January 8, 2015: New

Hello there, and Happy New Year!
 
It’s traditional around here for our first menu of the year to be a light and sustaining one, for getting back to it after the holiday’s beautiful excesses. This year’s version is suitable for a dinner party or a few days of dinners and snacks, and is just what you need right now. The omnivore’s version contains the fish dumplings in broth, the vegetarian version contains the miso ginger broth with mushrooms, and the all-in contains both.

 
Vegetarian (vegan this week): $135
Omnivore: $145
All-in: $190

 
It’s like this:
 
Clear broth with fish dumplings, two quart jar
Elegant and delicious, and the opposite of a cookie.
 
Miso ginger broth with mushrooms, two quart jar
Ginger, miso, shiitake mushrooms – spicy and earthy.
 
Walnut and lentil spread, half pint jar
For a refined and satisfying sandwich, appetizer or snack.
 
Apple chips, pint jar
Crispy, sweet-bright lovelies. Pretty enough for guests.
 
Seedy seaweed shake, half pint jar
We love this for adding savory, salty crunch to salads, rice, beans…
 
Kale salad, quart jar
For good luck and health in the new year.
 
Steamed squash and citrus dressing, 24 ounce jar
This is beautiful cold, in crunchy lettuce leaves, or warmed up for a cozy winter dish.
 
Sautéed greens and garlic, 24 ounce jar
Greens, greens, greens, greens, greens!
 
Herb tisane with nettles and rose hips, half pint jar
Extra-special with some wild-harvested elements, aromatic and immune-supporting.
 
Extras this week include Morell’s Multigrain bread, double lamb stock, and apricot jam.

Thanks for supporting Potliquor!

All our best, 
jennifer and laura

December 18, 2014: Welcoming

Hello there,
 
We have a wintery menu to offer you for pickup next week, Welcoming, suitable for hosting dearests or serving over a few days at home. It being the holidays and all, we’re happy to give extra portions of any item you might want more of—just let us know. Pickup will be Thursday, December 18, from 5:00 to 7:30 in Berkeley and San Francisco. The omnivore’s version includes the short ribs, the vegetarian version includes the risotto, and the all-in contains both.
 
Our extra-special Gift crate is available for pickup on the 18^th, as well: a careful collection of some of our favorite treats of this season, to give and keep.
 
It’s like this:
 
All in: $255.00
Omnivore: $195.00
Vegetarian: $125.00
 
Braised short ribs, two quart jar (two and a half pounds uncooked weight)
Classic, slow and velvety, with red wine and aromatic vegetables.
 
Spinach and pumpkin risotto, quart jar plus 24 ounces pumpkin broth
Pretty much the most comforting thing you can eat, when it’s raining outside. The broth is perfect for stirring into the risotto as you heat it, just before serving, and there may be enough left over for a cup to sip, too.
 
Charred smashed beets, 24 ounce jar
Rich and smoky and earthily sweet.
 
Horseradish cream, half pint jar
For your beets, for your beef, for your holiday-time sandwiches—even crab, if you do that sort of thing.
 
Kohlrabi with onions and cream, quart jar
The pretty root and leaf, sweetened up with onions and cream.
 
Pickled Wickson apples, 24 oz jar
These will be suitable to give as a present, if you can resist eating them. They’ll go very nicely with both main dishes, as well as with the beets.
 
Satsuma mandarins, 1 pound
Isn’t it lovely that we get the brightest fruit just when the skies go darkest?
 
Extras this week include Morell’s rye bread (so good), and our own apricot jam.
 
Thanks for supporting Potliquor, and stay dry out there!

Jennifer & Laura
 

December 18 and 22: Gift

Hello there,

We have a beautiful thing to offer you this holiday season: a collection we call Gift, all boxed up in a crate for keeping. Each element will be tagged individually with serving suggestions, so you can give each one separately, or the whole thing to one lucky person, or keep a few to enjoy with friends—it’s up to you. It will be available for pickup in Berkeley and San Francisco on December 18 and 22. (We’ll be offering a meal project crate on the 18^th, as well, stay tuned). If you’d like extras of anything, let us know!

It’s like this:

Gift, $200

Duck rillettes, ¼ liter Weck jar
The traditional Potliquor holiday version: duck legs cooked slowly in duck fat and shredded, with sherry vinegar and mustard and spices. Rich and peppery and so very good. Rillettes are a traditional way to preserve duck, so this will last for a time in your fridge, with its fat cap intact.

Cauliflower terrine, walnut rosemary pistou, ¼ liter Weck jar
A creamy, dense cauliflower custard with egg, cream, and a pistou of Full Belly walnuts and the evergreen herb on top.

Membrillo, four ounce jar
Quince fruit paste for your cheeses, or your spoon. You can serve this in its jar, or unmold it. 

Woodsy salt, half pint jar
Juniper, bay, and a surprise or two in Pacific sea salt: for wintering up your roasts and vegetables, or delighting your host.

Cocoa nib brittle, 6 ounces
Our current favorite, with nibs instead of nuts, packed to give in a Mason jar.

Rye crispbreads, 2 quart jar
We’ve been enjoying making these seeded ultra-thin crispbreads for parties, and think you should have some for yours. We make them with Anson Mills rye, caraway seeds and Maldon salt; they do contain some wheat, too.

Fig mostarda, half pint jar
Dried Knoll figs preserved with citrus and mustard seeds, sharp and sweet and perfect with rich roasted things.

