New details on Dustin Valette’s yet-unnamed restaurant in Healdsburg.

Partnering with the former Dry Creek Kitchen Chef will be his brother Aaron Garzini, a front-of-house vet with stints at John Ash and Co., SF’s Beetlenut and Francis Ford Coppola’s Rustic. “We dreamed about this when were were little kids playing in the yard,” said Vallette of his 20-plus years of planning a restaurant with his sibling (the two are half-brothers). The boys grew up in the restaurant business in Sonoma County, and will be paying homage to many of their favorite local farmers, winemakers, grape growers and artisans at the yet-to-be-named eatery. Including hand-hewn furniture from a 750-year-old redwood stump from a nearby property. “I bumped into that stump recently and memories came flooding back,” said Valette, of the tree that was milled by his father 35 years ago after it fell.

“Everything in the restaurant will have a story,” said Valette, including the menu. Look for a parade of Sonoma County’s bounty, with a changed-nightly Chef’s Tasting Menu, fresh pastas, local meats, house made charcuterie (Valette’s a well-versed charcuterist), bespoke cheeses from a local cheese maker, and of course, Valette’s signature Scallops en Croute. The vibe will be upscale casual, meaning entrees in the $20-30 range; no white tablecloths, a “clean look with sharp edges” and an extensive wine and cocktail program. The brothers say they’re hoping for a late February 2015 opening.

Of course, there’s always another story behind every restaurant opening and closing: Someone winning and someone losing. For months, news that Valette was looking for a space of his own after six years with Charlie Palmer was one of the worst-kept secrets in Healdsburg. Most bets were on Ralph’s Bistro, so it came as a surprise when Zin’s Jeff and Susan Mall abruptly announced their closing. No one is speaking publicly about the reason behind the couple’s departure, but suffice to say, the restaurant will be much-missed and there’s plenty of push for the Malls to continue cooking for the community. “The spirit of Zin will live on with…Valette,” said the couple. Zin’s last day will be Dec. 30, 2014.

Roast Turkey  Recipe- Chef John Ash

Every family has a turkey recipe, but usually — let’s be honest — you still end up with a dry, overcooked bird. And that’s not something to give much thanks for.

To help home cooks, many well-meaning chefs have suggested uniqued alternatives (from deep fat frying to barbecuing) that promise the ultimate turkey. They’re novel, but in my opinion, the best route is brining and roasting.  Chef John Ash does a great version with a flavorful soy sauce, maple syrup and ginger brine to give the bird some pep, then a long, slow roast to really bring out the flavor.

Try out this roast turkey recipe from his James Beard Award-winning book, Culinary Birds, The Ultimate Poultry Cookbook. I think you’ll really like it. Be sure to let me know what you think!

Roast Turkey
From Chef John Ash

 

Brine

2 cups packed brown sugar

1 cup pure maple syrup

¾ cup coarse salt

3 whole heads garlic, cloves separated and bruised

6 large bay leaves

1 ½ cups coarsely chopped unpeeled fresh ginger

2 teaspoons dried red chili flakes

1 ½ cups soy sauce

3 quarts water

 

Turkey

12 to 14 pound dressed fresh turkey

3 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

5 celery stalks, roughly chopped

2 potatoes, roughly chopped

2 oranges, quartered

4 lemons, quartered

3 cups canned or homemade turkey or chicken stock

 

Gravy

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

White wine or brandy

2 cups canned or homemade turkey or chicken stock

Fresh herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, basil, oregano, and sage

Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Method:

 

Combine all brine ingredients in a large enamel or stainless steel stockpot that is large enough to hold the brine and the turkey. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat and allow to cool thoroughly. Rinse the turkey well; remove the neck and giblets and save for stock or discard.

Submerge the turkey in the cooled brine. Be sure there is enough brine to cover the bird. In not, add water to cover. Refrigerate for at least 2 days and up to 4. Turn the bird in the brine twice a day.

