Starting May 23rd Seasonal Foothill Farmers’ Markets to Open from Granite Bay to Lake Tahoe

Photo Credit: Loren Clark, Foothill Farmers Market Association

AUBURN, Calif., May 16, 2013 – Foothill Farmers’ Markets will be bursting with flavor starting May 23^rd through the summer and into the fall.  This time of year, the region offers 11 seasonal, certified farmers’ markets including the two year-round farmers’ markets—in Old Town Auburn and at the Fountains in Roseville.

“There is nothing like biting into a berry or enjoying a summer salad with heirloom tomatoes from the farmers’ market,” says Carol Arnold, executive director of the Foothill Farmers’ Market Association and PlacerGROWN.  “The flavors of the fruits, vegetables, eggs and meats at our markets are incredible because they are grown and raised by local farmers and sourced directly at the height of ripeness.”

Foothill Farmers’ Markets are open almost every day of the week during this peak season.  The Foothill Farmers’ Market 2013 schedule is as follows:

SATURDAY

• Auburn: Old Town Courthouse Parking Lot, Auburn-Folsom Road at Lincoln Way, OPEN YEAR ROUND, 8:00 a.m. - Noon 
• Rocklin: Blue Oaks, RC Willey at Blue Oaks Center, 6636 Lonetree Boulevard, June 1st - Dec. 14th, 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

 SUNDAY

• Granite Bay: Quarry Ponds Town Center, 5550 Douglas Boulevard, June 2nd - Sept. 29th, 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

TUESDAY

• Roseville: Whole Foods Market at the Fountains, Galleria Boulevard & East Roseville Parkway, OPEN YEAR ROUND, 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. 
• Truckee: Truckee River Regional Park, 10500 Brockway Road off Highway 267, June 11th - Oct. 8th, 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. 
• Kings Beach: Kings Beach SRA, Highway 28 at Bear Street, June 25th - Aug. 27th, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

WEDNESDAY

• Auburn: DeWitt Center, Bell Road & First Street, June 5th - Oct. 30th, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. 
• Foresthill: Main Street, June 5th - Aug. 28th, 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

THURSDAY

• Folsom: Whole Foods Market at the Palladio, East Bidwell Street & Iron Point Road, May 23rd - Aug. 29th, 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. 
• Tahoe City: Commons Beach, Commons Beach Road & North Lake Boulevard, May 23rd - June 20th, 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. and , Aug. 29th - Sept. 26th, 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. 
• Tahoe City: Tahoe Lake Elementary School, 375 Grove Street, June 27th – Aug. 22nd, 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. 
• Truckee: Donner Pass near the train station, June 13th - Aug. 22nd, 5:00 - 8:00 p.m.

For more information on the Foothill Farmers’ Markets 2013 farmers’ market schedule, visit foothillfarmersmarket.com.

ABOUT FOOTHILL FARMERS MARKET ASSOCIATION:
For 24 years the Foothill Farmers' Market Association has been hosting farmers' markets in Placer, Nevada, and Sacramento counties.  The Foothill Farmers' Markets are certified purveyors of local farm-fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers, nuts, honey, eggs and nursery items.  For more information on the Foothill Farmers' Market Association, visit www.foothillfarmersmarket.com.

ABOUT PlacerGROWN:
Supported by Placer County, PlacerGROWN is the information source dedicated to educating residents about the freshest agricultural products the region has to offer.  Through its website, social media channels and other outreach programs, PlacerGROWN connects community members with the farms, orchards, ranches, wineries, nurseries, farmers’ markets and specialty food stores in one of the most diverse growing areas in Northern California. To discover the bounty of agricultural products produced by farmers who call Placer County home, or for more information about PlacerGROWN, visit www.placergrown.org.
 
