Really, this is the last of the Ferry Building.

If you aren't already convinced to check out the Ferry Building in San Francisco I must also tell you about the farmer's market.

We acutally missed it but it happens every Tuesday, Thursday from 10 am-2 pm and Saturday
from 8 am-2 pm. I hear it is amazing. I can only imagine.



I'm learning more and more about olive oil and have started to understand why chefs love it so much.



This is Stonehouse Olive Oil and I think the display was perfect for those who are learning about olive oil and vinegar.



B is really a minimalist in his cooking. He prefers simple ingredients and can really show case quality ingredients like this Persian Lime Olive Oil.



Liquid gold. Perfectly highlighted on these shelves like the fine commodities they are.



This store was created for B. The front featured a Sycip bicycle (one of our table names was Sycip after this company) and the shop itself was all about pork.

They use this bike for downtown delivery.



Boccalone is a Salumeria. I've never even seen the word salumeria before but it's a store of hand-cured meats as well as panini and other tasty salted pig parts.



I love this hand-cranked manual slicer.



Cured meats are weird looking.



Hmmm, very interesting but weird.



They make about 20 different kinds of salame, salumi, whatever.



Besides, where else can you get a cone of salumi, salami, salame, um, meat?



The Book Passage is unique and fantastic. There is a van shuttling books from Corte Madera store to San Francisco so commuters can order a book in the morning and pick it up after work.



These 2 stores are host to 700+ events throughout the year. "Book Passage has served the Bay Area for more than 30 years, providing the community with an array of author events, writing and language classes, and highly-respected, annual writing conferences: Conference for Children’s Writers & Illustrators (in June), Mystery Writers Conference (in July), and Travel Writers & Photographers Conference (in August)."

People travel from around the world to participate in many of these events. The list of authors that have spoken at the Book Passage stores are unbelievable, from Nobel prize winners and presidents to first time authors. There are some that say they got their start from the Book Passage.



Owned by husband and wife team Elaine and Bill Petrocelli the Book Passage has done nothing but grow and influence since it's opening in 1976. They also feature several blogs including the author blog, the Book Passage Blog and both owners Elaine and Bill write on the Huffington Post.

Someday I'd like to see the store in Marin County. It covers some 13,000 square feet and includes a set of classrooms.



Last but certainly not least is Miette Patisserie.



I'm warning you now that I took about 46 photos because the place was so stinkin' cute. I love the way the cookies were stacked in their little containers.



I want these tiny little pot de creme and panna cottas. You receive $1 back if you return the little pot.



How precious are these candy flowers?! The description tells us that they've been made since the 15th century. Originally created by nuns of Santa Chiar for weddings they are still being made today in Italy.

I agree with the suggestions that these would be sweet at place settings or as party favors. Heck, I might want an entire wedding bouquet made from candy.



I was snapping pictures of the cases as they were taking down plates and vases and filling them with goodies.



Does anyone else have the desire to collect cake plates now?



These little lemon cookies are so precious on this perfect mini cake plate.



I love the little tables and display pieces.



I need this refrigerator. Need.



I wonder if they sell their display pieces?



Oh but this is what it all came down to. Macarons.

Not Macaroons which are the coconut cookies. These are Macarons which is pronounced like macaroni without the i on the end. If you would like to try your hand at making them stop by Tartelette. She has been traveling aound teaching classes on this delicacy specifically.



This was my first Macaron and it certainly won't be my last. I expected something crisp, hard and maybe a bit crumbly. What I got was a light crispness on the outside and almost a chewiness. Almost. It was like you thought your teeth were going to stick to it and then it sort of just melted away in your mouth. Miette uses whole almonds with the skin on which is why you can see flecks of it in the picture. They use all natural ingredients and flavorings.

They are heaven. Go find a macaron now.

I think that concludes our trip to the Ferry Building. At least until the next time I get to San Francisco...

More of the Ferry Building

This post on the Ferry Building is ending up a 3 part post. You know me. You could give me a single cookie and I could take 45 pictures and write 3 paragraphs on it.

So the fact that I've compacted this into 3 posts is a miracle. Almost as miraculous as you coming back to read it!



Scharffen Berger Chocolate. I could kick myself for not going back here. There was just too much going on and I got side-tracked. I really wanted to get some cocoa and cocoa nibs!



I really have no idea what to use cocoa nibs for but I feel deeply that I need them. And who can't use some good quality unsweetened cocoa powder? Just think of the fantastic chocolate tortes and souffles we could make.



