It’s a family affair at CUESA’s Fourth Annual Summer Celebration as local chefs and bartenders pay tribute to the summer bounty of the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market by featuring six of our favorite culinary families: berries, cucurbits, grains and legumes, alliums, leaves and flowers, and stone fruits.
As you make your way through the nave of the Ferry Building on Sunday, June 22, you’ll be tantalized by berry creations from chef Christine Law of Town Hall, bites containing leaves and flowers from Tim Archuleta of Ichi Sushi, and stone fruit inspired cocktails from Alta CA bartender Ashley Miller, among more than 50 other bites and drinks from the Bay Area’s best.
One plant family taking the stage at the Summer Celebration this year, the cucurbits, is known for flavors that are sweet, savory, and sometimes both. The cucurbit family includes sweet, juicy melons, crisp, floral cucumbers and the wide range of summer squash varieties, like Flying Saucer, Zephyr, Costata Romansco, and yellow Crookneck. Cucurbit-loving chef Larry Finn of Scala’s Bistro will be making a chilled cucumber and avocado soup topped with roasted squash and squash blossoms from The Peach Farm. Other chefs showcasing their cucurbit chops include Daniel Capra of Paula Le Duc Catering, Adam Dulye of Abbot’s Cellar, and Isaac Miller of Maven.
No CUESA event would be complete without the presence of farmers, who will be displaying their bounty and offering farm-fresh tastes. Enjoy live music, a scavenger hunt, the popular “What’s Your Stone Fruit Name?” game, and more. Proceeds from the night provide much-needed support for CUESA’s ongoing education initiatives, including free cooking demos, kitchen skill-building classes, the Schoolyard to Market youth entrepreneurship program, and sustainability scholarships for farmers.
Tickets for Summer Celebration are available for $125, $85 of which is tax deductible and Market Watch readers get $20 off with code 7x7mag from now until June 21. For a complete list of participating restaurants and bartenders please visit the CUESA website.
