San Francisco | ForageSF.com

A Basque Feast: Recap and photos

Apr 082012

April 8, 2012 Posted by iso at 7:14 pm basque food, food movement, forage kitchen, foragesf, fundraiser, iso rabins, san francisco, underground dinner 1 Response »

The Basque feasts were a great success. We sold out both nights, with around 160 people each night, seated at long communal tables. This was my first foray into serving a family style meal, and I think it went really well. Something I’ve always liked about The Wild Kitchen is how much people interact with eachother. A lot of the dishes we serve have ingredients they’ve never had before, so there is almost always a pleasant din of “Is that the miners lettuce?”….”I’ve never had local uni before”…..”I had no idea you could make ice cream with acorn flour”. New friends are always made. We also had the special treat of having hand painted menus by Juniper Harrower. She paints with local wine and ink made from ink cap mushrooms she forages. Pretty amazing stuff.

The same thing happened with these past meals. Trays of asparagus with guanciale were passed in exchange for salt code rice with piperade, and a similar din ensued. Thanks to everyone that came out, we’ll definitely be doing it again.

photos by Andria Lo

Health Department Blues

Mar 292012

March 29, 2012 Posted by iso at 9:56 pm food, food movement, health department, san francisco, sf No Responses »

Our ever evolving saga with the health department has a new chapter. Since June, when The Underground Market was shut down, we have been trying our best to work with DPH (Department of Public Health). We have all the permits we need, fill out the ever increasing number of forms that are required for the privilege of feeding people in our fair city, and jump through all the myriad hoops put in front of us. I have been trying my best to come up with solutions to re-open The Underground Market that they’re ok with, and at every turn we’re rebuked. They seem to have no interest in supporting the food community in SF. Every step they take is a step to push anyone doing innovative food further underground.

The most recent situation for us is with our upcoming Basque dinners this weekend. After filling out permits, sending in forms, getting a legit kitchen with a permitted dining room, we are still in danger of getting shut down. The space we are using apparently has an invalid occupancy permit the the fire department. This basically means that a form needs to be turned in to prove that people can safely be in the space. This is the same space we have held our events for months, without a peep about occupancy. Suddenly, a day before our event, we’re told we’re in violation. I can’t see this as anything but a move to shut us down.

I realize they have a job to do, but while the city talks out of one side of its mouth about supporting small businesses, and getting people back to work, the very city organizations that deal with small businesses do everything they can to shut us down. If we desire any real change in the way our country eats, we need to do more than just swear off mcdonalds. We need to work together to create a situation where it’s easier to serve good local food at a local scale than it is to serve processed crap flown in from all over the world. We need to do more than just make an effort to shop at farmers markets, we need to work to make it viable for small producers to start businesses using local ingredients. Thankfully we’re moving in that direction, but certainly not there yet.

We are going ahead with our events tomorrow. Wish us luck.

Health department blues

Mar 292012

March 29, 2012 Posted by iso at 9:48 pm food, food movement, health department, san francisco, sf No Responses »

We are going ahead with our events tomorrow. Wish us luck.

A Wild Kitchen Fishing Trip

Jul 302011

July 30, 2011 Posted by iso at 9:12 pm fishing, foraging, san francisco, wild kitchen 1 Response »

This past weekend we did something a bit different for The Wild Kitchen. We usually collect all the food, cook it up, and tell diners about how we did it. This time we got some eaters in on the adventure, with a fishing trip in Half Moon Bay.

With guest chef Hank Shaw, we took 21 folks down to half moon bay for a day of fishing on a boat called the Huli Cat. Was a good day. Ocean fishing is something I don’t actually have that much experience with, but with Hank on board (a seasoned fisherman), we got along fine. We caught over 200 fish, most of which we cooked up for the next days Wild Kitchen. It was mostly a rock cod day (we made a rock cod bisque as well as as oil poached cod with corn and heirlooms), but we did hit a school of mackeral (which we filleted and pickled for some Saba), and a lucky few caught ling cod (I was one of the lucky ones, with a 12 lb ling cod). Overall it was a good and exhausting day, followed by several hours cleaning the fish we caught (not the best plan after waking up at 4:30am and fishing all day). The dinners went great, and it was fun to have a guest chef in the mix to change things up a bit. Check out the pics below, and hope to see you all at the next Wild Kitchen.

Thanks

Iso

photos by Andria Lo and Ramin Rahimian

Our Vendors #2 – Sidesaddle Kitchen and Ahram Namu Kimchi

Jul 062011

July 6, 2011 Posted by iso at 6:18 pm business incubator, food, food incubator, foragesf, san francisco, sf underground market, startup No Responses »

I feel that too much of the discussion about the market hiatus has been about the Health Department. Why they closed us down, when they’ll let us re-open. While I understand and appreciate the concern for safety, I feel that the real focus of the market, the vendors, has been ignored.

Public health is a something we take very seriously, but it is my sincere belief that it is less the stainless steel countertops and three-compartment sinks that makes food safe, but the care and attention of the producer. These small batch producers all have a deep care for what they are doing, and it shows in their products.

What we should be focusing on are the people who create this food, how they have started, and where they are now. The market has enabled them to start a business that they wouldn’t have otherwise started, and many have gone on to become legitimate business owners. We need to expand the ways that these small producers can get their products out to the public. I’ve asked vendors to respond to a few questions about how the market has affected their business, and over the next few weeks I’ll be sharing some of the vendor stories:

Sidesaddle Kitchen – Laura Miller

I feel enormously lucky that I found the Underground Market just as I was starting to get serious about Sidesaddle. Being able to meet other vendors, testing out products, and getting exposure to thousands of people every month was incredibly valuable. I never saw the market as a subversive endeavor, but instead as an opportunity that offered a sense of community and support that I couldn’t find anywhere else. Aside from the obvious financial challenge of starting a food business, the process can be difficult and discouraging – I may have given up by this point had I not found the market. With contacts made at these events, I have finally gotten into a commercial kitchen and taken the steps to become a licensed operation. Forage successfully organized a logistical framework that is supporting a cultural movement at a grassroots level.

Ahram Namu Kimchi – Ahram Kim

When I first heard about The Underground Market, I didn’t know whether or not I had a viable product. I had a homemade organic kimchi that I was sharing with friends and co-workers. Many were encouraging me to turn it into a business, but I didn’t know the first thing about starting one. Nearly selling out of all the jars I’d prepared for my first market, made me realize that there was a demand for my product. It encouraged me to pursue something I have always been passionate about, but never dreamed that I could make a living from. That first market was a little over a year ago, and now I’m working out of a commercial kitchen and selling my product in three stores in The Bay Area. The Underground Market means the world to me. Without it, I wouldn’t have my own business which has gone from a hobby to my major source of income. The market provided me with huge motivation to continue to pursue my business. I went “above ground” 10 months ago, but I still participate in The Underground Market because I love interacting with the public and getting their direct feedback. I also love the sense of community amongst the vendors. I’ve gotten so much good advice from other vendors, and always look forward to trading items and discovering the next big food idea.

San Francisco is a notoriously expensive city and the start-up costs of a business here seem really prohibitive. The pop-up restaurants, food trucks and The underground market are a reflection of our economic times and the high cost of rent here. Few people have the capital to rent a commercial space. When I first started out, I had nothing. The underground market helped me get to where I am now. It really is a food incubator for those like me who have an idea, but not the means to start a business. To even get to a point where you want to invest the time and money into starting a business, you need to first figure out whether there is a demand for your product, and the markets help you determine that before you’ve invested all your savings or quit your day job. In a city that’s known for innovation and progressive ideas, it would be a shame to stifle something that has been so positive for not only the vendor’s but also for the public. Please let the market continue to make a difference to budding entrepreneurs. Don’t makes us take our dreams to Portland! WE LOVE SAN FRANCISCO!

