Strawberry galettes from baker Lee Magner of Sonoma Mountain Breads, available on Sundays at Valley Swim Club in Sonoma. (Lee Magner / Sonoma Mountain Breads)
You might expect pastries this incredible to be served at a fancy restaurant in the city. But in Sonoma, such treasures can be found each Saturday at an indie-minded farmstand along a winding two-lane mountain road.
Baker Lee Magner of Sonoma Mountain Breads got his start selling sourdough to his neighbors and recently launched a second retail setup on Sundays at Sonoma’s Valley Swim Club. For these pretty spring galettes, Magner macerates Stony Point strawberries in brown sugar, then lays them on a bed of almond cream in a rustic whole-grain dough. A final sprinkling of turbinado sugar brings extra crunch.
Strawberry galettes from baker Lee Magner of Sonoma Mountain Breads, available on Sundays at Valley Swim Club in Sonoma. (Lee Magner / Sonoma Mountain Breads)
“This project has been such a great way to be catapulted into the beauty of what Sonoma County has to offer,” says Magner, who this spring will also be baking pistachio-praline French pastries and savory miso-roasted spring-onion bear claws — “like elevated sour cream and onion potato chips,” Magner says.
At Valley Swim Club, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sundays. 18709 Arnold Drive, Sonoma. For info on the Saturday farmstand, sign up at sonomamountainbreads.com.
Produce at Tenfold Farmstand in Petaluma. (Tenfold Farmstand)
Nothing beats meeting your farmer at their place of business. At a roadside farmstand or on a local farm tour, you can learn about soil health, paint with watercolors, or maybe even feed the goats. Here’s our ultimate guide to where to head and what to seek out this spring.
Tomato Central
Farmer Lazaro Calderon has been growing on the 6-acre downtown Sonoma plot known as The Patch for 25 years — it’s a must-visit for summer’s heirloom tomatoes. 250 Second St., Sonoma. 707-849-7384, instagram.com/thepatch_sonoma
Demonstration Farm
Veronda-Falletti Ranch an urban demonstration farm owned by the City of Cotati, is launching a new vegetable garden this year, with lots of opportunities for the community to participate — from volunteer days to composting classes to sheep-shearing demonstrations and a farm education program for the under-12 set. The farm produces fresh eggs, blackberries, figs and pears. 175 West Sierra Ave., Cotati. 707-6645347, sandyloam.org
Guests visit the Dry Creek Peach and Produce farmstand and chat with owner Gayle Sullivan west of Healdsburg, Friday, Sept. 15, 2023. The farmstand is located on the Sullivans’ property. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)Dry Creek Peach and Produce owner Gayle Sullivan puts peaches on display on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, west of Healdsburg. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
World-Famous Peaches
Tuck this one away for summer: the organic peaches atDry Creek Peach & Produce outside Healdsburg are the best around. It’s worth the trip to buy straight from the farm, which opens Wednesdays at noon and often sells out.2179 Yoakim Bridge Road, Healdsburg. drycreekpeach.com
A Legendary U-Pick
Front Porch Farm
This organic produce and flower farm is nestled along the Russian River, just 10 minutes from downtown Healdsburg. Founded in 2010 by Peter and Mimi Buckley, the 110-acre farm emerged from the couple’s desire to leave the corporate world and embrace meaningful, hands-on work.
“Using your energy to grow food and flowers is engaging at every level,” Peter says. “Science, community, beauty and wonder are all at play… In the time of AI, the mysteries of soil biology and plant physiology remain [yet] to be fully understood.”
At Front Porch Farm in Healdsburg. (Eileen Roche)
With conservation and ecological stewardship at its core, Front Porch grows a diverse range of vegetables, heritage grains, fruit trees, wine grapes and more than 60 varieties of specialty cut flowers. (SingleThread in Healdsburg and Catelli’s in Geyserville both feature floral designs from Front Porch Farm.)
Front Porch sells its produce and flowers at local farmers markets and hosts U-pick events on select open house days on the farm in summer and early fall. U-pick participants can go into the field to select their own flowers, blackberries, tomatoes, fairytale eggplants and other organic favorites. This year, the farm is adding a series of hands-on floral design workshops. 2550 Rio Lindo Ave., Healdsburg. 707-433-8683, fpfarm.com
Nourishing Communities of Color
EARTHseed Farm
Pandora Thomas, founder of EARTHseed Farm in Sebastopol, on Saturday, July 24, 2021. (Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)
Pandora Thomas founded EARTHseed, California’s first Afro-Indigenous permaculture farm, in 2021 with a vision to create a place where people of color can reclaim their relationship to the land. The 14-acre farm and orchard honors African ancestral agricultural traditions and the African principle of sankofa — understanding the past in order to move forward. With a deep connection to nature and a focus on community nourishment and education, the organic, solar-powered farm cultivates thousands of fruit trees, along with raspberries and blackberries.
From June to November, the farm is open certain days for U-pick and farm tours. The farm store has seasonal fruits, handmade herbal products, fragrant bundles of sage and lavender, and African baskets. Retreats, group tours and the BlakCamp farmstay experience offer opportunities for engagement and education, prioritizing people of African descent and other communities of color. 3175 Sullivan Road, Sebastopol. 707-829-0617, earthseedfarm.org
Grow Your Own
Miranda Forni harvests Brandywine tomatoes at Forni Farm and Nursery in Santa Rosa, Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)Brandywine and Pineapple tomatoes at Forni Farm and Nursery in Santa Rosa, Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
Miranda Forni is the fifth generation in her family to farm. Her parents ran a legendary nursery in Calistoga (food critic Mimi Sheraton called her parents’ Great Syrian tomato one of the foundational tastes of her career), and now Forni’s own two daughters help out at her 3-acre business. Forni Farm and Nursery is a destination for healthy, strong veggie starts, spread out on wide tables in the shade of a heritage oak. Forni also runs a gardening camp for kids in summer and a pumpkin patch in fall. Opens for the season March 27. 4000 Barnes Road, Santa Rosa. 707-595-5404, fornifarm.com
Chicken Headquarters
If you have chickens, you may already know about the wonderland that is Sebastopol’s Alchemist Farm, where Franchesca Duval and her family raise rare breeds with love and care. Chicks are available February-September, including Olive Eggers, speckled-egg Welsummers and the farm’s own Alchemist Blues. Duval teaches online classes and hosts a live chat about chicken keeping. The farm isn’t open to visitors to protect the health of the flock, but preorders of baby chicks can be picked up from the farmstand. alchemistfarm.com
Sebastopol’s Alchemist Farm and Garden specializes in laying hens that produce a variety of colored eggs. (The Press Democrat, file)Locally raised produce from Penngrove’s Deep Roots Farm. (Deep Roots Farm)
Lessons in Ag
As a 10-year-old, Christopher Herrera of Deep Roots Farm in Penngrove sold veggies after school in front of his house; now he’s feeding an entire community and engaging the public in the lessons of regenerative agriculture. There’s an honor farmstand plus u-pick days and farm dinners in the field. Last summer, they even hosted a pig roast. 7000 Petaluma Hill Road, Penngrove. sonomafarmfresh.com
From Sheep to Shawl
Windrush Farm
Mimi Luebbermann was looking for a quiet, peaceful place to retreat and write books about gardening when she happened upon an idyllic 25-acre property among the green pastures of rural Chileno Valley. She’d grown up with sheep, and she knew how to knit and spin wool. So, the author reasoned, why not start a sheep farm?
Luebbermann founded Windrush Farm in 1995. With help from her son Arann Harris, she has expanded the operation into an educational hub for children and adults to learn about farm life and fiber arts.
