Fatted Calf breakfast sausage quietly frying on low heat in a cast iron dutch.
Heeyaw! OH man, check out this week’s special. Heritage Pork Shoulder Pot Roast stuffed with chard & walnuts. There’s nothing there I don’t like. And since it’s a nice shoulder portion, a long slow braise or roast is in order. I just love cooking meat for hours, love.
Remember, by eating heritage meats we’re saving a breed of animal that could very well drop from the face of the earth. These animals were bred many moons ago and fell to the wayside for breeds that grew faster, bred easier and yielded more meat per beast. So, save the heritage breeds by eating them on a regular basis, I do. Meathenge cares.
While the pork crepinettes look divine, my eyes dropped right down to the Boudin Blanc with braised chestnuts. These will have to be tried and applied, I can hardly wait. I did up a portion of the Guinea Hen Terrine last week, but don’t see it today. Awww, no sweet guinea. Maybe a Rillettes would be fine and this would want to be duck for sure.
All in all it looks like a fine week at Fatted Calf and if you want a roast, you must reserve it. Otherwise, they be gone by the time you arrive. Please reserve your roast or anything else you’d like HERE.
Take care and see you at the market!
Biggles

Continue reading →

Yeah yeah, still running late these days and this week is no exception. Not much going on at the Lab this week, not much to report. I almost cooked something fancy last night, but chickened out. Oh wait, I did cook something GREAT this week. But I didn’t post about it. I figured there wasn’t anything stellar about what I did other than how great it tasted in the bowl with rice. It was a Cajunny dish for Fat Tuesday, not sure what to call it other than Pig Foot Soup.

My only regret was that I didn’t do a roux, that would have put it over the edge. It had the garlic & onion browned of course. Then I tossed in a smoked pig’s foot from Highland Hills Farm, a load of fresh Andouille from Fatted Calf and a leftover fried pork chop! Some jalapeno, can of maters, can of black eye peas, smattering of broffs and a toss of hearty red wine. At this point I added too much “Cajun Seasoning”, this means it was too salty and spicy. But that was fine because once you added the rice? Perfection. It sat on the stove top for 3 hours, oh yes.
Reheated a few days later? Just as good.
Enough of that, on to the Fatted Calf’s menu for Saturday morning.
Their special this week is the Bone in pork loin roast stuffed with brandied prunes and peppery sausage. While I haven’t had this specific combination, I can tell you the quality of the pork loin roast is incredible. I attempted to find something in my archives, but it’s too vast a search and couldn’t find anything in a reasonable amount of time. Just take my word for it, the roast is beautiful with or without the stuffing. As you can see, it has peppery sausage in it. This could very well mean that if you show up a tad early you very well might get some of that in casings! It could happen you know.
Next up we have the crepinettes, they’re pork with Mariquita’s erbette chard, pine nuts and lemon. I believe these will be exceptionally good this week cause they gots citrus! Did you catch that Shuna? Citrus !!!
I’d like to point your attention to the Rabbit Boudin, these are skinny little dudes with sweet rabbit meatses. Be careful if you grill them, they tender.
OoOo OoOo, check out the Salumi isle! They’ve got the Spanish Style Chorizo listed! Listen up, this is a wonderful treat. Rich, and wildly tasty on the buds. Taylor has figured out a fat to meat to spice ratio that sends these flavors to all corners of your mouth in a rush. It’s crazy, get one, you’ll see.
And last but not least in any sense of the word is the Sugo di Carne (meat sauce). Just get some, don’t care what you say. Kate and I were discussing how incredible the junk is. Warm and spread on toast, veggies or whatever. Add maters and you have a pasta sauce worth sharing with your mother. That means it’s good, you knob.
No matter how you slice it, this week’s lineup looks great. Do yourself a favor and head to Berkeley Saturday morning at maybe 10am, you’ll be glad you did.
Xo Xo
ps – Make sure you have a front license plate when you park. I didn’t and got a fix-it ticket, costs me 25 bux.

