We recommend this new book and will give it to the children  and parents in our lives: The Parents Guide to a Climate Revolution - 100 Ways to Build a Fossil-Free Future, Raise Empowered Kids, and Still Get a Good Night’s Sleep.
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“Relax,” writes author Mary DeMocker, “this isn’t another light bulb list. It’s not another overwhelming pile of parental ‘to dos’ designed to shrink your family’s carbon footprint through eco-superheroism.” Instead, DeMocker lays out a lively, empowering, and doable blueprint for engaging families in the urgent endeavor of climate revolution. In this book’s brief, action-packed chapters, you’ll learn hundreds of wide-ranging ideas for being part of the revolution — from embracing simplicity parenting, to freeing yourself from dead-end science debates, to teaching kids about the power of creative protest, to changing your lifestyle in ways that deepen family bonds, improve moods, and reduce your impact on the Earth. Engaging and creative, this vital resource is for everyone who wants to act effectively — and empower children to do the same.

Endorsements
“This is a book for anyone, of any age, who believes in the power of human creativity, or anyone who needs a dose of hope. It’s not too late to seek a newer world.”
— Richard Louv, author of The Nature Principle, Last Child in the Woods, and Vitamin N

“Trust me, this is going to be fun.”
— Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature

“A great prescription for anyone concerned about protecting future generations. The Parents’ Guide to Climate Revolution is encouraging, entertaining and, most of all, deeply empowering.”
— Catia Juliana, climate activist and mother of Kelsey Juliana, youth plaintiff in the Juliana v. U.S. climate lawsuit against the federal government

“I love this book. Our current climate crisis can easily feel overwhelming, well beyond the reach of any single individual. This sense of powerlessness is often magnified for parents. In this wonderful, inspiring book, Mary DeMocker offers up a potent antidote — a compelling collection of simple, yet effective activities that any child, teen, or adult can engage in. The pathway to a thriving future will emerge from a vibrant vision of our destination, and steps to take us there. The Parents’ Guide to Climate Revolution is brimming with ideas to carry us on the journey!”
— Scott D. Sampson, PhD, president & CEO of Science World British Columbia; author of How to Raise a Wild Child; science advisor and host of PBS Kids Dinosaur Train

“This book is the most delightful remedy to the feelings of overwhelm that anyone looking seriously at climate change is bound to feel. Read it and enjoy the stories, tangible support, and inspiration from Mary DeMocker’s creative, powerful vision. Engagement really is the antidote to despair, especially for our young people.”
— Kari Marie Norgaard, author of Living in Denial

“The most important thing parents can do is teach their children to grow up loving the Earth. We all protect what we love, just as a parent protects a child. Children should grow up understanding that all life is sacred and that we all drink from the same waters and draw life from the same Earth. I am so excited to see this book in the hands of anyone who wants to create a world we’re proud to pass on to future generations. The Parents’ Guide to Climate Revolution will empower you and your children to walk hand in hand to turn the tides, gently but effectively, on the biggest issue we face. We owe it to future generations to be the leaders of today so they can have a tomorrow.”
— Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, youth director of Earth Guardians and author of We Rise 

“For the love of children and our planet, devour this essential book and stand with the youth rising across the globe to protect their basic human rights to a livable future. Moms, dads, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers, this book gives you real stories to inspire and concrete ways to be upstanding adults, uplifting the voices of our children in the most important struggle of their lives.”
— Julia Olson, executive director of Our Children’s Trust and lead counsel in Juliana v. U.S.

Chef Patrick Tripp and Eric Wall Owner BottleTaps Craft beer experience in Pleasanton prepared a Special Vegetarian and Vegan Board with a Spicy Prawns added for our visit with Beer Pairings.  If you want to request it, please call in advance. You can also order all the items separately from the menu. The restaurant has a rotating selection of 30 beers on tap and 200 available in bottles or cans, and all of the servers and bartenders are Cicerone Certified Beer Servers.

Here's what our Board included and all items were flavorful, fresh, and the Chocolate Banana Cake is amazing as well! Slideshow Pictures are below.

