SIAMESE, PLEASE
You may recall reading something way back when about Uncommon Brewers, the upstart Santa Cruz suds concern, and its new "unfiltered, unpasteurized and undoubtedly uncommon" beer venture that was poised to hit shelves and taps around town. Well, months later I was able to finally find some of Uncommon Brewers' herbal-infused concoctions at select locations. New Leaf in Felton has the Siamese Twin Ale, an infusion of lemon grass and kefir lime that results in an amazing, full-flavored and highly alcoholic beer. It comes in a 16-ounce can; turns out aluminum packaging is much easier on the planet on various levels, so drop your cheap canned beer snobbery and suck one down. The Uncommon Brewers label is also making an appearance at the River Café and Cheese Shop, which is obviously now serving beer and wine and is open later (until 7pm) for maximum lingering enjoyment. Order up a cheese plate to pair with the artisanal brew for a fabulous treat. On tap, you may find either the Siamese Ale or the Golden State Ale (made with roasted poppy seeds) at the Red Lounge, 515 Kitchen, the Crepe Place, El Palomar and in the can at Mission Liquor and 41st Avenue Liquor, as well as various reputable Bay Area locations. (www.uncommonbrewers.com)

NEW LEAF NUTRITION
New Leaf Market continues to promote nutritious living and community education with workshops, fliers, recipes and web tools. But a new meal planning service offered by nutritionist and chef Jennifer Brewer takes things to a more personal level. For only $10 a month, Brewer will come up with an easy plan to improve your diet that includes a weekly shopping list, coupon supply, time management strategies and recipe four-pack. As a bonus, 5 percent of each subscription goes toward healthy cooking programs in local schools. Sometimes in this busy world we live in, it makes sense to outsource and follow the rules, as long as they come from a trusted entity. Chef Brewer will not lead you astray. Sign up at www.nourishingnutrition.com.

HAVE PIZZA, WILL TRAVEL
At a recent private event, I was fortunate enough to come across one of the best, and most delicious, inventions yet. Petaluma-based Kashaya Adams utilizes a portable wood-fired brick oven to turn out amazing pizzas in three minutes flat for a growing number of fans. Her first year in business, she is currently wrapping up the seasonal farmers market circuit up north, but enjoys doing catering events and is willing to travel (although the fuel costs are one of her highest expenses). Adams has a long background in baking, growing up and cooking on her family's farm, Emandal, in Willits, then a degree from the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont (Alton Brown's alma mater). She then started her own brick oven sourdough bread company, worked at the renowned Della Fattoria, and is now branching off on her own again with Kashaya's Pizza. At markets, she offers some signature pies like ricotta, spinach, fresh garlic and parmesan or the hugely popular bacon, caramelized onion, blue cheese, pears and walnuts in addition to simple classics like the margherita. And her crust is perfect--chewy, crisp, salty-sweet, yeasty bliss. Email [email protected] to inquire about her availability.

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