Just like layering clothes can make you feel more comfortable and look more stylish, layering textiles in your home can add a cozy and interesting touch. But that’s not a cue to bring on the clutter — you can still keep things minimal when using textiles to decorate your home. Here are some finds from Sonoma stores that can be draped over beds, sofas and chairs to make things prettier and warmer this season. Click through the above gallery for details.
As we mark nearly two years of riding this pandemic roller coaster, it’s never been more important to shop small. We’ve put together 50 outstanding holiday gifts—all from local makers or independent businesses—to showcase the best of Sonoma creativity and craft. Click through the gallery for details.
A home dating back to the early 1900s can be a treasure for a prospective homebuyer in California, especially if it’s situated near a gem of a town like Healdsburg. But sometimes historic homes come with a few blemishes.
A 1920s property at Sherman Street in Healdsburg, just a 15-minute walk from the downtown plaza, was recently transformed into a sleek, modern dwelling by San Francisco interior design firm Heaton + Williams and Santa Rosa’s Coscia Construction. The reconstruction included removing most of the original structure, while maintaining the footprint of the original home and raising the pitch of the roof. The Sherman Street home is now listed for $2,450,000 by Bob Pennypacker of Healdsburg Sotheby’s International.
The street-facing part of the 4-bed, 4-bath home, formerly a living room, has been converted into two bedrooms with bay windows to slightly expand the living space, without increasing the size of the home into the front yard, something which is regulated by local zoning laws.
The kitchen with a newly vaulted ceiling. (Steven Magner)A lucite or “ghost desk” is functional while adding less “visual weight” to a home. (Steven Magner)
A vaulted ceiling in the open-concept kitchen-living room area creates a sense of airiness, while indoor and outdoor spaces blend together in a way that is very popular these days. Sliding glass doors that pocket into the wall add to the sense of openness, as do the white-painted walls — styling details like a lucite desk have an almost disappearing effect. Black accents and a few decorative elements add interest to the otherwise white color palette: a warm leather bench, blue tiles, black fixtures and subtle color in the cabinetry, for example.
The property also comes with a black-bottom pool with an infinity edge and an in-demand ADU (accessory dwelling unit) in the backyard; an attractive new building with a kitchen, bath and bedroom that can serve as added living space and office, or a home for a relative or tenant.
This home, located at 123 Sherman Street in Healdsburg, is listed by Bob Pennypacker of Healdsburg Sotheby’s International, 409 Healdsburg Ave, Healdsburg, 707-799-6032, bobpennypacker.com
Hard kombucha from Soul Fixx. (Brian Davis Photography)
Of all the basic tastes — sweet, sour, bitter, salty and savory — the face-puckering power of sour is my flavor jam. It also guides my drinking habits, putting tart and sour beers, ciders and hard kombucha at the top of my list of quaffable beverages.
Raising the bar, local kombucha-maker Soul Fixx adds chef-made flavors to their hard (and soft) canned elixirs, such as Guava Cardamom, Szechuan Tangerine, Ginger Hibiscus and Pineapple Tepache. Loaded with the tang (and unpasteurized probiotic goodness) of black tea-based kombucha, bold herbs and spices like clove, cinnamon, ginger, lemon verbena and star anise, they make for a more complex drink than most other fruit-forward kombuchas.
Soul Fixx co-owner Erik Fritz sees his company’s canned kombuchas more as sour beers than hard seltzers. At about 4.5% abv (alcohol by volume), their alcohol content is relatively low but they pack a wallop of flavor absent in most seltzers. Soul Fixx kombuchas are also very dry (i.e., not sweet), making them an excellent alternative to sugar-bombs like canned cocktails.
Ruben Moreno and Erik Fritz of Soul Fixx Elixirs. (Brian Davis Photography)
Fritz and Soul Fixx co-owner Ruben Moreno were influenced by their professional background as chefs and by their shared Mexican heritage when they developed the flavor profiles for their kombuchas. The duo met at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Napa Valley and then worked together at The French Laundry in Yountville for several years.
“We were exposed to how dishes are formulated based on spice, flavor, sweetness. The menu changes every day and we just saw so many combinations,” Fritz said of their time at The French Laundry. Soul Fixx’s Szechuan Tangerine hard kombucha was inspired by a dish at the renowned Yountville restaurant.
