Central Market Newsletter
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Summer's bounty has been trickling in late this year and it's finally time to enjoy locally grown favorites such as heirloom summer squash and an amazing variety of richly colored heirloom tomatoes. (See the recipe on your right for our Summer Heirloom Squash Salad we thought you'd enjoy making from your own harvest or local farm stand finds.)
One of our new farmers, Mark Pasternak of Devil's Gulch Ranch in Nicasio, is growing the best rabbits I’ve ever worked with. These animals are allowed to spend their days outside in an enclosed pasture where they can hop around, eat and do that other thing rabbits are fond of . . .
So far we have grilled rabbit loin over our live wood fired grill, served with cous cous and sweet peppers. We are stewing the legs and serving them tossed with our own hand cut Pappardelle pasta—sturdy food for those in need of reinforcement on these brisk fall days. Devil's Gulch is one of the few farms where folks can visit. Please drop by and offer your support—it's a great experience for all ages. www.devilsgulchfarm.com
Nodding to the kitchen staff, we have recently added “Tacos de Lengua,” slow cooked, grass fed beef tongue from local ranches stewed slowly until buttery tender. Then we make our tortillas daily using fresh masa from El Molina Central in Boyes Hot Springs. This is a new tortilloria where they grind their corn masa throughout the day, creating fresh and authentic regional specials. Take a drive one morning and experience a cup of their Blue Bottle coffee and, my favorite, chilequillas.
We've always got something new on our wine list, which features numerous local vintners. This month we invite you to try our unique selection from Bedrock Wine Company—read more below.
To Good Food and Good Friends,
Tony Najiola, Chef/Owner
Central Market
707-778-9900
From our Wine List . . .
We are continually discovering new wines produced by local vintners, and have some tried and true favorites. A constant on our ever-evolving list are vintages from Bedrock Wine Company founded by Morgan Twain-Peterson, son of Zinfandel Guru Joel Peterson of Ravenswood.
Bedrock's winery, located in a former chicken coop, produces small lots from mature vines raised on the Bay Area's most coveted vineyard sites.
The fruit is hand pitch-forked into the destemmer, fermented in open top redwood and stainless vats, using only native yeasts, and manually basket pressed into oak from the coldest French forests.
The result is powerful, elegant, and distinctly Californian wines. Given the handcrafted quality and tiny production of these wines, the prices are amazingly reasonable.
Try Bedrock's 2009 Rose of Maurvedre from Sonoma Valley next time you're in. This light, refreshing vintage is crafted from the grapes of 120-year-old vines and resembles a crisp white, instead of a red—perfect for pairing with lighter fare on Indian Summer evenings.
Mark your calendar . . .
Dia de los Muertes has begun and runs through November 7, with special events throughout Petaluma, including art walks, poetry readings, music performances and a candlelight procession beginning at 6 p.m. on October 30, at our back door on Water Street. Our staff will participate in the Altares con Ofrendas, creating an altar in the restaurant to honor loved ones who have passed.
It's not too early to think about making reservations for our Thanksgiving dinner here at Central Market. Always popular, we'll be featuring traditional fare using all fresh, locally-grown, organic ingredients. The meal will include stuffing with a New Orleans influence as our chef Tony Najiola shares flavors from where he was raised. His New Orleans-style stuffing is “soft, like a casserole,” he says. Make your reservations soon and don't miss out on this sumptuous holiday dinner.
Special Note:
We will be closed Friday, October 8, 2010 and Friday, October 15, 2010 due to private engagements.
We appreciate your patronage. Please let us know if there is anything you would like to hear about, taste or drink! Cheers!
