A Big Bottom biscuit with butter and jam at Big Bottom Market in Guerneville, California on Wednesday, October 26, 2016. (Alvin Jornada /
Lifestyle guru Oprah Winfrey has selected Guerneville’s Big Bottom Market biscuits for her annual holiday shopping guide “Favorite Things,” released Thursday by O, The Oprah Magazine.
“Biscuits and I go way back,” Winfrey says in her notes on the Big Bottom product, a gift box containing the mix and locally sourced, organic orange-blossom honey. “These bake up moist yet crumbly, taste homemade though they’re from a mix, and are heavenly served with this honey.”
At Sonoma Magazine, we have been fans of the Big Bottom biscuits since day one… Read what we wrote about them earlier this year:
Our Favorites: Guerneville’s Big Bottom Biscuits
If we could celebrate our love for the biscuits at Big Bottom Market in an interpretive dance we would, but seeing how this is print, we’ll just tell you that they’re worth the trip to Guerneville.
Fluffy, yummy and just a hint of sweetness makes these so awesome — in a California way. Because no self-respecting Southerner would do what comes next. The new Biscuit Bar features these glutenous little pillows with pulled pork, mascarpone and honey, berries and whipped cream or (our fave) smoked salmon and pickled onions. Delish.
Big Bottom Market’s artisanal biscuit mix at Big Bottom Market in Guerneville, California. (Photo by Alvin Jornada)
The focus on biscuits is just part of the update that co-owners Crista Luedtke, Kate Larkin and Michael Volpatt have given the gourmet general store just in time for summer. They’re adding a new culinary director (Cole Mayfield), along with a Muffuletta Sammie (hello, NOLA), bbq pulled pork sandwich and a mezze plate. Market faves like the Hangover, Parson Jones, soups and salads will remain, along with frozen biscuits to take home and cook.
FYI: New Yorkers are about to get a taste of BB’s biscuitry, when they open a biscuit bar at Osteria Cotta on Columbus Ave. A little bit of SoCo in NYC ain’t a bad thing.
Coconut chicken soup at Thai Time in Santa Rosa. Heather Irwin/PD
No matter what the cuisine, there’s something you’ll find in the kitchen of every good restaurant: A massive pot of stock bubbling away on a back burner. Skimmed and simmered for up to 24 hours, it’s a literal melting pot for for roasted bones and vegetable trimmings that comprise the foundation of a hearty, flavorful, steaming bowl of soup.
Though it isn’t until the weather starts turning nasty and noses get sniffly that we really start looking for a warm cup of minestrone, posole, French onion or beef barley. Which is unfortunate, because a well-crafted soup says a lot about the temperament, creativity and patience of a chef. In fact, learning to make a basic stock is one of the first (and most important) things a chef learns. Fail that, and you fail in the kitchen.
So, on the heels of a particularly nasty cold (and subsequent search for healing soups), we asked readers for some of their recommendations, adding in some of our own favorites along the way. Here are some of the best results…
Pork shoulder posole from La Rosa Tequileria in Santa Rosa. Heather Irwin/PD
Pork Posole, La Rosa Tequileria: If nothing else, you’ll ward off vampires and anyone wanting to sneak a smooch with this garlicky soup made with tender pork shoulder, hominy and chiles. Served with lime, red onion, cilantro and jalapeño, you can make it as spicy or tame as your palate can tolerate. A huge serving for $8, and a serious sniffle stifler. 500 Fourth St., Santa Rosa., 523-3663.
Matzoh ramen from The Bird and The Bottle in Santa Rosa. Heather Irwin/PD
Matzoh Ball Ramen, The Bird and The Bottle: Barbecued chicken thighs, homemade ramen broth, maitake mushrooms and schmaltzy matzoh balls are surprisingly perfect together. Maybe that’s because both come from granny-approved soups in the Jewish and Japanese tradition. 1055 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 568-4000.
Chicken Coconut Soup, Thai Time Asian Bistro: Best known to Thai fans as Tom-Kha, this creamy coconut milk soup is infused with lemongrass, ginger and kaffir lime leaves. Before slurping, lean over for a fragrant facial steam, then dive in. 402 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 526-7777.
Corn chowder at Trink’s Cafe in Gualala. Heather irwin/PD
Corn chowder, Trink’s Cafe: Straddling Mendocino and Sonoma County, the tiny seaside hamlet of Gualala only has a handful of eateries, but Trink’s is truly destination-worthy. Though soups change up according to ingredients and seasons, the pureed corn chowder with micro-greens we tried was outstanding, and was featured for lunch and a special Friday night dinner. 39140 S. Highway One, Gualala, 884-1713.
Minestrone, Fiori’s Grill: There’s a reason this mighty minestrone recipe has been passed down through the years as a staple of the Fiori family restaurants — it’s plain delicious. Made with plenty of beans, tomatoes and Parmesan on top, it’s a locally-famous soup tradition. 722 Village Court, Santa Rosa, 843-7831.
Soft tofu soup at Tov Tofu
Soft Tofu Soup: Tov Tofu: Soup is even better with an element of danger! Sizzling stone bowls keep soup piping hot — enough to cook a raw egg cracked atop the soup, in seconds. Silky tofu, vegetables and a flavorful broth get a kick from the addition of kimchee and chile sauce. 1169 Yulupa Ave., Santa Rosa, 566-9469.
Onion Soup, Bistro 29: They call it Soupe des Johnnies. We call it one of our favorite French onion soups on the planet. Made with onions and cider with Gruyere cheese. 620 Fifth St., Santa Rosa, 546-2929. We also had a terrific version at Sonoma Cider Co., made with beef bones, caramelized onions, Sonoma cider and a float of French bread and melty Gruyere. 44F Mill St., Healdsburg, 723-7018.
Hot and Sour Soup, Kirin: A number of Chinese restaurants got nods from readers for their hot and sour soup, though for our money, Kirin gets it right consistently with just the right amount of heat and pucker, loaded with bamboo shoots, mushrooms, egg and and a flavor-packed chicken stock. This is a sure-fire cold beater in our book, loaded with garlic, chile paste, vinegar, ginger and chicken broth. 2700 Yulupa, Santa Rosa, 525-1957.
Butternut squash soup in a bread bowl at Boudin Bakery. Courtesy Yelp
Butternut squash, Boudin Bakery: This fall favorite is on the menu throughout the year, making it one of our consistent go-tos when we’re feeling cold and blue. It’s not fussy, but a workhorse soup served up in a bread bowl (should you want it) or a la carte with a few slices of sourdough. 2345 Midway, Montgomery Village, Santa Rosa, 303-4100.
Cauliflower and Apple with Curry Oil, Wishbone: Chef Miriam Donaldson’s current favorite is a sweet-savory cauliflower puree with a kick of curry. Though her soups change up with the seasons and available ingredients from nearby farms (including her own), her beef bone broth and cheesy toast are a standard.
Wonton Soup, Chinois Asian Bistro: Slippery pork wontons in a clear broth make for a hearty but simple soup that many readers say is best at Chinois in Windsor. “Wor” won ton gets added chicken breast and prawns. 186 Windsor River Rd., Windsor 838-4667.
More from BiteClub Readers:
Clam chowder, Cafe Aquatica, Jenner
Tomato bisque with fresh crab, Cucina Paradiso, Petaluma
Clam chowder, Spud Point Crab Co., Bodega Bay
Pho, Simmer, Petaluma
French Onion, Underwood Bistro, Graton
Spicy coconut chicken, Cafe Zazzle, Petaluma
Wild game chili, Bear Republic, Healdsburg
Caldo Verde, Portugal’s National Soup, Tasca Tasca, Sonoma
Here’s the rest of the list from BiteClub readers.
At chef Manuel Azevedo’s Tasca Tasca in Sonoma, the menu is true to Portugal’s tapas tradition.