Acme Bread Company. You absolutely must have sourdough bread in San Francisco. Seriously. Crusty on the outside, soft on the inside with an actual sourness to it as compared to the sourdough you get in some places that tastes just like french bread.



B had a conversation with the girl who worked there...I love that B always asks questions and gets interesting information. Behind the bread you can see the bakers in the kitchen. That is where all the magic happens. They bake for this location (when it's open to the public during normal hours) as well as for some restaurants in the city.


They are only closed 4 hours a year. You read that right. The only time there is noone baking bread is from 8 pm - 12 midnight on Christmas Eve. Being a baker is not for sissies.



These are shots from the Village Market. It's grocery store that perfectly rounds out your food shopping needs.


Like many grocery stores you can also find things like soaps and cosmetics.

Aren't these peach branches just lovely?



Speaking of branches... oh that bottom wreath. I love it so muchly. If it wasn't $75 I would have it up in my room right now. Made of manzanita branches and absolutely gorgeous.



Their produce looked amazing. The vegetables were rich in color and crisp looking.



In the back of the market is the family owned Golden Gate Meat Company that also has wild game and the Hog Island Oyster Company. Fresh and locally grown, I've heard these oysters are delicious.




Boulettes Larder. I was immediately drawn in to this place. Its accessible from the water side or from inside the building. Gorgeous. Unique. Open stoves with copper pots hanging above.


It's so fantastic that they don't allow any photography. They very nicely asked me to delete that picture I just took and hovered while I did. So next time, I'll be sure to snap away and then run :)

We'll eat there in the future but I think you know how it will pain me to eat without being able to share pictures of my meal. It's a sickness really.



Mariposa Baking Company for all of you living gluten free. Their items looked tasty and they sold a nice variety of goods.



The Gardener, it's a mixture of unique items for home and garden. I loved so many things I had a hard time focusing enough to even take pictures.



Like this doormat. It was expensive but I respect the amount of work it would take to put it together. Sooo pretty.



I suffer from ADOS. Attention Deficit Ooooooh Shiny! So places like this throw me into a fit. The thing is... the closer you look the more you fall in love.



Its not like seeing a bunch of stuff on a table...only to find out it's all crap. This is the complete opposite. I mean, how cool are these plates? There were a bunch of different unique designs and so artistic.



I adore this cutting board. It came in both small and large version. The perfect housewarming gift. Completely seamless and smooth. Each piece of wood was different and each cutting board had it's own pattern. I love that they each told their own story.



Oh and these bowls! You know how I like for things not to match too much and this is just gorgeousness.

I'd love to mix these elegant, rustic pieces with some clean-lined vintage milk glass in blues or greens. The wheels are turning....



I Preferiti Di Boriana has specialty foods from Tuscany. I fell in love with the quaint feel.
If I didn't already have jars upon jars of jams I would have bought some of their wild fruit specialties.



They were putting out their baked goods as we passed by. On the top are bomboloni (Italian donuts) with raspberry, nutella, chocolate and custard fillings.



On the bottom are the sfogliatella. This is the first time I've seen these and I had to google to get some information. They are made by layering those pieces around fillings like orange ricotta or almond.

Are they not striking?



They have way more than sweets. You can come in and have lunch and cooking classes are sometimes offered.

The owner spent many summers in Tuscany and has kept her family contacts. She buys from others in the nearby towns and most of them are family operated. For instance, the copper pans they carry have been handmade by the Cesare family for over a century.



This fresh tomato and pasta sauce was so fragrant. I mean it's cold sauce and I could smell it when I stood to take these pictures.



You really can't have too many chocolateries. But I have to say that Recchiuti Confections is definitely in it's own niche.



I love that they display their chocolate in jewelry cases. It makes perfect sense to me because chocolate and jewels are about equal in my mind.

I was sold the moment I saw the flavors offered. Fleur de Sel because I love sweet and salty. Oh but look at the Burnt Caramel, Tarragon Grapefruit & Sesame Nougat.



Notice that their truffles in the middle look like actual truffles...which is what they are supposed to look like...hence the name truffle. But really most truffles are perfectly rounded instead.

They have fun pairing chocolates specifically for red wine and for whiskey. They even have a varietal box. Varietal? This is for the connosseurs or for those in training. Just like wine, growing regions and weather temperatures produce cocoa with different flavor profiles. The varietal box features chocolate from Colombia, Ecuador, Madagascar and Venezuela.

I'll leave you with that for the day. I'm off to go find some chocolate...