Ooh De Lolli brand. Luke Fisher. Equal parts ... actually while working in L.A., where he'd moved for a ... barbecue at
ISSUE TWO
o t m r a f ble ta
DINNER W/ FRIENDS
central valley farmers and chefs gather for fresh conversation & fresh food
who's who Photography Ellie Koleen | elliekoleenphotography.com Location Harvest Fields Organic Farm | harvestfields.farm Illustrations & calligraphy Cynthia of C.B. Escribe | IG @cbescribe Graze boards Jade Magnolia | jademagnolia.com Rentals It's My Party | itsmypartyfresno.com Guests | Rick Ambrose Gianna Dinuzzo Luke Fisher Janna Melkonian Donna Mott Shayna Telesmanic See Thao
"We've got the best of the world right here. And we all want the same thing: to take care of our local food." - Rick Ambrose
On
an unseasonably cool evening in early June, a group of local farmers and foodies gathered for a meal. Almost as unexpected as the absence of blistering heat, was the hidden-gem of a farm where dinner was served, on a long wooden table set in the shadow of a barn amongst wandering chickens and sheep. In a community so associated with agriculture that its importance can often be taken for granted, that night proved that it can still surprise and delight. That there are still things to be discovered. Homemade plates of grilled chicken skewers, noodles with fresh vegetables, and vegan wraps were laid out in the bed of a pickup truck for the laid-back buffet-style meal. Once everyone had served themselves, the guests shared a little about their recipes, while garden cocktails were created on site and paired with each dish. For dessert: pops! It didn't need to be 100 degrees for each person to grab one. Or two. There was definitely a shorthand among many in the group, developed through weekly run-ins at farmers markets and various creative collaborations. But new connections began to form, as they usually do around the dinner table, and some who'd only known each other through social media got to connect IRL. Will Rogers once said, "The farmer has to be an optimist or he wouldn't still be a farmer." While they may not all be farmers, optimism was certainly in season among the guests that June night. But that doesn't mean they don't see room for improvement in the local food scene. If Will Rogers were alive today, he'd probably need to expand his quote to include, say, a food blogger passionate about motivating others to try a more healthy lifestyle, or a "momtrepreneur" running a chef's academy for kids, while also hosting a cooking show and writing a cookbook. When it comes to the success of the Central Valley's agriculture, there are many different cooks in the kitchen. And they all operate on a healthy dose of optimism.
the s t s e u g
Janna Melkonian Raised in the Central Valley since the age of two, it wasn't until Janna Melkonian started Rappit Up, her vegetarian food business, that her connection to the community really began to grow. Melkonian uses the social media talents gifted to her as a Millennial to promote healthy eating through the sharing of her inventive vegetarian and vegan recipes. It doesn't hurt that her plant-based creations -- from salads and desserts, to her famous wraps -- also happen to be extremely photogenic.
Shayna Telesmanic For the past eight years, Shayna Telesmanic has run the Young Chef's Academy, teaching kids ages 2-18 how to cook and helping them develop a healthy relationship with food. And, quite possibly, preventing hundreds of dinnertime meltdowns in the process. A North Carolina native, Telesmanic has become a household name in the Central Valley thanks to her long-running cooking segment on ABC 30. When not preparing her own meals, Telesmanic favors restaurants Trelio and Annex Kitchen for their commitment to sourcing ingredients lcally.
See Thao As a full-time farmer and parttime social media marketer, See Thao is not only a paradox, but also a hopeful symbol for the future of the family farm. Most 24-year-olds wouldn't call long days of manual labor a fond childhood memory, but that's how Thao describes growing up on her parents' farm in Easton alongside her brothers and sisters. Thao is pretty much the sole face and force behind Mao's Farm, which is named after her father, Mao Lee. When she's not tending the same fields she did as a kid, she's growing her extended family of customers at markets around the Central Valley, or in her kitchen cooking--or Instagramming.
