SacFoodies

Farm-to-Fork at River City Brewing Company

by SacFoodies

By Jake Ferguson and Sarah Hamblen
We recently told you about River City Brewing Company’s Craft Beer Food Pairing Series, and luckily we were invited to attend, enjoy and share with you the fresh and flavorful menu and crisp beers. 

Clockwise from top left: K. Street Kolsch and fresh-out-of-the-oven focaccia bread; Heirloom Tomato Sorbet with a bacon-cheese shortbread cookie; Albacore Tuna Salad paired with the Belgian White; Sweet and Sour Cherry Pork Tenderloin paired with the Cap City IPA; Salted Caramel Gelato paired with the Black River Stout.

The first course of our pairing was certainly unique! We were presented a cool and refreshing Heirloom Tomato Sorbet with a bacon-cheese shortbread cookie. I probably could have eaten shortbread cookies for all three courses. Yum! The beer pairing for this course was the K. Street Kolsch and, as Brewmaster Brennan Holmes explained, this German-style lager is known for its familiar ale yeast flavors and light color. 
The second course consisted of albacore tuna atop crispy summer zucchini, mixed greens, corn, beets and yellow pear tomatoes, paired with the Belgian White. I couldn’t get enough of all the incredibly fresh and juicy ingredients, and the crisp Belgian White, tasting of orange peel and a hint of banana, paired perfectly.
Our final course (or so we thought) was a Sweet and Sour Cherry Pork Tenderloin with yellow and green summer beans placed on top of a stuffed red bell pepper filled with rice and sautéed onions. The presentation of the dish was great and the beer pairing was even better! The Cap City IPA has a malty backbone with citrus characters and incorporates cascade hops.  
The grand finale came as a surprise in the form of Salted Caramel Gelato paired with the Black River Stout—also known as an adult version of a Root Beer float. 
Two additional farm-to-fork dinners will be taking place in the coming months, so be sure to check back for your next opportunity to enjoy good eats and tasty beer! A portion of the proceeds will go to helping local Golden Retriever Rescue charity, Homeward Bound. Check them out on Facebook and enter their River Rendezvous Sweepstakes!
River City Brewing Company
545 Downtown Plaza #1115
Sacramento, CA 95814
916-448-1104

Beer Pairings and Puppy Rescue

by SacFoodies

Finish this equation:
Farm fresh food + local beer + puppies = __________.

 

Words like “awesome” and “heaven” would work.
So would “River City Brewing Company’s 20th Anniversary.”
Yes, the iconic Sactown brewery is celebrating its second decade with a series of one-of-a-kind, farm-to-fork pairings that will benefit Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue & Sanctuary, Inc.
A couple of SacFoodies will be in attendance at the kick-off event next Thursday, July 18 at 7 p.m. where Executive Chef Chantalle Malneck will be serving up an enticing offering, including:

  • Heirloom tomato sorbet with bacon-cheese shortbread cookie
  • Pan-seared Fort Bragg albacore tuna on a bed of crispy summer zucchini with seasonal mixed greens, corn, sweet peas, yellow pear tomatoes, creamy lemon-basil vinaigrette and garnished with apricot-chili pesto
  • Sweet and sour cherry pork tenderloin with yellow and green summer beans and stuffed bell pepper with rice and onions

Tickets are $40 each (25% of proceeds going to the Goldens!), so make your reservations now at 916-447-2739 or by emailing [email protected]. Dinner is from 7-9 p.m.
And yes, while I realize no actual puppies will be in attendance (that we know of!), rest assured you’re helping some adorable Golden Retriever enjoy a new lease on life
Cheers!
River City Brewing Company
545 Downtown Plaza #1115
Sacramento, CA 95814
916-448-1104

My Trip to Portland through Instagram

by SacFoodies


1. Non-fat Vanilla Latte from Barista in the Pearl District: 539 NW 13th Ave, Portland, OR
2. Asparagus Soup with Homemade Focaccia Bread from Besaw’s in the Alphabet District: 2301 NW Savier St, Portland, OR
3. I loved Besaw’s so much that I went again for breakfast! Eggs Benedict with Roasted Tomatoes and Spinach.
4. Beer Tasting at Deschutes Brewery in the Pearl District: 210 NW 11th Ave, Portland, OR. I highly recommend the Champagne of the North Berliner Weiss – a yummy champagne-like beer! 

Cinco de Mayo Events in Sacramento

by SacFoodies

Sacramento will be bustling with Cinco de Mayo events – from tequila festivals to a tamale party or a hilarious night of comedy – there will be something to satisfy every taste. To ensure you get the most out of your Cinco de Mayo weekend, check out our guide to the best of Sacramento’s Cinco de Mayo festivities!
Drink Up!
If you love margaritas, tequila or are simply in search of a good party, attend one of these events to quench your tequila thirst and take your Cinco de Mayo celebration to a new level of fun.

