garden, learn how to bake the ultimate pie crust or make holiday wreaths with materials from your own garden—perfect timing for the season! Get signed up for one of several foodie classes including Artisan Ice Creams with Kendra Baker of The Penny Ice Creamery, In the Kitchen with Chez Pim: Ramen from Scratch, Asian Dumplings with cookbook author Andrea Nguyen, and more. For a complete roster of classes and details on Love Apple Farms special farm dinners and lunches, click here.

Love Apple Farms

Check out Love Apple Farms’ roster of classes heading into fall. Get the basics on beer making, learn how to prepare your winter vegetable garden, or take a class on artisan ice creams with Kendra Baker of The Penny Ice Creamery. For a complete roster of classes, click here.

Tomato Modernista Dinners

On Saturday, September 8 and Sunday, September 9, Manresa celebrates all things tomatoes at its annual Tomato Modernista Dinner series. These two special nights highlight the best of the harvest from Love Apple Farms featuring unique heirloom varietals such as the Black Oxheart, Elfie, Chili Verde and Gary O’Sena offered in different preparations and textures. Manresa will feature a multi-course menu each night in addition to some unique cocktails inspired by tomatoes. For reservations, click here.

Love Apple Farms Weekend Workshop

Love Apple Farms announces its first weekend gardening and homesteading festival on September 1 and 2, 2012. Enjoy a series of workshops, lectures, and more while you are introduced to many of the farms’ classes throughout each day. Workshops will be held on a rotating basis, offered at multiple times so you have the option of following what you're interested in learning! Guests are also invited to camp on the farm in the beautiful Santa Cruz Mountains, tour the property, and enjoy delicious food made from fresh Love Apple Farms ingredients like pork, eggs, cheese, veggies, and herbs. For reservations, pricing and information on additional offerings at Love Apple Farms, please visit their website.

Love Apple Farms Goings-On

• Warm summer days make the perfect setting for an outdoor lunch and dinner! Check out Love Apple Farms new series of farm lunches and dinners celebrating the day’s harvest under an expansive blue sky and view of Monterey Bay in the distance. To reserve your spot at the table, click here.

Simon Majumdar

• Save the date for an afternoon with a Food Network Star! On Saturday, August 4, Love Apple Farms welcomes author, food writer, and broadcaster Simon Majumdar for an exclusive afternoon of book reading, discussion, and a cooking demonstration. The British star is the author of two books, “Eat My Globe” and “Eating for Britain” and has appeared on programs including the Food Network’s “Iron Chef America” and “The Best Thing I Ever Ate.” He also has been a judge on four seasons of the network’s “The Next Iron Chef” series. Space is limited. Click here for reservations.

Summer of Love

Love Apple Farms gives you plenty of reasons to get outside this summer! For the gardener, brush up on your tomato knowledge with the ongoing Tomato Masters series. For the artisan, explore canning and aromatherapy classes. And, for the food aficionado, don’t miss the farm lunches and dinners or its Iconic Chefs Dinner series, welcoming Michelin star Chef Dominique Crenn of San Francisco’s Atelier Crenn on Sunday, June 24. The summer continues with a special cooking class and book signing with author, food writer, broadcaster, and Food Network “The Next Iron Chef” judge Simon Majumdar on Saturday, August 4. Click here for more information and reservations.

Photo of Cynthia Sandberg by Lane Johnson, courtesy of Eucalyptus magazine

What's Happening at Love Apple Farms

Dominique Crenn, Atelier Crenn

 » Tomato Love // Just up the road from Manresa, Love Apple Farms is offering all kinds of activities and special events for late spring: Tomato Seedling Sale. If you haven’t started your summer garden, there is still time to get those tomatoes in the ground. Love Apple Farms’ tomato seedling sale continues through Saturday, June 30 with nearly 100 heirloom seedling varieties available for purchase. Stop by Love Apple Farms new retail space at Ivy’s Porch seven days a week to select your plants from 10:00 a.m.–5:00 a.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. on Sundays. Ivy’s Porch is located at 5311 Scotts Valley Drive in Scotts Valley.

» Creating Cocktails with Jeff Bareilles // Manresa Wine & Beverage Director Jeff Bareilles continues his seasonal cocktail classes at Love Apple Farms on Tuesday, June 5. Join him as he introduces his top spirits for spring and summer and shows you how to turn them in to refreshing cocktails. The hands-on class includes demonstration, tasting, recipes and more. Space is limited. To reserve, please visit the Love Apple Farms website.

» Love Apple Farms Welcomes Chef Dominique Crenn on June 24 // On Sunday, June 24, Love Apple Farms welcomes Dominique Crenn from San Francisco’s Michelin star rated Atelier Crenn for its second “Iconic Chefs Dinner.” From her beginnings in Versailles, France, to the title of Esquire Magazine’s 2008 “Chef of the Year,” combined with her win on Food Network’s “Iron Chef America,” Crenn has built a legitimate and solid reputation both nationally and internationally for her artisanal, sustainable and seasonal cuisine. Love Apple Farms is thrilled to welcome her on Sunday, June 24.  Advanced reservations and more information can be found at the Love Apple Farms website.

