Petaluma, CA, USA, Monday, August 3, 2020._The Rivertown Racers practice on the Petaluma River.
(CRISSY PASCUAL/ARGUS-COURIER STAFF)
Sonoma County is full of romantic restaurants and beautiful wineries that make for textbook dates. But once in a while, you might want to switch up your date night routine with something a little different. Next up in our series on unique date ideas in Sonoma County is the town of Petaluma.
One of the oldest cities in California and the location for a few Hollywood movies, it is brimming with old-school charm and romantic ambiance. From live theater to entertaining museum tours, here are 10 fun and unique dates in Petaluma. Click through the above gallery for details.
All it takes is a cool, winter day out on Tomales Bay, right after a storm passes and the water turns to glass, “when it just feels like home to me,” says Aluxa Lalicker. It is where she learned to ply the waters as a kayak guide and where she mastered the art of shucking oysters, a life skill she passed down to her younger sister, Jazmine. They might have been born in the Yucatan and raised in Oklahoma, but The Oyster Girls were conceived in the briny waters of Tomales Bay.
“I call it the slippery slope upward,” Aluxa says. “It really is an obsession or an addiction.”
After shucking oysters on the beach for clients while working as a kayak guide on the bay, Aluxa was hooked. Transporting that experience to the Bay Area party circuit, she and Jazmine took their show on the road in 2007 as The Oyster Girls, catering events everywhere from wineries to fire stations. Quick to show off their knife skills, the sisters were often the life of the party. Their look was classy and sophisticated—much like the vintage girl lounging on a half-shell that makes up their business logo.
Sisters Jazmine, left, and Aluxa Lalicker maintain close relationships with local oyster farmers. (Deb Wilson)The sisters maintain close relationships with local oyster farmers. (Deborah Wilson)
Everywhere the sisters went, people learned more about Tomales Bay – and more about the mystique of the oyster as an aphrodisiac, a fascination that goes back to ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. For Jazmine, part of the fun is “taking the sexuality and turning it into education, and showcasing the oyster for the femininity that it has, which I think before wasn’t really showcased before.”
The sisters’ nuanced approach is a welcome counterpoint to the stereotypical bro oyster shucker. “The number one biggest misconception with oysters is that it takes some big dude wearing, like, a rubber apron and rubber boots and really dirty gloves that have never been washed before. And they’ve got to power through this hard, really hard, dirty, gritty work,” Aluxa says. “It’s a huge misunderstanding,” adds Jazmine. “Because oysters are so delicate, and it takes so much finesse to open them.”
Another misconception is that an oyster party will turn into a hazmat scene. “I’ve had people gasp, like, ‘You’re going to wear that and shuck oysters?’” Aluxa says. “Or they ask, ‘Do I need to Saran-Wrap the bar area?’ They want to Saran-Wrap the whole room.”
“It’s not a crime scene,” Jazmine jokes. Quick to finish each other’s sentences, the two sisters were born in Cancun, Mexico, where their parents – their father is Mexican and their mother is from Oklahoma – ran a bed-and-breakfast. Not long after a hurricane ravaged the Yucatan peninsula, the family relocated to Tulsa, Oklahoma. It was in Sooner country, where, as a teenager, Aluxa tasted her first oyster. Her grandfather wanted to show her, “how to act on a date and what to expect on a date,” she remembers. “So I went out and bought a little black dress, and my grandpa picked me up in his truck and we went out and ate oysters.”
The briny, salty flavors blew her mind. Over a decade later, she migrated to Sonoma State University and was working for Blue Waters Kayaking on Tomales Bay when a friend taught her how to shuck an oyster. The sisters knew from the beginning that it would be important to create lasting relationships with local oyster farmers, especially Hog Island Oyster Co., Tomales Bay Oyster Company, and Drakes Bay Oyster Company. “I’ve always seen The Oyster Girls as a bridge between the oyster farmers and the party world,” Aluxa says.
Drakes Bay Oyster Company co-owner Ginny Cummings taught them that a handshake was all it took to do business. To this day, The Oyster Girls buy half their bivalves from the company, which pivoted to farming oysters in Baja, Mexico after closing down their operations in Point Reyes National Seashore in 2014. “They found that niche that no one else was doing at the time,” says Cummings of the sisters. “They had sass, but they also had class.”
Sisters Jazmine Lalicker, left, and Aluxa Lalicker at The Schuckery in Petaluma. (Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)Oysters at The Shuckery in Petaluma. (Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)
Those relationships came in handy when the Lalickers opened The Shuckery on the ground floor of Hotel Petaluma in 2016. Inspired by a trip to New Orleans, where hotel oyster bars are a way of life, the two carved out a 32-seat oyster bar that goes through 600-1,200 oysters a day. Jazmine, who once worked as a server at Petaluma’s Central Market, now primarily focuses on the restaurant, while Aluxa books Oyster Girl parties. Both businesses are starting to bounce back from the pandemic, along with the oyster industry as a whole.
During the restaurant hiatus, many of the meaty mollusks sat in the water for an extra 12 to 18 months, growing larger than usual. “I’ve never seen Kumamotos so big,” Aluxa says.
When it comes to local oyster terroir, Aluxa can get super nerdy.
“An oyster that was eating zooplankton is almost like a wine that came from stainless steel,” she says. “It’s going to be really bright, briny— steely and metallic. And an oyster feeding on phytoplankton, it’s still gonna have the salt of the bay, but it’s gonna have a sweeter finish, like seagrass and melon – even though it’s the same oyster from the same bay, at the same time of year.”
Still amazed that many locals take it for granted, both sisters cherish this time of year on Tomales Bay. “It’s a little-known secret, but it’s the most beautiful time of the year,” Aluxa says. “Sure, you get rain. But then you get four days of calm weather, with the water like glass. The migrating birds move in. The anchovies come in, and the whales are migrating. Californians eat most of their oysters in the summer, with outdoor barbecued oysters – it’s a very California thing. But really, I think the oysters are the best this time of year.”