Preserved rhubarb, 12 ounce jar
There was a late flush of rhubarb this year, which we preserved with honey and mandarin peel. It’s savory enough to serve with cheese, sweet enough to finish a custard or pound cake, and the syrup will be dreamy for cocktails.

Fruitcake, 6" round
We have been making fruitcake together for almost as long as we’ve been friends. Our version is rich and spiced, but light. Singular. This year we’re doing a version focusing on fruit and nuts grown around here–dried plums and almonds–and local spirits.

Pickup will be in San Francisco and Berkeley on December 18 and 22, from 5:00 to 7:30 pm. If neither of these times works for you, let us know; we can arrange something else.

We wish you a warm and delicious holiday!

Jennifer & Laura
Potliquor

November 25, 2014: Thanks

Hello there,
 
Thanksgiving is coming! We have a beautiful crate for you to pick up on Tuesday, November 25, between 5:00 and 7:30 pm, full of sauces and complements and pie supplies, to make your meal even more fun and delicious. We’ve had some requests for extras from this crate or just parts of it, and the answer is yes: you can get individual elements if you’d like them, or extras of this or that with your crate; just let us know what you’d like in the notes field of your order, or get in touch with us by email to potliquorsf@gmail.com. Orders will remain open until Monday afternoon.
 
 
It’s like this:
 
One version, $200 (if you’d prefer the vegetable stock to the poultry one, just let us know in the notes field when you order.)
 
Garden pickles, pint jar
A guest-welcoming quantity of mixed pickles.
 
Apple chutney, pint jar
Serve this with your cheese, and put some on your leftover turkey (or grilled cheese) sandwich.
 
Avalanche Lamborn Bloomers, 7 ounces
A goat robiola from Colorado, special for serving to your dearests.
 
Sage walnuts, pint jar
Great with cheese and pickles.
 
Double poultry or onion sage stock, two 24-ounce jars
For your gravy and your post-holiday soup. Let us know in the notes field if you’d prefer the vegetarian stock, or one of each.
 
Condensed mushrooms, 12 ounce jar
Crimini and dried porcini mushrooms, cream, sherry. For soup or casserole or sauce.
 
Fried shallots, half pint jar
For your green bean casserole, or for a little savory crunch on anything. Extra points if you save some for long enough to get them into a sandwich.
 
Pomegranate seeds, 12 ounce jar
Because we actually do love you.
 
Sherry vinaigrette, half pint jar
The classic, for dressing your favorite greens.
 
Celery salt, half pint jar
For finishing your bird, roots, or soup.
 
Compound butter–thyme, rosemary, sage
Sage, rosemary, thyme: for your gravy, for basting your bird, for finishing your root vegetables.
 
Pie crusts, three
All rolled out and ready to go.
 
Pumpkin filling, quart jar
For pie, or suitable for baking as crust-free custards, too.
 
Apples, three pounds
You see where this is going.
 
Baking spice, two ounces
Your apple pie? It is handled.
 
 
Extras: Morell’s levain, for stuffing or sandwiches. If you’d like extras of any other element, let us know in the notes field and we’ll set you up.
 
Thanks for supporting Potliquor!


All our best,
jennifer & laura

Shepherd & Hunter + Thanksgiving

 Hello there,
 
We have many things to tell you this week! There’s a menu for pickup next Thursday the 20^th, Shepherd & Hunter; a special Thanksgiving crate for pre-order, available for pickup Tuesday the 25^th; and the kitchens in our building are having an open house tomorrow—come say hello!
 
Shepherd & Hunter: It’s getting darker (and rainy!), so we’re offering you some of our best-loved comforting food—Hunter’s style braised range hens with lots of beautiful mushrooms, and Vegetarian shepherd’s pie, plus lots of vegetables, and even some duck eggs.
 
Thanks: We love Thanksgiving, and have put together an extra-special menu full of wonderful things to add to your feast. Sage walnuts, condensed mushrooms with dried porcini, apple chutney, fried shallots, special cheese, pie dough, oh my.

This one time, we made a Turducken.
 
Open House: the Berkeley Kitchens Open House is this Friday the 14^th, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm! Do come say hello, meet our fine neighbors, and see and taste some of the wonderful things that are made here. 2701 8^th Street, Berkeley.
 
Shepherd & Hunter is like this, for November 20:
 
All in (braised hen and vegetarian shepherd’s pie):  $195
Omnivore (braised hen): $145.00
Vegetarian (shepherd’s pie): $120.00
 
Hunter’s style braised range hen, two quart jar
Flavorful birds, cooked long and slow with some deeply flavored mushrooms and tomatoes and onions. Fall goodness.
 
Vegetarian shepherd’s pie, 9”
Rich and sustaining, roots and mushrooms and love.
 
Spaghetti squash, butter and garlic, 24 ounce jar
The texture miracle, like buttery squash noodles.
 
Roasted broccoli, chile, quart jar
Simple, warming and good.
 
Sage farina, pint jar
Savory porridge, for chilly nights and soaking up broth.
 
Frisee, one or two heads
A little bitter frill for your autumnal self.
 
Nettle walnut pistou, half pint jar
So delicious and deep and good for you.
 
Duck eggs, 4
Because we can. And for the best frisee lardon salad ever.
 
Extras this week include Morell’s rosemary bread (get an extra to dry for stuffing!), and cauliflower soup.
 
 
Thanks is like this, for November 25:
 
One version, $200 (if you’d prefer the vegetable stock to the poultry one, just let us know in the notes field when you order.)
 
Garden pickles, pint jar
A guest-welcoming quantity of mixed pickles.
 
