Unless you grew up with goats, there's a good chance you know little of them beyond that occasional creamy cheese you lick from your sandwich wrapper. Goatlessness is a sad condition of urban dwelling, but it doesn't have to be. Goats are wonderful beasts -- intelligent, playful, and picky eaters who get sidelined in the public imagination as mindless garbage-munching creatures.
As one would expect, Northern California is rife with advocates who are ready to change our minds about that, and they'll be here Saturday to feed you and teach you about the glory of goats and all they produce at the Fifth Annual Goat Festival. The festival is the project of CUESA, the Ferry Building Marketplace, and the Northern California Makers of Goat Milk Products.
See also: Watch Talking Goats Dressed as Elves Sell California Goat Cheese
"Ooooh, I wonder what that is," people whisper to each other when you order it. The assertive even ask: "Excuse me? What is that?" Everyone loves exclusivity. We all can't be invited to Michael Bauer's secret holiday party like some of the city's top chefs, but we can at least console ourselves with the fun little off-the-menu item from the Blue Bottle stall inside of the Ferry Building.
At this point you might be saying to yourself: "Oh, are you talking about the Gibraltar? Almost everyone knows about that. What's so exclusive about that off-the-menu beauty?" Well, you're wrong. Yes, the Gibraltar -- an espresso and milk concoction served in a short glass -- is great, but you know what's better? The Waffle-gato (also Waffo-gato, What-a-gato, and Waffle-gate-o). This isn't some oddball item using a cat as an ingredient, but rather a combination of Blue Bottle's affogato and their sweet Liege waffle, and while it's not a new invention by any means, it is one of the best versions in the city.
See also: Blue Bottle's New Small Lot Coffee Series
