Open on Christmas: Sonoma County Holiday Eats

By biteclub

Ho ho ho, who wants to be in the kitchen on Christmas Day? Because after all that elf-ing, you deserve a break. But TV dinners are about as merry as traffic jam and leftovers just won’t cut it when your mother-in-law’s involved.
So, if you’re looking for a spot to indulge in some stress-free, kitchen-free dining, here are some best bets for Sonoma County restaurants that are open on Christmas Day…
(In general, many hotel restaurants are open to serve visitors from out of town. Diners and Chinese restaurants are favorite haunts of folks who don’t celebrate the holidays (or just want something other than prime rib and mashed potatoes).
Dickens Dinners at Madrona Manor: Madrona Manor’s ever popular and highly acclaimed Dickens Dinners continue  through December 24th and for the first time ever, includes a Christmas Day dinner. Twelfth Night Singers dressed in 19th century garb carol throughout the dining rooms delighting all. The Mansion will be sumptuously decorated for the Holidays, bringing good cheer to one and all. 1001 Westside Road, Healdsburg, 800.258.4003.
Brasserie Restaurant: Breakfast from 6:30 to 11am. Lunch and dinner specials until 8pm, including prime rib and lobster risotto. 170 Railroad Street, Santa Rosa, 636-7388.
Equus Restaurant: Special Christmas Day prix fixe dinner menu from 2pm to 6:30pm including Dungeness Crab Chowder, Brie Fritter salad, crispy duck and waffles, prime rib, kobe beef short ribs, handmade gnocchi and pumpkin cheesecake. $59 per person. Children’s menu available. 101 Fountain Grove Parkway, Santa Rosa, (707) 578-0149
Carneros Bistro: Christmas day prix fixe dinner. Limited seating available from 2-4:30. $55 per person, $30 children. Table side clam chowder, prime rib, ham, Pekin duck, chocolate yule log with candy cane ice cream. Special holiday wine pairings and flights from sommelier Christopher Sawyer. Reservations: 931-2042. 1325 Broadway, Sonoma, 935-6829.
Spoonbar at the h2hotel: Craft your own menu, 3 courses for $55 from 2pm to 7pm. Menu includes Dungeness crab salad, duck liver pate, roasted duck breast, Moorish brick chicken, pheasant, dry-aged New York strip, rum baba.  219 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 433-7222.
Flamingo Hotel, The Terrace Grill: Christmas Buffet sold out
Saddles Steakhouse: Marrow crusted filet mignon, prime rib, diver scallops, pumpkin ravioli with roasted chestnuts. 3 to 7:30pm by reservation. $49.50 per person.933-3191.29 East MacArthur Street, Sonoma, (707) 933-3191.
Other restaurants open on Christmas

  • China Room  (500 Mission Blvd., Santa Rosa, 707.539.5570) Open Christmas Day, 11:30am to 9:30pm.
  • Fu Zhou Super Buffet, 450 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, open 11am to 8pm.
  • Adel’s Restaurant, 456 College Ave., Santa Rosa, 6am to midnight.
  • Marie Callender’s: Bakery open from 9am to 9pm and the dining room is open from 10:30am to 9pm. 2460 Mendocino Avenue, Santa Rosa, 547-0747.

Christmas Eve Dinner: Get into the holiday spirit at these spots.
Santi Restaurant: Open Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve for lunch and dinner. 2097 Stagecoach Road, Santa Rosa, 528-1549. Closed Christmas Day.
Cafe Europe: 
Christmas Eve dinner from 5-9pm.  104 Calistoga Rd.. Santa Rosa, 538-5255. Open Christmas Day.
Stark’s Steakhouse (521 Adams Street, Santa Rosa, 546-5100), Monti’s Rotisserie and Bar (714 Village Court, Santa Rosa, 568-4404): Seating until 8pm Christmas Eve. Closed Christmas Day.
Grocery Stores

  • G & G Market: Open 8am to 6pm Christmas Eve, CLOSED Christmas Day
  • Oliver’s Markets: Open 7am to 9pm Christmas Eve, open 9am to 3pm Christmas Day
  • Pacific Market: Santa Rosa CLOSED Christmas Day, Sebastopol open from 9am to 3pm Christmas Day.
  • Safeway: Fourth St., Yulupa: Closing at 7pm Christmas Eve, Closed Christmas Day; Mendocino Ave., Closing at 7pm Christmas Eve, Open 9am to 4pm Christmas Day
  • Trader Joe’s: Closing 6pm Christmas Eve, Closed Christmas Day
  • Whole Foods: Open Christmas eve until 6pm. Closed Christmas Day.