Apple chutney, pint jar
Serve this with your cheese, and put some on your leftover turkey (or grilled cheese) sandwich.
 
Avalanche Lamborn Bloomers, 7 ounces
A goat robiola from Colorado, special for serving to your dearests.
 
Sage walnuts, pint jar
Great with cheese and pickles.
 
Double poultry or onion sage stock, two 24-ounce jars
For your gravy and your post-holiday soup. Let us know in the notes field if you’d prefer the vegetarian stock, or one of each.
 
Condensed mushrooms, 12 ounce jar
Crimini and dried porcini mushrooms, cream, sherry. For soup or casserole or sauce.
 
Fried shallots, half pint jar
For your green bean casserole, or for a little savory crunch on anything. Extra points if you save some for long enough to get them into a sandwich.
 
Pomegranate seeds, 12 ounce jar
Because we actually do love you.
 
Sherry vinaigrette, half pint jar
The classic, for dressing your favorite greens.
 
Celery salt, half pint jar
For finishing your bird, roots, or soup.
 
Compound butter—thyme, rosemary, sage
Sage, rosemary, thyme: for your gravy, for basting your bird, for finishing your root vegetables.
 
Pie crusts, three
All rolled out and ready to go.
 
Pumpkin filling, quart jar
For pie, or suitable for baking as crust-free custards, too.
 
Apples, three pounds
You see where this is going.
 
Baking spice, two ounces
Your apple pie? It is handled.
 
Extras: Morell’s levain, for stuffing or sandwiches. If you’d like extras of any other element, let us know in the notes field and we’ll set you up.
 
Thanks for supporting Potliquor!


All our best,
jennifer & laura

November 6, 2014: Soup

Hello there,
 
We’re glad to announce a menu for November 6: Soup! Chicken soup, tomato soup, lots of beautiful accompaniments and salads, and even some cookie dough. There are some other things we’re excited about right now, too, that we think you might like to know about:
 
F.E.E.D:
Farmers Exchange of Earthly Delights is responsible for providing us with much of the Sonoma bounty that fills your crate each time, and they are fine people who really believe in what they do. They have an indiegogo campaign right now to raise money for a new truck so that they can add a delivery day and serve the growing need for locally grown food. There are some very sweet rewards; check it out!
 
Berkeley Kitchens Open House:
Our beloved kitchen community is throwing an open house on November 14, from 5:00 pm to 7:00. Mark your calendar to come on by 2701 8^th Street in Berkeley and taste and see what we’re all up to.
 
And now, some food for you:
 
All in (chicken soup and tomato soup): $165.00
Omnivore (chicken soup): $125.00
Vegetarian (tomato soup): $135.00
 
Classic chicken soup, quart and a half
Young chicken and range hens in a rich broth, aromatic and medically miraculous.
 
Tomato soup, quart and a half
A creamy, iconic autumn soup, for those cold days that should be starting up any minute now.
 
Bread dumplings, eight
These contain milk, eggs, and herbs, and are a beautiful comforting thing in your soup.
 
Roasted autumn vegetables, quart jar
Parsnips, shallots, carrots, and squash.
 
Tarragon parsley pistou, half pint jar
For dressing up your soups and things.
 
Beet & apple salad, fennel, walnuts, quart jar
Sweet and earthy, bright and sustaining.
 
Fried lentils, 6 ounces
We like these as an additional garnish for the tomato soup and/or beet salad, and to snack on.
 
Braised cabbage, pint jar
Beautiful by itself, and as a start to a thousand comforting fall dishes.
 
Bread and butter pickles, 12 ounce jar
Because you need pickles.
 
Persimmon cookie dough, 12 ounces 
One of our favorite fall cookies, starring the hachiya persimmon.
 
Extras this week include Morell’s kid bread, great for grilled cheese sandwiches, and lamb glaze, for your braising and saucing pleasure.
 
Thanks for supporting Potliquor!

All our best,
jennifer & laura

October 23, 2014: Stuffed

Hello there,
 
We’re glad to announce a new menu, Stuffed, an extra-pretty collection of stuffed quince, squash, onions and apples, elegant and satisfying for serving to friends or enjoying at home. As usual, we’ll offer them on Square Market for pickup in San Francisco and Berkeley on Thursday (October 23), from 5:00 to 7:30 pm. The vegetarian version contains the squash, the omnivore version contains the quince, and the all-in contains both.
 
Vegetarian: $135
Omnivore: $145
All in: $175

It’s like this:
 
Quince stuffed with lamb, pomegranate seeds–four to six halves
About as elementally fall as we can get, with some of the first quince of the season.
 
Squash stuffed with freekeh, herbs, and goat cheese
Dense, silky winter squash with freekeh (roasted green wheat) and lots of herbs.
 
Rice-stuffed onions, mint, and spices—four
Onions bring so much to nearly every dish we make. We like to shine a light on them sometimes, and eat them as the tasty, sweet vegetable they are.
 
Simple braised chard 
Winter is coming! Eat your greens.
 
Ground cherries
Do you know these? They’re also called Cape Gooseberries, or poha. They’re native to South America, look like little orange tomatillos, with the same paper lantern husk, and we think they taste unlike anything else: sweet, rich, and juicy with seeds, like a tomato. We like them as both a sweet fruit and a savory element in salads, and look forward to hearing what you think of them.
 
Cauliflower and melted leeks
A mellow, sweet, refined preparation of one of our most-loved vegetables.
 
Pickled peppers
Mini orange bells, pickled with some heat and sweetness.
 
Cilantro herb sauce
The perfect sauce for all of the above.
 
