The Sonoma County Single Malt Society will present a special tasting of aged whiskeys from Anthony Wills of Kilchoman, Louisa Young of Isle of Arran and Ed Kohl presenting Chieftains independent bottlings. Saturday, Oct. 6, 7pm., Courtyard by Marriot, 175 Railroad St., Santa Rosa. $35 for Society Members, $50 for non-members.
Free espresso and cappucino at Oliver’s
To celebrate the launch of their new espresso, Sweetwater, Taylor Maid Farms will offer free espresso and cappucino from 11am to 2pm on Oct. 5, 2012 at all three Oliver’s market locations (Stony Point Road, Monticeto Center and Cotati). The new espresso uses a post-roast blending method and contains Arabica beans from Honduras, Guatemala and Brazil. taylormaidfarms.com.
Local chef and food tinkerer, Chris Hanson channels his inner Alton Brown to explain how to break down flavors into their most basic elements. We’ll make balsamic vinegar “caviar”, 63 degree eggs, lemon “powder”, instant infused apple cider and show you how to build your own sous vide using safe, organic ingredients. Includes a discussion about molecular gastronomy techniques and some fun tastings. $20 or whatever you can pay. Wednesday, Oct., 3, 6:30p.m., Square Belly Food Theater (a monthly pay-what-you-can food experience for the eating-obsessed) at the Arlene Francis Center, 99 Sixth St., Santa Rosa. biteclubeats.com/squarebelly.
Standing at the entrance to the 22-foot labyrinth in Lea Goode-Harris’ backyard, all she’ll say is that there is no right way to enter.
There is also no wrong way, apparently. But somehow knowing there are no rules adds even more weight to the first step; increases the pressure to perform some quiet ritual, maybe a dance of some sort. I look toward her, watching me with anticipation.
“I’m not going to say anything until you’ve experienced it,” says the world-renowned labyrinth designer who makes her home in Santa Rosa’s JC neighborhood. “Your first walk is really precious, because you don’t know what to expect,” says Goode-Harris, who has created at least 100 meditative pathways that include the Snoopy Labyrinth at the Charles Schulz Museum, The Sebastopol Labyrinth of Life, two labyrinths at the Center for Spiritual Living along with many private and temporary labyrinths throughout the county.
But her most well-known labyrinth is the Santa Rosa Labyrinth, a unique labyrinth design which she created by accident in 1997. Inspired by walks at the Angela Center (a Santa Rosa retreat) and at San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral, Goode-Harris, who was an art therapist working toward her doctorate in psychology, began sketching mandalas (sacred circles with clear geometric designs) for inspiration. Those turned into compass-drawn concentric circles, and Goode-Harris says one day the pattern just “sort of rose up” from the paper. Not all at once, but over several days of picking up her pad and pencil, she refined the design until it became the seven-circle labyrinth was complete. The design was verified as unique (though it shares aspects with an 11th century labyrinth), and copyrighted. Thus, the Santa Rosa Labyrinth–named for her hometown–was born. She keeps the original sketch to show visitors. “The maze became my dissertation,” says Goode-Harris, who finally earned a PhD after writing about the psychology of labyrinths.
Over the years she’s built and rebuilt the version of the Santa Rosa Labyrinth in her yard, first in grass, then in brick, and finally in very concrete. Santa Rosa Labyrinths have been built in Washington DC at the American Psychological Association, Standing Bear Native American Park in Oklahoma and worldwide.
I decide a deep breath and a purposeful step forward into the curling path of the labyrinth ahead of me. Cutting through with my toe, then my torso and finally pushing into the eight concentric circles, the space inside seems weightier. While Goode watches my progress I try to tune out the world and follow the winding bricks that first curve wide the circle back on itself like a winding mountain road. Unlike a maze there are no high walls, dead ends or false paths to trick you.
“It’s a visceral experience between conscious and unconscious,” says Goode-Harris. Labyrinths are typically low or flat to the ground, and have a single path leading to the center, the point of which is meditative and contemplative rather than merely cerebral.
