Local Food

Grandma Weaver’s Cracked Sugar Cookies

1 cup of unsalted butter (if you use salted butter omit the salt asked for later) 2 cups sugar (plus more for rolling dough before baking and dusting cookies after baking) 3 egg yolks 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cream of tartar 1/8 teaspoon salt Preheat Oven […]

Winter Salad Dressing

I have certainly not invented anything new here, I like this salad dressing because once I made too much Baugna Cauda and had a lot leftover I then used over the next few days to figure out how adaptable this (recipe) is. Very short and sweet the dressing is simple. 1/3 cup olive oil 4 […]

From Our Early Days

When we began visioning Jupiter Foods, we saw a void in our food supply system where many nearby farmers’ products were absent from our stores. We had the ability to drive from farm stand to farm stand in hopes to assemble enough produce for our needs but simply put, we couldn’t buy the stuff that […]

Espelette Pepper-Cornerstone of Basque Cuisine

Espelette Pepper is the cornerstone spice flavor of Basque cooking. The appellation d’origine contrôlée designated the spicy condiment in 2002 Piment d’Espelette. To prepare a dried Espellete place the whole dried pepper in your mortar and pestle and pound the heck out of it. Alternately, place a broken up pepper in your spice grinder. This sweet bright […]

Brussels Sprouts, Cranberries and Black Garlic

The inspiration for this variation on the Ottolenghi Classic from his book “Simple” was the bright fresh cranberries that arrived this week. I normally advocate for substituting ingredients but this time I suggest sticking to the list I have outlined. The only other addition I might consider would be a sprinkling of toasted pumpkin seeds. […]

Butternut Squash and Kale Gratin

Like most of the recipes you find on our newsletter and food blog, the technique is highlighted rather than actual step-by-step instruction. This allows the preparer to better change out ingredients and be inspired rather than dictated. In this edition, I will show you a simple technique for making a gratin with butternut squash and […]

Mediterrasian Eggplant

A fusion of Asian and Mediterranean ingredients provides this seasonal side dish an explosion of flavor! This recipe starts with Asian Eggplant in a marinade, this marinade is used in the final baking after the dish is assembled. Using fresh, seasonal ingredients this dish is an amazing splash of flavor. Ingredients: 5 or 6 Asian Eggplant […]

Chopped Salad

About the best Chopped Salad I ever had was at Cowboy Ciao that was once a culinary hot spot in Scottsdale, AZ. They added pecans, roasted pumpkin seeds and Israeli Couscous and tossed in a creamy green goddess styled dressing at the table. I will emphasize the ingredients are interchangable and open for substition several […]

Fruit Salad

As we continue our feature of salads and since peaches, nectarines and apriums arrived this week just in time for Memorial Day, we take this opportunity to tell you about a fruit salad that is very special. Developed for a big crowd event, I have adapted this recipe slightly since the first time I served […]

Innocent Cole Slaw

I almost dislike using the dietary terms vegan, paleo, or no-mayo to describe this recipe but out this is all of that and more. Substitutions are encouraged, to a degree. If you use a toasted sesame oil instead of a golden sesame oil you should only use about a tablespoon because of the stronger flavor. […]

Strawberry Spongecake

Strawberry season is at its peak on summer solstice. Strawberries are influenced by the amount of daylight hours to fully ripen and maximize sweetness. You can wrap them up and hold them for 24 hours or more until you’re ready to serve. Now is the prime time of the season to treat yourself and eat […]

Making Salad Dressing at Home

Best ingredients make better salad dressings but use what you like and find inspiration.

Haiku Contest – Winners!

Our Haiku Contest winner — Ann Ingraham! lightening bugs in jars rainstorm, cracking of thunder my mom’s hands paint thyme Ann Ingraham Runners up: Small child’s hand in mine Lindsay saw the falling leaves “The leaves are leaving!” Kathy Tresch Delicate flower Your love was a raging sea And a summer breeze Conner Tamblin […]

Look Mom, We Made the Local Newspaper

Thank you to Houston Porter of the Argus Courier and Victoria Webb of victoriawebbphoto.com for the wonderful coverage. Popping up recently along the alley leading from the shadow of Petaluma’s downtown clock tower to the Balshaw walking bridge, Jupiter Foods has added a small European-style grocery store to our historic downtown streets. It packs a […]

Blood Orange Bundt Cake

Eating seasonally often dictates that old ideas of “traditional” dishes are really a product of marketing. Apple pie at Fourth of July picnic as an example, apples just are not in season in July. A better choice for summer might be peaches or cherries but somehow these do not translate into “traditional”. Take Valentine’s Day, […]

Fried “Rice” Cauliflower

Whenever I have a big head of cauliflower hanging around, I like to “rice” it, a technique I learned by trial and error. What I found was that the shredded “riced” cauliflower can react a number of ways based on the technique. What I would like to impart in this recipe is how to prepare the cauliflower as a fried rice dish adding a lot of whatever you might have in the refrigerator or leftovers. I also like to make a little omelet and cut it into strips like in Chinese Fried Rice.

