Friday, October 4, 2013

Celebrate Placer GROWN Week with Bake It With Booze (and a GIVEAWAY)!

Happy Friday! And Happy Fall! What a week it's been. This is Jacqueline, by the way. Remember me? It's been a terribly long time since I've posted here. And, I'm not gonna lie to ya - I'm typing this up with my second glass of wine next to me, so things could get interesting. No recipe today (though I made pumpkin doughnut holes for you and I promise to get them up soon!), but I do have some exciting things to share with you. And did I mention, a giveaway??

I'll skip over the adventures in hazardous waste regulation, because who wants to read about that on a Friday night? Not I - that's why I'm on Blogger with you guys and not reading (more) reports on environmental justice and toxics in consumer products. Let me tell you about the highlight of my week: on Tuesday, I took the day off work, kidnapped my dear friend Kristin, and ventured into the beautiful rolling hills of Placer County (which, I am blessed to say, is basically my back yard!). It was an adventure! At one point, I took a wrong turn and ended up popping my tiny little SUV into 4WD and basically off-roading through blackberry brambles and over boulders. Just a little bit.



I got to spend the afternoon at Sinclair Family Farm, which produces naturally raised beef, lamb, chicken, pork, cage free eggs, and even honey. I enjoyed a delicious, homemade, locally-sourced lunch with several other local foodie bloggers, and Placer GROWN (the kind sponsor of our GIVEAWAY) really showed us a good time!




Our lunch included a colorful green salad with pomegranate, pear, and feta cheese, a hearty fall stew, rustic homemade bread, apple crisp a la mode, and two different wines from Vina Castellano Winery ("Abuelita" and a lovely Syrah). And, may I add, lunch was served on recycled-content plates, with compostable flatware! Very cool. This eco-nerd notices such things, probably because of my day job.

Happy cows, happy goats guarded by a happy dog
Bah Ram Ewe
And at the end of the day, I was sent home with a bag full of goodies...including goodies to share WITH YOU!! PlacerGROWN is providing some really wonderful produce, wine, and event passes - such a perfect way to celebrate fall!


Check out the Rafflecopter widget below to enter. Good luck! You might win...

  •  A month's supply of local mandarins, 
  • A turkey from a Placer County farm, 
  • A gift certificate to a Foothills farmer's market, or
  • A pair of wine tasting passes for the Placer County Wine Trail.

If you're within driving distance of the area (or if you're looking for a weekend getaway in the country!), I highly recommend these upcoming events. PlacerGROWN Week is Oct 5th - 12th!

PlacerGROWN Harvest Festival
Saturday, Oct. 5th 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 6th, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Johnson-Springview Park
5480 Fifth St., Rocklin, CA, 95677


Auburn Wine & Food Festival
Saturday, Oct. 12th, 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Downtown and Old Town Auburn


PlacerGROWN Farm & Barn Tour
Sunday, Oct. 13th, 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Free, self-guided expedition of farms, ranches, orchards, and vineyards in the beautiful countryside of Placer County.  Each venue will feature different activities, tours, and demonstrations.  Locally grown produce, wine, and more will be available for purchase. 


...and even more stuff here!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

2 comments:

  1. What a wonderful day you had. I remember going to Napa Valley and enjoying seeing the wineries and having a picnic afterwards. Memories...XOXO

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  2. Napa is a lot of fun, too! I lived in that area for a few years. I can honestly say, though, that the Placer County Wine Trail is worth a visit. It has a very different feel, as the wineries tend to be smaller-scale and the setting is more rustic, but you'll usually get to talk to the winemakers themselves, which is a treat because they're so passionate about what they do, and have great stories! Placer County has lots of character and charm.

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