Cook Here and Now

Marco's Farmers Market Watch: November 24th

Buongiorno
Our first event at the San Francisco Baking Institute was a great success. Thanks to all the participants! We'll do it again in the spring, and by popular demand, I'll teach another pizza-making class at my place sometime between now and then.

What I found this week:

Chestnuts (and fresh walnuts) are available on many stands (see above). Never eat them raw, because they're hard to digest unless fully cooked. Try these recipes from About.com -- one of my very favorites is the Chestnut ravioli.

Brussels sprouts. This time of year you can find them on their pretty tree-like stalks, but it takes quite a bit of work to separate the individual florettes for cooking. So unless you have help, stick with the loose ones already cut from their stalks. Recipes from Allrecipes and Epicurious.

Portobellos (which are just regular white mushrooms left to mature longer) and most other mushrooms are available wild and cultivated this time of year. They make a flavorful, meaty focal point in local, seasonal meals. Get adventurous with the many available kinds on the stands, and try these recipes from Allrecipes and Epicurious.

Calamansi citrus. These are the most popular citrus fruit in the Philippines, and
with a tantalizing flavor profile between a tangerine, a Kaffir lime and a Meyer lemon, I can see why. Jeremy mentioned that because of their tart flavor, they made great sorbet. Give this one a try.

For all you Niman Ranch burger fanatics, there are great dills out there ready to be pickled.
Here are some pickling recipes from Allrecipes.

The Hmong farmers are bringing in this most amazing pumpkin-like squash that makes the best pie and risotto, as if the flavor had been concentrated. Make sure it's bright orange inside: trial and error has taught me that too light of a color means too light of a flavor. Recipes from Allrecipes or Epicurious.

Wonderfully spicy, colorful radishes of all denominations, from Red King to Daikon to Spanish black. Get creative with them in salads and with raw fish; recipes from Epicurious and Allrecipes.

Eggman honey. I'm very fond of their honey, especially the full-bodied Wildflower one that complements my breakfast breads wonderfully. The Alfalfa and Orange Blossom varieties have lighter flavor profiles excellent for baking. Treat yourself to a taste-test.

A presto,
Marco Flavio

Marco's Farmers Market Watch: November 11th

Buongiorno.
We're one week away from our dinner and there's still some excellent summer produce. I spoke with Libby from 2 Dog Farms, and she said that next Saturday is their last day at the market -- just in time to get the last dry-farmed tomatoes for our pizzas!

What I found this week:

Fuyu Persimmons are finally ready (see above) for the desserts you're making for us on Sunday... hint hint. Recipes from Allrecipes and Epicurious.

We still have summer squash and zucchini on the stands. Unbelieveble!
You have to love California. Enjoy them while they last...
Allrecipes and Epicurious for more recipes.

Heirloom Boomsdale spinachn -- so sweet, not a hint of bitterness. Even your kids will love it. (Really.) Recipes on Allrecipes.com or Epicurious.

Here they are: The last organic cherry tomatoes of the season, radiant as ever. According to Tomatero farms, we have about 1-2 weeks left ... then it's goodbye until June.

Several cauliflower varietals are available -- don't forget that while the orange ones stay that color after cooking, the purple ones do turn grey. Here are some recipes from Allrecipes or Epicurious.

Fresh Napa cabbage is available. It's an excellent alternative to cabbage, since its flavor is milder and it can be used raw in salads and stir fries. Recipes from Allrecipes and Cooks.com.

Daikon is here (aka Japanese radish). Reminds me of when I was living in Tokyo, where it oftentimes it accompanies sushi in its pickled form. You can eat the leaves too -- but do it quickly, because they don't store well in the refrigerator.

Leeks are plentiful. Nothing like a creamy potato and leek soup accompanied by a rustic, crusty bread to warm you when the weather turns cold and dreary.

A presto,
Marco Flavio

 

Let's cook and eat together: Sunday November 18th - ALL SLOTS FULL

Buongiorno,
Thank you. All our slots are full.
If your name is not listed in the comments section of the previous post, please stay tuned -- we'd love to have you next time. If you wish to be on the waiting list, please leave your email address and name as a comment to this post. I'll contact you if anyone cancels. Last dinner we did have three or four, and other people stepped in.

Ciao e grazie mille,
Marco Flavio

Let's cook and eat together: Sunday November 18th

Buongiorno.
We're ready for our November fall dinner -- and we've been invited to cook at the San Francisco Baking Institute! Thanks to Brian for the kind invitation.

We'll be featuring pizzas created with Northern California fall ingredients and baked in the wood-fired oven -- up for the challenge?

Be creative: come up with a recipe that combines seasonal vegetables with Northern California cheeses and meats for your toppings (please use free-range meats). There's a great selection of Northern California mozzarellas and goat cheeses at Rainbow (I often use Calabro's). Prime topping options this time of year include mushrooms, sweet potatoes, potatoes, artichokes, eggplant, leeks, squash and walnuts.

