By Heather Pisani-Kristl
The La Mesa Library is proud to announce that the second annual “Food for Thought” festival, taking place at the library on Saturday, March 12 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., will feature nationally- and locally-renowned chefs and brewmasters. You’ll be able to hear firsthand experiences from the culinary industry, nibble a sample or two, purchase some cookbooks from the Friends of the Library book sale, and grab a photo with TV personality chef Claudia Sandoval. All events are free and open to the public.
At 1 p.m., Sandoval, 2015’s winner of Fox Network’s “MasterChef” challenge, will discuss her favorite recipes and cooking techniques, as well as the cookbook she is releasing in May 2016. Fans of the show will enjoy a photo opportunity with Sandoval after her talk. Since the conclusion of “MasterChef” season six, Sandoval has developed a successful private dining business, appeared on local television, and written her upcoming cookbook, “Claudia’s Cocina: A Taste of Mexico.” She was born and raised in San Diego, and now lives with her 10-year-old daughter in La Mesa.
The festival will also include a presentation about raw food and health from San Diego expert Mimi Kirk. At 11 a.m., Kirk will demonstrate raw-food preparation techniques and will share samples of raw cuisine with the audience. As the best-selling author of “Live Raw,” “Live Raw Around the World” and “The Ultimate Book of Modern Juicing,” Kirk has appeared in person and on television, including “Dr. Oz,” “The Steve Harvey Show,” “The Doctors” and countless others. She has been interviewed in hundreds of newspapers and blogs and can be seen in three movies soon to be released. Her message is about how to live a long, healthy, ageless life.
Bolt Brewery, La Mesa’s first microbrewery, will open “Food for Thought” at 10 a.m. with a discussion of their experience establishing a brewery in San Diego’s booming beer scene. Bolt’s Brewery’s main brew house and beer garden is a 10-barrel bohemian brew system, built in the mid-’90s in Budapest, Hungary. At this La Mesa location, master brewer Clint Stromberg will produce roughly 2,000 barrels of beer annually along with brewer Chris Angel. Their second location, a satellite tasting room and restaurant, has opened in San Diego’s Little Italy. Bolt Brewery is owned by Tony Calafato, Molly Rust and Clint Stromberg.
For youth ages 11-17, there will be a hands-on craft to make candy sushi; this will take place at noon in the Teen Room and all ingredients will be provided. During the festival, the Friends of La Mesa Library will be holding a special sale of cookbooks in the lobby. Proceeds from the book sale will help fund summer activities at the library. Whether you love to cook, eat, or both, there will be something for you at this free and fun event. Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 12 and contact library staff at 619-469-2151 if you have any questions.
––Heather Pisani-Kristl is branch manager of the La Mesa Library. Write to her at [email protected].