Spring’s rolling green hills at Windrush Farm in Petaluma, where guests can experience farm life and explore fiber arts. (Paige Green / Courtesy Windrush Farm)Guests can explore fiber arts at Windrush Farm in Petaluma. (Paige Green / Courtesy Windrush Farm)
Windrush offers a variety of fiber classes using wool from the farm’s own sheep. Workshops take place in a charming barn-turned-classroom, covering everything from shearing to spinning to dyeing. For the Fleece to Garment series, participants create their own clothing items from scratch and then present them in the farm’s annual spring fashion show.
One year, Luebbermann recalls, a woman even attempted to knit her own wedding dress. “It’s a gala event,” she says. “Everybody brings friends and family, and past students come. It’s a great celebration.” Non-crafty types can book group farm tours to learn about wool production and meet the resident sheep, goats, alpacas, llamas, pigs and chickens. 2263 Chileno Valley Road, Petaluma. windrushfarm.wordpress.com
At Flatbed Farm in Glen Ellen. (Eileen Roche/For Sonoma Magazine)A variety of pickled vegetables for sale at Flatbed Farm near Glen Ellen on Tuesday, July 27, 2021. (Christopher Chung/ The Press Democrat)
Stock the Pantry
Known for their pantry items — pickles, jam, shrubs and syrups — plus fresh flowers, produce and veggie starts, Glen Ellen’s Flatbed Farm also hosts yoga classes and art and wellness retreats. 13450 Highway 12, Glen Ellen. flatbedfarm.com
Giving Back
Created to combat food insecurity in the community, Petaluma Bounty Farm grows vegetables, fruits and flowers on a 3-acre ranch just north of town. The farmstand, open Thursdays from May to December, sells produce and blooms on a sliding scale, and discounts are available to those in need. The nonprofit farm is open to the public for volunteering, field trips, educational programs, gardening events, plant sales and more. 55 Shasta Ave., Petaluma. 707-765-8488, petalumabounty.org
A strawberry at Petaluma Bounty Farm on Shasta Avenue. (Crissy Pascual / Petaluma Argus-Courier)Lavender at Bees N Blooms in Santa Rosa. (Sierra Downey/Sonoma County Tourism)
Lavender Days
Santa Rosa’s Bees N Blooms is probably best known for its lavender maze, at its height mid-May to mid-July. But this 11-acre garden and farmstand also has a strong educational mission, with classes in healthy soils, beekeeping, and building pollinator habitat. 3883 Petaluma Hill Road, Santa Rosa. 707-293-8293, beesnblooms.com
Spiritual Connection
Starcross Family Confraternity Farm
Set on 92 acres in the coastal hills of Annapolis, this organic farm is part of the Starcross Monastic Community. The serene setting is also home to fruit orchards and two expansive olive groves.
Starcross formed in the 1970s when Toby McCarroll, Marti Aggeler, and Julie DeRossi took monastic vows and moved from San Francisco to rural Sonoma County. There, they created a sanctuary for spiritual reflection and sustainable farming while raising foster children.
The community’s focus eventually shifted away from fostering, and now, Starcross supports itself by producing and selling Sister Julie’s Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil and operating a food pantry.
Olive leaf tea, olive oil and blackberry jam at Starcross Family Confraternity Farm in Annapolis. (Courtesy Starcross)
“Farming and caring for our land are constant reminders of how we are all interconnected,” says Starcross operations manager Allison Lovell. “It allows us to live in harmony with the rhythms of the seasons.”
Along with cold-pressed olive oil, the Starcross honor-system farmstand — open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. — sells jams, plum syrup, pickles, dried herbs, and lavender-infused body products. Starcross also hosts weekly meditation circles and invites visitors to explore the grounds on self-guided tours. 34500 Annapolis Road, Annapolis. 707-886-1919, starcross.org
Multigenerational Gem
Oak Hill Farm
Otto and Anne Teller — passionate land conservationists and early adopters of organic agriculture — founded Oak Hill Farm in 1978. Spanning 700 acres in Glen Ellen, the farm now rests in the capable hands of Anne’s daughters Arden and Kate Bucklin, along with granddaughter Melissa Bucklin-Good and her husband Jimi Good.
The garlic haul at Oak Hill Farm in Glen Ellen. (Oak Hill Farm)
“Farming is a long-term investment of labor and money, and the rewards are often in the form of stability, satisfaction, and sustainability, rather than financial,” says Bucklin-Good. “As the benefactor of the investments of previous generations, my husband and I are incredibly grateful to have been able to hit the ground running rather than starting from scratch.”
The family’s Red Barn Store, set in a rustic century-old barn among rolling vegetable and flower fields, offers an array of sustainably grown fruits, heirloom vegetables and flower bouquets — all picked daily — plus handmade wreaths and organic nut butters.
The store is open Wednesdays and Saturdays April through December, and on the first Saturday of those months, Oak Hill offers free, family-friendly guided farm tours, focusing on a different topic each season, from cover crops to farm machinery to local bird populations. 15101 Highway 12, Glen Ellen. 707-996-6643, oakhillfarm.net
Green Mbombo beans from Africa at Four Oak Farm in Santa Rosa. (Four Oak Farm)
Beans from Africa
While not exactly a farmstand, Dan Woloz of Four Oak Farm in Santa Rosa has built a thriving business selling unusual seeds and starts — green Mbombo beans from Africa, harlequin potatoes, crosnes, red sunchokes — online via his Etsy site (etsy.com/shop/FourOak) and at the weekly Sebastopol farmers market. “I’m a collector at heart,” says Woloz. “It’s very interesting to see what nature can produce.” fouroakfarm.com
Art Sundays
Covering 5 acres of the original Barlow orchards in Sebastopol, Emmanuel Farmstead grows apples plums, cherries, peaches, pomegranates, and almonds. Visitors can meet the farm’s friendly mini-horses and try an Art Sunday crafting session, sound bathing and a guided meditation. 1406 Barlow Lane, Sebastopol. 925-683-5454, emmanuelfarmstead.com
Easter Eggs
Petaluma’s Farm Barn is a tiny, rural farmstand operated on the honor system, with duck and chicken eggs, honey, jam and crafts. Owner Debra Shaw has lived on the farm all her life, as has her father, now in his 80s. On April 13, Shaw will host an Easter egg hunt in the fields with hand-dyed eggs, arts and crafts, and visits with the animals. 2910 Pepper Road, Petaluma. 707-318-7495, facebook.com/tworockeggs
On April 13, Farm Barn in Petaluma will host an Easter egg hunt in the fields featuring arts and crafts like hand-dyed eggs. (AlessandraRC / Shutterstock)Gold Ridge Organic Farms owner Brooke Hazen focuses on antique heirloom apples on the Sebastopol property. Photo taken Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Apple Blossoms
Farmer Brooke Hazen’s Gold Ridge Organic Farms has 16 acres of heritage apples (over 75 varieties) and a 70-acre olive orchard. The farm store carries fruit, olive oil, vinegar, and an apple cider syrup that’s delicious on pancakes and vanilla ice cream. April 26 and 27 is Apple Blossom Festival weekend — a wonder of spring sights and sounds. 3387 Canfield Road, Sebastopol. 707-823-3110, goldridgeorganicfarms.com
Schoolhouse to Farm
Tenfold Farmstand is the only farmstand we know of located in a landmark historic schoolhouse — a must-visit in rural Petaluma. Owner Catherine Clark has created a welcoming hub for local farmers and artists, including Instagram-famous baker Mary Denham of Blooms End at Neighboring Fields. Check the website and bring your little ones for art classes, music or story hour inside the schoolhouse. 5300 Red Hill Road, Petaluma. tenfoldfarmstand.com
The 1895 Union Elementary School in rural Petaluma is now a seasonal farmstand and community gathering spot, spearheaded by Tenfold Farmstand owner Catherine Clark. (Tenfold Farmstand)Blooms End at Neighboring Fields, a bakery popup at Tenfold Farmstand in Petaluma. (Tenfold Farmstand)
One-Stop Farm Shop
Rusty Hinges Ranch
This farm just outside downtown Petaluma is on a mission to make it easier for people to access local, regeneratively grown food. Founded in 2018 by Suzanne and Jim Kimbel, Rusty Hinges partners with local farmers and artisan food producers to offer fresh produce, meats, pantry staples, dairy products and other farm-fresh ingredients.
