Foodhoe's Foraging

I picked up my final meatbox for the first quarter 2008 which included a chicken and a carton of eggs since the last box was short a few pounds (see post Bay Area Meat CSA 3-14-08). Wow, that’s a lotta meat: Prather Ranch fillet mignons, lamb shortribs, a pork roast, ribs, lamb rib-eye steaks, lamb osso bucco, a chicken and some eggs. Dairyqueen told me that the BAMCSA is going on hiatus but had a recommendation for another meat club Clark Summit Farm in Tomales. Read her very informative article about how she got the meat club going along with some beef elves.

Here’s the chicken… I didn’t really look very closely at it, I mean it was vacuum packed in a plastic sack so I just reached in to pull it out, but it had extra appendages that I wasn’t expecting…

It’s the weirdest thing how your reactions just kick in. I dropped the whole thing in the sink and found myself jumping up and down flapping my arms, calling in slightly hysterical tones for Mr. K to come over now! Pretty much the same reaction I have with big bugs and rodents…

ahhh, much better. I’m so much more used to it dismembered, which when you think about it, is actually creepier… I tucked the head and feet into the freezer with my bag o’ bones to make stock with. Here is the chicken rinsed, patted dry and salted inside and out. According to these instructions from the fabulous Zuni Cafe Cookbook: A Compendium of Recipes and Cooking Lessons from San Francisco’s Beloved Restaurantfor their famous roast chicken, I am going to let it sit like this in the refrigerator for a day or two to air out before I cook it.

I was very excited to get a carton of eggs (and the chicken) from Soul Food Farm in Vacaville. If you look on their website, you can see that they let the chickens roam freely to feed on the pasture, which results in those gorgeous dark golden yolks that I love.

And this is the rest, I’m set for a while!

Here are a few choice items: Lamb Rib Chops

Lamb Osso Bucco, which I am looking forward to serving with the stoneground speckled corn grits that I received in the mail a couple of weeks ago.

A lovely pork roast

Lamb Rib Eye Steaks with the bone-in. Every single piece appears huge and juicy in the shrinkwrap and is clearly labeled, which is very helpful for those of us with disorganized freezers!

Overall, I like the variety of meat and have to say that the quality of everything has been excellent. So, if you are interested in the concept of helping to support a local farmer so that they can maintain their high standards of feed, animal welfare, and land stewardship, sign up with the Clark Summit Meatbox plan. I like that they offer additional ala carte items so you can pick up extra stuff if you are interested.