San Francisco Ferry Building

I spent the past weekend in San Francisco within easy walking distance of the San Francisco Ferry Building. The Ferry Plaza Farmers Market is on Saturday morning so that was my first activity of the day.

I stopped first at the Blue Bottle Coffee kiosk. They brew each cup individually to order. A fantastic cup of coffee but I didn't happen to notice what variety of coffee it was. Then I popped inside the ferry building to buy myself a new market basket. Next stop was Rancho Gordo to stock up on some of their excellent dried beans. I wanted to buy every variety they had on hand but I restrained myself and came away with Good Mother Stallard, Red Nightfall, Yellow Eye, Mayacoba, and White Corn Posole. Della Fattoria bread was next on my agenda - one Campagne and one Levain. Then a breakfast treat from Downtown Bakery - an apple filled swirl shaped roll.

There is an incredible selection of fresh produce, meats, seafood, dairy and other foods at the market. But I had to restrict myself to things that would keep without refrigeration for the next day and a half (and what I could carry in one basket!). Frog Hollow Farm had some lovely Warren pears and Apricot and Apricot Cherry conserves that went into the basket. Next I found a few crisp, sweet-tart apples that were a Braeburn-Macintosh cross from Hidden Star Orchards. A couple of gorgeous pomegranates also found their place in the basket. I could not resist a few cheeses from Andante Dairy - Variation No.1, Pecorino, Etude, and a goat log with ash. Massa Organics grows medium grain brown rice - one bag of which came home with me. A mixed variety of dates from Flying Disc Ranch also found room in the basket. And finally a bag of Tongue of Fire fresh shelling beans.

Sunday afternoon I returned to the Ferry Building to stock up on a few perishables. From Prather Ranch I picked up some flat iron and hanging tender steaks and a whole pasture raised chicken. All their meats are vacuum packed so I can just pop them straight into the freezer. At Boccalone I purchased some Brown Sugar and Fennel Salame, Soppressata di Calabria, both sweet and spicy Italian sausages, Incanto Pork Ragu, and Pickled Goathorn Peppers. And who could resist the chocolate dipped dried figs from Scharffen Berger - not me. Oh, and how did that bar of milk chocolate with sea salted almonds get in the bag too!

So, I came home with lots of good eats to look forward to in the coming days. Sunday night I had neither the time or the inclination to cook. Dinner was what I could scrounge from the fridge - the leftover caponata was great - but we did finish with some of those lovely dates with blue cheese - yum.