Paula Wolfert, the legendary cookbook author, once wrote that “cassoulet, like life itself, is not as simple as it seems.” Which is why we are here to help you put together a cassoulet, serve it to people you love and/or want to impress, and take all the credit.
To make cassoulet, you’ll simply need to nestle some of our confit duck legs and Peads and Barnetts’ butifarra sausages into our cassoulet beans (slow-cooked flageolets in a rich bean broth with Nueske bacon lardons), then top with breadcrumbs (which we’ll provide) and bake it until it’s bubbling around the edges with a golden crust on top. We’re even selling terra cotta cazuelas, a versatile casserole dish that’s perfect for baking and serving cassoulet. This dish is a show stopper, but each component can stand on its own or be frozen for another time.
We’re also making a bouillabaisse base, made from fish bones marinated in Pernod, fennel, citrus, saffron, and seared shrimp shells all simmered together to make what I consider liquid gold. Talk about not as simple as it seems; fish and shellfish broths are magic. We have wild, local halibut that you can add to the broth to make a fine soup, or keep going and add your own clams, mussels, and shrimp for a sensational seafood stew. Get a Bub and Grandma’s jumbo baguette to dunk in the broth. We’ll also provide a recipe for aioli and rouille if you want to add a dollop of that.
Save some baguette for one of our favorite cheeses, la tur. It’s not French, but its mix of textures and milks makes it complex enough to hold your interest, yet so easy to eat that it’s hard to stop.
Jason Kim from Forage is making a classic French vinaigrette to dress your lettuces and other farm box vegetables. There are also whole free-range chickens and our favorite bistro steak, a grass-fed hanger. We also have jars of Piment d’Ville chili powder from California-grown espelette peppers, the ubiquitous flavor of the Basque region of France, and what I reach for to season almost everything. (stocking stuffer)
For something sweet and easy, we have Jared Made’s salted chocolate sables. This chocolate cookie log is made with Valrhona cocoa powder and plugra butter and studded with Valrhona chocolate chunks. It comes frozen, ready for you to slice and bake.
And just in time for the holiday season, we are excited to introduce some organic wines (and a beer!) from Small Town. We're kicking off this collaboration with some French and French influenced picks; a festive white sparkler you can enjoy as an aperitif, a California Claret style red table wine, and a crisp white beer.
We are also thrilled to have a holiday gift item from the incredible, local fantasist (and avid farm boxer) Clare Crespo. Her Hooray Today 2022 calendar consists of 13 posters featuring brilliant illustrations of boat loads of beverages. Get a calendar, wrap it around a bottle of something delicious, give it to someone you love, and say you're welcome. Clare also designed our stunning menu graphics debuting on the website this week.