“First day working at the farmers market. Head spinning, so many things to say. Working behind the scenes is so different than being a customer. Happy.”

I remember that day pretty vividly. The Ferry Plaza Farmers Market had just opened in its new location six weeks prior, and I had learned from a friend that Nigel Walker of Eatwell Farm was looking for someone new to work at the booth. Up until this point, I was a regular customer when the market was on Green Street, and was quickly becoming fond of the farmers and vendors. I had learned to love green garlic from Eatwell, and often gave my money to Nigel’s five-year-old twins as they learned how to make change.

Working at the market that first day was long, hard work. I arrived at 6am, and left the market exhausted but exhilarated at about 4pm. I hauled produce, set up tents, talked to customers and just watched in awe as the thriving market community swirled around me.

I didn’t know the import that day would have. In hindsight, I realize it was the beginning of everything: of long-time relationships with farmers at the market, of a passion about local food that would lead to my blog, to being published nationally, to friendships among a community of like-minded folks that would change the course of my career and my social life. It was a rare moment that changed the course of my life.

At the hub of my memory was a kind, funny, brilliant farmer who was willing to answer any question honestly. And when I say “honestly,” I mean it. Nigel didn’t always give the politically correct answer to a question, and often didn’t tell me what I wanted to hear. I watched as Nigel left his booth to meet with other farmers, interested not only in selling his produce, but in shaping the way that the market fundamentally worked.

My friendship with Nigel and the entire Eatwell Farm community continued. To be honest, I breathed a sigh of relief on my very last trip to the farmers market this past December that Nigel wasn’t there; the idea of that good-bye was just too difficult.

And I’m not the only one so affected by Nigel and Eatwell Farm. So many people have a specific affinity for Nigel that is separate from the terrific produce and eggs that his farm brings to market. We’ve stood in admiration as we learn how well he treats his workers, we’ve watched his twin boys grow up at the market, and we welcomed his wife Lorraine (of Drinkwell Soda) into the market community recently.

That’s why it’s been such a blow in the past month to learn that Nigel has stage 3 multiple myeloma, which is a type of cancer of the bone marrow. He has spent most of January having radiation on his spinal column and treatments to force a retreat of the cancer. And it seems to be working. The latest I’ve heard is that the cancer is responding well to the treatments, and instead of heavy duty chemotherapy, Nigel will soon be starting a more mild form of chemo.

As anyone who has spent time talking to farmers knows, Nigel is lucky to have health insurance. The financial realities of providing good, healthy food to the public—even at a place like the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market—means slim margins, and personal health insurance is often last on a long list of priorities. However, the Walker family is still facing significant costs associated with his care that are not being covered by insurance.

If you are so moved—if you can relate to the effect of Eatwell Farm on the Bay Area scene, or you have a personal connection with Nigel—there are a few ways that you can help Eatwell Farm during this time.

• CUESA, the organization that runs the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, is hosting a fundraiser in conjunction with Tacolicious this Sunday, February 26. One hundred percent of the proceeds for this fundraising reception will go to Nigel and his family. It’s sure to be a fun evening.
• Keep apprised of Nigel’s health, and any needs of the family, on the Eatwell Farm Facebook Page.
• Donate to the medical bill fund via Crowdrise.
• Encourage friends and family to try out a CSA box from Eatwell. The Walker family and the Eatwell Farm family is ensuring that delicious produce is still being grown and sold during this difficult time and one thing we can do to support the farm is to ensure that the produce sells out.

Fridays when I am in town, you will likely find me at The Jug Shop participating in beer tastings organized by Eric Cripe, Beer and Spirits Specialist and a certified cicerone (cicerones are the beer world’s version wine sommeliers). Over the past couple years, I have been able to taste literally hundreds of different beers under Eric’s guidance, many of them hard to find and specifically curated for these tastings.

When a friend and I stumbled upon the beer tastings at The Jug Shop in early 2010, we immediately noted the differences between these tastings and a typical wine tasting that is held at The Jug Shop tasting bar, which is located in the back of the popular liquor store. Where the wine tastings are quiet and small, the beer tastings are raucous and often crowded. Locals of all ages attend The Jug Shop tastings, and the group size can range from about 10 people to groups of more than 50, dependent on the theme. If an important sports game is playing, Eric will often have it playing in the background as he pours.

