It's A Food Revolution

This post is not necessarily a discovery, but a rally call for a good cause. Last week was the inaugural episode of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution; his campaign to change the way America’s school children eat. For those uninitiated, Oliver is a quirky British chef, cookbook author, and former Food Network star. Recently he was awarded a TED Prize, which gives him $100,000 and “one wish to change the world.” His wish? Educating children, parents, administrators, teachers and lunch ladies alike about the evils of overly processed foods and the direct link to obesity, diabetes and heart disease. His message is that the goodness and simplicity of healthy fare is essential to the future well being of our country. To hear his plea directly from the source, view his TED presentation below, and his petition here.

Must-Own Cookbooks: Vegan Soul Kitchen

We have a confession. With all of our pork talk, we are simultaneously reading and testing recipes from a vegan cookbook. Gasp! We’re not afraid to go beyond the pig, the cow, the chicken and get back our herbivorous roots. And we could not have asked for a better guide than Bryant Terry and his masterful cookbook Vegan Soul Kitchen, which holds 150 creative, and oh-so-healthy interpretations of African and Caribbean cuisine. Not only can you find mouthwatering recipes for double mustard greens, roasted yam soup and sweet cornmeal-coconut butter drop biscuits, Terry has orchestrated the entire experience for each recipe, with suggested books, poems, films and tunes.

Bryant Terry is an Oakland based eco-chef and food justice activist, meaning he has “used cooking as a tool to illuminate the intersections between poverty, structural racism, and food insecurity,” as stated by his website. Projects like the Southern Organic Project, Black and Green Food Justice Fund, and his collaboration with Oakland’s People’s Grocery to form People’s Grub Parties, position Terry as a positive, powerful voice of change. He shows just how important it is to erase boundaries in the culinary world by connecting real, fresh organic food to real people. He thanks his grandparents back in Memphis for inspiring his appreciation and passion for cooking, farming, and community health. If being a vegan is this good, we have got some serious decisions to make!

Travel Site: The Cranky Flier

Travel much? Gallivanting across the world to exotic locales like Machu Picchu (we’re going to get there eventually), and trekking across the Tuscan countryside (right around the corner) are amazing adventures. However, there are the pesky details of getting there. We like to stay on top of the airline industry for this very reason. One of our favorite resources on all things flying and air-related travel is The Cranky Flier. Written by self-professed airline dork, Brett, this blog will regale you with best practices of airport survival, insider tips and ticket deals, and the very latest in airline news. On his blog or via his travel assistance service, The Cranky Concierge, you can find everything from the cheapest hubs for round-the-world airfare to investigating where one can purchase duct tape in the Newark airport. The site also tackles topics like, how long pilots rest between flights, which airports are expanding or contracting, or exactly how much leg room to expect. In an industry that seems to lack the golden customer service of yesteryear, The Cranky Flier is a refreshing example of customer advocacy. Kudos!

Overseas & Overwhelmed

We've all experienced something similar to this tweet (from @ChrisTackett posted on @Pictory): "Arrived in Florence, boarded bus in wrong direction, ticketed by Polizia for non-validated ticket & homeless for first night." Really, you don't even have to leave the country to experience culture shock. Sometimes all you have to do is travel across the country, or in extreme cases, a bordering city. Regardless of the innocent passion for adventure and sincere curiosity that drives us to travel, sometimes the journey can be hellish. Overseas and Overwhelmed sought out to capture those moments - those times that, in retrospect, teach us a great deal about ourselves and our own perseverance, but in that very moment almost break us. It's the stuff that the greatest travel stories are made of, right? In celebration of those travel horror stories that make us stronger, more in-tune and creative human beings, Pictory Magazine's "Overseas and Overwhelmed" captures 25 stories of culture shock shown through amazing, vibrant photos. We can all relate and learn a thing or two from this site. What some of your culture shock moments?

Pathfinder Tools: Wooden Laptop Case

It's brilliant. There's really not much more to say about this wooden laptop case, designed by Rainer Spehl. The design speaks for itself: Esquire meets Backpacker, archaeologist meets creative director, 007 meets Indiana Jones. It may just be the newest addition to our Pathfinder toolkit. Purpose: trekking meets blogging (in style). We can dream can't we?

Capsule Hotels: Ready for Export?

The capsule hotel concept has been around for some thirty years in Japan, mostly taken advantage of by business travelers in transit. The purpose is simple: to provide a place to sleep and shower, nothing more. Of course, there is the obvious caveat is that those beds are found in individual stacked capsules, which has makes Westerners, well, a little uncomfortable. Up to this point, the focus of capsule hotels has been purely functional. Enter The 9 Hours Hotel, which recently opened its doors in Kyoto, Japan. Its purpose-driven architecture blends function and style for the modern savvy traveler. Designed in an open, minimal aesthetic, the hotel has absolutely no clutter and only four colors found in the entire hotel. Each capsule, tucked with same linens as luxury hotels, includes Panasonic's advanced system for good sleeping by computerized control lighting. It still may take a while for Westerners to warm up to this idea, but can you imagine the collective sigh of relief if this concept were launched in airports...during the holidays? Oh and why 9 hours? It is based on a simple calculation: 1 hour to shower, 7 hours to sleep, 1 hour to rest. Check out this video report from Monocle Magazine.

