Archive for the ‘Food and Wine Tours’ Category

Exploring Northern California’s hills and valleys by bus is only the beginning. We take participants right to the source of our local food chain: the farms and vineyards.  Our bus goes behind the gates and beyond the tractors to meet local farmers & vintners. Learn where their farm story began, how they see our local agriculture growing, and their role as a provider to our local communities and restaurants. We literally go from the farm to fork in our bus adventure.

Take advantage of our special farm and wine bus tour day this upcoming May 19th with discount savings on tour tickets.  For this date only, we are offering a special ticket price of $54 per adult ticket – a $15 savings per ticket!  Use promo code: FRESH to receive discount:  http://www.zerve.com/LocalRoots/Sierra

Our Sierra Foothill Farm & Wine Tour focuses on the Placer County area on the Sunday, May 19th bus tour route. We showcase Placer Grown farms and vineyards along a beautiful planned tour route.

Though subject to change, you can expect:

• Transportation from a central meeting location in our 14 passenger executive bus
• A 4 hour bus tour with 5 to 6 different stops
• A trained local guide ready to showcase farms, orchards, & vineyards
• An opportunity to shop at each stop
• A catered, 4 course gourmet lunch
• Local Roots Food Tours reusable shopping bag

Typical stops will be to a indoor farmers market/bakery, a local olive oil mandarin farm, 1 or 2 fresh berry patches/farms, 1 organic produce farm, 1 flower farm and 1 local vineyard with wine tastings. Shopping will be allowed on all stops and is highly encouraged!  Our bus tour is fully guided by our locally trained hosts who will delight you with stories and fun facts about the region. Each participant will be treated to a gourmet lunch, along with complimentary beverages.

Come along and enjoy the beauty of the rolling Sierra’s along with bountiful farms, spring flowers and delicious bites of our local bounty.  It will be a day you will always remember and the opportunity to connect to our local farmers and vintners.  Don’t forget to bring your cameras -  there will be some wonderful photo ops!   For further questions about our farm & wine tours please give us a call:  1-800-407-8918  or contact us via our email:  info@localrootsfoodtours.com

GIVE THE GIFT OF FOOD & WINE THIS MOTHER’S DAY!

Mom’s always know best but how about giving them a break for a day and treating them to a day away from their kitchen? I don’t know of any mom who doesn’t find comfort in food!  Celebrate all the women in your life and what they have done for you and others by sending them on a culinary adventure – a walking food & wine tour!  A special way to say “thanks!”

MOTHERS DAY GIFT CERTIFICATE SPECIAL:  For a limited time only -  Buy a GIFT CERTIFICATE with a special Mother’s Day Message for $45.00.  A SAVINGS OF $15.00! ***Gift certificate is good for any Local Roots Food Walking Tours***  Offer expires May 18, 2012 – No expiration on gift certificates. Limited to 4 gift certificates per order.  To order your Mother’s Day Gift Certificate Special please visit: http://www.zerve.com/LocalRoots/Giftcertificates  ***Use Promo Code “BESTMOM”*** OR 1-800-407-8918.

ADULT FOOD TOUR TICKET SALE:  Take your mom/spouse on a food tour!  Treat your well-deserved mom to a day out of the kitchen and into 6 different restaurants for a culinary experience she will never forget!  FOR A LIMITED TIME purchase any adult food tour ticket for any of our walking culinary tours and receive $15 off each ticket purchased. Use code: BESTMOM for this limited time discount.  To take advantage of this offer you can purchase tickets thru: http://www.zerve.com/LocalRoots

Our LOCAL ROOTS FOOD TOURS GIFT CERTIFICATE is a GREAT way to show your love or appreciation to that someone.  Nothing says “thank you” or “I love you” more than delicious and fresh ingredient food!
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5 Reasons For a Food or Farm Group Tour by Bethany Woy

1.  Do you have a Family/Class Reunion in the near future?

So, you have your family in town for little Bobby’s graduation and the ceremony lasts 3 hours. And you have 3 more days with your relatives. What are you going to do? You’ve gone bowling, hiking and seen 4 movies. I have a fabulous idea: FOOD TOUR! Walking out in the fresh air, learning about history and (the best of all!) EATING! Nothing brings families closer together than food. Meeting chefs and owners of local restaurants and tasting delicious food is a perfect way to spend the day with the ones your love. Showcasing your hometown (or destination for that matter) is a fabulous way to spark conversation and open up discussions about local food and agriculture. And Uncle Fred can’t complain if you are feeding him right?!

