Bottles of Williams Selyem wines line a display rack in the tasting room, near Healdsburg. (Christopher Chung/ The Press Democrat)
Welcome to the world of acquiring — or not — Sonoma’s most coveted wines. They’re not in grocery stores, and fine-wine retailers who get their hands on such bottles hold them for loyal customers. The majority of Sonoma’s superstars are sold via mailing lists, wine clubs, to high-end restaurants, and at auction. Accordingly, they aren’t among our Top 100 Wines, because nothing frustrates consumers more than to read about wines they want and then find them unavailable.
Click through the gallery above for eight such Sonoma wines. If you want them, check restaurant wine lists (and prepare to pay three times the suggested retail price), join winery mailing lists such as Peter Michael’s, and cozy up to friends with wine-list benefits. And know this: These wines are fantastic, yet so are many others of equal quality from Sonoma. Readily available wines might not have the cachet of these “great eight,” yet they deliver as much pleasure, if not more, and at a more affordable price.
Josh Feldman and Britton Watkins never imagined they’d end up in a 1930s cabin in a woodsy setting along Mark West Creek. The couple, who work from home as independent filmmakers and creative consultants, thought perhaps they’d build something modern, maybe along the Russian River. But the authenticity of the vintage cabin captured their hearts.
“When we first came to look at the place, we both said to each other within five minutes, ‘This place would be perfect with some kind of glassed-in living room looking over the creek,’” recalls Feldman. “I default to a very modern aesthetic, and we were looking at all sorts of different homes, so we were open to the idea. It’s a very simple design, so it’s modern in its own way, not heavily ornamented, not fancy.”
They entrusted Sonoma architect and friend Amy Alper with bringing their vision for the glass addition to life, while staying true to the earnest simplicity of the existing structure. “We explained to Amy that when everything’s done, we want it to look like it’s been there from the beginning,” says Watkins. The cabin has roots in the local community; the grandchildren of the family who built it still live in the neighborhood and have become good friends of the current inhabitants. Last winter, they even stopped by to make sure the house was safe after a huge Douglas fir came down in a storm.
Alper’s architectural design preserves the cabin’s vintage details while adhering to a stringent set of design regulations that limit disturbance of the creekside environment. “From the living room, you can feel engaged with nature and at the same time feel protected,” says Alper. She explains that the living room’s reclaimed beams echo the surrounding redwoods and Douglas firs, while smooth white walls contrast with rustic exterior shingles and the streamlined fireplace is a counterpoint to the rushing creek.
Even among the trappings of day-to-day business — laptops, conference calls — Feldman and Watkins’ cabin is a sanctuary for the couple and their friends. Watkins likes to work outside at the picnic table under the trees whenever possible, and their young godchildren visit to wade and collect rocks in the creek. “It’s very calming. People come here and they end up napping on the sofa. But that’s what the cabin is for — it’s for whatever you need,” says Watkins. The home even serves as inspiration for Feldman and Watkins’ work as filmmakers. (Their latest documentary, “Conlanging: The Art of Crafting Tongues,” premiered last July.) “It’s become so much more than a getaway,” says Alper. “In and of itself, the cabin has been a creative muse.”
When winter rains arrive, the couple cocoon in the living room by the fireplace and cook comfort food in the cheery yellow kitchen. “After a deep storm, the creek is raging. When you’re standing in the living room, it looks like you’re almost in the creek. You can hear these huge boulders banging against each other,” says Watkins. Plants and wildlife, too, are part of the picture: ferns grow lush, a natural moss garden is nourished by water that seeps from the side of the hill, and salmon returned to the creek last winter after an eightyear absence. Deer, ducks and wild turkeys are common, and once, Watkins saw a bobcat sharpening its claws on a tree just outside the living room window.
Watkins and Feldman often travel for their films, and earlier in Watkins’ career, he lived in Japan for eight years. But the couple are always happy to come back to their cabin, which they’ve worked so hard to make their own. Japanese design inspired many details, including the clean-lined bathrooms, tansu-style cabinetry under the stairs and the overall feeling of being immersed in the forest. The details harmonize with the cabin’s vintage shell.