For your reference, here are my posts on thin-crust pizza and pizza Margerita. There was also a great article on SFgate.com about cooking in wood fired ovens 3 weeks ago. Go take a look.

Anyone not signed up for pizza: gas ovens and 6-8 gas and electric burners will also be available for your creations. Fruit will be apples, pomegranates and persimmons.

A presto,
Marco Flavio

The plan
35-40 of us will cook and eat together on November 18th, starting at 2:30.

The dinner will be in South San Francisco at the San Francisco Baking Institute.

We're expanding registration to 45 people, and I'm keeping at least 8 spots for newcomers to ensure everyone gets a chance to join us (we usually fill the spots in less than a day).
Every person coming (including any guest you bring) will have to sign up for a slot and either cook something or provide local wine and beer (if beverages slots are available, see below).

Since participation is limited, please let us know at least four days before the dinner if you're not going to be able to make it, so we can invite someone else to join us. Emailing me on shorter notice (or not at all) is unfair to everyone, especially the people who wanted to participate and couldn't because all the slots were taken.

We'll divide the meal plan this way:

5 teams of 2 people will make 3-4 pizzas each (including some vegetarian options) ALL SLOTS TAKEN
5 participants will make main courses for 3-4 people each (including some vegetarian options) 1 SLOT LEFT
6 participants will make appetizers for 8 people each ALL SLOTS TAKEN
8 participants will make salads for 8 people each  ALL SLOTS TAKEN
8 participants will make dessert for 8-10 people each  ALL SLOTS TAKEN
8 participants will bring at least 2 bottles of good *locally produced* wine and some *locally-brewed* beer. Consider that most cooks spend $25-50 (and up!) just on their ingredients. If you're not cooking, you should be prepared to spend at least this much on beverages, out of respect for your chefs. ALL SLOTS TAKEN
3 participants will bring non-alcoholic beverages for 20 (sparkling water and juices, locally produced when possible) 1 SLOT LEFT

Please let me know who is coming by name. Once we reach 45 people confirmed, I will close the event and start another post for the waiting list. If the slots are full for what you'd like to bring, please choose something else instead. (Don't worry: There will always be another event to showcase your skills.)

So post a comment on the blog (do NOT email me directly) under the call-for-participation post letting me know the following:
First and last name
Email address
What you'll be bringing (appetizer, main course, etc.) 
If you brought wine last time, you should now cook something (unless you cooked as part of a couple and made a large entree).

If too many people pick the same course, I'll have to assign a different course to the last entrant.
If the votes are tied for ingredients, I'll flip a coin.

This is going to be great! So sign up before the spaces are gone.

A presto,
Marco Flavio

Marco's Farmers Market Watch: November 3rd

Buongiorno.
I just came back from New York but managed to get my act together to hit the Alemany market this morning and start organizing our cooking event at the San Francisco Baking Institute on November 18th. Stay tuned early this week for the sign-up post. Show of hands: who's up for a real brick-oven pizza?
Ciao,
Marco Flavio

What I found this week:
Gorgeous (see above) herbal-spicy organic watermelon and Spanish radishes add an unexpected burst of flavor and color to your fall salads. Recipes from Epicurious and Allrecipes.

Artichokes are starting to taste good. Remember when you pick them they should feel nice and firm; if they're soft, you'll get a lot of fuzz in the core. When you get them home, cut 1/8" from the stem and stand them in water -- they are flower buds, after all. Enjoy some recipes from Allrecipes or Epicurious.

Celery root (aka celeriac) is available again. This is the root of a particular kind of celery grown only for its bulbous root, which is ideal for flavoring and thickening soups and stock. Try it pureed with a steak instead of mashed  potatoes, and throw in some watermelon radish instead of horeseradish for seasonal spice. Recipes from Epicurious and Allrecipes.

Baby eggplants (the size of a golf ball) are just begging for stews, soups, or roasting with small potatoes. Let's try some roasted eggplants on our pizzas at the upcoming event at the San Francisco Baking Institute, too... eggplant recipes from Allrecipes or Epicurious. 

Organic dried cherries for $6 a pound: You know your cereal bowl needs some of this action.

The new crop of seedless Satsumas is here. They're not perfect -- a little tart still -- but already quite good. Make sure you sample before you buy, since the degree of ripeness varies significantly from vendor to vendor.

Good news: The first kiwis of the season are in. Many are still very hard, so chop an apple in quarters and mix the pieces with the kiwis. The ethylene released by the apple will ripen the kiwis in 3-4 days, without imparting any apple flavor. After that, store your kiwi in the refrigerator or eat the whole bag at one sitting (ahem). Recipes from Allrecipes and Epicurious.

California-grown organic pineapple guavas (aka feijoa) are available just in time to prevent fall colds, since they're very rich in Vitamin C. They have the consistency of an unripe banana, and the flavor is as advertised -- I like them best as a post-run treat.

Enjoy!
Marco Flavio