2.  It’s your turn to plan a Girls Day Out?

I cannot tell you how often I stop and look at my day planner and say to myself, “it’s been too long since I’ve seen my girlfriends.” If you are anything like me- work seems to get in the way of everything! Sit down, email your girls and carve out a day to meet up. The rule is— no one can cancel. You won’t be sorry you did this. There is nothing better than getting together with the women that know you best and experiencing the behind the scenes of the culinary world. (cocktail tastings also make life fabulous!) Catching up with your friends, tasting amazingly delicious food and walking around beautiful settings— adds up to being the most perfect of days.  Book Club, Bible Study Group, Red Hat Society, Cooking Club, Travel Club…..bring all your girlfriends and let Local Roots take care of the rest!

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This could be my favorite time of year. The weather warming up, the trees starting to bloom and best of all… my mouth watering at the new, fresh produce. With that being said, I have compiled a list of some ‘foodie’ events happening in California in April. Get your calendars ready and put a bib on. If you love food, wine and fun- this list of events is for you. Enjoy!  (Blogger- Bethany Woy)

Sacramento Turn Verein Bockbier Festival- April 5: 6pm-12am, April 6: 3pm-12am
Tickets: Adult $20, Children under 12 $5
Turn Verein Hall- 3349 J Street, Sacramento

http://stvbockbierfest2013-zvents.eventbrite.com/

A traditional bockbier is a strong dark beer usually brewed around Christmas or the Spring. Well, it’s that time of year ladies and gentlemen! The celebration kicks off the first week in April and will take place at the historic (and beautiful) Turn Verein hall here in Sacramento. The festival will showcase the authentic Bockbier from Germany, traditional German music from local bands and delicious, mouth-watering food. Special performances of traditional German dances will be performed during both days. An amazing, educational and best of all delicious way to spend the weekend!

Festa di Vino- April 6: 6:30pm-10pm
Tickets: Adult $45
Scottish Rite Masonic Center-6151 H Street Sacramento

http://festadivino.com/

Music. Dancing. Live auction. And best of all… FOOD. A lot of food.
This tasty event  and will be showcasing over 20 local restaurants and 20 local wineries. Some of our local favorites (Ambrosia Cafe, Blackbird Kitchen & Bar, Firestone Bar- truly the list goes on and on) will be contributing at the event. A true celebration of food and wine. Right up my alley.

Sacramento Beer and Chili Festival – April 6: 1pm-4pm
Tickets: Adult $35 pre-order, $40 day off
Fremont Park- 1515 Q Street, Sacramento

http://sacramentobeerandchilifestival.com/

Sacramento Artists Council in partnership with the Grid Agency and Dad’s Kitchen is proud to announce the 2nd Annual Beer and Chili Festival. I don’t know about you but when I hear chili and beer as a combination my mouth instantly starts to water. The pair just seem to go so well: like peanut butter and jelly.  The Festival is a fundraiser for The Sacramento Artists Council and raises money for art programs that help at-risk children, children of homeless families and fund adopt a school art programs for Sacramento schools. Not only will you have your fill of delicious beer and chili, the money for the event goes to an amazing cause. You can feel like you’ve helped the community while gorging yourself! My kind of event! The festival will begin with a chili cook off competition (industry and individual) and unlimited beer tastings provide by local breweries. (Mad River Brewing, Lost Coast and Speakeasy Ales— just to name a few!)

Sierra Foothills Food and Wine Bus Tour- April 14: 10:30am- 2:30pm
Tickets: Adult $69,
Newcastle, California

http://local-food-tours.com/culinary-cultural-experience/farm-tours/

Wouldn’t you love to take the back roads through the beautiful California olives trees, vineyards and fruit farms? Want to know how vineyards can tell when it’s time to pick their grapes or how to grow the best tomatoes? We are so fortunate to live in the “Farm to Fork Capital of America”. Now is time to jump on board the Local Roots Food Tours Culinary Passport bus and explore the cornucopia of agriculture. Tickets include: transportation in a 14 passenger executive bus, a 4 hour bus ride with stops at independent farms, local  vineyards and a local produce market. A trained local guide ready to showcase their knowledge of the area. Hands-on, one on one access, from owners of the farms, orchards and vineyards. A catered 4 COURSE GOURMET LUNCH (what a deal!) and a reusable Local Roots Food Tours shopping bag. Can you say amazing weekend?! Don’t you want to be able to get to know this area of California a little better? This is the way to do it!

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Gourmet on ‘K’ Culinary Walking Tour is everything gourmet along one of Sacramento’s most historical areas.  Tour participants will be guided down Sacramento’s original main street exploring the beautiful architecture with many stories dating back to the mid 1800?s.  Learn stories along the walking route such as how Sutter selected the area along Front and K streets to harvest lumber for his fort and how the famed street became the premier location for department stores, theaters and hotels.  Even locals will enjoy this culinary excursion, enlightening their views of the most controversial street in Sacramento.