“I was talking to Ruben and I said, ‘How do we make this (dish) into a drink?’” Fritz recalled. “Everyone is doing lemon-ginger, cherry and other basic flavors for kombucha and dumping in a lot of sweetener for balance. They’re just all the same,” he lamented.
The two chefs wanted to make a different kind of kombucha, one that reflected their Mexican roots, using tropical fruits like guava and spices that are popular in southern Mexico.
Though kombucha typically has a strong flavor profile, the drink pairs well with similarly bold-flavored foods, especially spicy tacos, Fritz said.
Fritz and Moreno are operating their business out of a 6,000-square-foot facility in Healdsburg previously owned by Sonoma Cider to expand their line and distribution. Soul Fixx kombuchas can be found at most local grocers and in a growing list of Sonoma County restaurants, including Petaluma’s Lunchette, Down to Earth Cafe in Cotati, Fishetarian in Bodega Bay and Single Thread in Healdsburg.
In addition to kombucha, Fritz and Moreno are working on hemp-based drinks, as well as sparkling water beverages. The partners also are looking for investors to grow their operations, Fritz said.
Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights, begins at nightfall on Sunday, Nov. 28 this year. On each night, Jewish families gather to light another candle on the Hanukkah menorah while reciting a special blessing.
After the nightly candle lighting, it’s time for food and games — eating latkes with sour cream and applesauce, sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts) and other traditional Hanukkah foods and spinning the dreidel to collect some gelt (usually chocolate coins covered in gold foil).
Sonoma County offers several ways to celebrate Hanukkah this year, from restaurants preparing special dishes to live music and menorah lighting events.
Hanukkah events
Chanukah Celebration and Drone Gelt Drop, Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds
This is the first time we’ve heard of a drone gelt drop, and we’re intrigued. If you want to check it out, head to the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds on the first night of Hanukkah.
This action-packed event, organized by the Chabad Jewish Center of Petaluma, also includes a 9-foot menorah, a fire juggling act, a “dancing dreidel” (plus the world’s largest dreidel), giant Hanukkah decorations, live DJ Hanukkah music, latkes, jelly doughnuts and chocolate gelt and face painting. 4:30-6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 28, free with RSVP at jewishpetaluma.com. Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds, 75 Fairgrounds Drive, Petaluma, 707-559-8585.
“Light Up the Night” Chanukah Celebration, Montgomery Village
This event, organized by the Joseph Weingarten Chabad Jewish Center of Sonoma County, will feature a large ice menorah lighting ceremony, live music, latkes and other goodies. 4 – 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 28. 911 Village Court, Santa Rosa.
Chanukah Fest and Menorah Lighting, Oakville Grocery
Also organized by the Joseph Weingarten Chabad Jewish Center of Sonoma County, this event will have a large menorah lighting, latkes and dreidels. 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 29. 124 W. Matheson St., Healdsburg.
Sufganiyot, or jelly doughnuts, are served at a Hanukkah celebration. (Shutterstock)
Hanukkah dinners and sweet treats
Hanukkah dinner (dining in and take-and-bake), La Bodega Kitchen
La Bodega Kitchen, owned by Meekk Shelef (who is from Haifa, Israel) and Bryan Cooper, will have challah, potato latkes and sufganiyot at the restaurant and for pickup from Sunday, Nov. 28 to Dec. 6 (pre-orders/reservations required).
The restaurant also will serve a special dinner during Hanukkah, indoors and outdoors (weather permitting), by reservation only (indoor diners need to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination). The entree will be Moroccan chicken with saffron, preserved lemon, Turkish apricots, green onions and basmati rice. Diners also can order meatloaf with Willie Bird turkey, shiitake mushroom au jus, caramelized onion, soffritto, wild rice and French lentil mujadara with peas and carrots; or a vegan, gluten-free stuffed cabbage entree with ratatouille, caramelized eggplant, Beyond Beef, basmati rice and pomegranate molasses.
In addition to the traditional sufganiyot, there will be torta di noci (gluten-free) and a honey date cake for dessert, as well as spiced rosewater apples with pistachio, cardamom and lime juice.