Remove the bird from the brine and pay dry. Lightly brush the bird with olive oil and set aside for at least an hour before roasting. Preheat the oven to 450-degrees. Set the turkey in a roasting pan fitted with a V-shaped rack. Throw the chopped vegetables and citrus in the cavity. Add the chicken or turkey stock to the pan. Slip a flavored butter up under the skin of the turkey if you want.

Cook the turkey for 20 minutes and then reduce the heat to 350-degrees. Roast for 21/2 to 3 hours. It’s done when juice from the thigh runs clear and an instant-read thermometer reads 165-degrees in the thickest part of the thigh, not touching the bone.

Remove from the oven. Lift the turkey out of the pan and loosely tent with foil to keep warm. Don’t wrap tightly or the skin will lose its crispness. Let the turkey rest at least 25 minutes before carving.

To make the gravy: Pour off all fat from the roasting pan, leaving the delicious browned bits in the bottom. Make a roux by whisking the butter in the roasting pan over moderate heat with the flour. Continue to whisk for a couple of minutes. Add a splash of white wine or brandy and scrape up the browned bits. Add the stock and any herbs you like and continue to whisk and simmer for a few more minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the gravy along side the carved meat.

Just in: Restaurateurs Jeff and Susan Mall of the longtime Healdsburg restaurant Zin are closing. The restaurant recently celebrated its 15th anniversary and has won countless awards for its unique Southern twists on Wine Country cuisine.

Here is the email that went out:

Dear family, friends and members of the Healdsburg community,

It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that after 15 years we say goodbye. Due to circumstances beyond our control, Zin is permanently closing its doors on December 30, 2014.

Chef Dustin Vallette of Dry Creek Kitchen will be taking over the restaurant space.

More details as they come in.

It’s that time of year again: The Holiday Cookie Contest!

And that means that BiteClub is seeking out the BEST cookie recipes in Sonoma County.

The rules are simple. Submit an original recipe (meaning, don’t steal it out of a cookbook) for what you think is the best holiday cookie ever. And by holiday cookie, we mean pretty much any cookie.

I also want to hear about why the cookie is special to you or your family. This part matters, because a great family recipe is worth its weight in gold, and comes with a whole lot of happy memories. (See the results from previous years here).

You can leave your recipe in the comments below…

OR You can mail your recipe to heather@biteclubeats.com

OR You can mail me a recipe:
BiteClub Cookie Contest
427 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa 95401

DEADLINE FOR RECIPES IS NOVEMBER 14, 2014 at 5PM

We’ll be hosting a cookie Bake-A-Thon at G&G Market’s Ginger Grill in mid-November with our favorite 30 recipes submitted. A panel of esteemed judges will pick a winner, and award something grand. (More details to follow)…

Good Luck!

WANT TO BAKE DURING OUR Nov. 17/18 BAKEATHON? CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

 

 

 

From roasted ants to deep fried cicadas, more than one-third of the world’s population regularly relishes insects as a source of dietary protein. But could you?

Before wincing at the idea of McHissing Cockroaches and the Bucket ‘O Dung Beetles coming to U.S. menus anytime soon, think about this: Eating bugs might just save the planet.

According to a recent study by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the global population will reach 9 billion in the next 35 years (up from about 7 billion in 2012) and current food production will have to double to even begin to feed that many people. With land, water and other resources already stretched thin, entomophagy (bug eating) may help stabilize the global food supply.

Here in the Bay Area, a tiny-but-growing company called Bitty Foods is leading the charge toward edible insects with chocolate chip cookies. Or more specifically, chocolate chip cricket flour cookies.

[blockquote]“If we are going to extend the shelf life of our own species, this is super important” – Chef Tyler Florence on alternative forms of protein, like crickets.[/blockquote]

Using their proprietary blend of dried, roasted and ground crickets (blended with cassava and coconut flours for texture and taste), co-founder Megan Miller said Bitty sells about 500 bags of gluten-free chocolate chip, chocolate cardamom and orange ginger cookies in their East Bay kitchens each week. Currently available only online, the company also makes about 600 pounds of cricket flour each week, and they’re having a hard time keeping up with demand.