The green and grape-purple walls are now bright white. Most of the tabletops are re-purposed Port and Madeira wine boxes, others are painted Mediterranean blue. A recently installed wood bar seats nine. The glowing Sousa’s Restaurant sign above the upgraded kitchen lets locals know the space that was once the Epicurean Connection gourmet food shop off the Sonoma Plaza is now something entirely different, and entirely Portugal.
Portuguese Mac & Cheese at Tasca Tasca Portuguese Tapas Restaurant & Wine Bar in Sonoma.
It’s Tasca Tasca, Manuel Azevedo’s just-opened interpretation of a Portuguese tavern, with savory and sweet bites served with Portuguese wines, beer and cocktails.
Recreating a tasca (pronounced toshka) from his native Azorean island of São Jorge, he offers 40-some appetizer-sized servings of traditional Portuguese dishes, delivered on butcher-block platters laden with tins, crocks and ramekins filled with goodness.
Drop in for a Sagres beer or refreshing glass of vinho verde wine, and stay for the Azorean mac and cheese, goat stew with fingerling potatoes, linguica (pork sausage), caldo verde (Portugal’s national soup) and fried potatoes with piri piri pepper seasoning.
Tasca Tasca fronts West Napa Street, just off the Sonoma plaza.
Patrons of Azevedo’s LaSalette Restaurant in Sonoma, and Café Lucia in Healdsburg, which he owns with his sister, Lucia Azevedo Fincher, know not to be afraid of Portuguese cuisine. To the uninitiated, though, it can seem to be all sardines and salt cod, and dicult-to-pronounce names.
Yet, Portuguese cuisine is similar to that of Italy and Spain, based on seafood, pork, beef, charcuterie, vegetables and glorious cheeses. Tasca Tasca offers an opportunity to taste authentic food for a minimal investment: most items are $5, and orders of five and seven items are discounted.
The kitchen crew serving up a variety of tapas on small wooden boards at Tasca Tasca Portuguese Tapas Restaurant & Wine Bar in Sonoma.
The menu translates each item from Portuguese to English. It includes bacalhau (salt cod cakes) and sardine paté, of course, but also pleasantly salty lomo embuchado — pieces of cured and dried pork loin. Mussels top a salad dressed with a tangy saron vinaigrette. The crunchy kale salad with anchovy dressing is not at all fishy, instead bright and lemony.
The fava bean soup is served cold, smoked duck gets a glaze of Moscatel wine, and the braised octopus comes with “villain’s sauce,” made of shallots, garlic, vinegar, oil and hot sauce. Queijo do São Jorge is a creamy cheese imported from Azevedo’s home island and served with quince marmalade.
Steak tartare with marinated vegetables, left and a kale salad in an anchovy dressing at Tasca Tasca.
LaSalette has been a success since it opened in 1998, and Café Lucia followed in late 2012, with Azevedo the executive chef at both locations and Lucia managing her namesake eatery. Each is a fine-dining restaurant, but Tasca Tasca is the casual place Azevedo has longed for, one he hopes will be a neighborhood hangout and a destination for visitors.
“I’ve wanted to do this for 10 or 12 years, to have a place as comfortable as a pair of shoes, but with service that’s Sunday shoes,” he said. “When Sheana Davis moved the Epicurean Connection from this space last year, it was the perfect spot for me. Small enough that I could a ord the lease and on the plaza.”
He equates the Tasca Tasca concept to that of Chinese dim sum: “With two or three little bites with lots of flavor.”
Chef and owner Manuel Azevedo at Tasca Tasca Portuguese Tapas Restaurant & Wine Bar in Sonoma.
Azevedo’s parents, Raimundo and LaSalette Azevedo, came to California in 1968 from Santo Antão Topo on São Jorge. Raimundo sold two oxen and a milk cow to finance the trip, “to achieve the American dream,” his son said. Azevedo was 2 when he arrived in Sonoma, along with younger brother Luis. Sister Lucia and youngest brother William were born in Sonoma. Manny learned to cook from his mother when he was young, and returns to Portugal every other year to cook, source ingredients and find inspiration.
The walls of Tasca Tasca Portuguese Tapas Restaurant & Wine Bar in Sonoma are decorated with large photos of Manuel Azevedo’s family when they lived in Azores, an autonomous island region of Portugal.
At “TT,” as Azevedo refers to Tasca Tasca, he honors his parents with blown-up prints of them and their relatives on São Jorge. He salvaged the Sousa’s Restaurant sign from a well-known Azorean restaurant in San Jose before it closed a year ago.
Huge wheels of São Jorge cheese and antique milk cans represent his father’s career as a dairyman. A wide-screen TV plays European soccer, beckoning fans to belly up to the bar; at 11 p.m., the channel switches to bloodless bullfights. A large rooster sculpture in a high corner of the room watches over diners and imbibers.
“Every Portuguese restaurant has to have a rooster,” he said. “It symbolizes honesty and integrity.”
The nine-seat bar at Tasca Tasca draws a crowd ready to savor the tavern’s large selection of Ports, or a speciality cocktail such as Soju vodka mixed with Tawny Port and orange bitters and served with an orange twist.
Servers wear gingham shirts and jeans. Flatware and large toothpicks for spearing lupini beans and marinated olives are stored in tin cans placed on tables. Wines, including an impressive collection of Port, are all from Portugal and poured into tumblers, not stemware. Cocktails are served in frosted saucers, poured at the table or bar from glass bottles. Olympiabeer is served, because it’s what Raimundo drank, but there is also is a selection of local and other American beers, and Portugal’s Sagres.
Open daily from noon to midnight, TT welcomes folks leaving the Sebastiani Theatre after an evening movie or performance, and those knocking off work at nearby restaurants and hotels.
“Until now, there hasn’t been a place in Sonoma for workers in the industry to stop in for a beer and a snack,” Azevedo said. “And I want people to walk in and think that this restaurant has been open for years. I want it to feel like Portugal, so that immigrants and the descendants of immigrants feel at home here.”
Cobblestone road ice cream and passion fruit mousse with mango.
General Tso chicken is not Chinese food. Nor are fortune cookies, walnut pineapple prawns, the pupu platter or, well, pretty much anything else you’d order at a Chinese restaurant in Sonoma County. Even the little folded boxes with the red pagoda aren’t Chinese. They’re all American inventions.
But that doesn’t mean we love our Friday night sweet and sour pork, fried rice and crab Rangoon any less. In fact, Chinese-American food is the number one takeout food in the country, just edging out Mexican and Italian, according to the National Restaurant Association, and most of us eat it at least once a month.
We’ve all got a favorite neighborhood spot that makes the perfect Happy Family, hot and sour soup or mu shu chicken, whether it’s a nondescript hole in the wall or a cozy little pan-Asian bistro. Sichuan (spicy), Cantonese (sweet) and Hunan (hot and sour) inspired dishes are the most common types of Chinese-American cuisine in Wine Country.
Here’s a handy guide to a few of our favorites, all of which have pick-up options unless noted, and most have lunch specials.
Hang Ah Dim Sum: Focused on dim sum (small plates of bite-sized food), this Santa Rosa restaurant is about as authentically Chinese as Sonoma County gets. You’ll find dozens of curious steamed, fried and barbecued bites ranging from chicken claws in black bean sauce to shiu mai dumplings, crispy shrimp balls, steamed barbecue pork buns, rice wrapped in lotus leaves and my personal favorite, bean curd skin roll in broth, priced from about $2.50 to $6.50 per plate.
There are plenty of head-scratchers on the menu, but most have little pictures. Take a few risks for just a few dollars, a small investment if you end up not being a fan. The menu also includes Chinese entreés. 2130 Armory Drive, Santa Rosa, 576-7873.
City Chopsticks: One of the more elegant Chinese spots, this Petaluma restaurant was highly recommended by locals. The Princess Chicken (spicy fried pieces of chicken breast with honey garlic sauce, $10.75) is a kid favorite, along with Hong Kong Style crispy noodles with stir-fried veggies ($9.95).
