Crab salad open-feaced sandwich at MaK’s Deli. Heather Irwin/PD
Remember Tuna Noodle Casserole with Potato Chips, Meatballs with Grape Jelly or some other horrifying 1970s recipe mom got clipped from a newspaper?
Well, feel smug in the knowledge that the well-heeled Swedes have a national dish so horrifying that it makes bacon-wrapped weenies and beans look downright classy: Flying Jacob. Made with a combination of chicken, bacon, cream and (here’s where it gets weird) chili sauce, roasted peanuts and bananas and pineapple, it’s a comfort dish that reached epic popularity in the mid 1970’s.
You’ll find this dish, along with other European specialties like Swedish meatballs, authentic German potato salad, Hungarian gulasch and more at MaK’s Deli in Cotati. One of our favorites: The Swede, with seafood salad, tomatoes, and cucumbers on an open-faced bun.
They’ve also got plenty of regular deli sandwiches and salads for the less adventurous.
101 E. Cotati Blvd., Cotati, 992-0161, maksdeli.com.
Want to know which Sonoma County companies are looking to hire? Sonoma Job Connection, a job fair in Rohnert Park, is where you’ll want to be on May 4.
Held at the Graton Resort and Casino from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., the free event offers the opportunity to meet face-to-face with some of the top employers in the county.
While there, get tips on resume writing and take a free professional head shot.
The event is sponsored by The Press Democrat and Sonoma Media Investments, owner of The Press Democrat, Petaluma Argus Courier, The Sonoma Index-Tribune, North Bay Business Journal, Sonoma Magazine and La Prensa Sonoma.
The first commemoration of Cinco de Mayo took place in California in 1863, one year after a stunning Mexican victory over a much larger invading French army at the Battle of Puebla. 157 years later, Cinco de Mayo continues to be a cause for celebration — and Wine Country offers a variety of opportunities to enjoy the day, with food, fun and, of course, margaritas, cerveza and vino. Check out the gallery above for six ways to celebrate Cinco de Mayo 2017 in Sonoma and Napa.
In Wine County, a growing number of Mexican-Americans are part of a new generation of winemakers and winery owners. Many are the children of migrant workers, or started as grape pickers and farmhands, rising through the ranks to become successful wine producers.
Cinco de Mayo (May 5) is an opportunity not only to commemorate Mexico’s triumph against the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, but also to celebrate the amazing contributions that Mexican-Americans have made in the local wine industry – but don’t let it be the only day to celebrate the fruit of their labor. Here are six Mexican-American produced wines to toast with on Cinco de Mayo and beyond.
Frias Family’s estate vineyard in the Spring Mountain District AVA of Napa Valley. (Photo courtesy of Frias Family Vineyard)
Robledo Family Winery 2010 Cuveé Brut ($45)
Founded in 2003, Robledo Family Winery was the first winery owned by a Mexican migrant worker. Today, they are one of the largest family-owned wine producers in the region – their wine has even been served at the White House! This award-winning sparkler is a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. It’s dry and crisp, with delicate flavors of Granny Smith apple and Asian pear. Drink now!
Herencia Del Valle 2014 Chardonnay ($35)
Two long-time wine grape farming families, the Herrera’s and Renteria’s, came together to create Herencia Del Valle (herencia means heritage in Spanish). Their 2014 Chardonnay uses grapes from the Carneros AVA, on the edge of the San Pablo Bay. Fermented in 75% new oak, it’s deceptively balanced, with no overblown malolactic on the mouth. It’s a lively wine, with hints of brioche, peach and dried fruit.
Frias 2016 Rosé Napa Valley ($25)
One of the oldest Latino-owned and operated wineries in Napa Valley, Frias Family Vineyard makes highly sought after red wines, but they also make awesome rosé! A blend of estate grown grapes, which are primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, Frias’ rosé has a soft, yet fragrant nose of rose petals and a palate of melon and strawberry that is best served poolside.
