HOMI's, 

Seems like we are marching into March, heh. I don't know about y'all but I've always enjoyed this month. Why? Well, for starters, it is Women's History Month—massive shout out to all the women of MIHO who make this company what it is. We are surrounded by hardworking, intelligence, inspiring and driven women. I’d like to shoutout Culinary Visionary Rocio for leading our team in an interactive Butchery Workshop last month. And secondly, spring produce is just delicious as everything becomes green and bountiful.

As a collective, we think it’s important to create values around where our food comes from, hence the ethics guide and education we provide our staff. Personally, I didn't really start becoming aware and educating myself on the quality of food ingredients until I was in college at UOP and began visiting food institutions in the Bay Area. Buying produce at the Ferry Building Farmers Market and Berkeley Bowl, waiting in a looooong line for a deliciously leavened loaf of bread from Tartine, and buying my first piece of steak from Niman Ranch back when Bill Niman was still part of the business he started. I became enamored with this ingredient-driven approach to cooking; simple, honest, fresh, and lots of heart in it. I realized that the best way to learn is to immerse yourself in it and have fun.

If you want to dive deep into food ethics or labels around food, some suggested documentaries/books are:

• Food Inc. which takes a deep dive into the business of food, the engineering behind it, and what are we actually eating.

• Sacred Cow which talks about the environmental impact that cows play in our food eco-system.

• Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food", offers advice on how to eat healthier and not be swayed by nutritional labels. He keeps it simple, "Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants."

NEWS & SEASONAL TRENDS

This ingredient-driven approach has always been our bedrock for inspiration and why sourcing is so important to us at MIHO. It is for this reason we have recently made decisions that ensure we live up to our own Food Ethics standards! I'm proud to say that we exclusively use Jidori for our boneless / skinless chicken thighs and breasts and Mary's Chicken for our bones and whole chickens. On the seafood side, we are now using the best sustainably-raised salmon in the world from Verlasso. Seriously, you will not find a more sustainable, healthier, and flavorful piece of raised salmon out there. I highly suggest taking a peek at their website, and here's their FAQ. As you may or may not know, all of our ingredients go through a comprehensive rating system based on well-being and sustainability of animals, plants, employees, consumers and environment. If you didn’t read our statement about food ethics, check it out.

Last month we were more active with events and that's exciting on so many fronts. We get to have more of the HOMI's working together at HQ, we get to enjoy more small farm produce offerings, and of course, that ends up enriching our guests' plates. With that being said, we saw an increase in the amount of produce that came from the SP / SMFM and Chino Farm. We used delicious Beefsteak and Bolzano tomatoes from Beylik Farms, Star Ruby grapefruits from Bernard Ranch and Ken's Top Notch Produce. Chino coming in strong with spring onions, summer squash, and blossoms. And, as always, Gloria Tamai providing us with luscious green cabbage, gold and red beets, and white cauliflower. Lastly, one I'm very pleased to see, an oldie but goodie, Valdivia Farms- mainly known for their tomatoes, but also for their squash blossoms and strawberries. You can find them at the Sunday Hillcrest Farmer's Market, be sure to grab one of their many arrays of radishes (french, easter egg, lime, pink, and icicle white), fava beans, and their recent arrival of strawberries (try the green ones!). As far as local, I don't think you get much closer than Valdivia which is located right off the 5 freeway, on Cannon Rd. exit in Carlsbad.

FARM WORTH READING ABOUT

In February, our staff had an educational and hands-on opportunity to learn more about breaking down and using a whole animal during our in-house Butchery Workshop. Culinary Visionary Rocio Siso-Gurriaran and I presented a half Berkshire pig coming in at 150 pounds. We talked about the history of pigs and the impact they've had on US consumerism. Side note, the actual beginnings of the infamous wall in the "Wall Street" in NYC was constructed partially to prevent pigs from leaving their owners property. Rocio explained the anatomy, the cuts, and how they are used. It was a learning experience for the whole team, and needless to say we were all nourished by lots of delicious family meals provided by that experience. 

We were fortunate to source the pig from a local ranch about an hour away from the city at Carrisito Ranch. They are a fourth generation family owned and operated cattle ranch in the Santa Ysabel valley. Four generations ago, Felix Moretti came to the United States from Switzerland and began the ranch as a dairy farm. It later changed to a calf-cow operation. These days, it's run by Rick and Sandy Moretti along with their two kids, Mac and Rowlynda. To them, cattle ranching is a legacy and they work as cowboys and cowgirls to honor this legacy and facilitate its continuation. Not only do they raise cattle, they also have Berkshire pigs, lambs, goats, and heritage turkeys. They are open to the public through their meat pickups and you can order a whole animal, specific cuts, or get some of their variety butcher boxes. So get out there, support local agriculture and get closer to the source of your food.

Happy March everyone, and thanks for sharing with us the joy of bringing people together!