Every week, Lulu Meyer brings us the best of the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market.

As the weather warms up, we’ll be focusing on foods that taste great cooked over a hot flame at the third annual CUESA Grill Fest. This year we’re celebrating all things sausage.

On June 24th, we kick off the fun with a Sustainable Sausage and Beer Party. We’ll be serving sausage from Fatted Calf, 4505 Meats, Namu, Boccalone, Tacolicious, Magnolia Gastropub and The Plant Café (with a veggie option) and offering tastes from six different local beers. Dave “the butcher” Budworth of Avedano’s and Marina Meats will also on hand to answer all your sausage making questions at the “Ask the Butcher” booth. Have questions about what it takes to produce meat sustainably? Stop by the “Ask the Rancher” booth to chat with Doug Stonebreaker of Prather Ranch Meat Company. This event will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 pm in the CUESA kitchen and tickets are a steal at $30.

Saturday June 26th the heat is on. Following a seasonal sausage cooking demo with Victoria Wise, author of American Charcuterie we’re hosting a sausage grill-off. Back to defend his title as reigning Grill Master, chef Mark Sullivan of Spruce will take on David Bazirgan of Chez Papa Resto, Peter Mcnee of Poggio, Thomas Odermatt of Roli Roti and Scott Youkilis of Maverick. Each chef will grill up their their own house-made sausage in an Iron-Chef style competition. Afterwards the public can buy tastes of each competing sausage for a $2 donation. 

Here are the market items I’m looking forward to grilling:

•    Stockton Red Onions from Balakian Farms
•    Yellow peaches from Hamada Farms
•    Summer squash from Lucero Organic Farm
•    Elephant garlic from Thomas Family Farms
•    Crepinettes from Fatted Calf