Continue reading →

Hey Everbody!
I hope this week has been treating you okay. Thursday morning ruffled my feathers considerably and am attempting to bring my self back to earth. Maybe a few meat related thoughts will steer me towards the light.
HEY. Fatted Calf gots the Little lamb leg roasts stuffed with olive tapenade! I’ve had a few of these, one oven roasted and one smoked. The lamb is so fresh and bright, not all gammy. The hand made tapenade matches the meat as though they were together from the beginning. I love these roasts and if you’re going to be around I’d suggest placing your order right now. If you show up when the market opens, the roasts could have very well sold out already. If not, there’s one and the guy in front of you will buy it. I’ve seen it happen, it’s happened to me.
The crepinettes look really good this week too, they’re pork with roasted shallots, walnuts, red wine and herbs. Not sure where you are, but here the weather is getting nicer by the day. It’s grill time!
oh oh oh oh, hey they’ve got the Duck sausage with Kirsch! MMmMm, duck sausage.
I bought some Duck Prosciutto last week and will be using that in tonights dinner. I’m going to stuff it under the skin of a whole chicken with some fresh herbs, roast at 450 for an hour. Heh, I’ll let you know how that works out.
There’s a lot of good things that are going to be available this coming Saturday at the Berkeley Farmer’s Market, come have a gander.
Biggles

Continue reading →

Some people look forward to their food magazines each month and many of us look forward to the Wednesday edition of the paper so we can get our weekly fix of the Food Section. I’m not really in to food magazines, many of them are going in directions that not only don’t interest me, but I’m just not able to follow. One of which (I had a subscription to for 2 years) just plain made me mad and forced me to write snarky letters to the ‘editor’. Magazines also make me froth due to the Accumulation Factor. Man, before you know it they’re all over the damned place and you know what? They’re heavy, especially in boxes and/or stacks. Pretty soon you’re forced to deal with it and all of a sudden it wasn’t worth the money or return. But that’s just me and … where was I?
The reason I write these introductions to the Fatted Calf Newsletter is because it’s something I look forward to each week. It arrives about Thursday or so, sometimes later and sometimes earlier. This gives me a few days to salivate over the menu and see what the weekend will bring. I also write about them because this is my blog and I can do whatever I want, nyah.
This weeks special is the Brasato al Modolo, Tuscan style beef pot roast stuffed with marrow and rosemary, seasoned with lots of black pepper. I’ll be honest, I haven’t had one yet. They’ve had them a few times now and it’s time! I’ll let you know how it comes out.
OoOooO, the Crepinettes look good this week. They’re lamb with Nicoise olives and red wine. The lamb is so darned fresh, no gammy. Hey, I ran down the list here and saw Duck Proscuitto! OH YES, oh yes. This I must have, I can hardly wait!
Well, this pretty much wraps up this weeks Fatted Calf ramble from Biggles. I’ve had a really great time and hope to see you Saturday at the Berkeley Farmer’s market.
Xo Xo

Continue reading →

I found myself early Saturday morning (9:45am) at the farmer’s market and still hadn’t come up with a menu for Sunday’s meal. While I don’t enjoy sports during the year, it doesn’t hold my attention. I do love getting everyone together, drinking & eating too much and screaming stupid phrases for hours. Ahhh, good times.
It wasn’t until I was randomly buying vegetables, most of which I didn’t know the name of, that I could do some volcanoes and a stuffed roast of some kind. I felt relief that I’d finally finalized something for Sunday’s Hoorah.