Our vendors

Jun 302011

June 30, 2011 Posted by iso at 7:11 pm cottage food law, food, foragesf, health department, homemade food, public safety, san francisco, sf underground market No Responses »

Randall Hughes: Oaktown Jerk
It was forageSF where my business made its debut with the public. The forageSF market place allows me to get great and very useful feedback from the public. With every market comes a wealth of networking opportunity and I always managed to network with people who in one way or another have helped me launch my business. Now I work out of a commercial kitchen, which has allowed me to get my product to even more venues. I wasn’t certain that I could justify investing the money ($10,000 in equipment alone) it cost to establish a legit food company. But after vending at several forageSF markets I felt confident that I was producing something that was worth taking to the next level.

Thanks Iso! You’ve helped me with my business more than you can imagine!
Now I am at the Farmers’ Market : http://www.urbanvillageonline.com/markets/oldOakland.php
I am scheduling to do many venues in and around Oakland in 2011: http://www.oaktownjerk.com/UpcomingEvents.html
And I am also still at forageSF because I really like the market and what it stands for.

I started making beef jerky in my kitchen and would share it with my coworkers. This was my market analysis. I started with coworkers and friends but then knew that I needed the feedback from absolute strangers. That’s where forageSF became a very key resource in the success of my company.
I think forageSF should stay open because it is the birthplace for so many great artisan companies. This market is a serious springboard for so many folks who are trying something new for various reasons. For me and so many others it has been a place to explore the talents that we have decided to tap into for reasons due to the economic downturn. It’s truly amazing to see and feel the energy at the market. forageSF is helping to develop small business ownership. We should be embracing the people who provide such a wonderful venue, which allows us to showcase our wares. What a great thing!

Kai Kronfield: Nosh This

The Underground Market has been invaluable to me and a host of other small-scale producers. It has provided me a venue and a “customer base” if you will, to explore different ideas and to do real-time market research into what products have traction as I build a business from scratch. Aside from the opportunity to sell my wares, the Underground Market embodies a community of vendors/producers who feed off each other and raise each other up. There is no “competition” amongst vendors. We assist each other in terms of honest, knowledgeable feedback about ingredients/flavors/techniques and are a source of encouragement for each other. Not having such a venue would re-establish a great obstacle on the path to legitimacy for a lot of people.

Further to that excerpt, the UM provided me with exposure to dedicated foodie customers who were eager to give feedback and when warranted, praise. It has helped to raise my profile from “a guy on a street with a few candies” to a recognizable and trusted producer of fine artisan chocolates. I’m confident I would have gotten to this point eventually, but this market streamlined that process. I am now cooking out of a commercial kitchen and starting to look at wholesaling and online sales.

Of course I believe the market should stay open. I’m thinking mainly about the people who are just starting out and I think it would be such a shame if they didn’t have the same opportunities that I and many of the other current vendors had. Sadly, they may opt not to start a business which would be a shame for them and for the San Francisco food community which has always had a bit of an experimental streak.

Ina Golad: Ina’s Kitchen

Ina’s Kitchen was organized to raise funds for a non-profit education foundation that helps underprivileged children to advance their skills in athletics and technology. The underground market provided an incredible forum for Ina’s Kitchen to sell its food products. Prior to finding the underground market and meeting Iso, the devoted and energetic organizer, Ina’s Kitchen faced many challenges. These challenges included costs of setting up fundraising events, finding space and volunteers to run the events, and advertising. The underground market that Iso has organized takes care of all of these challenges and provides an amazing opportunity for Ina’s Kitchen to raise money on behalf of the non-profit education foundation. Ina’s Kitchen sincerely hopes that this market remains open so that it and other vendors with charitable goals can enjoy the convenience of this perfectly organized market.

