Kathleen Hill: Trade wars, French market and more

Rethinking our food supply

Are we really sending chicken to China to be processed and sent back to us, and about to pay 25 percent more for it, when it could have been processed here?

Since President Trump has imposed new tariffs of 25 percent on many goods from China, including food, we really do need to rethink our food supply, and this is a good time to do just that.

Add that to the 17.5 percent Trump tariff on tomatoes from Mexico that we heard about 10 days ago from the San Francisco Chronicle. And, according to CBS News, 50 percent of tomatoes consumed by Americans come from Mexico.

Combine this with the elimination of the Obama-era requirement that meat and other imported foods be labeled to identify their country of origin. So we don't really know where meat and poultry, as well as produce, come from. And we know of no way to find pertinent farming, storage and shipping practices.

And then we have seafood. It is identified by the country off whose shores it is caught. But who knows where else it has been, or what the allegedly 'slave' fisherman conditions might be?

While I have visited 'organic' shellfish and other seafood farms in Scotland, I am totally baffled by frozen salmon packages at Whole Foods that say, 'Farm-raised in Norway' and 'Product of Germany' on the same label.

What's a home cook to do?

Grow your own or buy from local farmers, that's what. Or you can ask your butcher or meat counter clerk where their product comes from.

Think about what it costs in money and climate when tomatoes are flown to California from Chile; olives, strawberry jam, soy sauce, stuffed pasta, mustard seeds, rice wine and sake, and even American-grown chicken from China; and bottled water flown from Fiji.

While the U.S-China trade war could be brief or lengthy, it can affect consumers everywhere. For a long time American manufacturers have taken goods that used to be made in the states and sent them to China and other countries to be made less expensively, sometimes reducing the retail price, but often just making higher profits.

In a food-related business, Williams-Sonoma has switched to some suppliers outside China and will bring its upholstery work back to the United States, to North Carolina and Mississippi, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

In the meantime, visit our two local nurseries: Wine Country Garden Center and Sonoma Mission Gardens, for advice about what will grow in your own micro-climate, of which Sonoma has many. The nursery experts can advise you on what to plant in your soil, such as vegetables, herbs and fruit trees. Yes, if you are thinking about planting a new tree, consider one that produces fruit with the fewest spray chemicals and water required.

Alternatives: Buy your produce at farmers markets where you can ask the farmers about their growing practices. Live by the seasons, consuming what is ripe at the moment, as home cooks in many countries already do.

Chateau Sonoma French Flea Market

For the 16th year, Sarah Anderson has staged a French Flea Market, first in the corrugated metal building on West Napa Street, and now at Cornerstone, which currently houses her Chateau Sonoma.

Having visited flea markets and brocantes in France, I know what fun they are. They fascinate because of the people who have collected goodies to sell, those who hang out at 'fleas' to help their friends, those who just go to browse or look for one particular item, and those who time their visits right to sit down at a long table to share lunch and a bottle of wine. In fact many vendors in France simply stop selling and partake in a lunch break ritual.

Locals and visitors hit Anderson's French Flea Market yearly; it is always an entertaining stroll. This year, for the first time, Anderson is charging an admission fee, which is good for both days, Saturday and Sunday, May 25 and 26.

This year she says the French Flea Market will be twice as big as ever before with two tents and a place to buy your tickets near the entrance to Chateau Sonoma.

The food should be fun and quite Frenchy. In fact, Sarah Pinkin and Elizabeth Payne, owners of of Frenchie on Broadway, will be selling croissants, assorted baguette sandwiches and salad, chips and boxed water, while Rob Larman, owner of Cochon Volant BBQ Smokehouse, will offer grilled sausage sandwiches and frites.

Marie Macarons will sell colorful French macarons. Sonoma's Best, now owned by Ken and Stacy Mattson, will pour rosé, white and red wines along with bubbles and lemonade. Hopmonk Tavern will offer three kinds of craft beer and sell its Frozé pops made with Day Owl Rosé, fresh lemon juice, and cranberry and pomegranate.

Michele Michelis will grind his organ (he's a French barrel organ grinder), and Arabelle will sing her version of Edith Piaf songs.

Tickets are $6 advance and $10 at the door and good for both days, with 50 percent of advance ticket sales going to Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance and Face to Face. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 25; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 26. 23588 Arnold Drive, Sonoma. 935-8553. Tickets at chateausonoma.com.

Reminders

Most of us have survived last weekend's emotional ups and downs of Mother's Day, and here are some local events that might have gone forgotten.

Sonoma Valley Museum of Art Italian fundraiser at Muscardini Cellars: Postponed due to chance of rain. New date to come soon.

And no, you don't need to be Italian to go.

4-H Flapjack Feed will be this Sunday, May 19 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Schell-Vista Fire Station. Pancakes, sausage, fruit and coffee. $8, free for kids under 3.

Sonoma Speed Festival

The 'Sonoma Speed Festival' just might include the slowest auto race Sonoma Raceway puts on, and it previews three days of vintage car racing, with cars on display at Sonoma Plaza on Thursday, May 30.

Highway 12, Jacuzzi, Cline, Foyt (as in AJ), Viansa, La Chertosa, and Deerfield Ranch wineries will all be pouring the wines.

Elaine Bell Catering, Maya Restaurant, The Red Grape, Harvey's Gourmet Donuts, Della Santina's, Ramekins Cooking School, Bert's Desserts, Loubier Gourmet Foods, Clover Sonoma, and Levy's Restaurants (the corporate caterer for all major raceways) will serve food. $30 advance, $35 at the event. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. For tickets call (800) 870-7223.

The public can view the cars for free, but they sell fundraising tickets to fully enjoy all of the food and wine offered inside the rope.