Peter Jacobsen doesn’t get mad at the herds of snails that have made Swiss cheese out of his organic kale. He gets even.

At the edge of his 1.5 acre Yountville orchard and farm, the dentist turned dirt-under-the-nails grower pulls open the lid of a wooden box to reveal hundreds of the slimy pests. Instead of baiting or poisoning them, Jacobsen invites them to his makeshift snail hotel, treating them to a diet of greens and cornmeal. Fat and happy, these garden troublemakers are eagerly snapped up for swanky dinner menus. Revenge is best served in a bath of butter and herbs.

Walking around the small backyard plot dense with rows of tomatoes, squash, flowers and fruit trees, Jacobsen casually acknowledges that he makes his living working with some of the best chefs in the country. The produce on his property along with that of next door neighbors, Hill Family Farms, grace the tables of The French Laundry, along with spots like Angele, Auberge du Soleil, La Toque and Redd.

Having close personal relationships with farmers has been a hallmark of top chefs like Alice Waters and Thomas Keller for years. Keller, in fact, has a network of farmers around the country producing everything from cheese and meat to veggies and fruit for the restaurant.

It’s a philosophy gaining traction throughout the restaurant biz as chefs seek out more and more specific products grown to their own exacting organic standards. Around Wine Country, a handful of local chefs have even gone one step further, managing onsite culinary gardens or even their own farms. Among them: Zazu, Restaurant Eloise, The French Garden, Julia’s Kitchen at COPIA and Zin come to mind, though there are certainly many others.

For Jacobsen, there’s plenty of trial and error involved in the process. Chefs aren’t always clear about exactly what they want, he says. Often they’ll ask for a particular size, texture or color but leave it to him to refine and experiment with the produce to get everything just right–like lavender that doesn’t taste soapy or pears that hold up to a salad without becoming mush.

Throughout the year, Jacobsen grows everything from onions, rosemary and basil to pears, figs, plums, tomatoes, berries and lettuces for the restaurants.

Just across the street, the Hill family (who are primarily involved in winemaking) are also producing small lots of organic produce and edible flowers. Walking around with her pet chicken, six-year-old Joselyn Hill points out the various types of flowers, fauna along iwth her brother, Ryan. She makes sure we see her special orchard treehouse as we tour the farms gathering as many goodies as our little baskets with hold. These are seriously pedigreed plums and figs, after all.

As Joselyn chatters happily, I stop to consider the fact that her playground is the chef’s garden for Thomas Keller. Her chicken pecks at fallen blackberries and tomatoes that almost made it to one of the best restaurants in the world.

I’ve never been so jealous of a kid, or a chicken in my life. I’ll savor my purloined plums as consolation.

Jacobsen Orchards, Yountville. Closed to the public but you can purchase his organic seeds for your own gourmet garden here. Hill Family Estate tasting room, 6512 Washington Street, Yountville, 707.944.9580

“Meh” is about the only word I can think of to describe my feelings about eating out lately. When the bounty of summer threatens to overwhelm my refrigerator it seems criminally wasteful to let so much good food go to waste.

Well-meaning friends overwhelm my cupboards with figs, zucchini and tomatoes. A former PD employee brings overflowing baskets of organic veggies and flowers to the office each week and despite sitting at my computer munching on cherry tomatoes all day, my kitchen still runneth over!

Necessity being the mother of convection, I roasted a big batch of tomatoes, garlic and rosemary to make gads of bright sauce for the cold months ahead. But for lunch, it has to be a daily dose of Insalata Caprese. It’s so ridiculously simple: fresh mozzarella, basil, tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and pepper.

But it can go horribly wrong in so many ways. Here’s the lowdown on where to get the absolute best ingredients for this perfect end-of-summer summer salad. Eat it now, dream of it later…because it won’t taste half as good next month.

– Heirloom tomatoes: They’re everywhere, but I’ve found few as good (except straight from the garden) as Soda Rock Farm’s. You can get the red variety at G&G, Pacific Market and Big John’s. They sell the heirlooms at the Healdsburg, Windsor and Petaluma Farm Markets.

– Fresh mozzarella: I’ve spent years searching out the perfect ball. I think I’ve found one that comes as close at Oliver’s Market. Look for the large balls in water. They’re from Grande cheese in Wisconsin and have the perfect combination of salt and creaminess.

– Sononomic Vinegar: Okay, this stuff is like crack. It’s as sweet (maybe sweeter) than the best aged balsamic but a whole lot cheaper. You can get it from Sonoma Portworks for $18. Drizzle it over salad, strawberries or even ice cream. You’ll die.

– Herbes de Provence: Salt, pepper, a little lavender. It’s heaven.

– Basil: Get the freshest you can find and taste it first. Often older basil is a bit heavy on the anise-flavor and overwhelms everything.

Yes, I know. Shut up and get back to the restaurants already. But seriously, one bite of this and you’ll know why I’ve been off my game lately.

