See the image above? This is all that’s left of my summer. It’s cold and we’re in the middle of an absolute downpour. While I believe some people enjoy the seasons with the rattle of autumn leaves on the sidewalk and the brisk air that invades your nasal cavity, I’m not convinced, yet. Yeah, yeah I know. We don’t have real winter here (no snow). But I don’t like being caged in the house. I like my doors and windows open 24/7. I enjoy meandering through the garden wearing my cutoffs & t-shirt. And I’ve promptly been removed of the solace of firing up the pit and grilling some tasty treats. At least I have my memories of summer and I have Fatted Calf to give me hope of a brighter (warmer) season.
They’ve got a good lineup this week filled with savory goodness. One of which being the Duck Sausage, I’ll be getting another package of those. Luckily the crepinettes this week have red wine soaked figs and hazelnuts, yumbo. To finish it up, nothing pulls me from my funk like a nice salumi product of some kind. I usually get the Petit Sec Aux Herbs for breakfast at the market, it’s a little herby meat stick.
I can hardly wait for Saturday morning! YAY !!! See, I’m feeling better already. And as a parting thought I can hardly wait to see what Meat Technology Taylor & Toponia & Friends brought back from Paris last week. It won’t show up at this coming weekend’s market, but soon. I’ll just have to chew on a hunk of Pate Maison until it hits.
If you’d like to reserve your goodies please use their Order Form. Ya’ll take care and hope to see you at the market, rain or shine.
Please continue on to read Kim O’Neill’s Fatted Calf Newsletter, The Original.
Fatted Calf
Phone/Fax (510)653-4327
Brace yourselves. Taylor and Toponia have just returned from Paris where they made a quick, between-holidays “eating trip”. Imagine it. Two charcuterie makers, and two lucky, lucky friends, out on “le town”, searching high and low for delicious inspiration, delectable goodies made from pigs, cows and ducks. Imagine the wine flowing, the fevered, meat-focused conversation. Imagine the foie gras. Sure, there were car fires. Yeah, there was snow. But that didn’t stop our heroes from checking out every market, each fromagerie, every bistro and brasserie and boite, in search of even the tiny ideas, the crisping of a skin, the subtlety of a seasoning, the shmearing of some rillettes. Oh, it may take a little while for this new meat-knowledge to manifest itself on the market menu in any tangible way. Things have to settle, to marinate. But in the meantime there is Hoffman Farm Quail stuffed with boudin blanc & chestnuts, duck sausage w ith kirsch and pork crepinettes with red wine soaked figs & hazelnuts. Sure, Taylor and Toponia could’ve gone to Hawaii, lazed on the beach, and eaten fish and fruit. (Doesn’t sound too bad, actually). But, instead of taking a break from meat, they embraced the meat. For you. Happy Holidays!
Saturday, December 3, 2005
SPECIAL
Hoffman Farm Quail stuffed with boudin blanc and braised chestnuts
Sausage
Pork Crepinettes with red wine soaked figs and hazelnuts
Duck Sausage
Calabrese
Sweet Italian
Toulouse
Mexican Style Chorizo
Breakfast Sausage
Basque Links
Boudin Noir
Pates, Confits & Terrines
Pate Maison
Duck Liver Mousse
Rabbit Pate
Duck Confit
Duck Rillettes
Pork Rillettes
Pork Confit
Salumi
Fegatelli
Petit Sec Aux Herbes
Pancetta
Mortadella
Toscano
Finocchiona
Other Meaty Goods
Glace de Viande
Duck Demi
Bacon
Tonno di Maiale
Sugo di Carne
Winter sucks. That’s all I am saying on the subject.
Nah, you boys have it all wrong. Big jugs of beer, roasted haunches of meat out in the open, freezing you knackers off and then walking into a warm pub. Man, that’s the good stuff.
What’s a knacker? Do I have one? I hope not.
Hey Cookie,
As near as I can tell, most everyone has knackers. Cause if it gets cold, that’s the first thing to go, no matter whose you be.
Got me some Duck sausage.
Biggles
No, dolling. I have “knockers.” Still don’t know what a knacker is.
(Ooh, we just discovered Fabrique Delices, from Hayward. Got some serious duck sausage. Went in the turkey stuffing.)
As far as I can tell they may have something to do with brass monkeys, which also suffer terribly in the cold.
I don’t know what any of you are talking about, but hot toddies (and all other warm boozy drinks) are fantastic during wintertime. So bundle up, and drink up! It’s #%$&ing cold outside!
I get a lot of flack for being in Phoenix, and grilling outside all winter long, but the fact of the matter is I did it all winter when I still lived in the Midwest, too.
Of course the grill was only 6 or 7 steps from the house, but still…