Hike On...And On

We are adventure types, so we're very picky about our boots. Danner stands among the most coveted bootmakers in the world, especially due to their dedication for bringing worn Danner boots back to life. In an era where new is always better, Danner's recrafting philosophy has gained our respect. With impeccable standards in materials, craftsmanship and durability, they understand that a pair of boots should last a lifetime, so in addition to crafting new boots, they also repair old ones. Their revamped website offers a unique glimpse into their world with a series of short videos touring the factory, its craftsman and its boots. In their words, "We are craftsmen. We pay attention to details. We understand there may be similar ways to craft a boot but there are not similar standards. And, true to the Danner name, we pride ourselves in crafting the highest standards." To see this dedication first-hand, take a minute to watch this video from their website.

Summer Plans: Going Backcountry

There is something about the winter months that stir up summer travel wish lists. The tinkering of itineraries usually begins on those cold days when visions of summertime dance in our heads. While in destination-discovering mode, we'd like to give a nod to America's backcountry - which in some cases is easier to access than you may think. Leave the noisy, communal, drive-in campground scenes behind (oh, the stories!). Come summertime, we often opt to go backcountry, where the only sounds you may be competing with are roaring rivers and curious wildlife. By forgoing a few creature comforts, you can practically have the whole park to yourself. Our first stop is Wyoming's Teton Crest Trail in the heart of Grand Teton National Park. This trek is not for the faint of heart, but its unbelievable landscape is worth the sweat. Pick any thread of this 39-mile trail, and follow meadow after meadow with the stunning spires of the Tetons overhead. The Teton Range is unique; its jagged peaks appear to have been dropped from the sky onto a vista of meadows as far as the eye can see. This trail is definitely a summer expedition, as the winter can get fierce. Aside from the multitude of wildflowers and alpine lakes, you may spot a bison, moose or even a bear or two. Ansel Adams was also in awe of the Tetons and the meandering Snake River; featured in this photo by Adams taken in 1942. Find more information about Backcountry Passes from the National Park Service.

Big News! Pathfinder Reroutes to Italy

John Lennon’s words ring true: “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” After a year of prepping for life on the Inca Trail, we faced a very hard decision. As you might have heard, the area of Cusco and Machu Picchu in Peru received heavy rains in late January and early February. While neither Machu Picchu nor the Inca Trail itself were affected, the railroad running from Cusco to Machu Picchu was washed out in half a dozen places. This means there is no transport to or from Machu Picchu. The railroad is being repaired, but the tentative April completion date put our April 17-25th tour date in jeopardy. We knew we had to make the call (and quick!), so we went straight to our Pathfinder Brain Trust: Pathfinder Margie Tosch, guest Chef Rodelio Aglibot, and Allan Wright of Zephyr Adventures. Late Wednesday night, we came to a decision.

In keeping with our Firestone Wines spirit of adventure, our Pathfinder and guest Chef will completely change their plans, instead traveling to Italy to undertake a self-guided, eight-day hiking tour of Tuscany, also organized by our partner Zephyr Adventures. That’s right, we said “self-guided,” meaning this journey is about to get interesting, and certainly open to its own series of discoveries. Pathfinder Margie Tosch will be blogging daily about life on the Terra di Siena, while chef Rodelio Aglibot will be preparing delicious Italian meals paired with Firestone wines for the group along the way. Better yet, you can join the crew on this trek! To read up on all the amazing trip details, or to reserve your spot on the trip, head straight to Zephyr Adventures.

Our sincere thanks to Margie and Rodelio for their sense of adventure and readiness to pick up and change routes!

Go Ahead, Make My Day

We all experience random acts of kindness from time to time, even in the midst of our most Oscar The Grouch moments (not to discount Oscar, we're also very fond of his, well, blunt approach). Anyway, in most of those instances, there's not a real good opportunity to say thanks. The folks at Just Made My Day have created a forum to express those feel-good moments to the world, and hopefully spread that lovin' feeling while you're at it. In their words, the website is "meant to be an oasis of niceties and a chronicle of kindness on the web. Visit, read, and let the kindness wash over you." Sometimes we all just need a little sunshine, right?