PS. Want something sweet for dessert? I’ve recently been all over Bodega Goat Cheese Natilla. It’s a combination of goat’s milk, sugar and molasses that comes together in a creamy paste you’ll be sticking your fingers into all night long. (Available at Oliver’s)

The bacon has hit the fan.

Seems that longtime PD food writer and cookbook author Michele Anna Jordan isn’t too happy about Windsor’s most recent attempt to create the World’s Largest bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich.

Chris Smith recently wrote about the flap which boils down to the fact that Jordan (who wrote the BLT Cookbook and was part of several other World’s Largest BLT attempts locally) was not part of the most attempt. Exactly why she wasn’t there is the subject of much consternation.

And trust me, consternation is only the very tip of the 146-foot sandwich here. There are some seriously unhappy folks on both sides. I’ve got a string of emails that are bordering on War and Peace in length. I’ve had some very emotional phone calls. I ate an entire bag of M&M’s last night worrying about the whole thing, which McNibs thought was absolutely hysterical. It’s about a sandwich. Sheesh.

I want to believe that this was a serious case of mis-communication rather than intentional malice because I know most of the folks involved. They’re all good people. The bottom line is that BLT or BTL or whatever you want to call it, this weekend’s event was bigger than its players — it was about fun, community and most of all about helping a group of culinary students at Windsor high school who really needed the, uh, dough. Everyone agrees that’s the most important thing.

It would really stink to have people who’ve individually contributed so much to our culinary community permanently at war. So let’s bury the bread knife if we can. Or at least have a tomato fight to sort it all out. I’ll host.

NOTE: Comments will be closely monitored. I won’t tolerate name calling or intentional nastiness. Let’s heal. Please.

Are you Grateful? Are you Charistmatic, Sassy, Golden or Abundant? Prepare to be all of them…and much moremore when SF’s Cafe Gratitude opens in Healdsburg in mid-September.
Are we ready for all this raw, vegan, healthful positivity? The restaurant has been a whirlwind success elsewhere in the Bay Area with its combination of rejuvenating foods, lifestyle affirmations and social conscience. Want a side of spicy olive tapenade, you’ll need to order, “I am Extra Opulent”. Pesto Pizza made with hemp seeds goes by the moniker “I am Sensational”.
Aside from their jazzy names, all items on the menu are “live” foods — meaning nothing is actually cooked (but can be warmed slightly). That means lots of salads, smoothies and shakes, but Gratitude also has a plan for soups (Pho Miso, carrot avocado, etc), pizza, lasagna and grain bowls. No meat, no animal proteins, no heat, no gluten, all the rage.
Prepare to feel “abundant” with you wallet, however. Appetizers run upwards of $8.50, salads $12-$15 and entrees around $15. Feel-good fare doesn’t come cheap.
Cafe Gratitude, 206 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. Expected to open in mid-September 2008.

After two weekends of judging Iron Chef-style smackdowns — first at the Sonoma Wine Country Weekend and most recently at Kendall Jackson’s Heirloom Tomato Festival — I’m stuffed, exhausted, dehydrated and thoroughly impressed. From the haze that is my addled brain, some juicy tidbits I wanted to share with BiteClubbers.

– The big winner during Saturday’s KJ event was the winery’s own chef, Justin Wangler. Consider the fact that Wangler was competing against some of the biggest names in California cuisine — three of Food & Wine’s Top New Chefs, including previous winner Sean O’Brien (formerly of Myth, but opening a new SF restaurant called Zinnia), E. Michael Reidt (another former winner of LA) and Suzanne Tracht of LA’s Jar.

I’ll have to admit that Pop Rocks and ceviche from Reidt nearly won it for me, but Wangler’s incredible use of summer ingredients put him over the top. Well, that and the Coors & tomato juice coolers he sent to all the judges. Nice touch. If Wangler ever decides to open a restaurant, look out.

– If you’ve never had tomato creme brulee, I’m truly sad for you. On Saturday dozens of local chefs served up tomato creations for the annual Heirloom festival. John Ash restaurant’s creamy, savory brulee was the runaway crowd favorite, served by Chef Thomas Schmidt (though we hear it was a longtime recipe of former JA chef, Jeffrey Madura). Other fascinating ‘mater dishes included tomato cotton candy (Kendall Jackson) and tomato macaroons (better than they sound).

– Seen on the scene: Restaurant magnate Pat Kuleto, most recently of Nick’s Cove and John Ash (a fellow judge and recent winner of the IACP’s 2008 Cooking Instructor of the Year).

– Saturday’s event was a serious steamer, so imagine my shock at seeing none other than Chef Douglas Keane, the multi-starred Cyrus chef manning a fryer most of the day. The restaurant was serving up fried green tomatoes and Keane sweated it out over hot grease for hours without complaint. And even an occasional smile.