Love Apple Farms—Upcoming Events

» Love Apple Farms debuts its first “Iconic Chefs Dinner” series with Josiah Citrin, two Michelin star chef/owner of Melisse restaurant in Santa Monica, CA on Sunday, May 20 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. An exciting opportunity to enjoy a menu from an acclaimed California chef, this “Iconic Chefs Dinner” will include a special five-course menu served with Love Apple Farms as the backdrop. A favorite among the Los Angeles crowd for its romantic setting, superb service, extensive wine list and attention to detail, Melisse continuously tops lists like Zagat, Gayot and Wine Spectator. The May 20 “Iconic Chefs Dinner” featuring Josiah Citrin is $165 per person, inclusive of wine, tax and gratuity. For reservations, please visit the Love Apple Farms website.

» On Sunday, June 24, Love Apple Farms will welcome Dominique Crenn from San Francisco’s Michelin star rated Atelier Crenn for its second “Iconic Chefs Dinner.” Advanced reservations and more information can be found at the Love Apple Farms website.

» Love Apple Farms’ annual Tomato Plant Sale is in full swing through June 2012, with a new retail space at Ivy’s Porch in Scotts Valley, CA. This year’s seedling sale features thousands of heirloom seedlings for purchase and showcases beautiful display gardens allowing guests to learn how to plant their gardens and incorporate new ideas into their home landscape. The sale runs through Saturday, June 30 from 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. on Sundays. Ivy’s Porch is located at 5311 Scotts Valley Drive in Scotts Valley.

Love Apple Farms—Upcoming Events & Classes

Love Apple Farms’ annual Tomato Seedling Sale kicks off on Saturday, March 17, with a new retail space at Ivy’s Porch in Scotts Valley. Grow some of the unique tomatoes used at Manresa in your own backyard with a selection of over 100 varieties of heirloom and hybrid tomatoes. This year’s seedling sale will not only feature thousands of heirloom seedlings for purchase, but will also showcase beautiful display gardens allowing guests to learn how to plant their gardens and incorporate new ideas into their home landscape. The sale runs until Saturday, June 30 and hours of operation are as follows: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. on Sundays. Ivy’s Porch is located at 5311 Scotts Valley Drive in Scotts Valley.

» Manresa’s Jeff Bareilles returns to Love Apple Farms for a seasonal cocktails class on Tuesday, March 27. The hands-on class will include a demonstration on three of Bareilles’ favorite cocktails, including the classic Martini. Guests will learn how to pickle and cure garnishes as well as infuse spirits for their home bar. Tuesday, March 27 from 6:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.; $115. For more information and registration, please visit Love Apple Farms.

Cocktails Class with Jeff Bareilles

Manresa's Wine and Beverage Director Jeff Bareilles will lead a seasonal cocktails workshop at Love Apple Farms in March. Jeff will teach you how to prepare base infusions with fresh-from-the-garden ingredients and take you through the process of building drinks around them so that you will be equipped to shake up a knock-out cocktail for any celebration, all year round. He will also be sharing some of his favorite recipes of the season. This is a hands-on class. Each student gets to practice their shaking, stirring, measuring, muddling and sampling! Tuesday, March 27; 6–9 p.m.; $115 
» For more information and registration, please visit Love Apple Farms.

New Love Apple Farms Classes for 2012

Love Apple Farms announces its workshops and introduces new homesteading classes for 2012. Whether you want to bake the perfect pie crust, learn how to bee-keep in the backyard or make your own beer, there are exciting activities and workshops to be taken this year! New classes include Artisan Yarns, Fruit Trees, Basic Garden Carpentry and Biodynamic Gardening and more. Highlighted classes for 2012 include:
» Workshop: Beer Making Basics
Saturday, January 14 / Sunday, March 4
» Workshop: Artisan Yarns
Saturday, January 21
» Workshop: Design the Perfect Vegetable Garden
Sunday, January 22 / Saturday, March 3 / Sunday, May 6
» Workshop: Growing Tomato Transplants from Seed
Saturday, January 28 / Sunday, February 19 / Tuesday, March 13
» In the Kitchen with Chez Pim: Perfect Pie Crusts
Saturday, February 4
» Workshop: Early Spring Vegetable Gardens
Sunday, February 5 / Saturday, February 25
» In the Kitchen with Chez Pim: Macaron Madness
Saturday, February 11 / Saturday, March 17
» Workshop: Basic Garden Carpentry
Saturday, February 18 / Sunday, May 20
» Workshop: Fruit Trees
Sunday, February 19
» Introduction to Biodynamic Gardening
Sunday, February 26 / Sunday, June 17
» Workshop: Summer Vegetable Gardening
Sunday, March 18 / Saturday, April 21 / Saturday, May 26

"Cosmo Blanche" Cocktail Recipe

Try this unique cocktail from Manresa's artisan cocktail collection, recipe courtesy of Jeff Bareilles, Manresa's Wine and Beverage Director.

Cosmo Blanche
1.5 oz Chateau Laubade Blanche Armagnac Ultra Premium
0.5 oz lemon juice
0.25 oz Cointreau
0.5 oz Choya Umesh Plum Wine
1 lemon twist

• Measure all ingredients with a jigger and place into a martini shaker.
• Fill the martini shaker ¾ full with ice.
• Shake hard for about 1 minute, then strain into coup or martini glass that has been garnished with a lemon twist.

»Workshop: Seasonal Cocktails with Jeff Bareilles
Manresa's Jeff Bareilles will lead a Seasonal Cocktails Workshop at Love Apple Farms in January. He will teach you how to prepare base infusions with fresh-from-the-garden ingredients and take you through the process of building drinks around them so that you will be equipped to shake up a knock-out cocktail for any celebration, all year round. He will also be sharing some of his favorite recipes of the winter season. Visit the Love Apple Farms website for registration and more information.