TASTE
Coffeebar , which originated in Truckee , now has additional locations in Menlo Park , Olympic Valley , Redwood City and Reno .
says . “ Our farmers were built into this business from the beginning .”
That was obvious to the growing Saturday crowd . Some customers paired Three Forks ’ dark porter with a roast beef and peperonata sandwich featuring meat from cattle on Nevada County ’ s AM Ranch , all of which had been fed on the brewery ’ s beer grains rather than hillside grass . The extra-succulent flavors from this locally looped process were bolstered by cheddar , arugula , aioli and crisp ciabatta straight from the oven . It made for a great combination with Cowie ’ s porter , which is a brew that shines with silky chocolate depth and a crackling vanilla veneer .
Like Cirino ’ s , Three Forks has found a way to send part of its quintessential experience out the door . It ’ s mainly done this by becoming its own minidistributor for bottle versions of each beer it has on tap . That allows devotees of the bistro to take beer selections home from the dining room with to-go food , or grab them later at Nevada County ’ s markets to pair with their own kitchen adventures . However , unlike Cirino , Maziarz and Cowie aren ’ t casting a wide , international net with their bottled beer , but rather aiming for a direct draw back to their own culinary scene .
“ If someone from outside of here loves it , they have to come back to this county to get it ,” Maziarz says . “ There ’ s a whole beer tourist culture . So , people who are really into beer , they ’ re willing to travel . They ’ ll take kind of a beer holiday .”
Alcohol-related items aren ’ t the only take-home treasures from Nevada County . Coffeebar , founded in Truckee in 2010 by competitive ski racer Greg Buchheister , is transporting its mountain town ambiance to customers ’ homes through both fire-roasted beans and its own signature brand of loose-leaf teas . The cafe ’ s takes on the tradition include flavors like English Breakfast , Jasmine Green , Tropic Thunder , Giuseppe Chai and — true to its high-elevation views — Tahoe Sunshine . Coffeebar , which works closely with local farmers on sustainability by donating coffee grounds and food waste for composting , has also come up with a popular take-home dessert option : roasted beans dipped in Dorinda ’ s Chocolate , a semi-local candy producer just across the state line . Coffeebar ’ s approach to sending its signature teas and dessert beans out the door marks another example of the spirit of teamwork so engrained in Nevada County ’ s food scene . For Cirino , who ’ s helped the scene evolve in that direction for 30 years , there ’ s no limit to what the region ’ s farmers and entrepreneurs might accomplish together . He says the true teamwork factor is something people might not think about .
“ This area , with its climate zones , has a wonderful ability to produce an incredible variety of farm projects , including blueberries and even kiwi ,” he says . “ But our real success is that our agriculture community produces what I consider the most important crop — good children and good citizens .”
Scott Thomas Anderson is a veteran reporter based in California . Anderson balances his hard news focus with cultural writing and travel journalism . He ’ s also the writer and producer of the “ Drinkers with Writing Problems ” podcast . On Twitter @ STA _ reporter and Instagram @ scottanderson _ journo .
What ’ s your favorite take-home treat from Nevada County ?
TWEET US @ COMSTOCKSMAG
34 comstocksmag . com | November 2021