Our Market Stand
Every Thursday, you’ll find Tacolicious at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, serving up a selection of tacos—from our signature guajillo-braised short rib and carnitas to our shot-and-a-beer chicken and a market veggie. We always have a couple agua frescas, made using seasonal fruit, and come summer, we add Joe’s killer grilled corn. And we don’t use the word killer lightly.
Our Farmers and Purveyors
We support a lot of different folks, but these are some key players.
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Rancho Gordo
When it comes to beans, Steve Sando is the man. He’s traveled through Mexico and Central America to find unusual heirloom varietal, grows them up in Napa and sells them to very grateful people like us.
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Zuckerman’s Farm
Rightfully famous for their Delta asparagus. With the cheaper, imported asparagus taking over the market, California asparagus crops are dwindling, so they need our support!
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Dirty Girl Produce
One of our favorite farms by name and by product, Dirty Girl has long been owned by Joe Schirmer who’s a Santa Cruz-based surfer/farmer type of guy. He grows beautiful lettuces, Early Girl dry-farmed tomatoes, strawberries and just about everything.
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Kashiwashe
With a farm in Winton, this family has been farming in the Central Valley for years. We stop here for their great stone fruits, from nectarines and peaches to plums and cherries. Hello summer agua fresca!
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Hamada Farms
Owned by Yukio Hamada, who’s father came to the US in 1901, this farm is based around Kingsburg. The Hamadas are famous for their fruit, but we particularly love their unique citrus, including clementines, blood oranges and Oro Blanco. Hello winter agua fresca!
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County Line Harvest
We’ve actually been out to visit David Retsky—a former Beverly Hills boy who embraced the life of a farmer—on his small 28-acre farm South of Petaluma located on some of the most beautiful pieces of land you can imagine. The vegetables must know they’ve got it good. We get everything from beets to greens from here.
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Knoll Farms
Also known as Tairwa (the phonetical spelling of terroir), this farm owned by Rick and Kristie Knoll is known for going “beyond organic”—or what they prefer to call organismal. Let’s just say they’re hardcore. At Knoll, you can get fava bean leaves, massive turkey figs and green garlic.
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Sciabica Olive Oil
We’ve been using this olive oil forever, but so have chefs Thomas Keller, David Kinch and other restaurants far more famous than us. It hails from Modesto, Joe’s hometown, where Mr. Sciabica has long been known as having as much character as his amazing olive oil. Find it drizzled on our pan con chocolate along with a sprinkle of sea salt.
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DeVoto Gardens
Apples, apples. Apples. Over 50 varieties of them, all grown in Sebastopol on a farm owned by Stan and Susan Devoto since the 70s. Enough said.
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Heirloom Organic Gardens
Greens, radishes and root veggies from 100 acres in Hollister. They’re produce is primo but maybe it’s because it’s grown by Grant Brians, a farmer who can rock hair like this.
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Happy Quail Farms
Chilies make Mexican food go round. David and Karen Winsberg grow what Telmo refers to as “the bomb” peppers, which does just mean they’re the hottest, but just that they’re the best. They’re selection includes about 30 different varieties both fresh and dried, sourced from around the world (a bit like Rancho Gordo’s beans).
photo by Thea Goldberg