Slow Food’s Snail of Approval awards honor 12 ‘good, clean and fair’ Sonoma County food producers

A dozen Sonoma County restaurants, farms and artisan producers were recognized Feb. 28 for their sustainable and locally made food at a Sebastopol ceremony that dished up awards along with bites from the winners.

The sixth annual Snail of Approval awards, held at the Sebastopol Grange, were presented by the Sonoma County North and Russian River chapters of the national nonprofit Slow Food USA and attended by more than 100 people.

The recognition was in celebration of what Slow Food calls “good, clean and fair” food, according to Carol Diaz, Slow Food Sonoma County North board co-chair and Snail of Approval project leader.

Tickets were $15.

The 12 winners were: Healdsburg’s SingleThread Farm; Santa Rosa’s Fourteen Magpies Handmade Jams & Preserves, Goguette Bread, Sarmentine Artisan Boulanger, The Spinster Sisters and Culinary Farm at St. Francis Winery & Vineyards; Sebastopol’s Americana and Psychic Pie; Sonoma’s The Bejkr baker; and Windsor’s Bricoleur Vineyards Culinary Garden, Volo Chocolate, and Wise Acre Farm.

Guests enjoyed samples of the winners’ food and wine and got the chance to speak with the honored producers before the awards ceremony.

“(Part of our mission) is to get the community involved to learn about these food businesses that are supporting local agriculture and local products and treating their employees well,” said Diaz.

Diaz and emcee Brad Whitworth, a member of the Snail of Approval awards board, presented the honors. Each winner had the opportunity to speak onstage about their culinary work and comment on the importance of the award to them.

“It’s amazing how appreciative they are to be acknowledged for what they’re doing,” Diaz said.

For more information, go to slowfoodsonomacountynorth.org.