Heather Irwin: "Vegetarian Dining in Sonoma County"
Our speaker for Thursday, July 28, 2022, was Heather Irwin of the Press Democrat. Heather is the dining editor for the PD and the Sonoma Magazine. She is a founder of Sonoma Family Meal, a non-profit that served over 80,000 meals in the days following the 2017 Tubbs Fire, and $250,000 meals (along with its partners) during the pandemic. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University and has the dubious distinction of having moved 36 times in her career. On the bright side, she moved to Sonoma County in 2003 and has not moved again!
Heather’s topic on Thursday was “Vegetarian Dining in Sonoma County.” She told us that 10 years ago you could barely find a vegetarian/vegan meal at a restaurant in Sonoma County that wasn’t almost entirely focused on steamed vegetables or lettuce. Things have changed dramatically. We now know that meatless diets are generally better for us and for the environment. The EPA says that agriculture and livestock are responsible for 11% of global CO2 emissions. The worst environmental offenders are dairy and meat cows. Some of the biggest problems are that the land and feed needed for raising cows is so much more extensive than other meats. Chefs tell Heather that their meat costs have gone up 10 – 20%. Given all of these problems, many people are thinking that meat should be considered a condiment rather than the main ingredient in our meals. It is even possible that we will soon be looking at $100 steak dinners in many restaurants. Heather also addressed the meaning of the terms “vegan,” “vegetarian,” and “plant-based.” Vegan basically means no animal product, which can include insects, but leads to disputes about what is an animal product. Some believe that honey, for example, should not be in a vegan diet. Most vegan meals at restaurants are not really vegan since they are cooked on the same surfaces as meat-based meals. As a result, for the most part you don’t see many vegans eating in restaurants. Vegetarians are more flexible; they may eat things like eggs, dairy, and yogurt. Heather says that instead of using the terms “vegan” or “vegetarian,” we are starting to refer to the meatless concept as a “plant-based diet.” Heather also mentioned the idea of an anti-inflammatory diet, such as the Dash Diet, or some other low-sugar diet.
Heather also gave us a run down on the local eateries that serve great plant-based meals. She highlighted Little Saint, recently opened by the owners of Single Thread, a 3-Michelin Star restaurant (and recently named as one of the top 50 restaurants in the world) in Healdsburg. Little Saint is in the old Shed in Healdsburg and serves an entirely plant-based menu. They are doing some amazing things, including using Garbanzo bean water (Aquavit) in place of eggs! She also recommended the Cozy Plum Café near the Santa Rosa Junior College, East West Café, Amy’s Drive Thru, Grain Bowls in Petaluma, and A Taste of Tea in Healdsburg. She finished with a little story about Franchetti’s. During the 2017 fire lots of people had nowhere to eat. Her own family had that problem, as did so many people. At the same time chefs were contacting her asking what they could do to help. She called John Franchetti and asked if she could use the restaurant to feed people for a couple of days. That’s how Sonoma Family Meals started. John & Gesine Franchetti did this to help people and asked for nothing in return! They are wonderful people, but we all know that.
Many thanks to Heather for her wonderful walk through Sonoma County’s plant-based diet scene. Well done.
Click HERE to view Heather's information packed presentation. It is available for a limited time.