Continue reading →

Fast approaching is one of the largest grilling sessions of the year. Chilebrown’s menu will probably include enough fancy smokin’ & grillin’ to feed a small army. Dr. Jones of The Five Pints will probably be doing up a whole duck in his new smoker, even though football makes him hurl obscenities. It’s time to start looking for goodies to hork down on Sunday. A good start would be with some tasty sausages and salami. At least that’s where I’m starting.
This week Team Fatted Calf has rolled out a wide assortment of excellent grilling friendly sausage. An easy start would be with the Pork Crepinettes with Red Wine Soaked Figs & Hazelnuts, wine soaked figs? FIGS & PIGS !!! Figs & pigs, a match made in heaven. There’s Boudin Noir, Calabrese, Merguez, Toulouse (that’s from France, eh), Chorizo and a few others. One of those others would be the Organic Grass fed Beef Hot Links. These bad boys would be perfect for Sunday. They should be cooked quite low and for hours with hickory smoke love. I’ll get a handful, me thinks. Please see their list in the F.C. Newsletter following.
The special this week are the Hoffman Farm Quail stuffed with Wild Mushroom Sausage. HA !!! That would be a nice way to go, one quail per drunken idiot. Although, you’d have to keep an eye on yer guests. Those quail have small bones and drunken fools can easily choke and make quite a mess if not careful.
As I’m reading down the list, it gets better. The Terrine section is outstanding; Guinea Hen Terrine, Pate Maison, Coppa di Testa (not sure, but that last word has me a little cautious), Duck Liver Mousse and the list continues. The next hop down is the Salumi department. A few handfuls of the Fegatelli and Petit Sec Aux Herbes would be a perfect snack every minute while you’re waiting for the grill to produce. Oh man, check this out, they’ve got Spanish Style Chorizo in salami form !!! I’ve had this quite a few times and it’s a must have. And last, but not least, don’t forget to pick up some bacon. You’re going to need some to wrap roasts, sausage & chicken pieces for the grill. Never forget the bacon.
And this pretty well wraps up Meathenge’s view on Fatted Calf’s weekly Newsletter. Please read on to see what else they have going on for this coming Saturday’s Farmer’s Market in Berkeley and I hope to see you there!
xo xo
Note: If you want to make sure you get what you need for Saturday and/or you have a large order, please use their Online Order Form.
Disclaimer: I ain’t workin’ for FC and never have, I’m a huge fan and enjoy the weekly newsletter as do many others.

Continue reading →

No no, not me. I was perusing The Pragmatic Chef and noticed he put up a post about some food critic changing shoes for a week and waiting tables. He’d been a waiter 20 years previous, but it’d been a while and sounded like a good idea. I read Frank Bruni’s article and it reminded me of my attitude towards people who take care of us in restaurants.
I remember many years ago when I was real little, maybe 5 or so and my grandmother and uncle would take myself and my little sister out to eat. Gramma always pointed out how hard waiters and waitresses worked. How many things they’d have to remember, who got what and what went to what table. Be kind and don’t make trouble. Sit still in your seat and don’t run around, it isn’t polite. If you knock something over, ask for a towel so that ‘you’ (meaning me) can clean it up promptly. Don’t open up the sugar packets and spread it over the table, it’ll make a mess. If you have a question, ask. If you don’t ask, you’ll never find out the answer to your question. Kinda makes sense huh?
I remember the meals usually went fine. If the kitchen was running a little slow, Gramma would lean over to me and say, “I’ll pretend to light up a cigarette and you just see if our food doesn’t come out right quick.” And it nearly always did, Gramma knew.
After we got the check, it was time to calculate the tip. The ever powerful way of showing your appreciation to those who matter. Or letting them know that something, wasn’t quite as you had expected it to be.
We always tipped whatever the standard percentage was at that time or more if we were exceptionally pleased. Or as I grew older, too loaded and caused a scene, that’s a 50% tip right there. Sorry to you and yours for that, and that, and that. Oh and there was that time at El Cabballo for Dave’s birthday. Does Speaking on Tongues mean anything to you?
Over the years I’ve dined with many people and have been appalled at the rudeness of some. One of which flat out refused to tip based on the fact they already get paid. They shouldn’t get a tip for what they’re already paid for. He doesn’t tip the grocery store clerk or the shoe salesperson, why the waitress? We didn’t go out much to eat together.
While I don’t go out to eat often, I always make a point of tipping well and not being rude, even if I am hungry and full of booze.
Here’s the article! My Week as a Waiter by Frank Bruni