Must-Own Cookbooks: Pork & Sons

Think for a minute about those cold wintry weekend mornings, when all you want to do is stay in bed...or once you do happen to get up, drink coffee and read the newspaper in front of a roaring fire. That’s the kind of warm good time feeling we get from Pork & Sons, an authentic, beautifully rustic and eccentric French cookbook by chef and restaurateur Stéphane Reynaud. The 150 recipes are inspired by three generations of pork devotees, beginning with the patriarch village butcher. With its quirky pink crosshatch cover and piglet illustrations throughout, this cookbook in not lacking in whimsy and aesthetic delight. It’s the kind of cookbook you can look at over and over, each time finding new inspiration. Its an invitation to Reynaud's family dinner table, from heirloom recipes to annual pig roasts. Yes, the recipes! Although heavily influenced by Reynaud's native France, the collection manages to traverse the world through the medium of pork (always local, from farms or in the wild). You’ll find treasures ranging from wild boar and dried fruit terrine to curries, street food and Grandmother’s bourguignon. Being the grandson of a village butcher on the Ardech plateau in France and owner of Villa9trois in Montreuil near Paris, it's pretty obvious Reynaud knows his stuff.

7 Great Coastal Drives via Budget Travel

Although snatched up by an early 90’s VW ad campaign and countless t-shirt designs since (somebody made out like a bandit), the German word Farhvergnugnen is the perfect expression for the joy of driving. It encompasses that abandon we've all felt at some point in our lives, whether it was that first cross-country road trip or the freedom of a lonely desert highway. Sometimes it just feels good to drive. That’s why we had to share this article from Budget Travel featuring 7 Great Coastal Drives. Although it was published last fall, it rings true right now. When temperatures are chilly and rain keeps us inside, a beautiful coastal drive cannot be beat...coffee in hand, soothing tunes, and a breathtaking view. It's really a perfect time of year to escape: the ocean on one side, the air damp with oxygen and the smell of the sea, and the restrained hum of the engine as it careens around a corner. For added vergnugen, rent the Benz.

Kick Back, Rent a Yurt

Homesteading, back to land, old school hippies and Mongolians may have a thing or two in common...and yurts are surely among them. The tent-like circular fabric structured with wooden lattice frames are not just all rage on the steppes of Ulan Bator. They can be found (and rented) in some of the most beautiful places on earth. The great thing about these low impact buildings is that they are inexpensive to set up, and a cross between camping and going on a posh safari. What we like most is that you’re connected to the outside environment in a way that you would never be in a hotel. One of our favorite places to experience yurt life is at Treebones Resort, located just outside Big Sur, CA. Yeah, it’s hard to beat Big Sur, and Treebones is practically seconds from the ocean. The 16 yurts for rent have plush, comfortable queen beds with linens, cozy comforters and colorful quilts. There is a small table and chairs, reading lights, and plenty of hooks for hanging your gear. You have to walk 2 - 3 minutes to restroom and shower facilities at the lodge, but hey, you’re in the middle of the nowhere. We're not complaining. The yurts have generous redwood view decks with Adirondack chairs facing the ocean. Cell phone reception? Don’t count on it. We highly recommend this as a mini getaway, especially in the off season.

Yawn, My Palate's Fatigued

Is your palate is dirty? Kidding. In all seriousness, picture the scene. You and your sweetie decide it would be fun to attend a local wine tasting and try over 100 different wines in one evening. Aside from purple stained lips and a buzz, what do you remember tasting? Even the best palates in the world get something called palate fatigue, when your poor olfactory and gustatory nerves are shot. That's when you stop really tasting what's going down the hatch. We stumbled onto one company seeking a remedy that very problem. Over the course of an epic tasting, take a break, write some notes, and consider sipping some SanTásti. Try it out, and let us what you think. It's definitely an interesting concept. Started by Cal Poly Enology Program alums Andrew Macaluso and Nicole Chamberlain, SanTásti is specially designed to cleanse the palate and restore balance by moderating acidity, sweetness and astringency. We want to know how it works, but I guess that's a trade secret.

A Packable Olympic Stadium?

Have you ever considered London an eco-destination? As we collectively gear up for the Vancouver Winter Olympics, London is quietly and fervently preparing to host the 2012 games. Some of the first glances into their massive preparations are pretty remarkable. Namely, we’re super impressed with plans for the new Olympic Stadium, a prefab eco-marvel that could in theory be broken down and packed up for the next Olympic host. Wowzers! And we’re not done. Among a pool of other green features, there is one that ups its eco-cred to new levels. Inhabitat reported that the stadium will be constructed out of recycled guns and knives confiscated by the Metropolitan Police Department. The lot will be melted down into scrap metal and used to help build the stadium. Definitely a new take on recycling!