• Gazpacho - Yellow watermelon, yellow tomato, yellow bell pepper, mango, toasted almonds, and chimichuri served chilled
• Baked Caprese - Heirloom tomato, fresh mozzarella, basil pesto, strawberry balsamic
• Roasted Asparagus - Friseer, pecorino Romano, Meyer lemon olive oil 
• Spicy Prawns - 3 jumbo black prawns, lemon, parsley, chili flake, chunky garlic red pepper sauce 
• Chocolate Banana Cake - Made with fair trade chocolate and rainforest alliance bananas, cinnamon whip

Paired with:
Brother Jordan Brut 
Gilman Blackberry 
Barrel house blonde Sunny days
Old republic Frontier amber 
Kern river Golden coffee 

The 2018 Vegan Chocolate Award Winners by the International Chocolate Salon have been announced, and Gratitude Gourmet is grateful to have been one of the Judges again this year.  See all the Winners HERE.

Are you looking to try something new for date night and add a bit of serendipity by having someone else plan the date night for you, and you can take a phone and digital device break? Check out Bonding Bees where they deliver a date night to your doorstep every month so you can have a date night from the comfort of your own home. Each Bonding Bee’s subscription box includes a game, a recipe with ingredients, a crafting activity, and a relationship building exercise for you to enjoy together. Every month the box is based on a new theme, so the two of you will always have a special surprise to look forward to.

On Sunday evenings in San Francisco, you can now find multi-course tiffin-format dinners priced at either $19.00 or $29.00 per person with optional dessert add-ons at Le Colonial. A tiffin is a steel, stackable, food-separating series of containers. Chef Tuan Phan, a native of Ho Chi Min City, has provided the culinary inspiration for the last 17 years. We chose the following items (pictures below). You must order the Brussel Sprouts and the optional dessert Lemongrass and Lychee Granita, one of the best desserts we've ever enjoyed.

First Tier
Crab Cake Cha Cua - Crispy Coconut Crusted Dungeness Crab Cakes - Cilantro Aioli

Second Tier 
Shrimp Curry Cari Tom - Coconut Curry Jumbo Shrimp Eggplant Mushroom Mango Potato Yellow Onion Taro Basil

Third Tier
Garlic Noodles Mi Xao Toi - Wok Tossed Garlic Noodles Bean Sprouts Scallion

Fourth Tier
Brussel Sprouts Xu Bruxelles - Crispy Sweet Chili Glazed Brussel Sprouts 

Dessert
Lemongrass and Lychee Granita - Kaffir Lime Mousse Coconut Jellies Carmelized Puffed Rice Raspberries 

We're happy we tried Amazon Botanicals, an herbal and ecologically friendly skin care line made with organic and sustainably sourced blends from the Amazon that is animal cruelty-free, paraben and php-free, and produced with 100% wind energy!
We tried the following products and our skin feels great and ready for the new day!
1. Facial Cleanser with Jatoba, an indigenous leaf found in the Amazon rainforest, contains a variety of active compounds that cleanse, purify and soothe skin.
2. Night Cream with Samabaia, an anti-oxidant compound found in a fern that grows in the Amazon Rainforest, shields skin from unhealthy environmental effects and reduces the appearance of aging associated with exposure to the sun.
3. Anti-Aging Serum with Camu, Maca, and Vitamin C. Camu neutralizes the devastating effects of free radicals and not only stops but reverses signs of the aging process that are associated with them. Maca, a Mineral-rich Root found in the Rainforest Highlands, energizes and hydrates your skin to combat the signs of fatigue and maintain firmness.

We are major fans of Better Body Foods Avocado Mayo and Avocado Mayo with Chipotle and Lime made with cage free eggs, is non-gmo, gluten free, and soy and canola Free. Everything we put it on is so delicious! Here's a great 'Avocado Mayo Elote Corn Recipe and Video' courtesy of Better Body Foods. This Elote corn (Mexican street corn) is roasted over an open grill & coated with delicious ingredients including their NEW Avocado Mayo!