Baked apples, currants, and walnuts
Because what is a menu all about stuffed things in the fall, without stuffed apples? These will have butter, too; they’ll be lightly sweet and wonderful on their own, or with cream.
 
Extras this week include Morell’s multigrain bread, our very hot sauces, and stock of all kinds.
 
Thanks for supporting Potliquor!

All our best,
jennifer & laura

October 9, 2014: Nosh

Hello there,
 
How about that early fall heat? Makes you want to take your dinner to the park, or open all the windows and lay out a varied spread of cold things to put onto bread and leaves of lettuce, right? Well, we have something for that: the Nosh menu, with chicken liver and green bean patés, lots of cold marinated vegetables and pickles, and even some local cheese.

 
As usual, we’ll offer this menu for pickup on Thursday (October 9) between 5:00 and 7:30 P.M. in Berkeley and San Francisco; you can order one on Square Market until Tuesday at 2:00 pm. You can get the vegetarian version, with the green bean paté; the omnivore version, with the chicken liver paté; or the all-in version, with both. If you eat bread, don’t forget to add a loaf of Morell’s pretty Tordu!
 
Vegetarian: $135
Omnivore: $135
All in: $145

It’s like this:
 
Chicken liver pate, half pint jar
Smooth and luscious, with notes of wine and sweet onion.
 
Vegetarian green bean pate, half pint jar
Chunky and rich with walnuts.
 
Eggplant celeriac caponata, pint jar
With currants and apple cider syrup; sweet and tart and rich.
 
Roasted marinated shallots, sherry vinegar, half pint jar
A beautiful addition to any salad or snack.
 
Marinated grilled squash, thyme and lemon verbena, 24 ounce jar
A very right-now thing: winter squash, done like summer squash.
 
Pickled grapes, honey and rosemary, 12 ounce jar
These are a Potliquor favorite, wonderful with cheeses or other rich things, or on their own, bright and herby.
 
ODT: oven dried tomatoes, olive oil, half pint jar
We’ve been making ODT since we were line cooks together at Bizou in the aughts; we think you’ll love them as much as we do, for eating on their own, combining with fresh tomatoes on a salad, or having on crusty toast with cheese.
 
Rye berry salad, olives, cucumber, mint, 24 ounce jar
Refreshing and sustaining.
 
Cherry belle radishes, bunch
Radishes are amazing right now; these will be great as a foil for paté or caponata or cheese, or on their own with butter.
 
Breen lettuce, two heads
We love this lettuce for its little gem size, its rich flavor, and for how pretty it is. Crunchy and cool, and great as a toast alternative: put your paté on it!
 
Local aged cheese, 6-8 ounces
We’ll choose a great cheese for you.
 
Extras this week include our fiery and delicious hot sauces, and Morell’s Tordu bread, a twisted baguette.
 
Thanks for supporting Potliquor!

All our best,
jennifer & laura

September 18, 2014: Smoked

Hello there,
 
We just returned from cooking at a beautiful country lake all this week, where much of the food was done outside, over wood coals, and the harvest moon was a pretty big deal. We hope you’ll enjoy this week’s menu, inspired by campfires and living well. It’s suitable for a dinner party or a few days of good eating, it’s up to you!
 
As usual, we’ll offer this menu for pickup on Thursday (September 18) between 5:00 and 7:30 P.M. in Berkeley and San Francisco; you can order one on Square Market until Tuesday at 2:00 pm. You can get the vegetarian version, with the stuffed smoked peppers; the omnivore version, with the smoked pork loin; or the all-in version, with both.
 
Vegetarian: $125
Omnivore: $150
All in: $180
 
It’s like this:
Smoked pork loin, 1 ½ to 2 pounds
Smoked over apple wood and ready for your sandwich or special dinner.
 
Smoked stuffed peppers, four
Sweet peppers stuffed with summer vegetables and breadcrumbs (available without breadcrumbs, too—just ask!)
 
Roasted apples and celery root, 24 oz jar
Fall is coming! Apples are here for real, and we are loving these Ida Reds from Devoto Orchards in Sebastopol.
 
Cucumber, radish and carrot salad with yogurt and dill, pint jar
A childhood favorite of some of us, cool and crunchy.
 
Quinoa mac and cheese, quart jar
Have we told you about Edison Grainery? Listen to their mission statement: “We formed Edison Grainery to remove the stigma that only the elite are eligible to eat organics.” We love them, and they make a very delicious quinoa macaroni. We’re excited to bring it to you this week.
 
Pickled mustard seeds, 4 oz jar
Recently, we noticed that we’ve become dependent on pickled mustard seeds. We think you might like them too, for: vinaigrette, sandwiches, adding to stews, slaws, creamy dressings, and other pickles.
 
Chicken or aromatic vegetable stock, 24 oz jar
Pretty soon, you might want some soup.
 
Arrowhead cabbage, one or two
Yes, we are giving these to you because they are so cute. And also because you might want to make some slaw this week.
 
Brown butter peach bars, four
For dessert with whipped cream, or as fuel on a hike.
 
Extras this week include our fiery and delicious hot sauces, and Morell’s Kid Bread, for sandwiches.
 
Thanks for supporting Potliquor! 

All our best,
jennifer & laura

 

September 4, 2014: Seaside

Hello there,
 
How about some ocean-inspired food for the last moments of summer? We’re calling this week’s menu Seaside, and it’s a good one: fish stew, fig and tomato tart, a seaweed spice for salads and other warm-weather dishes, and lots of marinated vegetables for your table or picnic blanket. We’re even including a sweet: lemon posset and poached gewurtztraminer grapes. Pop them into your bike basket and ride off to the shore!
 
