The Gourmet Wine Cellar returns to the Ferry Building!

On Thursday, November 16 from 6 to 9 pm, The Gourmet Wine Cellar is holding a benefit for CUESA at the Ferry Building. Come for appetizers from top restaurants, interactive wine tasting sessions, and a cooking demonstration and book signing with Gourmet executive chef, Sarah Moulton! Tickets are $100. For more information and to reserve your spot, visit www.GourmetScoop.com.

The Sunday Supper was a success!

CUESA's 2006 Sunday Supper was our most successful yet! Over 420 guests enjoyed an evening of good food and fun that raised funds for our educational projects and programs. We sincerely thank all of the chefs, farmers, volunteers, attendees, sponsors, and donors who made it possible! We would also like to congratulate a few of the winners of our Year of Dining Out raffle: Rosa Mendocino, Claire Hamady, Cynthia Woods, Louis Iacopi, and Glen Demattia!

Two exciting events this Sunday!

This Sunday, October 15, join us for one of two fun events:

Fall farm tour - Tickets are still available for this Sunday's excursion to two popular farms: Tierra Vegetables and Allstar Organics. The bus will leave the Ferry Building at 9 am and return at 5 pm. Click here to learn more >

Seasonal cooking demonstration for kids and their families - At 10:00 am, 12-year-old Executive Sous Chef Danielle Hartog will lead a cooking demonstration based on the three-ingredient recipes she helped create with author Rozanne Gold in the recently released book, Kids Cook 1-2-3. Sample the recipe and take home a copy to try for yourself. Books for sale by Book Passage. This event will take place under the arcades south of the Ferry Building's clock tower.

Saturday, October 14 ~ Market to Table events

10:00 am - Meet the Farmer
Johann Smit of Hidden Star Orchards

10:30 am - Seasonal cooking demonstration
Amy Murray of Venus

Saturday, October 21 ~ Market to Table events

10:00 am - Meet the farmer
Grant Brians of Heirloom Organics

10:30 am - Seasonal cooking demonstration
Susan Beach of iSimmer.com

At the farmers’ market, orange defines October. From crisp carrots, to sweet pumpkins, to the season’s first citrus fruits, the color fills farmers’ stands. In the past few weeks, harvest of one of the most enticing orange fruits has begun: persimmons are boldly presenting themselves to autumn.

There are several species of persimmon—some native to China and others to North America—but the Asian Diospyros kaki accounts for almost all commercial persimmon production. Both American Indians and settlers ate the fruits of the native Diospyros virginiana, and until Japanese immigrants introduced Americans to Asian persimmons (also known as kaki fruits), the indigenous persimmon enjoyed some popularity.

There are two distinctly different types of persimmon and many varieties of each type. Astringent varieties, like the acorn-shaped Hachiya, must ripen fully before they are eaten; their unripe flesh is tannic and causes an extremely unpleasant sensation in the mouth. These varieties are generally harvested when they are hard and ripened on countertops or windowsills. When they are ready to eat, their thin skin is a translucent orange, and their flesh is runny and gelatinous. Astringent varieties are often used in baking or preserving and can be dried to make the Japanese treat, hoshigaki.

Hamada Farms, which grows four varieties of persimmon, dries about 6000 Hachiyas every year using the traditional Japanese method. First, they hand clip the persimmons from the tree, leaving a “T” where the stem meets the branch. Then, they remove the leaf crown at the top of each fruit, peel the skin off with a potato peeler, and hang them to dry in the sun. The resulting products are dense and succulent treats covered with a white powdery substance that some mistake for mold. The powder is actually a sugar bloom that naturally surfaces, coating the fruit with a delicious sweetness.

Non-astringent varieties of persimmon, like the squat Fuyu, can be eaten when they are still hard. The fruit’s flavor is sweet and mild, and its texture is smooth. These varieties are perfect for eating out of hand, slicing into salads, or drying in thick rounds.

Look for both types of persimmon at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market this month and into winter! Hoshigaki should be available in November.

This is the most up-to-date information as of Friday when we send this letter. Please understand that there are always last minute changes--it's the nature of farming!