That rich, tender beefsteak you've been enjoying at Jardinière, the Slanted Door, Tartine, and other culinary hotspots comes from Prather Ranch, a 34,000-acre spread near Mount Shasta where humanely raised livestock graze on an organic diet of hay, barley, and rice. The resulting beef is dry-aged for two weeks, ensuring plenty of silky, succulent flavor. It's sold by the roast and the steak (we like the beautifully marbled boneless ribeye), but if you want to cook up a sensational burger, opt for the smoky, dry-aged, twice-ground beef (Prather grills the burgers at the Ferry Building farmers' market Tuesdays and Saturdays). The company also sources pork from Capay Valley pigs raised on organic fruits and vegetables; grass-fed lamb, buffalo, and veal from Oregon; and pasture-raised chickens from Soul Food Farm near Vacaville.

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