In fact, the company has even attracted the attention and financial backing of celebrity chef Tyler Florence, who lives in Marin. “If we are going to extend the shelf life of our own species, this is super important,” said Florence of his passion for cricket cuisine. Despite having part ownership in a steakhouse, Florence said beef is ultimately unsustainable, especially in light of recent draughts. When he talks about Bitty, he’s almost giddy, planning new recipes and uses for the flour. “We want this to be big,” he said.

Florence’s enthusiastic endoresment is also good for Bitty’s image and growth. “People love Tyler, and if he says something is delicious, they’re surprisingly willing to taste,” said Miller. “When I first started this, I thought I would have to spend a lot of time convincing people. But we’ve doubled our sales month over month. It’s been incredible that a lot of people are saying that they really get it,” Miller said, “It’s not the taste, it’s the mental barrier.”

Less daunting than, say meal worms or stink bugs, crickets have become the poster-insects for Bitty. “Crickets are something people can grasp. They’re closely related to shrimp, and they’re familiar,” said Bitty Co-founder Megan Miller. “Some people even call them Land Shrimp,” she said, alluding to the flavor of crickets. “It gets across the idea,” she added. In addition to Bitty, several other cricket-based food companies have emerged, including Six Foods, Chapul and Exo cricket bars.

But it’s not all about the novelty factor of eating insects. It’s about simple math. Beef can use up to 1,000 gallons of water and ten pounds of food to make a single pound of meat. By comparison, pigs use about 600 gallons of water and 5 pounds of feed, chickens about 150 gallons and 2.5 pounds of feed. For a pound of cricket protein (roughly 4,000 insects), it takes 1 gallon of water and two pounds of feed. Insects can be raised in small areas, reproduce exponentially, and require little care. Cricket flour is significantly higher in protein, lower in fat and rich in minerals, according to USDA research, making it especially interesting to Paleo and other protein-rich, gluten free diets.

Eating bugs, for most Westerners, is a tough sell. Bugs have gotten the wrap of being creepy, dirty, unwelcome pests rather than a food source. But for most of history, they’ve been a diet staple, from our earliest ancestors through Roman times as gastronomic delicacies. In equatorial climates, bugs tend to be larger and more prevalent, making them an obvious source of protein. And, when it comes right down to it, Americans unwittingly eat up to two pounds of insects a year in our food, based on FDA guidelines allowing small amounts of insect contaminants in most of what we eat.

So where do you get roughly 2.4 million crickets a week? Cricket farms, of course. The insects are raised on large commercial farms throughout the country with growth from egg to adult in less than 6 weeks, and Miller claims that female crickets can lay up to 15,000 eggs, making for a highly sustainable source of protein. They are harvested by being frozen, then dried, roasted and ground.

Obviously, not everyone can afford a $20 pound of cricket flour, so the key to ramping up insect production on a mass scale. Funding from Florence and other backers is expected to ramp up their production from a small, artisan operation to a baking ingredient available at major retailers.

And the taste? The flour is a bit like buckwheat, with a nutty, grassy flavor. Baked into gluten-free muffins, pastries and cookies, moms are some of her biggest buyers. “Sometimes its a challenge for moms to get their kids to eat meat, but if you can give them a serving of cookies, they’ll always eat that,” Miller said.

“We’re going to have to base our diets on plants and other protein sources lower on the food chain, and that includes insects. We just have to be more innovative about feeding people,” said Miller.

You can buy Bitty Foods cricket flour and cookies online at Bittyfoods.com. Miller hopes to have them at other retailers like Berkeley Bowl and Whole Foods within the next year.