Lily Kai: Lily Kai is the kind of place where everyone leaves happy. Mo shu ($7.50 to $10.75) is a specialty, with crepes that hold meat or veggies, with chopped cabbage, carrots, onion and other goodies. Choose from Kung pao tofu, with deep-fried tofu in a hot, spicy sauce ($8.75), a small selection of dim sum, or the don’t-miss wrapped chicken or green onion pancakes on the appetizer menu, both under $7. lilikaipetaluma.com, Adobe Creek Center, 3100 Lakeville Highway, Petaluma, 782-1132.
Kirin: Like many places in Bennett Valley, Kirin is a family go-to spot. Try the hot and sour soup ($7.50 to $14.95), crab meat and cheese puffs ($6.50), lemon chicken ($10.50) and broccoli beef ($12.25). kirinsr.com, 2700 Yulupa Ave., Suite 3, Santa Rosa, 525-1957.
Ting Hau: Sweet mango walnut chicken ($10.55) and a nice selection of solid vegetarian items for lunch and dinner. 717 Fourth St., Santa Rosa., 545-5204.
Eight Dragons: A brand-new, much-needed Chinese restaurant in Healdsburg with a contemporary twist on classic favorites. Pork belly bao ($8), orange chicken, General Tso’s chicken (both $14) and honey walnut prawns. It’s in a renovated space with potential to be a neighborhood fave. 1047 Vine St., Healdsburg, 395-0023, 8dragonsrestaurant.com.
Goji Kitchen: Goji isn’t specifically a Chinese restaurant, but definitely gets Chinese right. Owners Ben and Jennifer Chang have created a pan-Asian menu that includes Vietnamese and Thai dishes, all made fresh, with non GMO rice oil, organic tofu and fresh ingredients. Favorites are walnut pineapple prawns ($16.50), a whole fish with ginger and scallions ($36), and spicy Szechuan green beans ($14.50). The goat cheese spring rolls with tamarind sauce are a California take on this Chinese classic. gojikitchen.com, 1965 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 523-3888.
Walnut pineapple prawns at Goji Kitchen in Santa Rosa.
Fantasy Hong Kong Style BBQ: This spot isn’t for everyone, but it is for anyone desperate to find authentic Chinese roasted duck, roasted pork belly, honey pork and spare ribs cut to order. This is true Chinese barbecue. 1520 E. Washington St., Petaluma, no phone.
Chinois Asian Bistro: Another not entirely Chinese-inspired spot, this Asian bistro sometimes gets overlooked. Their food is eat-in only, with fresh takes on classics like wok-tossed lemongrass prawn lettuce cups, and an extensive noodle menu with BBQ pork egg noodles ($14.95) and fried rice noodles with dried Chinese pork and bean sprouts ($14.95). chinoisbistro.com, 186 Windsor River Road, Windsor, 838-4667.
Sakura Bistro: This new Chinese-Japanese restaurant has replaced Formosa Bistro in Sebastopol and is garnering pretty solid raves from locals. 799 Gravenstein Highway South, Sebastopol
Dim Sum plate.
Royal China: Royal China is one of the swankest Asian eateries around, with a lush, dark interior. Mu shu ($10.88) is a favorite, and portions are large. 3080 Marlow Road, Suite 4, Santa Rosa, 545-2911.
Happy Garden: Locals say this is a top Chinese spot for Chinese standards like Mongolian beef, walnut shrimp and chow mein. happygardensonoma.com, 201 W. Napa St., Sonoma, 996-6037.
There are as many small, independent food and drink producers in Sonoma County as there are dreams, and that’s a good thing for all of us. Inspired by our plethora of flora and fauna, these artisans are on the road to hitting it big. Or at least making a splash in the local market. Either way, these producers and their products are worth seeking out at local grocers or through online stores.
Clearly there are hundreds of amazing artisans to choose from, but here are a few that have really piqued our interest.
Mama Baretta
Inspired by the delicious Italian cookies of her father’s bakery but concerned about her son’s many allergies, Debra Baretta began a baked goods business focused on gluten-free, non-GMO, organic, allergy-friendly foods her family and friends could eat without a guilty conscience or health problems. She has expanded to include scones, multi-seed breads, cookies, cupcakes and special occasion cakes. Selected products are available at Oliver’s or Pacific markets, and Saturdays at the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market at the Luther Burbank Center.
A selection of fresh baked bread by Eli Colvin, owner of Revolution Bread. (Photo by Erik Castro)
rEvolution Bread
Stenciled imprints of a raised fist holding sheafs of wheat are a trademark of baker Eli Colvin’s loaves, as well as a philosophy. Using whole grains including heirloom eiknkorn and emmer wheat, his breads have an old world quality and rustic appeal that foodies love. Find rEvolution breads at the Petaluma East-side farm market, 501 N. McDowell, Petaluma.
Sonomic Red “Almost Vinegar” by Sonoma Portworks is a far less acidic vinegard with a sweet, balsamic-like flavor. (Photo courtesy of Sonoma Portworks)
Sonomic
This almost-vinegar made by Sonoma Portworks is far less acidic than vinegar, with a sweet, balsamic-like flavor. The idea is to drizzle it over salads or use it for cooking, but we love the idea of splashing a bit atop ice cream or even adding the light Muscat-based “Gold” Sonomic to club soda as a sweet shrub. Available online at sonomaportworks.com.
Sea of Change Trading Company’s selection of new seaweed chocolate bars at their office in Windsor. (Photo by Alvin Jornada)
The Great and Wonderful Sea of Change Trading Company
There are more than 400 types of edible seaweed in the ocean, and this Windsor-based company is hoping you’ll be willing to try at least a few of them — especially if its in chocolate. Cole Meeker, his wife Anastasia Emmons and business partner Courtney Smith are the inventors of Sea Bakin, a salty snack available in flavors like Thai BBQ, maple and garden veggie (seriously addictive) as well as their new line of seaweed chocolate bars made with wild seaweed, dark chocolate and coconut sugar. Available at Community Market and online at seafochangetrading.com.
A selection of probiotic beverages from The Kefiry in Sebastopol. (Photo courtesy of The Kefiry)
The Kefiry
Thousands of years ago, the story goes, a shepherd filled his leather water pouch with cool, crisp water from a high mountain stream in the Caucasus Mountains. In the water were grains of kefir, which naturally fermented in the water, creating a beverage rich with good bacteria — what we now call probiotics. At least that’s how the story goes.
Tom Boyd, owner of The Kefiry in Sebastopol ferments and sells his naturally-fermented kefir-water sodas, called Enlivened, along with frozen kefir pops. “We are the first live-cultured soda sold in America,” says Boyd. Like dairy kefir which has been popularized as a health tonic, water kefir is a fermented food that is thought to promote digestion and healthy flora in the digestive system.
Like dairy kefir, which has been popularized as a health tonic, water kefir is a fermented food that is thought to promote digestion and healthy flora in the digestive system. Unlike dairy kefir, water kefir grains are lactose free. But it’s a lot easier just to explain water kefir as naturally fermented soda that contains no alcohol and only a small amount of sugar. Flavors include Holy Basil, Dragon’s Blood (with hibiscus), lemon-ginger and Tulsi Kola (which tastes somewhat like Coke). Available at 972 Gravenstein Hwy South, #120, Sebastopol and on tap at SHED, 25 North St., Healdsburg.
Chocolate from Sonoma-based Cocoa Planet.
Cocoa Planet
Someone just answered your prayers. Rich, creamy, dark chocolate with “pearls” of flavor (mint, mandarin orange, vanilla espresso, salted caramel, deep dark truffle. Turns out you can get incredible flavor without all the sugar and just 96 calories per disk. This is a Chocolate Revolution! Available at CocoaPlanet Chocolate Factory and Tasting Room in Sonoma, 921 Broadway, Sonoma, CA 95476, and Oliver’s Market, 461 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa, (707) 284-3530 or at cocoaplanet.com.