The idea behind Rusty Hinges, says Suzanne Kimbel, is to cultivate a healthier planet and healthier people through the power of real food. “Small farms grow more than food,” she says. “They grow community, connection, and the soul of Sonoma County.”
Rusty Hinges Ranch in Petaluma hosts an open house on the second Saturday of the month. Its farm market is open Tuesdays and Wednesdays. (Rusty Hinges Ranch)Rusty Hinges partners with local farmers and artisan food producers to offer fresh produce, meats, pantry staples, dairy products and other farm-fresh ingredients. (Rusty Hinges Ranch)
Among the ranch’s signature offerings are its weekly Real Meal Bundles, available for pickup or local delivery. Each kit includes seasonal fruits and vegetables, a pastured protein from the ranch or from one of its partner farms, and a recipe for transforming the ingredients into a delicious meal.
On the second Saturday of each month, Rusty Hinges opens to the community for a day of outdoor yoga, clothing swaps, a guest coffee roaster and visits with the farm’s donkeys, chickens, goats and pigs. Families are welcome to picnic and explore. The Rusty Hinges farm market opens on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons each week. 212 Chileno Valley Road, Petaluma. rustyhingesranch.com
Volunteer Movement
Sonoma Garden Park is a community agricultural park with an expanded children’s garden, plus a Saturday farmstand. Drop-in volunteer gardening hours are from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 19996 Seventh St. E., Sonoma. 707-966-0712, sonomaecologycenter.org/sonomagardenpark
Sonoma Garden Park is working farm and education center. Guests sit in the community garden section while visiting Thursday, June 8, 2023. (Chad Surmick / The Press Democrat)Baby goats at Redwood Hill Farm – Capracopia in Sebastopol. (Eileen Roche/for Sonoma Magazine)
Baby Goats
Spring is baby-goat petting season at Redwood Hill Farm/Capracopia in Sebastopol, where visitors can snuggle up to knobby-kneed newborns on a tour that also teaches about regenerative farming and cheesemaking. A small farmstand offers olive oil, goat milk soaps and flowers. 5440 Thomas Road, Sebastopol. redwoodhillfarm.org
Dried Wonders
Tierra Vegetables
Sonoma County farms are sometimes found in delightfully unexpected locations. Just off Airport Boulevard, not far from the freeway and directly adjacent to a suburban neighborhood, Tierra Vegetables grows an incredible variety of heirloom dried beans and corn, produce, fresh and dried chiles, masa, polenta and more.
Brother and sister Wayne and Lee James founded the farm together in 1980, and for over 40 years, they’ve dedicated their lives to cultivating a unique variety of crops while forging close ties with the community. That deep level of connection became a lifeline after the 2017 Tubbs fire, when the farm experienced a series of setbacks, including a broken well pump and irrigation issues that threatened the viability of their business. That’s when a loyal CSA member stepped in to create a GoFundMe campaign, which quickly raised $70,000 to keep Tierra afloat.
Tierra Vegetables owner Wayne, left, and Lee James in their Santa Rosa barn July 21, 2022. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Though the James siblings — now in their 70s — are in the process of trying to purchase their leased farm property so they can find a successor to take over the business, Tierra Vegetables remains a vibrant part of Sonoma County’s farming scene. “I have now fed a couple of generations of families,” Lee says. “It feels good.”
The Tierra Vegetables farmstand, open Thursdays through Saturdays year-round, features seasonal vegetables from asparagus to zucchini, handmade culinary gifts, and the farm’s acclaimed masa and polenta made from heirloom corn.
Visitors can also take a self-guided tour to learn about Tierra’s sustainable farming practices and environmental stewardship. 651 Airport Blvd., Santa Rosa. 707-544-6141, tierravegetables.com
Farmstead Focused
Achadinha Cheese Company
The Pacheco family of Petaluma’s Achadinha Farms, a top farmstead cheese producer. (Sonoma County Tourism)
This family cheesemaking operation (pronounced osh-a-DEENya) is named for the town in Portugal’s Azores islands where co-founder and third-generation dairyman Jim Pacheco’s grandfather milked cows. Pacheco, along with his wife Donna and their four children, milk 100 Jersey cows — known affectionately as “the girls” — and raise Nubian goats, sheep, and other animals on their 230-acre ranch in Petaluma.
Achadinha is known for its farmstead cheeses, including such offerings as feta in sea salt brine, fromage blanc, and broncha, a cow milk cheese ripened on cypress planks. The diets of the family’s pasture-raised cows, which include nutritious brewers’ grain and yeast from local beer producers, impart subtle differences to the cheeses from season to season, depending on what the cows are eating.
Achadinha Cheese Company’s family farmstead in Petaluma is home to hundreds of goats and dairy cows. (Achadinha Cheese Company)
“If the girls aren’t healthy, they’re not going to produce a healthy product for us,” says Donna Pacheco, adding that the cows consume very little corn. “If they can digest the food they’re eating, we can digest the cheeses they’re producing.”
Book a farm tour to meet Achadinha’s divine bovines and learn more about the family’s cheesemaking process — yes, there is plenty of sampling involved — or sign up for a hands-on class to get a deeper dive into farmstead cheesemaking. 750 Chileno Valley Road, Petaluma. 707-763-1025, achadinha.com
Michelin Dreams
The folks at the Michelin Guide don’t exactly give out stars for farmstands, but what if the farmstand supplies a Michelin-starred restaurant? That’s the case at SingleThread Farm Store in Dry Creek Valley, from renowned chef/farmers Kyle and Katina Connaughton. 2836 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg. singlethreadfarms.com/farm
Chef/farmer Katina Connaughton at SingleThread Farm in Healdsburg. (John Troxell/Sonoma County Tourism)Produce and flowers at Suncatcher Farm in Petaluma. (Patrick Krier/Suncatcher Farm)
The Veggie Shack
Patrick Krier of Petaluma’s Suncatcher Farm originally trained as a sound engineer but found his way to farming after a stint at the Berkeley Bowl supermarket. His brightly painted farmstand (complete with Wendell Berry quote on the sign inside) is open weekends starting in April, with salad mix, spinach, new potatoes, medicinal herbs, and seasonal tea blends. He’ll switch to a 7-days-a-week schedule by summer. 4588 Bodega Ave., Petaluma. instagram.com/suncatcher_farm
Olive Oil and a Fire Truck
The colorful fish on the sign for Cloverdale’s Showa Farm is a nod to the owners’ other passion, raising rare Japanese koi. This Alexander Valley farm, open by appointment for tours and picnics, is known for small-batch olive oil and is home to over a hundred goats, sheep, burros, and other critters. Owner Geoff Peters even has a working fire engine for kids to sit on — what an adventure. 26070 River Road, Cloverdale. 301-6757741, showa-farm.com
The Free Farmstand
It’s an idea we’d love to see catch on: Neighbors in a tight-knit rural community in Penngrove bring extra garden bounty to their local Sharing Stand. Chef Laci Sandoval leads the effort, roping in her two young kids to stock the shelves. It’s like a little free library, but for veggies. Try starting one near you.
Putting cheese on bread is no novel concept — people have been uniting the two ingredients as far back as ancient Rome. The method of combining them, however, is another story. One of our favorite ways is the grilled cheese sandwich.
One of the first iterations of a grilled cheese came from, you guessed it, France. The French Croque Monsieur, a griddled ham and cheese sandwich, came about in the early 1900s. It wasn’t until a few decades later that the grilled cheese sandwich made a proper appearance in the United States.
