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Cheese, wonderful cheese: If you want to find a triple cream French brie or a local goat crotin, Oliver's is second-to-none in knowing what's what in the cheese world. (Heather Irwin)
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Ricotta from Bellwether Farms in Petaluma is a multi award-winning cheese. It's so good you can eat it just as it is, or drizzle some honey on top, have it for dessert with strawberries, or toss it in pasta dishes. (Heather Irwin)
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Bread Lines: Costeaux, Red Bird, Basque Boulangerie...Oliver's carries most of the local brands, in one spot. Thankfully, it's mercifully close to the cheese, as bread should be. (Heather Irwin)
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Breads from Red Bird Bakery, now located next to Oliver's in Cotati. Don't miss their cinnamon rolls. (Heather Irwin)
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What a jerk: Local beef jerky from Stemple Creek Ranch or the North Bay's Two Chicks Beef Jerky. Did you know that Krave jerky started in Sonoma? It's true. (Heather Irwin)
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North Bay's Two Chicks Beef Jerky. (Heather Irwin)
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Traditional Medicinals: Using herbs and plants from around the world, locally-based Traditional Medicinals is all about soothing teas. Sofia swears by the calming Nighty Night with Valerian. (Heather Irwin)
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Traditional Medicinals' Smooth Move tea helps, er, keep things moving and is their bestseller. (Heather Irwin)
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Scented Suds: Three Sisters, a local beauty company, makes the most lovely scented soaps. Clementine is our fave. (Heather Irwin)
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Choc-a-holic: Chef couple Jeff and Susan Mall are leading the bean-to-bar movement with their carefully sourced cocoa and add-ins like brown butter or candied orange peel. (Heather Irwin)
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Tastefully Pickled: Sonoma Brinery's fresh pickles (we like the spicy bread and butter best) are required for sandwich making and general snacking. (Heather Irwin)
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Sonoma Brinery's kraut is full of all the good gut stuff and ain't too shabby on a hot dog. (Heather Irwin)
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Wild West Ferments: Live probiotics and organic curtido (a Salvadoran cabbage and carrot relish) are a can't miss with Mexican dishes. (Heather Irwin)
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It's Getting Funky: We can't forget Wildbrine's killer kraut and kimchi. Arame and ginger kraut and Japanese kimchi are unbeatable in grain bowls.
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Kimchi from Wildbrine in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin)
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Did we mention Wildbrine also have probiotic salsas now? (Heather Irwin)
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Hummus Among Us: The Hummus Guy is a familiar farm market face, but their sprouted organic hummus raises the bar for healthy dippery. (Heather Irwin)
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Primavera: This Sonoma-based company is best known for their tamales (and owner Karen Waikiki's El Molino Central restaurant) but the smokey, addictive salsa is worth every penny. Pair with their chips for ultimate taste overload. (Heather Irwin)
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Banchan: Foodies are going bonkers for Sebastopol-native Justin Gill's Japanese BBQ sauce, inspired by his Bachan (or grandma).
