Edible Northeast Florida

“It’s not a foodie mag, it’s a magazine about food.” At least that’s what Amy Robb and Lauren Titus, the forces behind the new Edible Northeast Florida magazine, would like you to know. We’ve been hearing some positive things about these ladies, and what they are doing with the Edible magazine, so we met up to get some details about the first issue out this week!

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Amy and Lauren’s mission is a simple one: to bring a beautiful magazine to Northeast Florida focused on the best stories and recipes for food education, with a spotlight on local and sustainable eating and cooking. Having always been involved with food, the two ladies met just last year, and now they are working hand in hand to produce something special.

Last February, Lauren was toying with the idea of retiring. She met with Amy to ask how she could volunteer with the “Farm to Family Market.” While they did get a chance to talk, nothing much came of it. A few months later, Amy started looking into taking a regular 9 to 5. She’d been running her own media company for a long time, and she was looking for something new. Here’s where the magic happened. As Amy was sitting down for interviews, she began to realize that an office job wasn’t what she wanted. Despite the security of working for an established company, she wasn’t ready to give up her freedom. She wanted something that would “pull her in the right direction,” and a creative one too.

Then Amy thought of Edible magazines, a national network of gorgeous food magazines. After some consideration, Amy decided that what we needed was an Edible right here in North Florida. So Amy got in touch with Lauren, who she knew would want to be involved in the hands-on project. Lauren was ready to be on board. Having seen the two in action, I can say that they work well as a team, and both of them are on the same page when it comes to their love of food culture, history, and education.

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While it’s difficult for me to pinpoint where my love of food started, we like to ask the hard-hitting questions at Somewhere in the City. When I asked, Lauren said baking was her first love. Apparently, she is a master brownie maker, which means we are instant best friends. When I asked if they were from scratch, she said, “Of course. They are the best!”

Amy’s food affair started early, but she didn’t realize it for a long time. Both sides of her family were farmers, so they instilled a love of good, fresh food from the start. And like many who love food, it was always a constant for her. It didn’t matter what stage her career was in, or where she was in the world—food was (and is) something that she has always enjoyed.

Amy Robb of Edible Northeast Florida

Amy emphasized that for both of them it is “important to put out a publication that people find engaging and interesting.” Lauren followed up by saying it’s a “work in progress, one that fortunately, or unfortunately, we get to restart every two months.” I can tell they are secretly looking forward to this recreation process, because it means they’ll have a chance to adapt as they discover what the readers need and want.

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I asked what Lauren and Amy are trying to accomplish with their Edible magazine, and they both feel that it’s important to try and reach people who grew up on boxed mac n’ cheese and freezer-singed fish sticks. While the ladies know there is nothing wrong with enjoying comfort foods, they look to broaden every reader’s horizon. “We don’t want to create an exclusive publication” Amy said. One of the ways they hope to reach every reader is by providing recipes that take little time, or don’t have a long list of unheard of specialty ingredients.

When I asked about the process of becoming part of the national Edible brand, Amy said it’s simply amazing. They are now a part of a team of people around the nation working to produce their own Edible magazine. It’s a whole support network, and they can, according to Amy, call each other up and chat about anything from hyper-local food trends to challenges to setting up their first issue.

Because the Edible community is widespread, but so close-knit, the network brings new ideas right to our front door! Amy describes it as becoming a part of a community that’s not “competing, but contributing.”

Like its national counterparts, Edible will be published every two months and is free to all. You can pick up your free copy of Edible’s first issue around town at some of our favorite restaurants and vendors. Find a location near you!

Brentley

Trasca & Co. // The Trembaths

We here at Somewhere in the City like food. Okay, I lied. We love food. Like, really really love food. There is one thing, though, that we love even more than food, and that is people. Sara Trembath is one of those people. She also has a delicious restaurant which serves our second favorite thing. (Food, remember?)

Here she is, so that you’ll know who I’m talking about as I continue to describe all the wonderful things about her and Trasca & Co.Trasca (21) My sister lives in Ponte Vedra and saw an ad for a restaurant called “Trasca.” Really, it’s because of my sister that this post exists. Anyway, I thought Trasca looked good, so off I set to Ponte Vedra, where I don’t venture much. Boy, was I glad I did.