Jazmine and Aluxa Lalicker’s oyster bar, The Shuckery, is located inside the Hotel Petaluma, 100 Washington St., Petaluma. 707-981-7891, theshuckeryca.com. For catering and events, visit theoystergirls.com.
From left, Tasso Herb Grilled Oyster with cure ham and herb butter, Rockefeller Grilled Oyster with spinach, parmesan, Pernod, and garlic, Classic Chipotle BBQ Oyster all served with lemon and grilled baguette from The Shuckery in Petaluma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
How to Throw Your Own Oyster Party
Inspired by local oyster experts Jazmine and Aluxa Lalicker, we’re celebrating the season by honoring winter oysters. So grab a shucking board and some Sonoma County seafood and read on to learn about how to set up the perfect oyster party.
It may seem obvious but…
Make sure you invite people who love oysters, says Aluxa Lalicker, co-owner of The Oyster Girls and The Shuckery restaurant in Petaluma. You don’t want to throw a party where you’re shucking oysters and no one’s eating them – that’s no fun for anyone.
Out of the shell
Decide whether to hire a professional oyster shucker or do it yourself. If you’ve never brandished an oyster knife, practice ahead of time. Jazmine and Aluxa Lalicker have a how-to video at theoystergirls.com.
Source your oysters
Figure out if you’re going to get a bag of the same oysters, or do a tasting of several varieties. The Oyster Girls have oysters for pick-up and party kit trays to go. Or, if you’re driving to Tomales Bay to pick up oysters, bring a cooler, and don’t make too many pit stops on the way home. You don’t want your oysters to sit for long in the car.
Set up the bar
Don’t banish your oyster bar to a far corner of the party—choose a central location. Next to the alcohol is often a good idea, say the sisters. Picnic tables and wine barrels easily showcase big oyster platters.
Grab supplies
You’ll need a shucking board, oyster knife, glove, apron, and trash can. Also some crushed ice and platters if you’d like to display your oysters after shucking.
Wine, cocktails, tequila shots — all good!
“Really, it comes down to whatever makes you happy,” says Jazmine Lalicker of what to drink with your oysters. Wines made in stainless steel and neutral oak pair beautifully, especially Chablis and Chenin Blanc—and, of course, Champagne.
At The Shuckery, Jazmine serves a popular Huntress cocktail, with gin, vermouth blend, Campari, golden raisins, toasted oak, and Angelica root. And don’t forget: “The oyster can always be the salt to your tequila shot,” Aluxa says.
At age 28, sommelier Alexandria Sarovich considered leaving the wine industry. She had reached what felt like the top of her game at SingleThread, the Michelin three-star restaurant in Healdsburg. But the emotional toll of being furloughed during a shutdown and the widespread devastation of the pandemic had left her longing for a role with more connection. To stay grounded, and stay learning, she ended up accepting a gig as the wine director at Little Saint, the high-profile plant-based cafe, wine shop, and event space from the SingleThread team.
Sarovich grew up in a large Italian-American family in Chicago, the eldest of five kids, and often cooked for her younger siblings while her parents worked. “Food was a way I could bring my family back together,” Sarovich explains. Her mother stretched the family’s food budget to buy organic fruit and dairy, and supplemented with produce she grew in her own garden. Large family meals on Sundays were always a way to connect. “All my life I’ve been trying to recreate that special feeling of family and community and the nurturing aspect that food can provide,” she says.
At Little Saint, which opened in April, Sarovich has crafted an intelligent and of-the-moment wine list of some 300-plus bottles. She focuses on sustainably produced wines, local winemakers, and international producers—and highlights women winemakers and wines made by people of color.
Sommelier Alexandria Sarovich. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
Sarovich says she challenges herself to think about more about interesting, everyday wine picks. “I love drinking wine with people who don’t work in the wine industry—like my childhood friends and my roommate’s mom—to get a sense of what most people like to drink,” says Sarovich. “I want to see how they look at wine. I really try to stay grounded because sometimes it’s easy to get too up-in-the-air with all the expensive wines.”
She is fond of wines from the Sonoma Coast, especially those from the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA. “The wines from that area are so balanced,” she says. “The high elevation combined with strong winds and coastal temperatures tends to make the grape skins a bit firmer, which provides more backbone and tannin structure to the wine. Then there is this beautiful bright red fruit with layers of complexity because of the soil.”
After living in Sonoma County for three and a half years, Sarovich says she loves the feel of a farm-focused community—especially during the harvest season, when, she says, “there is so much energy, it’s buzzing.”
That’s when she’ll bike through Dry Creek Valley, where she can admire fruit ripening on the vine and revel in the sense of possibility: “I can’t help but feel excitement about their potential.”
From left, 2021 Sutro, Sauvignon Blanc, Warnecke Ranch; 2018 RAEN, ‘Sea Field’ Fort Ross Seaview, Pinot Noir; 2021 Sophie James, Rose of Pinot Noir, Sonoma. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
Favorite Sonoma Picks
Little Saint wine director Alexandria Sarovich loves the complexity of these three local wines.
RAEN 2018 ‘Sea Field,’ Fort Ross-Seaview, Pinot Noir $95 Made by brothers Carlo and Dante Mondavi, this environmentally- conscious wine expresses the terroir of the windswept Sonoma Coast.
Sophie James 2021 Sonoma Rosé of Pinot Noir, $45 Sophie Grey, a mother of three girls, was a grape grower before she launched her own wine brand. Little Saint is the only wine shop that carries her wine.
Sutro 2021 Warnecke Ranch Alexander Valley Sauvignon Blanc, $35 Winemaker and artist Alice Sutro is a Sonoma County native. Sarovich says the wine is bright and balanced, and goes well with veggie-centric dishes.