The Kitchen (first steps)

Jun 292011

June 29, 2011 Posted by iso at 7:19 pm bees, chickens, farming, foragesf, garden, goats, kitchen, rental kitchen, roof top, san francisco, sf underground market 2 Responses »

I have a post I’m going to put up soon about The Underground Market (we’re working on a way to get it reopened, and I’m confident we’ll find a solution), but something else I’m really excited about right now is how this kitchen project is moving along. We found a space! It’s still in the beginning stages, so not certain, but it’s looking good. The space is 10,000 sq feet of wonderful high ceiling’d bliss (with the possibility of having an acre of rooftop farm up top. I’m thinking chickens, goats, veggies for people to use in the kitchen, rooftop movies, rooftop dinner, bees….).

This space won’t be just a kitchen rental, but a dynamic space with (and these are first thoughts), kitchen rental for vendors, classes in food business 101, web design, menu creation, pickling, butchery, possible shared beer brewing equipment, a retail space in the front where people using the kitchen can sell their products, farming classes for kids, farming classes for grown ups, and a CSA of the products being produced in the kitchen. There is also a cool crossroads alley/road behind the space that would be perfect for closing down and having markets/dinners/good times of all sorts.

Since I sent that email out I’ve been getting approached by investors who are interested in being involved, and it looks like its really on its way. So, not a ton of info at the moment, other than I’m excited to finally have a space that can be the center of forageSF. A hub for people who want to be involved, people with some/lots/no experience in cooking to start their businesses/learn about food/ eat food/ take classes/ brew beer/ drink beer….the options are endless. If you have ideas/desires for this space, let me know. Ideas you give could be a reality very soon.
Iso

Underground Market Shutdown : An Update

Jun 202011

June 20, 2011 Posted by iso at 11:33 pm cottage food, cottage food law, food, food movement, iso rabins, san francisco, sf underground market 1 Response »

I started the Underground Market in 2009 as a reaction to the high bar of entry that has been created to start a food business, something that I experienced personally. Starting in a house in the Mission with seven vendors and 150 eaters, the market has grown to feed over 50,000 people and help over 400 vendors get their start.

As many of you have heard, the health department came to the last Underground Market on July 11th and served us a cease and desist letter, stating they no longer considered the market a private event.

The market was able to function to this point because it was considered a private event (hence the market sign-ups). We organized it in this way following a suggestion by the health department. Everyone who walks through the door is a member who knows they are eating un-certified food , so technically the health department doesn’t have to be involved.

They have decided (apparently with pressure from the state level), that the market is no longer a private event, and can therefore not continue as it has. We have requested a meeting with the city attorney for a definition of what a private/public event is exactly, so we can determine where the line is, and continue running the market.

This was not an unexpected event. We’ve known that it was only a matter of time until someone became upset about the popularity of the event. Because we’ve been expecting it doesn’t mean that we accept it.

Over the last year and a half The Underground Market has grown into a supportive community of makers and eaters. We see that in the 30-50 new vendors that apply every month, bringing samples of foods they clearly poured their hearts into, and the thousands of people who walk through the door each month to eat that food.

Our goal is to keep this momentum going. We would like to see the market continue to exist much as it has because we feel that it provides a necessary venue for people starting new food businesses. We’re interested in providing a space for entrepreneurs who for a myriad of reasons are not able to abide by the regulations put in place. The regulations, upfront costs, red tape, and lack of clarity in procedures all too often stop amazing food from ever being eaten.

The market is used in different ways by different people. Some are home cooks that have always wanted to sell, but for various reasons have not been able. Cocotutti is a prime example. She sold her first chocolates at the market over a year ago, and has since won national awards, moved into a commercial kitchen, and is approaching markets to stock her goods. KitchenSidecar worked at a bio consulting job, with a food blog on the side, before she found the market. Now she cooks full-time, caters, holds her own dinners, and collaborates on a Vietnamese pop-up restaurant called Rice Paper Scissors with another vendor, Little Knock. Nosh This was working as an architect before he was laid off and turned to the world of candy. Following his recent appearances in the New York Times, his wholesale accounts have exploded, he has moved into a commercial kitchen, and is working to make “Bacon Crack” a household name.

These are a few examples of people whose business, and some would say lives, have been changed because of their exposure at the market. People who have been able to earn money for themselves instead of populating the unemployment rolls. People who are contributing to the local economy while at the same time expanding the local food community.

