Aerial spraying called off

State and federal officials announced last week that they have altered their plan for fighting the Light Brown Apple Moth. Instead of aerially spraying synthetic pheromones over urban areas, they will employ other methods, such as releasing sterile moths. San Francisco Chronicle article: Officials call of aerial spray for apple moth >

Slow Dinner at Perbacco ~ August 28

CUESA is partnering with Perbacco to host a Slow Dinner on the first day of Slow Food Nation. The meal will be handcrafted in Perbacco's Northern Italian style using the season's best local ingredients. The dinner will raise funds for CUESA's education programs. Click here to preview the menu and buy tickets.

Farm, Food & Market Tour to Oaxaca & Puebla, Mexico

Join CUESA from February 28 to March 8, 2009, as Executive Director Dave Stockdale leads a tour to Oaxaca and Puebla in central Mexico. Highlights will include visits to local farms, ethnobotany gardens, and traditional food and craft markets, a mole cooking demonstration, meals of both traditional and nouvelle Oaxacan & Pueblan cuisine, trips to Cholula Pyramid and the Monte Alban pre-Columbian site, plus plenty of free time to savor the sites, sounds and aromas of two exceptional cities. Sustainable farmers and food producers will share their stories as they show us what they do best. Proceeds help support CUESA education programs, including our local farm tour programs.
Download tour flier >
Download registration form >

Native plant hike with Juniper Ridge ~ June 28 (tomorrow)

Learn about the native plants of Mt. Tam on a day hike led by Hall Newbegin, owner of Juniper Ridge Western Wild Goods. Go down the Coast Trail and finish up with a cold beer at a pub in the redwoods. This hike is offered as a free service to the community. For details see the Juniper Ridge blog or call Laura Sweitzer at 510-521-7204.

New lower parking rates nearby

There are now lower Saturday parking rates at the Embarcadero Center (EC) lots across the street from the Ferry Building. The two lots, EC-4 and EC-3, will open at 7 am and cost $2 per hour the first two hours and $3 per hour thereafter with validation from the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market Information Booth (not available from merchants inside the Ferry Building). Click here to download a map of all nearby parking options.

Waste Wise tip of the week #7

If you are hosting a 4th of July barbecue or party, consider reducing waste by either investing in a set of reusable party plates and cups or asking your guests to bring their own. If you are attending a barbecue or party, bring your own plate, fork and cup.

Waste Wise volunteers are needed tomorrow and every Tuesday and Saturday at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. E-mail ashleigh@cuesa.org for details.

Saturday, June 28 ~ Grill Fest

11:00 am - Grill-off!
Two chefs will sweat it out behind a grill, vying for the title of Grill Guru in our Grill Fest grill-off! They'll each grill a vegetable, a fruit, and a cut of meat in a friendly competition judged by the farmers who produced the ingredients. We will also have handouts to help you brush up on your grill skills for that 4th of July barbecue.
Chefs: Chris Borges of Taste Catering vs. Taylor Boetticher of Fatted Calf
Farmers: David Evans of Marin Sun Farms, Ana Catalán of Catalán Family Farm, and Tory Torosian of Tory Farms
Master of Ceremonies: CUESA volunteer Earl Shaddix of All-Clad

Tuesday, July 1 ~ Easy Market Meals

12:00, 12:30 and 1:00 pm - Seasonal cooking demonstrations
Stephanie Rosenbaum, food writer and cookbook author (titles include Honey: From Flower to Table)

Saturday, July 5 ~ Market to Table

10:30 am - Meet the producer

11:00 am - Seasonal cooking demonstration
Amanda B. L. Saffir, local chef

All programs take place in CUESA's Dacor teaching kitchen, in front of the Ferry Building on the north side.

We’re looking forward to celebrating the anniversary of our nation’s independence, but what’s got us really fired up is the fact that July 4th is the biggest barbecue day of the year. Families across the nation will be gathering in backyards, parks and parking lots, participating in the millennia-old ritual of cooking meat outdoors over a flame. In this week’s e-letter, we’ve assembled some grilling tips and a guide to the meats and other grillable proteins available at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. Whether you’re hosting or attending a barbecue this year, and no matter where you do your shopping, we hope you will consider the source of your food. Read the ingredients and labels. Get to know the people who produce your food. Find out where it’s coming from, and inquire about how the crops were grown and how the animals were raised.