​Ingredients
4 ears of corn
8 Tbsp Avocado Mayo LimeAdd to cart
1/3 cup cotija cheese
2 limes
chili powder

Directions
1. Grill or boil your ears of corn.
2. Once corn is cooked, spread a bit of mayo all over each ear of corn, about 2 tablespoons each.
3. Scoop the cotija cheese generously on the corn, making sure it covers all sides.
4. Sprinkle with a little bit of the chili powder and lime juice.
5. Serve.

Its time to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends. Here are some great wines to bring to a picnic, the beach, and even your own backyard!
Zonin Prosecco 1821 echoes the flavor of the summer, with its bouquet of fruits, almonds, and fresh citrus with effervescent bubbles. The wine pairs with a wide selection of dishes, including Caprese Salad and of course Mimosas.
Castello Del Poggio Moscato mildly sweet like a true Moscato should be, with hints of peach on the nose, followed by honey and white flower. Light on the palate and an easy-to-drink wine – the ideal dessert.

Regarding Sustainability, Zonin keeps three fundamental factors in mind: every action that is put into effect must be safe for the environment, socially equitable and feasible from a financial point of view. Since 2008, ZONIN1821 has been working to reach certain important goals – some of which have already been attained and others of which are in the process of being so – and it is doing this through key elements such as water, soil, terroir and energy. See their Green Values in this video below.
Saluti!

We love Ginger Beer. Check out Brooklyn Crafted made with 100% fresh, unfiltered ginger pieces and it is so refreshing cold out of the fridge! The Brooklyn Crafted Mini Bottles line comes in 7 fluid ounce bottles and includes:

• Brooklyn Crafted Traditional Ginger Beer: Featuring classic notes of spice and ginger, the Traditional GingerBeer allows simple ingredients to shine.
• Brooklyn Crafted Earl Grey Ginger Beer: One of the most unique ginger beer flavors, this variety packs a bold, ginger taste with the pleasant aroma of Earl Grey brewed from real tea leaves.
• Brooklyn Crafted Lemon & Lime Ginger Beer: With a refreshing fusion of lemon and lime, this twist on the classic citrus combo features a subtle ginger kick.
• Brooklyn Crafted Mango Ginger Beer: Enjoy the tropics with this Mango Ginger Beer flavor that provides a thirst- quenching blend of sweet and spicy.

Cheers!

Chef Donato Scotti, proprietor of Donato Restaurant Group, has opened his fourth restaurant and his first in San Francisco, Cento Osteria located at the corner of Brannan and the Embarcadero with a view of the Bay and tree-lined plaza featuring simple, classic Italian osteria style fare by Chef Chris D’Andrea, including pizza, pasta, seafood, and small plates to pair with cocktails and wine. 

​Maria Fangras, General Manager, Cento Osteria greeted us. Maria is a restaurant veteran, sommelier and cicerone, who opened Rambler in Union Square and worked at A16 in San Francisco and Oakland. Chef Donato Scotti was also at the entrance and we said hello and congratulations! We enjoyed visiting his other restaurants - see our posts here Donato & Co. and Donato Enoteca, and we were eager to try his new restaurant!

Most menu items are associated with a particular Italian city or province and like his other restaurants features a live fire for wood-fired thin crust pizzas and other specialties. The beverage menu features a variety of wines by the glass and carafe and a rotating menu of eight house cocktails. The bottled wine list features wines primarily from small-production Italian wineries.

Secondi
(SP) orata baked deboned sea bream; artichokes, potatoes, Soave wine ​

We enjoyed the most delightful dinner at The Courthouse 2021 now open in downtown Redwood City, California's trendy Theater District showcasing seasonally-inspired farm-fresh American cuisine complemented by expertly crafted cocktails, a world-class wine program. We enjoyed and recommend every wine, entree, and dessert we had for dinner (see below for list of items and pictures), ambiance and genuine, and exceptional service! We highly recommend this restaurant and you must visit, relax, and enjoy!
 