Otto Frederick Rohwedder invented the first automatic bread-slicing machine in Iowa in 1928, making the distribution of bread easier and more affordable. During the depression and World War II, Americans in search of cheap, filling meals looked to sliced bread and processed cheese from J.L. Kraft & Bros. Company (later known as Kraft Foods), which had opened its first U.S. plant in 1914. The cheese dream, an open-faced version of the grilled cheese sandwich, became popular during this time.
By 1949, Kraft Foods introduced its individually wrapped Kraft Singles, which American supermarkets began stocking in 1965. It was around this time that people began making closed, toasted cheese sandwiches and the term “grilled cheese” finally made an appearance in print.
A simple yet tasty grilled cheese sandwich is the ultimate kid-friendly meal, but adults shouldn’t have to miss out on all the gooey, cheesy deliciousness. Sonoma County restaurateurs are serving elevated versions of the tried and true classic. Here are a few to try on National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day (April 12) or any day of the year. Click through the above gallery for a peek at our favorite picks.
Grilled cheese with birria on Texas Toast is a menu option at Galvan’s Eatery in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Galvan’s Eatery, Birria Grilled Cheese: Griddled Texas toast piled with melted cheese and stuffed with tender birria. The food truck pops up around Sonoma County. 707-836-5087, instagram.com/galvanseatery
KC’s American Kitchen, Ultimate Grilled Cheese: Cheddar and jack cheeses spill over between parmesan sourdough bread. Add tomato for $1, avocado for $2.50 and bacon or ham for $4.25. For when you’re feeling hungry and nostalgic. 9501 Duvander Lane, Windsor, 707-838-7800, kcsamericankitchen.com
Nimble & Finn’s, Pear and Cambozola Grilled Cheese: Cambozola, kalamata olive and caper tapenade, caramelized onion and pear jam on sourdough, served with housemade pickles. Who knew an ice cream shop could offer such gourmet grilled cheeses? (At the Santa Rosa location only.) 123 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-666-9590, nimbleandfinns.com
Betty’s Fish & Chips, Grilled Crab & Jack Cheese: Dungeness crab and jack cheese on sourdough bread, served with choice of chips or coleslaw. Order with a side of New England Clam Chowder for a truly comforting East Coast lunch. 4046 Sonoma Highway, Santa Rosa, 707-539-0899, bettysfishandchips.com
Cozy Plum Bistro, Pesto Grilled Cheese: Vegan provolone, tomato and pesto (made with pistachios and macadamia nuts) on herb focaccia. Served with side salad. Add half an avocado or get gluten-free bread for $3.15. The premier grilled cheese for vegans. 6970 McKinley St., Sebastopol, 707-823-3333, cozyplum.com
Wild Goat Bistro, Adult Grilled Cheese: Comté and gruyere cheeses, bacon, caramelized shallots and Victor’s secret spread on rustic country bread. Served with side salad or soup. Substitute with vegan cheese for $3. What’s more adult than fancy cheeses mixed with caramelized onions enjoyed on the riverfront? 6 Petaluma Blvd. N., Suite A5, Petaluma, 707-658-1156, wildgoatbistro.com
Sax’s Joint, The Joint Grill: Generous amounts of cheddar, cream cheese and bacon (served triple-decker style). Served with choice of fries, coleslaw, potato salad, mac salad or mac and cheese. Of the handful of grilled cheeses on the menu, this one receives the most praise, as the cream cheese adds a special tangy creaminess to the sandwich. 317 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma, 707-559-3021, saxsjoint.com
The Girl & The Fig, Grilled Cheese Sandwich: Vella Cheese Company Cheddar with tomato confit on sourdough. Served with house chips. Simple but oh so satisfying. 110 West Spain St., Sonoma, 707-938-3634, thegirlandthefig.com
Grilled cheese sandwich from Sunflower Caffe in Sonoma. (Sunflower Caffe)
Sunflower Caffe, Sunflower Grilled Cheese: Fontina, aged cheddar and Vella dry jack butter on sourdough. Served with salad dressed in a French vinaigrette. Enjoy alongside the cream of tomato soup. 421 First St. W., Sonoma, 707-996-6645, sonomasunflower.com
Sonoma’s Best, Bacon Grilled Cheese: Havarti, gruyere, arugula, smoked bacon and apple spread on choice of bread. Best enjoyed with a local wine out back in the garden. 1190 E. Napa St., Sonoma, 707-996-7600, sonomas-best.com
HopMonk Tavern, Grilled Cheese and Ham: Honey-cured ham, dijonnaise and three types of cheese oozing between parmesan crusted bread. Order it with the savory tomato soup for a soothing, classic combo. HopMonk Sonoma, 691 Broadway, Sonoma, 707-935-9100;HopMonk Sebastopol, 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol, 707-829-7300, hopmonk.com
The Farmer’s Wife, Belly & Jelly: Aged cheddar, Point Reyes blue cheese, apricot conserve, honey lavender bacon and a wildflower honey drizzle. Or go for the Fromage à Trois: Aged cheddar, blue cheese and goat cheese with a wildflower honey drizzle. Talk about gourmet, farm-to-table grilled cheese sandwiches. 6760 McKinley St., Suite 120, Sebastopol, 707-397-9237; 80 Fourth St., Point Reyes Station, 707-827-3306, thefarmerswifeca.com
Tomato soup and a grilled kimchi and cheese sandwich from Lunch Box restaurant in Sebastopol. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Lunch Box, Kimchi Grilled Cheese: A three-cheese blend with aioli and housemade kimchi on Red Bird sourdough pullman. All sandwiches are served with kettle chips. 128 N. Main St., Sebastopol, lunchboxsonomacounty.com
Society Bakery And Cafe, Grilled Cheese: Three types of cheese (chef’s choice) with herbs on house-baked bread. Make it a soup and grilled cheese combo with the soup of the day. 2661 Gravenstein Highway South, Sebastopol, 707-861-9665, societybakerycafe.com
Valley Ford Cheese and Creamery, V.F. Grilled Cheese: Housemade “Hwy 1” cheese, rosemary ham and kimchi on multigrain sourdough. A creative sandwich with award-winning cheese in a charming, countryside atmosphere. 14390 Valley Ford Road, Valley Ford, 707-293-5636, valleyfordcheese.com
Grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup from Estero Cafe in Valley Ford. (Estero Cafe)
Estero Cafe, Grilled Cheese: Organic cheddar and Estero Gold cheese on Red Bird Bakery sourdough makes for a delicious, locally-sourced grilled cheese sando. Add avocado, bacon or chicken sausage. 14450 Highway 1, Valley Ford, esterocafe.com
Fishetarian Fish Market, Adult Grilled Cheese: Valley Ford Estero Gold and Highway 1 cheeses with grilled onions and fig jam on sourdough. The seafood here is top notch, but the grilled cheese shouldn’t be missed. 599 Highway 1 South, Bodega Bay, 707-504-0164, fishetarianfishmarket.com
For the best no-frills grilled cheese sandwiches (just melty cheese and toasty bread), check out Downtown Bakery & Creamery, Boudin, Cafe Mimosa, The Twins Restaurant and Hole in the Wall.
Downtown Bakery & Creamery, Grilled Cheese: Cheddar cheese on housemade wheat, sourdough or French bread. The ham grilled cheese with housemade aioli and Dijon is also spectacular. At $7, it’s undoubtedly the most affordable and satisfying sandwich lunch in town. 308 Center St., Healdsburg, 707-431-2719, downtownbakeryhealdsburg.com
Boudin, The Great Grilled Cheese: Havarti and sharp cheddar on parmesan-crusted sourdough. 2345 Midway Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-303-4100, boudinbakery.com
The Twins Restaurant, Grilled Cheese: Swiss, cheddar, provolone and Parmigiano-Reggiano on sourdough. 572 E. Cotati Ave., Cotati, 707-242-3075, thetwinsrestaurant.com
Hole in the Wall, Grilled Cheese: Cheddar cheese on toasted sourdough. 972 Gravenstein Highway South, Suite 100, Sebastopol, 707-827-6040, holeinthewallrestaurantsebastopol.com
Aperture Cellars tasting room in Healdsburg. (Aperture Cellars / Sonoma County Tourism)
As events season kicks into gear in Wine Country, my calendar quickly fills with tasting parties nearly every week through the summer.
