If you've been inside the Armory at Mission and 14th, better known these days as the headquarters of Kink.com [link NSFW], you may have seen the ginormous, gymnasium-like space at the rear of the building, which was once used as a drill court by the National Guard, and later used by George Lucas to shoot parts of Star Wars. The thing is five stories tall, and 38,000 square feet, you can drive trucks into it, and Kink's never really had a lot of use for it -- it's kind of too big for anything but a super huge rave, and we're sure Fiona Ma would disapprove of that. (Kink does all of its shooting, for its various internet porn channels like Device Bondage, Men in Pain, FuckingMachines.com, in the front of the building and in the basement.) more ›

Have you ever noticed that chunk of ivy covered, ruined Central Freeway at the corner of Fell and Laguna? Well it's about to become something a whole lot more interesting than just a bleak reminder of the days when Hayes Valley was nothing more than a collection of grime caked liquor stores and plastic blow-up lady shops. The Mayor's Office of Economic and Workforce Development has engaged with a local non-profit, Hayes Valley Farm, to temporarily develop the on-ramp as a sustainable, organic urban farm. Blessed be! more ›

We always thought that a story regarding an organization called "welovejam.com" would be NSFW. But this is actually pretty innocent. These two fellows, Eric Haeberli and Phineas Hoang, started an operation in the Santa Clara Valley with a very simple concept. See, there's apricot called the Blenheim that's been proclaimed to be endangered by Slow Food USA. It's very fragile. Haeberli and Hoang are trying to preserve this flavor in the form of preserves. Jam. They make the Blenheim into jam. more ›

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Unless you shop at farmer's markets—and we know you do, so send this to your friends—you probably have never tasted good garlic. Supermarkets usually carry one of two types that travel better than they taste. No surprise, since 70% of that garlic comes from overseas, where cheap labor keeps costs down. more ›

We're tired of lying to the San Francisco fooderati: We used to hate goat cheese. There. We've said it. Happily, we came to our senses nine years ago and now we promote the chalky, salty flavor of caprine milk with all the passion of a new convert. more ›

Finally! Some cold weather! We've pouted over this winter's heat, which has prevented us from cooking our favorite seasonal dishes. High up on the list of foods we would've made? Beans. Just imagine: Slow-cooked onions, beans, maybe a bit of bay leaf for an aromatic component, maybe a bit of salt pork or bacon for a rich meatiness? Is there anything more soul-filling? (Yes, we know about bean salad, but that's not what we're in the mood for.) more ›

Dark greens last week, turnips this week. If you need proof that winter is here, the produce at local farmer's markets drives the point home. On the other hand, Kitchen photographer Melissa spotted a late batch of strawberries at the Grand Lake Farmer's Market, and we've spotted tomatoes recently as well. And we wonder why other parts of the country envy our markets. Oddball summer produce aside, root vegetable season has returned, and carrots, parsnips, and turnips are the belles of the winter ball. Turnips? Yes, turnips. We don't understand why shoppers shun these starchy bulbs. Probably the association with lean winter days and poverty-stricken rural families. Don't be misled by their reputation. The slightly sweet, peppery taste and crunchy texture complement a large number of foods, from fatty meats to other sugary ingredients to winter vegetables. If you can find them, pick up a bunch of baby turnips, which you can treat like the radishes they resemble. What you'll probably find at the market, however, are the ubiquitous Purple Tops, whose pretty purple shoulders stand out in a market stall. more ›

When it came time to pick the best place to shop for food, we fretted over the decision. We knew the winner would be a farmer's market, since seasonal produce bought from local farmers beats virtually every store's fruits and vegetables. But which market to choose? The Bay Area probably has more farmer's markets per capita than anywhere else, each with its own personality and devotees. more ›

Certain summer fruits—tomatoes and peaches come to mind—are poster children for farmer's markets. When these ingredients are bound for the supermarket, they're picked way too early and stored in taste-damaging conditions. more ›