No one knows exactly who drew the first labyrinth, but they seem to span most of modern history and cultures as far-flung as the North American Hopi and ancient Minoan, reach geographically from India to northern Russia. One of the most famous is the labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral in Paris, a similar version of which is inside Grace Cathedral.Want to experience a labyrinth yourself? Here’s where to find some locally…
– Snoopy Labyrinth at the Charles M. Schulz Museum, 2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa.
– Center for Spiritual Living, 2075 Occidental Road Santa Rosa.
– Christ Church United Methodist Church, 1717 Yulupa Avenue Santa Rosa
– Oak Hill Park, Petaluma
– Kaiser Medical Clinic Stein Building, 3975 Old Redwood Highway, Santa Rosa
“Labyrinths are a tool to listen to ourselves. They aren’t magic, but an archetypical design that slows us down to listen to ourselves for prayer, meditation or creative thinking. It’s about what is important to you and it allows you to get in touch with that,” she said.
One of the most unique aspects of this particular pathway a small open space half-way between the opening and the center, which Goode-Harris calls the “heart space”. The quiet, empty spot is often filled with small offerings, flowers or a candle. Sometimes not.
Reaching the center of the labyrinth, it seems appropriate to stop. Some people, says Goode, just walk across the circles and are done. Others retrace the route to the start. With the Santa Rosa Labyrinth, you can shortcut the exit by taking a wide step onto the heart space and then to the entrance.
“It still surprises me. I know the pattern so well I can just walk it with my eyes closed,” she says. Like many who use a labyrinth as a way to meditate, it seems to be the perfect distance to sort out whatever’s on your mind.
Re-walking the labyrinth, Goode-Harris starts a few seconds behind me. The parallel geometry of the paths bring us together in spots, move us to opposite sides and back together. Clearly it’s a metaphor. “Muslims, Jews, Christians can all walk it. We’re all on the same path. We just see it from a different viewpoint,” she says.
There is no right or wrong way to experience a labyrinth, Goode-Harris reminds me, as I ponder which path to follow out of the labyrinth. Carefully, thoughtfully I make my way out the same way I went in as one of Goode-Harris’ friends jumps back and forth between the lines, teasing me — the one who can’t bear to step outside the path. Finally stepping out of the maze, its clear there is no right or wrong path. Whatever the route, the journey through a labyrinth is truly the destination.
You can find out more about Lea Goode-Harris including how to make your own labyrinth at srlabyrinthfoundation.com.
Backstory: The Kefir Guys
An ancient crystal becomes a new health tonic?
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. Or, maybe it was monks in Tibet who cultivated these magical bits of fermented goodness, then presented them to Mother Teresa of Calcutta as a gift. Then again, maybe water kefir crystals were first discovered in Mexico, where their existence was first documented in 1899, occurring in the naturally sugared water of the Ountia cactus.
The point is, water kefir grains have been around for a long time propagated and used by cultures throughout the world, says Tom Boyd, owner of the newly-opened Kefiry in Sebastopol. The tiny shop is where Boyd and his business partners Deana Dennard and Jeffrey Edelheit both ferment and sell their naturally-fermented sodas, called Enlivened. “We are the first live-cultured soda sold in America,” says Boyd. “It’s really a living drink,” he adds.
If this is all Greek to you, you’re not alone. Because most Americans aren’t familiar with this ancient fermentation process, Boyd’s job is as much about education as it is selling his soda. That’s where a glass beaker filled with what looks like lemonade and sediment comes into play. Tiny bubbles rise through the fluid, created by the water kefir grains at the bottom — carbon dioxide being released by the hungry, sugar-eating bacteria.
“Each crystal of kefir is like Whoville,” says Boyd. There are 30 to 60 bacteria colonies inside and as many micro-organisms as all the people on earth,” he says. The kefir grains self-propagate, and can be grown and shared with others.
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 its 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), Tulsi Kola (which tastes the most similar to Coke) and lemon-ginger.
Boyd and Edelheit have perfected the process over the last eight years, breaking down the entire process, from the kefir grains to a proprietary water purifying technology.