The Bodega Kitchen Hanukkah dinner can be ordered as takeout for reheating at home. Reserve or order ahead by calling 707-827-1832 or emailing info@sonomawineship.com. 2295 Gravenstein Highway S., Sebastopol, 707-827-1832, sonomawineshop.com
Hanukkah dinner (take-and-bake), Grossman’s Noshery and Bar
This New York-style deli and bar owned by Mark and Terri Stark is selling a take-and-bake Hanukkah dinner to order now and pick up after 11 a.m. from Sunday, Nov. 28, through Dec. 6. It includes Brisket Dinner ($85, for two) with sweet and sour braised brisket, challah, parsley potatoes, pomegranate molasses roasted carrots and sufganiyot. A la carte items can be added for an extra charge, including potato leek latkes with applesauce and sour cream, matzoh ball soup, chopped liver and onions, smoked and pickled fish board and knish. Sweets, including rugelach (a pastry filled with nuts, poppy seed paste, chocolate or jam), hamantaschen (shortbread-like cookies filled with jam), halvah (a dense, tahini-based candy) and chocolate babka are also available to order. Order online at grossmanssr.com. 308 Wilson St, Santa Rosa.
Hanukkah dinner (pickup), Penngrove Market
This friendly neighborhood grocery store is selling a Hanukkah dinner for four, to pick up after 4 p.m. on Dec. 3. The dinner, which will be hot and ready to eat, includes choice of wood-fire roasted whole chicken or a beef brisket and comes with organic potato and vegetable latkes, matzoh ball soup and an organic mixed green salad. The chicken dinner is $65; the beef brisket dinner is $85. The Hanukkah dinner tends to sell out fast, so reserve yours soon by calling 707-753-4974. 10070 Main St., Penngrove, 707-753-4974, penngrovemarket.com
Latkes (pickup), Zoftig Eatery
This Santa Rosa restaurant got its name from the word zaftig, which means juicy in traditional Yiddish, and at Zoftig Eatery means flavorful and generously portioned dishes. This Hanukkah, Zoftig owners and chefs Matt and Sonjia Spector will serve latkes, available for pickup. Order a half dozen ($16) or a dozen ($30) potato latkes with applesauce and sour cream online to pick up 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 24, or on Monday, Nov. 29, to Dec. 3. You also can order by calling 707-521-9554. Allow 24 hours for pickup. Zoftig is closed Nov. 25-28. 57 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-521-9554, zoftigeatery.com
Wildberry Jam Bismark sufganiyot from Johnny Doughnuts in Santa Rosa. (Courtesy of Johnny Doughnuts)
Jelly Doughnuts, Harvey’s Gourmet Donuts
The Cohen family have run this doughnut shop for 12 years. Husband and wife Harvey and Georgia take turns operating the vintage doughnut machine to make mini doughnuts, sold by the dozen in a cone. Daughters Maryn and Zorelle also work in the shop. For Hanukkah this year, they will have raspberry jam doughnuts (by the dozen) and Hanukkah doughnut decorating kits ($16). The kits include four larger-size doughnuts, one chocolate glaze and one sugar glaze, piping bag and three types of sprinkles. Pre-order the kits by emailing harveysdonuts@yahoo.com or via direct message on Facebook. Free delivery available within the town of Sonoma and Glen Ellen. 414 First St. E., Sonoma, 707-246-5928, harveysdonuts.com
Sufganiyot and a Dozen Doughnuts, Johnny Doughnuts
Johnny Doughnuts will have its Wildberry Jam Bismark sufganiyot available at its four locations, including Santa Rosa, until the end of December. Johnny Doughnuts also sells a Hanukkah Dozen package ($48), with 12 mini Wildberry Jam Bismark doughnuts (order it online until Dec. 4). Online orders must be placed at least two days before pickup. 1200 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 415-521-5650, johnnydoughnuts.com
Thanks to members of the Facebook group Save Sonoma County Restaurants for sharing their favorite places for Hanukkah treats.
