Michelle Pusateri, Nana Joes Granola, and Mollie Sitkin, Old Dog Ranch
Saturday, April 23, 2016, 10:30 am - 11:15 am
Stop by the CUESA Classroom for a cooking demo featuring the seasonal bounty of the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. This demo will highlight an artisan producer and a farmer who sell at our market and who collaborate.
A former pastry chef at Nopalito, Michelle Pusateri started making granola when she became fed up with blends that were stale, processed, and loaded with sugar. Her goal was to create a healthier granola using fresh ingredients sourced from local and sustainable farms, including Old Dog Ranch, with pure maple syrup as the only sweetener. Michelle produces each batch of granola at Nana Joes (named for her grandparents) by hand in a gluten-free kitchen, and she sells them through local retailers and farmers markets.
Located in the San Joaquin Valley, Old Dog Ranch has seen many transformations since Mollie’s great-great grandfather purchased the land in 1912. It was originally a sheep ranch, and Mollie’s father, Roger, started growing apples, blueberries, and annual crops when he took over. Apple trees gave way to walnut orchards, which thrive in the area’s deep, well-drained soil and low winter temperatures. A small portion of the land is farmed; 90% of the ranch is wildlife habitat. One of the Sitkins’ three walnut orchards was certified organic in September and another is currently transitioning to organic.
All demos take place in the CUESA Classroom (under the white tents in front of the Ferry Building) and are free to the public, with recipes and samples for all.