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Feral Pork and Elk: Okay, we just thought this was such an "Oliver's Moment". Um, ground wild boar from feral swine? And elk? We're intrigued. Turns out this Reno-based company also does exotic meats like camel, kangaroo and ostrich. Sofia adds that, in her native country Sweden, they eat sautéed reindeer with wild mushrooms, mashed potatoes and lingonberries. (Heather Irwin)
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King Art: Sonoma County's favorite comfort food, polenta and marinara, without having to go to the fairgrounds. (Heather Irwin)
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Revive Me: We love the approachability of Revive's easy-sipping kombucha. I'm all about the hibiscus, while Sofia insists on the ginger lime or cucumber mint. (Heather Irwin)
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Kombucha Time: Sofia loves the Pink Lady Apple, cause she's healthy like that. (Heather Irwin)
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Silent Scream for Ice Cream: Chai latte ice cream from Straus is insane. (Heather Irwin)
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Clover makes a strong showing with salted caramel cookie crunch. (Heather Irwin)
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Home Made Tortilla Chips: Guerneville-based Sabor Mexicano makes the best tortilla chips ever. (Heather Irwin)
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Stellar Corn: Small-batch made popcorn from Sonoma County in flavors like Hippie Dust and Coconut Curry. I have a lot of wayward kernels embedded in the floor mats of my car. (Heather Irwin)
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A Sweet Smash: Smashmallows have gotten national attention, but they were born right here in Sonoma County. The founders of Krave Jerky have hit their stride, and these flavored mallows (including a recently spotted chocolate-covered sort) are always in our pantry. (Heather Irwin)
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Chocolate Time: Sofia is from Europe, so she expects chocolate to taste good. These are her go-to's. (Heather Irwin)
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Stoned Snack: Stonewall Kitchen isn't from California, but their jams and sauces speak to our California hearts. (Heather Irwin)
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Pretty Carbs: If you're going to carbo-load, at least make it pretty. We both want this adorable pasta to magically show up on our doorsteps (hint to the husbands). (Heather Irwin)
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Carbs Be Gone: We've been trying to kick the pasta habit by trying gluten-free alternatives. At least there are a lot of choices. (Heather Irwin)
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Ramen-ianan: I've got a permanent visa to ramenia, but if I can't get the real thing, these microwaveable cups are a decent substitute. With a six minute egg, of course. (Heather Irwin)
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If you want to make your ramen from scratch, Oliver's at Stony Point has got a ramen station! (Heather Irwin)
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Caviar: From $89 Russian sturgeon to a more every-day approachable salmon roe, Tsar Nicolai is primo caviar. We just liked that you get a free Mother of Pearl spoon with the spendy stuff. (Heather Irwin)
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Pickled Peppers: A pack of pickled peppers that aren't too hot and make a great sandwich topper. Sofia likes to eat them straight out of the jar. (Heather Irwin)
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Morning Sunshine: Sofia's all about the Oliver's brand of granola, while I'm a die-hard G-nola and Not Yer Momma's fan. Everyone wins with this mix of oats and fruit. (Heather Irwin)
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Granola from Not Yer Momma's. (Heather Irwin)
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Toasted coconut and chocolate-almond granola from G-nola. (Heather Irwin)
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Bella Roasters: This is the only coffee I drink. Less acidic and not over-roasted, it's smooth, local and just about perfect. (Heather Irwin)
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Juiced: Sofia swears by this sweet local concoction using local Gravensteins. Her husband likes to mix it with cranberry juice, while she likes her apples straight. (Heather Irwin)
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Meaty Meats: Bulk chorizo is house blended to spice up your life economically. (Heather Irwin)
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Choice Chicken: We all love local Rocky and Rosie chickens, but Sonoma Red is Petaluma Poultry's organic, pasture-raised line. (Heather Irwin)
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Bacon, Bacon, Bacon: Sonoma County isn't lacking in the local bacon department. Oliver's has all of the choices, from Black Pig Meat Co. (former Zazu owners John Stewart and Duskie Estes) to Journeyman (Pete Seghesio), Sonoma County Meat Co.'s honey-lavender, Petaluma's Zoe's Meats, Willie Bird turkey bacon, Hobbs's Applewood Smoked bacon (Richmond) and tasty Flugger's bacono. (Heather Irwin)
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Honey lavender bacon from Sonoma County Meat Co. (Heather Irwin)
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Applewood smoked uncured bacon from Zoe's Meats. (Heather Irwin)
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Peppered turkey bacon from Willie Bird. (Heather Irwin)
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Hobbs's applewood smoked bacon. (Heather Irwin)
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Brown sugar cured bacon from Journeyman Meat Co. (Heather Irwin)
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Flugger's bacon. (Heather Irwin)
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Yanni's Sausages: Local gourmet sausage producers sell their famous chicken-lemon at Oliver's. (Heather Irwin)
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Beeeeeeeeer: Craft beers of just about every stripe can be found by the can or the case. There's also plenty of craft cider and kombucha. (Heather Irwin)
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A variety of ciders from Sebastopol-based Golden State Cider. (Heather Irwin)
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Seedlip Zero Proof: All the taste of spirits without the spirits. (Heather Irwin)
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Kozlowski Pies: New and improved packaging with all the flavor of the historic local pies. (Heather Irwin)
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Take Away: On super busy nights, the enchiladas are a favorite go-to. (Heather Irwin)
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And comforting soups for when you're feeling under the weather. (Heather Irwin)
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Bee Nice: Oliver's always has adorable displays of dish wares, signs, candles and other tchotchkes we can't resist. (Heather Irwin)
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Vegan Budder: You seriously won't miss what's missing in this dairy-free "butter".
