Sam Mogannam, owner of San Francisco’s Bi-Rite Market, and writer Dabney Gough have released a new book, Eat Good Food: A Grocer’s Guide to Shopping, Cooking, & Creating Community through Food, that shares his philosophy on community retailing as well as guidelines on preparing delicious, healthy meals.
Throughout this book, Mogannam illustrates the connection between store, shopper, producer, and environment – bringing into practical focus Bi-Rite’s ethos of “creating community through food.”
The book guides readers through the grocery store one department at a time, explaining how to identify the best ingredients, decipher labels and terms, and build a well-stocked pantry. Mogannam has dedicated his work to creating positive, lasting change within the food system, and he’s starting with what he knows best: the American grocery store.
He also discusses the value of locally and sustainably-grown foods. “People aren’t always willing to spend more money on food,” he told The Gourmet Retailer’s sister publication, Progressive Grocer. “But there is a reason why one product should cost a dollar versus 50 cents, and we explain why there is a difference.”
In addition to being a shopping guide and call to action, Eat Good Food is a cookbook offering instruction in working with the ingredients procured under Mogannam guidance. A trained chef, he shares his favorite recipes, including many of the dishes that have made Bi-Rite Market’s in-house kitchen a destination for food lovers. Dishes such as Farro Salad with Mushrooms and Butternut Squash; Spaghetti with Tuna, Capers, and Chile Flakes; Sumac-Roasted Chicken; Moroccan Lamb Meatloaf and Citrus Olive Oil Cake. James Beard Award winner France Ruffenach conveys the story of Bi-Rite in full-color photographs that accompany the recipes and capture candid moments in the store.
Mogannam is the second-generation owner of Bi-Rite Market and founder of the Bi-Rite Family of Businesses, which includes Bi-Rite Creamery, 18 Reasons, and Bi-Rite Farms. He also serves on the board of the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade.
Gough’s work has appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, Fine Cooking and Edible Hawaiian Islands, among other publications. She lives in Honolulu, where she works for Alan Wong's Restaurants.
For more information, visit: http://biritemarket.com/book/