Grilled Flat Iron with Sonoma succotash, popcorn and herbed butter from The Farmstand at the Farmhouse Inn in Forestville Tuesday, August 16, 2022. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
From tapas and champagne to a new pizza place, here’s where to eat this fall in Sonoma County. Click through the above gallery to see what to order.
Kancha
Kancha is the little tapas and bubble room I’ve always dreamed downtown Santa Rosa would support.
Chef Angel Cayllahua is an experienced chef and sommelier with a simple but ridiculously good menu of cold and warm tapas-style plates that draw from his Peruvian upbringing and Japanese restaurant training. His sake collection is stunning, the bubbly flights are fantastic, and the cozy interior space matches the clean, bright dishes coming out of the thimble-size kitchen.
Cold seafood bites of ceviche, tartare and causas (a Peruvian potato dish) are Cayllahua’s specialty. Salmon tartare ($17) is topped by a gentle foam of ponzu and studded with pine nuts and serrano chiles for a sweet-tart-briny mouthful.
Especially good is the limena causa ($22), made with a base of whipped purple potato mixed with lime juice and Peruvian chiles and topped with creamy Dungeness crab salad.
Larger hot dishes include Dungeness crabcakes ($24) and a shockingly good Peruvian play on mac and cheese ($16), with creamy, tangy huancaina sauce and a panko crust. Mussels ($18) come in a broth flavored with chicha de jora, a corn beer, and huacatay, a black mint paste — a distinctly Peruvian combination that works perfectly.
For dessert, Cayllahua offers a refreshing coconut parfait with coconut tapioca pearls, shaved ice, mango puree, and coconut foam. The wine list is impressive, but tasting flights ($35) of premier cru Champagne and sparkling wines are your best bet.
Open daily; happy hour from 4-6 p.m. 643 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707-623-9793, kanchasr.com
Parfait at Kancha Champagne Bar & Tapas in downtown Santa Rosa Tuesday June 14, 2022 (Chad Surmick / Press Democrat)Strawberry summer drink at Kancha Champagne Bar & Tapas in downtown Santa Rosa Tuesday June 14, 2022 (Chad Surmick / Press Democrat)
Everett & Jones
Sonoma County has always sheepishly claimed to have great barbecue, but only recently has true pit-smoked, Oakland-style ‘cue arrived on scene. Opened in July at the Graton Resort and Casino, this is the first North Bay location for the nearly 50-yearold barbecue dynasty widely considered part of the “holy trinity” of Oakland’s celebrated African American barbecue culture.
“I just want to continue to make my mom and aunties proud,” says Shamar Cotton, the grandson of founder Dorothy Everett and manager of the casino restaurant. Everett opened the first Everett & Jones restaurant in 1973 with just $700 to her name. The former domestic worker and single mother of nine children put her family to work as cooks, dishwashers and servers, and built a following through word-of-mouth. The menu has remained constant—smoked beef links, pork ribs, barbecued brisket, and chicken. Traditional sides include potato salad, baked beans, green beans, and macaroni and cheese.
Southern-style red velvet cake and peach cobbler round out an uncomplicated menu that stays true to the flavorful, slow-cooking methods that put them on the map.
Everett & Jones relies on the tried-andtrue Southern tradition of brick-pit grilling, a method that doesn’t always mesh with stringent California restaurant codes. (The original Oakland and Berkeley restaurants, built decades before modern restaurant regulations, have grandfathered clauses that allow the family to continue to cook with a brick pit and wood coals.) The new Rohnert Park restaurant, located on sovereign Native American tribal land, uses a double-decker steel cabinet encased in brick that holds burning wood coals at the bottom. A large upper oven smokes the delicious meats.
Open daily inside the Graton Resort & Casino. 288 Golf Course Dr. W., Rohnert Park. everettandjones.com
Delicious Dish
Hidden well off the Sonoma Square, this inconspicuous Arnold Drive roadhouse flies so far under the radar that most locals don’t even know about it.
But with some of the best casual, family-friendly comfort food around, it’s time for chef/owner Lauren Cotner’s close-up.
The menu focuses on nosh-worthy fried chicken sandwiches, everything-but-the-sink salads and a changing lineup of sandwiches and bowls. The fried chicken sandwich ($16) is the Goldilocks of sandwiches: a chicken breast that isn’t too thick or too thin, a soft but not wimpy bun, and breading that stays crispy-crunchy. My fave version is the Nashville, dripping with pimento cheese, sweet-pickled jalapeños, and ranch dressing. So naughty, but so nice.
Cotner’s hot Dungeness crab melt ($24) is loaded with warm Old Bay-spiced crab salad on a buttery brioche bun with cheddar, tomato, and Meyer lemon mayonnaise. And the banh mi-ahi poke bowl salad ($18) is a rainbow of black rice, pickled daikon, cucumber, watermelon radish, mint, and ruby-red chunks of tuna. Cotner gets the sauce game right on this one, putting both Sriracha aioli and a creamy miso dressing on the side.
Describing her restaurant as west Sonoma’s punk rock little sister, Cotner loves to surprise: Barbie dioramas peek from corners, a hand-drawn sketch of SNL actor Chris Farley sports a crown near the front door, and in-the-know diners frequent monthly movie nights in full costume. You can’t not have fun here.
Open for lunch daily; check online for updated hours. 18709 Arnold Dr., Sonoma. 707-721-4231, delicious-dish.square.site
California Fried Chicken at Delicious Dish in Sonoma (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Sonoma Pizza Co., Forestville
This open, airy restaurant finally brings much-needed casual, family-friendly dining to this stretch of rural west county. Wood-oven pizzas (from $18) keep it super-simple, with ingredients like San Marzano tomatoes, basil, chiles, and fresh mozzarella.
These blistery pizzas barely kiss the oven for 90 seconds or so but get a nice little char. The Mushroom Mycopia ($23) is made with a fermented dough topped with St. Jorge cream, mushrooms, mozzarella, cheese, spring onions, and chimichurri.