Grilling tips from CUESA Culinary Intern Christina Alvarado

• Make sure you achieve the right temperature for what you’re cooking. Red meat goes on when your grill is the hottest. Let your grill cool down to medium before throwing on seafood or poultry, and put your vegetables and fruit on the coolest part of the grill.
• Never abandon your post! Always make sure that your fire stays an even temperature, especially when cooking chicken. Have somebody else make that salad.
• Don’t forget to oil your grill. You can use a piece of fat from the meat you’re grilling to really melt in that flavor.
• Number one rule: do not forget to season or marinade before grilling!
• If grilling kebabs, don’t mix your product. As tempting as it is, meat, seafood, poultry, and vegetables all have different cook times. If you mix them up, somebody is going to get overcooked.
• Grilling fruit is simple. Cut your fruit and place the exposed flesh onto an oiled grill. Cook until the fruit is caramelized and slightly softened. Serve over ice cream, crepes, in a salad or on its own.
• When grilling vegetables, always use low heat. Grilling time is a matter of taste; some people prefer more crunch, while others prefer them well done.
• The best way to grill corn is in the husk. Fold back the husk, remove the silk, brush the corn with butter or olive oil and salt, and close the husks. Grill until tender, turning the ear several times.

Grillable groceries from the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market

• Marin Sun Farms has 100% grass-fed beef, lamb, and goat, as well as pastured chicken and free-range pork. All animals are humanely raised in Marin, Sonoma, Solano and Humboldt counties. Popular barbecue items include steaks, hot dogs, ground beef and ribs.
• The Fatted Calf has a rotating menu of fresh sausages and other charcuterie. This week’s specials include Uncle Chuck’s Rubbed Spare Ribs and Pork Country Rib Roast with Salsa Verde. The Fatted Calf is picky about meat sources, and staff will happily answer questions about how and where animals were raised.
• Hodo Soy Beanery offers fresh tofu made with filtered water and organic soybeans from Missouri.
• Aidells Sausage Company carries a variety of sausages.
• Seafood is very perishable, so don’t buy seafood on Saturday for a July 4 barbecue. For future reference, Hog Island Oyster Company sells fresh oysters raised in Tomales Bay. Shogun Fish Company carries fresh seafood approved by Seafood Watch, such as Alaskan salmon, Northern California halibut and wild Louisiana jumbo prawns.
• Don’t forget fresh fruits and vegetables for the grill! Corn, summer squash, eggplant, onions, mushrooms, peaches, and apricots are just a few of the items that work well on the barbecue. Experiment and have fun!

For more in-depth grilling information and recipes, there's a great Grilling 101 guide at epicurious.com >

CUESA is celebrating the magic of the ‘cue at tomorrow’s Grill Fest (see above for program descriptions). Come watch the sizzling action and pick up a few tips from the pros!

This is the most up-to-date information about which sellers will and won't be attending the market as of Friday, when we send this letter. If there are no changes to a seller's status, they will not be listed. To find out which farmers regularly attend each market, click here. Please understand that there are often last-minute changes--it's the nature of farming!

Saturday, June 28

In/returning: Bernard Ranches, Honeycrisp Farms, Hunter Orchards, Little Organic Farm, Critical Edge knife sharpening; last week for Elston Family Farm and Triple Delight Blueberries
Out: The Apple Farm, Paoletti Farms

Tuesday, July 1

Out: Triple Delight Blueberries (for the season)

Returning this month (weather willing): Okra, figs, plums, field-grown tomatoes, melons, dahlias, new potatoes, peanuts, shelling and Romano beans, tomatillos, crabapples, grapes

Plentiful: Summer squash, nectarines, peaches, pluots, radishes, basil, sunflowers, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, garlic, onions, lettuces, French and green beans

Winding down/limited supply: Hot house tomatoes, apricots, cherries, blueberries, dates (they will return in September), rhubarb

Farms that may be coming in this month (weather willing): Little Organic Farm, Hunter Orchards, Short Night Farm, Payne Family Farm

Seasonal vendor items not to be missed: Albacore tuna lox sandwiches from Cap’n Mike’s, strawberry rhubarb fruit turnovers from Downtown Bakery, picnic hams from Fatted Calf, fresh boysenberry yogurt from St. Benoit Yogurt

Recipes for July

Cocktail ~ Midsummer Dream from Erick Castro, Chicago Fire

Fresh Fig and Green Tomato Salad with Basil from Cookbook Author Marie Simmons

Grilled Skirt Steak Sandwiches with Salsa Verde from Sara Deseran, 7x7 Magazine

Peach Melba from Cookbook Author Jeff Cox