A 1950s-era picture of the cabin still hangs in the kitchen to remind Feldman and Watkins of their home’s evolution over the years. “That’s part of the texture of the house, to have different things from different people added at different times,” says Watkins. For these two designers, their home couldn’t have evolved in any other way.
The famous promise of “a chicken in every pot” first uttered by Henry IV of France and echoed by Herbert Hoover in his 1928 campaign for president, may need a slight update for the new millennium.
These days, it’s a chicken in every pie that grabs our attention, as the rainy weather continues to batter us with chilly winds and the uncertain future whips up our appetite for finding comfort inside a flaky crust.
“Pie makes a good day better and a bad day better,” said Trishia Davis, co-owner of The Whole Pie in Santa Rosa. “It makes any day better.”
Davis, who lives in Sebastopol, was running a farmers market stand called CutieCakes Bake Shop when her old friend, Santa Rosa attorney Julia Freis, called her and suggested they go into business together.
“We wanted to do something with the cottage food industry,” Davis said. “I had pie on the brain for a long time. It was the first thing I learned how to bake.”
Under the motto “Sharing Optional,” The Whole Pie offers both savory and sweet pies in three sizes — hand pie, single size and family size — but nothing by the slice. Pie flavors change randomly and seasonally.
“Whole pies travel well, although let’s be honest, that’s not the reason,” the website states. “Simply put, some of us don’t like to share.”
Trish Davis doesn’t rely on machines when making her crusts. Each morning she rolls out the dough by hand at The Whole Pie in Santa Rosa. (John Burgess)
Located near the corner of Fourth Street and Farmers Lane, the sunny, yellow pie shop welcomes lunch and dinner customers, as well as folks looking to take home a slice of happiness. It’s become a regular pit stop for cyclists who have just finished a big ride in Annadel State Park as well as busy folks on their way home from work.
“When it is raining, everybody wants a pot pie,” said Freis, who serves as the business manager and evening counter person. “And then they may buy a sweet pie as well.”
When you enter the pie shop, chances are you’ll see Davis elbow deep in a bucket of flour, mixing up a big batch of crust in her open kitchen. While pie crust can often intimidate home cooks, Davis urges folks not to overthink it.
“People get nervous about it,” she said. “Somewhere in there, somebody went for perfect. Chocolate and cakes are about perfect. Pie is about happy … Our mantra is pie is not meant to be perfect, it’s meant to be eaten.”
That said, Davis has a few rules of thumb for her pie crust. She starts by mixing the dry ingredients first, then adds in the butter by hand, being careful not to incorporate the butter completely. You want to create a very loose, shaggy mixture, then throw it into the fridge overnight.
A selection of hand pies and an individual pie from The Whole Pie in Santa Rosa. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
“Most people mix it into a dough ball. By then, there’s way more gluten than you’re ever going to need,” she advised. “Have a drink. Have a conversation. Stop staring at it.”
After it rests overnight, Davis then brings the dough together. She rolls out the dough, liberally adding more flour to it, then flips it over and rolls it out some more.
While most of her savory and sweet pies share the same dough recipe, Davis will get creative with the crust for the sweet pies, making a graham cracker crust for the California Lime Pie, for example, or a coconut macaroon crust for the Coconut Cream pie.
As for the savory fillings, the sky is the limit, with everything from meatloaf to mushrooms fair game. In fact, the word “pie” is believed to have come from the magpie, the bird known for collecting a variety of things.
“I spend a lot of time looking at things and seeing if they can be pie,” she said. “We had a mac and cheese pie when we opened.”
One of the shop’s pies, dubbed Mr. Crunchy, was inspired by the fancy, ham-and-cheese sandwich sold in the cafés of France.
“Mr. Crunchy is based on the idea of the croque-monsieur,” she said. “It’s prosciutto and Emmentaler cheese in a Dijon bechamel.”