– Keane wasn’t the only chef manning his station, Zin’s Jeff Mall was serving up “not your grandmother’s tomato aspic” with his wife, Susan Dunphy Mall. Regina Silvers manned Syrah’s station while hubbie Josh MC’d the chef competition with local celeb Marcy Smothers (of the Food Guy & Marcy radio show on KZST Sundays at 6pm).

– Speaking of Food Guy (who is local celeb Guy Fieri), Smothers told me that fame hasn’t changed her co-host a bit and that he’s every bit the same cool guy he was when they started the show. Such a love fest.

– Restaurant Eloise fans will be excited to hear that the Sebastopol restaurant will be open for lunch starting this week. Chef Ginevra Iverson, who was serving up tomatoes on Saturday as well, says they’ll be doing a fixed-price menu to keep things simple. I also talked to the folks at Bistro 29 in Santa Rosa and they’re hoping to start doing lunch in the near future. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.

– Looking way back to Labor Day weekend, if you haven’t already heard, it was last minute entry Thomas Schmidt, the new chef at John Ash, who reigned supreme. I can say that all of us at the judges table were blown away by his precise European preparations. I saw him again this weekend at the tomato festival and he let me know that he’s been working hard on the new menu and has been in the kitchens there for about a month or so. Kudos to the other chefs who all worked tirelessly and impressed greatly — Janine Falvo, Carlo Cavallo and Jeff Mall.

I’m stuck between a food coma and a philosophical mind meld after spending part of the weekend at Slow Food Nation ’08 in San Francisco. Not surprisingly lots of locals were represented at the events including (and this is hardly comprehensive) Cowgirl Creamery, Ecco Caffe, Medlock Ames, many Mendocino Wineries, Nana Mae Organics, Valley End Farms and on and on.

I’m drinking from the well, Slow Foodies, so stay tuned for more. But before I head out for a sparkling wine-filled day in Wine Country, check out some of my favorite photos from the weekend, both from a stroll through the Victory Gardens near City Hall (with an incredible Slow Foods market) and from the Taste Pavillions — a tasting experience like no other. Sante!

Four chefs, one winner. Who will reign supreme at this weekend’s Steel Chef competition? Check out the trash-talkin’ smackdown videos where Zin’s Jeff Mall, Sonoma Meritage’s Carlo Cavallo, Carneros Bistro’s Janine Falvo and new kid on the block Thomas Schmidt get serious about their craft.

Let’s just say there’s some serious produce-abuse involved. And meat hammers. And really big knives. Awwww yeah. Can’t see the video? Click here.

Best place for beer!
Imbibe magazine has named The Black Rose Irish Pub in Santa Rosa one of its “Best Irish Pubs” in America. That’s a huge honor for the neighborhood watering hole owned by Will Roll. Cheers to one of our favorite spots for pub grub and pints. Black Rose Irish Pub, 20074 Armory Dr., Santa Rosa, 707.546.7673.

Sonoma Wine Country WeekendThis is definitely an event not to miss. Yours truly will be schlepping through every tasting she can (in addition to being a judge at the Steel Chef competition) on Saturday. If you’re there, search me out and I’ll take your picture for a BiteClubber photo album to be posted next week. Check out all the details on WineTravel.com! See you there!

New Sushi
Paris1880 writes in to let BiteClubbers know about a new sushi restaurant that’s opened in Sebastopol called Tosaki Sushi (the restaurant renaissance continues!). It’s the third sushi spot for the town (there’s also Sushi Tozai and Sushi Hana), so clearly there’s some stiff competition. Only about two weeks old, it’s located in the Sebastopol Shopping Center. Other early birds report that the menu has some interesting items including a sashimi salad and nice desserts. Stay tuned for more details. Tosaki Sushi, 799 Gravenstein Ave., Sebastopol, 707.829.0892.

Chef change
Also in Sebastopol, a chef change-up for Peter Lowell’s. Steven Peyer has departed. Taking his place is Seamus Guevara whose local resume includes stints with Tracey Shepos at of the Stark’s Group and at Santi in Geyserville. Owner Lowell Sheldon also tells me that a new hot yoga studio is going in next door — a good match for the casual, farm-to-table vibe of the nearly one-year-old restaurant. 7385 Healdsburg Ave., Sebastopol, 707.829.1077.

Late-breaking
Two other re-opened spots to check out. First off, Katie M. tells BiteClubbers that Triple S on Petrified Forest Road has recently reopened with a southern-style menu. This under-the-radar spot in Calistoga recently revamped its hungry-man style steak and potatoes menu which was a favorite of locals. 4600 Mountain Home Ranch Road, Calistoga, 707.942.6730. Also, we’ve gotten word that the French Garden Restaurant has completed its revamp and is open for biz with their new chef, Didier Gerbi. The addition of a bistro menu (all items $10, including skirt steak and fries, duck confit and a mushroom burger) is a great way to check out how the kitchen’s doing for a great price. French Garden, 8050 Bodega Ave., Sebastopl, 707.824.2030.