As usual, we’ll offer this menu for pickup on Thursday (September 4) between 5:00 and 7:30 P.M. in Berkeley and San Francisco; they’re available on a first-come, first-served basis on Square Market. You can get the vegetarian version, with the tart; the omnivore version, with the fish stew; or the all-in version, with both.
 
Vegetarian: $130
Omnivore: $150
All in: $190

 
It’s like this:
 
Fish stew, two quart jar
Full of great seafood from our friends at TwoXSea, including, we hope, clams from the northern coast and crayfish from Tahoe! Fennel and potatoes and citrus, too.
 
Tomato and fig tart, one tart
With long-cooked onions and herbs.
 
Sweet pepper mayonnaise, 8 ounce jar
For your stew, or your squash, or your sandwich of any kind.
 
Seaweed salad spice, 4 ounce jar
We love this for adding salty depth of flavor to crunchy lettuces, fish or tomatoes.
 
Grilled onions in vinaigrette, 8 ounce jar
Onions are a vegetable! Especially these, grilled and sweet and saucy.
 
Roasted tomatoes, herbs and olive oil, 8 ounce jar
These are wonderful as the beginning of a pizza, as a salad by themselves, or as part of a marinated vegetable picnic.
 
Marinated grilled squash, pistou, 8 ounce jar
Thin slices, for snacking or stacking into a sandwich.
 
Fennel salad, pint jar
Wonderful for piling into your stew or on your marinated vegetables.
 
Poached grapes, 12 ounce jar
It’s grape harvest season! These are a lovely treat on their own, or with the posset.
 
Lemon posset, pint jar
A custard thickened with lemon, simple and lovely.
 
Heirloom melon, one
It’s high melon season, among other things, and we have some favorites to share with you. This will go great with the posset, as well.
 
 
Extras this week include chicken stock and lamb glaze, and we definitely recommend getting a loaf of Morell’s Tordu bread this week if you’re getting the stew and eat wheat.
 
Thanks for supporting Potliquor!


All our best,
jennifer & laura

August 21, 2014: Sisters

Hello there,
 
This week’s menu is called Sisters—for the “three sisters” tradition of planting and serving corn, beans and squash together; and for our sisters, both of whom had birthdays lately and are far away (Hi Lisa! Hi Sarah!). Maybe you have a sister you could invite over for dinner this week, for tamales and corn salad and chilled soup and agua fresca cocktails.
 
As usual, we’ll offer this menu for pickup on Thursday (August 21) between 5:00 and 7:30 P.M. in Berkeley and San Francisco; they’re available on a first-come, first-served basis on Square Market.
 
Vegetarian: $130
Omnivore: $135
All in: $155
 
A reminder about the version names: Vegetarian contains the vegetarian main dish, Omnivore contains the meat main dish, and All in includes both main dishes.

 
It’s like this:
 
Ancho pork tamales, four (omnivore crate)
Long-braised Marin Sun pork shoulder, with all kinds of love.
 
Pepper and corn tamales, four (vegetarian crate)
Organic masa, roasted peppers and corn, melty cheese.
 
Cold summer squash soup, papalo, quart jar
We love papalo—a wild herb from this continent used in Mexican cooking since before the arrival of the Spanish. We think you’ll like it, too.
 
Heirloom slow cooked beans, 24 ounce jar
With their naturally occurring potliquor, of course.
 
Cabbage & radish salad with pumpkin seed lime dressing, quart jar
Some bright crunch to pair with the beans and tamales.
 
Corn salad, tomatillos, kale, poblano, green onion, 24 ounce jar
Sweet and green and deep and bright.
 
Escabeche, 8 ounce jar
Pickled carrots, peppers and onions, for brightening everything.
 
Pico de gallo, 8 ounce jar
Dry farmed early girl tomatoes and the accompanying goodness.

Hot sauces: jimmy cayenne and green cayenne, 4 ounce jars of each
Jimmy cayenne is Jimmy Nardello peppers with cayenne and Hungarian wax—fruity, rust red, and hot. Green cayenne is sharp and extra hot. If you’d like to substitute the extra fiery red cayenne sauce (no Nardellos) for the Jimmy, let us know in the notes field of your order. It is the hottest we’ve made yet, and will do things to your face. We have two jars–first come, first served.
 
Watermelon agua fresca, quart
For serving on its own, or in cocktails, or frozen into popsicles.

Extras this week include lamb glaze, duck and chicken stock, and more, all available for pickup with your crate.

Thanks for supporting Potliquor! 

All our best, 
jennifer & laura

August 7, 2014: Spanish

Hello there, and happy midsummer! We hope you’re enjoying the San Francisco fog or the sunshine on its edges, and have just the thing for the last leg: a ready-to-eat menu of Spanish-inspired dishes, for eating at home or taking with you on camping trips or hikes.
 
As usual, we’ll offer this menu for pickup on Thursday (August 7) between 5:00 and 7:30 P.M. in Berkeley and San Francisco; they’re available on a first-come, first-served basis on Square Market.
 
Vegetarian: $135
Omnivore: $145
All in: $200
 
A reminder about the version names: Vegetarian contains the vegetarian main dishes, Omnivore contains the meat main dishes (two this week of each), and All in includes all four main dishes.
 
It’s like this:
 
Bacalao-stuffed peppers, four (omnivore)
Garlicky salt cod and potato in whatever peppers catch our fancy.
 