Yeah okay, sorry about that. I’ll tell you what it is. This Brasato al Midolo is a Tuscan Style Organic Grass Fed Beef Pot Roast stuffed with Beef Marrow. Uh huh. (recipe located at end of their newsletter) As far as I know, this is a first for this special and it’s tomorrow. Sorry I was late, again, this week. The Newsletter didn’t roll in until Thursday and I’ve been completely and utterly swamped here at work and my computer area is soggy at home. Meathenge has taken another nose dive, but it’ll have to. I just don’t have ONE OUNCE of inspiration or time. Not even a smidge.
Alright, enough blather. Along with the special this week Fatted Calf is sportin’ their organic beef hot links. See, I’ve had these once before and they’re amazing.

Check out that smoke ring!
These suckers should really be cooked on the grill or smoker, long and slow. They soak up BBQ sauce like a sponge, oh yeah. Everyone should have a package of these in their fridge.
Oh look, one of my favorites, Rabbit Pate with Chives! Love the chives in there, makes the rabbit all sparky and nice.
The menu this week is chocked full of wonderful goodies, read though and see for yourself.
I hope to see you at the market this coming Saturday morning in Berkeley!
xo xo

Continue reading →

Ack! Where has the time gone? The Fatted Calf Newsletter rolled a day ago and am only now had the time to peruse the list of goodies. What’s up with that?
I have a question, what is a Cantipalitos de Pimenton? Google doesn’t know and Larousse Gastronomique doesn’t know either. I did however, find a refrence to roasting a young camel’s hump. MmmMmmMM, hump.
The Pork Crepinettes with Roasted Shallots, Walnuts and Red Wine sound nice for a wintery breakfast, don’t you think? I do.
Hey, look there’s Glace de Viande listed way down there at the bottom. A perfect meat syrup for glazing your roasts or thickening of your sauces & gravies. Yeah, yeah, I know. Make your own, it’s easy! Well, yeah it is easy. But it takes time and you have to pay attention to what the heck you’re doing. OH sure, do it a few times so you can say you did it, I agree. In fact, I’ve done it. But to keep it on hand on a weekly & monthly basis? That’s not so easy. So, do yourself a favor and let F.C. do the hard work and you reap the goodness.
Go have a look for yourself at their menu for this coming Saturday at the Berkeley Farmer’s Market.
xo xo
ps – Don’t forget to reserve your roasts and treats so you KNOW for a fact you’ll get what you want. Place your order HERE.
pps – I called Taylor to find out what the Cantipalitos is. It’s a 4″ long pork sausage with smoked paprika, garlic and a few other goodies. They’re available at The Spanish Table in Berkeley, neat eh?

Continue reading →

This is ham. I like ham.
Godammit it’s been a long time. 2? 3 weeks? I don’t know. I’ve forgotten what charcuterie is. After reading through Kim O’Neill’s Fatted Calf Newsletter, I’m not even sure I remember what anything tastes like!
This week’s special are the Little Lamb Leg Roasts with Olive Tapenade. I’ve had these a handful of times and they’re quite tasty. The lamb is extremely fresh and you can tell, it’s mild and tender. The Tapenade is something they make themselves and permeates the meat, your oven and the house! Plus, lamb don’t take that long to cook. This means you aren’t sitting around all day waiting for your meal, niiice.
The wily boudin noir is here too, many people wait for this treat. If you’re in to the noir, don’t miss it this week. Count Biggles in for the Rabbit Boudin, this is my treat. It’s so warm and sweet, perfect for breakfast & supper.
This is a wonderful time to visit your local farmer’s market. The crowds are light and the deals are there to be had. Please leave some room in your busy schedule and head out this coming weekend, even if it is a little rainy. See you there!
Biggles
Please read on to Kim O’Neill’s Fatted Calf Newsletter.