The pie shop also offers a chicken pot pie called the SongBird, with a cognac velouté sauce; a steak-and-arugula pie known as the LumberJack; and a braised short-rib pie called the LoneWolf that is topped with mashed potatoes, like a classic shepherd’s pie.
Made with beef, beer, onions, beef stock, rosemary, salt and pepper, the LoneWolf is one of the easier pies to reproduce in a home kitchen.
“It’s a long, slow braise, then I shred it and take out the sinew,” Davis said. “I put mashed potatoes on top, or aged cheddar on the hand pie.”
Of course, the simpler the dish, the more important it is to use high-quality ingredients.
“Pie is deceptively simple,” Davis said. “But in its simplicity, there is much complication.”
At The Whole Pie, Davis uses organic flour from Giusto’s in Petaluma and California Dairies’ butter. She sources seasonal fruit and vegetables, locally whenever possible. Right now she is using apples, as apple pie is the American standard, a perennially popular flavor during the long, winter months.
But if you’re counting calories, you probably shouldn’t think about pie too much. A little pie goes a long way.
“The people afraid of butter and gluten don’t walk in the door,” she said. “It’s all real food. It’s not coming in already made. Is it indulgent? Yes. But is it still good for you? … Sure.”
Although she doesn’t feel the need to eat pie very often, Davis often finds herself taste-testing her new pie flavors, just to make sure they’re OK.
“I’m still head over heels about the coconut cream pie,” she said. “I want to fall face down into it.”
The following recipes are from Trishia Davis, co-owner of The Whole Pie in Santa Rosa.
The LoneWolf, a savory pie made with beer-braised beef ribs, onions, beef stock and rosemary from The Whole Pie in Santa Rosa. (John Burgess)
LoneWolf
Makes one 9-inch pie
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 1/2 pounds boneless beef short rib, cut into 1-inch strips
1 tablespoon cooking oil
2 large yellow onions, chopped into 1-inch pieces
3 garlic cloves, minced
12 ounces good quality beef stock
10 ounces Moonlight Brewing Wee Nibble (or a flavorful beer that isn’t too hoppy)
1 5-inch sprig of fresh rosemary
1-2 cups mashed potatoes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, mix salt and pepper into flour. Dredge short ribs in flour mixture, coating well. In an 8-quart Dutch oven, heat oil and saute onions until soft, add garlic and saute another minute or so. Add beef, browning lightly on all sides. Add beef stock, beer and rosemary. Drop a lid on it and toss the whole thing into the oven for 3 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and let cool. Once cool, remove any unwanted fat and shred the now-tender beef. Spoon into prepared pie crust, top with mashed potatoes and bake on a sheet pan in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes.
Pie Crust
Makes one 9-inch pie crust
12 ounces all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
7 1/2 ounces unsalted butter, cold, in 1/4-inch chunks
4 ounces cold water
In a big bowl, stir together dry ingredients. Add butter, separating the pieces and tossing in the flour. Beginning with a pie-slice section of your bowl, begin smearing each piece of butter between your thumb and index finger, almost in a snapping motion. Remove all thoughts of perfection from your mind, and do not aim for uniformity. Be careless, work quickly, using your hands and not your eyes. Turn your bowl as you complete each section and keep “smooshing” until you’ve made it full circle. Filter through the bowl with your open fingers, smashing any large chunks of butter you feel.
Make a trough down the center of your bowl and pour in half of the water. Scooping under the dough, toss it lightly a few times, like a salad. Add the rest of the water and toss just a bit more. Pour this shaggy mess into a ziptop baggie, squeeze out the air and toss into the fridge overnight. No need to make a disk. I know, I know, it doesn’t LOOK like pie crust, but trust me, it will become pie crust.
