#83 | Lion & Tiger & Giraffe Meat Oh My!
Remembering the 1906 Earthquake
Hello!
LINES WRITTEN NEAR SAN FRANCISCO
I wake and feel the city trembling. Yes, there is something unsettled in the air And the earth is uncertain. And so it was for the tenor Caruso. He couldn’t sleep—you know how the ovation Rings in your ears, and you re-sing your part. And then the ceiling trembled And the floor moved. He ran into the street. Never had Naples given him such a reception! The air was darker than Vesuvius. “O mamma mia,” He cried, “I’ve lost my voice!” At that moment the hideous voice of Culture, Hysterical woman, thrashing her arms and legs, Shrieked from the ruins. At that moment everyone became a performer. Otello and Don Giovanni And Figaro strode on the midmost stage. In the high window of a burning castle Lucia raved. Black horses Plunged through fire, dragging the wild bells. The curtains were wrapped in smoke. Tin swords Were melting; masks and ruffs Burned—and the costumes of the peasants’ chorus. Night fell. The white moon rose And sank in the Pacific. The tremors Passed under the waves. And Death rested. —Louis Simpson, from Collected Poems. Read the entire poem here.
The 116th anniversary of the 1906 earthquake is this Monday, April 18 (at 5:12 a.m. PST). Enrico Caruso, the famous Italian tenor was in San Francisco with New York’s Metropolitan Opera in a production of Carmen, which he performed the night of the 17th, in 1906.
Apologies to everyone who received our newsletter twice last week. Technical glitch at Substack which hopefully they have fixed.
Alas, we are about a week behind schedule for the linoleum block subscriptions. Sorry for the delay!
And just to pile on (thanks, universe!), our printer has suffered a ransomware attack, which is also putting the spring issue of our magazine behind schedule.
By the way, I'm Bruce Cole, Publisher of Edible San Francisco. If you’re new here, welcome to EAT.DRINK.THINK., a newsletter spotlighting seasonal recipes (strawberries! asparagus!), the latest SF Bay Area food news, poetry, and more!
👉 ICYMI: The most-clicked link from last week’s newsletter was the YouTube video: Why You Shouldn’t Snap the Ends Off Asparagus and Why You Should Overcook It.
Do you know someone who enjoys smashed carrot salads? Send them this newsletter 😉
SPONSORED
Celebrate Easter with this easy-to-put-together holiday meal starring a tender pork tenderloin wrapped with slices of Bayonne Ham (Jambon de Bayonne) and fresh spring asparagus with creme fraiche.
Bayonne Ham is renowned for its exceptional flavor profile that elevates every dish it’s paired with. In this recipe, the ham provides a protective layer of savory fat to the lean muscle of the tenderloin, transforming into a crisp bacon-like coating that bastes the pork with flavorful juices as it cooks. Paired with fresh spring asparagus, it makes an ideal holiday meal. Bayonne Ham-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Asparagus with Créme Fraîche.
Caramelized Spring Onion Tarte Tatin: This savory-sweet version of tarte tatin replaces apples for the young, tender alliums we call spring onions. Onions are naturally sweet, like apples, so they work in many applications with other sweet things, just as apples can work so well in savory dishes. If we’re okay with roasted applesauce aside pork chops, it seems fair game to put onions in a tart tatin. Christian Reynoso for Edible SF
Carrot Salad, But Make It Smashed: “Smashing carrots may not seem like something that would take off, but a simple dusting of rice flour adds a crispness that elevates the texture of the humble carrot.” Lish Steiling for The Kitchn
Bitter Sweet: I have lived up and down the West Coast for three decades now, and I have never tasted anything like the raabs that signal the end of Oregon’s winter. Jonathan Kauffman for Bon Appétit
Altogether Now: Everybody Eat More Uni! "It's electric. The citrus, salt brine — it's delicious." NYC chef Jacob Harth for NPR
End of an Era: Martha Stewart Living Is Going Out of Print. Yahoo News
Devastating: We’ve linked to many stories from the Counter over the past year 😢
Meanwhile, Behind the Scenes: “We have some questions. Namely, why shut down (The Counter) when you still have several million dollars? And where will that money go?” Gawker
As Salmon Precipitously Decline, So Do Orcas: The salmon that these whales coevolved with used to be over 100 pounds...Now, when the average size of a Chinook in Washington state is 12.5 lbs, whales have to forage a lot more to find the same amount of food." For the past 20 years, Orca populations have trended dangerously downward. The Relevator
SPONSORED
San Francisco is all about local and coastal like Rías Baixas, and it’s no surprise that our many talented somms get creative pairing Albariño. Head over to A16 this month to try a line-up of Albariño from Rías Baixas with your favorite coal-fired pizzas, antipasti and more. Click here to learn more.
Gotta See It To Believe It: World’s first lab-grown lion meat as climate-friendly ‘cultivated’ food arrives in UK. And OMG, check out this menu. The Independent
We All Need A Drink Now, Right? A Complete Guide to Buying and Drinking Mezcal Punch
The Rise of the Vegan Taco: “Ideally, everybody should have access to vegan food,” she says. “That’s why it is a political act. Serving affordable vegan street food is both a political and an ethical stand.” Melissa Ayala, owner of Gatorta, a small street-food stand in Roma Norte, for Whetstone
Arab Hospitality Is Not For Sale: “Hitching my star to Daniel’s (Patterson) had seemed like being handed the keys to the kingdom, but now, it was that very kingdom I wanted to overthrow. Reem Assil, from her new cookbook, Arabiyya: Recipes from the Life of an Arab in Diaspora in the SF Chronicle (paywall)
LISTEN:
On repeat this week: "The Curse of the Blackened Eye" by Orville Peck, a South African country musician based in Canada. He wears a fringed mask and has never shown his face publicly. “On his new record, “Bronco,” the singer grapples with heartache, depression, and restlessness.” The New Yorker
We’re outta here. Be well and take care,
–Bruce
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"Despite its artistic intentions and its many accomplishments, humankind owes its existence to a six-inch layer of topsoil and the fact that it rains." —Anonymous
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