[infobox color=”#d8d8d8″ icon=”bug”]Hungry for a bite of crickets for dinner? Chapulines (roasted crickets) are popular in the Oaxacan region of Mexico, and are often available in Mexican markets. Agave Mexican Restaurant and Tequila Bar (1063 Vine St., Healdsburg, 707-433-2411) features Chapulines on their menu, according to owner Octavio Diaz, but it’s best to call ahead to make sure they’re serving them. There’s always the backyard, as well. Bitty Foods’ Miller says that eating wild-foraged crickets is not necessarily a bad thing if you know where they’ve been, but the FDA requires farm-raising for commercial use to regulate sanitary conditions and contaminants.[/infobox]

La Taberna has opened in downtown Napa, a much-anticipated new restaurant from the ZuZu tapas crew. Inspired by the Pintxo bars of Northern Spain, its a modern take on the classic Spanish tavern. The menu will include dishes like tortilla de camaron, ceviches, empanadas, and halibut croquetas. Open daily from 2pm to 11pm and until midnight Friday and Saturday. 815 Main St., Napa, 707-224-5551.

Restaurant and Wine Bar 1313 Main in Napa has debuted a new menu, after last summer’s chef change-up. Executive Chef Adam Ross has created a creative menu that includes poutine (beef-fat (!) fries with oxtail gravy and cheese curds, $12) to crispy pork trotters with quail eggs ($15), lavender-smoked duck breast with pickled huckleberries ($24), along with lamb chops with harissa jus and lime yogurt ($21), King salmon and dayboat scallops. The bar snacks menu (with the poutine, a burger, and oysters) is half off during happy hour. In addition to wines by the glass, flight or bottle, 1313 Main also has an extensive collection of beer and ciders (though, boo for not having any local cidersUpdate, they do have some local ciders, according to insiders) , spirits and port.

Native Kitchen & Kombucha Bar is plant-based dining for the rest of us. “I like to think of it as nutritious by accident,” says Chef Jasmine Dravis, who recently opened the cafe and bar in downtown Petaluma.

Local honey and cheese from Native Kitchen and Kombucha Bar in Petaluma

Focused on food prepared with a “healing intent”—with gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options as the core of her menu—Dravis doesn’t trade flavor for philosophy, or eschew meat on the menu. Instead, her offerings are a simple mix of seasonal fruits, veggies, grains and meats in a variety of guises.

Start with jalapeño cornbread ($5), a sweet-spicy, gluten-free (gf) wedge with local honey and pepper jam (gf/vegetarian), the Mediterranean pickled vegetable plate ($8) that’s piled with fermented pickles, onions, carrots and red peppers with quinoa tabouleh and hummus (gf/vegan) or seasonal stuffed squash ($9) with arugula and parsley (vegan).

Need something heartier? We loved the Sonoma Cheese Board, with fresh and aged goat cheeses and a jar of local honey ($12) and steak-wrapped veggies (using nearby Thistle Meats’ grass-fed beef). Any of the five salads can be made into wraps or have local chicken or steak added, and larger “skillets” (served in a http://www.thistlemeats.com/, natch) range from chickpea and quinoa chili (vegan, gf) to roasted veggie tacos (vegan, gf) and our favorite dish of the day, sweet corn cakes pan-fried in coconut oil with quinoa and marinated kale salad (vegan, $13).

Local beer, wine and libations are served, along with seasonal cobblers ($7, gf), but Dravis compliments her menu best with kombucha elixirs like the Ginger Mule ($7, non-alcoholic) made from muddled ginger, lime and honer or Spicy Strawberry with house made strawberry basil shrub, OJ and a Cayenne sugar rim. Dravis and her husband are ramping up their own kombucha (a fizzy fermented tea with lots of probiotics) production which will be served on tap in the coming months. Meanwhile, don’t miss Dravis’ tonic teas, steeped herbs specially mixed for whatever ails you, and European digestifs like the cultish Underberg (you get it or you don’t).

With an interior as sunny and warm as a spring day, and hometown vibe that’s purely Petaluma, it’s a perfect spot for a morning juice jump, noontime bite or omnivorous family feast (there are plenty of plates to make the tots happy). Best of all, with a menu full of nutrition-packed foods, you’ll leave feeling better than when you came in.

Native Kitchen and Kombucha Bar, 110 Petaluma Blvd North, Petaluma, 599-3750, open 10a.m. to 10p.m. daily.