Corte Madera chef Aryan Abbassi of Novato-based Ariana’s Cuisine has built up a loyal following of health-conscious customers over the past six years, many of whom return weekly to local farmers’ markets for their stock up on nutritious soups and sauces.
More recently, she added a fanbase that was surprised.
“When I started my business, my best customers were always the ones with kids who, from 6 months old, devoured the sample cups of my soups,” Abbassi says of visitors to his stand at the Farmer’s Market on Saturday at Marin Country. Mart in Larkspur and the Sunday Marin Farmers Market at the Civic Center in San Rafael. “It became a little party around the table.”
When parents kept asking her to expand her line, Abbassi responded by creating Ariana’s Baby Cuisine and applying the same high quality standards and protocols she uses with her regular line.
“I’m OCD even with my adult products,” Abbassi says of using clean, organic ingredients. With the ultra-local line of fresh, nutrient-dense solid foods, and for the first time, she’s slowly exploring one ingredient at a time.
“I personally make every product with the highest quality of ingredients handpicked — literally by me — that are organic and sustainably raised and grown,” she says. “I’m proud to say that every week many of my produce comes from vendors at farmers’ markets. The producers and the generosity of each season are my additional source of inspiration.
Courtesy of Aryan Abbassi
Sea Chef Aryan Abbassi is behind Ariana’s Cuisine and Ariana’s Baby Cuisine.
The formulations target three stages of growth. Stage one foods, medium to thick purees made from a single organic ingredient with a splash of lemon juice as a natural preservative, help determine a baby’s likes and dislikes and uncover any potential food allergies .
One or two additional ingredients are added in the second stage which showcases seasonal organic fruits and vegetables and has a thicker consistency. And the third step is a soft and chunky baby version of Abbassi’s adult soups that feature a blend of organic ingredients like butternut squash or roasted sweet potato in a nutritious base of beef or chicken bone broth. and a spice like turmeric and cumin.
Its intention is to give parents the opportunity to offer different types of nutrition – proteins, green vegetables, fruits, etc. – that they can be taken out of the freezer for immediate use, such as roasted broccoli or mashed English snap peas. These also make a healthy dip for cooked vegetables or pasta sauce for older kids.
Baby food is freshly prepared and packaged right before picking up in FDA-approved BPA-free 32-ounce containers ($22). First order comes with a free silicone baby food freezer tray. Spoon baby food in, freeze and transfer cubes to storage bags for up to four months.
Abbassi says new parents and their babies aren’t the only ones who have shown strong interest in his new line.
“I have a whole bunch of unwitting clients,” she says. “Nearly half of my sales have been to customers buying for their elderly parents or relatives who have very restricted diets and need extremely nutrient-dense foods. Another small group buys for relatives who are undergoing chemotherapy treatment and have no appetite for complex flavors, but need simple and very nutritious meals.
Abbassi graduated from law school and worked as a senior litigation paralegal in San Francisco for more than 15 years before attending culinary school. She went on to work in restaurants, including Epic Roadhouse in San Francisco and the former Brick & Bottle in Corte Madera, and credits a chef along the way with teaching her “never to prepare any given product below absolute perfection and never to accept anything less than absolute perfection. of anyone in a kitchen.
“I am a very lucky woman,” she says. “Few people think of their job as an opportunity to do what they really love for the people they love. That’s the good thing about still being a very small business.
Place your orders by calling or texting 415-505-3023 before 6 p.m. 3501 Civic Center Drive in San Rafael.
Learn more about Ariana’s Baby Cuisine and the current weekly menu at arianascuisineofmarin.com.
mighty mollusk
The Inverness Saltwater Restaurant offers visitors the opportunity to not only indulge in its renowned locally harvested oysters, but also to learn everything they would likely want to know about sourcing, prices, varieties , seasonality, aquatic terroir, storage, wine pairing and shucking with its oyster seminars.
A seated dinner with wine pairing completes the educational experience which can be hosted on-site at the restaurant or at an off-site location for a private party or corporate event.
Photo by Luc Chamberland
Enjoy and learn more about oysters at Saltwater’s Oyster Seminars.
The restaurant is open for lunch from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays (without reservation) and for a fixed price four-course dinner from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ($95 for food, tax and tip) for which – the Paid reservations are available. Or visit for lunch from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. or dinner from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays (no reservations required).
The team hopes to expand its schedules in the spring and summer. Go to saltwateroysterdepot.com or follow on Instagram @saltwateroysterdepot for updates, or make restaurant reservations or oyster seminar requests on the website or by calling 415-669-1244.
spring love
Slide Ranch above Muir Beach is ready to welcome visitors back for its Spring Fling after a two-year pandemic hiatus. Between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on April 30, milk goats, feed chickens, meet baby animals, tour the garden, and make cheese or granola at the nonprofit educational farm high above the Pacific Ocean.
The fundraising event also includes live music, local organic food, a live sheep shearing demonstration and craft activities for all ages.
Search Slide Ranch on eventbrite.com to purchase tickets. Admission is $35 in advance, $45 at the door. Children 2 and under enter free.
The Slide Ranch is located at 2025 Shoreline Highway in Muir Beach. To learn more about Slide Ranch’s mission and programming, visit slideranch.org or contact 415-381-6155.
Leanne Battelle is a freelance writer and food columnist. Email her at ij.lbattelle@gmail.com with news and recommendations and follow her on Instagram @therealdealmarin for more local food and updates on the launch of The Restaurant Guide Real Deal Marine.