Local artisan pickler and grocer Preservation & Co. was burglarized earlier this week and lost more than $8,000 in damage and stolen property, it announced in a Facebook Post.

The struggle of a small business is enough without this kind of loss. The pain and anger that I feel now is more than I have had to deal with in the last few years of running my business...

I have no idea if I will be able to get our business open this weekend, which would normally be a big weekend for us before a 3 day weekend.

Read the entire post on Facebook.

But you can help. Preservation & Co is competing to win a small producer grant from Whole Foods in Davis, where 5 percent of the store's sales on June 10 will benefit the winner.

"They took everything that we run our business on, and cash that we made over the weekend. I have no idea what to say, but please help us here. Thank you," wrote Preservation & Co.

The least you could do is to click here to vote for them and help them recover without spending your own money. Or if you're so inclined, next time you see them at a Farmer's Market or pass by their store, buy something and support a local business. But either way, help out a small business in need.

Preservation & Co. is located at 1717 19th St #B (near Safeway), and can be found online at http://www.preservationandco.com/.

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Sac Brew Bike to Open Taproom in Early July - Celebrating its one-year anniversary, the craft beer and food tour host will be opening a taproom in midtown in early July. The 2,400 square foot mixed-use space (formerly an art gallery) will house all three of its 15-passenger pedal-powered bikes, and share about half of the building with the new taproom. In Sactown Mag.

Meals with Wheels - As the region continues its active transportation push, Sacramento restaurants are coming along for the ride, featuring OneSpeed Pizza and Hot Italian. John Blomster in Comstocks Mag.

Did you notice Carrows went away? - Carrows has removed two local restaurants -- Placerville and Roseville -- from its corporate website. Phone calls to both locations yielded no response. In early April, Nation's Restaurant News confirmed Food Management Partners, the new owner of Carrows and Coco's, shuttered under-performing locations for both brands. Sonya Sorich in Sac Biz Journal.

TGI Fridays closes Elk Grove restaurant - TGI Fridays has closed its restaurant at 7101 Laguna Blvd. in Elk Grove, where an eviction notice dated April 29 is posted on the front door. The restaurant "closed due to the franchisee failing to pay rent to its landlord," the corporate chain said in an email statement to the Business Journal on Monday. Sonya Sorich in Sac Biz Journal.

TBD Fest is this weekend's much-hyped music festival in West Sac. While it's mostly about music, under the direction of Block Butcher Bar & LowBrau chef Michael Tuohy, 14 chefs will compete in The Pit, an open fire cooking competition.

Per the FOX 40 interview above, 14 chefs (including Tuohy) will cook 350 bites in just 3 hours. Two chefs will compete at a time in a Friendly Fire competition, with Tuohy and Grange Chef Oliver Ridgeway kicking it off on Friday. Two pairs total will compete on Friday, three pairs competing on Saturday and the remaining two rounding out the weekend on Sunday.

Here's the schedule for Friendly Fire, via the Sac Biz Journal.

Friday

• 3 to 6 p.m. Michael Tuohy of LowBrau and Block Butcher Bar vs. Oliver Ridgeway of Grange
• 7 to 10 p.m. Noah Zonca of Zonca's vs. Shannon McElroy of Federalist Public House

Saturday

• 12 to 3 p.m. Ian MacBride of Lucca vs. Carina Lampkin of Blackbird
• 4 to 7 p.m. Jason Kupper of Urban Heritage in Napa vs. Matt Brown of Forester Foods
• 8 to 11 p.m. Brian Mizner of Hook & Ladder vs. Mike Fagioni of Hawks

Sunday

• 12 to 3 p.m. Dennis Sydnor of Ten22 vs. Jason Azevedo of Mighty Tavern
• 4 to 7 p.m. Mike Thiemann and Matt Masera of Mother vs. Kurt Spataro of Paragary Restaurant Group

In addition, the Biz Journal reports there will be food trucks including Fusion Eats, Volks Waffle, Drewski’s, Krush Burger and Cruzin Crustacean.

Read the entire story in the Sac Biz Journal.

Tickets start at $69 per day, or $159 for all three days. Click here to get tickets.

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TBD Fest treats local chefs like rock stars - Moby, Blondie and dozens of other musicians will provide an earful of sounds at West Sacramento’s TBD Fest, which runs Friday through Oct. 5. But the festival is also designed to fill the stomach, with an array of local food and drink vendors to help satiate the appetites of the expected 5,000 daily attendees. Chris Macias in the Sac Bee.

