Not that close to Berkeley, but in St. Helena (Napa Valley) Sunshine Foods has some organic rhubarb. Deep red and firm. $4.69.

Last night, my wife and I took door #3 at the French Laundry, asking that the sommelier pick wines by the glass for us for the meal. While what they pour by the glass certainly isn't the top end of their wine list, neither is any of it dreck. We told our waiter that our limited budget allowed $200 for wine, he passed it on to the sommelier, and we were supplied with a quite adequate stream of wines to complement the courses served over our 3+ hour meal.

Our first impulse was to take a bottle (making sure it wasn't one they have on their wine list, which is online) trying to match it with the menu (also online the day of service) and pay what is now a $75 corkage. We decided, though, that no wine we could bring would go with 9 (or 10, or 11) courses. If you're gong to blow $250 per person on food, wine is a pretty poor place to scrimp, and it was our choice that with glasses running $30-35, $200 would buy enough wine to get us through dinner. It was. More than that, getting home might have been a problem.

Even a half bottle for only two people is more of one variety than needed for one or two courses. For a party of four, several of those might be about right.

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The French Laundry
6640 Washington Street, Yountville, CA 94599