Eric Cripe leads the beer tastings. Photo courtesy of Joe, Beer at Joe’s blog.

That’s not to say that it’s a drunken frat party. Underneath the fun atmosphere is a current of education. At The Jug Shop, I’ve been able to explore beers from all over the world and hone my taste buds to understand clearly what attributes I like and don’t like in beers, and I’ve been able to do it at an affordable price. Eric is a master, and is able to answer nearly all of the (many, many) questions we often have. He is a true teacher who is happy to host aficionados of all levels without judgment or attitude.

It took hardly any time before we were recognized by Eric and others who attended the tastings. Many new people cycle through the tastings, but if you come a few times, chances are you will be recognized and that Eric will remember something about what you like and don’t like. The regulars at the tastings also often bring another level of education–many are beer geeks who know San Francisco’s beer scene inside and out.

Beer tastings take place nearly every Friday from about 6:30 to about 8:30, and you can arrive on a rolling basis (though The Jug Shop’s license does require that they shut down tastings by 8:30 pm). Eric has a general goal of having four tastings a month: one tasting features a specific brewery, one features new beers in the store, one is a vertical or something that is a little more expensive, and one is a specific style of beer. The prices are usually around $15, but vary.

To say that you get a lot of bang for your buck with The Jug Shop beer tastings is an understatement. A recent sour beer tasting which was limited to 30 people cost $35 and featured generous pours of 29 beers that would have cost me over $400 to assemble if I could even purchase the rare ones.

For this A-type Virgo, it sometimes takes a little bit of patience to attend the tastings. You may not get a tasting announcement until 24 hours before the event; you may arrive at 6:30 to find the tasting won’t start for 15 minutes or so. But if you have any interest in the beer world, these minor hurdles are well worth the effort.

The best way to find out information about the tastings is through the Jug Shop’s newsletter. It’s where the information comes out first, which is important for exclusive tastings which sell out. And, while you can usually walk in and pay for a tasting (pay up front at the cashier, ask for a glass, and head back to the tasting bar), it’s less expensive if you pre-pay through the newsletter.

Friday’s beer tasting will be of Firestone beers. Photo by Jennifer Maiser.

The schedule through January 6 is as follows:

November 18
Firestone Brewing.
Parabola, Abacus, Fourteen, Fifteen, and a firkin (a small wooden barrel) of Union Jack Double IPA

December 2
Scaldis vertical from Brasserie Dubuisson.
This tasting will feature 5 years of Scaldis Premium and 3 years of Scaldis Prestige. Verticals are always an interesting way to taste beers, and are difficult to assemble as a tasting on your own outside of a tasting room environment.

December 9
Domestic Christmas Beers

December 16
Imported Christmas Beers

January 6
Shmaltz Brewing.

The Jug Shop
1590 Pacific Avenue (at Polk)
San Francisco
415-885-2922

Jug Shop on Twitter & Facebook

Amid the pop-ups, underground markets and food truck parties taking place on a daily basis in the Bay Area, New Taste Marketplace stands out with its low-key vibe, terrific vendors and fundraising mission. Held at St. Gregory’s Church in Potrero Hill, New Taste Marketplace takes place once a month and features approximately 30 food vendors selling hot dishes to eat on-the-spot and artisan foods to take home. Community members and families sit on the altar and in spots all over the church listening to music and eating everything from Asian-fusion cupcakes to Thai curries and pierogis. “Think of it like an overgrown bake sale,” says Elianna Friedman, Market Director.

Customers gain access to New Taste Marketplace by giving a small donation, which goes to The Food Pantry and St. Gregory’s to support their efforts to provide food to San Francisco’s hungry. Since its inception in November 2010, New Taste has raised over $10,000—money that goes toward a food giveaway that takes place each week at St. Gregory’s. “I love that New Taste is held in the exact space as the food pantry on Fridays,” says Friedman. “I hope that it adds to the sense of giving and community.”