Demystifying Delicata (squash)

Delicata squash is a variety of winter squash with cream-colored cylindrical fruits striped in green or orange that are cooked. As its name suggests, it has characteristically a delicate rind. It is also known as peanut squash, Bohemian squash, or sweet potato squash Preheat oven to 425° Cut off the ends, slice into even rounds […]

Colcannon

It is said there are as many recipes for Colcannon as there are cooks in Ireland. Well, here is my version. My family migrated from Ireland in the early 1700’s and we my ancestors were not part of the mass migration between 1820 and 1840 and therefore were not part of the mass Irish culture […]

Caramelized Tokyo Turnips

When I was working in Napa as a fledgling green grocer, I had several Chez Panisse alumni chefs who were regular customers. They all taught me so much but my all time favorite technique was for the Tokyo Turnip. Tokyo Turnips are a mild, juicy variety of turnip. We eat the tender roots of this plant, as […]

Produce Availability

We Know Your Farmer. As we begin the process to offer online ordering (platform coming soon) we will rely on an availably list published three times a week and an offer for you to select from that list and email it to us. We can then pull your order together and send you an invoice. […]

Finding Inspiration vol2

Last version of finding inspiration I mentioned I rarely find a recipe in a cookbook or on a website that I follow because I am so inspired by what is available in the produce case I find it difficult to pull together a bunch of “out of season” ingredients. God forbid a raspberry from Ecuador […]

Finding Inspiration for Dinner

When I’m trying to decide my dinner meal plan, I’m often utilizing many different approaches. Rarely I will use a “recipe” where I need to assemble several ingredients and find a bunch of panty items or produce I won’t use for something else. Then there is the grocery store approach, where too many time I […]

Bleu Cheese Dressing

Mince a tablespoon of shallot, a teaspoon of chopped chives and add to a 1 cup glass measuring cup, pour enough apple cider vinegar to just cover the shallots and chives. Let the shallots “cook” in the vinegar for 10-20 minutes. (A great time to start your salad fixings). Add a few drops of olive […]

If it’s good enough for Wendell…

While visiting Vermont a few years ago, Howard and I were asking the locals about their experience with Maple Syrup. We didn’t really notice a difference in the subtle nuances in flavor from one syrup maker to the next. Certainly, the grade difference resulted in a difference in the produce, but did the soil, the […]

Water Street Bistro Produce Pop-Up

Getting your first taste of Jupiter Foods is almost here. We feel the time is now, to offer you the very best produce from Sonoma County and a few extra special grocery items to make it even more interesting. Beginning October 5, 2020 9:00am several of our favorite farms along with some local producers will […]

Jupiter Foods 2.0

“What’s happening with Jupiter Foods?”, a frequent question I get while walking around Petaluma. “Jupiter Foods is still alive and the heart is beating strong!”, generally my short answer and then elaborate on more of the details. We had the opportunity to terminate the lease and begin the process again. I would like to report […]

The Journey of Jupiter Foods

Sitting at Water Street Bistro in early 2014 Howard and I were discussing the lack of quality grocery opportunities in the Petaluma area. We had noticed a small downtown retail space had vacated and was for rent. I conjectured a $40k budget could open such a small space with enough inventory and equipment to make […]

We Know What the Cows Eat

Organic milk comes from organic cows and federal regulations and requirements are strict. Treating cows with hormones, including Bovine Growth Hormone, rBGH, is strictly forbidden under organic law. No herbicides, pesticides or chemical fertilizers, ever. Straus Creamery hasn’t used any since the 1980s, long before they formally converted to organic. Some other guys are advertising […]

Defining Good Groceries

Good groceries are free from artificial flavors or preservatives, they are the cornerstone of creating outstanding recipes. A chef, whom I was intimidated to cook her birthday dinner told me, “You use the freshest, seasonal ingredients so your cooking always tastes amazing.” A compliment I took for more of my shopping than culinary skills. Point […]