When my sister and I walked in, I saw a lady who was hugging people goodbye and calling their names as they left. That lady turned out to be Sara, who knows almost everyone’s name. Sara was excited to see us, and told us to sit wherever we liked.Trasca (95)Trasca (101)After giving us some background info on the design of the restaurant (her husband made some of the tables!), Sara went over the menu with us and took our orders personally. I started with a latte and ended with dessert, but there were a whole lot of things in between. For starters, the Panino sticks, which were so doughy, warm, and amazing. Next came a salad, four Paninos, and a giant mud pie. Hey, don’t judge. We wanted to try everything.Trasca (2)Trasca (32)Trasca (35) Trasca (10)Trasca (49) Trasca (46)   Trasca (3) Trasca (7)TrascaNow that you’re hungry, here’s a little background info on the Trembaths: 4 years ago, Sara and her husband, Travis, moved here from Minneapolis after Travis got a job with the PGA Tour. They love the area, so, fortunately for us, it looks like they’re stuck here. But in a good way.Trasca (60)Sara’s family has been in the food business since the 1970’s. Before starting her own restaurant, Sara worked with General Mills, where she learned even more about food. Now that she is here, she is thorough about the things she does and why she does them. Sara is very particular about what comes into Trasca, which is why she knows where all her ingredients come from. My favorite ingredient may have been the all-natural Puck’s soda, which comes from Hoboken, New Jersey. I don’t normally drink or like sodas, but Puck’s root beer…oh man. Puck’s ingredients include all-natural extracts with no artificial colors or flavors. As for Trasca’s other ingredients: the shrimp on the specialty shrimp Panino came straight from Mayport here in Jacksonville, while the meats and cheeses come from places outside Florida that Sara is familiar with. The free-range chicken is never frozen and comes fresh every day–it’s about as fresh as the dough that is made daily in Trasca. The coffee in Trasca is from Zingerman’s in Michigan, and the beer is whatever the Trembath’s current favorite craft beer is!

One of the things Sara wasn’t expecting was the tastebud preferences in the south compared to where she and Travis came from. “Some things that people love up north weren’t doing well down here,” she told me, “so I had to refine the menu to fit southern tastebuds.” This meant including a shrimp Panino and getting rid of a Panino that had green chilies that aren’t too popular down here. Not only does Sara care about her ingredients; she also cares about making food that we Jacksonvillians enjoy.

The greatest thing about Sara is how evident her love of people is. She was happy to eat her lunch with us, and kept trying to feed us her pizza. Since we were too stuffed to eat (and wanted to save room for that mud pie), she offered her food to one of her employees. Speaking of employees, Sara and her husband believe in a fair wage, and pay their part-time employees a starting rate of $9.50/hour. Every worker is important to Sara, and employees are highlighted on Trasca’s Facebook. All the employees we spoke to couldn’t stop smiling, including Chef Trey, who also ate his lunch with us and gushed about how much he loves working at Trasca.

Overall, Trasca is a place for beach-goers, businesspersons, and babies. Yep, babies–check out the cute onesies for sale, along with regular-sized t-shirts! Because of Sara’s infectious warmth, the whole restaurant is cheerful and inviting, from the staff to the diners. Though the Trembaths aren’t local, they’ve settled here with a love for supporting the area, a love that will fill hearts as easily as Trasca fills bellies.Trasca (20)Wondering what Sara’s favorite Panino is? The Spaghetti Pie. Swing by Trasca and give it a taste! The restaurant is open from 7am – 9pm Monday-Saturday, and recently started serving brunch on Sundays from 9am – 2pm. If you happen to stop by for breakfast, you can get scones and more through the walk-up window outside!

If you’re curious about all those pictures of food, check out the food review in Folio Weekly. In the meantime, give a shout out to Trasca on their Facebook!

Written By Rebecca

People of Jax // Cari Sànchez-Potter

Fizzing with energy, Cari Sànchez-Potter is always taking on a new project when it comes to the food scene in Jacksonville. From cookbooks to pop up events, she’s managed to gather a food community in Jacksonville that is the envy of other cities. Despite her busy schedule, we managed to carve out some time to chat about how the culinary community in Jacksonville has changed, and where it will go next.

