This week’s edition features profiles of two Peninsula women who started their own food-centric businesses.
San Carlos resident Catherine Delfino founded a French confectionary in Belmont that specializes in chocolate mousse, 1.2.3 Chocolat. Born to a French mother and British father, Catherine initially spent her childhood in Ghana before moving to Paris when she was 11. In 2003, Catherine moved with her husband and children from Europe to San Carlos, where she continued a chocolate-making hobby inspired by her mother’s cooking. When the pandemic hit, Catherine decided to leave her longtime job to focus on chocolate, starting 1.2.3 Chocolat in 2023.
And Redwood City resident Deb Lemos is the founder of Everything Sourdough, which started in 2020 as an Etsy store selling bread kits and dehydrated sourdough starter during the pandemic sourdough baking craze. Deb had already been obsessed with making sourdough products for years before the pandemic, but she launched Everything Sourdough to share her passion and expertise with the masses. About five years and 400,000+ social media followers later, Deb now teaches workshops, writes and shares recipes (she’s written a cookbook and a sourdough starter guide that are available in her Etsy store) and collaborates with companies — all in her spare time when she’s not working as Stanford University math department’s director of finance and operations.
Feeding sourdough starter,
Julia Brown
Six Fifty Editor
editor@thesixfifty.com
How a Redwood City woman’s pre-pandemic passion for sourdough baking gave rise to a burgeoning business
Launched by Deb Lemos in 2020, Everything Sourdough shares sourdough tips and recipes with over 400,000 followers on social media.
Peninsula author Betty Shamieh publishes debut novel
“Who I am and how I came to be is something I learned from the women of my family,” says Betty Shamieh. The San Carlos playwright and author discusses her debut novel “Too Soon,” which chronicles the lives of three generations of women in one Palestinian American family.
‘For the love of chocolate’: Inside this Belmont-based confectionery specializing in authentic French mousse
When someone tries a bite of chocolate mousse or other chocolate confection from Belmont company 1.2.3 Chocolat, owner Catherine Delfino is eager to note their reaction. For Delfino, cooking is part of her family heritage, and her goal with 1.2.3 Chocolat is to deliver an authentic French chocolate experience to Peninsula consumers.
Congrats to Selena T. of San Mateo, who was the first reader to correctly identify where last week’s photo was taken (it’s the Central Park playground in San Mateo!).
The first person to reply to this email with the correct place where the below photo was taken will win a prize from The Six Fifty and a shoutout in our next newsletter!
Where are we? (Photo by Magali Gauthier)
Documentary: Contemporary Indigenous Voices: March 29 Catch documentary work by artist Kirti Bassendine followed by a Q&A, part of her “Contemporary Indigenous Voices of California’s South Coast Range (CIVSCR)” project.
Bonsai Class at Blue Oak Brewing Company: April 3 Learn to select, style and care for a bonsai tree and take one home with you after this workshop.
Mosab Abu Toha: April 3 Palestinian poet, short story author and essayist Mosab Abu Toha comes to Stanford for a reading and conversation.
Metaphysical Night Market: April 4 Devil’s Canyon Brewing Company hosts The Whimsy Market for a pop-event featuring tarot readings, crystals, candles, art and more, plus food trucks and beverages.
Peninsula Libraries Comic Arts Fest: Throughout April Meet authors, attend workshops with illustrators and check out the Small Press Comics Expo in South San Francisco April 26.
Pug Yoga: April 5 Looking to change up your yoga routine and make it a bit more, well, adorable? Meet some adoptable pugs (and/or bring your own well-behaved pug along) during an hour of yoga.
BanjerDan: April 5 Santa Cruz County “banjo-centric” musician Dan Mazer – aka BanjerDan – brings his Americana sounds and humorous commentary to Mountain View.
11th Annual Silicon Valley Jewish Playwriting Contest: April 6 Audience members watch three plays and vote for their favorite in this event dedicated to celebrating new voices.
Mark Easter: April 9 Ecologist Mark Easter comes to Patagonia’s Palo Alto location to share his book “The Blue Plate: A Food Lover’s Guide to Climate Chaos.”
Plan Ahead
Bia Ferreira: April 11 Brazilian singer, songwriter and activist Bia Ferreira comes to Stanford to perform what she defines as “MMP: Música de Mulher Preta (Black Woman Music).”
Laser Queen: April 12 De Anza College’s Fujitsu Planetarium celebrates the music of Queen with a laser light show.
Parcade: Through April 13 Courthouse Square is home to a pop-up “Parcade” featuring 18-hole mini golf (including glow-in-the-dark rounds at night) and arcade games. Tickets for a special Par Crawl April 3 include a round of mini golf, arcade game credits, a DJ, photo booth and more.
Guided Walk at Bean Hollow State Beach: April 13 A State Parks educator leads a leisurely 1.5-mile hike along the coastal bluffs.
Airport Runway Run: April 13 Ever wonder what it feels like to be an airplane about to take off? Find out (well, kind of) by taking part in the annual Airport Runway Run, where runners and walkers can traverse the 2,600-foot runway of the San Carlos Airport. No wings required!
Writing Fragments Home: April 17-May 4 Catch the world premiere of “Writing Fragments Home,” a new play about a Filipino artist who must reckon with his family, heritage and past to overcome writer’s block, written by local theater regular Jeffrey Lo.
Love Our Earth Festival: April 26 This annual event brings together environmental experts, community members and local organizations for a festival all about celebrating sustainability and environmental responsibility, featuring plant-based food, hands-on activities, live entertainment and more.
Plant Sale & Craft Fair: May 4 The San Mateo Garden Center hosts a day of family activities, plants and crafts for sale, live music, raffles and more.
Park Pics Contest: Through May 5 Submit your spring photos taken at San Mateo County Parks properties for the chance to win an REI gift card.
Fields of gold: The best hikes in the 650 to see native wildflowers
From seaside daisies on the coast to poppies aplenty in Palo Alto, check out our guide to Peninsula preserves and trails showcasing the best blooms.
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