I've got a new pet peeve. And the worst thing about it? I'm a long-time offender...

It all began on a beautiful summer's day. I was at my local farmers' market and was mentally patting myself on the back for remembering to bring my reusable shopping bags. "Go me," I thought. As I spotted some plump plums, I reached for a produce bag and suddenly it hit me. I'd been picking out produce, placing it in a plastic bag, then putting the produce filled plastic bag into my reusable bag. I rolled my eyes---I'd been lying to myself (though unintentionally) all this time. I had a case of the produce bag blues.

Sure, some of the bags you pick up at farmers' markets are biodegradable, but the point of using reusable bags is to reduce a person's consumption and carbon footprint, right? I was doing neither. I looked around and practically everyone around me was doing the same thing. If only there were reusable produce bags...

Of course most ideas are not novel, so a quick Goggle search for "reusable produce bags" led me to one of my favorite websites---reuseit.com (formerly reusablebags.com). There's a variety of these bags available for purchase, but my favorite is the Flip & Tumble set. They're made of see-through mesh (which makes for an easy checkout at grocery stores), don't stain or shrink, and come with a draw string closure. Bonus: When you get home, you can wash your produce right in the bag. Brilliant!

Flip & Tumble™
415-830-5624
info@flipandtumble.com
$11 for a set of five reusable produce bags
Available at flipandtumble.com or reuseit.com

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I love beans. Don't laugh! I know what you're thinking right about now, but seriously, beans are practically perfect in every way. They're jam packed with fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals, and low in fat. Bonus: They're super easy to prepare. Toss them in a crock pot with some chicken stock or water, and you're done. And as for their ill side effect, it's nothing a little Beano can't handle, right?

Last night I cooked up some Yellow Eye beans that a friend gave me from Rancho Gordo, a "New World Specialty Food" producer based in Napa, California. Among other things, Rancho Gordo peddles heirloom beans---lots of hard-to-find varietals like Moro (said to be slightly fudge-like, dense yet non-starchy) and Vaquero (which have striking black and white markings much like a dairy cow's). Up until now, I'd thought beans are beans, right? But a couple bites of the Yellow Eye beans, and I was convinced that their heirloom beans are a huge, no, enormous step up from your typical canned or dried beans---something that has to do with the fact that Rancho Gordo grows their beans in "limited quantities to ensure quality and more importantly, freshness." 

So eat your Rancho Gordo beans, and take heart that you are supporting a small mom and pop-type operation that supports local agriculture and works to help small farmers in regions like Mexico to continue growing their indigenous crops (read more about their RG-XOXOC project).

Rancho Gordo New World Specialty Food
1924 Yajome Street, Napa, CA 94559
Tel 707-259-1935
customerservice@ranchogordo.com'
Shop online or find their beans at a store or Farmers' Market near you

I like wine, so no matter the color, the sweetness, or the container it comes in, I'll give it a try. Guess you could say I'm non-discriminatory when it comes to wine. And while I like to try new ones, there's a special place in my heart for old favorites like Sauvignon Republic.

If you haven't heard about this boutique producer, here's the 411. The dynamic foursome behind the project are John Buechsenstein, Chef John Ash, Paul Dolan, and Tom Meyer. Individually they're all heavyweights in the world of food and wine; together they're a force to be reckoned with.

Some might say it's risky to produce only Sauvignon Blanc (from around the world I might add), but I say it's daring and brilliant---and it's at least half the reason I love Sauvignon Republic so much (the other is the taste, of course). You've got to admire a company that walks to the beat of a different tune and happily so.

John Buechenstein is their globe-trotting winemaker, zipping around the world to create Sauvignon Blancs from three unique terroirs all celebrated for their ability to produce top notch Sauvignon Blanc---the Russian River (California), Marlborough (New Zealand), and Stellenbosch (South Africa). Alone they're all superb and ideal food wines; together they're a perfect academic study into regional differences. Why? Sauvignon Blanc picks up characteristics of the terroir in which it's grown, so take a sip and you get a reflection of place----which is kind of romantic in my book. And delicious...

Sauvignon Republic
info@sauvignonrepublic.com
Current vintages of their Marlborough and Russian River are available at select Trader Joe's
$6.99/bottle (a steal!)

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Image via www.sauvignonrepublic.com