2010 Holiday Cookie Contest Winner

By biteclub

The results are in. After more than a month of cooking, tasting and testing, we’ve put on several pounds and horrified our dentists while loving every minute of grading Sonoma County’s BEST Holiday cookies for 2010.
Cookies by the Number: Biteclub kept track, and here’s how the numbers for 2010’s cookie bake-off went…
– 18 pounds of butter
– 8 dozen eggs
– 5 pounds of chocolate chips
– 6 oranges
– 1 bag of fresh cranberries
– 9 pounds of sugar
– 7 pounds of flour
– 9 trips to the grocery store
– 29 recipes to the semi-finals
– 35 recipes tested
– 48 recipes submitted
– 5 pounds gained (roughly)
Finalists: (See recipes below) Real Ginger Ginger Snaps, Pecan Crunch (Potato Chip) Cookies, Cashew Crusted Guava Cream Cookies, Cookie Brownies, Saltine Cracker Toffee Bark, Mint Truffles, Date Balls, Ginger Cookies with Togarishi, Cranberry Orange Almond Cookies, Raspberry Ribbons, Bourbon Balls, Graham Crackers with Dulce de Leche
Winner: Cranberry Orange Almond Cookies
Tasters went around and around over their favorites, but ultimately these cookies took the prize for their use of fresh cranberries, a delicious citrus glaze, and holiday perfection. Congratulations Celeste!
Celeste receives a $100 gift certificate to Lucky’s Supermarkets and a $25 gift certificate to Savory Spice Shop.
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Real Ginger Ginger Snaps | Holiday Cookies

By biteclub

Sonoma County Real Ginger Ginger SnapsSheana Davis is a ringer…as a professional caterer, I knew these would be amazing, but hands down, these are the best ginger snaps I’ve made to date. The mix of butter and shortening makes for a rich, soft cookie. The fresh ginger adds a special zing you just can’t get in powdered ginger.

Davis Family Ginger Snaps

Submitted by Sheana Davis
1/2 c. Sonoma County  butter, room temperature
1/2 c. shortening
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. dark molasses
2 whole farm fresh eggs
3 1/2 to 4 c. flour, sifter
2 1/4 t. baking soda, sifted
1/2 t. salt
2 t. fresh ginger, grated fine
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. cloves
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer cream butter, shortening and sugar.  Add in molasses and eggs, thoroughly mixing.  Fold and them mix the dry ingredients a cup at a time, mixing as you go. Roll dough into 1″ balls and then roll balls in a bowl of sugar.  Bake on a non stick pan or parchment paper Place balls two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 8- 10 minutes, careful not to  over-bake. Enjoy fresh an hot out of the oven! Store cookies by storing them in an air tight container.
Yields approximately 3-4 dozen cookies.
*Dough may be made up to 24 hours in advance, formed into balls and then baked off when ready to enjoy!

Pecan Crunch Cookies | Holiday Cookie Contest

By biteclub

Pecan Crunch Potato Chip cookie recipeI love, love, love these cookies. They’ve got a shortbread base with the extra salty, crunchy flavor of the potato chips. Tasters loved these cookies as well. The bonus is that they’re amazingly easy to make.

Pecan Crunch Cookies

“Crushed potato chips are the secret for that special crunch,” Dorothy Fitarapravich.
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup crushed potato chips (Lay’s or similar)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter sugar and vanilla. Add crushed potato chips and pecans. Stir in flour. Batter will be dry.
Form dough into small balls, using about 1 tsp. dough for each. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press balls flat with bottom of a tumbler dipped in sugar. Bake 16-18 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Makes 3.5 dozen.

Citrus Shortbread Cups | Holiday Cookies

By biteclub

Citrus Shortbread Cup recipeThere’s a lot going on in these little cookie cups — shortbread, nuts and chocolate chips. Tasters were mixed on their affinity toward them, but if you’re a shortbread fan, it’s worth trying these intriguing little treats.

Citrus Shortbread Cups

Submitted by Laurie Figone
Shortbread
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 orange, zested
1 cup cold butter
4 tbsp. walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
4 tbsp. sour cream
In large bowl combine flour, sugar, salt and orange zest; cut in butter until crumbly.  Stir in walnuts.  Add sour cream 1 tbsp. at a time until dough forms a ball.
Refrigerate wrapped in plastic for 30 minutes.

Filling
2 eggs
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 tbsp. fresh orange juice
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
While dough is chilling, make filling.  In small bowl mix together eggs, brown sugar, orange juice and chocolate chips.

Topping
1/2 cup white chocolate melted
zest from 1/2 an orange
Stir together and place in a piping bag, do this right before you are ready to use in the last step.
Preheat oven to 375′.
Using a greased mini muffin pan, put 1 tbsp. of dough into each hole and push down gently to form a mini cup.
Add 1/2 tsp. filling to each.
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until nicely browned.
Cool in pan 15 to 20 minutes, then gently remove from pan and drizzle with topping

Cashew Crusted Guava Cream Cookies | Holiday Cookies

By biteclub

Cashew Guava Cream Cookies Recipe
Cashew Guava Cream Cookies Recipe

I love the island feel to these cookies with exotic guava jelly and cashews. The cream cheese filling makes these a special treat.

