Friday, September 29, 2006

two dog farm



Most americans are trend followers, and farmers markets and organic this and that bullshit is all the rage nowadays. What use to be a good way for farmers to bring their bounty directly to consumers without the middle man now is turning into a fucking three ring circus. In the bay area, farmers markets are full of fucking yappies and their prices are through the roof. At the SF ferry building farmer's market, you can get some of the most beautiful seasonal produce money can buy, but it is often even more expensive to shop there than wholefoods.

At the civic center farmers market, however, since it is right next to the ghetto, it has not been mob by the fucking yappies nearly as much. A lot of farmers that sell here aren't necessary organic, but it is still really good seasonal shit and at fraction of the price.

I have been buying stuff there every sunday since I moved here in 2001. And there is this one stand called 'two dog farm' (a lot of the stands here have no names), run by this scrawny dude who always wears a red hooded sweatshirt (I can't fucking remember his name). He is only there from maybe july through october. His main product is these dry farmed tomato (both heirloom and non-heirloom varieties), and I swear they are the most delicious tomato I have had. In the age that heirloom anything seen to attract the most attention, my favorite is actually these non-heirloom ones. I think he called them early girl at one point, but he doesn't any more. They are smallish, round and usually bright red, and have thick skin, but the flavor of these things are just fucking unbelievable. I eat them raw like an apple, I eat them in a simple salad with watercress or arugula and basil, I use them in soups, I use them in braised dishes, I use them in sauces ......., I can't stop eating them. At only $2 a pound or 3 pounds for $5 (if you don't know how much good tomoto cost, trust, this is cheap), I eat as much as I can until the end of the season.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

thanks dude. those were some of the best tomatoes i've had in my life...
especially the ugly ones that are only $1. i only wish i had listened to you and gone years ago.

and that says a lot coming from an italian-raised jersey girl. :)

Anonymous said...

So I hear Janine is giving her exit seminar next week, doesn't that mean you will be giving yours pretty soon too?