Breaking Bread with Chef Michael Tuohy - Sacramento is lucky enough to be cradled alongside what is often referred to as the nation’s breadbasket, the San Joaquin Valley. What better way to celebrate this doughy moniker than stuffing it with house-made sausage, or layering on cured meats and artisanal cheeses? I recently sat down with Michael Tuohy, a man who is making just such a dream possible. Michelle Labi-Klonecke in The City Scouts.

Sacramento’s all-new TBD Fest is a go; Music, food, art shopping and more—organizers behind TBD Fest aim to reflect and refine Sacramento’s growth - TBD is a reflection of Sacramento’s growth, particularly in the creative worlds of architecture, art, music, design and food. It even includes a series of show posters designed by local artists such as Laura Matranga, John Conley, and Benjamin Della Rosa. Hargis says he hopes it’ll one day become synonymous with Sacramento. He also hopes it can be a nationally tastemaking event, similar to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in its earliest days. With more than 80 scheduled acts, TBD Fest’s lineup also features plenty of lesser-known bands—but Hargis predicts big things for them. Janelle Bitker in Sac News & Review.

5 reasons to stop screwing around and buy a ticket to TBD Fest - 4. A foodie stage and unshitty beer. There’s a food competition at TBD called “The Pit.” It’ll work like this: Restaurants like Hook & Ladder, Block, Mother, Lucca, Grange, Hawks, Ten22, 58 Degrees and more will prepare small bites in an open-fire kitchen. Attendees will taste these for free and vote for the winner. I’m also told there’ll be a grip of awesome eateries serving up fare. No hot dog for you. Bonus: Chef Michael Tuohy from Block Butcher Bar is in charge, and he doesn’t drop the ball. As for the brew: Track 7, Yolo, Bike Dog, Woodfour, Heretic, Ruhstaller and Berryessa will be poured in the special craft beer area. If you like to swill piss, I’m sure there’ll be some Bud Light out there, too. Nick Miller in Sac News & Review.

It's not often you see one local writer do a full frontal attack on another - especially when the topic is something as inconsequential (in the big picture) as food.

But Sac News & Review's Calendar Editor Jonathan Mendick described a recent Sac Biz Journal article as "stupid." From his story:

Before you go do something stupid like call brick toast “a thing” or “honey toast”—as did a recent Sacramento Business Journal article—first know this: It's actually a Taiwanese dish known as nai su tu si, which means “milk crispy toast” in Mandarin, and describes a thick piece of white toast slathered in buttermilk.

Read the entire article in Sac News & Review.

Mendick is referring to a Sept. 4 article by Sonya Sorich in the Sac Biz Journal, headlined "Never heard of honey toast? It's a thing, and you can try it in Sacramento"

Some people call it the "big mama." Order honey toast at Snowbee Tea Station and you'll get a big cube of toasted bread topped with ice cream and other extras such as almonds and macarons. Just when you think you've reached carbohydrate overload, you might find the smaller cubes of toast inside "big mama."

You panic, but realize there's no turning back. Especially since many varieties of honey toast aren't exactly cheap. "Macaron Madness," for example, costs $13.99.

Read the entire article in Sac Biz Journal.

So which local writer is right? I have no independent knowledge to judge, but I know that Mendick's written about his half Chinese heritage and his trips to Asia. That doesn't necessarily mean he's right here though.

Have an opinion on who is correct in this culinary spat? Leave it in the comments below.

* Photo via Snowbee's Facebook Page.

** Update: Mendick leaves a response in the comments below.

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Check Out Centro's Infused Fruit Tequilas - With the array of varieties available, it was difficult to make a decision, but we settled on the complex, gorgeously-colored blueberry-mango tequila and the pineapple tequila. Both burst with ripe, heady fruit flavors, and were not overly sweet. Kira O'Donnell in Sac Mag.

Good Karma! – A Review of Karma Brew Sacramento - On a recent sunny Sunday Funday, my roomie and I were trying to find a place to drown our sorrows after a last minute Team USA loss in the World Cup and we stumbled on the loveliest of new downtown spots, Karma Brew, which opened early this year.  A fabulous find on 16th and P Streets, we popped into Karma Brew for a quick drink, but started chatting up a handsome gentlemen enjoying a pint (my roomie is a clutch wingman, but that’s for another post), invited some friends to join us, made friends with Karma’s charming owner, Anthony, and ended up hanging at this fun little joint for hours.  Boy did we score.  I can’t recommend this place enough after many, many subsequent visits. Chelsea Irvine on Girls on the Grid.

