Artisanal charcuterie, hoagies debut at farmers market
A pair of husbandand-wife food entrepreneurs have popped up at the Thursday and Sunday Marin Farmers Market at the Civic Center in San Rafael — one with charcuterie andtheotherwithhoagies.
The impetus for John Ginanni and Kaylyn Reyes’ 4-year-old, San Rafaelbased Canteen Meats was an educational travel adventure through Europe seven years ago. The Bay Area natives traded in their possessions and jobs in the restaurant and retail industries for Ginanni’s meticulously constructed itinerary that for the first few months had them exclusively volunteering at pig farms.
The experience they acquired raising native Linderöd pigs in Sweden and Porc Noir de Bigorre in France, along with a diverse array of other foodrelated exploits, not only provided knowledge about meat production techniques but also illuminated the intricacies of owning a small business. Add on a couple of years for him working at the United States Department of Agriculture and her visual design sense that lends itself to packaging and retail, and the course was set for their artisan charcuterie business.
Ginanni says he’s lucky to be able to source his pasture-raised, heritage meats directly from small local ranchers at the farmers market, including Devil’s Gulch Ranch in Nicasio; Rancho Llano Seco in Chico; and Encina Farms in Middletown.
Beef comes out of the hills of Tomales from Stemple Creek Ranch.
But it’s a long road from the procurement of meats to the eventual return to the market in shelf-stable form. How long? “It all depends on what I’m making, but I plan it out anywhere from three weeks to a year in advance,” says Ginanni during our conversation this week.
This includes butchering, salt and spice curing, a wine bath and casing and netting. Then the meat is off to the drying chamber held at a specific temperature and humidity level so that each piece can age properly. On average, it takes about four months.
Why the name Canteen Meats? Ginanni says he’s always had a fascination with the mountain men of the West, Native American folklore of the 1800s and the idea of taking a canteen and some snacks on an adventure. So, whether you’re after a hiking energy booster or an elaborate cheese board accompaniment, it’s worth
checking out the selection at the farmers market. Or place an order for delivery within California at canteenmeats.com.
Hefty hoagies
For Nick Rappoport and his wife, Melissa Johnson, co-owners of Rozmary Kitchen, the idea to capitalize on his sandwichmaking prowess came to fruition in pop-up form in 2020. With newfound
time on his hands after he was laid off as chef de cuisine at Pinterest, the former French Laundry and Outerlands chef perfected his recipes for both fillings and bread.
The owners combined their mothers’ names
(Rose and Mary, who are stalwart fans and supporters) and their 25 years of culinary and event planning experience to debut their venture in February at a Friday pop-up at the Midwife and the Baker in Mountain View. A booth at the San Rafael farmers markets recently followed.
Discerning sandwich consumers are well aware that the seemingly straightforward and convenient mealtime proposition requires a little something extra to achieve extraordinary. These are more sensibly called hoagies, a term familiar to East Coasters that reflects the elongated (10 inches), split-but-notcut-all-the-way-through roll that is naturally a prominent component of the equation.
Rappoport teamed up with Thomas “Mac” McConnell of the Midwife & the Baker (which happens to be another couple-driven, deeply inspired food business) to create a custom Dutch crunch roll exclusively for his hoagies.
It’s made with blend of bread and spelt heirloom flours from Central Milling in Petaluma, and has
a crisped outer layer embedded with toasted sesame seeds. Filling combinations on the focused menu present a smattering of flavors, seasonal California sources and a methodical touch.
The shaved white and dark meat Willie Bird turkey sandwich includes bacon; sharp white cheddar; slaw with apple, poppy seeds and herbs; house dill pickles and the chef’s special sauce.
Top-round roast beef is elevated by spring pea and green garlic ricotta; pecorino; arugula; pickled goat horn peppers; crispy shallots; and Caesar aioli. An Italian-inspired combination incorporates pistachio mortadella, soppressata and capicola.
Vegans should try the My Saigon Cali filled with a smash-up of smoked coriander crusted sweet potatoes; avocado; picked carrots and onions; Vietnamese herbs; sliced jalapenos; cucumbers; crispy shallots and seeds; and sweet chili mayo.
Hoagies are meant for two and are priced at $15 to $16. Early risers might prefer the breakfast sandwich ($8.50), a layer of egg soufflé, mortadella, white cheddar and “Roz” sauce on a buttery brioche roll.
There’s also a seasonal salad that was most recently a toss-up of lettuces, pickled veggies, cucumbers, strawberries, chickpeas, crispy shallots and seeds, and creamy red wine tahini vinaigrette with optional add-ons like mortadella, roast beef, turkey or sweet potatoes. The vanilla bean chocolate chip cookies are a sweet way to finish up.
Go to rozmarykitchen. com to place an online order or to inquire about personalized catering, or purchase at the booth.
Visit both Canteen Meats and Rozmary Kitchen at 3501 Civic Center Drive in San Rafael from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays.
New in San Rafael
Indian restaurant Masala Kitchen opened in December for takeout and delivery, and now has both patio and limited indoor service at 227 Third St. in Montecito Plaza from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
Manager Atit Subba and head chef Timothy Maharjan were both born and raised in Nepal and met five years ago in the kitchen at the St. Regis San Francisco. They started their first venture together, Tandoor Restaurant, in 2017 in Pinole before expanding to Marin.
The Northern Indian menu features soups (lentil or chicken masala); salads (roasted beet or greens with avocado); curries with chicken, shrimp, lamb, salmon or veggies; and tandoori specialties. Add on savory-filled samosas; tandoor oven-baked naan (butter, garlic, garlic with basil, mozzarella cheese and date/coconut) and whole-wheat roti. Nepalese lunches include an entrée, organic mixed greens, yellow lentil, basmati rice and roti or naan ($14 to $17).
Make reservations, arrange for pickup or delivery, and inquire about catering services or private party spaces at masalakitchenmarin.com or call 415-526-3161.