All pizzas are around 12 inches, so if you’re very hungry, you may want two.
Dips are part of the party, with homemade ranch, green goddess, and almond tahini ready to douse your slice. And the burrata and beets tapas ($18) are a beauty, with tart strawberries, pistachios, puffed barley, and a honey-sumac vinaigrette.
Open for dinner Wed.- Sun. 6615 Front St., Forestville. 707-820-1031, sonomapizzaco.com
Third Pig Bar
There’s nothing that says happiness more than a dangerously delicious Piggy Punch cocktail served in a pink pig glass. The former Mother’s Ruin has been transformed into a modern garden retreat that’s light and convivial with some of the most whimsical cocktails in town. It’s the post-Covid adventure of Alex and Katie Bowman of Graton’s Bowman Cellars, who said the idea to open the bar came to them like a ton of bricks after seeing the empty businesses.
“I was staring at this pile of bricks in my yard when I suddenly thought of the Three Little Pigs,” says Alex. “The third little pig built a house of bricks that withstood all the trials and attempts of the Big Bad Wolf. Right now, we don’t know what to expect with everything going on in the world. So let’s build something that is going to last.”
Danielle Peters and Erin Clossey of Good Folks Hospitality, a Sonoma beverage consultancy, are behind the cocktail menu, including the dangerously delicious Piggy Punch made with rum, Swedish punsch, chicha morada (a purple corn drink), lime, and cardamom bitters, served in a piggy cocktail glass. Classic cocktails like the Mai Tai and the Southside (gin, lime, orange bitters and mint) round out the menu.
After one drink you’ll be squealing for more. Open Wed.-Sat. evenings. 116 S. Main St., Sebastopol. thirdpigbar.com
Piggy Punch at Third Pig Bar. (John Wesley Brewer)
Corner Project Ales and Eats
At this family-run brewpub in Geyserville, one brother brews while the other operates the kitchen. More than just fried pub grub, chef Tom Adamian’s menu includes lots of comforting dishes like meatball sliders, pulled lamb on focaccia with preserved lemons, and a perfect pickled veggie sando on thick slices of bread (my favorite). They also sell beers from other brewers. Try the funky Smelltron 3030 from Santa Rosa’s Cooperage Brewing Co. or the super-refreshing Lavender Radler from Rohnert Park-based Old Caz Beer.
Open Thurs.- Sun. 21079 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville. 707-814-0110, cornerprojectales.com
Farmstand
The Farmhouse Inn, nestled among the vineyards of the Russian River Valley, has long been a favorite getaway. Alongside luxury accommodations, part of the allure has been the resort’s Michelin-rated restaurant.
New chef de cuisine Shawn Jackson Clara is overseeing a revamped dining program, which now includes a casual sister restaurant called Farmstand under the direction of executive chef Trevor Anderson. Both Clara and Anderson are Farmhouse Inn alums.
The menu is entirely a la carte, with impossibly fresh vegetable dishes (many from co-owner Joe Bartolomei’s garden) that change with the season, such as sweet roasted carrots with salsa verde, a late-summer pressed watermelon with feta and black olives, and cool red beets with berries and pistachio butter. Wood-fired pizzas ($24-$25) are generous in size—the maitake mushroom and black truffle-leek cream pizza takes top honors in our book. Larger entrees, like a grilled flatiron steak or half chicken, range from $18 to $38.
This captivating experience, with deck seating that takes advantage of the property’s woodsy charm, is a comparative deal for the area. On Wednesday nights, Farmstand offers a prix fixe menu for $65 per person, which includes an outdoor movie in the courtyard.
Chocolate Lava Cake from Lazeaway Club at Flamingo Resort in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
Click through the above gallery for more favorite chocolate desserts in Sonoma County.
Few foods are as widely used and frequently craved as chocolate.
For thousands of years, tracing back to the ancient cultures of Mesoamerica, the substance extracted from cocoa beans has been brewed into alcoholic drinks, used in sacred rituals, traded as currency and consumed for its medicinal properties. Once sugar was incorporated into the mix to cut the natural bitterness of the cocoa, chocolate confections became one of our most beloved treats — to be gifted to loved ones in heart-shaped boxes or enjoyed all to yourself (no judgment here).
The U.S. National Confectioners Association has listed Sept. 13 as International Chocolate Day, in honor of famed chocolatier Milton S. Hershey’s birthday. And what could be a better way to celebrate this delicious holiday than to devour some chocolate treats, guilt-free?
In a culinary haven such as Sonoma County, you don’t need to look far to find delectable chocolate goodies for any occasion. From cake to cookies, pie to pavlova, check out some of the best chocolate-based desserts from around the county.
To find the best artisan chocolatiers in the county, click here.