Apple Cider Caramels with Toasted Almonds from Little Apple Treats. (Photo courtesy of Little Apple Treats)
Little Apple Treats
Using organic apples from their West County farm, Dan Lehrer and Joanne Krueger have become well-known for their Rose and Cocoa nib caramels, awarded top honors at the prestigious Good Food Awards in 2016. Using a 1906 candy wrapping machine they’ve affectionately named Virgil (who can be very temperamental), Dan and Joanne are part of a new food movement based on simple, honest, handmade food we can all celebrate. Their other products include apple biscotti, apple cider caramels, apple granola and apple cider vinegar. Available online at littleappletreats.com.
Firefly chocolate bar. (Photo by Heather Irwin)
Firefly Chocolate
Producer Jonas Ketterle pays homage to the old ways of chocolate-making with his Windsor-based chocolateria Firefly Chocolate. Inspired by the chocolate-making traditions of the Zapotec town of Teotitlan del Valle, Ketterle learned how the locals fire-roasted and hand-peeled the beans “within sight of their sacred mountain,” stone grinding and sweetening the powder with honey. 85% cocao (that’s really dark), the resulting organic chocolate bar is more like a fine wine than a Hershey Kiss. Bitter tannins are mellowed by the perfumed flavors of rose and orange, making this a bar you’ll savor rather than snarf in a single sitting. Available at Sebastopol Farmer’s Market on Sundays 10am-2pm, Community Market in Sebastopol and Santa Rosa, and online fireflychocolate.com
Jeff Phillips, left, and Sherry Soleski serving up their Comet Corn popcorn during Pick of the Vine wine tasting and auction gala held at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts in Santa Rosa. (Photo by Erik Castro)
Comet Corn
This mom and pop start up based in Santa Rosa was inspired by an evening around a campfire when owner Sherry Soleski’s partner, Jeff Phillips, served a bowl of seasoned popcorn to some friends while watching the Hale-Bopp Comet whiz by in the night sky. Now the couple hawk their ever-growing lineup of flavors (Bloody Mary, Maple Syrup, the super-popular Hippie Dust, Coconut Curry) at local grocers and, after a stellar Kickstarter that raised more than $20,000, at various Northern California events including the Sonoma County fair, National Heirloom Expo, Kate Wolf Festival and annual Earlefest. Available at Community Market in Sebastopol and Santa Rosa, and at Oliver’s Markets.
Selection of olive oils from The Smoked Olive in Petaluma. (Photo courtesy of The Smoked Olive)
The Smoked Olive
When you can count Chefs Tyler Florence, Emeril Lagasse, John Ash, Ming Tsai, and a certain President of the United States among your culinary fan-base, you know you’re onto something. But the owners of The Smoked Olive in Petaluma still say they often have to get people to stop and taste their pungent olive oils before they fully understand — and appreciate — the unique flavor.
Co-owner Al Hartman is the “smoke whisperer”, able to smoke just about anything. Partner Brenda Chatelain explains their unusual smoke-infused extra-virgin olive oil as “a marriage of two primal things: Smoke and oil. It just creates a taste that’s a combination that I think strikes something from our cave days.” Their Whiskey Smoked Brown Sugar is a newer addition, used for meat marinates or baking. Available at Sur La Table, 2323 Magowan Dr., Santa Rosa.
Olives from the DaVero Dry Creek orchard. (Photo by Kent Porter)
DaVero Olive Oil
Ridgley Evers has some strong opinions about olive oil and is never shy about sharing them. Evers and his wife, chef Colleen McGlynn, are among the handful of olive growers behind Sonoma County’s artisan oil boom. They have made a career out of meticulously understanding the nuances of flavor, balance and timing involved in making exceptional oils that have captured the attention of Chef Mario Batali, among others.
The 4,500 trees on their Dry Creek property trace their heritage from a handful of saplings imported from Lucca, Italy, a Tuscan region with weather much like Sonoma County. Their flagship EVOO has all the qualities of a great California olive oil — fresh grassiness, a mild bitterness and a sneaky pungency. “Three coughs are a compliment,” Evers said with a laugh.
The couple also produces a line of jams and preserves that includes gingered pear, plum, meyer lemon marmalade and quince jam. Available at local grocers and at the DaVero tasting room (766 Westside Road, Healdsburg). Available at local grocers and at their Healdsburg tasting room, 766 Westside Road, Healdsburg.
Want to tell us about your favorites? Continue the conversation in the comments section…
Chef Crista Luedtke. (Beth Schlanker/Sonoma Magazine)
Crista Luedtke hasn’t figured out yet how to marry her famous Big Bottom biscuits with Cambodian culture. But following a spring visit to the Southeast Asian country, the Guerneville entrepreneur is surely thinking about it.
“I’m not sure if there’s a biscuit link,” Luedtke said with a laugh about the extraordinary appeal of her from-scratch baked goods, which she introduced with the opening of her Big Bottom Market in 2011 and recently rolled out on menus at two restaurants in New York.
If she does come up with a connection — perhaps stuffing biscuits with fish from the Mekong River instead of cured salmon, crème fraîche, capers and pickled onion for her signature biscuits — few who know Luedtke should be surprised. When there’s a challenge, she’ll tackle it, and lately, it seems she can do no wrong, with a mini Guerneville empire that includes a hotel and spa, restaurant, market cafe and cocktail lounge, all within a half mile of each other.
Crista Luedtke, owner of: Boon Hotel + Spa, Crista Ludtke and Boon, her dog, at the pool area of Boon Hotel. (Chris Hardy/For Sonoma Magazine)
In 2008, Guerneville was a sleepy hideaway best known for its Russian River resorts and gay-friendly community. Flash forward to 2016, and the self-proclaimed “gayberhood” is now a hip dining destination and a burgeoning resort retreat for straight folks, too. By many accounts, much of the metamorphosis is attributed to Luedtke, 42, a spitfire with a rumpled side-swirl shock of blond hair, a tattoo reading sawat (Thai for boon: a gift or blessing) on her right arm, and a dog named Boon, rescued at 14 weeks from Anderson Valley Animal Rescue in Boonville and now 12 years young.
Luedtke’s dog, Boon, for whom she named both her restaurant and hotel, walks down the hotel’s front entry path. (Chris Hardy/For Sonoma Magazine)
“Crista’s accomplishments were a large influencing factor in our decision to move forward with the deal to buy the iconic Johnson’s Beach,” said Daniel Poirier, who met Luedtke four years ago and last March took over the century-old resort in the heart of Guerneville. “My partner, Nick Moore, and I had done a lot of soul searching. Then we did a reality check and looked at what was happening in town — what she was doing couldn’t be ignored. The town was, and still is, seeing a resurgence.”
Beets with goat cheese and hazel nuts at Boon Eat + Drink. (Chris Hardy/For Sonoma Magazine)
Eight years ago, Luedtke and her then-wife, Jill McCall, purchased the former Retreat Resort & Spa on Armstrong Woods Road just north of downtown Guerneville. They revamped the old buildings, doing much of the design themselves, and opened boon hotel + spa in 2008. Luedtke debuted boon eat + drink restaurant on Main Street a year later, followed by Big Bottom Market in 2011. Her latest project, El Barrio tequila, mescal and bourbon bar, served its first drink in September 2014.
“It was all doing great, even with the recession,” said Luedtke, who built her businesses with her investment partner, Scott Dunckley of San Diego.
“But other small businesses were struggling on Main Street, so I just kept thinking, ‘What does this town need to keep locals happy and get visitors coming?’” Guerneville was once a logging village that morphed into a popular resort town in the late 19th century, when wellheeled San Franciscans took the train to its redwoods-lined riverbanks. But by the 1950s, automobile and air travel took crowds elsewhere, and in the 1960s, the town suffered massive flooding. Things declined to a run-down, Bohemian river-rat locale.