“This is really going back to our ancestors. Before the industrial revolution, most beverages were fermented,” says Boyd. In the back are buckets of the grains, which look like little florets of milky gelatin. Eaten raw, they’re a bit floral in flavor, but unremarkable. Fermented with herbs like lavender, basil or hibiscus and their own specially filtered water, they become a fizzy, more healthful alternative to sugary drinks. Boyd suggests that the combination of purified water and kefir can help with immunity and provide anti-oxidants in addition to healthy bacteria for the body.
Whether or not probiotics like water kefir are a panacea is something scientists are still debating (though current literature points to a number of health benefits). But there’s not doubt that The Kefiry is fermenting loyal local following.
Want to try it: The Kefiry, 972 Gravenstein Hwy South, #120, Sebastopol. You can try their water kefir on tap at the Arlene Francis Center’s new cafe at 99 Sixth St., Santa Rosa.
The bad news is that our favorite New Yawkah has left Santa Rosa. The good news is that NY Pie may finally be open regular hours. Earlier this month, the tiny Santa Rosa pizzeria at the corner of Brookwood and Fourth St., was sold to new owners. The restaurant’s constant presence, R.J. Iervolino whose direct style and haphazard hours sometimes confounded Californians, has retired and turned the business over to Ty Folk, the owner of Foster Freeze in Sebastopol. The award-winning pizza and homemade sauce aren’t changing, and the restaurant will now be open from 11a.m. to 9p.m. daily. They’ll soon add some new specials to the menu as well as a few appetizers. But best of all, they’ll also be doing pizza by the slice, something R.J. steadfastly refused to do, bless his New York heart. 65 Brookwood Ave., Santa Rosa, 526-9743.
On the first morning of breakfast service for Three Squares Cafe, the newly reborn Syrah in Railroad Square, chef-owner Josh Silvers wandered from table to table greeting, well, other chefs. Like much of the local dining community, the anticipation among other restaurateurs was palpable: What would become of the iconic space? It turns out to be exactly what many of us hoped it would be–a return to the comfortable, warm, homey cooking that’s Silvers’ hallmark.
“It’s food that comes from here,” says Silvers, pointing to his heart, “not here,” he adds, pointing to his head. “You don’t have to sit and think about it,” he says of Petite Syrah, a short-lived version of the restaurant that featured small plates of haute cuisine. “It just wasn’t me,” he says. Instead, the new three-meal-a-day menu (hence the name) features dishes including a breakfast sticky bun, Hangtown Fry with fried oysters and bacon, corned beef hash with poached eggs and Matzo Brei — a Jewish version of chilaquiles with pieces of matzo crackers and scrambled eggs — served up with potato pancakes, sour cream and house-made applesauce. Sweet-tooths will love deep fried French toast with real maple syrup or pumpkin griddle cakes with homemade sausage.
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Generously-portioned salads (which are often scarce around these parts) are the backbone of the lunch menu: Prawn Louie is a decadent pile of butter lettuce, tomato, egg and avocado with homemade Louie dressing (a sort of Thousand Island) and prawns. Chili Calamari Salad is destined to become my personal favorite, heaped with fried calamari, Asian slaw and peanuts. Many are available as “half” salads for smaller eaters. Entrees of quinoa pasta, chicken pot pie and hangar steak with Kennebeck fries are also featured on the dinner menu, as are the Oyster Po’ Boy with bacon remoulade and The Burger. It’s almost impossible not to compare Silvers’ burger here and the one across the street at his other restaurant, Jackson’s Bar and Oven. It comes down to grilled, squishy bun lovers versus griddled, egg bun-lovers. Personally, I wish I could merge the two into a grilled egg-bun Frankenburger.
Dinner includes a daily “Square Meal”, Spaghetti and Meat Balls on Wednesday, Fried Chicken Thursday and Prime Rib on Sunday. The price includes soup, salad and housemade ice cream. But you may want check out the dessert menu anyway, because Josh’s butterscotch pudding is downright addictive. And there’s almost nothing better than getting a slice of Birthday Cake (with a candle) when its not your birthday. The cake is made in house, and Josh’s one requirement to the baker: “Bake whatever makes you smile.”