Bakeries
Downtown Bakery & Creamery, Brownie Cupcake: A rich, dense dark chocolate brownie in cupcake form, topped with a smattering of powdered sugar. Easily the most crave-worthy chocolate dessert for $3. 308 Center St., Healdsburg, 707-431-2719, downtownbakeryhealdsburg.com
Noble Folk Ice Cream & Pie Bar, Maple Chocolate Walnut Pie: Swiss chocolate filling loaded with crunchy, toasted walnuts and laced with maple syrup, all set in a buttery heritage pie crust. 116 Matheson St., Healdsburg, 707-395-4426; 539 4th St., Santa Rosa, 707-978-3392, thenoblefolk.com
Quail & Condor, Chocolate Chip Cookie: Big-as-your-hand chocolate chip cookies that are crunchy on the outside and chewy in the center. Plus, they’re gluten-free. 149 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-473-8254, quailandcondor.com
Costeaux French Bakery, Chocolate Decadence Torte: Living up to its name, this dense and decadent cake has intense chocolate flavor, with a dark chocolate ganache finish. 417 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-433-1913, costeaux.com
Sebastopol Cookie Company, Double Fudge Cookie: A deeply chocolaty, chewy fudge cookie loaded with melty chocolate chips. 168 N Main St., Sebastopol, 707-824-4040, sebastopolcookiecompany.com
Patisserie Angelica, BOS: Named for winning “Best of Show” at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair, the decadent BOS cake has smooth dark chocolate mousse between two layers of chocolate biscuits, interlaced with house-made raspberry preserves and whole berries. The cake is glazed with a rich chocolate ganache and topped with a “rose” of chocolate shavings. 6821 Laguna Park Way, Sebastopol, 707-827-7998, patisserieangelica.com
Petaluma Pie Company, Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie: Velvety coconut milk cream meets fudgy chocolate cream, nestled in a buttery, flaky crust and topped with Straus whipped cream and toasted coconut shavings. 125 Petaluma Blvd. North, Suite D, Petaluma, 707-766-6743, petalumapiecompany.com
Magdelena’s Savories & Sweets, Dark Chocolate Espresso Roll: A large, vegan, dark chocolate cinnamon roll with espresso frosting. A vegan breakfast of champions. 5306 Old Redwood Highway, Petaluma, magdelenas.com
JM Rosen’s Cheesecake, Chocolate Fantasy Cheesecake: Rich chocolate mousse sandwiched between a layer of Rosen’s original New York plain cheesecake on the bottom and topped with a layer of dense, old-fashioned chocolate cake. The cake is covered in a dark chocolate shell and topped with a garnish of chocolate flakes. 74 East Washington, Petaluma, 707-773-4655, jmrosencheesecakes.com
Criminal Baking Co., Brown Butter Brownies: One of the most popular items in the shop since its opening, the gluten-free brown butter brownie is rich, moist, chewy and extremely chocolaty. 808 Donahue St., Santa Rosa, 707-888-3546, criminalbaking.com
Red Bird Bakery, Chocolate Croissant: Perfectly flaky, buttery croissant piped full with rich chocolate and topped with a chocolate drizzle. Bakery locations in Cotati, Sebastopol and Santa Rosa, plus at farmers markets county-wide. Cotati phone: 707-521-9838, Sebastopol phone: 707-827-3112; redbirdbakery.com
Wild Goat Bistro, Sea Salted Caramel Cake: Gluten-free chocolate buttermilk cake with buttercream and a salted caramel filling, coated in a rich chocolate ganache and a salted caramel drizzle. (Courtesy of Pam M./Yelp)
Restaurants
Valette, ItsNotA ‘Snickers Bar’ Deux: An upscale, deconstructed Snickers bar: A layer of dark chocolate ganache over sea salt-infused caramel with cocoa nib tuile and peanut powder. 344 Center St., Healdsburg, 707-473-0946, valettehealdsburg.com
Sweet T’s Restaurant, Mississippi Mud Pie: An Oreo-cookie crust filled with a slab of mocha ice cream, topped with a dollop of whipped cream, and drizzled with Ghirardelli chocolate sauce and house-made caramel bourbon sauce. Pure southern hospitality in chocolate dessert form. 9098 Brooks Road South, Windsor, 707-687-5185, sweettssouthern.com
Bird & The Bottle, Double Chocolate Mayo Cake: Layers of chocolate mousse and chocolate fudge with a sprinkle of fleur de sel (French sea salt), all filled in a glass jar. 1055 4th St., Santa Rosa, 707-568-4000, birdandthebottle.com
East West Cafe & Restaurant, Vegan Chocolate Cake: A rich, three-layered chocolate cake so decadent you won’t believe it’s dairy free. 557 Summerfield Road, Santa Rosa, 707-546-6142, eastwestcafesantarosa.com
Cafe La Haye, Chocolate Silk Cake: Dense, fudgy chocolate silk cake atop a pecan-walnut and fleur de sel crust, complemented with a side of airy, house-made ice cream. 140 E. Napa St., Sonoma, 707-935-5994, cafelahaye.com
Wild Goat Bistro, Sea Salted Caramel Cake: Gluten-free chocolate buttermilk cake with buttercream and a salted caramel filling, coated in a rich chocolate ganache and a salted caramel drizzle. 6 Petaluma Blvd. North, Suite A5, Petaluma, 707-658-1156, wildgoatbistro.com
Risibisi, Flourless Chocolate Cake: Warm, melt-in-your-mouth flourless chocolate cake with a dollop of whipped sweet mascarpone, a drizzle of berry sauce and fresh strawberries. 154 Petaluma Blvd. North, Petaluma, 707-766-7600, risibisirestaurant.com
Blue Ridge Kitchen, Mississippi Mud Pie (Kinda): More like an artfully prepared cocoa pavlova, with milk chocolate pudding stuffed in a fluffy meringue, topped with whipped vanilla cream, Oreo crumbles and an ornate chocolate garnish. 6770 McKinley St. Suite 150, Sebastopol, 707-222-5040, brkitchen.com
Terrapin Creek Cafe & Restaurant, Chocolate Cake: Moist chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting, toasted coconut and candied walnuts, drizzled in vanilla bean and caramel sauces. 1580 Eastshore Road, Bodega Bay, 707-875-2700, terrapincreekcafe.com
The World Championship Grape Stomp will take place at the Sonoma Harvest Fair on Oct. 15. (Beth Schlanker / The Press Democrat, 2015)
Harvest season is a time like no other in Wine Country, where an undercurrent of excitement and urgency flows from August through October in Sonoma County. The grapes on the vine are finally reaching the promised land of ripeness. And as you drive through the county in the early morning, you feel a sense of delight when a truck bumbles past with bins of freshly picked fruit.
With harvest comes a bevy of celebratory events: winery dinners, harvest lunches, festivals and fairs — all worthwhile ways to commemorate the season. But there are also activities designed to get you closer to the action, whether that’s in the vineyard, on the crush pad or near the grape-sorting table.
