Joanne Neft ® and Laura Kenny (L) at the Farmer’s Market
Joanne Neft opened the first Foothill Farmers Market 20 years ago, and within three years the market expanded to six markets throughout Placer County. Always an advocate for Placer County Agriculture, in 1994 Joanne shared the idea of starting the Mountain Mandarin Festival with the Newcastle Area Business Association. Today, almost 40,000 people attend the annual festival to celebrate the small mandarin orange that put Placer County on the map. Joanne’s goal is to help people understand the benefits of eating in-season locally grown healthy food and to support the farmers who grow it. Visit your local farmer markets to share in the adventure.
Laura Kenny attended California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. From there, she worked at Boulevard before moving to San Diego, where she was Sous Chef of Laurel Restaurant and Bar. While in San Diego, she had a small catering company and also worked as a personal chef. The Auburn native returned to Placer County for 1 1/2 years, she became Chef of Persimmon Cafe. After the Cafe closed in 2008, she teamed up with Joanne Neft to write a cookbook celebrating the abundance of farm fresh foods available year round. Laura’s style of cooking is simple, yet elegant, specializing in fresh, local and seasonal foods.