Rose Garden Chinese Restaurant: A veggie delight - While Rose Garden isn’t starting any new trends, it makes the most of old favorites with great ingredients. It seems to have quite a loyal following, too, as the staff greeted many diners like old friends and asked after their families. Delicious food and friendly service obviously serve them well. Ann Martin Rolke in Sac News & Review.

A meh sandwich to go, please - Totally unmeh, however, are the sandwiches at Pushkin’s Bakery (1820 29th Street). The gluten-and dairy-free joint began offering four vegan sandwiches in June for six bucks each (and house-made potato chips this month). If you show any hesitation in ordering, though, don't be surprised if the friendly employee behind the counter looks you dead in the eye and makes the decision for you: Spicy Adult Grilled Cheese. Shoka in Sac News & Review.

Omaha-based coffee company wants to add more Sacramento region stores - Scooter's Coffee is planning a Sacramento-area expansion that could result in up to 50 new locations in the next seven years. Sonya Sorich in Sac Biz Journal.

Congratulations again @HyattSacramento "I make good food, and that's all I strive for" #sacburgerbattle pic.twitter.com/dqvSXRUQ9l

— Sac Burger Battle (@sacburgerbattle) September 19, 2014

The Sac Burger Battle, a fundraiser for the Chron's & Colitis Foundation of America, was held last night at Caesar Chavez Park.

In previous years, the event was held at Raley Field and organized by Rodney Blackwell, probably best know for his Burger Junkies site.

As in previous years, the awards were broken down in two categories - People's Choice and Chef's Choice

People's Choice Awards:

1. de Vere's Irish Pub (Sacramento & Davis)
2. Broderick Roadhouse (West Sac)
3. The Chef's Table (Rocklin)

Chef's Choice Awards:

1. Dawson's at The Hyatt (Sacramento)
2. Krush Burger (Sacramento, Davis, Roseville, Dubai)
3. The Chef's Table (Rocklin)

Dawson's at The Hyatt was represented by Chef Jason Poole (who is also one of the leaders of the upcoming Tower Bridge Dinner) and chef de cuisine Michael Grande. Because I was scheduled to be out of town for work, I didn't get to attend the Burger Battle on Thursday night. However, I was able to sample Chef Grande's food when The Hyatt invited me to one of their recent Craft Beer dinners.

Chef Grande is a real up and comer in the Sacramento food scene. His food at the beer pairing dinner was inventive, precise and delicious. I suspect that winning the Sac Burger Battle championship belt is the first of many accolades for Chef Grande.

If you want a more complete play by play of Thursday night's Sac Burger Battle, check out their Twitter feed or their Web site, SacBurgerBattle.com.

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The Parlor Ice Cream Puffs - “You can’t buy happiness but you can buy ice cream puffs and that’s kind of the same thing,” reads a handwritten message on a chalkboard inside The Parlor, located on Fair Oaks Boulevard near Loehmann’s Plaza. With the ice cream puff, owners Lani Tran, 26, and Martin Nguyen, 33, are bringing you a whole new craving for something sweet. Amy Serna in Submerge Mag.

3 ‘abuelitas’ always in the mix at Sacramento’s Centro Cocina - Julia Rogel, Martha Jimenez and Micaela Gonzales-Garcia – all three of whom are now abuelitas, or grandmothers – have worked 18, 17 and 14 years respectively in Centro’s kitchen at 2730 J St. At Centro, Jimenez carefully assembles the mole negra from about 30 ingredients whenever she’s working, and as sous chef, she trains other kitchen staff. And daily, for the last 14 years, either Rogel or Gonzales-Garcia has made the tortillas. They also poach the chicken, roast the pork, mix masa and prepare salsas. Cathie Anderson in the Sac Bee.

New Location for Bangkok Garden Unveiled in Natomas - Rumors of a Bangkok Garden revival in Natomas have not been exaggerated, according to signage installed at a new location Monday night. The popular Natomas eatery – which closed abruptly in June 2014 – is slated to reopen next month in the Arena Marketplace adjacent to Tapioca Express, Maestro Cafe and Mountain Mike’s Pizza. On Natomas Buzz.

Let's eat: Three restaurants to check out this week - Looking for somewhere different to try for lunch or dinner? Here's three spots to try. Featuring Maggiano's Little Italy, Double Nickle Smokehouse in Elk Grove and Willow Cafe & Sweetery in Folsom. Andrea Thompson in Sac Biz Journal.

