The Organic Kitchen

At The Organic Kitchen Linda Spiker teaches cooking classes in a relaxed, laid back environment. "I love food and am passionate about healthful nutrition. Together we'll take a fresh look at what is possible when you choose to eat and cook the organic way. Most of my menus are largely plant based and contain organic foods from sustainable farms. Better for you, better for the planet!" ~ Linda Spiker - The Organic Kitchen

Prelibato from Acetaia Malpighi - Modena, Italy

“Prelibato” is the ground-breaking white balsamic vinegar aged for five years in ash based wooden casks in Modena, Italy. This product is an equally delicious alternative to the traditional dark balsamic and boosts a truly unique flavor. Its delicate, creamy essence makes it an ideal condiment when drizzled over seafood and fresh fruit. Add it to your favorite meal today to get a gentle, smooth and unforgettable dish!

The Malpighi brand is an extraordinary balsamic that reflects the dedication, commitment and passion of the Malpighi family. Highly respected in the Modena region, the Malpighi lineage dates all the way back to the 17th century. Born in 1628, Marcello Malpighi was a celebrated physician, physiologist and anatomist whose fame spread far beyond the borders of Italy for his discovery of the capillary network. He was also honored for his acclaimed book, De lingua, an exposition on the sense of taste. 

Wine-inspired Vinegars from B.R. Cohn

Vinegar is referenced in the Bible almost as often as wine, and is mentioned in Egyptian and Sumerian records dating back 5000 years. The Romans used it liberally and in 400 BC, Hippocrates prescribed it to his patients. Fast forward to France of the Middle Ages. Wine shipped along the Loire River was often subjected to less than ideal conditions. Hot sun and compromised barrels caused some of the wine to spoil. Nestled along the river, the city of Orléans became an offloading point for this vin aigre, French for “sour wine.” Over the centuries, the local vinegar makers perfected a slow and delicate process of conversion from wine to vinegar, defining the art of superior vinegar making that came to be known as the “Orléans method.”

Sadly, the industrial age brought faster, cheaper methods of producing vinegar in days or even hours. This quickly generated vinegar lacks the rich character and full flavor that only natural conversion can offer. Our vinegar maker is one of the last to use the Orléans method, handcrafting B.R. Cohn wine vinegars naturally in small batches. Oak barrels are filled three-quarters with high-quality California wine and a starter called a “mother” is added. The wood barrels add flavor and depth to the vinegar, helping it to mellow and mature. About 18-22 months later, most of the vinegar is drawn off, but a small amount is left to carry on the legacy.

B.R. Cohn offers five wine-inspired vinegars, each reflecting the rich character of the wine from which it was made: Cabernet, Chardonnay, Pear Chardonnay, Champagne, and Raspberry Champagne. All are bottled in attractive frosted Italian glass that reveals the vibrant colors of the vinegars. Perfect for gift giving or treating yourself, our award-winning gourmet vinegars are excellent paired with any of our extra virgin olive oils or in any recipe calling for wine vinegar. We also import an authentic Balsamic Vinegar from Modena, Italy, that has been aged 15 years in the “tradizionale” method.

The uses for vinegar are limited only by your imagination. Besides traditional salad dressings and pickling anything from fruit to fish, it can be used in soups and sauces, marinades and condiments, or even desserts. 6.7 fluid oz.
White Balsamic Vinegar $18. - Fig Balsamic Vinegar $18.

California olive oil carries on a tradition that dates back to ancient times. Olive trees were cultivated in the Mediterranean region as early as 3000 BC, and through the millennia olive oil has been widely used for cooking, lighting, medicinal purposes, body care, and even as a weapon of war. Franciscan missionaries brought the first olive trees to the New World in the 16th century and then into California from Mexico in the late 1700s. Many orchards were neglected for decades after the mission system ended in 1834. During the mid to late 1800s cuttings were taken from the old mission orchards and additional varieties were brought from Mediterranean countries.
B.R. Cohn Olive Oils

Our Picholine olive trees, imported from France, are a rarity in a region dominated by Italian and Spanish varietals. They were planted in the 1870s as part of a growing olive oil industry that, under pressure from cheaper European imports, went into decline at the turn of the 20th century. In the early 1990s new pioneers represented by Bruce Cohn and others brought about a renaissance in California olive oil leading to a new recognition of California olive oils as a world-class offering.

One of the first olive oils produced in Sonoma County in nearly a century, B.R. Cohn’s Sonoma Estate Picholine Extra Virgin Olive Oil is considered to be one of California’s finest. Produced in very limited quantities, the Sonoma Estate olive oil is only available from the B.R. Cohn Winery. B.R. Cohn also offers two additional extra virgin olive oils: an Organic and a California blend. A Balsamic & Garlic Herb Dipping Oil rounds out the family of oils.

All B.R. Cohn non-flavored extra virgin olive oils bear the Seal of Quality from the California Olive Oil Council (COOC), having passed laboratory analysis to measure acidity and blind tasting by a panel of experts to ensure they are free of defects. As the United States currently has no legal definition for “extra virgin”, the COOC seal is your guarantee of quality. COOC experts are certified by and adhere to the same strict guidelines as the International Olive Oil Council in Madrid.

A. L'Olivier Framboise Vinaigre

Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla

The world’s finest and most consistent vanilla comes from Madagascar. Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla from Nielsen-Massey has a creamy, sweet, velvety flavor that is perfectly suited for a range of products from baked goods to ice creams, salad dressings to barbeque sauces. Madagascar Bourbon vanilla does not have anything to do with the American whiskey of the same name, but is rather named for the Bourbon Islands off the coast of Africa. Madagascar supplies more than 60% of the world’s vanilla. 4 oz. $10.95

Maldon Sea Salt Flakes

Every two weeks, after a period of dry weather, the salt that has dried across the marshes is reabsorbed by the higher spring tides. This greatly increases the salinity of the seawater making the river Blackwater one of the saltiest in England. At Maldon, the water is then carefully syphoned off from the middle of the river where the salt concentration is the highest and is stored and left to settle in large storage tanks. Sediment and mud particles are filtered out before eventually being transferred to large stainless steel salt pans.

The water is heated and brought to a ‘galloping boil’ . Any impurities and some magnesium salts form a froth called lees on the surface. This is removed and the temperature adjusted to a point where it can be carefully controlled for the next 15 to 16 hours. As the water becomes saturated and evaporates, salt crystals form on the surface. Slowly, the inverted pyramid shaped crystals grow in size and weight until they eventually fill with water and sink.

With the reducing water and the build up of the crystals on the bottom of the pans, the process is complete when the two levels meet and the water has mostly evaporated. The crystals are then carefully gathered using special rakes in a process called ‘drawing the pan’. They are then shovelled into bins and left to drain before being transferred and loaded into the drying hopper. Once dried, the harvesting process is complete resulting in completely natural, pure white salt crystals, nothing added, nothing taken away and the salt is simply ready to be packed and distributed. 8.5 oz. box $6.50