Market shoppers--please take our survey!

Due to an overwhelming response to the survey we announced in last week's letter, we had to upgrade our survey subscription. If you clicked last week and the survey was closed, please try again! Click here to begin >

Bay bridge closed this Saturday

Attention all East Bay-based Ferry Plaza Farmers Market shoppers! As you are probably already well aware, the Bay Bridge will be closed the entire Labor Day weekend. Go to 511.org to plan your trip to the market via public transportation.

Menu of first courses for the Sunday Supper ~ September 30

The Sunday Supper is less than a month away! Guests will be surprised by one of the following first courses when they sit down for dinner in the Ferry Building's Grand Hall. Seats are selling fast, so don't hesitate to make your reservation now >

Laurence Jossle, NOPA
Monterey Squid Salad with Early Girl Tomatoes and Fresh Cranberry Beans

Chris Kronner, Slow Club
Wild Arugula and Frisée Salad with Mission Figs and Toasted Almond Pesto

Scott Youkilis, Maverick
Sliced Melon, Duck Proscuitto, Genovese Basil and Mixed Cress Salad
with Champagne Vinaigrette

Ryan Simas, Farallon
Scallop "Ravioli" with Truffled Corn and English Pea Coulis

Daniel Capra and David Hurt, Paula LeDuc Fine Catering
Cauliflower Panna Cotta with Dry Cured Olive Vinaigrette
and Cauliflower Gremolata

Mourad Lahlou, Aziza
Goat Cheese with Curly Cress and Moroccan Spiced Tomato Jam

Sharon Ardiana, Gialina Pizzeria
Fresh Fig Salad with Arugula

Alessandro Cartumini,
Quattro Restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel, Silicon Valley
Preserved Tuna Salad with Tomatoes

Dmitry Elperin, The Village Pub
Harvest Salad

Saturday, September 1 ~ Market to Table events

Today's programs are co-sponsored by Gastronomy by the Bay.

11 am - Seasonal cooking demonstration
Mark Dommen of One Market

Noon - Seasonal cooking demonstration
Roland Passot of La Folie

Tuesday, September 4 ~ Easy Market Meals

11:45 am, 12:15 pm, 12:45 pm & 1:15 pm - Enjoy a cooking demonstration featuring the seasonal, regional ingredients found at the Tuesday market. Each attendee leaves with a sample, a recipe, and a suggested shopping list.

Saturday, September 8 ~ Market to Table events

10:30 am - Meet the farmer
Donna Pacheco of Achadinha Cheese Company

11 am - Seasonal cooking demonstration and book signing
John Toulze, Chef at the girl & the fig restaurant and Co-Author of the girl & the fig

All events take place in our Dacor teaching kitchen in the arcade north of the Ferry Building's clock tower unless otherwise noted.

Late summer is one of CUESA's busiest times. In addition to planning for our big annual fundraiser, the Sunday Supper, running the bustling Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, and operating our regular educational programming, there's always a bumper crop of great festivals, fundraisers and other food- and farming-related affairs to attend. We hope you can join us at one or all of them:

FOOD AND FARMING FILM FESTIVAL - The Society for Agriculture and Food Ecology (SAFE), a UC Berkeley student group, is hosting a series of film screenings and panel discussions over the next few months. The lineup of topics and films looks wonderful, and among the speakers is our own Director of Education, Julie Cummins. Click here to see the schedule >

GASTRONOMY BY THE BAY - The first in a series of international food festivals taking place around the world will be held at the Ferry Building from today until September 3. The event will bring together chefs, restaurateurs and others in the food world to discuss new culinary trends. Gastronomy by the Bay will also co-sponsor our regular Saturday programming, with demonstrations by local chefs Mark Dommen and Roland Passot. Additional culinary demonstrations in our teaching kitchen will take place on Sunday and Monday. Click here to view the schedule of events >

FARMERS AND CHEFS PAIR UP - The second installment of the Macy's Get Green cooking series, produced in partnership with CUESA and featuring farmers from the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, is set for September 5. Stan Devoto of Devoto Gardens will team up with Greg Dunmore of Ame restaurant to create a dish using local, sustainably harvested fish and Stan’s heirloom apples. A $10 donation to CUESA will get you a seat at the demonstration, a sample of the featured dish, a glass of wine from Benziger Family Winery, a Ferry Plaza Farmers Market tote, and a sample of Origins' new organic skin care line. Seating is first-come, first-served starting at 6:00 pm in the Union Square Cellar Kitchen at Macy's.