  • Cinco De Mayo Celebrations at Zocalo: Zocalo Midtown’s 6th Annual Tequila Festival will take place tonight! Enjoy appetizers and sample tequila from eight different distilleries and savor a cigar from the cigar bar by Fat Man Cigars from 6 – 9 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online for $20 here, or at the door for $25. On Friday and Saturday (May 3 – 4), midtown will be serenaded with live mariachi music. On Sunday, May 5, both Zocalo locations will open their doors at 11 a.m. for a full day of Cinco de Mayo Fiestas – enjoy balet folklorico, drink specials, live mariachi, street tacos, face painting and pig roast!

Zocalo
1801 Capitol Ave, Sacramento, CA 95811
1182 Roseville Pkwy, Roseville, CA 95678 

  • Tequila Week at Grange Restaurant & Bar: Grange has unofficially named May 1 – 5 TEQUILA WEEK featuring a signature blend of Herradura Double Barrel Reposado blended by the Grange team on a trip to Mexico last year.  Their special menu will be available during Happy Hour from 3 – 6 p.m.  Cocktails are $8 / Bites are $5.

Grange Restaurant and Bar
926 J Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

  • Cinco de Mayo at Mayahuel: For the ultimate tequila experience, celebrate Cinco de Mayo at Mayahuel’s two-day fiesta starting on Friday at 4 p.m. If you prefer beer, there will be a beer garden and Aztec dancers at the party. 

Tequila Museo Mayahuel
1200 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

  • Cinco de Old Sacto: Old Sacramento will come alive on Cinco de Mayo weekend with a variety of food, drink specials, live music, comedy, karaoke and dancing. Bars included in this year’s Cinco de Old Sacto party will include: River City Saloon, Fanny Ann’s, O’Mally’s Pub, The Other Office, Vega’s, Sports’ Corner, Laughs Unlimited, Coconut Grove, and La Terraza. The party beings at 6 p.m. and goes until 2 a.m.

Old Sacramento
1002 2nd Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

Party, Deliciously
To eat, or not to eat? That’s never the question on Cinco de Mayo.  Prepare your taste buds and come with a big appetite to make the most of your Cinco de Mayo menu! 

  • Cinco de Mayo with Farm Fresh To You: Bring your whole family to the 2nd Annual Cinco de Mayo Celebration with Farm Fresh to You this Saturday, May 4, from 5 p.m.  – 11 p.m. at the Farm Location: 23800 State Highway 16, Capay, CA 95607. Enjoy a full evening of tractor-tram farm tours, kids’ arts and crafts, tortilla-making demonstrations, tomato planting, strawberry harvesting, soccer games and dancing to live mariachi music. Tickets prices are $15 per person through Friday, May 3, or $20 per person at the farm on event day. Kids 12 and under get free admission. All event proceeds benefit The Kathleen Barsotti Non-Profit for Sustainable Agriculture. Tickets are available here.
Farm Fresh to You
23800 State Highway 16
Capay, CA 9560
  • Tamale Party: Food Co-op’s Community Learning Center & Cooking School is hosting a Tamale Party tonight from 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Students are invited to join Chef Dio for a hands-on workshop, where they’ll learn to make delicious tamales in their home kitchen. Prices are $49 for the public and $40 for co-op owners. For more information, click here.

Community Learning Center & Cooking School
1914 Alhambra Blvd
Sacramento, CA 95816

  • Fiesta at Centro Cocina Mexicana: Centro will be partying all weekend-long, opening early on both Saturday and Sunday. The two-day fiesta will include drink and food specials, an extended patio, no cover, an outdoor bar, music, and a piñata giveaway!

Centro Cocina Mexicana
2730 J St. 
Sacramento, CA 95816

Laugh Out Loud 

  • Sacramento Cinco de Mayo Festival: Enjoy a night of endless laughter at the Sleep Train Arena, where Latin Stars of Comedy: Paul Rodriguez, Carlos Mencia, Johnny Sanchez, Juan Villareal and many others will make your Cinco de Mayo the funniest it’s ever been. Tickets range from $27.50 – $102. For more information, click here.

Sleep Train Arena
1 Sports Parkway
Sacramento, CA 95834

What are your plans for Cinco de Mayo weekend?

SactoMoFo 6 – The Sixth Annual Sacramento Mobile Food Festival

by SacFoodies

Get excited, foodies! The Sixth Sacramento Mobile Food Festival (SactoMoFo 6) will be held this Saturday, April 27 from 11 to 4 p.m. at the Sacramento Downtown Marketplace (under the freeway at 6th and X Streets). SactoMoFo 6 is the biggest food truck festival of the year and will showcase the best local food trucks in town as well as all-star food trucks from all over Northern California. Plus, the event will feature a beer garden and live music.
This is your chance to listen to great tunes, enjoy fresh cold brews and sample some of the tastiest culinary delights in Northern California. The event is free and all you need to bring is a healthy appetite! Parking is $3 or free if you bring a non-perishable food donation for Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services.
With a variety of delicious fare from Sactown’s food truck favorites – Drewski’s Hot Rod, Chando’s Tacos, Krush Burger and over two dozen more – how could you resist not attending this event?
All-star food trucks from Northern California include: Koja Kitchen, We Sushi, Hapa SF, Roli Roti, Spicy Grill and The Chairman.
For more information and the full list of food truck vendors, visit www.sactomofo.com/special-events.com
SactoMoFo 6
700 X Street
Sacramento, CA 95818