"If I'm not on the farm, I'm in the kitchen. And the nice thing is that everything's in my yard. I love it." - See Thao
Donna Mott If not for the collapse of the housing market and a fateful trip to a kitchen supply store, everyone's favorite local popsicles may not have existed. And thinking about summer in the Central Valley without Donna Mott's frozen treats is enough to make anyone sweat. It's now been six years since Mott began tinkering with recipes and selling her ice pops, which come in flavors like watermelon cilantro and lavender lemonade, under her Ooh De Lolli brand.
Luke Fisher Equal parts bartender and master gardener, it's not a stretch to say that Luke Fisher and his gardenin-a-glass creations have shaken up the local cocktail scene. A bartender by trade, the Fresnoborn-and-raised Fisher says it was actually while working in L.A., where he'd moved for a change of scenery, that his eyes were opened to what he could do in the industry. Thankfully, he brought his awakened self back to the 559 where he now does pop-up events and private parties, and hopes to one day open his own bar.
Gianna Dinuzzo It's "collaboration over competition any day" for Gianna Dinuzzo. Which is probably why she has so effortlessly blended her work as marketing coordinator for Ooooby (Out of Our Own Backyards) Fresno, with her food blog and homemade granola business. Dinuzzo's excitement for healthy living is as evident in the outreach she does for Ooooby, as it is in each "nutritiously delicious" recipe on her blog. Born, raised and still living in Fresno, Dinuzzo is passionate about sharing with her community the benefits of fresh and local food.
Rick Ambrose If you've ordered a salad at a local restaurant or purchased a juicy watermelon for a summer barbecue at any time since, oh, 1981, you likely have Rick Ambrose to thank for it. He's been in retail produce management in the Central Valley for 40 years, and currently manages sales and farm operations for Food Commons Fresno-- selling organic produce to grocery stores, hospitals and restaurants throughout the Valley. From the fields to the produce aisle, Ambrose relishes getting out into the community and telling people about the good food growing in our backyard.
the n o i t a c lo
On 12 acres of land, just off the flight path of Fresno Yosemite International Airport, is a small organic farm called Harvest Fields. Tucked away on the campus of the Fresno Adventist Academy, about 70 different crops grow on the farm over the course of a year. It also raises chickens (about 150 of them), sheep (a tight-knit family of about 10), and, if David Obermiller has anything to do with it, future generations of farmers. Started in partnership with the adventist academy in 2014, this non-profit farm has extended its reach to other schools in the community with the purpose of inspiring and educating kids through farming. "The neat thing about farming to me is that it offers a living classroom of sorts, where so much of what is being taught in the classroom becomes practical," says Obermiller. For adults looking to freshen up their diets, the farm also offers CSA
Harvest Fields
(community-supported agriculture) boxes. Whether through a box of fresh veggies at your door, or a kid learning with his hands in the dirt, Obermiller says it all comes down to connection: people with food, food with people, and, lest we forget, the farm(er) at the center of it all.
the food
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 2. In a large bowl, mix the flaxseed with the water and let it
Golden Granola Cookies
sit for 5 minutes. 3. Add remaining ingredients, except the granola mix and yogurt
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
chips, to the bowl.
5 tablespoons water
4. Once well combined and
2 1/2 cups gluten free flour
smooth, fold in the granola mix
3/4 cup Nutritiously Delicious
and yogurt chips (if using).
granola mix
5. Roll into balls and place on a
1 cup coconut sugar
lined baking sheet.
1 cup melted coconut oil
6. Place in the oven for 8-10
1 teaspoon baking soda
minutes.
1 teaspoon vanilla
7. Gently add sprinkles
1/2 cup yogurt chips (optional)
immediately, then allow to cool.
Gold sprinkles
8. Enjoy!
the s k n i r d
Harvest Fields' Mint Lemonade Ingredients: Juice from 6-7 lemons 1/4 cup agave 1 cup water 1 large handful of mint 6 cups ice 1. Combine lemon juice, agave, water and mint in blender and blend on high speed. 2. Add in ice. 3. Continue blending until mixture becomes a slush. 4. Taste for desired sweetness. Add more agave according to taste and continue to blend. 5. Pour into tall glasses. 6. Garnish with mint leaves and a lemon wedge.
