Tag Archives: local

Fort Mason’s Farmers Market

Posted on June 11, 2010 | 2 Comments

Last Sunday, June 6^th, the Fort Mason Center Farmers’ Market opened with the support of thousands of San Francisco residents including the Honorable Willie Brown, and Senator Mark Leno. It was a perfect San Francisco day for the grand opening- the sun was out strong, the fog picturesque at bay, and the aroma of fresh food filled the air.

I have been to many FM around the city, and this one has my heart won. It’s large enough for abundant variety, but small enough to not overwhelm you with choices and vendors. There was a strong sense of community and happiness. Everyone was genuinely excited to have an option to eat fresh, unprocessed food closer to home. The live cooking demonstration was intimate and educative. At the demonstration, I learned that it is best to put strawberries in a bowl full of water and swoosh them to get them clean. Also, I tasted one of the best spinach, strawberry, sweet onion salad ever. I actually am now inclined to use sweet onion in cooking.

There were organic strawberries from Watsonville, cherries from Brentwood, organic peaches from Winton, plums and apricots, blueberries from Fresno, coastal organic lettuces from Watsonville, field-cut flowers, fresh baked Parisian bread, Nicasio Valley farmstead cheese, grassfed beef from Holding Ranch, wild Pacific salmon, eggs, and more.

At the ribbon cutting ceremony, Senator Mark Leno stressed the health problems that we currently face in a society awash in processed foods. “The Fort Mason Center Farmers’ Market is an answer to that as a part of the fabric of San Francisco. This farmers’ market gives us the choice to eat healthier.”

I even had bit of a “star struck” moment when I met Chef Annie Somerville. Though, she was very kind and interested in Club Dine In!.

: The fog at bay

: $100 worth of groceries raffled!

: veggies, fruit, and artisanal goods galore!

: Honorable Willie Brown, Senator Mark Leno, Executive Director Gail Hayden

: Cooking Demo

: farm fresh spinach, strawberry, sweet onion salad

: Sample Enthusiasts

: the beauty of Spring!

: farm fresh veggies, please!

: $5 Spring Salad Mix- Dirty Boy Farms

: I went home and replicated the salad!

TIME: Every Sunday, 9:30am-1:30pm

LOCATION: Fort Mason Center, Marina & Buchanan, San Francisco

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Posted in Farmer's Market, Food News

Tagged community, farmer's market, foggy city, fort mason, Fort Mason farmers market, local, organic, seasonal, Senator Mark Leno, Willie Brown

Frances, Oh My Frances

Posted on May 27, 2010 | 2 Comments

Restaurant Review: Frances
Crowd: Polished men and women in their 30′s-60′s
Vibe: Lively and Energetic
Decor: Dim lighting, elegant yet earthy. You feel like you are at home.
Layout: Long and narrow with a very small bar
Neighborhood: On a cozy, lively neighborhood street in the Castro
Service: Unpretentious
Portion Size: Meant to be shared
Imbibe: Beer and wine only; the Market Shot is their specialty
Enjoy: Applewood-Smoked Bacon Beignets and Toasted Firebrand Brioche
Waist Slimmer: Beet Salad

Last Friday, we finally got the chance to go to the coveted Frances with our dear friend Fred. Of course, we had made reservations many weeks ago. And only then, we were able to get a table at 10PM. I love that the restaurant looks so unassuming from the outside. Actually, peering in from the window makes you want to walk into this warm, homey yet elegant place. Frances is a Club Dine In! approved restaurant. Frances supports the shortest distance between the source and the table, bringing its guests local, sustainable and organic products when available. The menu is market-driven. They also have custom blended wine on tap- $1 per ounce! Frances has garnered 3 stars from SF Chronicle and the chef/owner, Melissa Perello, has quite a few accolades under her belt. Start with the Market Shot, a custom blend of fresh juice and make sure to get the beignets. The menu is small, which isn’t always a bad thing. The options are poor for vegetarians; the Crepe Cannelloni is just okay in flavor. I thought the Toasted Firebrand Brioche was better than the highly acclaimed beignets and could not get enough of them! The seafood and meat dishes are executed finely. Someone on the table should order the lamb dish, because it’s what Chef Perello does. Skip the dessert, it’s not worth it here. The ambiance is nice and beautiful, the service perfect and overall experience worthwhile. I would go back in a heartbeat if getting a seat wasn’t such a drag.

Market Shot and Frances Red

Toasted Firebrand Brioche

Applewood-Smoked Bacon Beignets

Roasted Beet Salad

Watson Farm Lamb

Wild Mushroom Crepe Cannelloni

Smoked Steelhead Trout

Almond and Semolina Crostata

50 seats

Three very stuffed yet happy patrons!

I just tried making reservations, but nothing is available until July! Maybe, you will have better luck.

Frances l 3870 17th Street San Francisco, CA 94114 l 415-621-3870

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Posted in Restaurants

Tagged 10 Best New Restaurants in America, Baur Bump, bon appetit magazine, Castro, farm to table, Frances, Frances SF, local, market to table, Melissa Perello, Michael Baur, Open Table, SFGate

Shopping at the Farmer’s Market

Posted on May 25, 2010 | 1 Comment

Who would like fresh-off-the-farm spring veggies, free-range eggs, a beautiful bouquet of flowers, or homemade bread and jam? Let’s go to the Farmer’s Market!

Buying locally grown food is a great way to be green and get healthy, and is just a few of the reasons I shop at the FM. Through an organized FM, many communities where fresh, nutritious foods are scarce gain easy access to food. FM also promotes nutrition education, wholesome eating habits, and better food preparation, as well as boosting the community’s economy. Also, there is a whole environmental side to the FM. Eating locally grown food guarantees that local land stays in agricultural production. This, in turn, reduces the impact of transportation, use of harmful pesticides, and unfair labor practices. Steven L. Hopp proposes that “if every U.S. citizen ate just one meal a week (any meal) composed of locally and organically raised meats and produce, we would reduce our country’s oil consumption by over 1.1 million barrels of oil every week.”

There has been a misconception that people who shop at the FM must be able to purchase spendy food. The truth is that good food that’s worth eating is more expensive no matter where you purchase it. Quality produce, organics, food that hasn’t been bred more to travel than to taste good — are going to cost you more. However, I have been going to the FM for quite sometime and I usually only spend $35-40 for the entire week for two grown adults. I normally buy lots of fruits, veggies, nuts, 1-2 artisan goods, eggs and a bunch of flowers. I, also, stop by Whole Foods each week to buy milk, OJ, meat, seafood, and anything else I just could not get at the FM. Many markets have been established to provide consumers with fresh produce at lower prices than local supermarkets. In other cases the goal has been to provide fresher, superior product at competitive prices. Either way, the customer finds better value, which is defined by the relationship between product and price.

As I have said before, the FM makes me swoon. I feel like I am in a time and place where life is always simple and romantic. Somewhere like France or Italy, where I can load up my basket with a fresh loaf of crusty bread, raw honey, cheese, and wine to enjoy at nearby park with my lover .

While traveling, visiting the local FM or bazaar is a great way to experience local culture. There is nothing like stall after stall of fresh, beautiful and seasonable produce intermingled with stalls selling dried fruits and nut, cured meats and roasted chestnuts.

In conclusion, when you spend a dollar at a FM, not only have you have bought fresh local food, but you have also had an enjoyable experience, voted for your local economy, and saved farmland. The FM can be a great date place too!