It’s a tough job to attend so many gatherings but it’s also rewarding, offering the opportunity to explore both new and established producers, sample an array of wine styles and — most importantly — identify the trends shaping the industry.
A 2023 Matanzas Creek bottle reminded me of why I’ve always been fond of this varietal. It was a blast from the past: once a top grape in Sonoma County during the 1970s and ’80s, Chenin Blanc nearly vanished in the decades that followed, kicked out by the increasingly popular Chardonnay. And no wonder — those old-school Chenin Blancs were often cheaply made, semisweet and dull.
The crisp and light Chenin Blanc is making a comeback in Sonoma County. (Caftor / Shutterstock)
Today’s Sonoma County Chenin Blanc is a world apart — wonderfully food-friendly, aromatic and typically light, with tropical fruit, Asian pear and golden apple notes, balanced by bright acidity and a crisp, mineral finish.
The newly introduced Matanzas Creek Chenin Blanc, crafted by winemaker Marcia Torres Forno, impressed with its dry character, intriguing notes of lemongrass and melon, and a hint of saltiness that made me want to drink more. Forno sourced grapes from California’s River Junction appellation south of Lodi, alongside estate vineyards in Alexander Valley and select sites in Mendocino County, resulting in a distinctive 100% Chenin Blanc blend.
I discovered another stunning Chenin Blanc at the recent Sonoma Epicurean Epic Party at Bacchus Landing in Healdsburg. Jesse Katz, founder and winemaker at Aperture Cellars, was pouring his 2023 vintage and it was beautiful, with notes of white blossoms, lemon and a hint of that mysterious sea salt. In line with the growing demand for low-alcohol wines, it was refreshingly light at 12.2% alcohol by volume (ABV).
Jesse Katz of Aperture Cellars in Healdsburg sources his Chenin Blanc grapes from a 40-year-old heritage vineyard in the Clarksburg American Viticultural Area. (Aperture Cellars)Aperture Cellars tasting room in Healdsburg. (Aperture Cellars / Sonoma County Tourism)
“I’m not exactly sure why Chenin Blanc went out of style,” said Katz, who has been working with the varietal since 2017. “With California still being a young winegrowing region, we are still finding out what does best in all our unique microclimates and vast arrays of soils,” he added. “I think when Chardonnay grapes started getting a higher sales price than Chenin Blanc, we lost a lot of sites that might be better suited for Chenin.”
Katz sources his Chenin Blanc grapes from a 40-year-old heritage vineyard in the Clarksburg American Viticultural Area (AVA), nestled among the cooling waterways of the Sacramento River Delta.
“It is the only vineyard I work with for Aperture that’s outside of Sonoma,” he said. “I went to Clarksburg because it has some incredible pockets of soils and is one of the oldest Chenin vineyards in California.”
He’s even more excited about his newly released 2024 vintage.
“It’s incredibly special,” he said. “It’s got some of the most complex and concentrated flavors I’ve ever seen, but is also balanced with a ton of freshness and very age worthy. It’s a vintage that we will look back at as being one of the best in the last 20-plus years, I think.”
Andy Smith of DuMol Wines in Windsor. Smith farms a small block of Chenin Blanc at his MacIntyre Estate Vineyard near Graton. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)Pangloss Cellars in downtown Sonoma. The winery’s 2021 Sparkling Chenin Blanc is a new favorite. (Pangloss Cellars / Sonoma County Tourism)
Andy Smith, winemaker and partner of DuMol in Windsor, farms a small block of Chenin Blanc at his MacIntyre Estate Vineyard in the Sonoma Coast appellation near Graton.
“We’re so confident of Chenin’s future in Sonoma that we’ve planted a further 900 vines on steep terraces at our Eddie’s Patch site (in the Hoppe-Kelly Vineyard in the Russian River Valley),” he said.
As Chenin Blanc makes a comeback, winemakers are exploring various treatments.
One of my new favorites is the 2021 Sparkling Chenin Blanc from Pangloss Cellars in downtown Sonoma. Made in the classic Méthode Traditionnelle style with grapes from Two Creeks Farm in Kenwood, this bubbly bursts with bright citrus and slightly sweet floral aromas (it’s great with caviar and potato chips).
Beyond being a lovely wine, Chenin Blanc often offers great value. Matanzas Creek’s Chenin Blanc retails for $20, while Aperture’s 2024 vintage is priced at $35 and the Pangloss Cellars sparkler is $52.
DuMol’s wines are available by appointment at the tasting room, with wine purchases allocated to members.
Orange Marinated Chicken Pupusa Burger with choice of two stuffed pupusa’s filled with pico de gallo, guacamole, lettuce, cheese and chipotle cream from Don Julio’s Latin Grill & Pupusas in Rohnert Park on Monday, August 31, 2020. (Photo by John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
You know that one place that sells doughnuts and pho? Or that sandwich place with Tibetan dumplings on Monday your friend keeps talking about? Like most serious eaters, we love finding the weirdly wonderful strip mall joints and hidden culinary gems that might otherwise escape notice.
Here are some of the best spots that might just become one of your own secret restaurant finds. We’ll let you take all the credit.