The following day, dump the baggie out on a countertop and let it come closer to room temperature. Pull it together, using the heel of your hand to smash it into a disk. You can fold it a couple of times if needed. Lift it, lightly flour your counter surface, replace it, flour the top of the disk and roll it out. I like to roll a few times, flour and flip. If it isn’t behaving, gather it up, and start again. Because you didn’t overwork it yesterday, it can take a little abuse today.
Once you’ve rolled a nice big round, or whatever shape you ended up with, tuck it lovingly into your pie pan, trimming and crimping the edges. Place in the fridge until you’re ready to fill and bake.
Note: Save the trimmings, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and bake on a sheet pan for 15 minutes … ta-daa, dessert!
Chilly winter mornings and evenings aren’t always the most inviting setting for an outdoor workout. But these Sonoma finds can add comfort to an outdoor fitness routine, helping to keep motivation going until the warmer season begins. Click through the above gallery for details.
Indian pizza. Let that sink in for a minute. It’s all the things you love about Indian food—the spice, the rich sauces and tangy herbs—on a pizza crust. Think of it as a portable curry with a crispy crust, and you’ve got the newest trend in fast food: Desi pizza.
Chicago’s Pizza With A Twistwas a stumble-on kind of find, having a little too much time one evening while paging through newspaper ads. What’s the “twist”, we wondered? Even more intriguing was a confusing menu that listed “jala-pine” breadsticks (jalapeno, cheese and pineapple bread); “three idiots” pizza (three kinds of chicken on a pizza) and the pot of gold, chicken tikka masala pizza. What?
Though this Indian style treat has long been popular in England, it’s a novelty here in Wine Country, where Chicago’s Pizza With a Twist has recently landed.
The Norcal chain has 20 other outposts from Fairfield to San Jose, featuring “desi” flavors, or flavors indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. Pair it up with Italian carbohydrate prowess and you’ve got a whole new kind of ‘za-—as long as you define both cuisines loosely and in Anglo-American terms. Though we’d certainly be up for trying, say, goat korma with raita?
More approachable toppings like butter chicken, tikka masala, tandoori vegetables, lime, ginger, paneer (a fresh Indian cheese) and cilantro still make a match saucier than a Bollywood dream sequence. These star-crossed culinary cultures are no longer separated by needling gastro-purists, but joined in an over-choreographed, but nonetheless delightful and highly sequined ensemble dance in your mouth.
Sure, we may have overstated that a bit, but a tikka sauce-slathered pie is kind of a revelation, and the world is ready for some pizza disruption.
Best bets: – Chicken tikka masala: Tikka sauce (a sort of creamy tomato sauce), tikka chicken, mozzarella, mushrooms, red onion, green pepper, garlic ginger, cilantro, green chiles and jalapeño, $16.99 for a medium, 12-inch pie.
– Curry Paneer: Tiny cubes of paneer cheese with mild curry sauce, mushrooms, red onions, black olives, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, chiles and fresh cilantro. $16.99 for a medium, 12-inch pie.
– DIY: Unusual toppings like mint, lime, fresh cucumbers, butter chicken and tandoori sauce, along with thick or thin crusts make for endless combinations as weird and wonderful as your imagination.
Traditional pizzas also available, along with dine-in and delivery to selected areas. 2780 Stony Point Rd, Santa Rosa, 707-606-1000, chicagospizzatwist.com.
Simply click on the heart icon to vote for the dog you think is the cutest. Voting will be held from Dec. 5-15.
It’s time to vote for the most adorable pooch. The submissions to our annual Cutest Dog Contest are in and all that’s left to do is vote for your favorite.
The cutest dog will be chosen from among the top 10 vote earners by a panel of judges from Sonoma Magazine and our beneficiary, Pets Lifeline.
Simply click the heart icon on the picture of the dog you think is the cutest and most irresistible. You can vote for as many dogs as you like, however you can only vote for each dog once.
With close to 200 pooches to pick from it won’t be an easy decision. So take your time and throw your favorite dog a bone, or a like.
The winning dog will get:
A full-page photo in Sonoma Magazine with dog’s name and bio.
A professional Sonoma Magazine photo shoot (and you will get to keep the photos!).