Here are some of the unique harvest-season activities happening in Wine Country.
Sept. 17
Harvest wine camp at Trombetta Family Wines: Trombetta winemaker Erica Stancliff will lead a one-day harvest wine camp at the winery in Forestville. The day will start with homemade cinnamon rolls and coffee, followed by a grape harvest demonstration in the estate vineyard. Visitors can harvest fruit for the winery’s 2022 rosé, then enjoy a gourmet backyard barbecue, including 2021 rosé from last year’s camp.
Tickets are $100 per person ($75 for wine club members). To sign up, visit trombettawines.com or call 707-887-7814. Trombetta Family Wines, 129 Nolan Court, Forestville.
Sept. 18
Winemaker harvest walk and tasting at West Wines: Join West Wines winemaker Katarina Bonde for a harvest walk through the winery’s Dry Creek vineyard. Visitors will be able to pick grape samples and test the Brix (sugar content), pH levels and flavor of the berries, while Bonde shares insight on the harvest and winemaking. The event includes a guided wine flight on the vineyard patio. Boxed lunches and charcuterie are available to order ahead of the event. Be sure to wear comfortable closed-toe shoes.
Price is $50 per person, with food sold separately. To sign up, visit westwines.com or call 707-433-2066. West Wines, 1000 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg.
Sept. 20-21
Instagram-approved package at St. Francis Winery: St. Francis Winery is inviting winery visitors to “do it for the ’gram” this September with their Instagram Approved Package. Designed for those seeking to kick up their Instagram game a notch, the package includes a 30-minute hair and makeup styling session, a 30-minute photo session with a professional photographer and a wine-paired lunch in the Vineyard Portico. All photos are shot on your personal smartphone for easy sharing access and “bragging rights,” according to the winery’s website.
The Instagram Approved Package is $100 per person, with a $50 discount for groups of four. To sign up, visit stfranciswinery.com/experiences/#gram. St. Francis Winery, 100 Pythian Road at Highway 12, Santa Rosa; 707-833-0240.
Hanna Winery in Santa Rosa. (Courtesy of Hanna Winery)
Sept. 24 and Oct. 8
Harvest tours at Hanna Winery: Join Hanna winemaker Jeff Hinchcliffe for a behind-the-scenes look at this year’s harvest. The morning will begin with a stroll through Hanna’s pinot noir vineyard, followed by a tour of the crush pad in action as the grape trucks roll in. Watch the winemaking team sort grapes before they’re pressed and separated into skins and juice. Then sample sauvignon blanc fermenting in the tank and barrel to learn about oak aging. The tour will end with a picnic lunch and wine tasting.
Prices are $100 per person, or $80 for wine club members. To purchase tickets, visit hannawinery.com/Experiences/Winery-Events. Hanna Winery, 5353 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa.
Oct. 15
Crash course in crush at The CIA at Copia: Beverage expert Traci Dutton will lead a crash course in crush at The CIA at Copia. Attendees will gain an insider’s perspective on grape growing and winemaking, with an emphasis on the harvest. A guided tasting of wines made with different techniques will be included to help visitors gain perspective.
Must be at least 21 to participate. Price is $65 per person. To register, call 800-888-7850 or email ciacustomerservice@culinary.edu. The CIA at Copia, 500 First St., Napa; ciaatcopia.com
Oct. 15
World Championship Grape Stomp at Sonoma County Harvest Fair: Grape stomping may have originated in ancient Rome, but Sonoma County can claim the World Championship Grape Stomp as our own. As part of the Sonoma County Harvest Fair, this annual grape stomp in Santa Rosa invites people of all ages to compete in the winemaking tradition of crushing grapes by foot. “Stompers” crush the grapes while “swabbies” direct the juice into the glass jugs. During the final round, 60 pounds of grapes will be stomped for five minutes. Whichever team fills the jugs with the most juice will win $1,500. Costumes are encouraged, and the best-dressed team will get a special award.
Create your own zin blend with Wine Road: Become a winemaker for a day during this hands-on zinfandel blending seminar with Michael Talty from Talty Vineyards & Winery, Brandon Lapidas from Arminda Winery and Rick Hutchinson from Amphora Winery. Learn what winemakers look for when creating a blend and how they balance their wines. You’ll then get to create your own blend of zinfandel, petite sirah and carignan and see how your blend stacks up against those made by your neighboring blenders.
Tickets are $50 per person, or $25 for Wine Road Insiders. To sign up, visit wineroad.com. Talty Vineyards & Winery, 7127 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg.
The Pax Winery tasting room at The Barlow on a Friday afternoon in Sebastopol. (John Burgess/Sonoma Magazine)
Every harvest, there’s a madcap comedy-drama just begging to be made at Pax Wines at The Barlow in Sebastopol. The father-figure character is a flip-flop-wearing, Phish-loving winery owner with too much cellar space on his hands (Pax Mahle).
Throw in a fast-talking New York sommelier turned winemaker (Patrick Cappiello); a third-generation scion of wine royalty (Carlo Mondavi); a scrappy rock climber and master of cellar logistics (Rosalind Reynolds), and a locally raised natural winemaker (Martha Stoumen), along with a team of handpicked interns from around the country— and watch as they make it through the grueling harvest season.
Along the way, trucks loaded with grapes will break down (it has happened). Others might be confiscated by the CHP (that, too, has happened). At some point, there will be too many grapes and too much juice for too little tank space. And to help it all go down, there will be plenty of mezcal shots, smash burgers, beer on tap, and a competition to see who can control the Spotify.
