Lunchtime Inspiration
When it comes to packing lunches, it doesn't take much to add interest to the ordinary, and make lunch time sophisticated. We recommend starting with the best, fresh ingredients you can get your hands on, and planning dinners to include great leftovers.

And you can always build a stellar sandwich. Start with the bread. A sandwich made on Semifreddi's Foccaccia or rolled up in a California Lavash Flatbread presents a fresh outlook to a well-worn idea. We also love to switch it up with Wedermeyer's Rye Bread.

Next, what to spread? Stonewall Kitchen Old Farmhouse Chutney adds an splash of flavor--apples, cranberries, peaches, apricots, and raisins are mixed with delicious spices. Or Elki Carmelized Onion and Balsamic Spread Sweet with aged balsamic and brown sugar adds tremendous depth of flavor to cheeses and meats.

Artisana Raw, Organic Nut Butters come in deliciously unique flavors: Almond Butter, Cashew Butter, Pecan Butter and Walnut Butter.

Marin French Cheese Company's Petite Breakfast is a perfect little package of mild, creamy brie that you can spread on crackers, bread or eat with fruit. It is exactly the right size for one person.

Silk Road Soda comes in Original Mint, Pomegranate Mint, and Cucumber Mint. Sparkly, organic, and with just enough sugar, they are a modern spin on a time-honored tradition.

 Black Medicine Ready to Drink Iced Coffee is unsweetened, and extra strong. It is the best iced coffee we have found. It's refreshing, bold, and complex.

Nektar Naturals Single-Serve Packets remove the mess of the honey bear bottle with precise packets of honey crystals that deliver the rich, elegant taste of honey in your lunch box.

Presentation is critical. Consider carrying better-quality, reusable containers and cloth napkins. And check out these great, insulated lunch bags from Now Designs that we have in the store. They are just the right size to hold lunch and a drink or thermos.

They say that when it comes to fresh cheese, it is better to import the cheese maker than the cheese. And that is just what Belfiore did. Have you tried their milky-fresh Fior di Latte (Fresh Moz­zarella in water), Traditional Mozzarella, Ricotta or Mascarpone? Each is made true to tradition, and with the best ingredients.

The Belfiore Cheese Com­pany is one of the few remaining small, family-owned cheese making oper­a­tions in the Bay Area. All Belfiore prod­ucts are made 100% nat­u­rally without any addi­tives or preser­v­a­tives. Their busi­ness was estab­lished in 1987 as one of America's first pio­neers pro­ducing hand crafted Italian-style cheeses.

Look for the Cal­i­fornia Poppy on the label!