Written by Suzie Dundas
Summer 2019’s Sierra Scoop is all about the North Shore, with a variety of major food and restaurant moves.
The Tahoe Food Hub, which serves North and South Lake Tahoe as well as Reno and Carson City, may best be known for the Farm to Market Program (F2M) that connects local farmers with businesses and individual consumers.
As of mid-May, it also may be known for its Tahoe Food Hub Farm Shop, which opened near the Truckee airport and replaces the former Tahoe Food Hub storefront near Alpine Meadows. The new shop will be open 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Saturdays. It will carry produce as well as specialty items such as dairy products, tortillas, and salsa.
Tahoe Food Hub Director Susie Sutphin welcomes visitors to the new Farm Shop in Truckee. Photos by Susie Sutphin/Tahoe Food Hub
Tahoe Food Hub Director Susie Sutphin welcomes visitors to the new Farm Shop in Truckee. Photos by Susie Sutphin/Tahoe Food Hub
Later this year, its programs for locals will expand, including the Harvest to Order Program (H2O) that allows locals to shop online and pick items up in the Farm Shop. According to Tahoe Food Hub Director Susie Sutphin, the new space will allow the food hub to expand its meat program, thanks to large freezers, and host events including pop-up dinners, guest speakers, and cooking workshops throughout the year. The larger space also will allow the food hub to expand the F2M, now in its sixth year.
“Our goal is to build a local food system, and our Farm to Market Program is creating the infrastructure for that to happen,” Sutphin says. “We have bootstrapped this effort from the beginning, being cautious and deliberate to grow and expand with intention. After six years, we are ready to let off the reigns and really see what we can do.”
Tahoe Food Hub
12116 Chandelle Way, Ste. D
530-562-7150 • Tahoefoodhub.org
Residents in Tahoe may also have noticed there’s a new lunch option in town offering ceviche, tortas, quinoa bowls, and other creative options. It’s called the Truckee Food Shop, and it first opened its doors in late May.
It’s the first restaurant from Mexican-born Eduardo Diaz De Leon, who first went to law school in Mexico before heading to culinary school at the Dubrulle International School of Culinary Arts in Vancouver, Canada. De Leon says his experiences with Mexican, Californian, and Pacific-Northwest cuisine influence the Truckee Food Shop’s menu, which always is in small batches and cooked daily in house.
Photo courtesy of Tahoe Food Shop
Though De Leon worked in high-end restaurants and as a private chef before relocating to Truckee in 2010, he says the Food Shop’s atmosphere is designed to be affordable and low-key.
“I’ve cooked everything as a private chef for wealthy families, but there’s no reason the same quality of food shouldn’t be for everyone,” he says. “The Truckee Food Shop fulfills a dream for me — a beautiful space amid the mountains where I can create delicious, healthy-tasting food.”
Truckee Food Shop uses compostable boxes and encourages guests to bring their own containers for to-go orders.
Truckee Food Shop
12030 Donner Pass Road, Ste. 3, Truckee
530-214-8935 • Truckeefoodshop.com
North Lake Tahoe residents who are in the know about the lake’s cocktail scene may be familiar with Old Trestle Distillery, but what they may not know is that the business has been expanded and revamped with master distiller Jake Holshue at the helm. Holshue, who hails from Montana but has worked at distilleries around the country, says that he aims to create spirits truly native to the North Shore. In addition to using alpine water as the base, Old Trestle even employs a part-time forager whose primary role is to locate new ingredients for gins and whiskeys, such as manzanita blossoms and western juniper.
Master distiller Jake Holshue examines a bag of dried manzanita blossoms, which will be used in Old Trestle Distillery’s spirits. Photo by Suzie Dundas
While Old Trestle’s popular Theory Gin #1 is available at select Truckee restaurants, bigger plans are in the works: Old Trestle has announced plans to open a high-end tasting and cocktail-pairing restaurant on Truckee’s West River Street. The plan has recently passed the Truckee Planning Commission approval process.
Photos by Suzie Dundas
Photos by Suzie Dundas
Old Trestle Distillery
10434 River Park Place, Ste. 2, Truckee // , CA 96161 // 1
406-812-0240 • Oldtrestle.com
Other moves around the lake include…
- Poke on the Lake
- Northstar California announced its summer events, including an ongoing dinner series, “Sips & Salutations” wine and yoga classes, and dog-friendly brunches at Sawtooth Grille:
- Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows is bringing back all the usual favorites, including:
○ The Art, Wine, & Music Festival – July 13-14
○ Brews, Jazz, and Funk Fest – August 10-11
○ Foam Fest – August 30
○ AlpenWine Fest – Sept. 1
Tickets for most can be purchased in advance online: SquawAlpine.com
- A new restaurant opened in Schaffer’s Mill in early June. Under the direction of Michael Cappucetti, locally know as Chef Cappy, The Sawyer will offer creative American cuisine with a focus on shareable plates as well as plenty of vegetarian and gluten-free offerings. Reservations are required for non-Schaffer’s Mill residents:
- In South Lake Tahoe, Empanash opened on Ski Run Boulevard. The family-owned restaurant serves homemade empanadas, with vegetarian and dessert options. It’s open daily until 8 PM midweek and 9 PM on the weekends.
