Fatted Calf Savory Pork Sausage with Morel Mushrooms. Please notice that I pan fried these and the skins are intact and perfect, easy if you take your time and watch your tending.
The Fatted Calf newsletter rolled in this morning. I’ve been busy with the contest here and didn’t get a chance to check out the menu for this coming Saturday’s Berkeley Farmer Market. Heh, I wish I had. Ya know, I feel kinda odd being so darned enthused each week about what these fine people have put together us. Surely it must get old and the food can’t possibly be this good. Just between you and me? It probably does get old and yes it is, the food is this good. This week’s special? Guinea Hen Roulade with sage and prosciutto. My legs just got all goosepimply, MmmMmm, goose. Usually they put the fine G. Hen in to a country style pate, one of my favorites. But this week it’s a roulade (kinda sliced open stuffed and rolled back up). I’m sure this would be wonderful in the smoker, on the grill (a tad indirect) or in the oven. When you stop by the market, ask Taylor or Toponia how to best cook these little dears.
Next up we have one of my favorites, the Crepinette. This is a fancy sausage patty that’s wrapped in caul fat (fatty webbing that bastes as it cooks). This week they’re sportin’ some cumin, mint and orange zest. I want them so bad right now. Gout or no, Biggles will be tasting these and the Guinea Hen Roulade.
I noticed the Mortadella on the menu, if you’re a fan? Don’t pass this up, Fatted Calf is skilled in the wily ways of the ‘della.
Please click on and read the Fatted Calf Newsletter not written by me, it was written by Kim O’Neill.

We’ve never been the one for a super fancy, uber-fine dining kind of experience. Oh, we love to eat, you must know that by now, and we love food in all of its’ yummy, yummy forms. But certain kinds of foods (and certain kinds of restaurants) appeal to us more than others, and for the most part, the finer fine dining doesn’t do it for us. Unless it’s free. And, as it so happens, last week we got an invitation to have dinner for 2 at a notoriously fancy joint. And we don’t turn our noses up at free too often.
As it happens, this particular establishment is right across from where we first lived in SF as a poor twenty-something, and we would occasionally glance out the window as the limos would pull up one after the other, dropping off patrons dripping in pearls, all coifed and patent-leathered. We idly assumed this would never be us. Well, fast forward a (ahem) few years, and it sort’ve was us. Only, the pearls were fake and the leather was not patented kind. Oh, we dined. Our worries about stiff waiters and not having good-enough manners soon melted into velvet banquettes and courses and courses and courses. What did we eat? Lots of tiny bits of LOTS of different things. Certain impressions float to the surface and shimmer there for a minute, but the whole thing was so…..ephemeral. Yup, there were truffles and foie gras and caviar, and things we had only ever read about like ancho Chile foam and porcini mushroom powder and curry oil. Another lovely thing t o drink with each change of the plate. Really, honestly, not as bad, or weird, or uncomfortable as we thought it would be. Kinda delicious. Kinda overwhelming. Our very favorite thing was the cheese course, and you know why? Beautiful products, made in small batches by people who love what they do, full flavors, amazing textures, and simple, simple. It made us realize that everything we ever wanted (culinarily, that is) was right in our own back yard. Right up the street. And where is it for you? The Berkeley Farmer’s Market. The Ferry Building Farmer’s Market, this Saturday. Need more information? The Fatted Calf Charcuterie stall, silly. Check the Guniea Hen Special. Made with love by people you know.
Saturday, July 30, 2005
SPECIAL
Guinea Hen Roulade with sage and prosciutto
Sausage
Lamb Crepinettes with Cumin, Mint and Orange Zest
Merguez
Calabrese
Sweet Italian
Toulouse
Mexican Style Chorizo
Breakfast Sausage
Bordelaise
Beer Brats
Savory Pork Sausage with Greens
Wieners
Pates, Confits & Terrines
Guinea Hen Terrine
Pate Maison
Duck Confit
Duck Rillettes
Pork Rillettes
Salumi
Fegatelli
Petit Sec Aux Herbes
Pancetta
Mortadella
Other Meaty Goods
Duck Demi
Glace de Viande
Sugo di Carne
Bacon