Hey there, its Mrs. Chef. Something we've been working on for YEARS....is finally live. cheftoddfisher.com
I am not usually in the author role, but the editor. However, this project has been on my to do list a long time and I am thrilled with the results. Todd is wildly creative, all who've had the pleasure of tasting a bit of whateverhesmakingnow know that. I have a love of photography and documenting. Mostly its been our family over the years (if you got our Easter email you saw our wonderful family photo, love that Canon remote app lets me be in the photo and take it!!). I've also tried to capture his food, his style, his art. And as it turns out, this also built our definition of his food style, "California Heritage Cuisine".
Our roots are here, in the fertile soil of Salinas Valley, produce capital and unique to the world. His childhood spent in San Francisco gave him Chinatown, North Beach, Jewish Delis, Japantown and of course, Tad's. I grew up in Carmel, Santa Cruz and Woodland CA, close to agriculture and a little more hippy. My dad has always had an abundant garden, which I was helpful in consuming the fruits of his labor. Tomatoes, zucchini, lemon cucumber, cabbages, snap peas, potatoes, peppers, more tomatoes -- it was how we decide what was for dinner!
California Cuisine (as seen by the rest of the world) is a mix of Chez Panise, Spago and Farm-to-Table. We see it as evolved into produce inspired, sustainable protein, high flavor, less heavy, discerning palatte cuisine. People care about where its from and want to make the most of their farmers market produce.
Somehow that has created where we are and what we hope to do. Our mission is to source excellent meats and cook delicious food, while providing the expertise for our customers to find success in their own kitchen. And now we can keep it all cataloged (oh how I loved the Dewey Decimal System) - his rants, recipes, ideas and so much more planned, all in one spot.
Thank you Savanna! You're my secret weapon and I love working with you :)
- @achefswife
Where do I start?? …
There is a heck of a lot going on in my world… That said, I guess there always is and I won't lie, I like it that way! Let me tell you a little about what we have in the butcher’s case this week.
With the amazing weather, I am anticipating you’ll wanna grill. So I have Prime Tri tip, rubbed and un rubbed, I prefer my meat rubbed. Prime skirt steak and I am bringing back my famous Root Beer & Molasses marinate, ya hear me Hockin’s?!? Prime, bone-in ribeyes and New York striploins. If you haven't heard me say it yet, the Kansas City steak from Brandt Ranch is my favorite steak to sell, cook and eat! There will be 8, Sexy AF Tomahawks, first come first serve, with the sun out and the grill blazin, ya might need to do it for the gram! Of course, Santa Carota carrot-finished ribeyes and filets, as well as Prime filets and our signature Niman Ranch filet mignon, cut to your specs. There will be Llano Seco pork porterhouse, Niman Ranch chops and Compart Duroc St. Louis style ribs… If you feel like getting your smoke on, more power to ya, I’ll have Llano pork shoulders and cushions as well as Prime beef brisket. I was able to get a little more Elk and I have beautiful veal chops. Simply want to do great burgers, then grab our Meatery Grind and shine!
As for hot food, our 18 hour brisket will be drippin with goodness, our Smoked beef ribs will simply blow your mind and of course our pimento mac and cheese… As often is the case, something inspires me each week and this week is no different. My two youngest are off to Hawaii for spring break with our besties and I am seriously jealous. But if I went away this week you would not be able to grab an inspired Kalua Pig Plate… Smoked and slow cooked in banana leaves, our Kalua Pig is “Ono” served with Sticky Rice, Charred Pineapple, Mac Salad and Napa Cabbage Slaw, its gonna feel like your on the big Island!
I am seriously stoked with our Sausage game… The Chile Verde Sausage is amazeballs and our Toulouse has become signature. The Lamb Merguez is out of this world and a new one this week, a Chicken, Fig and Gorgonzola Sausage with Walnuts… It was a suggestion and it is dag-gum tasty… Sausage Sunday crew, I got you!
If you haven't heard, my beautiful bride has given us permission to bake her Carrot Cake recipe and let me tell you it is the best around! I would also like to take a quick moment to thank her for all her work on the long awaited cheftoddfisher.com website! It is beautiful with all of her photography. She has taken on so many new tasks from chief label maker which is no easy feat when your uber creative and devilishly handsome chef husband makes shit up on the fly… she has learned more new platforms than I can count, she pays the bills, fields the calls, updates my calendar as well as our 5 kids… she finds time to be mom to them all, walk them through expert level stain removal techniques and counsel before tests, drive to the birthday parties and take care of me, edit my rants and keep up with my ludicrous life style.. she is amazing!! Did I mention our Chocolate Cherry Walnut cookies and our Double Chocolate gluten free cookies are too damn good to get just one…
This weekend brings the return of the porcini and artichoke bolognese, loaded with ground prime, dry aged beef, artichokes and porcini mushrooms, grab a bundle with our imported Chittari pasta and eat like Nonna made it!
On a menu change note, The Seaside Wet Torta has fallen off the menu, as delicious as it was, with the warmer weather coming and the fact that it was our lowest seller it is gone sadly at least for now. A new creation is in the works to replace it, more to come on that next week. We did add an Italian inspired Sandwich that was our secret menu item, so it made sense to call it The Goomba! Our regulars knew about it and what the hell it is delicious and there really shouldn't be secrets amongst friends… thinly sliced mortadella, sweet coppa, capicola and sopressata with provolone, Mama Lil’s peppers, lettuce, tomato and calabrian chili, garlic mayo on a soft Palermo roll, fa’getaboutit!
Our spot in Carmel Valley @valley_hills_carmel_valley has a new patio being constructed and our new brand is about to launch, stay tuned for more on that next week. But if you're in the valley stop in and grab a sandwich or one of our tremendous salads. The place is great, cold beer on draft and by the bottle as well as exceptional breakfast burritos 6 days a week. All of our meats for the deli are smoked and prepared here at The Meatery and sent over for your enjoyment! The Tri-tip… Oh My!
Pile on top of that, my honey do list and my lawn needing to be mowed…Finding time to Wordle each day and like I said, there is a lot going on… and I wouldn't change a thing!
See ya at the Counter!
-CT
