CUESA's Sunday Supper (which I blogged about yesterday) will feature the talents of scores of local chefs. For the main event—a sit-down, family-style dinner, six chef teams will be cooking a whole beast, which will then be served tableside. Two of the major talents cooking that night are Ryan Farr, owner of 4505 Meats (and creator of the justly famous 'zilla dog) and Taylor Boetticher, owner of the Fatted Calf.
Ryan's chosen beast is a steer (the very same beef he uses for his cheeseburgers) raised by Magruder Ranch, a 2400-acre fifth generation family farm in Mendocino County. He's planning to serve 20-day aged "Flinstone steaks" along with beef crepinettes and grilled vegetables. Of the beef, he says, "It has a grassy flavor, but you put a little age on it and it takes on a rich, nutty, complex flavor that you don't find it other grass-fed beef. This meat isn't easily available, so it's a treat."
Taylor Boetticher has teamed up with Liberty Ducks, Jim Reichardt's peerless Sonoma duck farm. Since 1992, Reichardt has raised a strain of Pekin duck, without antibiotics, which are now featured on the menus of every restaurant of note in the Bay Area. For the Sunday Supper, Boetticher and his team will be serving both braised duck legs and duck sausages with fresh shelling beans, as well as duck liver toasts.
Getting hungry? It's giveaway time! Our friends at CUESA are stenciling wild beasts throughout the city. Spot a beast, tweet us (@7x7bitsbites) and you'll be entered to win. Win what, you ask? The grand prize, chosen randomly from beast spotters-tweeters, is two tickets to the Sunday Supper, plus one space at butchery class taught by Ryan Farr! The second and third prize (also chosen randomly) is 2 tickets to the reception that precedes the dinner. Go spot a beast!