“Why couldn’t we be lumberjack chic?” Luedtke wondered.
The shelves at Crista Luedtke’s Big Bottom Market are stocked with grab-’n’-go food, wine and gifts.
Such vision is what attracted another business partner, Michael Volpatt, who co-owns Big Bottom and splits his time between running Larkin/Volpatt Communications in New York City and enjoying the Guerneville home he bought five years ago.
“Crista was an urban pioneer for the town,” he said. “She was the first to see a longer-term vision for what the town could be, and recognized the opportunity to take advantage of the river, the redwoods and the proximity to the coast. She also realized, along with others, that we really needed to start fixing the broken windows in town — which is my figurative way of saying we needed to open new businesses — to help bring people back and change the economy.”
In her earlier career, Luedtke had been a biotech sales representative, then a Bay Area mortgage broker. Guerneville was her summer escape, and in 2007, she decided to sell her two bedroom San Francisco home and join the Russian River burg.
“I had reservations when I first looked at the hotel,” she said of the 14-room enclave of former mercury miner’s cabins tucked into the forest. Previous owners had renovated, but the place still needed work to become the sexy, eco-friendly hideaway with saltwater swimming pool it is today.
“I also wondered if an LGBT theme was too narrow,” she said. “I didn’t want it to be a gay hotel; I didn’t feel I needed to plant a flag. But I wanted to do something on my own, and Healdsburg was priced out.”
The saltwater pool at Luedtke’s boon hotel + spa. (Chris Hardy/For Sonoma Magazine)
On Luedtke’s first night at her hotel, she was startled awake after midnight, just in time to watch Fife Creek overflow its banks and flood the compound.
Now, she shrugs and grins. “Who knew I had a lakefront property?” Luedtke said. “It gave me lessons for digging channels and installing fences.”
Today, occupancy runs 80 to 100 percent in the high-summer season, and 50 to 85 percent in winter, with room rates averaging $185 to $275. Four years ago, Luedtke was able to buy out McCall and Dunckley and is now sole owner.
Hotel guests need to eat, and Guerneville didn’t offer much. When Bob ’n Boy Burger on Main Street became available, Luedtke and Dunckley purchased it.
Luedtke’s signature Big Bottom Biscuits served at her market cafe are also available as a mix to make and bake at home.
“The business is brutal; it broke up our family, but it was still what I wanted,” said Luedtke, whose parents had owned restaurants. Her brother is a chef. So she polished her cooking skills, and boon eat + drink was born as a 36-seat, contemporary bistro emphasizing Sonoma ingredients, including those from the hotel garden.
Visitors also wanted gourmet grab-’n’-go food, wine and gifts, and Luedtke was tired of sending them to Safeway. So she and Volpatt dreamed up Big Bottom for their modern-day general store, naming it for the alluvial flood plain upon which Guerneville sits. For El Barrio, Luedtke drew on her talents as an interior designer to create a bold, Latin American mood with serape fabrics, cactus art, tile and Our Lady of Guadalupe candles. The menu romps from local goat cheese-nopales dip to mescal flights, inspired by a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico.
Through it all, Luedtke continually seeks ways to make Guerneville better, serving on the Russian River Chamber of Commerce and offering assistance to others with their own dreams.
From serape-fabric pillows to cactus art and the horned steer’s skull behind the bar, Luedtke went for a bold, Latin American mood at her latest project, El Barrio tequila, mescal and bourbon bar.
“When we first took over Johnson’s Beach, she consulted us in hotel management and helped us develop the theme for our renovated cabins and the lodge,” Poirier said. “She just gives and gives, and is always supportive of new business in town.”
Luedtke added three glamping tents to the hotel grounds this spring, redesigned Big Bottom for more grab-’n’-go counter space, and with her partner, Kim Holliday, designed and decorated their new home on the river. In 2015, Luedtke won an episode of Guy Fieri’s “Grocery Games” TV show, creating flat iron steak with polenta, arugula salad and fish tacos with chorizo.
Could Cambodian fare be next?
Photography by Chris Hardy.
boon hotel + spa, 14711 Armstrong Woods Road, 707-869-2721, boonhotels.com
boon eat + drink, 16248 Main St., Guerneville, eatatboon.com
Big Bottom Market, 16228 Main St., Guerneville, 707-604-7295, eatatboon.com
El Barrio, 16230 Main St., Guerneville, 707-604-7601, elbarriobar.com
Did you know one of the Top 10 Pastry Chefs in America lives and works right here in Sonoma County? And that his nickname is “Buttercup”? Meet Robert Nieto and 5 other amazing local pastry chefs we love…
Somewhere between the heat of the sun and molten lava is the perfect temperature for pulling melted sugar into lovely candy ribbons. Robert Nieto has the scars to prove it.
Working under a glowing red heat lamp in the Santa Rosa kitchen of Jackson Family Wines, he gingerly tugs at a 200-plus-degree blob of boiled sugar with gentle flicks of his wrist, creating thin wisps of candy that harden almost immediately into curls. In mere minutes, the blob can become a rock, so Nieto works with the intensity of a surgeon, despite the constant pain of his burning fingers.
One of Robert Nieto’s creations: Bittersweet chocolate mousse with chocolate soil, chocolate crémeux, raspberries, milk chocolate cream, and dehydrated dulce-caramel corn mousse.
The life of a pastry chef isn’t always so sweet.
Nieto is one of several highly trained Sonoma pastry chefs whose media are chocotemptations late, sugar, flour, cream and butter. More than bakers, these oft-overlooked artisans are equal parts scientist and artist, working with a precision and intensity demonstrated by the dreamy confections that make a great meal extraordinary.
Unlike a savory pan sauce or piece of meat that might benefit from an added pinch of salt at the end, baking is unforgiving. Pastry and confections are about exact measurements and processes so the soufflé doesn’t fall and the custard doesn’t break into an oily mess. It takes expertise to create a dessert so intriguing that it can stand up to every other course of the meal.
Here are six Sonoma masters of the craft.
ROBERT NIETO Jackson Family Wines, Santa Rosa
PASTRY SUPERPOWER: Chocolate.
CAN’T TAKE OFF THE MENU: Mama Frischkorn’s Caramel Corn (a Jackson Family specialty).
As part of the Jackson Family Wines culinary team, Nieto produces a vast lineup of desserts — from perfect cylinders of chocolate ganache with gold-covered chocolate or butterscotch panna cotta with candy cap mushroom meringue and sweet potato ice cream, to sculptural creations of tuile, mango cream and rhubarb sauce — as well as all manner of breads and pastries featured on menus at the various Jackson Family wineries and tasting rooms.
“I’m always looking for the wow factor,” he said. Using geometric shapes, molds and unexpected twists, such as candy ribbons, his plates engage all the senses.
Robert Nieto’s flourless chocolate cake with cherries, pistachio cream, Earl Grey gel and cherry tuile.
In just about every spare moment (and with the blessings of his bosses), he trains in Chicago for a spot on Pastry Team USA, which will compete in the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie competition in Lyon, France, in January 2017. Nieto was also chosen one of the top 10 pastry chefs in the country this year by Dessert Professional magazine.
As for the nickname he’s learned to love? “Buttercup” was foisted on him by Jackson Family executive chef Justin Wangler after a particularly ungraceful game of volleyball, where Nieto became “Butterfingers.” Over time, it morphed into Buttercup. With a portfolio of work that includes tiny pink macarons filled with cream, statues of chocolate and spun sugar, and pastry so delicate it nearly evaporates to the touch, his nickname suits him.
