EcoFriendly Foods

I Was Asleep at the Wheel - The Times Loves our Trotters Too!

It didn't take long after posting Frank Bruni's New York Times review of our pork blade steak as one of the best meals he had in 2008 that I noticed I totally neglected Tom Colicchio! At Craft, Colicchio began a special Tuesday dinner and, sure enough, EcoFriendly Foods pork found it's way into another of Bruni's favorite dishes: Tom's Crispy Pork Trotter. As Bruni puts it, "By frying the trotter and pairing it with a beet-stained, pickled quail egg, Tom Colicchio came up with something akin to a dinnertime bacon-and-eggs for the most jaded epicures."

What does this mean? According to the New York Times, nearly 25% of the best new restaurant dishes in 2008 in New York came from Bev Eggleston's EcoFriendly Foods. Thanks to everyone, from our producers, the chefs, our customers and diners for making 2008 such a great year for EcoFriendly. Let's see what 2009 has in store!

Our Pork Blade Steak - The New York Times Calls it the Best of 2008!

Here's one for the trophy cabinet. New York Times restaurant reviewer Frank Bruni called our pork blade steak (as cooked by Marco Canora at Terroir in New York) one of the best new restaurant dishes of 2008. This is a great honor for us (and for our good friends at Terroir!) and we couldn't be more thrilled.

To all our fans in the New York City and Washington, DC metro areas, please be sure to check out the restaurants we list on our website that serve EcoFriendly meats. You'll be amazed at the talent and creativity in these kitchens. Be sure to ask which dishes are made with EcoFriendly pork (or beef, or chicken, etc.) and prepare to be dazzled. Raising the animals and providing the meat is only half the job and our mouth waters every time one of us dines in one of these restaurants and we have a chance to taste something EcoFriendly in a new and interesting way.

And if you're in the Washington area, don't forget that you can find our pork blade steaks (nearly) every week at our farmers market stand. Feel free to ask about it when you drop by.

Have a Great Weekend

Just a quick reminder that while the farmers markets are open this weekend, EcoFriendly Foods is taking the time off for the holidays. We'll see you again the first weekend in January and we wish you a healthy, happy, safe, and ecofriendly new year!

At the Markets - December 20 and 21, 2008

Here's what you'll find at Arlington and Dupont Circle farmers markets this weekend...

In the beef department we have a limited selection of grass-fed, dry-aged bottom round steaks, a couple of roasts and ground beef for that chili pot, meatballs or meatloaf. If you’re an offal fan, you’ll find an awfully (I had to!) good selection of beef kidneys, livers and hearts.

We have frozen whole chickens and parts (including livers) this week. And as we mentioned last week, approximately 25 whole turkeys for your Christmas holiday table. They will be available on a first come first serve basis. We also have a selection of frozen turkey parts right now, mostly breast cutlets. A reminder that with the exception of a couple more poussin harvests, fresh chicken season is over. We will have frozen whole birds and parts for several more weeks, otherwise we can dream about the season starting again in the spring.

The pork supply is limited this week with everything frozen. We have ground pork, ham steaks, ham roasts along with a good selection of our pork sausages including hot and mild Italian and our breakfast. We should have most if not all of these in bulk packs and links. We hope to bring some pork livers, too.

If you had our lamb last week, you probably found out how delicious those cuts were. This week, there are a few lamb shoulder chops, shanks, whole or boned out legs and ground available. We also have a few whole rabbits (frozen).

The BIG NEWS is that our pastured-raised country hams cured for us by Kite’s Hams in Wolftown arrived Monday. These are classic, southern VA hams. These are unsmoked hams, cured only with salt, pepper and time. Very intense and you’ll note a European-style to them. We have whole hams, portioned pieces (butts and shanks) and slices. Be sure to drop by, see these treats, and take some home.

Finally, a reminder that EcoFriendly will not be at the farmers markets the weekend after Christmas. So stock up now. See you this weekend! (And if we don’t, we’ll see you in 2009!) Thanks for making 2008 a great year for EcoFriendly AND your family’s table.