, "the color combinations can be striking." All the pretty peppers at the market are in the species , but there are two main subdivisions: sweet peppers and chili peppers. We'll give you some ideas for sweet peppers this week, but next week we'll gird our tongues for chili pepper recipes. If you've got any suggestions (for cooking or girding), let us know. more ›

Our photographer Melissa has been intrigued by the vibrant green, slightly squishy, wrinkly bitter melons we've seen at various farmer's markets, and she suggested we put it through its paces. We were excited to try out the new ingredient, at least until we researched it a bit more. "I grew up with bitter melons and love their taste," begins Madhur Jaffrey in . But she finishes that thought ominously: "I know that it is not easy for most Americans to eat them." Bitter melon is, obviously, bitter. Western palates shy away from this sensation, but it's a common component throughout Eastern cuisine, where many consider bitterness to be a cleansing panacea. Piles of these exotic-looking veggies cover tables at markets that cater to Asian communities, from San Francisco's Civic Center market to Oakland's 9th Street market. But what do you do with it if, like us, you cook a lot of French and Italian dishes? more ›

The Artful Eater. You knew this post was coming. You've seen tomatoes piled up at the farmer's markets, a gumball machine of green, yellow, orange, and red spheres, and you've wondered when we're going to talk about them. Never fear, we intend to take full advantage of this mouthwatering selection. Though supermarket versions have gotten better over the years, they still suffer from being picked too early or refrigerated, both of which can stunt the flavor. Good farmers, on the other hand, pick the tomatoes at their peak of ripeness and don't refrigerate the fragile fruit. And while we don't believe that the word "heirloom" necessarily makes tomatoes taste better, we do enjoy the wider range of flavors and colors. We're actually thinking of doing a tomato post in a few weeks, comparing the different heirloom varieties. What do you think?
Most of you know that the tomato is botanically a fruit, but why does everyone treat it like a vegetable? Harold McGee's argues that it's because of the high amounts of glutamic acid and sulfur aromas, which give it a savory quality that pairs well with meats. If you think you're sensitive to MSG, avoid tomatoes (and Parmiggiano-Reggiano. Ouch). more ›

We know you're probably tired of stone fruit posts here in the SFist Kitchen, but we believe in seasonal cooking and, well, it's stone fruit season. Bear with us a bit longer, because this week we're all about that most iconic summer fruit: peaches. Mmmm. Peaches. Repeat after us. Mmmm. Peaches. We've been slurping down sample slices at various farmer's markets stands, and we were drawn to the Gold Dust heirloom peaches from Frog Hollow. Sure, it's almost trite to sing the praises of this Brentwood farm, but we can't help ourselves. The yellow-fleshed Gold Dusts are meaty, with trickle-down-your-chin juiciness and a bright peach flavor (Gastronomica subscribers should check out their current issue for an in-depth look at the farm's history). more ›

SFist interviews new contributor Derrick Schneider more ›

Cherries are out in abundance at farmer's markets, though quality still varies from stall to stall, so we reccommend sampling first. We liked the red-black meaty Bings from Lagier Ranches enough to grab a bag for dinner, but we didn't do a full survey of the gold and pink Rainiers at other stalls. SFist Eve was thrilled to hear that these stone fruits would be the topic , but she and other devotees may have to act quickly this year. Gossip that's floated into our inbox mentions crops ruined by rain, though that doesn't seem to be a statewide calamity. Still, it can't hurt to buy early and buy often, can it? Especially when you learn that red cherries are chock full of healthy antioxidants. more ›

We first tasted green garlic at the Chez Panisse Café eight years ago. Gosh, was it really that far back? We were mere toddlers, of course, but we remember the restaurant served it with fresh parsley-flecked pasta topped with black trumpet mushrooms and goat cheese. We liked the way the heady perfume and mild garlicky taste—less harsh than the older bulbs most people know—filled out the dish. We tried to replicate the recipe at the time, but these younger forms of garlic were hard to find. You still only see the purple-streaked plants during springtime farmer's markets, which gives them street cred with California cuisine aficionados. more ›