The Timber Cove Inn, on the Sonoma Coast, has named Chef William Oliver as their executive chef. Perched on a cliff along Highway 1, the inn features the Alexander Restaurant and Sequoia Lounge. Oliver previously worked at Cook in St. Helena, the Farmhouse Inn and several area wineries. 21780 North Coast, Highway 1, Jenner, 707-847-3231.
So many folks have been asking about the quiet hiatus of BiteClub the last month. Here’s the deal:
Don’t worry, Biteclub isn’t dead. Just taking a quick beauty nap.
Asks one reader: “Been missing yr blog in the PD online, even b4 the ugly new format — where r u??”
Uh, working as the lead on the ugly new format. (Which obvious I don’t think is ugly!)
After nearly 8 years, it was time for a new Press Democrat. Change is hard, but I’m proud of the work we put into the site and its better functionality. For the next week or so I have to put all my efforts into making that experience as positive as possible for readers — fixing things here and there.
It’s been murder seeing friends and BiteClubbers in the real world who are missing our conversations about the food scene. I miss them too.
So I thank you for your patience and support as I do double duty on many fronts at the paper.
I desperately miss doing what I love so much, but hope BiteClub will be all the fresher and better when I return in a few weeks.
xoxoxox,
Heather
Chef Tai Olesky of the former Mosaic restaurant in Forestville is the guest chef (one night only!) at on June 26, 2013 from 5-8pm. His special menu includes tempura fried squash blossoms, fennel pollen dusted sea scallops with white corn polenta, local wild salmon with favas and morels, butter leaf lettuce salad, cocoa-nib encrusted filet mignon and buttermilk panna cotta with stone fruit maple syrup. The menu is $75 per person and reservations are required.
Up next on the special Wednesday menu: an All-American barbecue ($25 per person) and fireworks watching on the plaza (July 4) followed by a South of the Border dinner (July by chef Jamilah Nixon featuring family favorite taqueria recipes (a la carte, $5 and up). Details online at http://www.forchettabastoni.com/reservations/.
In the comments below, submit any question about food, dining, restaurants you may have. I’ll do the absolute best I can to answer in an upcoming BiteClub post.
ie: Where’s the best place for burgers?
Where do I find Jewish cuisine?
Does Sonoma County have Cronuts?
Bob Blumer, aka the Surreal Gourmet, turns up in Napa on June 21 for a meal, wine tasting and launch of surreal objets d’art (i.e.: a lung-shaped decanter wineglass-baited wineglass) happens at Jessup Cellars in Napa. Details at Jessupcellars.com.
BiteClub’s mentioned the forthcoming farm market coming to Santa Rosa’s West End, but the neighborhood market officially kicks off this Sunday, June 23 at 10am. Months in the making, market manager Allen Thomas says they’ll have between 25-30 food and craft vendors to start, with hopes that more will join. “There is a sense of community that is really bubbling pretty intensely (in the West End), and
Idea of a farm market had been in the works for a while,” said Allen. “It’s an opportunity to have a market downtown that’s close to the people here and give farmers another marketplace,” Allen said. On the roster, Bloomfield Farms, Twin Palms, Tusque Farms, Healdsburg Farm Fresh Eggs and others, beginning at 10a.m at West Ninth St. and Donahue near the DeTurk Round Barn.
Chef Jamil Peden, who’s done stints at Campo Fina (Healdsburg) and at the former Petite Syrah (Santa Rosa) will head up the kitchen of the soon-to-open brewery located in Sebastopol’s Barlow complex.
Say owners Seth Wood and Olav Vier, “At Woodfour Brewing Co. we feel that food in our kitchen deserves as much respect and attention as the beer in the brewery. With that in mind, it gives us great pleasure to introduce the newest member of our team, Executive Chef Jamil Peden. The guy has some serious talent and style to boot.”
Watch for a (fingers crossed) July opening.
Taylor Maid Farms Organic Tea and Coffee will be opening the doors on their new Barlow coffee bar on Monday, June 17. Visitors can watch roasting and packaging from the bar’s mezzanine level, drink espresso and hand-brewed coffees and check out tasty treats from Santa Rosa’s Criminal Baking Co. and Howard’s Station Cafe in Occidental.
The Coffee Bar is located at 6790 McKinley Avenue, Suite 170 and will be open Monday through Thursday from 6am-7pm, Friday and Saturday from 6am-9pm, and Sunday from 7am-7pm.
If you’ve driven down Farmer’s Lane in Santa Rosa lately, you can’t help but notice the whirlwind of construction wrapping up at the new Boudin SF Bakery.
Reps have confirmed that the bakery and attached coffeehouse, ACRE Coffee, are slated to open July 11. Two opening events worth, ahem, rising for? On Tuesday, June 18 the bakery’s 164-year-old “Mother Dough” will be escorted by cyclists to the new location. The ride starts at 9:30a.m. at Rincon Valley Library in Santa Rosa and ends at Montgomery Village. The first 100 cyclists to join will receive a $20 Boudin gift certificate.
On opening day (July 11, remember?), the first 100 people in line at Boudin will get free bread for a year (yep, one loaf per day!) The first spot in line, however, will be reserved for the Redwood Empire Food Bank.
Sunday, June 9: It’s NOLA at the Windsor Farmer’s Market as Parish Cafe’s Rob Lipponcott hosts New Orleans Day at the Market. The Louisiana-transplant brings his family’s French Creole recipes to life with a free chef demonstration at 11a.m., beignets, live music with Catfish Jack, free cake and Mardi Gras beads for all. 701 McClelland Dr., Windsor, from 10a.m. to 1p.m.