Potato latkes served with citrus-cured salmon, dill, capers, lemon, and creme fraiche prepared by chef Bruce Riezenman for Chanukah in Santa Rosa. (Alvin A.H. Jornada / The Press Democrat)
Make latkes like a pro
Bruce Riezenman, a longtime Sonoma County chef who co-owns Park Avenue Catering with Ari Weiswasser of the Glen Ellen Star, has spent a lifetime perfecting the delicious potato pancakes he used to eat as a child with his parents and grandparents during Hanukkah. He likes to top his latkes with slices of his Citrus-Cured Salmon, a dollop of crème fraîche, a sprinkle of herbs and a handful of briny capers. — by Diane Peterson for The Press Democrat
Potato Latkes
Makes 40 hors d’oeuvres-size servings
Ingredients
2 pounds large russet potatoes, peeled and kept cold in the fridge
1 medium onion, peeled, grated and quickly pulsed in a food processor
2 tablespoons chives, sliced thin
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
1 large egg
¼ cup matzoh meal
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Combine the grated/pulsed onion and the egg in a mixing bowl.
Using the large side of a box grater, grate the potatoes into a strainer that is suspended over a bowl. Once the potatoes are grated, squeeze out as much of the excess potato liquid as you can into a separate bowl and then mix thoroughly with the onion and egg mixture.
Let the liquid from the potatoes settle for 5 minutes and then carefully pour off the water that has collected, being careful to save the potato starch that has settled on the bottom. Scrape the starch into the latke mix; add the matzo meal, chives and parsley along with some salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Cover the mix with plastic wrap and return to the refrigerator for 20 minutes to allow the matzoh meal to absorb some of the liquid.
Place a cast-iron skillet (or sauté pan) over medium heat with enough canola oil to generously coat/float on the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot but not smoking, stir the latke mix (to make sure the liquids are evenly distributed) and spoon a heaping tablespoon of the mix into the pan. Press down to flatten the mix and repeat until you have filled the pan with as many hors d’oeuvre-sized latkes as will fit. Cook over medium heat until the bottoms are nicely golden brown. Flip latkes over and cook the second side the same way (approximately 4 to 5 minutes per side).
When the latkes are done, remove to a paper towel to absorb any of the excess oil and sprinkle with a touch of salt. Place on a clean baking sheet to keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the rest of the latkes.
Serve with Citrus-Cured Salmon (recipe below), sour cream or crème fraîche, chopped parsley and chives, capers and lemon.
Citrus-Cured Salmon
Making your own cured salmon is much easier than most people think and well worth the effort.
Mix all dry ingredients together with the brandy. Place a large piece of plastic wrap on the counter and put half the salt mixture in a layer about the same size as the salmon in the middle of the plastic wrap. Place the salmon skin side down on the salt mix. Top the salmon with the rest of the mix. Wrap tightly around the salmon, leaving one side slightly open for liquid to escape. Place the salmon in a baking dish and top it with a heavy pan or other flat-bottomed object that weighs at least a pound or two.
Place in the refrigerator overnight. Turn the plastic with the fish over the next morning and put the weight back on it. Do this again every 12 hours or so for a total of 24 to 48 hours depending upon how thick the filet is.
Once the salmon is cured and relatively firm, remove it from the plastic, rinse off the salt mix and pat dry. Re-wrap in clean plastic and hold until you are ready to use.
Bruce Riezenman’s top 10 secrets to making delicious latkes
1 – Make sure to keep everything cold before making the mixture.
2 – Use a food processor to grate the onions, pulsing them into small pieces (stopping short of pureeing them).
3 – When you grate the russet potatoes, grate them into long strips.
4 – Add the chopped parsley and chives to the potato mixture at the very end, then mix until you see that they are well distributed. That lets you know that all the ingredients are integrated. Keep stirring the mixture as you make new latkes, to reintegrate the liquid into the mixture.
5 – Make the latke mixture at least 20 minutes early and refrigerate. That way the matzah meal can absorb the liquid from the onions and potatoes.
6 – Use a large tablespoon to scoop the latke mixture out, and do not press the mixture together. You want to make loose pancakes that will stay airy in the pan.
7 – As the frying continues, be aware that the latkes will brown up more quickly.