Continue reading →

I would like to preface this entry with a note that this cornbread success story is 1 part in a Brisket Cookoff between Chilerown and I over this last weekend. It was quite an adventure, a cool one too, and just couldn’t wait to tell you about the cornbread. I’ll get the Beef Brisket Fun written and up soon, I promise.
Over the last few years I’ve been chasing Meathead’s Southern Cornbread and there’s good reason. It’s one of the finest things I’ve ever put in my mouth. However, the recipe is elusive because over nearly 3 or 4 generations, there’s no written recipe! He wrote me up another one with a different oven temperature and I decided it was time to give it one more shot.

Continue reading →

It wasn’t obvious what was in a wrapped gifty box a good friend had dropped off. He offered that I should open it sooner rather than later, probably guessing I’d want to play right away. Thinking it might be nice to open a present at the regularly scheduled time, I left it rest for that week and din’t give it much thought.
I wish I’d opened it sooner, don’t you think?

Continue reading →

Oh where oh where can our Biggles be? Oh where oh where can he be?
I would be inside, that’s where. I think by now everyone has noticed that it’s dark far earlier, can get kinda nippy at times and for the last few days in the SF Bay Area? It’s been flooding (that’d be rain). Today some parts will see thunder & lightening along with some 60+ mile per hour winds. I emailed Cookiecrumb from I’m Mad and I Eat, she’s been under her comforter during the nasties. That’s where I’m headed in a moment, too.
There’s a reason I posted an image of our detached garage there, on the right. See, that’s where my computer is, where the images get resized and where I can sit quietly and make Meathenge bend to my evil ways. This building is fine during the warmer parts of the year. However, right now those 59 year old garage doors are just about out of usefulness. There’s a 1″ to 2″ gap around each of them and they don’t hold still. Back & forth, back and forth in the wind and rain. The concrete floor is glossy with moisture and I have to say, being out here can really suck, especially in the dark. This, and the holidays have left Meathenge high and dry. Sure I’m still hosting meals, roasting world-class leg of lambs and carrying on, but it ain’t getting posted, that’s for sure.
Luckily we got a break in the weather for a little bit and I ran to the garage to reseat the burlap coffee bags rolled up under and around the doors, nail a few things in to place and make this post.
Wanna see the Canadian Bacon that Chilebrown made and dropped off a few days ago?

Continue reading →

Pampas Grass when the weather was warm, way back then.
It’s with tears in my eyes that I sit down to write this little letter to you. Fatted Calf will not be attending the Berkeley Farmer’s market this coming Saturday. If you want to try Devil’s Gulch Rabbit Boudin you will have to travel the San Francisco Ferry Plaza market to buy. I have no idea what it is or what it tastes like, hopefully on January 14th they’ll have it again. Taylor? Are you listening to me? Hellooo?
The menu is packed absolutely to overflowing with wonderful goodies this week. Such as the insanely rich Pork Sausage with Black Truffles or the Pork Crepinettes with Black Trumpet Mushrooms. I cannot have them, nope. I will watch from afar as they pass from maker to consumer to mouth. Oh wow, take a look down the menu a bit to the Guinea Hen Rillettes with Black Truffles, what’s that all about? Clearly Taylor has no troubles with truffles, fancy.
I leave you now in the caring arms of Kim O’Neill and her fancy Fatted Calf Newsletter.
Please place your Order Now to make sure you get what you require!

Continue reading →

Check out the texture of that reduced red wine pan sauce, perfection +10.
Hi Everyone,
Been kinda slow here on Meathenge lately, just wanted to let you know we haven’t stopped eating. Just not doing much worth posting is all. This time of year I’m too busy to take on new recipes and my normal meanderings throughout town. So, I rely on basic day to day foods to get us by, such as this 3 week aged beef tri-tip roast you see above you. This and lamb and spam sushi await you!

Continue reading →