Shoulder to shoulder with his kitchen staff (including breakfast cook Pam Wilson, his first sous at Syrah), Silvers seems happier than ever, cooking food that’s more approachable than ever. The kind of Wednesday morning, Friday night, Sunday afternoon food that just makes you go, “Mmmmm. That’s just what I wanted.”
Open Tuesday through Sunday for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Closed Monday. 205 Fifth St., Santa Rosa, 707-545-4300.
It’s the weekend of the Harvest Moon*, and Chef John Lyle (of the sold-out Chosen Spot dinners at the Luther Burbank Home and Gardens) is heading to Geyserville for a special outdoor winery dinner at Kelley & Young.
The five-course dinner using only local meats and produce takes place Sunday Sept. 30, 2012. Guests will be treated to a wine and canapé reception in the winery estate’s garden. Following the reception, an elegant dinner will be served under the garden arbor at a single continuous banquet table. HARVEST MOON Wine Estate Dinner is presented by Hardcore Farm To Face to benefit the Food For Thought AIDS Nutrient Bank.
$100 per person includes wine from Kelley & Young. Call (707) 887-1647 or register online at http://fftfoodbank.org/under-harvest-moon. Seating is limited to 50 guests.
*This full moon’s name is attributed to Native Americans because it marked when corn was supposed to be harvested. Most often, the September full moon is actually the Harvest Moon, which is the full Moon that occurs closest to the autumn equinox.
“Mommy, I picked a lettuce!” is the kind of conversation you’ll hear over and over in the fields of Bloomfield Farms. Each Sunday (through October), the family-operated organic farm opens its barn doors and sets folks loose on several acres of salad greens, kale, squash, lettuce, potatoes, zucchinis and other veggies. Staff are on hand to point you to the right rows, give tips on how to most effectively dig for potatoes and guide you to what’s at the peak of the season.
Plan to get your boots dusty and your hand dirty, because this is farm work after all. Each box is $25 to fill. Sundays 10am to 3pm, at Bloomfield Farms, 12550 Valley Ford Road, Petaluma.
THE U-PICK SUNDAY “COUNTDOWN” WITH NOTED, ACCLAIMED AND CELEBRITY CHEFS!
We will be offering U-Pick Sunday to members of the public until Sunday, November 4th. Also we have made arrangements for acclaimed and celebrity chefs to be onsite preparing wonderful dishes, snacks and brunches
THE OMG! TABLE TO FARM PICNIC (THIS WEEKEND, OCT. 7TH) – Chef Brandon Guenther of Rocker Oysterfeller’s (highlighted by Sunset Magazine, respected as a chef throughout the world)www.rockeroysterfellers.com
FUN FARM BRUNCH (Oct. 14, 21 and Nov 4th) – Chef John Lyle and the team from Hardcore Farm to Face. HUGELY POPULAR! http://www.hardcorefarmtoface.com/home/funfarmbrunch.html
GERARD’S PAELLA (October 28th) Chef, friend and Paella extraordinaire to the stars, Gerard Nebesky once kicked Bobby Flay’s tail during a ‘Paella Smackdown’ episode on the Food Networkhttp://gerardspaella.com/
Recently a group of restaurateurs, chefs, farmers, food purveyors and food justice folks got together to think about a whole bunch of issues in the local food scene — what we want to change, how we want to grow, how we think the world see us — and one really interesting question came up…
How is it that we really define what makes Sonoma County unique when it comes to food?
It seems like a really obvious question with really obvious answer. But is it?
Some people think we’re the American Provence.
Others suggest Tuscany.
Some people think we’re something that shouldn’t be compared to Europe.
Some people think its all about the farms and ranchers.
Others about our chefs. Or the wineries.
Some compare us to Napa. Others say we are something altogether different.
One thing most agree on is our authenticity.
But in the end, its a more difficult question than you might think.
So…I ask you. What defines us in Sonoma County when it comes to food?