Sacramento has recently been named the “Farm to Fork Capital of the Nation” by Mayor Kevin Johnson.  K Street is seeing an urban revitalization with more and more empty storefronts becoming filled with excellent foodie establishments along with some local dive bars that boast locally produced ingredients on their menus.  Join Local Roots Food Tours as they share with their participants what’s “hot” on local farm to table cuisine by experiencing up to 6 different stops along “Downtown on Kay”.
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Trying to figure out something clever and unique for your better half or friend but the same old box of chocolates seems to be more and more cliche’?  Thinking of dinner reservations for Valentine’s amongst the other 20 million individuals with the same thought?  Forget all this nonsense.

Be creative.  Be fun.  Be unique.

Local Roots Food Tours Valentine Gift Certificate Special

Purchase a Valentine Food Tour Gift Certificate Booklet for 2 and receive $30.00 off your final price.  These special gift certificates are good for any of our walking food tour adventures in Sacramento or Murphys, CA.  The certificates do NOT have to be used in February….pick a month and surprise your loved one!  Food tour gift certificate includes a 3.5 hour walking food tour to either our City of Trees Food & Cultural Walking Tour OR Origins of Sacramento Food & History Walking Tour OR our getaway tour – Murphys Food &  Wine Walking Tour.  You pick and we will guide and make sure your bellies are full!  To learn more about each of these tours please click on their links above.

Looking for a fun way to celebrate Valentine’s Day?

Join us on our special VALENTINES FOODIE LOVE TOUR – Thursday, February 14th, AND Friday February 15th, 2013!   We have two different food lover tours to choose from – each unique and filled with some great food and delicious desserts!  Tours will sell out so don’t hesitate in making plans to join us.  Group sizes will be kept small and intimate.

ORIGINS OF SACRAMENTO FOODIE LOVE TOUR -Thurs. Feb 14th & Friday Feb 15th – 2:30pm to 5:00pm .  Walking tour route will include 4 food stops; 3 main courses, 1 cocktail and two chocolate desserts all focusing on fresh, local ingredients.  Special Ticket Price:  $42.00 per adult ticket.  No child tickets.  Click to purchase special Valentine Food Tour Tickets.

MURPHYS FOOD & WINE LOVERS FOOD TOUR - Thurs. Feb 14th & Friday Feb 15th – 11:30am to 3:00pm.  Walking tour route will include 7 stops including 2 main courses with wine and beer pairings, a cheese and wine pairing, a dessert, a special treat at a chocolate shop and keeping things spicy at one of the most popular shops in town – a gourmet spice shop.  Ticket price includes personal shopping bag to hold all your yummy food products in.  Ticket price: $55 per person adult ticket.  No child tickets.   Click to purchase special Valentine tickets.

Many might wonder what actually defines; “Agritourism” Is it a trend or just a catch phrase that is becoming more and more prevalent in agricultural communities? Agritourism is widespread in America. Agritourists can choose from a wide range of activities that include picking fruits and vegetables, riding horses, tasting honey, learning about wine and cheesemaking, or shopping in farm gift shops and farm stands for local and regional produce or hand-crafted gifts. People have become more interested in how their food is produced. They want to meet farmers and processors and talk with them about what goes into food production. For many people who visit farms, especially children, the visit marks the first time they see the source of their food, be it a dairy cow, an ear of corn growing in a field, or an apple they can pick right off a tree.

Northern California is growing their Agritourism and several tour companies offer great options in the form of tours and events in which participants are taken directly to the farms, the cheesemakers, the winemakers and bakers. So many options to choose from……are you ready to go?

1. Local Roots Farm & Wine Tours in Sacramento Valley
http://www.localrootsfoodtours.com 1-800-407-8918
Sierra Foothills Farm & Wine Bus Tours take participants on a 4 hour bus journey through the beautiful hills and valleys of Placer County visiting local olive groves, mandarin orchards, organic farms, beautiful vineyards and an indoor produce market and bakery. The opportunity to meet passionate farmers and vintners on each tour stop. Tours include a gourmet lunch which includes farm to fork ingredients from placer county farms and wine tasting at local vineyard. Tours are offered Saturdays and Sundays year round. Custom group tours for private parties are offered 7 days a week.

2. Ag Venture Tours in Salinas Valley
http://www.agventuretours.com 831-761-8463
Van tours planned around the Monterey Bay Region stopping at several chosen organic farms in the prosperous Salinas Valley. Different tour options. Advanced ticketing required.

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The weather outside might look frightful, but the opportunity to explore is more than delightful with events being offered all around our communities. 

December is filled with many chances to go out and explore our hills, valleys and peaks.  Northern California is blessed with farms, vineyards, and the chance to shop locally.   Get out your calendars and plan for a few weekend road trips this December….it’s time to get up and get active!