You can’t talk about great food without getting hungry, so we chose Orsay, a French restaurant in Riverside. As someone who also sops up every last bit of broth, eating with Cari was like eating with a kindred spirit. We planned our meal, happily knowing we’d share. Cari recommended the escargot (that’s snail, for us plebs). When I admitted I never tried it, she immediately said we had to have it. She’s the expert, so I didn’t argue. Turns out snails are delicious; it was my favorite thing! Our stomachs were full by the time we finished eating our mussels frites, escargot, beet terrine, spinach gratin, and lots of crusty bread.pic2Talking with Cari, it’s easy to see how she keeps her momentum. Her “let’s do it” attitude is motivated by her mission, which she’s managed to distill to a few key ideas. She focuses on “Hyper local – local venues, local talent, local produce” in a collaborative atmosphere. You can see that mission reflected in the Legend Series. If you’ve been to any of the 9 Legend Series Dinners, then you’re lucky, and I’m jealous. Each of the dinners has been carefully planned by Cari and Co-Founder Scotty Schwartz, Chef and Owner of 29 South. Cari and Scotty collaborate with some of the best chefs in the city to create an event that is a total mystery until the day of.

Let that sink in.

You are purchasing a ticket to an event you know nothing about, except that it’s going to be amazing. Since most of the events take place in unusual places, the details and scope of the Legend events are astounding. Think hanging out in graveyards or mingling with zebras on the White Oak preserve. Yes, this really happens.

But let me back up to a time before Cari had developed taste buds. Growing up, she didn’t have much love for fresh food. In fact, she told me that she wouldn’t eat a fresh tomato if her life depended on it. Then, with the introduction of gardening, she began to love playing with ingredients and making delicious dishes. That’s what motivated her to get her Masters from a highly comprehensive gastronomy program in Adelaide, Australia. The study of gastronomy is not quite what you’d think. Instead of a ton of time spent in the kitchen whipping up exotic items, she learned a great deal about the culinary arts and history.

Along with her culinary pursuits, Cari and her husband, Philip, have a passion for travel. They have lived in Argentina, Spain, Ireland, Japan, Boston, Australia, and Switzerland. About 6 years ago, they decided to make Jacksonville their home. She laughs as she tells me about her initial impression of Jacksonville. “We only thought we’d be here for a couple of years,” she said. However, a combination of timing, luck, and opportunities counteracted that initial expectation.

It was that perfect timing that landed Cari her day job as General Manager of Intuition Ale Works. Ben Davis, the owner of Intuition, was looking for a GM on Craigslist before the brewery opened, and Cari answered. They had so much in common during their first meeting that they immediately became friends. Now, Intuition is expanding to a larger brewery and event space, and the plans the Intuition team have in mind are huge! They have lots of ideas for the three special event spaces: the rooftop bar, an event space, and the brewery.

Working with Intuition gave Cari the chance to create Cooking With Intuition, the first cookbook she compiled and edited with the help of the culinary community. Now, she’s helping the Cummer Museum with their cookbook, The Chef’s Canvas. The cookbook is the vision of the Director of the Cummer Museum, Hope McMath, and the Chief Curator, Holly Keris, the idea is to create a project where visual arts meets taste buds. In The Chef’s Canvas, each of the participating chefs was given the challenge to come up with a recipe that reflects a piece of art from the Cummer Museum’s permanent collection. This unique collaboration is one of the first of its kind in our country. The Chef’s Canvas, which will be filled with 70 to 80 recipes from food trucks, mixologists (a.k.a. fancy bartenders), and restaurants, is set to release in March of 2016.

The community that has sprung from these unique projects is an impressive one. The Jax culinary environment is much more collaborative than those in other cities, which is, as we can tell, a great benefit not only to our taste buds, but to our city. This sense of community extends to the brewers, as well. Cari is excited about the partnerships within the brewing community that have culminated with the Jax Beer Society. If beer is your scene, you’ll want to attend their signature event in November, “Jax Beer Week.”

Since Cari has been so instrumental in our burgeoning food scene, I had to ask her how she would like to see it grow in the future. Here she paused. “I want to see us [as a city] embrace our international range of food,” she said. She mentioned that Jax needs a celebrity chef as almost a “seal of approval” to show the world that we are serious when it comes to our food.

While I had bullet points I wanted to cover during dinner, I barely had to look at them. Cari slid so seamlessly from one project to another, covering all the interesting details in between. As we finished our dessert, I realized it’s because each of these projects is bound together in such a way that pulling the string of one reveals another facet of the gem in the heart of our culinary community. That’s what makes both Cari and her projects so successful: the deep-rooted sense of community that she’s found in Jacksonville, which couldn’t thrive without those who work to keep it fun and interesting. The folks who stay in Jax can see that, just as Cari has. To those who work hard in Jax to discover and expand our many niches, I say thank you, and I challenge you find a project in our community that you’re excited about!