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Spring Hill: Spicy Firehouse Jack, garlic Jack, cheese curds and heavenly butter are always on our shopping list. (Heather Irwin)
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European style butter from Spring Hill. (Heather Irwin)
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Cheese curds from Spring Hill. (Heather Irwin)
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Compounding: We just found these amazing little compound butters, with Clover butter and mix ins like cinnamon sugar, garlic and herb or lemon garlic and herb. (Heather Irwin)
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Omghee: Clarified ultra-rich butter with a high-smoke point, a distinct flavor and plenty of health benefits, according to Ayurvedic practices. (Heather Irwin)
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Tortillas: With gluten, without gluten, corn, almond flour or cassava, Oliver's has a wide variety of tasty homemade-like tortillas. (Heather Irwin)
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Gluten free tortillas from Siete made with almond- or cassava flour. (Heather Irwin)
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Spice It Up: We like that Oliver's sells dry goods in bulk, including herbs and spices. (Heather Irwin)
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Honey, Baby: Sweet honey from hither and yon. Sofia is into the bulk honey, but we're both stoked on local offerings, especially when they involve wildflowers orange blossoms. (Heather Irwin)
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Wildflower honey from Lovers Lane in Ukiah. (Heather Irwin)
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Oy Vey: What is cuter than this packaging? The Matzo Project aims to make a cracker that isn't comparable to cardboard. We're in, bubbe. (Heather Irwin)
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Elderflower cordial: Sofia got very excited when she found this elderflower drink at Oliver's after she had just moved to the United States. Belvoir Fruit Farms have been making cordials in England's Vale of Belvoir for nearly 30 years. Sofia first discovered these drinks when she lived in London. (Heather Irwin)
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Sonomic: Better than balsamic, this locally-made "almost vinegar" is the real deal in our book. Drink it straight for a pick-me-up that's good for your gut. Add a splash to your tonic or club soda, or a teaspoon or two to sparkling water for a Sonoma Shrub. (Heather Irwin)
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Not to Bragg: Every home needs a bottle of this miracle multipurpose tonic. Use it for salad dressings, seasoning, sipping or to dry out a zit. Really. (Heather Irwin)
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McEvoy Ranch Olive Oil: Grassy, tasty, perfect with everything — except cooking. Not that you couldn't, but it's so delicious just straight. (Heather Irwin)
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Tamarind Paste: You can't make decent pad thai at home without this tart ingredient. I sorta like it in fizzy water too. (Heather Irwin)
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The godfather of sauce: Take your grill game to the next level with spice rubs from Petaluma-based F.A. Nino's. (Heather Irwin)
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To pair with gruyere: This apricot fig chutney from Sondra Bernstein's the girl and the fig can be served with cheese and charcuterie, in sandwiches, or on dessert. "It is especially delicious with pan-seared duck breast," says the girl and the fig store. (Heather Irwin)
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LaLa's Jam: Locally made, extra delicious. (Heather Irwin)
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Lingonberries: Sofia the Swede got very excited about this Sweden-made find. Meatballs, anyone? (Heather Irwin)
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Society Bakery: This tiny bakery and cafe in Sebastopol is best known for its amazing cakes, but a line of jams was calling to us in the aisle. "You could fill a sponge cake with this," said Sofia. (Heather Irwin)
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Yogurt: Jersey cows make for super rich, creamy yogurt. Meyer lemon is the bestest. (Heather Irwin)
