Category: Misc

The Rancho Gordo Store
First, the big news: We've signed a lease for a much bigger place here in Napa. The new location is closer to downtown, even walkable from the Oxbow Public Market, and best of all, there's room for a retail store. So sometime this spring, we'll have an official retail space here in Napa. I'm really excited, for many reasons, but maybe mostly because all of my Mexican movie posters will finally have a home!

Tortillas and Tortilla Chips
As our farmers market customers have noticed, we've had a major problem with the tortillas. I think we have it solved, and with the store mentioned above, we might be really amping up production. Most of the farmers who grow the beans for our Rancho Gordo-Xoxoc project also grow corn, so I'm thinking it would be wild to offer tortillas and masa made from the heirloom varieties these small farmers are growing. In fact, I think it could be huge. I'll keep you posted as this develops.

Manresa Does Iron Chef
Chef David Kinch of Manresa, who wrote that thoroughly inspired recipe for my book Heirloom Beans, will be on Iron Chef on March 15. I'll be honest, the charm of this show eludes me, but I think it'll be a real kick to see David do his thing on TV!

In The Media
*Michael Ruhlman's piece for Cooking Light in March is about 5 Food trends and Heirloom Beans come in at number five. I'm proud to be quoted in the piece.
*I taped a segment for the always rather excellent Spendid Table and it will be broadcast March 28th.
*I'll be interviewed live on Thursday, March 12th with Sandy Gluck on Martha Stewart Living
Radio's Everyday Food.

Those pushy Canadians! Every day there's at least one (and often more) emails from Canadians wanting beans. We can hardly keep up with what we're doing, how the heck can we service Canada, too?

Well, I had a meeting with UPS today and it looks like we'll being shipping north within a month. You'll need to be gentle with us as we start this but it looks like it should be pretty straightforward and easy. We'll see.

Elizabeth and Sophie will be at ferry plaza tomorrow but the tortilla making machinery is down for annual maintenance so we won't have tortillas (or chips) for two weeks.

I was reading someone write about Rancho Gordo beans and they described them as exotic. I love being part of the buzz but it seems odd that using our own indigenous food is considered exotic.

If I have a goal, it's that American cooks know their own ingredients. I dream of a day when your average home chef can get a package of Yellow Eyes and immediately think, Mmmmm, pork.

Shipping: As you may have heard, shipping giant DHL has first declared bankruptcy and now announces that it's ceasing domestic deliveries. We of course use DHL almost exclusively so we're somewhat concerned. Apparently pick up and deliveries for existing accounts will continue through January but we've already contacted UPS and we're in the process of making the switch.

Things seem a mess. I was tracking one package and it said there was attempted delivery on the 3rd of November. I called and it turns out that DHL decided not to deliver the package and then sent it via the post office! I could have done that!

There's no need to panic and we're on it but I thought you should be aware of the change. The not-so-helpful DHL customer service person told me the good news is that they'll be improving their international service and they hoped I'd stay on board for that. They can hope but if this is the way they deal with their customers, I don't think I'll be faithful.

Crops: All I can say is we're harvesting but still need to clean and bag the new crop of beans. I can't be more specific because so much of this isn't in my hands. I apologize and ask for just a little more patience. This fall has been a doozy!

Whatever your politics, I hope you get as much of a kick from the thought of these four moving into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue as I do.

They're so beautiful! And confident, without being arrogant. I hope they like beans. 

1. We will not in be in San Francisco for the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market tomorrow.

2. We will be at the Fatted Calf in the Oxbow Public Market for our book signing party. The market has a lovely Day of the Dead altar and you're invited to add to it. Our fiesta is from 2pm to 5pm and I hope to see you there in Napa. It's a great chance to check out the Oxbow and of  course the kitchen at Fatted Calf is going to produce some nice bean magic!

3. Battle of the Beans and Blazing Pumpkins. Bean summit, cookbook signing and punpkin fun at Tierra Vegetables Farm Stand, today, from 3:30pm to 6:30 pm, 651 Airport Blvd in Sta. Rosa. I'll be there with Aliza Green (The Bean Bible, Beans, and others) and Mateo Granados, the great Yucatacan chef. For Ruthy's Real Meals.

4. Amuse Cochon is a grand party in Napa with 5 pigs, five chefs and lots more. Details are here and I'll be signing books and Rancho Gordo beans will be prepared by the Rutherford Grill.

I had a wild weekend. Saturday morning I drove from Napa to Half Moon Bay to do a demonstration and book signing at Toque Blanche. In the evening I had my 30 year High School reunion party in Mill Valley (Yes, Tamalpais High, class of 1978) and on Sunday, I had two out of town reunion friends over for a late lunch/early supper and they brought my favorite English teacher from school. Weird, fun and grand!

At the book signing, people would timidly try the beans and then go nuts. I tell people to cook them simply and really get into how glorious the flavor of a good heirloom can be, but you just can’t believe it until you try it. I made Red Nightfalls the previous night in the slow cooker and in the morning, I tool off the lid and salted. I let them cook without the lid for about an hour to evaporate some of the liquid and make it more flavorful. I brought some mushrooms to saute and serve with the beans but the reaction to the beans was so strong, I didn’t bother. We sold out of Red Nightfalls almost immediatly.

I was always told the book was coming out on the 2nd, but apparently the official shipping date is the 17th. I just confirmed this with the publisher. A lot of orders with Amazon apparently were saying that the book was sold out or asking if you wanted to cancel as they were unable to ship! Supposedly all is under control and the book will be shipping soon.

You can still buy the book early on Saturday, September 13th at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market where I'm doing a short demo and book signing. And of course on Sunday, the 14th, we'll have the book for sale at Jimtown Store for our book signing party from 2-5pm. I'm sure there's going to be a Harry Potter-type reaction to the book so please buy early and often!

The new Eat Local guide is about to come out from the California Alliance of Family Farmers and we’ll have some to hand out at our booth at the Ferry Plaza farmers market on Saturdays.

To welcome the new edition, CAFF is having a party.

 

From CAFF

The 2nd Edition Bay Area Local Food Guide is Coming!

June 26^th, 2008 – 1 Fort Mason (Officer’s Club), SF – 4:30 – 8:30 PM

On Thursday, June 26, join CAFF and their sponsors for the release of the 2^nd
Edition Bay Area Local Food Guide. Get the most up to date places to
find and eat local food; meet the local farmers, businesses and
organizations that satisfy our local food cravings; learn about local
food from an expert panel and taste the flavors of the seasons brought
to you by farms, restaurants, vintners and food artisans of the Bay.
Limited general admission tickets available; get yours today at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/34995

Some of the fabulous businesses providing tastings will include:

Restaurants:  Chez Panisse    * Eccolo   * Millenium   * Mission Pie  * Serpentine  * Slow Club  * Venus

Wines: 
  * A Donkey and Goat Winery   * Concannon Vineyard   * Long Meadow
Ranch and Winery    * Porter Creek    * Preston Vineyards    *
Rosenblum    * Wild Hog Vinyards

For more information, you can view CAFF’s website at: http://guide.buylocalca.org/events.html