The voting will remain open until Midnight, Dec. 15.
Fried spinach salad with cashews, avocado, red onion and creamy vinaigrette at Spring Thai in Cotati. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Sometimes just when you think you’ve eaten pretty much everything the world has to offer, a fried spinach salad hits you upside the head and suddenly you’re reminded that there’s a whole world of cuisine just waiting to settle directly on your hips.
Cotati’s Spring Thai, which features that crispy salad and a host of other surprising-yet-familiar dishes, is the latest entrant to Oliver’s shopping center. Though the small restaurant space has been cursed for a host of other restaurants, the good news is that there’s something to cheer about here.
Red curry at Spring Thai restaurant in Cotati. Heather Irwin/PD
With entertaining menu items like batter-dipped spinach, a starter parade of appetizers worthy of tooting about, and a Pad Thai with actual wok hay (or the “breath” of a hot wok) Spring Thai’s passion for the exotic cuisine of southeast Asia is clear.
Best Bets: – Starter Parade ($15.99): This appetizer is entree-level filling, with fried veggie spring rolls, fresh vegan spring rolls, crab “pouches” filled with cream cheese, satay, Thai “bruschetta” with peanut sauce and shrimp, cucumber salad, peanut sauce, creamy vinaigrette and fish sauce. Plus, it just looks so darn pretty. One of my favorite appetizer spreads.
– Red Curry, ($9.99 for lunch, $12.99 for dinner): I’m typically more of a green or pumpkin curry gal, but this red curry, with anise-y Thai basil, tofu and fresh green beans was fragrant and thinner than most coconut-based curries, though a little mild on the spice. We weren’t asked how spicy we liked our food, so I’ll be mild in my critique that most of the dishes here lacked the spicy zing I usually like in Thai food. If I’d had my druthers, I’d turn up the heat to like 3-4 instead of a 1.5.
Noodle soup at Spring Thai in Cotati. Heather Irwin/PD
– House Noodle Soup ($9.99): Go for the shrimp version of you’re a seafood fan, otherwise, it can be a bit ho-hum. We loved the intense peanut flavor and the sweetness, though again, a little spice isn’t a bad thing. Hard-boiled egg, yes. Missing the usual crispy onions. Leftovers were dinner gold–warm or cold–over rice.
– Pad Thai ($8.99 for lunch, $10.99 for dinner): With a lattice of egg holding it together, this unique version of the Thai standby is a compact football of noodles. Very compact and very dense with little meat. We liked the hint of smoke in it, but wouldn’t mind a bit more punch of fish sauce or tamarind. Not to ketchup-y, which is always a sign of laziness in Thai cooking.
– Fried Spinach Salad ($7.99): Though more of a Filipino dish, when doused in fish sauce vinaigrette and covered with cashews and red onion, it’s hard to argue about origins. A must-order.
– Peanut sauce: The measure of any Thai restaurant, in my book, is the peanut sauce–which is actually satay sauce. Can’t be too thin or too thick. Can’t taste like Jiffy. Should be warm. And if it’s really the good stuff, a little float of red curry happening around the edges. Spring Thai hits it on all counts.Just a couple weeks into service, the restaurant has potential if the kitchen can get up to speed. Maybe it was an unfortunate day, but our meal lasted almost two hours, and not because we were such great conversationalists.
Spring Thai Restaurant, 538 E. Cotati Ave., Cotati, 707-665-5180, springthai.net.
Baked oysters (choice of classic chipotle BBQ, salsa verde, tasso herb) served with lemon & grilled baguette at the Shuckery in Petaluma. (Photo Courtesy: The Shuckery)
Oysters have long been an integral part of the California food scene for at least the past several thousand years, so it is with much anticipation and fanfare that Petaluma’s first oyster bar has finally opened its doors. The Shuckery is located at the bustling corner of Washington and Kentucky Streets, in the Hotel Petaluma, and will excite and delight even the most fervent seafood fans.