West county and Sonoma Coast
Rosemary focaccia is pulled from the oven after baking, at Nightingale Breads, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, in Forestville. (Darryl Bush / For The Press Democrat)Vanilla bean coconut and chocolate Nutella scones are displayed at Nightingale Breads, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, in Forestville. (Darryl Bush / For The Press Democrat)
Nightingale Bread: You’ll likely find a line before this teensy bakery opens on Saturday and Sunday mornings because the bread is so darn good and the cinnamon rolls so craveable. We are obsessed with the baklava-inspired cinnamon rolls (Saturday only) that upgrade the classic with pistachios, cardamom, rosewater and orange zest. Order ahead online for the best selection. 6665 Front St., Forestville, 707-887-8887, nightingalebreads.com
Koala’s Fine Food: Sushi restaurants aren’t exactly a dime a dozen in far west Sonoma County, but then again, neither are cheesesteaks. This casual family-run eatery brings together fish and chips, Korean bulgogi, Chinese won ton soup, Japanese ramen, cheesesteak, nigiri and Hawaiian poke for a true something-for-everyone experience. 16380 Mill St., Suite A, Guerneville, 707-869-3300, koalasfinefood.com
Lightwave Coffee and Kitchen: Located by the Creekside Skatepark, this curious little cafe is a mix of smoothies, bagels, pies and Middle Eastern cuisine. 9725 Main St., Monte Rio, 707-865-5169, lightwavecafe.square.site
Co-owner Gal Ginzburg will take your order among the antique radios at the Lightwave Cafe at Creekside Park in Monte Rio. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)Strawberry cheesecake from Lightwave Coffee and Kitchen in Monte Rio. (Lightwave Coffee and Kitchen)
Wild Flour Bread: Make the pilgrimage to this funky Freestone bakery that’s become a must-stop for the bicyclists and the beach-bound. Follow your nose to where weekenders congregate around a communal table with steaming plates of sticky buns and fruit-studded scones or chase children through the garden. Don’t leave without tucking away a dense, seeded boule and a fougasse stuffed with savory cheese and veggies straight from the brick oven. 140 Bohemian Highway, Freestone, 707-874-2938, wildflourbread.com
Casino Bar and Grill: This is a place to discover accidentally and then love unconditionally. A lineup of pop-up chefs steal the show and change frequently. A recent remodel keeps the hole-in-the-wall vibe with a little less grit. 17000 Bodega Highway, Bodega, 707-876-3185, facebook.com/thecasinobarandgrill
The Casino Bar & Grill in Bodega, Monday, July 1, 2024. (Chad Surmick / The Press Democrat)
Cafe Aquatica: We always, always stop here on trips up the coast for coffee, soup and whatever else sounds delish. 10439 Highway 1, Jenner, 707-865-2251, cafeaquatica.com
Sebastopol
A&M BBQ: Pitmasters Kris Austin (of Austin’s BBQ) and Marvin McKinzy (of Marvin’s BBQ) joined forces to create A&M, which is not named for the Texas university, but for their first initials. But you’d be forgiven for the mistake because their wood-smoked barbecued meats are Lone Star-inspired, with a seasoned dry rub instead of slathered with sauce, and sell out fast on the Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays that A&M is open (from 11:30 a.m.). 495 S. Main St., Sebastopol, 707-799-2892. You can skip the line by ordering online at ambbqllc.com
Texas Toast, cornbread muffins, pork ribs, links, brisket and tri-tip, barbecue chicken, baked beans, coleslaw and collard greens at A&M BBQ in Sebastopol. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)Squash and BLT slices at Psychic Pie in Sebastopol. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Psychic Pie: This pint-sized pizzeria tucked away in a Sebastopol strip mall is the little pandemic pop-up that could. Initially sold only through social media and delivered in colorfully drawn pink bakery boxes to porches around Sonoma County, the pizzas became a post-COVID zeitgeist. The Roman-style pizzas are cut to order, and topped with cheeses and fresh produce from Sonoma County. 980 Gravenstein Highway S., Sebastopol, 707-827-6032, psychicpie.com
The Hole in the Wall: You know it’s good when being hard to find is in the name. Omelets, pancakes and Benedicts are great, but don’t miss the biscuits and mushroom gravy or Dutch baby German pancake with caramelized apples. 972 Gravenstein Highway, Sebastopol, 707-827-6040, holeinthewallrestaurantsebastopol.com
Healdsburg
Shakshuka with poached eggs, fresh herbs and Goguette sourdough from Acorn Cafe Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Healdsburg. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)Acorn Cafe owner Beryl Adler’s Lemon Ricotta Hotcake with house lemon curd, ricotta, oat crumble and lemon lavender ice cream Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, in Healdsburg. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Acorn Cafe: Acorn is the breakfast and brunch spot that Healdsburg has needed, with joyful takes on morning standards like sunny lemon ricotta pancakes with lemon curd, whipped ricotta and lavender ice cream or a riff on green eggs and ham with herby yogurt, poached eggs and grilled ham seasoned with Dukkah. 124 Matheson St., Healdsburg, 707-955-7001, acornhealdsburg.com
Rohnert Park
Don Julio’s: This Salvadoran pupusería is loved by locals who rave about the handmade pupusas (thick corn tortillas stuffed with savory filling and paired with spicy coleslaw). There are plenty of other options, too, including burritos, taco salads, tortas and enchiladas. 217 Southwest Blvd., Rohnert Park, 707-242-3160, donjulioslatingrill.com
Orange Marinated Chicken Pupusa Burger from Don Julio’s Latin Grill & Pupusas in Rohnert Park. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)Empanadas at Vinoma in Rohnert Park. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)
Vinoma: Amazing empanadas at a gas station? You’ve found Vinoma. The Argentinian-style empanadas are flaky, delicious pockets of dough filled with meat, cheese, vegetables and fruit. Our favorites include beef Carne Suave with scallions, red onions, olives, chopped eggs and spices; the steak and cheese empanada; the al pastor with caramelized pineapple; and the less traditional plum and bacon empanada. Don’t miss the apple crisp for dessert along with alfajores, shortbread cookies filled with dulce de leche. 5085 Redwood Drive, Rohnert Park, 707-536-9215, vinoma.net
Santa Rosa
Abyssinia: This family-style Ethiopian restaurant offers a world of flavor, including the vegetarian combo, served with a house salad and injera bread. 913 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-568-6455, my-abyssinia.com
Banh Mi at Thuan Phat: Still one of the best Vietnamese banh mi and, at $7.50, still a steal of a deal. 3020 Santa Rosa Ave., Suite H, Santa Rosa, 707-889-3966
Brother’s Café: The owners of Hole in the Wall in Sebastopol run a breakfast-all-day diner with many of the same proven dishes. 3135 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-541-6345, brotherscafesr.com
Lox Benedict with capers, chevre, fresh tomato, sour cream and hollandaise sauce and a Bloody Mary from the Brother’s Cafe in Santa Rosa. Photo taken Thursday, April 27, 2023. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)Canevari’s Deli sticks with tradition with their cannoli dusted with powdered sugar Friday, March 14, 2025, in Santa Rosa. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Canevari’s Delicatessen & Catering: This no-frills Italian American deli is the kind of spot Tony Soprano and his buddies would like if they lived in Santa Rosa, ordering sandwiches for lunch, like the Meatball Sub, BBQ Tri Tip and Spicy Pulled Pork, or housemade ravioli and cannoli for dessert. You might leave with slightly less healthy arteries but it’s totally worth it: this hidden gem is one of the best delis in Sonoma County. 695 Lewis Road, Santa Rosa, 707-545-6941, canevarisdeli.com
Las Palmas: This Mexican eatery tucked into a rather, er, colorful strip of Santa Rosa Avenue, is not the sort of place you stumble upon, but definitely a spot worth seeking out. What brings local foodies and more than a few off-duty chefs to this modest family restaurant is simple Mexican fare made by hand. Don’t miss the Camarones a la Diabla. 415 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-546-3091
Pupusería Salvadoreña: If you’re lucky, you’ll hear the swap, swap, swap of the kitchen ladies smacking out pupusas — corn cakes filled with cheese, vegetables or meat — and griddled to perfection. The pupusería also serves up tamales, yuca frita and empanadas, but hey, you’re here for the pupusas. 1403 Maple Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-544-3141
Savor Vietnamese: A former doughnut shop transformed into charming Vietnamese eatery Corner Park Cafe, which then changed name to Savor Vietnamese. Go for the pho, barbecue pork banh mi, fresh rolls and noodle bowls. Save some room for mango shaved ice, a specialty, and boba tea. 4275 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-539-2416, savorvietnamesecuisine.com
A selection of menu items form Tambayan Filipino Eatery Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023, tucked back in the Larkfield shopping center. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)Prating Pusit, deep-fried thick calamari, front, and Shanghai pork lumpia from Tambayan Filipino Eatery in the Larkfield shopping center in Santa Rosa, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Tambayan: If you’re jonesing for some lumpia, halo-halo or adobo chicken, this Larkfield restaurant offers authentic cuisine from the Philippines. Tambayan means “hang out” in Tagalog (the native language of the Philippines). 600 Larkfield Center, Larkfield-Wikiup, 707-843-3824, tambayaneatery.com
Taqueria Molcajetes: Molcajete typically refers to a large volcanic stone bowl that is heated to approximately the temperature of the sun. Meats, fresh cheese, cactus paddles, green onions and seafood are mixed with a spicy chile stew and the whole sizzling, furious thing is brought to your table. It will remain steaming, molten and bubbling for nearly half an hour as you are enveloped by a refreshing meat and vegetable-scented steam. 1195 W. College Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-544-8280
Viethai Cuisine: The food here is the real deal. Run by a husband-and-wife team, the menu includes Southeast Asian street food like Nam Khao Tod (a crispy rice salad), corn fritters and satay along with spicy red curry, pad thai, Khao soi (coconut curry soup) and larger entrees. Pho is fragrant and nourishing, especially if you’re under the weather. Appetizers, like the crispy rice salad with bits of perfumed lemongrass and lime, are a must-try. 320 W. Third St., Suite G, Santa Rosa, 707-978-2292, viethaisr.com
Crispy rice with peanuts at Viethai Cuisine in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)Owner Clare Elaine offers a wide selection of pretzels, cinnamon rolls, cookies and pretzel sandwiches at the Wooden Petal Bake Shop in Santa Rosa. Photo taken Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Wooden Petal Bakeshop: Adorable knotted pretzels are the mainstay of baker Clare Hulme, but her Santa Rosa bakeshop offers tasty sandwiches (on pretzel buns, naturally) and soups to go. Though she often sells out, grab (or better yet, preorder) some sweet and savory pretzels for later. 4894 Sonoma Highway, Santa Rosa, 707-695-1880, woodenpetal.com
Petaluma
Roy’s Chicago Dogs at the Yard: This tiny, sit-at-the-counter joint offers variations of Vienna Beef franks for meat aficionados. Consider the traditional all-beef wiener, a half-pound “Home Wrecker,” a spicy fire dog or a Polish dog. Then load up with the 50 topping options, such as housemade pineapple mustard, Hell Fire sauce, onion rings and blue cheese. Also worth howling about: housemade pies and deep-fried Oreos. 84 Corona Road, Petaluma, 707-774-1574
What a Chicken: Choose from mixed grill plates as well as tacos and fall-off-the-bone ribs. Sides include potato salad, coleslaw and Spanish rice. We recommend going for the freshly made corn tortillas. 706 E. Washington St., Petaluma, 707-971-7549
Our official state vegetable, the artichoke, was first planted by Italian immigrants in the 19th century. The thorny thistle is celebrated in Monterey County, where it is widely grown, with artichoke-themed cafes, roadside statues and an annual spring festival.