We want the Underground Market to be a space for food entrepreneurs to get started on a small scale. And we want to continue to offer them more resources to move forward. We have seen the need for some time to have a space where vendors can produce their wares commercially. A space where we can hold classes on food safety/business, have commercial kitchen space for vendor use, retail space for them to sell, and café space with rotating chefs for them to cook. This space will be a hub, a place where people can come together around the wealth of food being produced in our city. We are starting work on looking for a space/getting details together on the project, and will send more information out soon.

On a personal note, I want to say that I really appreciate all the support people have shown. From emails from friends to tweets from strangers, you have all shown that you think the market is an important event and that you want it to continue.

This shutdown is an opportunity to find a workable model that can help not only The Underground Market in SF, but similar markets all over the country. The precedent we set here will ripple across the country. It will effect not only San Francisco vendors, but vendors nationwide. From cottage food laws to street food, we’ve seen an explosion of opportunity for small entrepreneur food businesses pop up over the last several years. We will continue to move forward toward our goal of keeping the market open, and our struggle can be an opportunity to find yet another way to help this movement grow.

Thank you,

Iso Rabins
founder, forageSF

——- How to be involved ——–

Contact your local city supervisor or:
- Call or email the Mission District supervisor, David Campos

David.Campos@sfgov.org
(415) 554-5144

There are also more tangible ways to get involved, especially if you have legal expertise, so please email us if you’d like to get help out:

1. Keep the Underground Market
- Legal and political organizing expertise, email markets@foragesf.com
2. forageSF incubator project
- Investors, designers, contractors, lawyers email iso@foragesf.com

We want to hear what you think, so if you have any other ideas, questions, or suggestions, please email iso@foragesf.com. To stay up to date on what’s happening, follow our blog at foragesf.com/blog.

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May 21st Underground Market Vendors

May 162011

May 16, 2011 Posted by iso at 3:50 pm farmers market, night market, san francisco, sf underground market, underground market No Responses »

We’re at it again! The Underground Market returns to Public Works on Saturday May 21st, with all new and returning deliciousness to behold:

DAY

The Nutless Professor - Black rice cheese crisps & Sweets

Absolution – Hot Sauce

Half Pint Pies – Pies in Mason Jars

Go-go Ma’s Gomasio – Gomasio

Little Knock – Vietnamese Crepes

Monchi Foods – Pork Kimchi Tamales & Quesadillas

Tapasri – Vegetarian & Chicken Puffs

Urban Preserves – Jams & Pickles

The Cookie Department – Fully Functional Cookies

Simply Mochi – Mochi

Feeding People with Love – Ambrosia

Sandy Hill Preserves – Curds, Preserves & Jams

Good Food Catering – BBQ

Wildwood Pastry – Sweet & Savory Galettes

CocoTutti - Chocolates

I.E. Ice Cream – Ice Cream

Taza – Afghan Bolanis

Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters – Coffee, Brewed & Beans

