Staying at home isn’t easy, but no one said it couldn’t be delicious.
Oakhurst, CA – In small villages and mountain towns across the state of California, farmers and purveyors continue to bring communities fresh ingredients from our local breadbasket, as is evident in Yosemite’s southern gateway towns. Cornerstone establishments are adapting to meet the changing needs of their customers in a time when the public is doing its part with social distancing practices.
Erna’s Elderberry House Restaurant at the Chateau du Sureau wants to bring a comforting, nutritious meal to your kitchen. Their exquisite takeout menu is chef-crafted and regularly updated with inspiration and the freshest ingredients. Today the menu features (arguably, the world’s best) seafood chowder, steak or vegetarian wraps, artisan cheeses and economically priced meals for two. The ‘Market List’ is a creative solution to the challenge of staying home for the coming days, with oatmeal, yeast, eggs, pasta and pounds of garden vegetables available to pick up curbside, along with your takeout.
Additionally, to stay connected with the community, Chef Robert Snyder III is taking to social media to teach his kitchen-maestro tips in a virtual cooking class series. First up in the lesson plan; learn to prepare a simple, nutrition-packed Carrot Ginger Soup from the coziness of your own home. New videos will post regularly, and now the hospitality of the Chateau du Sureau can be experienced from your home.
Many restaurants and businesses in the region are giving back and supporting the local public during these trying times, with a host of innovative ideas coming from the southern Yosemite gateway community. Ducey’s on the Lake, family-owned and operated by The Pines Resort, is doing what they know best, focusing on families. By creating takeout dinner meals for families of four (or more) with themes like barbeque and Italian, they are feeding the community in a resourceful new way.
Takeout from Wild Fig Kitchen, Love Café, Casa Velasco, Deli Delicious, The Vineyard Restaurant, and even immune-boosting-elixirs from Glow Juicery all show locals some love with their creativity, affordability and curbside options. Yosemite Wine Tails has online ordering and local doorstep delivery. By utilizing this service, residents are supporting small businesses, contributing to charities and drinking wonderful wines in this temporary time of adaptation.
The Visit Yosemite | Madera County tourism office communicates with the community by keeping an updated list of businesses and their services. To see that list, click here.
When the going gets tough, the tough come together, with new ways to appreciate things we love, like drinking wine. Although tasting rooms at Madera Wine Trail wineries are temporarily closed for anything except bottle pick-up and deliveries fear not, wine tasting is still on. Virtually, that is.
Your favorite winemakers are taking to Instagram and Facebook to open up a bottle (or two) of some cheerful reds and whites. If you are fortunate enough to have a bottle from the Madera Wine Trail tucked away, follow along with your own library. If not, grab a bottle of something you have on hand (we are sure you have stocked up, along with toilet paper!), make yourself a lovely appetizer, then have some fun chatting wine. “We wanted a way to stay in touch with our community, patrons and dear friends.” mused the winemaker and owner of Idle Hour winery, Anna Marie Remedios. “For now, we are temporarily rethinking our way of life during this time of social distancing. There are a variety of curbside pick-up or delivery options and a lot of fantastic wine discounts at the moment.”
For many, this is a week of firsts. First time working from home. First time homeschooling the children (oh boy!). First time making significant changes in the way we interact. The winemakers from the Madera Wine Trail believe we have surely earned a glass of vino. Join us in raising a glass (and one’s spirits), when you tune in for LIVE streaming social media from participating wineries
Current Weekly Broadcast Schedule:
- Wednesday, Friday at 5 p.m. with Toca Madera Winery
- Friday at 6 p.m. with Idle Hour Winery
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 1 p.m. with Fäsi Estate Winery
- Friday at 12 p.m. with Quady Winery
- Wednesday, Friday at 4 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. with San Joaquin Winery
Californians are doing what Californians do best, coming together with pioneering ideas during temporary setbacks. Proudly join us. Order dinner in, uncork something special, tune in, relax and enjoy!
About Visit Yosemite | Madera County
Formed in 1985, Visit Yosemite | Madera County’s mission is to draw the millions of visitors of Yosemite National Park to the many businesses and attractions in its gateway. Inviting visitors to take a journey from the Fossil Discovery Center to the Madera Wine Trail and onward into the High Sierra. Along the way, discover incredible dining, talented tradespersons, four-seasons of water sports at Bass Lake, the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad and mighty adventures right up to the massive Giant Sequoia trees. Madera County is the gateway to so much more.