In Sonoma County, artichokes can be found at local farmers markets through late spring, primarily sourced from small farming operations at the coast. According to Joe Imwalle of Santa Rosa’s Imwalle Gardens, it’s too warm further inland for good growth — the spiky plants prefer the foggy, cool influence of the Pacific.
Green Globe artichokes are heavy, firm, and meaty, with an earthy flavor that blossoms in spring dishes. Newer thornless varieties aren’t as meaty and flavorful, say artichoke aficionados. Vintage favorite Green Globes are becoming available once again in many local supermarkets, including at Oliver’s Markets, coming direct from one of two commercial California farms. They’re delicious in this chunky, textured spring tapenade, whether spooned over grilled chicken or fresh goat cheese, or served simply atop thick slices of toast.
Vintage favorite Green Globes are becoming available once again in many local supermarkets, including at Oliver’s Markets, coming direct from one of two commercial California farms. (Olga Iuz / Shutterstock)Green Globe artichokes are delicious in a chunky, textured spring tapenade. (margouillat photo / Shutterstock)
Artichoke & Olive Tapenade
Makes about 2 ¼ cups
3 large fresh Green Globe artichokes
2 tbsp. kosher salt, plus more as needed
3 tsp. olive oil
3 garlic cloves
2 tsp. green peppercorns in brine, drained
1 tsp. minced lemon zest
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup (6 ounces) fresh green olives, such as picholine, pitted and minced
¼ cup (2 ounces) walnut pieces, toasted and minced
1 tbsp. Italian parsley, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
Rustic bread, sliced and toasted, for serving
Using a sharp knife, cut the stems of the artichokes straight across. Set the artichokes on their sides and cut about ½ inch off the top.
Drizzle about a teaspoon of olive oil into the center of each artichoke.
Put the artichokes into a saucepan that holds them snugly. Add enough water to come up to the top of the artichokes. Add kosher salt to the water and bring to a boil over high heat. When the water boils, reduce the heat, and cover the pan. If the artichokes do not stay submerged, set a separate, small lid inside the pan on top of them and then cover the pan.
After 20 minutes, test the artichokes for doneness by using tongs to wiggle a few leaves.
If there is no give, cook for another 5 minutes and test again. The artichokes will be perfectly cooked when leaves come off with just a tad of resistance, from 20 to 40 minutes, depending on age and size.
Meanwhile, grind the garlic to a paste using a mortar and pestle. Add the green peppercorns, lemon zest and juice, and extra-virgin olive oil, and mix, scraping the sides of the bowl to combine well. Set aside.
Transfer the artichokes to a colander, rinse with cool water and drain thoroughly. When cool, remove the leaves to enjoy separately. Use a grapefruit spoon or sharp paring knife to remove the choke from each heart. Discard the chokes and cut the hearts into ¼-inch dice.
In a medium bowl, combine the diced artichoke hearts, olives, walnuts and olive oil mixture.
Add the chopped parsley and several turns of black pepper. Taste and season with salt, as needed. Let rest 30 minutes before serving atop thick slices of toast.
The fries at Moro, a Moroccan street food restaurant in the Oxbow Public Market in Napa, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Beth Schlanker / The Press Democrat)
Whether you’re noshing fried chicken in General Admission or grabbing some caviar-covered hot dogs in the VIP section, BottleRock Napa Valley (May 23-25) has another delicious lineup of restaurants ready to rock.
The three-day music extravaganza, now in its 12th year, has always been known for its gourmet food stalls, wine tents, craft beer and top-notch artists and bands, including Sublime, Public Enemy, 4 Non Blondes and dozens of others on multiple stages.
Though the much-anticipated food celebrity lineup for the Williams-Sonoma Culinary Stage is yet to be announced, we’ve got the scoop on what’s on the food playlist.
The caviar corndog from PRESS at BottleRock 2024. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)
Best food at BottleRock 2025
Sonoma County will represent with Sarmentine Artisan Boulanger, Amy’s Drive Thru, HopMonk Tavern, Gerard’s Paella, OHM Coffee Roasters (Sonoma and Napa) and Mariapilar Ice Creamery.
Some of the Napa and Bay Area-based restaurants we’re most excited about include:
— Loveski Deli: A Jewish-style deli from Meadowood Napa Valley chef Christopher Kostow and his wife, Martina. Located at Oxbow Public Market, the food is a New Yorker’s dream, with delicious matzo ball soup, fresh bagels, a chopped Reuben sandwich and braised brisket.
— Stateline Road Smokehouse:These Napa newcomers previewed some of their Kansas-style barbecue at last year’s festival, and we’re looking forward to another strong showing from chef-owner Darryl Bell. Hopefully the brisket fries make a return.
— Moro: Chef Mourad Lahou, founder and owner of Aziza and Mourad restaurants in San Francisco, opened this super-casual Moroccan street food cafe at Oxbow Public Market last April. Dishes like chicken shawarma, roasted lamb shoulder with couscous and grilled flatbread with eggplant dip, sound like perfect candidates for BottleRock eaters.
— Mustard’s Bar Taco: A taqueria pop-up from Napa’s Mustard’s Grill? Call us intrigued.
— El Porteño Empanadas: Classy hand pies made with local ingredients. Perfect for walking around between bands.
— New England Lobster & Crab Shack: I’ve had their lobster rolls countless times and they never disappoint.
— Lao Table: Based in San Francisco, this award-winning restaurant is known for papaya salad and Laotian fried rice — we hope to see both at BottleRock.
See a full list of more than 50 restaurants, bakeries and local purveyors on the festival food lineup at bottlerocknapavalley.com.
Now open
Baked goods from La Reyna Bakery in Santa Rosa. (Ricardo Ibarra / La Prensa Sonoma)
La Reyna Bakery has opened a second location in Rohnert Park featuring their tried and true Mexican pan dulce — sweet morning treats like conchas and cream-filled rolls — as well as flaky empanadas, coffee, tortas and bolillos (Mexican bread). The family-owned bakery has been a Santa Rosa favorite for nearly 15 years, located inside Rancho Mendoza Super Market at 1201 Piner Road. The new Rohnert Park bakery is at 1 Padre Parkway. Check out their delicious photos at instagram.com/lareynabakery or order online at lareynabakeryca.com.
