Meat confessional: Hot Food Porn sloshed around in controversy yesterday the way that kid from Slumdog sloshed around in outhouse effluent. In a post about the inaccessibility of sustainably produced meat, Porn mused without offering solutions. How could he? The problems are enormous. Still, lines like the following are sure to make it a tad uncomfortable the next time Porn dons his drawstring pants to hit some Slow Food salumi tasting at 18 Reasons: It is true that we are in a predicament with the overabundance of abusive farms and unsanitary meat processing, but how are people supposed to change and adapt to a new quality purveyor source when that source is almost completely unattainable. Nicely put.
Fruit fight: In Noe Valley, where conflict is usually confined to fights over who has to drive the Prius over to Whole Foods to pick up more two percent, there's a war brewing -- over fruit. Noe Valley, SF is keeping an eye on the conflict between (allegedly) the owners of Pasta Gina on Diamond (at 24th St.) and the guys who sell flats of strawberries out on the corner (illegally, of course). As usual, reader comments are as bruising as, um, the alleged handling of the fruit guys' berries.
Today marked the first foray into S.F. for Sam' Chowder Mobile, the movable arm of Sam's Chowder House in Half Moon Bay. Since its tires hit the pavement last month, the fire-truck-red food truck has kept to the Peninsula and South Bay for private events. But Catholic Healthcare West hired Sam's to cater lunch for 150 in China Basin today: lobster rolls, fish tacos, fish and chips, chowder, crab Louie. The van is tricked out with two deep-fryers, burners, and a coffee urn filled with chowder. Imagine our surprise to see it outside our editorial offices.
Mobile operations director Juan Hurtado told SFoodie the company is still working on getting permits (majorly pricey here in the city) to park on publicly owned pavement -- no telling when that'll happen. Meantime, if you're planning to hit the Eat Real Festival in Oakland next month, you just might be able to score a bowl of peripatetic chowder.
Food Network spokesperson Lisa Krueger laid out the show's dynamics for us. As chefs, Cosentino and Sanchez are supposed to possess superior instincts for finding superior food. On the other hand, their local foodie challengers know the terrain better. "Each team begins with a clue leading them to their first food challenge," she said. Those challenges? Maybe grape-stomping at a winery, diving for sea urchins, or eating spicy-as-hell chili. Hmm.
| Shotwell's via Flickr |
| This is going to look something like an ice cream parlor on Sunday. |
Find two medium-sized peaches that give a little when you press them. Peel, cut into chunks, discard the pits and place in a blender with 6 ounces light rum, 2 ounces Cointreau, Curaçao or Triple Sec, 4 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice, 4 teaspoons superfine sugar, and lots of cracked or crushed ice. Blend until the peaches are puréed and the drink is nice and frothy.
One batch serves four people two drinks apiece. Peach daiquiris are excellent with fried prawns, the collected works of Harry Belafonte, and a gentle breeze on a warm summer's day.
| Farr, the king of chicharrones, and now of wieners. |
Farr's house-made dogs have an almost creamy texture, with a warm burr from nutmeg and other spices. Ask for your Golden Dog Dogzilla-style, and what you get is a heap of chili-dog vividness. Only instead of canned chili and grated orange cheese, 4505's version smothers the wiener with kimchi, diced red onion, and a handful of chicharrones. Wicked. Farr told us he intends to make his own kimchi eventually (today, he was using stuff he scored at Rainbow), and do house-made mustard and ketchup, too.
The Chicken Beer Sausage had a casing that popped, with a gentle aura of herbs. The gob on offer today -- an adaptation of a traditional Pennsylvania snack cake -- fused orange, cardamom, and saffron, no doubt a juxtaposition that never worked its way into any snack cake known to Pittsburgh. Farr was promising to bring 4505's chocolate-bacon cupcakes to the market today, but -- sorry, pork fat junkies -- you may have to wait till next week.
The Ferry Plaza street-food market is open Thursdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. streetside in the building's South Arcade. Photo goodness after the jump.
Chile Lindo's offerings include empanadas de pino, a mix of spicy beef (ground by hand, of course) and onions, raisins, hard-cooked egg, and pitted olives. The queso is a unique jalapeño version that adds a spicy kick to the traditionally mild Chilean empanada. Since Chile Lindo is next door to Esperpento, Tejeda has been able to arrange sangria and wine service. It's a concept that makes for easy, breezy dining while watching Mission denizens go by.
Chile Lindo is open Thursday through Sunday, 6-11:30 p.m. Place a pick-up empanada order by calling 621-6108.