Taste Nieto’s creations at Kendall-Jackson’s north Santa Rosa tasting room, 5007 Fulton Road, Fulton, 707-576-3810, kj.com/wine-andchocolate- pairing. A wine and chocolate pairing is offered, by appointment, for $25.
DAVID BLOM Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn, Sonoma
PASTRY SUPERPOWER: Jack of all desserts.
CAN’T TAKE OFF THE MENU: Wild strawberries, when in season.
With the competing demands of special-event cakes, dining-room desserts and the Fairmont’s luxe holiday buffet spreads (usually with more than a dozen desserts), Blom is a pastry master by necessity. Named one of the best pastry chefs in America by Chocolatier magazine, he’s been the executive pastry chef at Sonoma Mission Inn for 12 years. His favorite dishes include green tea crème brûlée cake with vanilla-poached rhubarb, and a salted caramel mousse Napoleon.
Having grown up in a family of bakers, frosting is in his blood, yet he continues to push the boundaries of pastry-making, whether by ingredient or technique.
“Buffet desserts, plated desserts, wedding cakes, special-occasion cakes, bread baking, chocolate work, sugar work, molecular gastronomy, confectionery … you need to be adept at all aspects of the pastry profession in a resort setting,” Blom said.
CAN’T TAKE OFF THE MENU: Liquid nitrogen tableside ice cream.
Fimbrez is a confectionery wunderkind. Like the manor’s top toque, Jesse Mallgren, he loves deconstructed dishes that mix whimsy, texture, temperature and flavors in surprising ways.
Unfettered by creating a full dessert menu (his sweets are showcased in the tasting menu), Fimbrez isn’t shackled to brownie sundaes and lava cakes. Instead, his signature is “Peas and a Pod,” a strawberry tart with a pulled-sugar pea pod filled with lemon ganache “peas” rolled in pea powder.
Manny Fimbrez’s “Peas and a Pod”: a strawberry tart with a pulled-sugar pea pod filled with lemon ganache “peas” rolled in pea powder.
This kind of science-based culinary play also includes his take on the traditional sour cream cheesecake, with his own version of Dippin’ Dots (tiny beads of ice cream frozen with liquid nitrogen). The hardest thing about being a pastry chef, Fimbrez said, is trying to do justice to the amazing farming community.
Handmade candies by Manny Fimbrez.
“Everyone knows the Lao (Saetern) strawberry stand in Sebastopol has the best strawberries and knows what they taste like, so you always want to showcase his product,” he said.
With more than a decade on the job at one of Santa Rosa’s favorite dining destinations, Stone knows the four things people really want to see on a dessert menu: something chocolate, something lemon, something comforting and something with ice cream or custard. It’s a pretty simple formula, but Stone has fairy-godmother talent for turning a dish such as chocolate mousse into a fantastical dome of devil’s food cake with vanilla bean-infused syrup, chocolate pearls, bittersweet chocolate mousse and a chocolate glaze.
Casey Stone is known for his gorgeous cheesecakes, including this raspberry version.
“There are a lot of components to it that you have to have ready before you can assemble them, but it’s super rich and I love it,” said Stone, who is responsible not only for desserts for the restaurant, but also the hotel, event center and catering.
His signature cheesecake gets its golden slippers from Meyer lemons, huckleberries and tangerine sorbet.
He gets his inspiration from local ingredients and produce grown on the property. As for his talent for kneading bread dough? “I like the feel of it and I do it pretty well,” he said.
CAN’T TAKE OFF THE MENU: Chocolate peanut butter bar.
The new kid on the block, Kaufman claims she got the job at Charlie Palmer’s Healdsburg restaurant because the other candidate didn’t show up. That, and the fact that the restaurant’s longtime pastry chef, Andrew Di Clementi, was willing to give the recent Santa Rosa Junior College culinary graduate a shot.
Lisa Kaufman’s Strawberry Pain Perdu.
“He saw something in me,” Kaufman said. She was also eager to learn from Di Clementi (now at Palmer’s Harvest Table in St. Helena), Palmer and pastry mentors at his Aureole restaurants in New York and Las Vegas.
Lisa Kaufman’s crème brûlée cheesecake with compressed kiwi and oranges.
Her favorite dessert on the Dry Creek Kitchen menu: crème brûlée cheesecake with compressed kiwi and oranges. The dessert that still eludes her: baked Alaska, a show-stopping dome of cake and ice cream topped with meringue and briefly cooked in an oven.
Noll’s pre-chef experiences in mechanical engineering and art gave him a foundation for precision baking and creating beautiful dishes.
The owner of a vintage Porsche 912 with the license plate PASTREE, he’s a kitchen veteran with old-school mentors including Joyce Goldstein and John Ash, and current Barndiva chef Ryan Fancher. His personal style is mixing familiar flavors with modern presentations, such as with his butterscotch pudding with a piping of Scotch whisky.
Scott Noll’s “Milk & Honey”: honey-pickled poached pear against honey tea cake near dehydrated “crunchy” milk with honey ice cream sitting on bee pollen.
One of Noll’s favorites is Milk & Honey, which he calls a “multicomponent surprise package” of dehydrated “crunchy” milk with honey ice cream and honey tea cake, along with a honey-pickled poached pear. A bit of bee pollen under the ice cream completes the concept.
231 Center St., Healdsburg, 707-431-0100, barndiva.com
It used to be that if you wanted a wee dram of whiskey in Sonoma, you’d drink one from a far-flung, romantically removed place such as Scotland or Ireland, or a domestic Kentucky bourbon or Tennessee sippin’ whiskey. But, as a new generation of spirited folks has met the challenge, you can now add Sonoma to the list of world-class distillers of whiskey.
“Sonoma is a perfect spot for making whiskey,” said Adam Spiegel of Sonoma County Distilling in Rohnert Park. “We are in an area known for great food, wine and beer. We are also coastal and that allows for a damn-near-perfect barrel-aging environment, as it’s hot during the day, drops to a nice cool temperature at night, and with very low humidity. It helps produce great wine and also helps us make great whiskey.
“We have access to Lake Sonoma water and Cobb Mountain spring water,” he added. “Nowadays, we are using many California-grown, organic grains and the sky’s the limit on the effect they will have on our already-top-tier product. We get a sense of place from where the barrels live, where the mashes are made, and the water we use.”
In its simplest form, whiskey involves mashing (steeping) some type of grain and fermenting it into beer, according to Dave Broom, author of “The World Atlas of Whisky.” The beer is distilled and then aged in barrels.
Broom adds, however, that the variations on these simple principles of whiskey-making have never been greater, with distillers around the globe questioning why they should conform to what has been handed down.
This means a world of experimentation is going on right now, with whiskeys being made not only from rye, corn, barley or wheat, but also oats, spelt and quinoa. Barleys are being toasted at different levels to produce different flavors. Malts are being smoked not only over peat, but perhaps also nettles or sheep manure. In the process of fermentation, ale and wine yeasts might be in play.
Fred and Amy Groth at Prohibition Spirits distillery in Sonoma, which is also home to HelloCello Limoncello di Sonoma. (Photo by Alvin Jornada)
Though Scotland dominates the whiskey world with its single malts, rye whiskey was once America’s favorite. But Prohibition changed its fortunes as people discovered bourbon, which, sweeter and stronger, gave them more illicit bang for their buck. Today, we like it all and the distilleries we highlight here are, in many instances, making a range of whiskeys.
Alley 6 Craft Distillery
A husband-and-wife-run outfit opened in 2012 in Healdsburg, Alley 6 is devoted to making rye whiskey in small batches from an alembic copper pot. They mill the grain, mash, distill, barrel and bottle, all on-site. A visit to the distillery is worth it to see the distillery mural alone, and tastings and tours are also possible ($10).