8 – Take the latkes out when they have a nice brown color on both the top and the bottom, then transfer them to a baking sheet and hold in a 350-degree oven for about 10 more minutes. That way, they will continue to cook through to the center while staying warm.
9 – If you are giving a party, you may want to fry up the latkes ahead of time, then hold at room temperature. When ready to serve, put them in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes or so to reheat.
10 – When removing latkes from the pan, place on paper towels first to absorb the excess oil.
Exterior of the former Healdsburg SHED, now being transformed into Little Saint. (Courtesy of Little Saint)
The long wait for Little Saint, a new food, arts, music and community space at the former Healdsburg SHED, may soon be over.
The owners of the 10,000-square-foot multi-purpose building in downtown Healdsburg announced in a press release Wednesday that they anticipate opening Little Saint in February 2022. (It was previously slated to open this fall, but the pandemic and subsequent supply chain disruptions delayed the opening.)
Little Saint will include a plant-based cafe, restaurant and wine shop from Kyle and Katina Connaughton of three Michelin-starred Single Thread restaurant. Staff for the new cafe and restaurant was also announced today: Former SHED Chef de Cuisine Bryan Oliver is reprising his role in the kitchen; Rusty Rastello, whose team recently won the Wine Spectator Grand Award at Single Thread, will be Executive Wine Director; and Akeel Shah, Service Director at Single Thread, will be the General Manager.
SHED, the “modern grange” envisioned and built by Doug Lipton and Cindy Daniel, closed in late 2018. The two-story building then remained unoccupied for nearly two years. Following numerous rumors of new ownership, the property was ultimately purchased by Healdsburg investors Jeff and Laurie Ubben in September 2020. Kyle and Katina Connaughton were tapped to oversee the meat-free menu and the wine program, using produce from Little Saint’s farm as well as their own 24-acre Single Thread farm in Dry Creek Valley for the restaurant’s seasonal dishes.
“We want to build upon Cindy Daniel and Doug Lipton’s vision of creating a community gathering space when they first opened Healdsburg SHED,” said Kyle Connaughton earlier this year. “We envision Little Saint as another way to express our culinary creativity in a more accessible manner and as another avenue to expand our agricultural footprint and biodiversity presence in Sonoma County,” he added.
Produce from the new Single Thread farm in Dry Creek Valley will be a focus of the restaurant at Little Saint. (Photo: John Troxell)
Designer Ken Fulk of San Francisco nonprofit Saint Joseph’s Arts Foundation will bring the Little Saint interior to life and create programming with Director Jenny Hess. The expansive Healdsburg space will also be used as a gathering place for conversations with thought leaders, as well as for live music performances and events.
Other staff announcements for Little Saint include Kelly Buteyn, Assistant General Manager; Celeste Peralez, Executive Sous Chef; Matthew Seigel, Executive Bar Director; and Alexandria Sarovich, Wine Director.
Like most Sonoma County winery owners, Ty Caton assumed no one would want to go wine tasting on Thanksgiving Day, a most hallowed of American holidays.
Thanksgiving, after all, is a day for families and friends to gather at home and watch the Macy’s parade and football on TV, toss the pigskin or kick a soccer ball in the backyard and gorge on a massive meal, with wine to wash down the turkey and all the trimmings.
Caton, the grapegrower and winemaker at his family’s Ty Caton Vineyards, kept his Kenwood tasting room closed on Thanksgiving Day until a few years ago, when his tasting room manager offered to keep the business open.
“He didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving,” Caton recalled, “and said he’d open and see if any customers stopped in. I visited the tasting room later that day and the place was packed.” Caton has welcomed Thanksgiving Day guests ever since.
Chris Sebastiani, whose parents, Sam and Vicki Sebastiani, founded Viansa winery and marketplace in Sonoma in 1990, said he already had 100 tasting reservations for Thanksgiving Day, with two weeks still to go until the holiday. Chris and his brother, Jon, left Viansa after Sam and Vicki sold it in 2005. The siblings are back, for what Chris Sebastiani describes as a “strategic partnership” with current owner Vintage Wine Estates.