RELATED LINKS:
Foothill Farmers Market website
Foothill Farmers Market on Facebook
PlacerGROWN website
PlacerGROWN on Facebook
PlacerGROWN on Twitter
PlacerGROWN on Pinterest

Casque Wines: Exceptional Rhone & Bordeaux-Style Wines in Loomis

Today I'd like to tell you about a winery that's pretty much right in our own backyard (that is, if you live near Sacramento), and a talented winemaker named Kevin Stevenson.

The winery is called Casque Wines, and they are located in Loomis off of Taylor road in their new tasting room. If the name sounds familiar, it might be because they used to share a tasting room with Wise Villas, or maybe because in 2010 they took Best of Show at the California State Fair.

Or perhaps this is the first time you have ever heard of them. Well, I am happy to introduce you. Though there some very good wineries in the Placer area, this one is actually my new favorite. I had the chance to go through their entire portfolio a few months ago at The Grape Days of Summer, and since I love interesting white wines, they had me at Roussanne.

Right now in the Casque tasting room, they are doing a three-year vertical tasting of their Roussanne (pictured above). What is remarkable about this, is that you can really taste the difference in vintages, as well as see the color change. When I first tried the wines, it was very comparable to a tequila tasting, as in tequila the flavor gets more caramel, heavier, and the color darker as it ages.

The same goes for the Casque Roussannes. I find it a little better to try the youngest vintage first, so request to do that if you can. The BF and I walked away with the 2010 (his favorite) and the 2008 (my favorite).

Here are the tasting notes on the wines (provided by the winery):

2008 Roussanne Our 2008 Roussanne displays a deep, golden straw color in the glass. On the nose, the wine displays classic honeysuckle and apricot notes, with hints of fresh melon and vanilla. In the mouth, the wine is rich and lush, with added notes of peach and crushed nuts. The finish is framed by sweet, but balanced, oak. This rich, full-bodied wine pairs wonderfully with flavorful white meat dishes and stronger cheeses. 2009 Roussanne Our 2009 Roussanne displays a rich gold color. Classic varietal aromas of apricot, honey and flowers start slowly but open beautifully in the glass. These meld seemlessly into a rich, round palate with some subtle vanilla notes added to the mix, all of which echo on the long, lingering finish. The fruit for our 2009 Roussanne comes from two different vineyard sources. This year’s bottling was fermented in a combination of stainless steel tanks and oak barrels (approximately 75% stainless, 25% oak). 2010 Roussanne Our 2010 Roussanne displays a pale gold color in the glass. On the nose the wine exhibits wonderful aromas of beeswax and melon along with a strong minerality. The mid-palate shows an unexpected lushness, given the wine’s strong minerality, with added notes of peach sherbet and cream. All of the components meld into a long, seamless finish, with subtle hints of vanilla and caramel making an encore appearance.

You can buy wine from Casque here, but I really suggest you go to the winery itself if possible and meet the winemaker (who also happens to sing and play guitar), taste the wines, and chat for a while.



If you're not into whites, they are making a Malbec I am really digging, and then there is their proprietary wine, Adrian that we both also loved.

And now a great excuse to visit the Casque tasting room this very weekend!!

Holidays in the Hills: Placer County Wine Trail Event on December 10th and 11th from 12-5pm

Admission is Free with Toy Donation:
Bring a new unwrapped child's toy to donate for the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation Toy Drive and wine tasting is free for the day! All toys collected will be donated to needy children throughout Placer County. (Otherwise, individual winery tasting fees apply).

Home for the Holidays (Decorations and Prizes):
In honor of our troops coming home and families reuniting for the holidays, each winery will decorate with their interpretation of what it means to be "home for the holidays." See different displays and enter a drawing for a chance to win a mixed case of Placer County Wines and other prizes.