Brentley

Nourish Juice Cafe // Riverside

Somewhere in the City isn’t being very merciful to you right now because, twice in one week, we’re making you read yet another post about food that might make your tummy really hangry. Fortunately, the juice, smoothies, and fruit bowls at Nourish Juice Cafe will make your tummy really happy.IMG_0046King Street is hopping right now. A few months ago we explored Southern Roots across the street. Nourish, which opened May 16, fits right in on King, with its cozy vibe and healthy food. Absolutely everything in Nourish is organic, from the chocolate bars to the coconut water. There is no gluten and no added sugar, although you can add agave to your smoothie or juice if you want. Founder Kathleen, who has a background as a dietitian and also dabbled in fashion in Los Angeles, stressed that healthy eating is important to her. Although she had been working in the fashion industry for years, she wanted to get back to her passion: nutrition. That is what led her to Jacksonville, where she has many dear friends. “I always knew I’d end up in Jacksonville,” she said.IMG_0045Natural food and earth-friendly products are important to Kathleen, which is why the plastic cups at Nourish are biodegradable. “I didn’t want to use plastic, but I knew people would want to take their drinks to go,” she said, adding that she made sure to get eco-friendly cups. In the cafe, Jacksonvillians can also find a natural skincare line made by Kathleen’s friend from California, as well as biodegradable towels made in Sweden which were made with water based ink.IMG_0053DSC_0136IMG_0050Right now Nourish is just serving juice, smoothies, and fruit bowls, but Kathleen says she is hoping to expand the menu to lunch items. She tends toward a vegan diet and says there will definitely be no meat.

Speaking of food…you probably want to see some pretty pictures. We ordered the acai berry bowl, the mango strawberry smoothie, and the sweet green smoothie. Since we’re Somewhere in the City and we like to go all out when it comes to food, we also got a juice that has beets and carrots! Yum.DSC_0436IMG_0051IMG_0047Kathleen said she and Nourish are all about community. She lives in the neighborhood and loves the relationships that the businesses on King have with each other. She also loves Jacksonville! “It’s got a good mindset,” she said. “There’s a good mix here.”

Since she has a background in fashion, I asked if she would ever have any clothing in Nourish. “Maybe one day,” she said. “They would be very unique items.” Can you imagine getting a smoothie, dish towels, facial cleanser, and a shirt all in one place? Count me in!

Nourish is new, so be sure to show them some Facebook and Instagram love! If you go, be sure to say hi to Kathleen–she’s super friendly. Then get a smoothie and your tummy will thank you for it.

 

Written By Rebecca

Kitchen on San Marco

It’s time for a post that is going to make everyone hungry. If you’re in San Marco–or in Jacksonville, really–you’re in luck, because Kitchen on San Marco is waiting to treat you to something unique. This farm to table restaurant focuses on crafting a menu that follows the growing season and utilizes fresh, local produce. Everything is made in-house, from the ketchup and mayonnaise to the charcuterie. They also grow herbs themselves, which is pretty cool.

Kitchen on San Marco is a supporter of Culinard, the Culinary Institute of Virginia College. Their chefs teach students in the kitchen and show them a glimpse of real life cooking. The Executive Chef, Ryan Randolph, worked under Chef Daniel Lindley, who was nominated for the James Beard award. Chef Ryan crafted the entire menu of Kitchen on San Marco and is inspired by the seasons and his support of local farmers. The farthest their food travels is from Tennessee so that we in Jacksonville can taste Tennessee ramps, wild onions that are similar to leeks and garlic. There are four total Kitchen on San Marcos–the others are in Mobile and Birmingham.

The look of the restaurant is neat, with chalkboard walls and a garage door window opening. Inside there are 20 taps which support Intuition, Engine 15, Aardwolf, Green Room, and more. IMG_9893IMG_9895DSC_0078Somewhere in the City was excited to eat food, so we sort of ate a lot. We ordered the gastropub burger, the seasonal market fish, seared pork shoulder with succotash and smoked corn aioli, and the KOSM fried chicken. For dessert we got the chocolate torte and stacked blondies. But enough chatter. Let’s just look at the food.IMG_9898IMG_9897IMG_9896IMG_9900 (1)IMG_9899My favorite was the blondie brownies with bourbon ice cream because I have a sweet tooth and, let’s be honest, who would reject brownies+ice cream? These things were delicious and I ate way more than my stomach wanted me to, but that’s okay. All of the food was bursting with flavor and richness; our taste buds were definitely doing happy little jigs in our mouths.