“The tasting room and marketplace opened on Thanksgiving in 2015, and we’ve continued that tradition,” Chris said. “People know we’re open that day, and we see quite a few regulars — those who want to get out of the house and visitors (here for the holiday). It’s been a total banger for us. We’re kid-friendly, welcome picnicking (with foods purchased from the on-site deli); we have holiday coffee offers, seated tastings and tastings at the bar for walk-ins.”
There are many reasons for locals to visit a Sonoma County tasting room on Thanksgiving: For a breath of fresh air. An escape from helping to prepare the holiday meal, or from relatives who are loved but best enjoyed in small doses. It could be a boredom cure for those not interested in marching bands and NFL football, or an opportunity to pick up a bottle of wine for dinner, with maybe nibbles or a panini to relieve midday cravings.
Not everyone has plans for a family gathering on Turkey Day. Visiting a winery or two can inject some holiday spirit that would be missed by staying at home. The conviviality of seeing old friends and meeting new ones, sharing a bottle of wine or a tasting flight with others, even admiring the almost-dormant grapevines while cupping a mug of peppermint mocha latte, can be supremely satisfying on Nov. 25.
Only a handful of Sonoma tasting rooms are open on Thanksgiving Day, mostly as a nod to employees who want to spend that Thursday with their families. Here are four that have made wine tasting on Thanksgiving Day a tradition and close their doors early enough that staff — and visitors — still have time to enjoy their feast at home. Reservations are highly recommended.
For those needing a host gift or more wine for dinner, see the listing below of Sonoma markets open on the holiday that stock local wines not often found on chain-store shelves.
Viansa
Long known for its Tuscan-style tasting room and marketplace in Sonoma Carneros — and for being open on Thanksgiving Day — Viansa also affords impressive, 270-degree views of Sonoma Valley. The Summit Tasting ($30) is on the hilltop terrace, with broad views and four wines poured from the menu of chardonnay, pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon and Italian varietals. The Fireside Tasting ($75) is warm and private and includes reserve-tier wines served with cheeses and charcuterie. Walk-ins are welcome at the bar on a space-available basis, with physical distancing top of mind. The marketplace deli sells sandwiches, salads, cheeses and salumi; also stop by the coffee bar for Lavazza espressos and drinks with holiday touches. Open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.
25200 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, 800-995-4740, viansa.com
Ty Caton Vineyards
Ty Caton’s 40-acre vineyard is in the Moon Mountain District of the Mayacamas range, and his unpretentious tasting room is on the valley floor below, in Kenwood. Caton specializes in producing bold, mountain-grown red wines, and the Classic Tasting Experience ($20) is a great introduction. Cabernet sauvignon, merlot, petite sirah and syrah are among the bottlings, and there’s the flagship Tytanium wine, a blend of six red grapes grown in the estate vineyard. The Caton Cabernet Collection Experience ($30) showcases several block-specific cabernet sauvignons. Open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.
Outdoor wine tasting at B.R. Cohn Winery & Olive Oil Co. in Glen Ellen. (Courtesy of B.R. Cohn Winery & Olive Oil Co.)
B.R. Cohn Winery & Olive Oil Co.
Bruce Cohn, manager of the Doobie Brothers rock band and others, founded this Glen Ellen winery in 1984. The tasting room is adorned with photographs of the band and gold and platinum records. In addition to wine, Cohn had a passion for the olive trees planted on the Olive Hill Estate and the oils made from their fruit. Vintage Wine Estates now owns the property and brand and has maintained the ranch-house-style tasting room and marketplace for B.R. Cohn’s chardonnays, cabernet sauvignons and other Bordeaux-style varietals, as well as for a vast selection of olive oils and vinegars. Tasting flights are $25; wines by the glass start at $10. Open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.
15000 Sonoma Highway, Glen Ellen, 707-938-4064, brcohn.com
Sonoma Coast Vineyards
A morning drive to Bodega Bay is a holiday must for many, for a blast of cool, salty ocean air; a last glimpse of fall foliage before winter sets in; and, when the conditions are right, purchases of fresh Dungeness crab for Thanksgiving dinner. Crab or not, Bodega Bay is a great half-day trip to make before holiday festivities begin back home, and a stop at Sonoma Coast Vineyards is in order. Bundle up to sit on the outdoor patio (or inside), take in the bay views and enjoy tasting flights of chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, red blends and bubbles ($25). Wines by the glass start at $10. Open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.
