Home again, jiggity-jog
We didn’t by any plum buns or fat hogs — although we did buy both pâté maison and calabrese sausage from the Fatted Calf, so I’ll take that last one on points. But we did spend a very chilly late morning at the market Saturday. By some miracle, the dogs let us sleep until 9:30, so we were on the late shift, but still mostly alone in the artic air.
Chilaquiles? SÃ, por supuesto! (And also delicious tacos de pollo hiding under some rather insipid guacamole.) We made quick rounds of the veggie stands, admired some of the first signs of spring — plenty of blossom-studded boughs, stacks of baby onions, and buckets of tulips and calla lilies to make you glad you left your nice, warm bed.
I’m getting a chill just thinking about it, though. Damn, it was cold! Quick, inside the building, chat up the guys at Prather, flirt a bit, get a lovely flat-iron steak for the grill and one of those heritage chickens we’re hearing so much about. (That’d be $15-ish each, not per pound, thank god.) After warming up — and a stop at Miette, of course — it’s back out front to pick up chips, tortillas and Yellow Eye beans from Rancho Gordo… where Steve tells us we just missed Alan Richman from GQ and that the NY Times will be singing his praises two weeks hence. Let’s hope he remembers us when he’s well and truly famous.
All in all, a successful re-entry into San Francisco. The kitchen’s coming along nicely, too — but it’s all under tarps at the moment, so the promised update will have to wait.
In the meantime, there are more market photos here…
Comment by Steve
We’re so happy to have you back!
I promise to be even more obnoxious and swell-headed.
Richman was there about a month ago and the photographers were there on Saturday. I have doubts that my photo will make it but I find extremely funny to think I’ll be in GQ in any sense.
Posted on 02.26.07 at 10:39AM
Comment by Anita
Ah, there I go again playing fast and loose with the facts. Now that I think of it, you did say “you just missed GQ!” and then we talked about La Richman’s Nola tempest, and I confabulated the two.
And don’t kid yourself:
SonomaNapa Farmer Chic is the new black.Posted on 02.26.07 at 1:51PM
Comment by Laurie
My mom always said “To market, to market to buy a fat pig/Home again, home again, jiggety-jig.” So it took me a moment to figure out this “jiggety-jog” business. Speaking of pig, that bacon looks luscious.
Posted on 02.27.07 at 6:06AM
Comment by Anita
Same nursery rhyme actually…
Yes, I am a font of useless trivia 🙂
Posted on 02.27.07 at 7:50AM
Comment by Single Chef
I don’t know what it is about Farmer’s Markets. When I lived outside of DC, twice a month I would venture to Eastern Market and buy my groceries for the week. Sure I spent more, but it always tasted so much better. In living in Austin, it seems fresh from the farm is everywhere. You can’t beat it.
Thanks for the post!
Posted on 02.27.07 at 8:01AM
Comment by Anita
I’m probably repeating myself, but I find that — although things are more expensive at the farmers market — I don’t end up spending a lot more. I’m content with far less of the good stuff: half a Prather steak, a few perfect baby potatoes, tender spring lettuces.
For us, at least, shopping at the supermarket encourages waste: buying things we don’t need, buying too much (due to fixed package sizes), and the dreaded “let’s go out; I don’t feel like eating the crap we bought at Safeway” effect.
When I buy food directly from the farmer, I feel an obligation to treat the food with more care. Yes, I feel guilty about wasting their efforts, but I also get excited about cooking something ‘special’ in a way that I just don’t experience when I’m buying factory-farmed stuff.
Posted on 02.27.07 at 11:43AM
Comment by Single Chef
Oh, no. I completely agree. The things I pick up at farmer’s markets always tend to be handled with care and go into fantastic dishes– like a strawberry tirimasu or lamb meatballs vindaloo.
Posted on 02.28.07 at 9:05AM
Comment by Tea
I’m sorry I missed you! But your photos are fantastic.
I was there with an out of town friend and it was weird to be thrown off my normal market routine. I fear she was bored with my farmer chat habit and excessive photography. Ah well, it makes me happy.
Hope to see you next Sat.
Posted on 03.01.07 at 12:44PM