Parking Lot Pig Roast at Renaissance Forge
Categories: Authors / Writers, Books, Food, My Writing, Wine
Tags: alice waters, Angelo Garro, Boz Scaggs, Chef Loretta Keller, Chef Paul Bertolli, chefs, Chez Panisse, Hidden Kitchens, Lost & Found Sound, michael pollan, NPR, pig roast, radio, Renaissance Forge, The Americans, The Hidden World of Girls, The Kitchen Sisters
THE KITCHEN SISTERS — Davia Nelson and Nikki Silva – are the creators of NPR’s Hidden Kitchens and Peabody Award winners for Lost & Found Sound.
In addition, Nikki and Davia are the authors of Hidden Kitchens, Stories, Recipes and More (a 2005 New York Times Notable Book and a James Beard nominee).
To celebrate the launch of “The Sisters” newest NPR series – The Hidden World of Girls — fans (including luminaries Alice Waters, Michael Pollan and Boz Scaggs) held a Parking Lot Pig Roast at San Francisco’s Renaissance Forge.
RENAISSANCE FORGE is located behind Scaggs’ SOMA-district Slim’s nightclub and houses artist Angelo Garro’s iron works. Angelo — the Sicilian-born subject of The Sister’s 1984 audio story ‘Hunting & Gathering‘ — is the forge’s artist and chef in residence (check out his recipe for Cinnamon Octopus).
One of the most popular live auction items at this “Sisters” event was a “wild dinner for eight” created and prepared by Angelo.
That says a lot when the competition for donor dollars included a cocktail party for 20 catered by Chef Loretta Keller (of Coco500 and Bizou fame), and “chef for a day” activities at Chez Panisse — highlighted by dinner for two while seated in the Chez Panisse kitchen!
Additional offerings included a 10-year-old balsamic vinegar made by Chef Paul Bertolli, a vintage Le Creuset coquelle, autographed cookbooks, and a case of Angelo Garro’s own 2008 Renaissance Forge Syrah.
BEFORE THE AUCTION action, party guests feasted.
A wild pig (roast whole) was served by the bowl full: copious amounts of pork meat and crispy skin passed around the long, communal tables over and over again.
Tiny pinto beans — courtesy of Napa’s Rancho Gordo — were laced with the succulent pig fat.
Picture-perfect, emerald green kale leaves were sprinkled with fresh garlic and glistened with lush, extra-virgin olive oil.
Even the meal’s simple salad greens — tossed by a team from Chez Panisse — were, to quote Julia Child, “impeccably fresh” and incredibly delicious.
THE DAY’S WINE – provided by, amongst others, Boz Scaggs and Francis Ford Coppola — kept participants in exceptionally good spirits.
I took one sip of the Scaggs Syrah and surrendered.
Since I’m not sure you can even buy this lovely stuff on a store shelf, I decided to stick with it for the entire afternoon.
And such a lovely afternoon it was.
The Americans — playing Rockabilly/Roots American music — began the entertainment. These handsome young men were followed by Boz Scaggs — whose voice, like his wine, keeps getting better and better with age.
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PLEASE JOIN ME in support of the great works of The Kitchen Sisters as they continue their “mission to chronicle untold stories of American culture and traditions, to mentor young people and others with a passion for public radio, and to build community through storytelling.”