5 Ways to Explore your Own Backyard:

1.  Twin Peaks Orchards Fruit Tasting Open House – Placer County  http://www.twinpeaksent.com/events.htm

Sunday, December 2nd -  11am – 3pm  Free admission.   Fruit tastings, u-pick mandarins & persimmons, brick-oven pizza, shopping, farmers market, hay rides, and so much more!  Fun for the entire family!

2.  Holidays in the Hills Toy Drive – Placer County Wine Trail http://www.placerwine.com/events.htm

December 8th & 9th:  11am – 5pm;  17 Participating Wineries – Free Tastings with Unwrapped Toy Donation.   Live music, food, Christmas shopping, carolers, chocolate tastings, vineyard tours…..lots of fun in beautiful settings.

Download – Holidays in the Hills Wine Trail Map

Download – Holidays in the Hills Activities List
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Do you know anyone on your gift list who loves to eat?  Ever consider giving a gift that touches one’s “foodie soul” and fills them up literally?  Walking Food Tours are in great demand throughout the nation and trendy for 2012 and certainly will be a popular activity for 2013!  Who doesn’t like to eat?  Right!?  Go ahead, and make their day!  Treat your family, friend, coworker and your Secret Santa recipient to a culinary adventure – let them decide where, how and when.  Our sales team at Local Roots Food Tours will be happy to assist you in your gift order this season;  we can mail out gift certificates directly to you or to your recipient with a holiday message personalized by you or we can email your booklet to you for distribution on Christmas morning.  Just let us know and we will accommodate your needs.  Our goal is to make it as simple as possible for you and be ready for the recipients to redeem their gifts for the tour they select.  Sound good?  Here’s our Deals:

Local Roots Food Tours is offering STOCKING STUFFER SPECIALS this holiday season:

The Feast of Five (But Really 6!):   Buy our holiday gift certificate booklet for $300 and receive 6 Walking Food Tour Tickets redeemable for ANY of our Culinary Walking Food Tours in Sacramento and Murphy’s.  These gift certificates can be used individually and redeemed for any tour date. There is no expiration date.  Retail Value: $400.00 -  A $100.00 SAVINGS!

The Aggie Adventure:  Buy our holiday farm tour package for $275 and receive 4 Sierra Foothills Farm & Wine Bus Tour Tickets AND a Featured Holiday Foodie Gift Box
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Would you like to see where California’s delicious fresh fruit, produce, nuts, and wine come from?  Want to know how vineyards can tell when it’s time to pick their grapes or how to grow the best tomatoes?  Wouldn’t you like to see California olives on the tree, soaking up the sunshine?  We are so fortunate to live in the “Farm to Fork Capital of America”.  Now is time to jump on board the Local Roots Food Tours Culinary Passport bus and explore the cornucopia of agriculture.  Our Sierra Foothill Farm & Wine Tour is being offered to the public, Saturday’s and Sunday’s tours beginning the 1st weekend of December.

It’s mandarin season in the Sierra Foothills and the Mountain Mandarin Growers are ready for business!  Our bus route will point out over 30 mandarin grower farms along our route, stopping at 2 of the growers on each tour.  Nothing says ‘fresh’ like mandarins picked that very same morning and olive oil from the harvest’s first press.  Did you know the 1st mandarin trees were planted in Placer County in the 1880′s?  Sample Northern California’s best and locally-produced vegetables, fruit, oils and nuts…nearly everything we eat right out of our back doors!  Placer County lay riches to 18 family-run boutique wineries – many flock here for a pleasure not found in other regions – the chance to meet the winemakers.

What you can expect on our Sierra Foothill Farm & Wine Bus Tours:

• Transportation from a central meeting location in our 14 passenger executive bus
• 4 hour bus ride with 5 to 6 different stops on planned tour route
• Bus stops at 2 to 3 independent farms, 1 to 2 vineyards and one local produce market
• A trained local guide ready to showcase farms, orchards  &vineyards
• Up close contact with the owners of the farms, orchards and vineyards
• Opportunity to shop at each farm and vineyard stop
• Catered 4 course gourmet lunch all from local farms and bakery
• Unlimited bottled waters, tea and sparkling drinks
• Local Roots Food Tours reusable shopping bag

This tour is fully guided by our specially-trained hosts who will delight you with stories and fun facts about the region and the methods used to coax Mother Nature to grow her bounty.  Our tour bus is fully heated, reclining seats and spacious.  Each participant will be treated to a gourmet lunch, along with complimentary water, tea, and juice.  Each stop includes tastings of the grower’s produce, the vintner’s wine, and of course, the cheese-maker’s cheese!

To Purchase Your Sierra Foothill Farm & Wine Bus Tickets and Details Click Here