Need a bottle of wine on Thanksgiving Day? These local grocers are open, with limited hours, on the holiday and are great alternatives to shopping for wine at large chain stores. Hours are specific to Thanksgiving Day.
Big John’s Market, 1345 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-433-7151, bigjohnsmarket.com. Open 7 a.m. to noon.
Glen Ellen Village Market, 13751 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen, 707-996-6728, glenellenvillagemarket.org. Open 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Molsberry Market, 522 Larkfield Center, Santa Rosa, 707-546-5041, molsberrymarket.com. Open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Kratos pizza at Zimi on Mission. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Chef Dino Moniodis has spent every summer of his life on the quiet Greek island of Chios, an idyllic Aegen outcropping steeped in ancient history and populated with just over 50,000 inhabitants.
When he describes it, you can almost see the azure waters and white sand beaches where children romp freely — unless they’re sent to catch fresh seafood for the family taverna.
Alongside dozens of aunts, uncles and cousins, Moniodis grew up working in family tavernas, learning to tenderize octopus and clean fish on the beach. Bringing that sense of family and food together, the 29-year-old chef recently opened his third food business, Zimi on Mission, in Santa Rosa.
Passionate about bringing the Old World flavors of Greece to Sonoma County, the young entrepreneur has grown a small restaurant empire from a tiny food trailer (Dino’s Greek Food) into two brick-and-mortar restaurants — wood-fired pizza ovens at The Block in Petaluma and now, Zimi on Mission. He’s developing another restaurant, Taverna Lithi, at the forthcoming Livery food hall in Sebastopol.
Dino Moniodis of Zimi on Mission with a completed pizza. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
“It’s been a combination of fate and good timing,” Moniodis said. A graduate of Santa Rosa Junior College’s culinary program, Moniodis helped to open Petaluma’s now-shuttered Slamburger and was a former cook at Willi’s Wine Bar. He honed his pizza-making skills at Rosso in Santa Rosa but didn’t consider striking out on his own until his father’s death in 2018.
“When my dad was sick, I was his caregiver. We talked about opening a Greek restaurant, and after he passed, I just didn’t have anything to lose. I saw what Sonoma County needed,” he said. So, in 2019, he launched the yellow gyro and souvlaki mobile kitchen that quickly became a destination wherever it showed up.
Moniodis has temporarily parked the trailer to focus on expanding his menus in Petaluma and Santa Rosa, but it’s his newest venture, Zimi on Mission, that truly has us excited.
It’s part Greek deli, part pizzeria and part nona’s kitchen. Moniodis and his partner, Sarah Kenney, aren’t forcing a definition of their Bennett Valley venture.
Zimi, meaning dough, shows that pizzas are certainly their bread and butter, with Greek-inspired toppings on their twice-cooked crusts. But the scratch-made dolmas, flaky spinach spanikopita and pastichio, a sort of Greek lasagna, along with daily specials, really hit the mark.
Fluent in Greek, Farsi (his mother is Iranian) and Spanish, Moniodis gracefully brings together these disparate cultures in his kitchen, with dishes like a Mexican-inspired corn pizza with cotija cheese, rice and beef stuffed grape leaves inspired by his mother and mezze plates with imported feta, pickled onions, pita and olives.
“In Greece, the culture is food. We sit around all day and have mezze,” he said of the all-day snacking that’s traditional on the Greek islands.
Seeing a lack of authentic Greek food in Sonoma County, he’s made it a one-man mission to share the flavors of his culture, one gyro at a time.
Best Bets
Pizzas have a red (tomato), white (creamy garlic) or green base (pesto). Moniodis piles on unexpected toppings that somehow work exactly right.
Phoenix, $21, $29: Smoked mozzarella, chorizo, pepperoncinis, pepperoni and dried oregano with lime and cilantro make for smoky, earthy and spicy flavors cooled by creamy drizzles of creme fraiche.
Elote, $18, $26: This seasonal pizza is what made us fall in love with Moniodis’ mix of unlikely toppings on a crisp twice-cooked crust. A chipotle adobo base is topped with nutty fontina cheese, fire-roasted corn, cotija cheese, lime, cilantro and a dash of Cholula hot sauce.