From left, Martha Stoume, owner Martha Stoumen Wines, Patrick Cappiello, owner Monte Rio Cellarsa and Pax Mahle share their knowledge and the Pax winemaking facility at The Barlow in Sebastopol. (John Burgess/Sonoma Magazine)Server Lauren Kelly bring wine to guests at the Pax Winery tasting room at The Barlow in Sebastopol. (John Burgess/Sonoma Magazine)
“It’s a tricky place I run here,” says Mahle, who grew up working in restaurants in Florida and moved out to Sonoma County in the late 1990s as a wine buyer for gourmet retailer Dean & DeLuca. “Because I don’t allow anybody to bring in any outside yeast or enzymes or bacteria or anything that’s going to affect the natural, ambient, healthy environment here.”
Not to be mistaken for a custom crush operation, Pax Winery started out as the home to Mahle’s Wind Gap brand. Long before that, it was a lid factory, churning out food-grade caps for applesauce and mayonnaise jars. But for the past five years, Mahle has shared his 8,000-square-foot crushpad facility with like-minded winemakers who pay rent by the tonnage, share his team of interns—and forge deep bonds over a shared winemaking ethos.
“You think, ‘Oh, five roommates all living together —it’s gonna be messy.’ But it’s not. It’s not like a frat house. It’s very clean,” says Stoumen, an Analy High grad who interned all over the world before returning to Sebastopol to make natural wines from varietals such as Nero d’Avola, Carignan, and Syrah under her Martha Stoumen label.
Everyone in the cellar makes low-intervention wines farmed from organic and biodynamic vineyards.
Mahle’s game is mainly Syrah, with some Chenin Blanc and Gamay Noir thrown in. Carlo Mondavi and his brother Dante focus on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Rosalind Reynolds falls back on mostly old-world California classics like Carignan, French Colombard and Zinfandel at Emme Wines. And Cappiello buys mostly Lodi fruit to make very affordable Zinfandel, Petit Syrah, and Sangiovese at Monte Rio Cellars.
Drawing Monte Rio Cellars wine from tanks for tasting after blending in the Pax Wines’ winemaking facility at The Barlow in Sebastopol. (John Burgess/Sonoma Magazine)Monte Rio Cellars owner/winemaker Patrick Cappiello, right, and assistant Jesus Aleman take a break to sample a blend in the Pax Wines’ winemaking facility at The Barlow in Sebastopol. (John Burgess/Sonoma Magazine)
If everyone were picking the same varietals, the daily game of musical chairs would never work out. “Every single day is this game of ‘What tanks are available? What’s coming in? Where can we squeeze things?’” says Reynolds, who also works as Pax’s assistant winemaker.
During harvest, the shared parking lot is swamped with trucks unloading grapes, likely to the amusement of the folks at the luxury real estate company next door. “They probably think we’re funny,” says Reynolds. “I bet they wish they were us sometimes, but I’m sure they also see us here all day, every day, and they’re happy they’re not us.”
Somehow, they make it through the harvest.
The Pax Winery tasting room at The Barlow on a Friday afternoon in Sebastopol. (John Burgess/Sonoma Magazine)Artwork in the Pax Winery tasting room at The Barlow in Sebastopol. (John Burgess/Sonoma Magazine)Pax wines in the Pax Winery tasting room at The Barlow in Sebasotpol. (John Burgess/Sonoma Magazine)
Maybe it’s the mezcal and Tecate chaser at the first sign of crush in August. Or the custom of opening a bottle at lunch that matches the same variety they brought into the winery that morning. Or the bottomless bag of discount Halloween candy that appears magically on the counter midway through harvest (blame Mahle).
Even on those long October days, when it feels like there are too many cooks in the kitchen and all seems irretrievable, Mahle wouldn’t have it any other way. “It would be pretty lonely making wine all by myself in the cellar,” he says.
By the end, usually around early November, the team usually goes out golfing together, followed by a wrap party and farewell dinner at a nice restaurant. Cue the closing scene where the interns pack up and head home, a winemaker puts their wine to bed in barrels and Mahle closes the back door.
House-cured salami & cheese at Diavola Pizzeria & Salumeria, in Geyserville. (Christopher Chung/The Press Democrat)
Sonoma knows how to make a charcuterie board that both looks good and tastes good. At local restaurants and wineries, these boards, piled-high with local cheeses, salumi, fruit, and crackers, make for a hearty appetizer — or a serious meal. Click through the above gallery for details.
Grilled cheese with birria on Texas Toast is a menu option at Galvan’s Eatery in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Omar Galvan’s dream isn’t to own a taco truck.
The 28-year-old food entrepreneur wants a fleet of quesabirria-laden mobile kitchens operating daily at breweries throughout the county. And he’s about to get one shiny red truck closer to that dream this month.
Galvan and his brother, Ivan, 24, own Galvan’s Eatery, a familiar sight at Shady Oak, Old Caz, Cooperage and Henhouse breweries. Known for their crispy shrimp tacos, birria grilled cheese sandwiches, loaded carne asada fries and meaty quesabirria, the young duo has a fiercely loyal following who track them through Instagram as they pop up at breweries in Petaluma, Rohnert Park and Santa Rosa.
That popularity has made it possible for the first-generation immigrants to purchase two food trailers in less than two years, at a total cost of $143,000, Omar Galvan said. The brothers bought their first 16-by-8-foot trailer for $56,000 with money borrowed from their family. They bought the second for $87,000 in cash from their profits and will add it to their schedule after they get it this month.
Crispy Pancho is a surf-and-turf option at Galvan’s Eatery in Santa Rosa. (Galvan’s Eatery)
Omar credits a combination of book and street smarts for their fast growth. Industriously working long days, starting at 5 a.m. at their parents’ Windsor market and taqueria, helps as well.
“I have the street smarts, Ivan has the book smarts, and we’re both very detail-oriented,” Omar said on a recent broiling Sunday afternoon at Henhouse Brewing in Santa Rosa. Both brothers have business degrees (Ivan recently received his MBA) and were college athletes.
After working in tech at Paychex and Yelp in San Francisco, Omar decided to take a leap of faith in October 2020 and start a food business.