Chile Lindo – Empanadas

Sweet Vanilla Bake Shop – Sweet treats

Bay Area Bee Company – Honey

Jablow’s Meats – Pastrami Sandwiches

Emmy’s – Pickles & Jams

Oaktown Jerk – Beef Jerky

Sugar and Swine – Bacon Caramel Corn

Baia Pasta — Hand Rolled Pasta

NIGHT

Two Bites – Mini Quiche

Fried Pickles by Kevin Dillan

Adobo – Chicken thigh & pork belly adobo

Gluttony Catering Co. – Duck Confit tacos & Veggie chips

Little Knock – Vietnamese Crepes

Frozen Kuhsterd – Frozen Custard

BiBimBopBowl – Korean food

A Humble Plate – Laotian sausage sliders

Boffo Cart – Calzone/Paninis

Schulzies Bread Pudding – Bread Pudding

Rawdaddy’s – Vegetarian delights

Sidesaddle Kitchen – Raw Vegan desserts

Hella Vegan Eats –Rare vegan deliciousness

Sajen catering – Kampung spicy rice noodles

Halal Halal – NY Style Halal beef

Jerk. – Jerk Chicken

City Smoke House – Brisket & Pulled Pork Sliders

Busarin kusonroekdee – Thai Curry

Nosh This – Bacon crack and other goodness

Biscuit Bender – Assorted flavors of biscuits

Meat Baller – Meatball Sliders

Island Grubbin – Spam Musabi

Saucy Dumplings! – Saucy gourmet buns

Sanuk – Thai tacos

Marshmallow Mischief – Truffle-sized krispy treats

Night Market

Jan 282011

January 28, 2011 Posted by iso at 3:26 am bacon wrapped mochi, char siu, food movement, foragesf, home made food, iso rabins, jerk chicken, pizza hacker, public works sf, ramen, san francisco, street food, underground market 1 Response »

A couple weeks ago, we had our real first Underground Market collaboration with Public Works. It went really well. Dare I say it was one of the best markets yet? Almost all the vendors sold out and over 2,700 people came throughout the day. The Public Works space is really great: two floors with enough nooks and crannies that you’re always discovering new food creations around every corner. On top of that, there were two full bars, which is of course never a bad thing. We had 60 vendors with everything from bacon wrapped mochi to brick oven pizza to jerk chicken to Vietnamese crab noodles to kombucha.

Throughout the day portion of the market, about 500 people came through, which was a good amount for the space. We had a pretty broad range of vendors, from chicken and waffles to kombucha, and everyone who came through seemed to have a good time. The space is such that less people fill it out, although the capacity is still pretty high. I left at 4 to get some last minute prep done (I made ramen with char siu for the market).

Although I also organize the market, I almost always cook something. The reason I started the market in the first place was so I could have a booth, and I’m always more happy cooking than just standing around. When I came back just before six, there was already a line wrapped down the block, and around the corner. It was great to see. It felt like the second market we did. The first market we ever threw attracted 150 people, and the second one had over 800. I never imagined it would be that popular. It was so exciting to walk out and see that many people at an event I was organizing. This felt the same way; it had that same sense of excitement. The line was there for most of the night, although it was moving pretty fast, and the market didn’t really die out until around 1am.

Music has always been something we’ve wanted to include in the market. From the first time, with 15 people sitting in a circle around an acoustic guitar player, I’ve always imagined that music was one of the things that set our market apart from a regular farmers market. Unfortunately, a lot of the time it’s been an afterthought, something we have, but is not given the attention it needs to really be a focus. Public Works handled that this time. Although it wasn’t exactly the kind of music I listen to, I thought that it gave a nice vibe to the day. It really went off just like we talked about, with chill, background music during the day that gave way to hard electronic from 12-2. We also had a smattering of acts, from a violin player to an accordion, that were playing throughout the market. It gave a nice vibe, something akin to a Parisian street fair.

Public Works is definitely somewhere we’ll be again. The guys who work there made it super easy to pull off a great market, and the space is great. We’re actually thinking about having it outside when the weather gets better, which should be a lot of fun. We would close off the street, with a beer garden, music, and lots of vendors outside.

That’s all for now. Overall I think it went great. A good first collaboration, and definitely not the last (I’m meeting with Kelly from Indiemart this week). The great thing about this kind of collaboration is the way it takes us out of our heads. Gets some fresh ideas, and exposes us to other audiences. It’s good to see so many people come out to support this kind of event.

Every vendor at the market is someone who is trying to make their passion their profession, and a market like this shows that it’s definitely possible. For those of you who came late and didn’t find too much food left, very sorry. Amazingly, almost every vendor sold out by 10pm. We actually went out to the market and bought ingredients for egg sandwiches at 11, just so there would be something left. It was amazing how much people bought. Thanks to everyone that came out, both sellers and buyers, you’re the reason it all works. For more pics from the market, check out our facebook page

The next market is Saturday Feb 5^th at SomArts, 934 Brannan, SF from 11am-11pm

Thanks

Iso Rabins

photos by Andria Lo

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