Prior to the arrival of European settlers, Native Americans had long supplemented their diet with local shellfish, including oysters. Mounds of their discarded shells were still prevalent around the Bay Area well into the 1900’s, including several well-known shell mounds in Emeryville. The aptly named Shell Mound Amusement Park sat atop one such mound before being dismantled in the 1920’s.
Oysters on the half shelf at The Shuckery in Petaluma. (Photo Courtesy: The Shuckery)
During the Gold Rush, the only food coveted as much as Petaluma’s eggs were San Francisco’s oysters. According to Frances Rivetti’s new book “Fog Valley Winter”, California’s first addition to American cuisine was likely an oyster omelet. Legend has it that a newly enriched gold miner entered the El Dorado Hotel and requested the finest meal the kitchen could create. The chef obliged by combining the three most expensive ingredients of the day – oysters, eggs, and bacon, into what we now know as the Hangtown Fry.
Even today, Petaluma retains a strong connection to these tasty mollusks. A Petaluma staple, Lind Marine continues to process oyster shells, both for poultry feed and bocce ball courts, from their riverside yard at the foot of the D Street drawbridge.
Aluxa Lalicker, left, and her sister Jazmine Lalicker, owners of The Shuckery in Petaluma and “The Oyster Girls,” a traveling oyster bar. (Photo: Crista Jeremiason)
True to our marine roots, the Shuckery is the brainchild of sisters Aluxa and Jazmine Lalicker. Born in the Mexican Caribbean and Yucatan, respectively, their mother was from Texas and father was from Mexico. Along with running a successful hotel and bar in Playa del Carmen, both parents led sailing expeditions, so the family was no stranger to the sea, or the abundance and flavors it provides.
After Hurricane Gilbert destroyed the family’s Playa del Carmen business in 1988, the family relocated to Oklahoma. As luck would have it, Aluxa moved to Bolinas, attended Sonoma State University, and eventually lead kayak tours on Tomales Bay. She loved the area so much that she eventually moved the rest of the family out to the Petaluma area, where Jazmine worked as a server, and later manager, at Petaluma’s Central Market. Eventually, the sisters’ love of seafood led them to launch Oyster Girls, an oyster shucking catering business, which has gained great acclaim throughout the Bay Area.
During a recent vacation to the oyster mecca of New Orleans, the sisters discussed dreams of open their own oyster bar. While visiting that city’s best oyster bars, and eating oyster for breakfast, lunch and dinner, they realized that even after eight years of running Oyster Girls, their passion for oysters had clearly not waned. Another thing they noticed was that quite a few of the most successful oyster bars sat alongside the lobbies of New Orleans’ downtown hotels. So, one might call it fate that friends Lorraine and Mike Barber, of Barber Cellars, informed the sisters that a suitable space for an oyster bar was available in the Hotel Petaluma.
Salmon two ways at the Shuckery in Petaluma. (Photo Courtesy: The Shuckery)
Unique, to say the least, New Orleans couples an interesting mixture of French formality with the Big Easy’s laid-back demeanor. It is not unusual to see tuxedo-wearing bar tenders in even the most relaxed establishments, and nobody bats an eyelash at casual customers clad in camo shorts, t-shirts and flip-flops. Although never black-tie formal, Petaluma is similar in that even the finest dining establishments are forgiving of the most grubby farm duds. But, unlike most of the New Orleans oyster bars, which are often inward oriented, The Shuckery utilizes the large windows running down Washington and Kentucky Streets to give diners a window out onto Petaluma’s downtown scene.
The Shuckery in Petaluma. (Photo: Houston Porter)
As we approached the Shuckery, the door was wide open, revealing an inviting interior. The cool and calm blue, gray, and white walls contrast, yet complement the warmth and vitality of the wood, netting, and leather furniture. There is a vibrant ebb and flow to the Shuckery’s décor, which is both calming and exciting.