“Working at Yelp, I started understanding how small-business owners think,” Omar said. Growing up helping out at his parents’ market and taqueria, Martin’s, he has spent much of his life working in the food industry.
“We are a business-oriented family. At 13, I wanted to be a butcher at my dad’s store,” he said.
In a way, the pandemic proved propitious for the brothers to launch their first food truck. When Sonoma County COVID-19 regulations required breweries to offer sit-down, dine-in meals if they wanted to serve alcohol, food trucks had a new opportunity. Without on-site kitchens, breweries turned to food trucks to fulfill the mandate to serve food. Almost immediately, niche brewery tasting rooms became family-friendly brewpubs where dogs, kids and friends could gather at outdoor picnic tables for a pint and a few tacos.
“It just snowballed. People had to try new food at breweries,” said Omar, who launched his fledgling business in late October 2020. Galvan’s Eatery grew exponentially in the following two years.
“It’s all become very harmonious, and families are (at breweries) now,” he said. That meant adding kid-friendly grilled cheese sandwiches and quesadillas to their taco, torta and burrito lineup.
“I’m also here among the crowd, getting to know our people and what they like and don’t,” Omar said. When they’re not at the grill, the brothers chat with customers, some who’ve become new friends.
Near-constant social media communication has been a boon to their business. Their Instagram account (@galvanseatery) has nearly 8,000 followers and lists upcoming locations where they’ll appear, pictures of their customers and mouthwatering tacos sizzling on the griddle.
With their first food truck, a bright red truck they call Trailer No. 1, booked out for brewery pop-ups months in advance, the brothers purchased a replica, Trailer No. 2, that Ivan will manage. It’s slated to launch in the coming weeks, and the brothers are currently looking for two more employees to join their existing six-person team.
After the crush of afternoon orders and before evening diners arrived at Henhouse on that hot Sunday, Omar sat outside the truck and enjoyed a cold beer. He envisions the day when he and Ivan will own a large taproom with beers from all the breweries they’ve worked with and food trailers slinging birria and tacos from one end of Sonoma County to the other.
“We were destined for this,” he said.
Best Bets
Crispy Pancho, $4.99: The Galvan brothers named this dish for their friend, Pancho, who came up with the surf-and-turf taco combo that includes shrimp and birria, a tender braised beef. Historically, birria was made with goat or lamb but is usually beef unless specified. The meat is cooked with spices (usually cinnamon, clove, ginger and chiles) and served with consommé, a rich broth for dipping.
Birria Grilled Cheese, $12.99: Griddled Texas toast is piled with melted cheese and stuffed with tender birria. It’s a delicious mess.
Carne Asada Fries, $15.99: Seasoned fries are the base for this mountain of food. They’re topped with bits of marinated steak (carne asada), mozzarella cheese, crema, pico de gallo and jalapeños. One serving is enough for a crowd.
Find Galvan’s Eatery on Instagram @Galvanseatery, or call 707-836-5087.
Challah French toast topped with clementine marmalade and sweeter creme fraiche from Marla Bakery. (Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)
Like peanut butter meeting chocolate, two of Sonoma County’s yummiest businesses are joining forces to create a perfectly delicious collaboration. Miracle Plum, a natural wine bar and market in Santa Rosa’s Railroad Square, is permanently pairing up with Marla Bakery at their Davis Street location in early October, according to Sallie Miller, co-owner of Miracle Plum.
“Wine has been really great for us, and we want to continue to focus on that,” Miller said. Recently, she and business partner Gwen Gunheim decided to move away from their perishable grab-and-go salads and lunch items to focus on their burgeoning wine bar and bottle shop, selling small-production wines made with little intervention.
Longtime friends of Miller and Gunheim, Marla’s Chef Amy Brown and partner Joe Wolf were looking for a place to have a retail presence in Santa Rosa. Their production bakery, opened in 2020, is housed in a Windsor industrial park, so they have little visibility for would-be walk-in customers, according to Wolf. The couple had a thriving bakery and cafe in San Francisco until 2019, when they decided to move their young family to Sonoma County.
Amy Brown and Joe Wolf of Marla Bakery. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)Sallie Miller, front, and Gwen Gunheim, the owners of Miracle Plum. (Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)
“When we left (and) were thinking about where to move to after San Francisco, one of the biggest factors were Gwen and Sallie. This is just an opportunity we’ve been waiting for,” Wolf said.
“It’s just a really nice marriage,” he said. Marla will maintain its production facility in Windsor and use the Miracle Plum location to sell coffee and pastries, light breakfast and lunch fare and baked items for online ordering and in-store pickup.
“We might even do a bagel day on Sunday,” Wolf said. The couple is known for their Jewish-style bagels and is one of the few places in Sonoma County where you can get Rosh Hashana dinners and desserts.
Marla Bakery hosted several pop-up events in recent months, including breakfasts at Santa Rosa’s Spinster Sisters and two wine dinners with Miracle Plum, where Miller and Gunheim maintain a commissary kitchen and event space.
Challah French toast topped with clementine marmalade and sweeter creme fraiche at Marla Bakery, a pop-up weekend brunch spot, at the Spinster Sisters restaurant in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Sunday, March 20, 2022. (Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)Crebble, a croissant-like muffin covered with cinnamon and sugar, from Marla Bakery. (Courtesy of Marla Bakery)
The Miracle Plum team will continue to offer events, CSA pickups and workshops in addition to selling pantry staples and wines.
“Amy is such a talented chef, and the people they surround themselves with are just wonderful. She just has a way with flavor,” Miller said.
Watch for more details in the coming weeks at miracleplum.com. The shop, at 208 Davis St., is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Marla Bakery is at 399 Business Park Court in Windsor (go to marlabakery.com to order online and pick up). Watch for weekly “roll-up” events at the bakery space, with breakfast sandwiches, pastries, bagels and — if you’re lucky — fried chicken sandwiches.
