Berkeley’s hotly anticipated Westbrae Biergarten has soft opened, Old Oakland’s The Cook and Her Farmer is live.
Romney Steele
Posted inNosh
What’s new, what’s hot, what’s happening, I
New restaurants and bars, plans afoot by food entrepreneurs and chefs, launches and celebrations: all the latest edible news from the East Bay for our fellow gastronomes.
Posted inArts
Plum Gorgeous: Celebrating the deliciousness of fruit
Almond meringue with rose cream and red currants. All photos: Sara Remington Romney Steele’s new book, Plum Gorgeous: Recipes and Memories from the Orchard, showcases the romance and beauty of fruit. Steele, an occasional contributor to Berkeleyside, is a writer, cook, artist and food stylist. She is the granddaughter of Bill and Lolly Fassett, creators of Nepenthe Restaurant […]
Posted inNosh
Market Report: Bleinheim apricots
By Romney Steele Near come and gone by now, I have to give a shout-out to my favorite apricot, the Blenheim (sometimes referred to as Royal Blenheim, or simply Royal), before it’s too late. This petite but sublime variety with its speckled, blush appearance has a short season, usually peaking by end of June but, […]
Posted inNosh
Market Report: Making seasonal adjustments
Usually by this time of year my kitchen counter is laden with sweet raspberries for making jam, strawberries for sprinkling on cereal, snap-peas and fresh beans for eating and cooking — all from the farmers’ market. By June I’m devouring breathy salads (not warming soups) made with first-growth greens, and planning summer canning sessions using local […]
Posted inArts, Events
Meet Romney Steele today at My Nepenthe signing
Berkeleyside contributing writer Romney Steele will be signing her book “My Nepenthe” today from noon to 3pm at Nathan & Co on Piedmont Avenue. In “My Nepenthe”, Romney chronicles the colorful back story of Nepenthe, the celebrated Big Sur restaurant which her family owned, including the unorthodox life they lived and the eclectic community they cultivated. […]
Posted inNosh
Market Report: Rhubarb
Rhubarb, often referred to as a pie plant — and really a vegetable — is just beginning to appear around town and in the farmers’ market. Long cultivated as a medicinal plant in Asia (thought to cure fevers and other ailments), the garden or culinary variety is probably best known for its use as a […]
Posted inNosh
Market Report: Strawberries
By Romney Steele A strawberry day: California is the leading grower of strawberries nationwide and, according to the California Strawberry Commission, they grow year round in our sunny state. Certainly they do, but if you’re looking for locally grown, organic or unsprayed strawberries (which I recommend), the season is right about now. In fact, a […]
Posted inNosh
Market Report: Asparagus
Springtime is no longer around the corner, it is here. With longer days and a shift in weather, it’s hard not to want to fling off the boots and start wearing your flip-flops on a regular basis. Drive by Berkeley High, and you might think it’s summer with all the short wearing and airy clothing. […]
Posted inNosh
Market Report: A prelude to spring
Today, we are delighted to welcome Romney Steele into the Berkeleyside fold. Romney will be writing a regular report for us all on what’s fresh, in season, and available at our local farmers’ markets and grocers — she will also throw in some suggestions on what we might want to do with it. Early March teases […]
Posted inNosh
Big Sur author brings Bohemian tales to Berkeley
It’s always tricky to write about a pal’s book, you don’t want to come off sounding like a fawning friend, frankly. So, in the case of My Nepenthe by Romney “Nani” Steele, I’m going to let others hand out the praise. Sunset describes Steele’s cookbook-cum-memoir as “a valentine to one of the most beautiful places […]