With few foods as hands-on as the oyster, the Shuckery pays proper homage to this shellfish by placing their shuckers front and center for all to watch and enjoy. The Shuckery’s oyster bar is not only artfully appointed, but is perfectly situated between the dining room and the hustle and bustle of the open kitchen. Guests looking for a more jubilant, communal, and educational dining experience are well advised to grab seats at the bar, because this is where the action is, and where they can interact with their shucker and learn more about these curious bivalves.
“People are intrigued by oysters,” says Jazmine, while standing behind the oyster bar, oyster in one hand, shucking knife in the other. “We wanted to create an inspiring place with a dynamic mix of our favorite oysters and seafood to share with our local and out-of-town guests. We delight in learning about the story behind our featured items and in educating consumers about what they will be enjoying.”
Although youthful in appearance, Jazmine has class, maturity, and a level of customer service well beyond her years. Her knowledge of aquaculture is beyond reproach, and keeps her audience captivated. “And yes, the number one question is whether oyster are really an aphrodisiac,” continues Jazmine. “When we eat fresh, healthy, nutrient packed foods, like oysters, it naturally gives us more energy.” With six oyster containing just about all the vitamins and minerals one needs per day, plus plenty of healthy protein and Omega-3 fatty acids, it is no wonder that oysters give people a boost of energy.
As we settled in to our table, we marveled at the seafood rich menu. Following our usual method of operation, we ordered everything that caught our eye. This ended up being a good portion of the menu, which included raw and baked oysters, ceviche, clam chowder, trout two ways, Baja tacos, mussels and clams, and King salmon, followed up by dessert. The addition of a few glasses of wine from Petaluma’s Barber Cellars, McEvoy Ranch, and Keller Estate certainly added to the locavore nature of our dinner.
The ceviche arrived first, along with fresh house-made tortilla chips. The ceviche is a mix of halibut, shrimp, citrus, chili, and cilantro, surrounded by piquillo coulis, which is a pureed pepper sauce. Although we were eventually distracted by the arrival of oysters, we keep finding ourselves going back to the ceviche.
Oysters on the half shelf at The Shuckery in Petaluma. (Photo Courtesy: The Shuckery)
From a choice of two Canadian and two Californian locales, we chose a dozen raw oysters; half from Humboldt and half from Tomales Bay.
I have never seen the logic in ordering oysters from afar, when the ones close to home are so delicious, but I guess others do. Our Kumamoto’s and Miyagi’s arrived with lemons, cocktail and Mignonette sauce (a typical vinegar based French accoutrement for oysters.) Although both sauces were delightful, neither were necessary because the Shuckery’s oysters are so fresh and sweet. I find that our home waters encourage a particularly sweet and crisp flavored oyster, which I prefer to all others, and these oysters were no exception.
Baked oysters (choice of classic chipotle BBQ, salsa verde, tasso herb) served with lemon & grilled baguette at the Shuckery in Petaluma. (Photo Courtesy: The Shuckery)
Within moments, our baked oysters arrived too. We order all three on the menu – Classic Chipotle BBQ, Salsa Verde and Tasso Herb. The textures were perfect and the flavors distinctive and delicious, and although two had some spice to them, they were not overwhelmingly hot.
Next up was the clam chowder, which along with salmon, scallops, and raw oysters, is one of the true tests of a seafood restaurant’s mettle. I eat a lot of clam chowder and rarely do I come across one as distinct as the Shuckery’s. My chowder preferences usually lean towards a cream-heavy gravy thickness, so I was surprised at how enamored I was with the Shuckery’s lighter style. Along with a healthy dose of fresh clams, theirs includes bacon, celery, seasonings, and firm chunks of potato.
The Baja Tacos were fried cod topped with a savory combination of pico de gallo, pickled jalapeno slaw, shaved cabbage, and house-made hot sauce. The Trout Two Ways consisted of crispy seared trout and trout tartare (raw), both distinctive in their own right, and quite pleasurable to the palette. The mussels and clams were cooked to perfection with garlic, shallots, fennel, and Herbsaint (an anise-flavored liquor.) They were firm and flavorful and did not last long.