The Farm Table sells gourmet meals, specialty meat in downtown Placerville - After gaining a following at farmers markets and in Apple Hill, a local couple opened a new retail location -- and filled a long-vacant downtown Placerville space in the process. The Farm Table, which specializes in charcuterie platters and hand-crafted meats, is now open at 311 Main St. The approximately 2,000-square-foot space was previously occupied by Gelato D'oro Cafe, which closed years ago. Sonya Sorich in Sac Biz Journal.

Dowtown and Vine is the second Sacramento restaurant to be featured on Red Hot Design, a show on the FYI network.

From the TV network's description of the 7th episode of its inaugural season:

Shasta's challenge is to transform a patio in order to attract business for a Wine Bar. Shasta is excited and worried at the same time that her design will be featured in a prime downtown location.

I don't have cable, so I didn't catch the first airing on Monday night. But those who want to watch the show can catch a rerun on Saturday morning at 8 a.m.

The first Sacramento-area restaurant to be featured was Broderick. If you missed their episode or are a cable cutter like me, you can catch a clip on FYI.TV.

Dowtown and Vine is located at 1200 K Street, and can be found online at http://downtownandvine.com/.

* Photo via the Downtown & Vine Facebook Page.

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Fish tacos with trimmings is a lunchtime go-to - After lunch, we agreed its version of Baja-style fish tacos is one of the best we’ve had in the area. The three mini-flour tortillas overflow with crispy beer-battered fish topped with shredded cabbage, salsa and chipotle aioli. With them are a heap of flavorful cilantro-infused rice and a bowl of savory black beans topped with crumbles of queso fresco. Oh, and guacamole and chips, too. A big meal for $12.50, easily shared. Allen Pierleoni in the Sac Bee.

Assistance League buys building, will relocate thrift store in 2015 - The nonprofit’s new building had been home to Waffle King’s and Machu Picchu, an American breakfast diner that transforms into a Peruvian restaurant as the day progresses. The quirky restaurant, which received a favorable review in The Bee in June, is moving to 5825 Winding Way. Stott recalled that the site also once was home to the Coral Reef restaurant, the Tiki-style landmark that closed in 1994. Cathie Anderson in the Sac Bee.

Take a bit of Italy with you at this Elk Grove deli - What do you call long sandwiches on soft rolls stuffed with Italian meats and cheese, veggies and often a squirt of oil and vinegar dressing? They go by many names around the United States: hoagie, grinder, submarine sandwich, hero, dagwood and wedge, to name just a few. In Sacramento, we have plenty of shops that sell excellent versions of these hearty sandwiches -- Sampino’s, Corti Brothers, Roxie Deli and the like. Now Elk Grove has an Italian delicatessen as well, and it’s on par with not only those in Sacramento, but even some in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood. Andrea Thompson in Sac Biz Journal.

Try It: Ink Eats & Drinks' Grapefruit Martini - Ink Eats & Drinks is one of midtown’s most distinctive dining and drinking establishments. Despite its vibrant, tattoo-inspired artwork and edgy, urban vibe, I’ve found it to be equally warm and welcoming to families and the 50-plus crowd as it is to its young, garrulous (and often tatted) regulars.  Kira O'Donnell in Sac Mag.

Dad's Kitchen: Take a family vacay to Flavortown - The cooking here is consistent and at times technically terrific. There are plenty of brews on tap for beer nerds to quaff. It’s a comfortable place to get comfortable with American food plus a good beer or two. Jonathan Mendick in Sac News & Review.

The Cultured & The Cured, a the cute cheese and cured meats shop in East Sac, got its liquor late last week, it announced on Twitter.

I stopped by on Sunday to see what they were doing with their new license.

Initially, the plan is to serve California wines and beer. The emphasis will be selling alcohol to be consumed on the premises, although they may have a small selection of wine for sale if you're looking to buy some vino to go with the bread and cheese you got to go.

While thier tap wasn't installed yet on Sunday, it should be installed mid-week. They plan to start by serving beer from North Coast Brewery.

Unfortunatly, you'll only be able to partake in alcohol inside the limited seating their store offers and not yet on the patio. One of the reasons is that the government requires that outdoor drinking be done in an enclosed space, and there's no fence surrouding their modest patio yet.

But even without outdoor drinking, it's a good addition to an already awesome little neighborhood store. I only wish they'd open one closer to where I live.

The Cultured & The Cured is located at 3644 J Street and can be found online at http://culturedandcured.com/.

