Every family has a holiday food tradition, whether it’s lasagna while watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas” or hunting high and low for the most authentic Hungarian poppy seed roll. The smells and flavors of grandma’s house linger in our memories, and more than any other time of year, we crave a little taste of our heritage.
Here are some of our favorite holiday dishes from around the world that you can find here in Sonoma County — from potstickers to pavlova — to make the Yuletide that much more delicious.
England — Holiday Tea
Holiday Tea at Hotel Healdsburg will be held on Saturdays and Sundays from Dec. 6-21 and will feature holiday fare, including housemade pastries and finger sandwiches from Dry Creek Kitchen. The tea is sourced from Russian River Tea Company. Tea service with food is $85 for adults, and tea service with food and wine or cocktails is $98. Food, tea, cider and hot chocolate for children 12 and under is $49. 317 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-431-0330, drycreekkitchen.com
Muir’s Tea Room in Sebastopol will host a Victorian Wintertide High Tea from Dec. 6-31. The plant-based tea service ($78 per person) includes an endless pot of tea accompanied by scones, finger sandwiches and other baked goods (plus a matching gluten-free menu; $83 per person). There’s also a tea service menu for children ($40 per child), with tea, lemonade, or sparkling apple cider, along with savory and dessert items. Don’t forget to pick up special holiday tea blends, seasonal bakery items and other holiday gifts for that special tea fanatic in your life. 330 S. Main St., Sebastopol, 707-634-6143, muirstearoomandcafe.com
Mexico — Tamales
A favorite holiday tradition in Mexico, these steamed corn cakes are popular year-round, but at the holidays, they are even more special. Filled with everything from chicken, pork and cheese to beans, pineapple and even chocolate, they’re perfect for a party of any size. Our favorites are at Tamales Mana in Santa Rosa. For a twist on the usually savory snack, we love tamales with sweet mango salsa at Don Julio’s in Rohnert Park. Tamales Mana, 1110 Petaluma Hill Road, Santa Rosa, 707-595-5742, tamalesmana.com. Don Julio’s, 217 Southwest Blvd., Rohnert Park, 707-242-3160, donjulioslatingrill.com
Italy — Panettone
Filled with candied fruit, this Italian sweet bread was one of the many reasons to make a trip to the much-missed Traverso’s Deli — but the holiday treat can be found at other favorite local bakeries. Petaluma’s Della Fattoria offers two versions: a cranberry-and-chocolate panettone and a candied-citrus-and-golden-raisin panettone. For a worthy splurge, try the $96 panettone at the new Pastascuitta in Geyserville. The sweet bread from Bay Area baker Roy Shvartzapel is offered in a variety of intriguing flavors, including tiramisu, pistachio-cherry, and lemon-poppy mascarpone. Della Fattoria, 143 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma, 707-763-0161, dellafattoria.com; Pastascuitta, 21023 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville, Instagram.com/pastasciutta707
Find more panettone at Goguette Bread and Marla Bakery in Santa Rosa, Nightingale Breads in Forestville, Costeaux French Bakery in Healdsburg and Basque Boulangerie in Sonoma.
Germany and Eastern Europe — Cookies, Mulled Wine and More
Pfeffernüsse cookies and “glüewhein” (a spiced mulled wine) are among the most cherished holiday traditions. Santa Rosa’s European Food Store has holiday candies, cookies (including pfeffernüsse) and boot-stuffers from Germany and Eastern Europe. Also find other favorites like poppy seed roulade, caviar, smoked fish and imported chocolates. 2790 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-527-0319, alleuropeanfood.com
Sweden — Julbord
Stockhome in Petaluma is your go-to spot for all things Swedish. At 5 p.m. on Dec. 7, 14 and 21, the restaurant will serve an authentic julbord — a family-friendly Swedish meal featuring holiday specialties. The feast includes gravlax and smoked salmon, cheese and charcuterie platters, braised cabbage, fried Brussels sprouts, potato au gratin, Swedish meatballs and Christmas ham, plus house glögg (Swedish spiced wine). $90 for adults, $50 for children ages 5 to 12 and free for children 4 and under. There will be a julbord takeout option with pickup times from noon to 4 p.m. on Dec. 23. The to-go julbord serves two people and costs $180. To learn more about Stockhome’s annual julbord this year, click here. 220 Western Ave., Petaluma, 707-981-8511, stockhomerestaurant.com
France — Bûche de Noël
Eating a log might not sound so delicious, but when it’s filled with buttercream and frosted with chocolate? That’s another story. The tradition stems from ancient pagan rites of burning logs to usher in spring. We like the elaborate versions at Sarmentine Artisan Boulanger in Santa Rosa, Petaluma and Sebastopol; Les Pascals in Glen Ellen and Patisserie Angelica in Sebastopol.
