When:
December 9, 2007, 12PM-1PM
What:
Crab races on custom built crab racing track, cooking demonstrations by Chef Tamar Adler of Chez Panisse, tastings, talks on sustainable fishing by a representative of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations
Where:
Jack London Square at the foot of Broadway
December 9, 2007- After a long wait, crab season has finally opened and the Jack London Square Farmers Market will be ready to celebrate the occasion in style. This year, for the first time ever, fresh crab will be sold off-the-boat at the foot of Broadway on Oakland’s historic waterfront. The opening of the season will be marked with crab cooking demonstrations by Chez Panisse Chef Tamar Adler, thrilling crab races, and talks on sustainable fishing practices.
In the pre-dawn hours of Sunday morning, Duncan Maclean will board his 43 foot vessel, the BarbaraFaye in Half Moon Bay. He will make the 6 hour journey north, passing through the Golden Gate on his way to the Jack London Square dock. That morning and every Sunday for the duration of crab season, Duncan will sell his catch directly off the boat to eager chefs, professional and amateur alike. In addition to being the captain of the Barbara Faye (named for his daughter) MacLean is actively involved with the Institute for Fisheries Research. The IFR is a San Francisco-based non-profit that works to protect fish populations and restore aquatic habitats.
MacLean’s commitment to sustainable fishing practices means that great care is taken in catching the crabs he sells. MacLean harvests only male Dungeness crabs which have gone through at least 2 reproductive cycles. They are caught using biodegradable nets which, if lost, will break down and allow any caught crabs to escape. The nets are also equipped with “release rings” that allow immature crabs to pass through unharmed.
Chef Tamar Adler of Chez Panisse will also be on hand to provide cooking demonstrations for the public. Adler, previously an editor at Harpers Magazine, left a journalism career in New York City to found Farm 255 restaurant in Athens, GA. The restaurant has been widely acclaimed for its reliance on fresh ingredients produced at its own farm. Adler now plies her trade in the kitchen of Alice Waters’ famous Berkeley eatery. She will use an outdoor kitchen to give practical demonstrations on the preparation of this seasonal favorite. Recipes will utilize ingredients supplied by the many vendors in the Jack London Farmers Market.
The event will be capped by exciting crab races, contested on a crab race track custom built for the occasion. Crab races are a popular event from Crescent City to Baltimore and wherever fresh crab is sold. Children and families will be delighted to cheer their crustaceans to victory. Prizes will be awarded to the winners.
About Ellis Partners:
Ellis Partners LLC (www.ellispartners.com) was founded in 1993 for the purpose of acquiring and developing commercial real estate properties. The firm has a long history of championing and completing architecturally significant renovation and development projects.
The East Bay developer will soon change the face of Jack London Square with the biggest public market on the West Coast. In the tradition of Vancouver’s Granville Island and Seattle’s Pike Street Market, the six-story Jack London Market is being constructed on Oakland’s historic waterfront between Webster and Harrison streets.
The Project developer and owner, Ellis Partners LLC, and Jack London Square Investors II LLC, recently broke ground on this 170,000 square foot project. The sustainably-designed building will house four floors of Class A office and a unique, two-story marketplace with a variety of large and small restaurants and as many as 70 vendors of artisanal foods and produce. They expect the project to be completed in early 2009.
Jack London Market is part of a $350 million urban infill, mixed-use development that includes more than 1 million square feet of new development over the next five years. The market is one of four new structures added in the first phase of the redevelopment project. The first phase of construction includes three other mixed-use buildings totaling 250,000 square feet and a 1000-car parking structure. The second phase of the development includes two additional office buildings and a 250-room four star hotel.