The vendors that you’ll find at New Taste are small and mostly only found at other similar markets around the Bay Area. On a recent visit to New Taste, I took home rabbit pate from Dehesa Foods, goat cheese mozzarella from Faerie Goatmother, kimchi from Monchi Foods and wheat pasta from Baia Pasta.

“The same vendors don’t come every time, which creates space for new vendors,” Friedman commented. “Some vendors outgrow the market, and they move into something more permanent.” Markets such as New Taste are serving as incubators for food vendors around the city.

Dandelion Chocolate is a small “bean-to-bar” chocolate company based in the Mission that is about two years old. Alice Nystrom of Dandelion enjoys that the Marketplace gives Dandelion’s founders a chance to interface directly with the customer. “We always sell a lot more chocolate when we’re able to tell our story,” she says. “Customers who come are really curious, they have a lot of questions about our chocolate and our company. They are really eager to see all these small businesses and support them.”

Cafe Mereb is one of the few brick-and-mortar businesses that participates in New Taste. It’s a family-owned Mediterranean and Eritrean resturant in the Richmond that uses New Taste to market to new customers in a different part of the city, and to test new recipes. Cafe Mereb participates in New Taste every 2 months, and offers Eritrean specialties like a lamb stew called tibsi, a slow-cooked chickpea stew called shurro take-home items such as berbere spices and a ghee-like spiced, clarified butter called tesmi. Elilta Habtetsion participates in the market on behalf of her family’s restaurant and sees a lot of value in participating in a market like New Taste. “It’s been very positive, and we’ve seen a few people stop by our cafe. It’s great to talk to people one-on-one, and give our restaurant a little more exposure, and we love the venue.”

For those curious about how New Taste Marketplace is allowed to exist, while the San Francisco Underground Market was shut down last month by the Health Department, the answer has to do with the fact that the New Taste Marketplace operates under the umbrella of a non-profit organization (The Food Pantry) and is a fundraising event. The “Craven Allowance,” the same rule that allows for bake sales, allows New Taste to operate. The Department of Health often drops by New Taste to make sure that vendors are following proper food handling rules.

The next New Taste Marketplace is taking place this Saturday, July 16. New Taste generally takes place once a month.

Information

New Taste Marketplace
Saturday, July 16
Noon – 5pm
St. Gregory’s Church
500 De Haro Street (map)
@NewTasteMarket on Twitter
New Taste on Facebook
Interested in volunteering? Contact Elianna Friedman via email: NewTasteMarket@gmail.com

What others are saying:

“The New Taste Marketplace had a nice community feel, like a church bake sale. And it wasn’t a massive clusterjam like some other underground markets in the city.” – Single Guy Chef

“I had the best Thai curry of my life in a church. Specifically it was the green Thai curry made by the folks behind Nute’s Cupcakes that had me over the moon this weekend.” – Nicole Grant, The Bold Italic

Almanac Beer Company is one of the newest players in the ever-active San Francisco brewing community. Partners Damian Fagan and Jesse Friedman joined together to form the company, which took several years and culminated in a launch brew that was produced in the summer of 2010 and will be available this month. Jesse is known in the food and drink community for his three-year old blog Beer & Nosh, and he is overseeing the beer production. Damian, an accomplished designer and artist, is in charge of day-to-day operations at Almanac. The two met in their home brewing club, recognized each other’s talent, and soon set off on a more serious beer venture.

After a couple years of research and trials, Jesse and Damian settled on what they would like to produce: beers using seasonal ingredients that were local to the Bay Area. “It dawned on us that we should be doing to beer what’s being done to food—particularly in the Bay Area,” says Damian. They wanted to “design a beer that’s on par with the food that we have on our tables.”

Sebastopol Berry Farm blackberries. Photo courtesy Jesse Friedman.

For this first beer, dubbed Summer 2010 Blackberry Ale, Jesse and Damian settled on a Belgian-style golden ale that is barrel-aged with four varieties of Sonoma County blackberries (Cherokee, Marion, Ollalie and Boysenberries). The beer was produced last summer and aged in red wine barrels for 11 months before blending. A team of friends and family bottled the beer in late May 2011—309 cases of 750 milliliter bottles—and it is now finishing up. The first time the public can taste it will be a launch party at City Beer Store on June 30 (details below).

The beer that Almanac has produced is dry, crisp and complex and should appeal to those who would normally avoid beers made with fruit. “It’s not that we’re not fruit beer fans, but we want people to know that it’s not a cloyingly, fruity beer,” says Damian. It has a plush mouth feel, a fruity nose and a punchy, tart flavor, and I was surprised that it was quite apricoty for being billed as having blackberries. Damian explains that the fruit changes on a molecular level during fermentation. “You start with blackberries, but with fermentation and aging the molecules actually change and mutate, which is why you get hints of other flavors. The blackberry notes came out as apricot and mango. That was a really interesting evolution.”

Almanac Summer 2010 Blackberry Ale. Photo by Jennifer Maiser.

The beers are bottle conditioned which means that they go into the bottle uncarbonated, and that natural yeast and sugar is added individually to each bottle, where the final fermentation occurs. Bottle conditioned beers usually have more complexity and can be held on the shelf longer than force-carbonated beers. Bottle conditioned beers also have some variation from bottle to bottle, which means that the beer won’t taste the same way twice—a feature that most beer connoisseurs really enjoy.

Of all the steps that it took to get this beer to market, the bottle conditioning was the most stressful part for Jesse and Damian. “Looking at all the hurdles that we had to cross along the way, the only thing that could have spelled disaster for us had been if the beer didn’t carbonate,” says Damian. The tricky part to bottle conditioning is to be sure that you get carbonation, but not too much. Laughing, Damian said “It was such a sigh of relief when Jesse and I opened the bottles separately and heard the carbonation. And of course, waiting for a few seconds to make sure that the beer didn’t come roaring back out of the bottle.”

Almanac is a “gypsy brewery,” a term that refers to brewers who borrow space or rent at already established breweries to craft their beer. Almanac used space at Drake’s Brewing in San Leandro for the Blackberry Ale. They were able to lean on Steve Altimari of Highwater Brewing for advice on this first brew. Altimari also brews out of Drake’s.

Damian and Jesse aren’t the first Bay Area brewers to attempt a local beer—last year, Thirsty Bear Brewing released a delicious “Locavore Ale” in conjunction with farmer Nigel Walker at Eatwell Farm. They did this using Eatwell’s own malted barley and hops grown by Hops-Meister in Clear Lake, California. That may have been the only batch of Locavore Ale, however. The costs were prohibitive, and it required a huge amount of effort to produce the beer. Systems aren’t set up for some parts of the beer to be created locally at the moment; Eatwell’s barley had to be sent all the way to Colorado to be malted.

Almanac’s beer will be available at several events (see below for information), and at a few places around the Bay Area for sale: City Beer Store, Healthy Spirits, Jug Shop and some Whole Foods locations in San Francisco. It will retail for approximately $20 for a 750 milliliter bottle.

What can we expect next from Almanac? “Stone fruit is in season, and we’re looking to brew in July. It’s looking like it may be a saison with some kind of stone fruit. We both really, really want to brew a saison.”

In addition to Almanac’s beers, be sure to track down Jesse’s delicious, seasonal sodas around San Francisco. You can find them at the Hapa Ramen booth and at the New Taste Market Place. His smoked strawberry vanilla bean soda was one of my favorite sips last month.

Almanac Beer Co. Events

Bottle Release Party at City Beer Store
Thursday, June 30, 6pm – 10pm
1168 Folsom Street (map)
415-503-1033

Healthy Spirits presents Almanac Beer Co. at Fat Angel Food & Libation
Thursday, July 7, 6pm – 10pm
1740 O’Farrell Street (map)
415-525-3013

Shotwell’s Bar
Thursday, July 14, 6pm – 10pm
3349 20th Street (map)
415-399-9898

Information:
Almanac Beer Company website
Twitter: @AlmanacBeer
Almanac Beer on Facebook
Almanac Beer photos on Flickr