New Zealand — Pavlova
It’s summer down under during the holidays, just in time for fresh strawberries, raspberries and blueberries that make this light dessert such a holiday favorite. While named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, the dessert originated in Australia or New Zealand in the early 20th century and remains popular in both countries. Made with a meringue base, whipped cream and berries, the best spot to find it is BurtoNZ Bakery in Windsor, the only New Zealand-style bakery in the region. 9076 Brooks Road S., Windsor, 707-687-5455, burtonzbakery.com
Sarmentine also offers two versions of the meringue-based dessert: a fruit pavlova and a tiramisu pavlova with a cocoa meringue shell.
Puerto Rico — Sweet Rice Pudding
Coconut, raisins, spices and cloves make this a special rice pudding (arroz con dulce) that’s traditional on the island. You can find it at El Coqui Puerto Rican Cuisine in Santa Rosa. 400 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. 707-542-8868, elcoqui2eat.com
Portugal — Bacalhau
Bacalhau, a dried and salted cod, is a typical Portuguese dish often made for a traditional Christmas Eve dinner. Sonoma’s premier Portuguese restaurant, Tasca Tasca, offers its take on the dish as salt cod cakes. For a comforting holiday dessert, try the cinnamon rice pudding. 122 West Napa St., Sonoma, 707-996-8272, tascatasca.com
Ethiopia — Doro We’t
This spicy chicken stew takes days to prepare, with a mix of African peppers and spices. Long-simmered with garlic and onion, hard-boiled eggs are added to soak up flavor, and it’s typically served with fermented injera bread. Though Ethiopian Christmas is celebrated on Jan. 7, you can find d’oro we’t any day of the year at Abyssinia in Santa Rosa. 913 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-568-6455, my-abyssinia.com
Chinese for Christmas?
Many Jewish people have a favorite holiday tradition of eating Chinese food — often from the only restaurants open on Christmas. It’s also a great way to avoid the kitchen after a day of exhausting present opening. Lately, more and more Chinese restaurants have been closing on Dec. 25, making this jolly night out harder to come by. Royal China in northwest Santa Rosa will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. City Chopsticks in Petaluma has also been reliably open on Christmas. Royal China, 3080 Marlow Road, Santa Rosa, 707-545-2911, royalchinasantarosa.com; City Chopsticks, 127 N. McDowell Blvd. Petaluma, 707-763-3083, citychopsticksca.com
Thailand — Mango Sticky Rice
A traditional South Asian dessert made with fresh mango, glutinous rice and coconut milk, mango sticky rice is often enjoyed on Songkran, the Thai New Year’s holiday in April. Still, it is popular during other holidays as well. Thai House Noodle Soup in Santa Rosa and Thai BBQ House in Petaluma both serve elegantly plated mango sticky rice, a refreshing, delicious ending to any meal. Thai House Noodle Soup, 1899 Mendocino Ave. Suite B., Santa Rosa, 707-978-3485, thaihousenoodles.com; Thai BBQ House, 1390 N. McDowell Blvd., Suite A, Petaluma, 707-665-5748, thaibbqhouse.com
Turkey — Baklava
While baklava is a popular dessert to mark the end of Ramadan, this sweet, delicate treat of thin phyllo pastry layered with a honeyed nut mixture can be enjoyed any day of the year. Along with other Turkish holiday delights like dolmas and borek, Real Döner in Petaluma serves heavenly pistachio baklava with the right touch of sweet and crunchy. 307 F St., Petaluma, 707-765-9555, realdoner.net
India — Kheer
A simple yet wholesome dessert, traditional Indian kheer is a sweet rice pudding commonly found at festivals and on holidays in India. Himalayan Restaurant in Windsor offers an old-fashioned and lightly spiced Himalayan-style kheer, and Kafal Restaurant in Santa Rosa has a sweet, refreshing kheer flavored with cardamom. Himalayan, 810 McClelland Drive, Windsor, 707-838-6746, himalayanrestaurantwindsor.com; Kafal Restaurant, 535 Ross St., Santa Rosa, 707-595-3311, kafalca.com
Japan — Kentucky Fried Chicken
Though Christmas isn’t widely celebrated in Japan, KFC is a holiday tradition. Since the 1970s, the “Party Barrel” has attracted lines of eager eaters after a marketing campaign made Kurisumasu ni wa Kentakkii (Christmas with Kentucky) a thing. To follow suit, take your pick among Sonoma County’s five KFC locations.