1401 Grove St., Healdsburg, 707-484-3593, alley6.com
Prohibition Spirits
Amy and Fred Groth, the same folks who make HelloCello Limoncello, focus on bourbon, rye and sour mash whiskey at Prohibition Spirits, as well as a house whiskey made from 100 percent corn and bottled unaged. They incorporate their location in Wine Country by finishing their Hooker’s House Rye in Zinfandel barrels and Hooker’s House Bourbon in Pinot Noir barrels. Visits to the distillery and tasting bar can be booked online.
Twins and Sonoma County natives Brandon and Chris Matthies — policeman and firefighter, respectively — make small batches of bourbon (plus gin and vodka) from GMO-free corn, wheat and malted barley, aging the spirit in new American oak barrels. The taste of their bourbon is pure cherry-vanilla, ideal for sipping and also popular with local bartenders for cocktails.
Adam Spiegel is the one-man show behind Sonoma County Distilling, founded in 2010, where he makes a range of popular products. The first is Sonoma Rye Whiskey, which he produces from 100 percent rye mash, distilling in direct-fire alembic stills. The rye is then aged in charred new American oak and finished in wood to bring out flavors of vanilla and white pepper. Spiegel’s 2nd Chance Wheat Whiskey is a blend of unmalted California wheat and malted rye, twice directfire distilled, with the aim of producing a smoothly textured taste experience. Lastly, he makes a limited amount every year of West of Kentucky Bourbon. The tasting room is open for walk-ins Wednesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and by appointment Saturday and Sunday.
A grain-to-glass operation within Sebastopol’s The Barlow, run by husband-and-wife team Timo and Ashby Marshall, Spirit Works does everything in-house, from milling the grain to creating the mash to distilling its gin, vodka and sloe gin on-site and aging some of the gin in barrels. It began releasing the first of its whiskeys this year, a Straight Rye Whiskey and
Straight Wheat Whiskey. The wheat is grown in the Sacramento Valley and the whiskey given two years in charred, new American white oak barrels, while the rye is similarly aged. The tasting room is open Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a charge of $18 for six tastes. Or book online for a distillery tour, Friday through Sunday, at 4 p.m., concluding with a tasting ($20).
Moylan’s Brewing in Novato is behind Stillwater Spirits in Petaluma and produces an American Rye Whisky aged four years in new American white oak barrels. The majority of the blend is rye, with a bit of barley. Stillwater also offers a Bourbon Cask Strength Whisky, an 86-proof Single-Malt Whisky made from 100 percent malt and aged in bourbon and beer barrels, and a Cask Strength Single-Malt Whisky from 100 percent malt that lands at 117 proof. As if that weren’t enough, Moylan’s also makes a Double-Barrel Cask Strength Single-Malt Whisky by distilling cherry wood-smoked barley and wheat, then aging it for eight years in oak bourbon and beer barrels.
At 86 proof, this is a nice sipping rye with elements of honey, oak, vanilla and spicy caramel. But it also works in cocktails. Owner Krystle Jorgensen recommends it in an Alley 6 Old Fashioned. Muddle orange zest, 1 teaspoon of sugar in the raw, and three splashes of Angostura Bitters. Add 2 ounces of Alley 6 Rye, add ice and stir. Finish with a burnt orange peel and zest of lemon.
Prohibition Spirits Hooker’s House Bourbon, $45
Finished in barrels previously used to age Pinot Noir, this bourbon was made in a small batch at 100 proof. It’s smooth and velvety, with a smoky vanillin note in the aroma and finish.
Sonoma County Distilling Sonoma Rye Whiskey, $65
Distilled with Lake Sonoma water and aged in new charred American oak barrels, this rye is a mix of allspice and white pepper wrapped in sweeter, smoother layers of maple and vanilla. It’ll make a great Manhattan.
Spirits Works Straight Wheat Whiskey, $70
Notable characteristics of this whiskey include tobacco and butterscotch, with softer nuances of walnut, stone fruit, tea and caramelized sugar. This is one to enjoy in cocktails such as the distillery’s Nutty Professor, a mix of the whiskey, lemon juice, walnut liqueur, simple syrup and an optional whisk of egg white.
At 116.2 proof, this is a sipping spirit for certain, with sweet, smoky, spicy richness that purrs on the palate. Wilibees Wine & Spirits in Petaluma and Santa Rosa can barely keep this in stock. If you can’t find it, try Moylan’s American Single-Malt Whisky ($50), at 86 proof and more widely available.
Sometimes you want to uncork a left-of-center wine, something a bit obscure. When you’re in an exotic frame of mind, mainstream varietals just won’t do.
Here are five intriguing wines that are decidedly left of center, most under $20:
Mathis, 2012 Sonoma Valley Grenache, 14.6%, $27. This grenache is weighted to blackberry and plum. Notes of strawberry, black cherry and black pepper spice. Bright acidity. Crisp finish.
McManis, 2015 River Junction California Viognier, 13.5%, $13. This is a tasty viognier with some gorgeous fruit behind it — apricot, peach and nectarine. It all rides on bright acidity. Lingering finish. Lovely.
Enotria, 2012 Mendocino County Barbera, 14.8%, $19. This tasty barbera is weighted to black fruit, although it has a streak of red currant running through it. The red wine, with jammy fruit, has notes of smoke and toasty oak. But the barbera is kept in check with its crisp acidity. It’s a knockout, Graziano at his best.
Cycles Gladiator, 2014 Central Coast Petite Sirah, 15%, $11. A hefty petite sirah with boisterous fruit and spice. Aromas and flavors of blueberry, plum, toasty oak and cracked black pepper. This is a feisty petite sirah, with plenty of pepper to give it kick.
Kaiken, 2015 Salta Argentina Torrontes, 13.5%, $12. This lovely white has notes of tropical fruit, mineral and a hint of peach. A steal for the price.
Looking for a spooky good time this week? We’ve scared up some fun events for you to enjoy. This weekend, take the family to the Bay Area Science Festival’s North Bay Discovery Day at the fairgrounds, watch a procession of giant puppets in the Day of the Dead Parade, enjoy some 21-plus fun at the Halloween LGBTQI dance – and more!
FRIDAY, Oct. 28
Petaluma International Film Festival: In its 8th year, this annual festival will feature 40 films from 18 countries, shown over 3 days at the Petaluma Boulevard Cinemas. Tickets are $12 for individual films, $60 for a day pass and $180 for a festival pass to see all screenings. Find out all the details at www.petalumafilmfestival.org. (Oct. 28-30)
Lyla Runkel, 7, carves a pumpkin during the Pumpkins on Pikes event at Tara Firma Farms in Petaluma. (Photo by Beth Schlanker)
SATURDAY, Oct. 29
Green is Easy Expo: This Saturday and Sunday, learn new ways to be kind to environment with this planet-friendly expo at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. The event will feature vendors and activities that encourage practices that benefit the earth. Admission is free from 10 a.m. to noon each day, and $10 after. Find out more at www.thenewworldexpo.com. (Oct. 29-30)
Sonoma County Farm Trails: Fall Feast Fundraiser, Dinner and Auction, featuring the 4-H Heritage Turkey Auction
Tresch Barn at Olympia’s Valley Estate in Petaluma. The event takes place this Saturday, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tickets start at $150. www.farmtrails.org
North Bay Discovery Day: This Saturday, take part in the annual festival of science and technology at the Bay Area Science Festival taking place at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. The event takes place 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and will feature 90 hands-on science exhibits, games, experiments and shows. Admission is free. Find out more at www.bayareascience.org.
Halloween LGBTQI & Friends Dance: Scare up some fun for an evening of dancing, costume contests, appetizers and wine at the Sebastopol Senior Center. Come in costume. Admission is $10 at the door for 21-plus. Find our more at sebastopolseniorcenter.org.
Sebastopol Halloween Party: Starting at 7:30 p.m., dance the night away to Frobeck and Mr. Music & Love Choir at the Sebastopol Community Cultural Center. Come in costume. Admission is $12-$15. Purchase tickets at seb.org.