Ulises Valdez went from a vineyard manager to a vineyard and winery owner. (Photo: Christopher Chung for the Press Democrat)
Valdez Family Winery 2013 Valdez Vineyards Pinot Noir ($45)
Ulises Valdez is one of the most recognized names in vineyard management – he started working in Sonoma County vineyards when he was 16. Today, he operates Valdez Family Winery, with a tasting room in downtown Healdsburg. This Pinot is made from grapes of three Valdez owned Sonoma Coast vineyards. It’s unfiltered and ripe with red fruit, great acid and age-worthy tannins. Fans of “fruit forward” Russian River Pinots will love this wine.
Ceja Vineyards 2012 Vino de Casa Red Blend ($30)
Founded in 1999 by first generation Mexican-American immigrants, Ceja Vineyards produces award-winning wines from Napa and Carneros. Their Vino de Casa is a Pinot Noir-based red blend that was created to be an everyday table wine. Medium-bodied with a nose of cherry and blackberry and a palate of tobacco and blueberry, this wine goes down easy.
Maldonado Vineyards 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley ($58)
Founded by Lupe Maldonado, former vineyard manager of Newton Vineyard for over 30 years, Maldonado Vineyards produces primarily Cabernet Sauvignon and red blends from their family owned vineyard in Napa Valley. This is a big, bold Cabernet chock full of black fruit like fig and plum. It’s great now, and will be even better in five more years. Pair with a steak dinner, followed by a nice cigar.
Having written eight books (with two more coming soon), Petaluma author Crissi Langwell lives what she labels “a hectic but rewarding life.” The hectic parts come from wearing “many hats.” She’s a wife and mother, has a full-time job in Santa Rosa, takes classes at Santa Rosa Junior College, volunteers for her church, and coordinates Sonoma County 4-H’s summer camp. The rewards come from fulfilling her dream of becoming an author, the perks of book-signings and meeting her fans, and writing a blog – not to mention being interviewed for the Argus Courier.
These successes are hard-earned.
Crissi’s coffee-maker starts brewing at 5:20 AM, and as soon as the hot caffeine is ready, she starts writing. An hour later, she earns “wife points” by taking her marketing manager husband Shawn a cup of coffee. Since the kids and dog will soon wake up, Crissi dons headphones to keep writing. By 7:30, it’s time to prepare for her job as the online content producer for the Santa Rosa Press Democrat. After work, she is either in class or doing homework — squeezing in more writing time when in the middle of a book project.
To cope with being overly busy, Crissi says she “thanks God for the crock pot.” Another trick in her arsenal is a color-coded calendar synched to the family’s iPhones. Even so, there was one year when “there was just too much,” so Crissi had to “drop things,” like some of her volunteer work. She still regrets not being able to spend more time with community groups like “the Fabulous Women of Petaluma, who add so much to our town.”
Always writing, Crissi put her tips for remaining creative while leading a busy life into a guide she calls “Reclaim Your Creative Soul.” Her novels cover a variety of subjects. “Loving the Wind” tells the story of Tiger Lily and Peter Pan, and her “Road to Hope” trilogy focuses on two women’s life-altering friendship.
Writing has a strong presence in the Langwell house. Drawing from his “hippie childhood,” fight with alcoholism, and 30-years of sobriety, Shawn published his memoir, “Beyond Recovery, a Journey of Grace, Love and Forgiveness” in November. Daughter Summer, a freshman studying creative writing at SSU, published her own first novel, “The Horror Stories of Los Posadas,” while a senior in high school.
Crissi already has a game plan for a more secure future, with writing as her career. This includes keeping her strong fan-base by creating sequels for her most popular books. Her present project is expanding her novel “The Road to Hope” into that aforementioned trilogy. In the first book, characters Jill Johnson and Maddie Russo may be from different generations, but they both have a profound sense of grief and loss. Fortunately, happenstance throws them together and they find the strength to change course.
Crissi invites people interested in discovering the secret of Jill and Maddie’s exciting first encounter to join her at 6 p.m., Tuesday, April 25th at Copperfield’s Montgomery Village bookstore, where she promises to read aloud the “happenstance incident” from “The Road to Hope.” Learn more about Crissi’s books here.
Treat your parents to something a little different this Mother’s and Father’s Day – click through the gallery above for a selection of local gifts that will make your Mom and Dad feel special.