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More whole milk yogurt from Jersey cows, this time from Bellwether Farms in Petaluma. (Heather Irwin)
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Crazy for kefir: Sofia swears by kefir to keep her tummy happy. She grew up on the Swedish fermented-milk product "filmjölk." Siggi’s, available at Oliver's, makes whole milk filmjölk with vanilla, blueberry and strawberry flavor. The company was started by Siggi Hilmarsson from Iceland, who, like Sofia, was living in America and missing the flavors of his childhood. (Heather Irwin)
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Chocolate-covered rice cakes? The vanilla-orange is surprisingly good for just 80 calories. (Heather Irwin)
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Chef's Mushrooms: A mix of flavors, colors and textures grown just outside Sebastopol. (Heather Irwin)
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More mushrooms from Mycopia. (Heather Irwin)
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Golden Berries: This odd little berry is sweet and tart and really good for you. Try 'em. (Heather Irwin)
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A festive fruit: Star fruit, or Carambola, makes for a pretty display. "It reminds me of my parents' dinner parties in the '90s," said Sofia. "And shrimp cocktail in avocado bowls." (Heather Irwin)
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A dose of vitamin C: Blood oranges are in season through May. (Heather Irwin)
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Dragon Fruit: The prettiest fruit on earth. (Heather Irwin)
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Grapes: Because we live in Wine Country. (Heather Irwin)
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Pea shoots: Because they're good for you. (Heather Irwin)
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Dress it up: Being healthy can be boring. Not with White Cheddar Ranch Style dressing. I always keep this in my fridge. (Heather Irwin)
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Asparagus Asparagus: Sofia has a special affinity for asparagus — she once played one in an elementary school musical. It was the lead role in a show set in a vegetable patch. Her name was Asparagus Asparagus and her best friend was the Disco Bean Jane. (Heather Irwin)
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Versatile Veggie: Cut them up and dip them in hummus, roast them and mix with pine nuts, mint, olives and feta for a Tunisian-style treat (courtesy of Willi's Wine Bar) or add flavor to a stew. There are so many ways you can enjoy carrots. (Heather Irwin)
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Brussels Sprouts: Love 'em or hate 'em, Oliver's got 'em. Here are a few Brussels sprouts recipes. (Heather Irwin)
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Broccolini: Meet broccoli's baby sister, a hybrid vegetable that is a cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli, gai lan. (Heather Irwin)
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Kale: Oh, how we love thee. (Heather Irwin)
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Cookie...take a bite! Tracy Mattson trained as a pastry chef at L’Academie de Cuisine in Washington, DC. Thankfully, for us, she took her baking skills to Sonoma County and founded Cookie...take a bite! Her vegan and gluten free Almond Cardamom cookies are our most recent favorites. (Heather Irwin)
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Princess Cake: Oliver's has its own baking team, and their pastries, pies and cakes are truly on par with any local bakery. Sofia loves the adorable Princess Cakes, filled with whipped cream, raspberry and sponge cake. (Heather Irwin)
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Decadent cakes from Oliver's. (Heather Irwin)
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Tea Time: We searched for Tea & Trumpets in the tea aisle and finally found them by the coffee station. Tea & Trumpets owner Mark says the name comes from his childhood: "One day, when we were having tea and scones, [my Mom] told me about the English ritual of having tea with crumpets. At that age, I had trouble saying crumpet, and from then on, whenever I wanted tea, I would say “mom, let's have tea and trumpets!” (Heather Irwin)