Midnight of the Day Mad Monster Party: Kids 5 and older are invited to Sebastopol Regional Library for pumpkin decorating, costume fun and more, noon to 2 p.m. Find out more at sonomalibrary.org.
Dressed as a witch for a Halloween bash at Howarth Park in Santa Rosa, 3-year-old Bella Pena enjoys her ride on a Pony Express horse. (Photo by Kent Porter)
Halloween at Howarth Park: Come in costume for an afternoon of trick-or-treating around the park. Families are invited to register for a time slot, and then travel through the park to treat stations hosted by local businesses and organizations. Admission is $5 for a basic pass, and $12 to include additional park fun. Register at pd2go.net/HalloweenAtHowarth.
Pumpkins on Pikes: This annual event at Tara Firma Farms has become a beloved tradition for Sonoma County families. Carve a pumpkin, then display it on a pike in the corn field. When the sun goes down, watch the magical glow while enjoying delicious food, music and more. Admission is $15-$20, and kids 6 and under are free. Purchase tickets at tarafirmafarms.com.
Dogtoberfest: Why should humans have all the fun? Dogs and their people are invited to Topel Winery in Healdsburg for a day all about them, with a costume contest, a pet psychic, pet portraits and more. Information at facebook.com/topelwinery.
Candlelight Procession with Giant Puppets: Watch as giant puppets make their way through Petaluma, starting at the Water Street Bistro and ending at the Petaluma Museum. Along with the parade, the event will include Aztec dancers, live music, food and art vendors, altars and more. More information at petalumamuseum.com.
Apple Blossom Halloween Carnival: Wear your costume to Apple Blossom Elementary School’s Halloween Carnvial for an afternoon of carnival games, face painting, a pumpkin carving contest and more, plus the 5th grade hosted haunted house. This free event is 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Apple Blossom Elementary School, 700 Watertrough Rd. Sebastopol. Proceeds benefit the Twin Hills Apple Blossom Education Foundation.
Francis Ford Coppola Winery in Geyserville opens its doors for a halloween carnival, Sunday Oct. 30. (Photo by Kent Porter)
SUNDAY, Oct. 30
Halloween Carnival at Coppola: From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., enjoy a day of games, crafts and costume fun at Francis Ford Coppola Winery. Tickets are available for purchase until Oct. 17. Admission is $12 per child, 14 and under. Purchase tickets at francisfordcoppolawinery.com.
Through Nov. 13 Live performance of Rocky Horror Picture Show: The 6th Street players present a live-action performance of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Every line and song is true to the original for this Santa Rosa tradition. Performances are Thursdays through Sunday. Admission is $10-$26. Purchase tickets at 6thstreetplayhouse.com.
More Upcoming Events…
Friday, Oct. 28
Ice-T: ‘Overcoming the Impossible’ lecture with the gangster rapper, 7:30 p.m., Weill Hall, Green Music Center, Rohnert Park. $40. (866) 955-6040, gmc.sonoma.edu.
HopMonk Cirque du Sebastopol: Vintage circus acts, live music and entertainment, 8:45 tonight and 9 p.m. Saturday, HopMonk Tavern, Sebastopol. $15-$35. 829-7300, hopmonk-sebastopol.ticketfly.com.
‘Zombie Town’: Mockumentary play presented by YAS Teen Ensemble, 7 tonight, 1 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Raven Performing Arts Theater, Healdsburg. $10-$15. 433-6335, raventheater.org.
Saturday, Oct. 29
‘Bouquets to the Dead’: Artistic displays honoring late ancestors, dawn to dusk, Saturday and Sunday, Sonoma Mountain Cemetery. Free. facebook.com/bouquetstothedead.
Sunday, Oct. 30
Zak Hussein Niladri Kuma: World musicians on the tabla and sitar, 3 p.m. Sunday, Weill Hall, Green Music Center, Rohnert Park. $35-$85. (866) 955-6040, gmc.sonoma.edu.
Will Durst: ‘Elect to Laugh’ standup comedy and theater show poking fun at the presidential election, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Cinnabar Theater, Petaluma. $25-$30. 763-8920, cinnabartheater.org.
Monday, Oct. 31
Trick-or-Treat Trail: Goodies for costumed kids under 12 from 60 downtown Petaluma merchants, 3-5:30 p.m. Monday. Free. 762-9348, petalumadowntown.com.
‘Phantoms and Fugues’: ‘It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown’ movie, organ music, treats. Costumes encouraged. 6:30 p.m. Monday, Schroeder Hall, Green Music Center, Rohnert Park. $8. (866) 955-6040, gmc.sonoma.edu.
Tuesday, Nov. 1
Dia de los Muertos: Decorative altar honoring late Sonoma Valley citizens, reception 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Sonoma Community Center. Costumes encouraged. Free. 938-4626, ext. 1, sonomacommunitycenter.org.
Wednesday, Nov. 2
Tony Bennett: Beloved longtime recording artist, now 90, with daughter Antonia Bennett opening the show, 8 p.m. Wednesday, Luther Burbank Center, Santa Rosa. $89-$149. 546-3600, lutherburbankcenter.org.
Thursday, Nov. 3
Fall Dance Show: Original Sonoma State University student performances, ‘Heart’ and ‘Soul,’ alternating times, opens 7:30 p.m. Thursday, through Nov. 6, SSU, Rohnert Park. $5-$17. 664-4246, sonoma.edu.
‘Frankenstein’: National Theatre Live’s screened stage production of the classic gothic tale, 1 and 7 p.m. Thursday, Rialto Cinemas, Sebastopol. $18-$25. 829-3456, rialtocinemas.com.
Jack London Classic Film Fest: Three-day festival opens with ‘The Call of the Wild,’ 5 p.m. Thursday, Sonoma Community Center. $25. 938-4626, ext. 1, sonomacommunitycenter.org.
Friday, Nov. 4
The Sam Chase plus The Crux: Rock and folk, New Orleans brass to jazz, 9 p.m. Nov. 4, Mystic Theatre, Petaluma. $17. 765-2121, mystictheatre.com.
Sonoma State High School Choral Festival: Angel Vázquez-Ramos, adjudicator, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 4, Schroeder Hall, Green Music Center, Rohnert Park. Free, $5 parking. 664-2324, sonoma.edu.
Fly by Train: Rocking folk Americana band, two sets, 8 p.m. Nov. 4, Twin Oaks Roadhouse, Penngrove. Free. 795-5118, twinoaksroadhouse.com.
One Grass Two Grass: California string band music, 9 p.m. Nov. 4, HopMonk Tavern, Sebastopol. $13. 829-7300, hopmonk-sebastopol.ticketfly.com.
Saturday, Nov. 5
Wine & Food Affair: Wine tasting and food pairing, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 5-6 at various wineries along northern Sonoma County Wine Road. $30-$80. wineroad.com.
Botanical artist demonstrations: Artists of various mediums demonstrate their work, 1-4 p.m. Nov. 5, Petaluma Arts Center. Free. 762-5600, petalumaartscenter.org.
‘Whose Live Anyway?’: Improv comedy scenes and songs with Ryan Stiles and crew, 8 p.m. Nov. 5, Luther Burbank Center, Santa Rosa. $39-$59. 546-3600, lutherburbankcenter.org.
Noche de los Muertos: Windsor Bloco dancers and drummers, food, music, Calavera-style face painting, costumes encouraged, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Nov. 5, Wndsor Town Green. Free. windsor-bloco.org.
Sunday, Nov. 6
The Ocean: Heavy metal show with synchronized lights, 7 p.m. Nov. 6, Phoenix Theater, Petluma. $14-$16. 762-3565, thephoenixtheater.com.
Agent Orange: Punk rock band, first one mixing punk with surf music, 8:30 p.m. Nov. 6, Mystic Theatre, Petaluma. $17. 765-2121, mystictheatre.com.
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