The blue skies and warm, sunny days of late spring mean it’s time to take home entertaining outdoors. Invite the neighbors over for a backyard barbecue, or throw a Derby Day party. Click through the gallery above for local products that will make the most of spring fever.
Time to dust off your derby hat – Meals on Wheels Derby Day is a mere 2 weeks away! This annual charitable event, put on by the Council on Aging at Chateau St. Jean Winery in Kenwood, includes a viewing of the Kentucky Derby, live-streamed on a large screen, with all the authentic accompaniments: the mint juleps, the big hats, the sundresses, the seersucker suits, the sparkling jewelry – even the Southern spirit.
Attend the Meals on Wheels event to support a good cause, or throw your own backyard party – we’ve lined up four essential items for a decadent Derby Day in the gallery above.
Move over Tom Petty, you’re being upstaged by the diva of dinner parties and dank at next month’s BottleRock.
Today it was announced that BottleRock Napa Valley the wine, music, food and brew event now in its fifth year, will feature Martha Stewart as one of the headlining acts on its 2017 Williams Sonoma Culinary Stage Lineup. The three-year-old culinary stage pairs celebrity chefs with musicians for offbeat gastronomical performances and food demos. But mostly offbeat performances.
Also on this year’s chef lineup: Jose Andres, Masaharu Morimoto, Ayesha Curry, Top Chefs Michael and Bryan Voltaggio, Best New Chef Roy Choi, Food Network’s Duff Goldman, local Top Chef Chris Cosentino and many others. The three-day festival happens May 26-28 at the Napa Fairgrounds in downtown Napa.
“One of the things that separates BottleRock from most other festivals is the Williams Sonoma Culinary Stage,” stated Dave Graham, CEO of BottleRock Napa Valley and Latitude 38 Entertainment. “There have been so many great moments on this stage, including Iron Chef Morimoto teaching Snoop Dogg how to roll sushi, and Michael Voltaggio using liquid nitrogen for a modern take on waffles while Flavor Flav cooked his own top secret fried chicken recipe to the crowd’s delight. We expect many more ‘only at BottleRock’ memories from this 2017 lineup.”
Musicians performing on the culinary stage include Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Green Day’s Mike Dirnt & Tre Cool, Fitz & The Tantrums, Dirty Heads, Silversun Pickups, E40, Matt Sorum of Hollywood Vampires, Michael Franti, Everlast of House of Pain, along with appearances by Modern Family’s Jesse Tyler Ferguson, World Record Competitive Eating Champion Joey Chestnut, and Mythbusters Tory Belleci. KCBS “Foodie Chap” Liam Mayclem will emcee the stage.
No word on Snoop Dogg, a musician and celebrity who’s been a regular on the culinary stage, and a pal of Martha.
Food has always been a focus of BottleRock, owning much to Wine Country’s location as an epicenter for great dining. Through the event, culinary offerings include a who’s who of the Bay area dining scene, ranging from Humphry Slocombe ice cream and a parking lot of food trucks to Bouchon Bakery, Meadowood resort, Oenotri, Redd, Hurleys and many others. Top notch wineries and breweries are also represented with wine cabanas and beverage bars throughout the festival grounds.
Unfortunately, tickets are sold out for the event, but you can get more tantalizing details at bottlerocknapavalley.com.
Belly Left Coast Kitchen, Santa Rosa
This Fourth Street Santa Rosa restaurant is run by rock star chef Gray Rollin, who previously prepared meals for musicians like Motley Crue, KISS, Black Eyed Peas, Sarah McLachlan, Katy Perry, Blink 182, Godsmack, and Tori Amos. Rollin now serves up West Coast sourced New American eats, wines and brews in “rustic-cool digs” which open to an outdoor patio. (Photo John Burgess)
Sonoma County is a haven for foodies and lovers of craft beer. It’s largest city, Santa Rosa, was recently named microbrew capital of the United States and, with the abundance of high quality, locally grown produce and the surge in local breweries, locals and visitors are spoiled for culinary choice. To meet the demands of discerning beer geeks, many Sonoma restaurants are now tailoring their drinks menus to include more local brews. Click through the gallery above for eight Sonoma spots that are worth a visit, both for the food and the craft beer.