King salmon at The Shuckery in Petaluma. (Photo Courtesy: The Shuckery)
But the Pièce de résistance had to be the King salmon, atop a bed of shrimp pork belly fried rice, topped with red chili ponzu and scallions. The skin was crisp, without flaw, while the meat itself was soft, supple, and full of that oh-so-unique salmon flavor, a combination that is not easy to achieve.
We finished out the meal with both desserts – roasted peach bread pudding and Dueling Budinos. Italian for pudding, one budino was dark chocolate and salted caramel, while the other was peanut butter, bacon, and banana. The roasted peach bread pudding tasted as good as it sounds.
Chef Seth Harvey hails from Delaware, a state well known for seafood. He left architecture school in order to follow his passion for the culinary arts, eventually landing a position as sous chef for the now famed 821 restaurant. It was during his tenure that 821 was awarded the honor of Best Restaurant in the state of Delaware. Classically French trained, Harvey has embraced California’s lighter cuisine, and is masterfully showcasing our local flavors through his combinations of fresh seafood and produce and the perfect balance of seasoning.
Combining excellent seafood, friendly and attentive service, a classy yet festive ambiance, and on-site owners to keep quality control in check, the Shuckery is already exhibiting the shiny luster of a restaurant that will likely develop into the pearl of downtown Petaluma dining.
The Shuckery, 100 Washington Street, Petaluma, CA 94952, (707) 981-7891, theshuckeryca.com
W.P. Kinsella’s vision of a fantasy baseball team cracking balls in the middle of an Iowa cornfield holds nothing to the unlikely site of Balletto Vineyard’s “Field of Dreams,” carved out among the vines in Sonoma’s Wine Country.
Winery employees built the regulation-sized baseball field themselves 13 years ago. The scenically situated ballfield has remained largely under the radar, even after the Sonoma County Winegrape Commission included it in their self-guided Sonoma Vineyards Adventures tour map two years ago. Winery owner John Balletto said employees came to him in 2002 asking if they could put a baseball field into an unplanted area on winery property off Occidental Road in Santa Rosa.
Noe Nunez, wearing his Los Uveros team jersey, throws from the outfield during an informal baseball practice at Balletto Vineyard’s Field of Dreams, in Santa Rosa, California on Thursday, June 9, 2016. (Alvin Jornada / The Press Democrat)
“I told them I would support them with equipment and materials if they would do the work,” Balletto said. It was finished and ready for play within a year. “I could probably get 12 to 15 tons of grapes a year off of that land,” he said. “But it’s a nice benefit for our key employees who really enjoy playing baseball. It’s what we do here.”
Vineyard Manager Manuel Vallejo — no relation to Gen. Mariano Vallejo — spearheaded the Balletto “Field of Dreams” for himself and other field workers who are big Giants fans. “My dad loves baseball,” said Teresa Vallejo, 21, adding that he has worked for Balletto for more than 30 years.
Santa Rosa’s Field of Dreams was carved out of property owned by Balletto Vineyards, off Occidental Road. (Balletto Vineyards)
The field is home turf for Los Uveros, or The Grapers, who play league baseball with other community teams on Sunday mornings. It’s often a family affair, with wives and kids showing up to cheer and offer support. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, almost-year round, families also turn out for practice.“It’s really neat. A lot of the children of the employees come out on practice nights. Their dads will be playing on the big field and the kids will have their own game going on the side,” Teresa Vallejo said.
The field covers 3½ acres and is surrounded by chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot gris grapes. The public is welcome to see the field and watch games, but for insurance reasons, it’s for the use by employees only, Balletto said.
You may not find snow-covered trees in Sonoma County, but there are still plenty of holiday events and activities to get you in the festive mood. From Christmas concerts and sing-alongs to lighted boat parades and synthetic snowmen – our list of things to do this holiday season will help make Sonoma County a winter wonderland all month long. Click through the gallery above for all the details.