Kitchen on San Marco is somewhere you should check out, most especially if you are craving fresh meals made from scratch. If you go, be sure to try the blondie brownie! You won’t be disappointed.

Written By Rebecca

Olive My Pickle

I will start this article off by expressing how much I love pickles, so much so that my family started calling me “Pickle” after witnessing me down one too many jars of pickles while growing up. My pickle appreciation grew as I got older and is what led me to approach Olive My Pickle at One Spark. (They won second in their category, so that has to be a good indicator of their deliciousness.) Needless to say, I had high expectations. I’d seen OMP at RAM before, but I’d never actually tried a pickle. I excitedly walked to their One Spark tent, answered a question about probiotics, and was awarded with a deliciously crunchy, entirely satisfactory, and completely healthy pickle. Thus began my love for OMP.

We’re starting to learn (or starting to remember) that bacteria can be good for us. Things like kefir, kombucha, and kimchi are recirculating the foodie crowds in America. OMP fits right in with the rest, because their pickles are fermented. Fermented pickles, as opposed to vinegar pickles, are in an environment that doesn’t kill the probiotic bacteria and live cultures. That’s right: OMP sells living food. The pickles sit in brine (salt water) and spices and must be properly monitored with the right pH levels. I learned all this information from Charlotte, co-founder and owner of OMP.DSC_0034Shai and Charlotte Tzabari started Olive My Pickle in November of 2010, after a rich couple of years of farming. Then Shai, who grew up making “old world” pickles with his grandmother, began making pickles and hummus, which they sold at farmers markets. Eventually they left the farm and began focusing on OMP. Within four years, OMP products were being sold in Native Sun. You may have seen these non-GMO, locally made pickles around town, and you’re going to be seeing more of them, because OMP is in the process of entering Whole Foods!

You’re probably wondering about this whole “fermenting” process. Contrary to what I thought, the typical salad cucumbers found at grocery stores aren’t ideal for fermenting. Because of their texture, they will get mushy, as opposed to the tiny and bumpy kirby cucumbers. OMP’s motto is “Vine to brine in a day”, which means lots of work and lots of munching on cucumbers, you know, just to make sure that they taste okay and everything. Which they do. After they are picked up, the cucumbers are transferred for washing, and eventually fermenting, where they rest at the proper temperature in brine and spices. The process is called “lacto fermentation,” which means fermenting with salt and without oxygen. The environment is what promotes the growth of the good bacteria that are found in the pickles. The pickles themselves aren’t all that’s healthy about the fermented cucumbers, either–Charlotte says the juice is full of live enzymes. “It’s like liquid gold,” she said.DSC_0011DSC_0022DSC_0007The ultimate goal for OMP is to become a national brand. Charlotte hopes that people will learn the health benefits of fermentation, which is something people have been doing for hundreds of years and something Shai has been doing his whole life. “Our life is a big adventure,” she said. She wants to share OMP’s story with others and hear stories in return.

OMP didn’t stop with just pickles; they also sell pickled green tomatoes, sauerkraut, pickled veggies, hummus, olives, and more! You can find them at the farmers markets, Native Sun, and Grassroots in Fleming Island. Check out their Facebook for the latest updates and tips on fermenting. Since I’m assuming you’re craving pickles as much as I did while writing this, you’ll want to go to their website to order online right now. My favorite (and Charlotte’s) are the kosher dills. Let Somewhere in the City know what your favorite OMP treat is!DSC_0030

Written By Rebecca

Moonbeam Bash // Yelp Event

Remember when we introduced you to Allie, Community Manager of Yelp here in Jacksonville? Well, this year she comes bearing exciting news, especially if you’re into free food, free drinks, live music, the full moon, and cosplay. We’re assuming you are, so you should probably keep reading.

DSC_0002It’s time again for Yelp’s 2nd Annual Moonbeam Bash: Cosmic Cosplay, a Yelper party to bring all things Yelp to the people of Jax. This fantastic event takes place Monday, May 4, from 8:30-10:30. Guess where the bash takes place? At MOSH, where there will be a planetarium light show to go with the full moon and our awesome costumes. Did we mention costumes? Yes, take out your Halloween outfit from last year, ’cause you’ll want to wear it for this. If you don’t wear a costume, you can’t get any Corner Taco. Just kidding, you still can–you’ll just be missing out, so bring out the ol’ Spidey outfit or your Mario costume. We won’t judge. Allie herself will be sporting a sweet Game of Thrones outfit, but you’ll have to go to see which one.

