The holiday season has arrived! In Sonoma County, we don’t necessarily have a drastic change in seasons, but we do see enough change in weather patterns to make it feel a bit like winter. I, for one, welcome the cooler temperatures and the chance to hibernate a little more than usual. I also like any reason to hang up lights, which always add an element of cheer. I like Christmas lights so much, I hung some up across my fireplace mantel before Halloween had even arrived!
For this issue, we wanted to give you every opportunity to get inspired to eat, shop, and adventure your way through Sonoma County over the holidays. Our Eat feature explores the “not-so-far east” in Windsor, with its abundance of delicious, Asian-inspired restaurants. Why not a take a jaunt out to the Town Green and experience the family-owned Tomi Thai and other restaurants for yourself? We also have a big story on locally produced holiday food and home gifts, featuring Miracle Plum, a new market in Santa Rosa’s Railroad Square, started by two native Santa Rosan women. There’s no reason to pick up presents for your family at a big box store when we’ve got so many wonderful local options to satisfy every giftee. Looking for something to do during those precious vacation days? Our story about a new food sovereignty project and exhibit run by Tribal Youth Ambassadors at the California Indian Museum in Santa Rosa is a chance to explore the revival of local indigenous food and culture. And you can sample acorn protein bites made by the youth ambassadors!
Happy holidays and Feliz Navidad! And, as always, I invite you to email me at editor@madelocal.coop with any thoughts, feedback, or story tips having to do with the Sonoma County food system.