PEPPER FESTIVAL - Join us for a pepper party! On September 15, beginning at 10:00 am, we'll celebrate this hot summer food with a talk and cooking demonstration by pepper farmer David Winsberg of Happy Quail Farms, a seasonal cooking demonstration by cookbook author Marie Simmons, and a tasting of peppers and pepper products.

MENDOCINO WINE BY THE BAY - Also on Sept 15, across the street from the market at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, KGO radio is sponsoring Mendocino Wine by the Bay, presented by the Mendocino Wine Growers Foundation. Enjoy a festive afternoon of great wine and food featuring 45 wineries and 200 wines. Part of the proceeds from the event benefit CUESA. Click here for more information >

CHOW'S COCKTAIL SQUARE OFF - CHOW.com, Om Organics, Square One Vodka, and CUESA have invited mixologists, chefs, and amateurs to submit an original recipe for a pitcher cocktail using Square One Organic Vodka and at least 75% organic ingredients. In the spirit of popular chef competitions, one amateur and one professional will mix their winning cocktail and two additional cocktails using local, seasonal ingredients. The judges’ verdicts on these three drinks will determine the winner. All attendees will enjoy appetizers from Bacar and, of course, cocktails! The event will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 pm in our teaching kitchen in the arcade north of the Ferry Building's clock tower. Tickets are $10 and proceeds benefit Om Organics and CUESA. Click here to buy tickets >

THE SUNDAY SUPPER - September is capped by one of the most exciting food events of the year! CUESA's fifth annual Sunday Supper fundraiser on September 30 showcases the cornucopia of food from the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market and the supreme culinary talent of the San Francisco Bay Area. Click here for more information >

SIERRA ORO FARM TRAIL PASSPORT WEEKEND - On October 6 and 7, the farmers of Butte County will host a weekend of wine tasting and farm-fresh food sampling. Visitors are invited to tour 19 farms and six wineries currently on the Sierra Oro Farm Trail Map. Among the farms is our own Massa Organics, whose rice harvest will be underway during the event. Sierra Oro Passport Weekend tickets are $20 and include free tastings at every farm on the map. All proceeds benefit the Sierra Oro Farm Trail Association to further develop agri-tourism in Butte County. To learn more or pick up a map, visit the Massa Organics stand at the Saturday farmers' market (starting September 8) or go to sierraoro.org.

HOES DOWN FESTIVAL - Also on October 6 and 7, the Ecological Farming Association and Full Belly Farm host the 20th annual Hoes Down Festival. Enjoy educational farm tours, a children’s area, hands-on workshops, and an abundance of organic food, live music and fun! Visit hoesdown.org to learn more.

GET GREEN - On Wednesday, October 10, the third event in the Macy's Get Green cooking series will bring together Cal Peternell of Chez Panisse Café and Warren Weber of Star Route Farms. Click here to learn more >

ORGANIC BEER AND WINE TASTING - CCOF's second annual Organic Beer and Wine Tasting on October 26 will kick off our annual Fall Harvest Festival. The weekend will be full of autumnal activities both at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market and inside the Ferry Building.

This is the most up-to-date information about which sellers will and won't be attending the market as of Friday, when we send this letter. If there are no changes to a seller's status, they will not be listed. To find out which farmers regularly attend each market, click here. Please understand that there are often last minute changes--it's the nature of farming!

Special announcements: Tomorrow, September 1, Jeff Roberts will be signing copies of his book, The Atlas of American Artisan Cheese, at the Cowgirl Creamery stall in the farmers' market.

Saturday, September 1

In/Returning: Bernard Ranches
Out: Ranch Gordo, The Apple Farm, Viccolo Pizza, Madison Growers, Massa Organics, Capay Canyon Ranch, Flying Disc Ranch

Tuesday, September 4

In/Returning: Snyders Honey, G&S Corn