Executive Consulting Chef Munther Massarweh comments, “every menu, wine and cocktail selection has been developed with contemporary tastes in mind. We then source each recipe from purveyors offering the highest quality and freshest ingredients to ensure perfection with every bite.”
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Chef Massarweh is best known for serving as the youngest Executive Chef in the history of Chicago’s world famous Pump Room. Before moving to the Midwest, he worked with Bay Area venues such as McCormick & Kuleto’s, Perry’s Restaurant, The Fillmore Bar & Grill and Club Eleven. He also opened a restaurant in Hawaii before returning to the mainland to Tin Pan Asian Bistro in San Francisco and The Bistro in Glen Ellen. He currently owns Wildfox, The Speakeasy Sports Bar and The Speakeasy Barbeque, all in Novato, plus Nico’s 1508 in Berkeley. Btw we dined at Nicos 1508 last year - read our Post and the wine, entrees, desserts, ambiance, and service was exceptional so we were eager to try his new restaurant!

The beverage list at The Courthhouse 2021 includes an international selection of wines, plus a variety of local craft beers. The full bar’s cocktail menu, led by Bar Manager Melvin Clavio, showcases classic, contemporary and signature libations. A weeknight Happy Hour offers discounted appetizers and drink specials.

The decor at The Courthouse 2021 is created by award-winning designer Michael Brennan who is known for working with Pat Kuleto to develop the interiors of San Francisco’s Farallon and Jardinière. Highlights include arched windows, a fireplace and bar lounge, a full exhibition kitchen with wood-fired grill, textured stone floor, a beautiful high wood plank ceiling, wrought iron wall light fixtures and chandeliers, natural light, Pullman booth seating, and an enclosed outdoor patio with a fountain. 

Starters 
. Courthouse Clam Chowder mesquite grilled herb flat bread
. Brussel Sprouts Pine Nuts, Goat Cheese, Balsamic Reduction
. Oysters on the half shell shallot mignonette, lemongrass cocktail sauce ​

1000 Stories, a California winery and original producer of bourbon barrel-aged Zinfandel where the aging process begins in traditional French and American oak wine barrels before transitioning lots to the bourbon barrels, has just announced a limited release of its Bourbon Barrel-Aged 'Batch Blue' Carignan, their first-ever limited release of Carignan as a single varietal.

Per Winemaker Bob Blue: 
"As soon as these grapes came into the winery, I knew they deserved to stand alone. But that’s not the only special thing about this batch: I worked on this project with my son, Ian, who is not a winemaker but rather a wine enthusiast. There’s a little bit of both of us in this wine: classic and rustic with a little edge. Look for notes of brilliantly racy red and black fruits set to a rich backdrop of toast, herbs and cocoa." Retail $18.99.

In addition, 1000 Stories will launch Gold Rush Red June 1, 2018, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Syrah and Merlot; bold with intriguing notes of dried herbs, charred vanilla and a pleasant hint of smoke.
Per Bob Blue, “The very essence of 1000 Stories is innovation at the intersection of winemaking and craft whiskey distilling, so it was only natural for us to explore different varietals. We are very happy with Gold Rush Red and we are excited to share the blend with our consumers.” Retail 18.99.

We were grateful to taste Gold Rush Red before its official release date, and we recommend pairing both wines and excellent Zinfandel with earthy vegetables like beets, parsnips, peppers, grilled vegetables, vegetable lasagna, roasted cherry tomatoes, roasted tomato soup, bruschetta, grilled portobello mushrooms, grilled tempeh and tofu, and mushroom pasta marinara. 

The winery is a CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE winery complying with the Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing program​. On average, the glass that 1000 Stories uses is made of 35% recycled material. The winery is certified TRUE ZeroWaste and CarbonNeutral®.
Cheers!

Do your kids need more exercise time outside?
Check out these Stomp Rocket Stunt Planes! These three different planes were designed by aeronautical engineers to do amazing tricks, from loops and flips to glides and rolls. Everything kids do changes how these Stunt Planes fly!

• Change the launch angle, fly with a head wind or tail wind, and more to change how they fly!
• 100% kid-powered. No batteries and no assembly required.
• Includes 3 Stunt Planes, Sturdy Launch Stand and Launch Pad with Air Hose.
• Ages 5-12 

​Have Fun!!