The Summer Table
A Gathering of Local Artisans and Goods
Hosted by Véra Restaurant
Photography by Coline LeConte
Located through the first floor gallery of Cura Contemporary is Véra, a new and modern restaurant in the heart of downtown Morgan Hill that exemplifies the meeting point between art and fine dining. The menu, created by Master Chef Robert Mancuso and executed by Chef Diego Martinez, includes a range of options from chilled seafood to artisan cheeses, paired with a curated selection of local and international wines and craft cocktails, created by award-winning bartender Robin Wolf. All dishes and drinks are updated frequently, reflecting each season.
Cura Contemporary is a new art center and gallery. The name Cura derives from Latin, meaning help or care, reflecting their commitment to supporting artists while enriching the lives of the people in their community. In addition to monthly exhibitions, they offer free and affordable workshops for children, as well as workshops taught by professional artists.
Designed to be a work of art itself, the Edes Building features architectural elements that come together to create a striking, sculpture-like exterior inspired by the local landscape of Morgan Hill and El Toro Peak.
Please join us at Véra for our Summer Issue Release Party on Saturday, June 28, from 11am to 1pm
Visit & Eat: Tuesday-Sunday, 17395 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill Véra: Open for lunch and dinner. 408.778.1801 verarestaurant.com | Cura Contemporary: 408.778.1800 curacontemporary.com
1. Amy Torgeson, Cascade, monotype, relief and screen print collage on panel, 2024
Amy Torgeson lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and two children. Her work explores the collaborative relationship between printmaking and collage. She is drawn to low-tech methods that reflect two values she hopes to display in her work: accessibility and approachability.
2. Roxanne’s Biscotti. Handcrafted in small batches in Morgan Hill, Roxanne Vinciguerra makes her biscotti and granola with the finest-quality, locally sourced ingredients. When Roxanne’s Biscotti is at the farmers market she directs people to the other vendors she has sourced from, which nods to the relationship-building and support she has for other local small businesses. When she creates special flavors, she looks to what the local farms have available.
Her biscotti are crunchy yet not break-your-teeth hard so you can enjoy with or without dunking. Her granola is made with thick-cut oats providing a nice texture. All with low sugar content, meaning the only thing overly sweet is the joy you feel from eating her goodies. roxannesbiscotti.com
3. KoopHaus Apiaries. A family-owned and -operated bee farm located in Morgan Hill, KoopHaus Apiaries is dedicated to helping bees through education, habitat creation and building pollinator gardens. They care for bees and support beekeepers while producing honey and beeswax candles.
The husband-and-wife team, Arthur and Christine Kubogamell, has received a Good Food Award for their Morgan Hill Wildflower Honey and has been a Good Food Award finalist for their Cinnamon Creamed Honey. New to their lineup is a limited-production Whiskey Barrel Aged Honey. They procured a whiskey barrel from a local distillery and aged the honey in it for three months. Think “next level” next time you whip up a cocktail or put a cheeseboard together. koophausapiaries.com
4. Josie Jurczenja, Blue Flower Handles Vase, ceramic, 2025
Josie Jurczenja, Poppy/Lattice Jardiniere, ceramic, 2025
Josie Jurczenja is a multimedia artist, educator, mother and grandmother. Based in Berkeley and Woodstock, NY, Josie merges her passion for ceramics and textiles to create functional objects that look beautiful on a table, feel good in the hand and weave joy into daily experiences.
5. Abiam Alvarez, Assorted Bud Vases, 3D-printed ceramic, 2024
Abiam Alvarez is a sculptor and teacher in Gilroy. His sculptures, inspired by his childhood spent in Guanajuato, Mexico, honor farmworkers by showcasing the fruits of their labor. Recently, Abiam has been exploring 3D-printed ceramic vessels that emphasize pattern and how glazes interact with designs.
6. Soul Patch Kombucha. This South Bay original small-batch and probiotic-rich kombucha comes in fun and fresh rotating flavors, craft brewed by two local public school educators. It can be found at Silicon Valley farmers markets.
“Groovy Guava,” their flagship flavor, and “Mango Sunset” with mango and ginger, are year-round options to “nourish your body and feed your soul.” They also feature seasonal flavors like “So Fresh So Green” with cucumber, calamansi and lime, popular during the spring and summer; and “Lyberry,” a combination of lychee and strawberry, available from June through October. The flavors are fun and the drinks are so tasty that you might forget you’re drinking something so good for you. soulpatchfoods.com