Albondigas, almond sauce, one pound (omnivore)
Spanish meatballs in an almond and herb sauce.  These will contain beef, pork and bread.
 
Spanish tortilla, four wedges (vegetarian)
The classic, with onions and potatoes: great for taking with you to a sunny hilltop.
 
Spinach and chickpeas, 24 ounce jar (vegetarian)
For spooning onto slices of bread as tapas, or enjoying as a stew on its own.
 
Allioli, half pint jar
Did we mention the garlic, this week?
 
Jimmy Nardello romesco sauce, half pint jar
We love this creamy red, almond-rich sauce, made with some of our favorite sweet peppers, on almost anything.
 
Charred baby onions, one bunch
Traditionally served to celebrate the beginning of spring, but beautiful anytime as a vegetable or squished into a sandwich.
 
Classic early girl gazpacho, quart jar
It might be that we’re doing a little dance about tomatoes right now.
 
Padron peppers, one pound
For frying in a hot skillet with olive oil and salt and making all your friends swoon.
 
Roasted varietal fresh beans, one pound
The beans have landed, and we’re looking forward to picking out some beauties for you!
 
Extras this week include Morell’s Country Batard, pickled beets, duck and chicken stock, three onion stock, and lamb stock.
 
You might also like to know that our summer Pickling Class is coming up soon, on August 16, and there are a few spots still available.
 
Thanks for supporting Potliquor!
 
All our best,
jennifer & laura
 

Pickle Class, and Other News

Hello there, 

We hope you’re having a beautiful and delicious summer! We’ve been enjoying throwing weddings and cooking meal projects for you, and have a couple of announcements to make about the upcoming weeks:

Pickle Class
We’re teaching a pickle class, limited to 10 people, at our kitchen in Berkeley on August 16, and there are still spots available! You can sign up here, if you’d like to join us.

Meal project
The next crate will be Spanish-leaning, and will be available for pickup on Thursday, August 7. We’ll announce it by the Friday before. 

Stay tuned for more exciting announcements! 

All our best, 
jennifer & laura

July 10, 2014: Summertime

Hello there, and happy fourth of July! We’re happy to announce our next menu, Summertime, all about smoked ribs, lemony beans and bright summer salads.
 
As usual, we’ll offer this menu for pickup on Thursday (July 10) between 5:00 and 7:30 P.M. in Berkeley and San Francisco; they’re available on a first-come, first-served basis on Square Market.
 
Vegetarian: $120
Omnivore: $160
All in: $200
 
A reminder about the version names: Vegetarian contains the vegetarian main dish, Omnivore contains the meat main dish, and All in includes both main dishes.
 
It’s like this:
 
Smoked beef ribs, slab
Maximum iconic summer cookout, pasture-raised.
 
Slow-cooked white beans, summer squash, lemon, two quart jar
A brighter version of our baked beans.
 
Mustard sauce, eight ounce jar
For ribs, for beans
 
Figs & roasted sweet potatoes, 24 ounce jar
Our current salad crush.
 
Pickled green beans - 12 oz jar
Blue lakes from Riverdog, still crunchy.
 
Cucumber melon salad, pint jar
Cool and pretty.
 
Assorted tomatoes and basil from the market
Because summer.
 
Fresh local cheese 
Yet to be determined, but sure to be special, with tomatoes particularly in mind.

Extras this week include Morell’s Kid Loaf (a loaf-shaped levain), pickled beets, chicken glaze and stock.

Thanks for supporting Potliquor!

All our best, 
jennifer & laura
 

June 26, 2014: Supper

Hello there,
 
We’re glad to announce the next Potliquor menu, which we’re calling Supper: it’s a proper roast and sauce and a decadent quinoa salad, with all the summer trimmings, reminiscent of a proper midday meal on Laura’s grandparent’s farm in North Dakota. As usual, you can enjoy it as an all-at-once feast or use it over the course of several days.

As usual, we’ll offer this menu for pickup on Thursday (June 26) between 5:00 and 7:30 P.M. in Berkeley and San Francisco; they’re available on a first-come, first-served basis on Square Market.
 
Vegetarian: $125
Omnivore: $150
All in: $185
 
A reminder about the version names: Vegetarian contains the vegetarian main dish, Omnivore contains the meat main dish, and All in includes both main dishes.
 
It’s like this:
 
Porchetta & fresh green coriander pork sauce (a pound and a half before cooking, omnivore crate)
We’ve been really enjoying the fresh green coriander berries lately; the porchetta will be fully cooked and ready to enjoy hot or cold.
 
Quinoa, costata, purslane salad, quart jar (vegetarian crate)
A rich and sustaining salad, with one of our favorite summer squashes and juicy, bright purslane.
 
Green beans & oven dried tomatoes, quart jar
We like this as a salad, or tossed in a pan to serve warm.
 
Creamed spinach, 24 oz jar
Have you had real creamed spinach? There is a reason they started canning the stuff, trust us.
 
Rich vegetable stock, 24 oz jar
For your summer culinary adventures, or just to pour into a bowl with a poached egg and toast.
 
Pickled cucumbers,  pint jar
Refrigerator pickles, half sour and ready to eat.
 
Apricot jam, half pint
Royal Blenheims, naturally. A very real jar of sunshine.
 
Smoked chili butter,  8 oz
to go with your…
 
Fresh corn.
Happy Solstice!
 
Extras this week include Morell’s sunflower bread, pickled beets, and stocks.
 
Thanks for supporting Potliquor!
 