Participating Wineries:
Bonitata • Casque • Cante Ao Vinho • Ciotti • Cristaldi • Dono dal Cielo • Fawnridge • Fortezza • Green Family • Lone Buffalo • Mt. Vernon • PaZa • Popie • Rancho Roble • Secret Ravine • Viña Castellano • Wise Villa

Here's what Casque will be doing:
FOOD: FireVine Pizza on Saturday and Sunday: Personal Pizzas made to order ($8 - $10) or bring your own picnic.
MUSIC: By the Fire Pits
Saturday, 12-4pm - Matt Cooksey (new age guitarist)
Saturday, 5-8 pm - Terry Sharp (singer/songwriter guitarist)
Sunday - 4 on 6 (jazz group)
DECOR: Come to see our themed Christmas tree: "Badges of Honor"
DISCOUNTS: Enjoy 10% wine and logoed glass discounts to help you get ready for the holidays. (Wine Club Members receive this discount in addition to their standard discount)
GIFT WRAPPING: Complimentary Gift Wrapping and signing of bottles by the winemaker
LATE HOURS: Join us on Saturday evening from 5 until 8pm for our wine bar and wine flights plus additional music by the fireside.

For more information on the event and other wineries participating, you can go to Placer Wine's website.

You can find Casque Wines on Facebook here.

The Content Creation and Distribution Expo Coming to Loomis, Sept 16th and 17th. 2011

The Content Creation and Distribution Expo is part trade show, festival, symposium, and entertainment venues bringing together companies, manufacturers, artists, and individuals that are focused on the latest technologies that make creating content easier, faster and less expensive, as well as distributing that content to the end user via hand-held devices, home computers, televisions and new digital theaters.

If you are a filmmaker, producer, or simply someone who has an idea for a good “how-to” video, the CCD Expo can provide you with ideas, training, and connections to the leaders in the media business.

If you’re an aspiring musician wanting to make a new album, the CCD Expo can introduce you to the best local recording studios, labels and marketing agencies. If you are a production company, manufacturer, public relations company, marketing and advertising agency, web designer, SEO expert, or just great at social networking, you won’t want to miss this show. No matter what type of content you want to make, or have already produced, the CCD Expo can show you how to make, market, promote, distribute, and monetize your projects.

Who is coming to the Expo?
Movie stars, music stars, leaders in the industry and the top companies in this new world of media on demand. Here are a few guest speakers and sponsors:

Speakers & Panelists:

• Rolfe Auerbach – Brand In Entertainment
• Michael Frediani – President S.O.C. Hollywood
• Robert Reed Altman, Jr.  - Camera Op NBC TV show Chuck
• Emmy award winner – Doug Stanley, Deadliest Catch
• Emmy award winner – B. Sean Fairburn 
• Keith Merrill – Academy award winner 
• Larry Jacobson – Best Selling Author
• Evan Bailyn – Author / SEO Expert 
• Adryenn Ashley – Author / Social Networking Expert
• Val Garay – President of Red Red Records 
• Steve Price – Over 18 gold and platinum records, drummer for Pablo Cruise 
• Eric Chun – NFocus Entertainment & Creative Music Services
• Nathan Schemel – Director of Sacramento Film & Music Festival 
• Frank Casanova – The Studio Center, Sacramento

Entertainment:

• 70s / 80s Band Pablo Cruise
• Jaime Kyle, L.A. Recording Artist, Songwriter
• Garratt Wilkin & The Parrotheads – #1 Jimmy Buffett Tribute Band and Local Favorite
• Katrina – New Red Red Records Artist climbing charts 
• Evan Zee – Up and Coming singer songwriter in the style of Kenny Loggins
• Fos Rock – Demarco Foster and Band

Company Sponsors:

• Placer-Lake Tahoe Film Office
• Snader & Associates 
• Cision – PR Media Database 
• Sherman & Clay / Steinway Pianos
• Pinnacle College
• Art Institute of California, Sacramento 
• SOC – Society of Camera Operators, Hollywood 
• Brand In Entertainment
• Silverado Studios, Folsom
• The Studio Center, Sacramento
• Studio 24, Sacramento
• Conscious Media Network
• Wave Broadband 
• Music Connection Magazine

You can like the CCD Expo on Facebook here or follow them on twitter here. To buy tickets to the event, click here.