In order to go to this entirely free event, all you have to do is RSVP right here. You have to have a real Yelp account, which is free and takes two seconds to make, so don’t forget to sign up if you haven’t already! There will be a suggested $10.00 donation, with all the proceeds going to MOSH, which was kind enough to let Yelp come back to throw another bash. You also might want to bring some cash to tip the food/drink vendors, some of which are: Corner Taco, Hawkers, Intuition, Veteran’s United Craft Brewery, Fusion Food Truck, Little Black Box, Rain Dogs, and more! There’s also some local fun provided by The Engagement Ring Studio, Authentic Touch, Zen Soul Therapy, and Bee-Utiful Skin and Nails. The live band will be Fjord Explorer. Basically, because it’s Jacksonville, there’s awesome stuff for everyone, so be sure to come!

Jax_MoonbeamBash_300x300If you’re looking to harness your inner retro nerd, come to Yelp’s Moonbeam Bash to interact with Jax and all your favorite Yelpers. Bring your nerdiest costume, or, if you’re not sure the world is ready to see your Zelda outfit, come and get your face painted for free. Meanwhile, as Allie says, SYOY! See you on Yelp! And we’ll see you May 4th at MOSH!

Written By Rebecca

GastroFest 2015 // Erin Thursby

At Somewhere in the City, we wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t give you the low down on GastroFest 2015. The day-long food festival, happening on March 21st, celebrates local cuisine and North Florida’s culinary history. I got a chance to hang out with Erin Thursby, the Executive Director of GastroJax, at March’s Art Walk, and we discussed why GastroJax, and why now.

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GastroJax Board of Directors at One Spark 2014: Jessica Fields, Nathaniel Price, Kamron Perry, Rachel Henley & Erin Thursby 

First, let’s talk the difference between GastroJax and GastroFest. GastroJax is a nonprofit organization that’s dedicated to food education. They do events and dinners throughout the year, like the Damn Good Dim Sum Dinner, while GastroFest is set to be an annual celebration of our food culture, showcasing everything from restaurants, food trucks, breweries, pop makers, and more–all in one day.

When I asked Erin why she decided to make GastroFest a reality, she said she felt Jacksonville needed a food festival dedicated to celebrating our local culinary scene. The hope is that GastroFest will show the rest of the world that Jacksonville is a culinary destination, something that Jax residents have known for a while. Like anything in Jacksonville, all it takes is one person to think, “Let’s do this” and it can become a reality. Erin is quick to say she couldn’t do it on her own, and certainly not without a lot of hard work. Erin cites help from her board members, as well as the fabulous start they received at One Spark last year, saying, “GastroFest would have been a pipe dream without the support we got from One Spark.”

The festival is split up into three parts: Taste Vendors, Marketplace Vendors and Education Vendors. It will be all day, from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm in Hemming Park. Entry to the festival is free, but you’ll need Taste Tickets or a VIP Pass to try the food. Tickets are $1.00 each and will be your currency throughout the day. It’s the perfect setup for people with dietary restrictions, that way you get to choose the samples you want to eat and purchase, or you can opt for the VIP Passes which allow you to try everything!11054287_723355017779780_3657242495214293178_n In addition to the food, there will be plenty of free programming and movies happening at MOCA throughout the day, with mini-seminars at Down The Rabbit Hole on brewing your own beer; a workshop on making your own bread (presented by the talented ladies at Community Loaves); a Home Brew Competition; Cocktail Contest; Vegan Wine and Cheese Tasting and, oh yeah, SO MUCH FOOD. That doesn’t even begin to cover what’s happening at the Special Events Tent, the Kids Zone (they’ll have bees and chickens), and the live musicians playing throughout the day. Basically, there is something for everyone.

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While she told me she wouldn’t, and couldn’t, pick a favorite event from the festival lineup, Erin did say that you must check out the “Food and Social Good Panel” happening at MOCA. In her words, “You don’t hear people talking about all the good that food can do and we want to shine a light on that. Food is a part of our daily lives; it something we have to do, and to do good in the world through making, eating, and sharing food is the best thing we can do as humans.” Don’t forget to say “Hi” when you do go, because you can bet Somewhere in the City will be there, trying everything! For details on Taste Tickets and VIP passes, event times, and the restaurants that will be set up, check out the GastroFest Facebook page or their website! We’ll see you at GastroFest!

Brentley