Wow, I thought the other day as I closed the Market’s door behind me; what a nice group of guys; knowledgeable, fun loving, and handsome. What a great place to shop and the sausage, meat, and poultry selections are terrific, not to mention the Leaf Lard that is available for my baking and fried chicken that I depend upon.
I had spent an hour with owner Chris LaVeque, getting to know a little about him and how el Salchichero Market came into being. That afternoon Chris’ Mom Marge had finished her shift at the market and his Dad Bob was selling their sausages at the Live Oak Farmer’s Market.
While I waited for Chris, I went to his meat case, where various cuts of poultry, beef, pork and even whole pig’s feet were displayed. A 5-pound porchetta roast, caught my eye.
Porchetta is a pork loin, spiced with citrus zest, oregano, garlic, and salt and pepper and rolled in its belly fat and tied. This extra fat gives the roast additional flavor and keeps the roast moist while baking, and in my experience, this is the only way to cook a pork loin roast.
Sitting with Chris in his upstairs office among shelves filled with canisters of spices and everything else it takes to run a sausage and butcher shop, my first question was where and when did you get your start in the food business.
“At age 18, I began working for Paul Violante at Scopazzi’s Restaurant in Boulder Creek”, Chris said. “That lasted until I decided to enroll in the California Sushi Academy in Los Angeles.”
Chris finished an intensive 12-week program at the academy and then entered the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. Next, he took several jobs, but discovered that city life wasn’t for him. With that in mind, he took an internship with David Kinch in his Manresa Restaurant in Los Gatos.
“Later I moved back to my home area, taking a job butchering in Santa Cruz with Justin Severino in a community kitchen,” Chris said. “After Justin closed, I moved to Gabriella’s Restaurant in Santa Cruz.”
It was at Gabriella’s where a waitress named Sebi gave him the nickname “el Salchichero,” the “maker or seller of sausages,” and the name stuck.
Chris cooked there for over a year, then went back to Scopazzi’s and used their kitchen to make sausages, which he sold at the Farmer’s Market. Before opening his own business, Chris also took a job as sous chef at Cellar Door.
“My first love was making sausages, and with that dream in my head, I searched for the right spot to open my own butcher shop,” Chris said. “This spot here on Ingalls Street was available.”
With the key to the shop in his pocket, Chris spent the next several months with a hammer and saw instead of carving knives in his hands. After months of putting in his own blood, sweat, and tears, the shop opened under the name of “el Salchichero.”
Leaning back in his chair, Chris talked of his Mom, Dad, and Sister Annie who were his first employees and how great it is to have the family working together in the market; today there are nine employees including his Mom and Dad.
Entering el Salchichero, you will notice there is no wasted space, evidenced by its full shelves and counters. A small display case holds about one of everything, denoting a handcrafted and “freshly cut to order” service to its customers.
A chalkboard lists sausages available that week and in the display case are various specialty roasts. That day, a porchetta (pork loin) roast and a whole freshly skinned rabbit captured my interest.
All poultry and meat sold at the Market come from pasture fed, free-range northern California farms with names like Open Space Meats, Sun Fed Ranch, and Devil’s Gulch. Also, they are all antibiotics and hormone free and the pork is finished on organic milk and bread and the beef is grass-fed.
In need of a specialty item call the market at 423-6328 or their website elsalchichero.com. Mondays the market is closed. Look for el Salchichero at the Santa Cruz, Live Oak, and Scotts Valley Farmer’s Markets.
Sunday, August 9, samples of el Salchichero’s smoked meats can be had at the Tasting under the Redwoods Food, Wine and Beer Event at Roaring Camp Railroads, benefitting Valley Churches United Missions. Tickets are available online at eventbrite.com.
PORCHETTA ROAST
Preheat oven 475 deg.
One 4 to 5 pound el Salchichero Porchetta Roast, spiced with citrus zest, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper, rolled and tied.
Place on rack in a pan and roast for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 325.
When the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees, remove and cover for 20 minutes.
Roast will continue cooking and should reach 155 to 160 degrees.