Coffee, Travel, 100% Organic

Coffee is one of the most ubiquitous beverages on the planet. From Turkish bizarres, to the hilltops of Columbia and the coffee houses of Vienna, this fine beverage is among standard morning operating procedures. We like ours with a little social responsibility, which is why we’re supremely fond of the roasted beans from Taylor Maid Farms in Sonoma County. For those of you outside the Bay Area, who may not be aware of their quality products and inspiring philosophy, now is the time to get acquainted. Founded by Mark Inman in 1993, Taylor Maid has spent the past fifteen years fighting the good fight for the environment, for people and above all for coffee. They have traveled to some of the most remote communities in the world to source the finest 100% organic, shade grown, and fair trade coffee produced by family farms. All that adds up to great tasting coffee and the fact that your purchase not only preserves rare varieties of coffee, but also helps preserve many endangered species, vital watersheds, rainforests, small communities and the survival of family farms. All that in a morning cup-a-joe.

La Caja China

Pigs. There seems to be a cultural and culinary revolution happening around our farm friends these days. A new product comes out every week. Bacon-themed wallets, bacon-flavored chocolate, and festivals celebrating heritage breeds. Then, there's the challenge of roasting an entire pig, which few brave souls actually attempt. The roasting process is a true art, mastered in various forms by various cultures across the globe. Living up to that tradition is a culinary feat! And in the darkest days of winter, one can't help but think about trying (or at least mustering up a winter BBQ). If you happen to be in this camp, one Miami-based company has shared its secret in the form of a box, La Caja China. This excuses you from digging a pit in your backyard, by the way. Developed for everyday use by Cuban American Roberto Guerra, La Caja China emulates the old world street food of Havana. It’s simply a large roasting box with the heat source on top (for easy additions of charcoal) and a grease trap on the bottom. Because the box is metal-lined, cooking times are generally cut in half. Don't let its simplicity fool you, the box was crafted with scientific precision to produce the right amount of heat in the right amount of space for the right amount of meat. Call a farmer, call a butcher, call some friends and get started. Oh, and let us know how it goes.

Travel Tools: Field Notes

2010: a new year full of new adventure. For every journey, there are the necessary tools, and sometimes we find that the simplest tools function as the best companion. Take the memo book for example; we all have our favorites. Whether traveling across the globe or across town, there is something profound about taking pen or pencil to a blank page, especially when bound in a tidy little booklet. We’re always on the lookout for new travel-esque books in prep for a trip or the adventures of daily life, so Chicago-based Field Notes caught our eye. In their words, they hope to offer “an honest memo book, worth fillin’ up with good information.” Pretty straightforward, right? Field Notes takes a very simple, yet scientific slant with its line of memo books and iconic documentation tools. The design, which summons The Royal Tenenbaums, could even make a grocery list exciting. Onward to the next expedition!

Congrats Firestone Discoveries Finalists!

Most of you have seen the news, but just for the official record, here is the list of winners from the first round. The finalists are being interviewed this week, so be sure to support your favorites on facebook. The battle has begun! We'll announce the Top 3 for each category very soon, so stay tuned...

DISCOVERIES PATHFINDER FINALISTS

Adam Spiegel

Christine Sterling

Joseph Roldan

Kathleen Nolte

Kim Kulchycki

Kristen Weir

Lisa Kane

Lotchana Sourivong

Thomas Andy Holt

Margie Tosch

DISCOVERIES GUEST CHEF FINALISTS

Scott Beale, Grey Gelding Bistro & Bar, Sarasota Springs, NY

James Gottwald & Rodelio Aglibot, Chicago, IL

Tim Kirker, Bistrot Zinc, Chicago, IL

Jay Norris, Ponte Vedre, FL

Aimee Salas, Valencia, CA

Dean Smith, Spring City, UT

Chef Steve, Yucatan Sunset Catering, Sonoma, CA

Joel Tate, Jackson Hole, WY

Shelley Young, The Chopping Block, Chicago, IL

Patricia Zadony, Chicago, IL

*See their YouTube videos here

June Taylor's Still Room

Do you like jam? We like jam. Especially when said jam is made by someone as as nice as June Taylor. Steeped in the culinary lore of canning and preserving, Taylor and her assistant Magali Hernandez crank out dozens of different seasonal spreads each year. As you would imagine she works directly with small family farms and seeks out heirloom and forgotten fruits. Tasting some of her marmalades, we’re reminded of why breakfast at Grandma’s was so delicious. It makes us happy to think that there’s a grow-and-preserve-your-own revival happening these days! If you are so inclined, as we hope you are, one of the best ways to spend a weekend day is with June in her production kitchen at the Still Room in Berkeley, learning how to make marmalade from a pro. And tis the season for handmade baked goods. One of June's specialties is a traditional English Christmas Cake, which takes a whole year to make. Candied citrus peels and hand dried fruits are just the beginning. Each cake is wrapped in cheesecloth and hand washed with an aged chardonnay brandy from St. George Spirits. The festive outer wrapping paper is water colored by June and letterpress printed. See the operation from June's perspective in this video: