by Gwen O’Neill

Photo courtesy of Amber Rose.

June 2011 — Gro Farm Fresh is a baby food company that brings “farm-to-highchair” freshness and nutrition from local farms to the doorsteps of babies around the San Francisco Bay Area. Amber Hart, executive chef and owner of Amber Rose Catering in Montara, has planted the seed and is tending the sprouts of a new division of Amber Rose.

Hart founded Amber Rose Catering to prepare cuisine using the freshest, most delicious and nutritious ingredients. And now that she’s expanding into baby food, she only uses locally harvested produce that is organic and sustainably grown for her Gro Farm Fresh products. She has been passionate about her private chef service and now her eyes light up as she fine tunes the plans for the baby food service.

How the Seed was Planted

Hart is returning to the kitchen and her catering business after taking time off with her newest family member, a beautiful baby girl named Chloe Lynne. Chloe — Greek for “young green shoot” — inspired Hart to make fresh baby food from fruits and vegetables she finds at local farms and farmers markets. Traveling up and down the coast to find produce that’s in-season and at its peak of freshness can be time-consuming, but she is enthusiastic about it.

Chef Amber Rose. Photo courtesy of Brooke Duthie Photography.

“It’s like a treasure hunt … and now that I have built relationships with some of the farms, it’s become much easier to find the best of what’s out there throughout the year,” Hart says. When fresh produce is unavailable during off seasons, she uses frozen peas, dried apricots and similar options.

Photo courtesy of Amber Rose.

Through conversations with friends and clients of her catering business, she realized that while people want fresh healthy baby food, they simply don’t always have the time to drive to the farmstand, select the freshest ingredients, come home, prep everything, jar the food, and clean everything up. Work, life and baby take up so much of the day that it’s hard for many folks to find time to make their own fresh baby food. And while some organic baby foods are available on the store shelf, many contain added salt or other ingredients to preserve them that babies don’t need. They often use cooking methods that may remove vital nutrients from the food, or just simply don’t look very appetizing.

After comparing the available options for store-bought baby food and noting the stark differences in color, taste and smell of store-bought vs. fresh-made, Hart committed to preparing her own baby food for Chloe and is making this farm-to-highchair experience available to other parents around the bay.

Baby Food for Great-Grandpa?

The idea for Gro Farm Fresh baby food was inspired by the birth of Hart’s daughter. But as she discussed the idea with family and friends, it became apparent that the same quality and style of food could benefit baby, mom and even grandparents. Her aunt, who is recovering from cancer, pointed out that many store-bought items are highly processed and hard to digest and that simple, nutrient-packed purees like Gro Farm Fresh baby food would be great for cancer patients or others who require easily-digestible, easy-to-eat nutritious options. As Hart talked with her family, it occurred to them that even great-grandpa who is having difficulty with chewing and swallowing could benefit from Gro Farm Fresh products, again requiring nutrient-packed and easy-to-eat foods.

Gro Farm Fresh Delivery

© Alena Brozova | Dreamstime.com

Gro Farm Fresh baby foods are prepared as close to the day of harvest as possible to maximize nutrient content and freshness. Gro Farm Fresh baby food contains only fresh fruits and vegetables, a bit of water if needed — and it’s made with minimal processing of those ingredients. It is intended to remain unfrozen and should be consumed as soon as possible to maximize freshness and nutrients for baby.

Deliveries are made weekly along the San Mateo County coast, in San Mateo and in San Francisco. To learn more about Gro Farm Fresh deliveries for baby or for any other family member that could benefit from farm-fresh purees, call Hart at 831-359-0502 or email amber@amberrosechef.com.