Friday, July 27, 2007

47 restaurants in 47 days: #13, Foodie field trip, Part 1

San Francisco Ferry Building
Embarcadero @ Market

The Ferry Building on the Embarcadero is a transit point for commuters crossing the Bay. But in recent years it’s also become a destination for people interested in locally produced artisan food products.

The landmark structure, which opened in 1898, fell into disuse with construction of the Bay Bridge in 1936, and a double-deck highway built in the '50s isolated the building from the rest of downtown.

Damage to the highway from the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake led to its removal, and the Ferry Building was revived as office space and a marketplace for specialty-food purveyors.

My target here was Recchiuti, source of my favorite chocolates. (Well, there’s still a place in my heart for home-town favorite Malley’s.)

Recchiuti’s chocolates have flavors like tarragon grapefruit, lemon verbena, rose caramel, and cardamom nougat. Perhaps even better are the extra-dark chocolate sauce and the burnt caramel sauce, both fabulous on ice cream.

Last Thursday evening, Michael Recchiuti himself was handing out samples of a new concoction, not sold in the store (yet), “Rocky Recchiuti chocolate bark.” Dark chocolate, house-made marshmallow, toasted almonds, caramel, and a bit of crunchy sea salt. The salt playing off the chocolate makes for an addictive combination.

At a party a few months ago, I set out some of Recchiuti’s pates de fruits, and they disappeared so quickly that I tasted not a one. Not surprising, with flavors like Morello cherry, passion fruit, cassis and pear-lime. I mentioned this to the clerk, and she kindly gave me my choice of flavors to sample for free. She knew I’d be back, via the Web if not in person.

More market bounty.

2 comments:

Chalicechick said...

Wow. You're such the food reviewer. I am now officially nervous about ever having you over for dinner because it sounds like you know what you're talking about...

CC

Anonymous said...

Ah yes...thee ole Rockin Recchiuti treats at the Thursday market, was a huge hit. I really enjoy spending time at the ferry Building and having the opportunity to connect with people. I will be there for most of the Thursday markets, pop by and say hello.
Cheers, Michael