DISH
Time for Turkey
Our favorite national holiday is almost upon us. Where is your turkey
coming from? Well, forget the frozen bird from the supermarket. There
are several local farmers who raise their own for sale. Get on it now,
because many people already have ordered theirs. Try free-range Broad-
Breasted Whites for $8.75 a pound from SonRise Ranch (average 10 to 28
pounds). Da-Le Ranch will have birds that start at about 12 pounds with
toms up to 26 pounds for $8 a pound. Newcomer Spur Valley Ranch will have
birds from 20 to 35 pounds for $5 a pound. All are at the Little Italy Mercato.
COOKBOOK
How to Squeeze
a Lemon
Did you know that the easiest
way to remove spinach stems
is to fold the leaf lengthwise
and pull down as you would
a zipper? Or that if you rub a
cheese grater with a bit of olive
oil the cheese won’t stick? These
and a multitude of other useful
kitchen tips can be found in the
new book How to Squeeze a Lemon
(The Taunton Press;$19.95)
from the editors, contributors,
and readers of Fine Cooking.
Clearly the food geeks here have
thought of practically everything
you’d need to know about being
successful in the kitchen. You’ll
fi nd clever baking and grilling
techniques (using poultry lacers
for grilled onions), pantry tips,
and best of all, fi x-it tips for
culinary mishaps.
Lunch Time: Tasty
(and healthy) items
that add excitement
to the brown bag.Pastry Picks:
What to buy at the
farmers markets,
besides veggies.Ethnic
Exploration:
Middle Eastern
fi nds from
MidEast Market
in City Heights.112 SanDiegoMagazine.comNovember2011
❯❯ DINING | Local Bounty
What to watch for this month
SHOP
A Seedy Business
If you know The Urban Seed,
you appreciate their collection
of unique houseware. But unless
you’ve wandered around the
courtyard, you might have missed
what their name refers to: the
more than 100 types of heirloom
seed varieties stored in beautiful
old wood cabinets—all chosen for
their disease and pest resistance
and high yields. Owners Maurice
Taitano and Michael Bliss bought
the seed part of the business
from the legendary Charles
Ledgerwood, who for 68 years
sold seeds to local farmers, and
taught them about the best crops
for their location and climate.
The Urban Seed is located in
Old Town’s Fiesta de Reyes.
urbanseedstore.com NOW OPEN
New Deli Debuts
with Local Goods
Lisko Imports is in numerous
farmers markets across San Diego,
selling homemade pasta, sauces,
and hummus, as well as cheeses
and pastries made by Ôpera
Patisserie. In September, owner
Kosta Houdalakis opened a brick
and mortar place near SDSU.
This combo deli, market, and grill
is a breath of fresh air for the
neighborhood. Buy produce from
Suzie’s Farm and Lone Oak Ranch,
seafood from Catalina Off shore
Products, pastries, challah, pasta,
and other delicacies. Plus, you can
order grilled sandwiches, fi sh, and
salads to eat on the patio or to take
away. 6548 El Cajon Blvd.❯❯ BY CARON
GOLDEN,
an expert on local
markets and farms.
See more of her
Local Bounty fi nds every week at
sandiegomagazine.com.Web
Exclusives
At The Market
Find all this and more on
sandiegomagazine.com/blogs