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Patrick Mulvaney Op Ed: Climate change affects restaurant menus today - I worry that extreme weather, like California’s drought, may become the new normal. Our agricultural partners face the greatest risks. Many businesses will experience climate change through limited supply and poor supply-chain quality...Now is the time to continue California’s clean-energy leadership tradition by implementing changes that encourage business leaders to use resources more efficiently. This will help prevent more extreme weather events and make our economy more resilient. Patrick Mulvaney in the Sac Bee.

LowBrau founders bringing new restaurant to West Sacramento riverfront - Michael Hargis, Clay Nutting and chef Michael Tuohy will bring their midtown magic to the riverfront, introducing what Nutting describes as an “urban farm kitchen and beer garden” concept to The Barn. The yet-to-be-named eatery is slated to open with The Barn, itself tentatively scheduled to make its debut as the centerpiece of The Bridge District development along the Sacramento River in spring 2015. S.T. Vanairsdale in Sactown Mag.

LowBrau owners plan West Sacramento eatery, beer garden - The owners of midtown’s LowBrau are eyeing a project that will bring a new set of food and drink options to West Sacramento’s riverfront. Restaurateurs Clay Nutting and Michael Hargis are overseeing an eatery and beer garden that will be embedded in The Barn, a $5.6 million outdoor venue developed by Fulcrum Property of Sacramento. The two are joined in the venture by Michael Tuohy, the executive chef of LowBrau and its sister restaurant, Block Butcher Bar. Chris Macias in the Sac Bee.

Cool off with some of Ginger Elizabeth's intense ice cream offerings - You have three more chances to try a sundae at Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates in midtown before ice cream season ends. On the second Saturday of each month from May through October, visitors can order her unique sundaes, and tomorrow is this month’s special day. Saturday’s sundae has raw milk ice cream, salty Marcona almond sherbert, whipped Saint-André cheese, local plum compote, caramelized pie crust, and Chantilly cream. Need I say more? Andrea Thompson in Sac Biz Journal.

Pizza, pizza - The fusion joint Chicago’s Pizza (4391 Gateway Park Boulevard, Suite 600 in Natomas) is also now open in the former Pannu’s Pizza Palace place. It serves up similar Indian-style pies, such as chicken tikka masala pizza, veggie curry pizza and even a Chicago deep-dish pizza that matches its name. Jonathan Mendick in Sac News & Review.

Roseville's Flame & Fire, an all you can eat Brazillian steakhouse opened in June, and the Sac Bee's Blair Anthony Robertson gives the restaurant its first restaurant critic review.

The meat is roasted over an open flame and has that hearty, seared and charred kind of texture and flavor. Most of it is cooked in the medium to medium-well range. It is good food, but it does not compare to a high-quality rib-eye or buttery-tender filet mignon cooked to perfection (or specification) and served as the focal point of a well-organized plate.

If you are looking for that, a traditional steakhouse will be more to your liking. You can focus on a single dish and won’t feel obligated to eat beyond your comfort zone...

In the end, if you’re the right kind of person – a hearty eater looking for something a little different and only slightly exotic – you’re going to be a fan of Flame and Fire.

Read the entire review in the Sac Bee.

I had not paid a visit to the place yet, but coincidentally, in the last week, I made plans with friends to give the place a try in the near future. I'll let you know how it goes.

Flame & Fire is located at 963 Pleasant Grove Blvd. in Roseville and can be found online at http://www.flameandfire.com/.

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Johnny Carino’s Closes Abruptly in Natomas - Johnny Carino’s Italian Restaurant in Natomas has closed. Workers at the Truxel Road restaurant were reportedly given 24 hours notice prior to the closure. Yesterday, August 11 was the Natomas eatery’s last day of business. On Natomas Buzz.

Dunkin’ Donuts to Open First Northern California Store Aug. 26 - Pretty soon, many in Modesto will be “running on Dunkin’”, when a Dunkin’ Donuts opens this month. The East Coast coffee chain is opening their first Northern California location on August 26 at 1320 Standiford Avenue in Modesto. Sam Cohen on FOX 40.

Bacon & Butter set to reopen this month in Tahoe Park - Flapjack fanatics, mark your calendars: The highly anticipated new Tahoe Park location of Bacon & Butter—chef-owner Billy Zoellin’s beloved breakfast and lunch eatery previously located in midtown—is finally on track to open by the end of this month after receiving key permits from city inspectors. Stephanie Towne in Sactown Mag.