Gone To Goat

When we first started musing about serving goat, a most people we talked to in the industry were pretty skeptical, to say the least. They considered it a rule that places serving high-quality food wouldn’t serve goat, even though it’s been a part of the landscape in California for hundreds of years, and it’s (IMO) is a natural livestock animal for our place and time, and it’s delicious.

That was less than two years ago. Since that time…

* We developed an ongoing relationship with local farmers the Lange family, from whom we now regularly buy pastured goats
* Bill and Nicolette Niman started selling their pastured goats from Bolinas, which are amazing
* Longtime Linkery supplier Albert Lewis has started a farm in Julian which will provide goats to the Linkery. This is the first grass-based polycultural farm I know of in Southern California, which is an amazing step and we are privileged to be included.
* We almost always have some goat on the menu, and especially in the meat case where goat bacon and prosciutto have gone over quite well. We even made goat haggis and Max has been working on some bologna with goat brains and other offal — using the whole animal as a sign of respect.

Oh, and goat sells great. Because it tastes great, and because these animals are raised with love, and plenty of people can discern that, even when their served on a plate. Currently on the menu we’ve got goat soup (Cheryl Lange’s goat) served with greens and quail eggs from Wingshadows Hacienda in Warner Springs.