All our best,
Jennifer & Laura

June 12, 2014: Paula

Hello there,
 
Paula Wolfert has been an inspiration to us for longer than we’ve known each other, so it seems fitting that we make a menu openly influenced by her. Not every dish here is directly from her books, but we think of her when we eat food like this. We recommend that you treat yourself to her new book, The Food of Morocco or to the classic Cooking of South West France, if you like to cook and read.  We also love Yotam Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem, and Jeff Kohler’s Morocco, in the same vein.

This week’s food is free of gluten; the only grains are oats in the date bars.

As usual, we’ll offer this menu for pickup on Thursday (June 12) between 5:00 and 7:30 P.M. in Berkeley and San Francisco; they’re available on a first-come, first-served basis on Square Market.
 
Vegetarian: $130
Omnivore: $155
All in: $190
 
A reminder about the version names: Vegetarian contains the vegetarian main dish, Omnivore contains the meat main dish, and All in includes both main dishes.
 
It’s like this:
 
Lamb meatballs, herbs and lemon, a pound and a half before cooking, omnivore crate
Bright and lightly sauced. No breadcrumbs in this one.
 
Watercress soup, chick peas, pistachios and rose, quart jar, vegetarian crate
Peppery and rich and heady.

Beets + yogurt with za'atar, 12 oz jar
To serve as a dip or on a sandwich.
 
Cucumber salad, orange flower water, pint jar
Cucumbers are here! This is a nice simple floral salad, to start us off.
 
Spicy eggplant + tomato salad, pint jar
Chunky, creamy, sweet & spicy.
 
Crushed olive salad, half pint jar
With citrus fennel marmalade, salty and bright.
 
Steamed carrot salad, pint jar
With lemon and spices, comforting and good.
 
Harissa, half pint jar
One of our very favorite sauces to have around for nearly everything, from hamburgers to lentil soup.
 
Date bars, four
For your early summer hikes and quickly grabbed breakfasts.
 
Plums from Blossom Bluff
We’re going nuts for the drip-down-your-arm stone fruit right now.

 
Extras this week include chicken glaze, lots and lots of stock (duck + chicken, lamb, three onion and vegetable), and sesame bread from Morell’s.
 
Thanks for supporting Potliquor!

All our best,
jennifer & laura

Wednesday, May 21, 2014: Backyard

Hello there!
 
We have a new menu for pickup next week. It’s called Backyard, because that’s where you should eat it, if this weather holds even a little.  Parks also count. Pickup will be slightly different this time: on Wednesday instead of Thursday, just this once. Our Laura is leaving for China on Thursday, so stay tuned for all the lovely ideas she’ll come back with in a couple of weeks. We’re already thinking about tea classes and Shanghai dumplings, just you wait.
 
If you’d like a vegan version of this crate, we can do it—just order a vegetarian crate and let us know in the notes field.

As usual, we’re offering them on Square Market on a first-come, first-served basis. Pickup will be Wednesday, May 21 from 5:00 to 7:30, in Berkeley and San Francisco.
 
All in (includes both the omnivore and vegetarian main dishes): $185
Omnivore: $155
Vegetarian: $125

 
It’s like this:
 
Fried chicken (omnivore crate), 8 pieces
Pasture-raised, buttermilk-soaked, crusted and a little spicy. Bring it cold for a picnic or give it a quick crisping in the oven.
 
Hoppin’ John cakes (vegetarian crate), 6 cakes
It’s possible that we went a little nuts with our Anson Mills order and have a lot of really amazing grains and legumes to make special gluten-free vegan burgers for you. These will have Sea Island Red Peas, Carolina Gold Rice and Heirloom Bennecake flour.
 
Potato salad, 24 ounce jar
The lemony homemade mayonnaise kind, crunchy with celery.
 
Cabbage slaw, pint jar
Bright with lemon and olive oil.
 
Sesame herb sauce, half pint jar
Yet another version of our herb sauce, with the chicken and hoppin’ cakes in mind: lemon thyme, parsley, chives, lots of sesame.
 
Cornbread, slab
We’re doing this one with stone ground polenta, with eggs and buttermilk. (If you’re vegan, we’ll make polenta grits for you.)
 
Shelled fresh peas, pint jar
All shucked and ready for the pan, if they get that far.
 
Strawberry rhubarb galette, about 9”
A special picnic treat.

Cherries, one pound
Cherries are here! We’re looking for the best ones for you.

Extras this week include Rosemary Bread from Morell’s, duck + chicken stock, brown chicken glaze, pickled beets and three onion stock. 

Thanks for supporting Potliquor!

All our best, 
jennifer & laura

May 8, 2014: Brunch

Hello there,
 
We’re happy to announce a special menu for next week, Brunch, inspired by a certain national holiday and our sincere wish for you to have a lazy, sunny, indulgent morning sometime soon. We’re taking the opportunity to bring you lots of our neighbors’ amazing wares this week: Thistle, Morell’s Bread and Nuthouse Granola are all here in the Berkeley Kitchens with us.
 
 As always, we’ll offer this menu for pickup on Thursday (May 8) between 5:00 and 7:30 P.M. in Berkeley and San Francisco; they’re available on a first-come, first-served basis on Square Market.
 
Vegetarian: $155
Omnivore: $145
All in: $185
 
A reminder about the version names: Vegetarian contains the vegetarian main dish, Omnivore contains the meat main dish, and All in includes both main dishes.
 
It’s like this:
 
Smoked trout from MacFarland Springs, two trout (omnivore crate)
We have been loving this beautiful, sustainably farmed trout, and it is really special smoked. You can read about how it’s raised here:
 
Fromage blanc tart, shaved asparagus & spring onion: one 10-inch tart (vegetarian crate)
A pretty spring savory tart, great for dinner in the park, too.
 
Favas, half pint
For real, this time. Because we really do love you.
 
Pickled shallots + fennel, half pint jar
A bright, briny tangle for putting on everything.
 
Scones from Eduardo Morell: two peach, two orange
You know the amazing bread we’ve been giving you? Well, Eduardo also makes whole wheat scones: full of fruit, moist and dense, and unlike any we’ve every had. We think you’ll love them.
 
Cucumber peach juice, special from Thistle, 17 ounces
For your very fancy champagne cocktail, of course.
 
Cold brewed coffee, pint
Cold brew has superior flavor, is concentrated so stands up well to ice or diluting with water or cream, and lasts for two weeks. We’re using Friendo Blendo from Four Barrel for this batch.
 
Sheep butter, four ounces
Because special.
 
Cultured clotted cream, about six ounces
For your scones, for your trout.
 
Rhubarb compote, 12 ounce jar
Rhubarb is one of our favorite things about this time of year; this is an elegant way to have it around for serving with yogurt or cream.
 
Granola from Nuthouse, one pound
Our neighbor Craig Boon across the hall sends the most amazing smells from his kitchen: his granola does everything we want granola to do. 
 
Seasonal spring bouquet
Flowers in Your Hair is making beauties for us from Blue Heron Farm!
 
Extras this week include chicken glaze, and rye bread from Morell’s.
 
Thanks for supporting Potliquor!

All our best,
 
jennifer & laura

April 24, 2014: Pie

Hello there,
 
We’re happy to announce a menu for next week, PIE! We’ve been wanting to make chicken (and mushroom) pot pie for you forever, so here we go. As always, we’ll offer this menu for pickup on Thursday (April 24) between 5:00 and 7:30 in Berkeley and San Francisco; they’re available on a first-come, first-served basis on Square Market.

 
Vegetarian: $130
Omnivore: $130
All in: $180
 
A reminder about the version names: Vegetarian contains the vegetarian main dish, Omnivore contains the meat main dish, and All in includes both main dishes.
 
It’s like this:
 
Chicken pot pie, 9”
You know the drill. Flaky crust, big pieces of chicken, sweet spring vegetables, gravy.
 
Mushroom pot pie, 9”
With king oyster mushrooms, all sweet and silky.
 
Potatoes in butter, 24 ounce jar
We are kind of not messing around, this week.
 
Carrot and parsnip salad with currants, pint
This is a raw shaved salad. We’ve been having a lot of fun with shaved parsnips in lemony dressing; we think you’ll love this.
 
From the market: butter lettuce + strawberries
Strawberries just started blowing our minds this week, so it’s time to give you some of our favorite ones; and butter lettuce just goes with this menu.
 
Buttermilk dressing, half pint jar
We might even call it ranch.
 
Collard greens, with or without ham hock, pint
We’ll include hocks with all but the vegetarian crates, but let us know if you want something different.
 
Herb tisane, half pint jar
We’ve been drying herbs for a week for you—bergamot mint, lemon balm and verbena, anise hyssop—this will be special.
 
Duck + chicken or three onion stock, 24 ounce jar
Poultry for the omnivores and all-ins, onion for the vegetarians, unless you tell us otherwise.
 
Extras available for ordering with your crate this week include sesame bread from Eduardo Morell, and brown chicken glaze.

Thanks for supporting Potliquor!

All our best, 
jennifer & laura

April 17, 2014: Lamb

Hello there,
 
We’re happy to announce another Potliquor menu. We’re calling it Lamb: we’re pretty excited to be bringing in whole animals from Don Watson for the first time, and lambs quarters from Full Belly Farm! As always, we’ll offer this menu for pickup on Thursday, April 17, between 5:00 and 7:30 in Berkeley and San Francisco; they’re available on a first-come, first-served basis on Square Market.
 
Vegetarian: $115
Omnivore: $150
All in: $180
 
A reminder about the version names: Vegetarian contains the vegetarian main dish, Omnivore contains the meat main dish, and All in includes both main dishes.
 
It’s like this:
 
Braised Watson lamb, fennel, salted lemon, anise hyssop
A nice light braise, with bright and herbal elements.
 
Vegetarian borscht
Broth style, rich with beets and dill and caraway and spring roots.
 
Pickled eggs two ways: with red beet juice + dill, 
and turmeric + mustard
Easter eggs!
 
Carrot coriander mash
Silky and delicate, great as a vegetable side or the beginning of a soup.
 
Roasted cauliflower, sesame and fennel seeds
Sweet, crunchy with seeds.
 
Stock: lamb or spring allium + bay
We’ll give lamb stock with the omnivore and all-in orders and spring allium stock with the vegetarian ones; let us know if you’d prefer something different!
 
Charred spring onion sauce
An oniony herb sauce, adding a little wildness and savory fire to everything.
 
Lambs quarters & easter egg radishes
From the market this week: lambs quarters grow wild in many places around here, have a nice fleshy leaf like spinach, and great grassy flavor. We like to eat it raw, simply dressed, but it’s good cooked, too! Radishes are just because: eat them with salt and butter, with bread or not, or shaved into a salad.
 
Nana Mae’s gravenstein apple, raisin and fig mostarda
For Passover, grilled cheese, lamb sandwiches, and more.
 
Extras available for ordering with your crate this week include beet greens, whole wheat levain from Eduardo Morell, and brown chicken glaze.

Thanks for supporting Potliquor!

All our best, 
jennifer & laura