John Ash is known nationally and internationally in the culinary world as the chef who helped define wine country cuisine. Ash discovered Sonoma County in the late 1970s when he was living and working in San Francisco. I realized that here I could become a very large fish in an unpopulated pond. Today numerous restaurateurs, caterers, and winery chefs celebrate the marriage of fine wines and the agricultural bounty to be found in the county.
Local growers make deliveries straight to their kitchen doors.
Chefs wander the open-air farmers' markets that are regularly scheduled throughout Sonoma, gathering inspiration and ingredients for the day's menu. They wander in the company of everyday cooks, those who appreciate bringing home the freshness and diversity that the surrounding countryside provides. In doing so they enjoy a lighthearted gathering of neighbors in a visual celebration of agricultural roots. Farm Trails is yet another celebration of the incredible variety produced by Sonoma's dedicated small farmers. To follow a Farm Trails map is to adventure into the rural corners of the county, as much fun for tourists as for dedicated cooks in search of special ingredients not found on supermarket shelves.