Best Wicked Indulgence for $4

            

            

It's time for the Second Annual Independent Food Awards. Five days of acknowledge of the best food in the world headed up by Hillel at Tasting Menu. 

Shopping as a regular routine at the San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market  can make the locals grow fussy. Many of us are perpetually looking to experiment with new tastes and sensations.  I know, we're quite a spoiled bunch of folks aren't we?  But what this usually translates into is diving deep into favorite purveyors. Della Fattoria, an artisan bakery based north of San Francisco in Sonoma county, is a good destination for such an activity.

This is an extraordinary family run operation with a client list that includes The French Laundry, and Sonoma Mission Inn, Without  hesitation their wood-fire hearth-baked artisan breads made with all organic flours-- brioche, Meyer lemon rosemary, Kalamata olive, epi--are outstanding but if you can look long and quick enough (it's a fast, furious but friendly business on Saturday mornings) you'll find the most wicked delight, the peanut butter sandwich cookie.  It's so simple and rich.  Two shortbread like delicate rounds with a smooth peanut butter creme holding them together.  Pair this with an iced coffee from Blue Bottle and you'll find nirvana.

The name, translates from Italian for "from the farm" referring to owner Kathleen Weber's 14-acre Petaluma ranch originally owned by her husband's family.  Weber has come a long way from selling bread from the back of her Volvo. For those on their way to the Sonoma wine country as you head north stop in downtown Petaluma for a light bite to eat in their bakery cafe. The draw for me was their long communal farm table where locals were reading the Sunday papers.  It's delightful respite it felt like home as I was a bit sad to leave I was so relax and well fed. Food this good is worth the drive. 

               

The Independent Food Festival and Awards are founded on a simple concept:  Food can be a wonderful part of life.  A growing legion of  people in the world think of every meal as an opportunity for a great experience.  And yet, sometimes it seems like an ever shrinking number of people actually make great food.  Taste Everything is dedicated to the idea that the More people share their great experiences, the more likely it is that people who make great food will prosper and increase in number. See more Independent Food Award winners go here. Read another SF Farmers Market favorite a 2005 winner, Best Use of a Tortilla.

Comments

[Tana Butler]

Lovely post. I look forward to visiting the ranch, myself, one day.

[chika]

sigh, you guys are making me feel that I'm missing out big time for not being in SF - there're one too many places to check out at the Market! For a peanut-butter cookie lover like myself, those sandwich cookies sound like simply a must. Thanks for the wicked post!

[genevieve]

Oh, thank you thank you for the bakery suggestion! I make every trip to Northern California a food and wine journey, and I make it a point to seek out a different bread bakery every time I go.

[Tijen]

thanks for stopping by. I guess you'll like the new entry about the turkish breakfasts.
come back again and thank you for sharing so many lovely stuff with us. I miss being in CA!
Tijen