Lambshank at Grossman’s Noshery & Deli in Santa Rosa is part of the Passover dinner available for pick up. (Photo: Grossman’s)
Making matzo (or matzah), the traditional unleavened crackers of Passover (April 12-20), is an 18-minute baking ballet for Amy Brown and Joe Wolf of Santa Rosa’s Marla Bakery.
“It’s a labor of love for Amy and I. We try to make it taste good and keep to traditions,” said Wolf.
According to ancient Jewish law, the clock begins ticking the moment water is added to flour, salt and olive oil. The dough must be mixed, hand-rolled and baked into lightly browned wafers within 18 minutes — the same amount of time it took the Israelites to make their swift escape from Egypt. No time for leavening, no time for intricate braids — just the essential life-sustaining carbohydrates needed for their long journey to Canaan.
Passover marks the anniversary of the Exodus. It’s a time when the Jewish community comes together to celebrate, give thanks and share meals with family and friends.
Joe Wolf and Amy Brow of Marla Bakery. Photo taken in 2023. (Erik Castro/for Sonoma Magazine)
During this time, leavened bread is forbidden and is replaced by matzo, which many have a love-hate relationship with. Its dry, cracker-like texture can leave your mouth feeling like the Sahara, but according to Wolf, adding olive oil makes Marla’s matzo more palatable. While they aren’t a kosher bakery, their matzo follows the traditional 18-minute preparation process and tastes good, he said.
“Passover is a time of celebration where we all come together and have a wonderful time,” said Wolf. “It’s a time to have fun and welcome people over to eat.”
Marla’s matzoth (plural of matzo) are available by preorder on their website, marlabakery.com, until 5 p.m. April 8 or, in limited amounts, at their shop (208 Davis St., Santa Rosa, 707-852-4091) from Friday, April 11, through Sunday, April 13. They’ll also have chocolate-dipped macaroons and a flourless chocolate torte for Passover.
More than matzo
Food is at the heart of the Passover celebration, beginning with the traditional Seder meal on April 12. Throughout the week, a variety of dishes are enjoyed, from brisket and lamb to matzo ball soup, smoked fish and macaroon cookies.
Though many Jewish families spend days preparing these meals, some Sonoma County restaurants and bakeries are doing the work for you.
Lambshank at Grossman’s Noshery & Deli in Santa Rosa is part of the Passover dinner available for pick up. (Photo: Grossman’s)Falafel at Grossman’s Noshery & Deli in Santa Rosa is part of the Passover dinner available for pick up. (Photo: Grossman’s)
Grossman’s Noshery & Bar
À la carte dinner, available for pickup April 12-20, includes brisket with potato leek latkes and horseradish cream, lamb shanks, chicken shawarma kebabs, a smoked meat board, smoked and pickled fish board, Sabich board (fried eggplant, falafel, tabbouleh, matzo crackers and condiments), pomegranate molasses roasted carrots, matzo ball soup and chocolate orange sesame macaroons. Order online at grossmanssr.com. 308 Wilson St., Santa Rosa, 707-595-7707
La Bodega
This Sebastopol restaurant will host a traditional Passover service with a Seder Plate and Feast from 6 p.m., Saturday, April 12, with matzo ball soup, saffron chicken, stuffed cabbage and a Jerusalem artichoke and shiitake mushroom cassoulet. $59 for adults and $29 for children under 12. Reservations required. The meal can also be ordered for take-and-bake. 2295 Gravenstein Highway South, Sebastopol, 707-827-1832, sonomawineshop.com
Drewish Deli
Pick up your Passover meal at Healdsburg’s favorite Jewish deli. The meal includes housemade brisket au jus, gefilte fish with horseradish aioli, Bubbie’s matzo ball soup, noodle kugel and flourless chocolate mini cakes. $189, available for pickup April 11-14. Also available à la carte. Preorder only. 11 Mitchell Lane, Healdsburg, 707-955-0600, drewishdeli.com
Fun Fact: The Seder dinner traditionally features three matzoth. One, called the afikomen, is broken into two pieces, and the larger half is hidden by an adult. Children then search the house to find it, and the one who locates it is rewarded a small prize for returning it.
Fresh matzo from Marla Bakery. (Marla Bakery)
Matzo
From Amy Brown of Marla Bakery.
Makes 12 matzo
2 pounds bread flour (7 1/2 cups)
2 tsp. salt
3 ounces olive oil
1 1/2 cup water
Sea salt to top
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a mixer, combine all ingredients (except for the sea salt for topping). Mix on low speed until well combined. Remove from the mixer and divide the dough into 12 equal balls. Cover the balls with a wet towel or plastic wrap. One by one, roll each ball as thin as possible on a lightly-floured, upside-down baking sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt and use a fork to dock the dough. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake until crisp.
For more springtime celebrations in Sonoma County, check out dozens of local Easter happenings.
Great room. (Ned Bonzi / Sotheby’s International Realty)
A luxury home in the Sonoma hills — complete with distant San Francisco views — is available for sale. The new three-bedroom, three-bathroom, five-half-bathroom dwelling has a detached office or guest room. It sits on 15 wooded acres that include a pool and tennis court. The asking price is $12,000,000.
The modern building has three split-level stories of offset spaces that allow for rooftop patios on the second story. Bold brick-red siding accents the mostly white exterior and is repeated in the outdoor lounges and on the detached office.
Floor-to-ceiling windows and the open-concept layout allows for showstopping views throughout the home. The interior design’s clean lines and white interiors yield to the outdoor setting, but many indoor finishes provide a beautiful counterpoint.
Great room in hillside Sonoma home. (Ned Bonzi / Sotheby’s International Realty)Kitchen in hillside Sonoma luxury home. (Ned Bonzi / Sotheby’s International Realty)
Amid tranquil whites and creams, there are saturated design surprises. Super knotty wood planks on the great room ceiling crown the airy space with rustic elegance. Walnut-stained shelves offer an all-over richness in the library, as do chocolate brown walls in the dining room. A sagey-gray tile backsplash and a teal upholstered banquette pop in the kitchen. A bathroom is accented via a pixelated floral backsplash made of white and ochre micro-mosaic tiles. Hanging teardrops of brass and glass create an unconventional room divider in a living room.
Amenities include a cabana, outdoor fireplace and spa perched high on an upper patio with valley views. The woodsy property also enjoys a meadow that is ready to become a vineyard, an event space or whatever the homeowners can envision.
For more information on this home at 17355 Norrbom Road in Sonoma, contact listing agent Holly Bennett, 707-484-4747, 707-935-2500, Holly.Bennett@Sothebys.Realty, Sotheby’s International Realty – Wine Country – Sonoma Brokerage, 793 Broadway, Sonoma, hollybennett.com
Kitchen and great room. (Brian McCloud Photography)
A 2021 build brings modern style to a woodsy hillside in Guerneville. The two-bedroom, two-bathroom home and bunkhouse sit on nearly a quarter of an acre. The asking price is $795,000.
The 1,400-square-foot home has an expansive feel thanks to the open layout, two-story vaulted ceilings and generous windows and sliders. Stained wood planks along the ceilings top the look with a rustic coziness.
Kitchen and great room in an airy Russian River home in Guerneville. (Brian McCloud Photography)Deck off the great room provides forest views from the Russian River home. (Brian McCloud Photography)
A wraparound redwood porch — accessible from all rooms and the bunkhouse — provides further immersion into the 360-degree forest views.
Other amenities include a jacuzzi and an unfinished basement ready for conversion into a movie room, workout studio or living space.
For more information on the home at 17783 Santa Rosa Ave. in Guerneville, contact listing agents Russ and Sandra White, 707-486-2131, Sonoma County Properties, 9056 Graton Road, Graton, russandsandra.com.