Kratos, $20, $28: Named for the god of war, this pizza is no shrinking violet. Spicy Italian sausage takes center stage, with fire-blistered cherry tomatoes and balsamic vinegar adding a high-hat hit of acid. Figs and olives cool everything and provide a hint of sweetness.
Gyro, $15: This is the gyro you’ve been looking for. A warm pita stretches around fresh cucumber and tomatoes with tart feta cheese, tzatziki sauce and shaved meat (a lamb and beef mix), with an oven-roasted potato wedge substituting for fries.
Trahili Panini: House-smoked chicken is slathered with spicy Thai peanut sauce, cilantro and pickled shiitake mushrooms.
Spanakopita, $8.50: Endlessly flaky layers of phyllo are studded with spinach and cheese in this Greek classic.
Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday – Thursday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Closed Monday. 500 Mission Blvd., Santa Rosa. eatzimionmission.com
Delicata Rings in beer batter with house ranch dip from Table Culture Provisions in Petaluma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
It’s never easy to know when a new restaurant will finally, finally open in Sonoma County. Even under the best circumstances, it often comes down to luck and timing. And now, with the ongoing headaches of permit holdups, supply chain woes and labor shortages, many restaurant opening plans are on ice, at least until spring 2022.
But fear not — a slew of new restaurants are in development and (hopefully) will open late this year or in early spring. We’ll keep you up to speed, but here are a few we’re watching closely. Click through the above gallery for details.
Storia Home in Sebastopol. (Courtesy of Storia Home)
Design lovers have a fresh, new Sonoma County store to visit for home goods and gifts. Storia Home, owned by San Francisco designer Gina Gutierrez, opened in Sebastopol in October. The store offers design items that tell a story, says Gutierrez, who carefully selects items for her store that “(share) the narrative of women-owned companies, people of color (and) the LGBTQ+ community.”
Gutierrez sources textiles, housewares, furniture pieces and gifts for her store from a variety of designers and artisans, including Oakland-based ceramist Sara Kersten, Latina-owned company Nopelara (also in Oakland), which specializes in botanicals for bath and body made from the nopal cactus, and QBIPOC-owned Aesthete Tea in Portland (QBIPOC stands for Queer Black, Indigenous, People of Color).
Storia Home owner Gina Gutierrez and twin brother / Storia Home design director Dan Gutierrez (middle) with the Storia Home team. (Storia Home)
“I love trends, but I also want to make rooms that withstand time,” says Gutierrez, who operates her residential interior design studio, Gina Rachelle Design, out of her Sebastopol store. She often advises her clients to “pull in trends” that can be swapped out easily — for example a patterned pillow or a throw — while choosing designs that will stand the test of time for the more permanent features of their homes. She hopes that Storia Home will become a go-to place for people looking to add some contemporary style to their homes.
Gutierrez brings her own story to Storia Home. She started her career in the fitness world, where she worked in fitness management following a master’s degree in kinesiology. She had an eye for and interest in design and took online classes and workshops to hone her skills. Finally, she made the leap into the interior design world.
“There were times I had to be vulnerable and ask questions,” says Gutierrez about those early days working with architects and contractors. Since then, she has built a reputation designing Victorian homes and other San Francisco properties, which she likes to infuse with a modern but comfortable style that encourages spending time together with family and friends.
Spending time together is something that has always been important in Gutierrez’s Italian-Mexican family and it’s a theme that continues in her store. Her husband helped build the store and her twin brother, Dan Gutierrez, helps her run it. Dan recently relocated to Sonoma County from New York, where he starred in the Broadway production of Chicago before the pandemic shutdown. After successful years in America’s theater hub, he was ready for a transition to a more tranquil pace.
Gutierrez looks forward to continuing to design homes that are cozy, welcoming and invite people to come together.
“I hope all my spaces have that element to it,” she says. And that includes her own store. “I want the space to feel very inviting (and) open to everyone.”
Storia Home, 961 Gravenstein Hwy S Suite 130, Sebastopol, 415-501-0024, storiahome.com