Cashew Crusted Guava Cream Cookies

Submitted by Karen Crosby
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Crust:
1/2 cup cashews finely chopped (lightly salted)
Filling:
4 oz. cream cheese,
1/4 cup guava jelly
1 egg yolk
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine all purpose flour and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat unsalted butter and brown sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Mix in egg and vanilla extract. Mix in dry ingredients.
Form dough into 1-inch balls and roll edges in chopped cashews. Arrange on ungreased baking sheet, spacing 1 1/2 inches apart. Make depression in center of each using thumb or handle of wooden spoon. Fill depressions with 1 teaspoon cream cheese filling. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on rack.
Yield: 2 dozen

Glen Ellen Inn still very much open

By biteclub

The difference between a capital “I” and a lower case “i” is turning into a capital case of mistaken identity for the Glen Ellen Inn. Recently the Glen Elly Inn Bed and Breakfast in Glen Ellen closed for business. It was reportedly seized for back bed taxes. The Press Democrat reported on Sunday that a “Glen Ellen inn” was seized, ushering in the confusion.
However, Karen & Chris Bertrand, owners of the Glen Ellen Inn Oyster Grill & Martini Bar want folks to know they’re still very much in business and are not affiliated with the Glen Elly folks.
“We woke up this morning with the phone ringing and it has been ringing all day!” said the owners, who fear that friends and customers may think they’re the ones throwing in the towel.
So be assured, their restaurant and secret cottages are still around and they’re eager to see you.
Glen Ellen Inn, Oyster & Martini Bar 13670 Arnold Drive | Glen Ellen, Sonoma, Ca | 95442
Restaurant: (707) 996-6409 | Secret Cottages: (707) 996-1174

Local Sweeties on TV

By biteclub

Sift's Andrea Ballus
Sift's Andrea Ballus

A certain Sonoma County cupcake empire we’re all come to know (and, uh, carry around the results of on our thighs) is preparing for battle. Sift Dessert Bar (formerly Cupcakery) puts up their buttercream frosted dukes on Food Network’s Cupcake Wars on January 11. They’re not giving away any details — like whether they crumble the competition — but we’re pretty confident they’ll put up a good fight regardless. Stay tuned next week for some sweet details on their new dessert bar menu (hint: it includes some pretty sweet new goodies we’ve gotten a first bite on) and plans for world domination.
Meanwhile the amazing Lisa Marie Kincaid of Fleur de Lisa Wedding Cakes in Santa Rosa will be featured on TLC’s Fabulous Cakes on December 20. The show features a behind-the-scenes look at some of the country’s top pastry chefs. Lisa is one of three Bay Area chefs featured on the episode and is is well known for her wedding cakes.
Just in: We also hear the gals from Patisserie Angelica are getting their moment in the spotlight on Foodcrafters on the Cooking Channel on January 4 at 8:30pm!

Liza Hinman leaving Santi

By biteclub

It’s a bittersweet departure for Chef Liza Hinman, who will leave Fountaingrove’s popular Santi Restaurant after New Year’s.
The mom-to-be is expecting a child in March and will turn over her toque in January to Sous Chef Doug Richey. Hinman has been with the restaurant for years, taking over the role as exec chef after Chef Dino Bugica transitioned to Santi’s sister restaurant, Diavola.
Hinman is not anticipated to return to the restaurant’s kitchens, though Santi owner Doug Swett says, “Never say never.”
“Doug is our sous chef from the Geyserville days and the food won’t miss a beat,” Swett said. “There will be different roles for everyone, but I have every faith in him.”
Hinman, however, is going out with a bang. Santi’s New Year’s Eve menu is a whopper, with plenty for the whole kitchen to take on, including brown butter crepes with Dungeness crab; foie gras terrine; cauliflower soup with sea urchin; tortellini with black truffles; calves liver; linguini with lemon cream and salmon caviar; osso buco; whole branzino; braised guinea hen and meyer lemon tart. $85 to $100 per person. (707) 528 1549. The restaurant has also recently started serving weekend brunch.

Impromptu “This Land” Video at Whole Foods Petaluma

By biteclub

Unsuspecting shoppers at the Petaluma Whole Foods get a surprise in the produce aisle on December 15, 2010 when several disguised singers erupt into a sing-a-long version of Woodie Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land.” Watch for the bass player to come out of the back. It’s funny.
The “Random Act of Culture” was dreamed up by the Heritage Music Theatre and Cinnabar Theater Cinnabar Theater will present Woody Guthrie’s American Song December 31 through January 23. More details at the Cinnabar website.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huSdqL1XlPQ[/youtube]