The Fatted Calf - - Napa, California

During our November trip to Northern California, RAB and I stopped by Fatted Calf Charcuterie in Napa's Oxbow Market. FC "is an artisanal charcuterie producing a wide range of hand crafted products using high quality, natural ingredients." Once we stepped into FC, we quickly decided that we should take advantage of the full kitchen and grill at our rental cottage.

While we were tempted to buy much much more, we left FC with the following:
> Two thick, heavily-marbled pork chops
> Finnochiona (my favorite salami) and pepperoni for sandwiches
> Duck rillettes with thyme and brandy
> Pate maison, a pork pate garnished with duck gizzard confit
> Breakfast sausages
> Bacon

The woman who helped us was generous with samples and threw in a few extra breakfast sausages just to be nice. Unlike Boccalone, Chris Cosentino's salumeria in San Francisco's Ferry Building, FC was friendly and unpretentious.
If we lived in the area, I would be there several times a month to sample what's on offer.

Other tempting goodies included: crepinettes, cotechino, porchetta, and wild boar salami. I asked if everything is made in-house, and was told that yes, everything is made in-house with the exception of the prosciutto, which they currently get from La Quercia (but plan to offer their own soon).

FC’s products were delicious - - every one of them.

After visiting FC and enjoying the largely porky goodies for several days, I began to wonder why we don't have anything like FC in Chicago. Or, perhaps I'm missing out and we in fact do? Do I have to buy a freezer and half a pig to get heritage pork chops as wonderfully marbled and flavorful as those we purchased from FC?

I hope you enjoy the photos below and encourage a stop if you are ever in the neighborhood. Even if you don’t have a kitchen, it’d be worth a stop to buy some salami - - you can buy bread at the bakery next door.

Ronna


The delicious, well-marbled chops we took back to the cottage - - front right.














Porchetta, available as a to-go sandwich for about $8 (we were so sad we had dinner reservations and couldn't enjoy one).

Gorgeous, gorgeous stuff, REB.

I'd have run a serious risk of cancelling the rest of my vacation activities due to the stuff you've shown us.

Thank you!

Beautiful, beautiful photos - what does it say about me that I love to look at pictures of raw meat and sausages?

Lovely REB! Those pork chops are to die/kill for... Any idea *which* heritage breed they're from?

Mhays wrote:what does it say about me that I love to look at pictures of raw meat and sausages?

It says that you're among fellow members of Your Tribe here on LTH!!

Geo

Geo wrote:Lovely REB! Those pork chops are to die/kill for... Any idea *which* heritage breed they're from?

Thanks to everyone for the compliments on the photos. FC is really an amazing shop.

IIRC, they said it was Duroc.

I somehow missed this thread. Those pictures are fantastic, especially the blackboard of items they offer, the pork, and the Mortadella, etc. Thank you.

I'm not sure if Chicagoans are ready for $12/lb pork chops.

OMG that all looks just amazing
what is it with we nice Jewish girls and the traif?

Geo wrote:

Mhays wrote:what does it say about me that I love to look at pictures of raw meat and sausages?

It says that you're among fellow members of Your Tribe here on LTH!!

Geo

Mhays wrote:

Geo wrote:

Mhays wrote:what does it say about me that I love to look at pictures of raw meat and sausages?

It says that you're among fellow members of Your Tribe here on LTH!!

Geo

And I even just closed the shades to get rid of the snow/sun glare hindering my full appreciation of these fine pictures. Beautiful looking stuff!

Nice pics ! the guy who puts out meathenge is also a Fatted Calf devotee and now I see why!

REB wrote:FC’s products were delicious - - every one of them.

R,

Downloaded Fatted Calf's chalkboard o meats so I could blow it up for easier reading, already decided on my first order next time I visit family in Northern California. Thanks for the tour.

Enjoy,
Gary

G Wiv wrote:

REB wrote:FC’s products were delicious - - every one of them.

R,

Downloaded Fatted Calf's chalkboard o meats so I could blow it up for easier reading, already decided on my first order next time I visit family in Northern California. Thanks for the tour.

Enjoy,
Gary

Hi, Gary. Suggest you also check out the website for a more complete list of their offerings - - they have a huge menu and only about half of their products are available on any given day.

Ronna

Thanks for writing about this great place. I didn't have a stove while in Napa, so I had to just admire their incredible meat from afar. Thus, I was "relegated" to their incredible salumi. This is top-quality, artisinal stuff -- all housemade (except for their prosciutto, which the counterman told me comes from "someplace in Iowa" ). As such, it is extremely flavorful, textural and, yes, funky, as stellar charcuterie should be. The finnochiona is like popcorn; you can't stop popping the pieces into your mouth. There was an delicious-sounding pork sandwich on offer, but alas, they were out, so we didn't get to try it.

Some more pictures of this true meat emporium: