Jam for Breakfast

There’s something about jam that just makes a person happy.  Good jam.  Homemade jam. Seasonally made jam.  Lick-your-knife jam.  And I’m part of that crowd.  Wholeheartedly!

I’ve started making jam for the Caffe from scratch.  I love the sight of empty mason jars waiting to be filled.  It is their destiny.  And who knew we’d plow through it so fast?  The jam pot seems to have a permanent spot on the stove now just so I can keep up.  Strawberry is the flavor of the moment and so far the berries have come from Swanton Berry Farm, Tomatero, Rodriguez Farms, and Rio de Parras.

And you know what I’m so happy about?  I’m happy that you’ve noticed!  Our Saturday brunch crowd comes back for seconds and thirds, and I love watching toddler-sized fingers swiping the jam-dishes clean.  With toast, with ham, with a croissant, with a spoon.

So if my jam starts your day off with a burst of sunshine, then I’ve done my job.  And that is what fulfills me.

~Emily

here we are…

The last few days have been spent “settling” in to our new home, but we’re gearing up to reopen on March 30th.  We’ve been coming to eat at Caffe 817 for years and are thrilled to be part of its family.  We couldn’t have asked for a warmer welcome from the neighborhood as a whole.  Thanks a million.

…And perhaps we should introduce ourselves.  I’m Emily, and this guy over here… is my husband Scott.  We’re the new owners of the cafe.  We’ve got a few decades of cooking under our belts and a few lifetimes of enthusiasm to go along with it.  You’ll find us at the Bay Area’s farmer’s markets every week finding inspiration and picking up “the goods” for next weeks menus.  We love to support the “local and sustainable” as often as we can, and have become good buddies with farmers from the surrounding Bay Area.  

When we’re not cooking or eating, we like to make lofty goals and big plans for fun excursions and messy projects.  So come take a look-see to see what we’re up to.  You’ll find us here!