Chef Douglas Keane is a busy guy. Between feeding the homeless (See below), feeding the well-heeled and feeding the rumor mill, he’s been finalizing the menu, staffing and interior of his about-to-be-launched steakhouse, Shimo in Healdsburg.
The upscale steakhouse is opening, hell or high water, on December 3, 2010 according to Keane.
So here’s your sneak preview…
The Menu: Keane’s keeping the official menu under wraps, but he and Chef de Cuisine Kolin Vazzoler are working on…
– Big cuts of dry-aged Allen Brother’s steaks from Chicago, plus local tri-tip and Prime Rib. Keane is planning to have lots of cuts for two, three and four to share — a way he prefers to cook and serve meat…one the bone. “It gets a better sear and a better flavor that way.” He’s also planning a Sunday prime rib supper from 3 to 8pm weekly.
– Tasty steakhouse sides may include a “Twice Baked Potato”, potato gnocchi with sour cream and bacon sauce; “Shrimp Cocktail” which reinvents this classic with a horseradish pudding and tomato syrup; a Little Gem “wedge” with buttermilk ginger dressing and pastrami-brined shallots; Cheddar fontina biscuits; Korean BBQ tri-tip; , Deviled Eggs (!), dashi with dumplings and a variety of Asian-influenced veggies.
– Dessert will be simple: Sticky Buns for Two, table side “cheesecake” squirted onto the plate from a whip cream charger.
– The restaurant will have a full bar, but Keane’s hot on his tableside tea service featuring whisked matcha from Japan.
The Vibe: Shimo is a Japanese word referring to “frost” and use it to describe the white marbling in beef, especially the highly prized Wagyu whose fat has an almost snow-like appearance. The interior will be simple, with muted colors and lots of wood. Keane and his partners have hired O’Donoghue Custom Woodworks to craft reclaimed Bay Laurel tables. The table settings will include Japanese steak knives specially made for Shimo.
The Price: Expect to pay about $150 or so for two people, with steaks running about $35 to $40 per portion.
Want to see more photos? Check out the gallery.
* Keane’s Thanksgiving: Chef Keane shutters both Cyrus and HBG each year for Thanksgiving and Christmas so staff can celebrate with their families; he and his team are taking their Thanksgiving goodwill one step further again this year. Chef Keane with his cooks, wife Lael, family members and friends will be preparing and serving a full festive feast for an estimated 65 residents of Santa Rosa Family Support Center, a local charitable organization that offers support and services for homeless families in need. The menu includes: hot chocolate and hot-mulled cider, butternut squash soup, chopped salad, roast turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberry relish, green beans, mashed potatoes, freshly-baked cheddar biscuits, pumpkin pies and chocolate chip cookies, all prepared in the kitchens of Cyrus, HBG and the team’s upcoming new restaurant, Shimo. In addition, Keane hopes to present Target gift cards to each of the attending families.
100 Mile Thanksgiving: What’s in Season
It’s almost laughable how easy we have it in Sonoma County when it comes to eating local produce and meats. While other folks may struggle to find much more than a few frozen root vegetables in their “food shed” — a term given to local food systems — the 100 or so miles surrounding Santa Rosa is near brimming with food for your feast.
The Original Santa Rosa Farmer’s Market will be held on Wednesday from 8am to noon at the Veteran’s Hall to showcase some of the local bounty in preparation for the Thanksgiving holiday. Many local grocers, however, are also awash in great local products for your holiday table. Here are a few to look for….
Turkey: Even the day before Thanksgiving, Willie Bird Turkeys will be available at the retail store (5350 Highway 12, Santa Rosa, 545-2832). Though they can’t guarantee what size they’ll have left for procrastinators, our local turkeys have been a Sonoma County tradition for more than 40 years. Don’t miss their smoked turkey.
Dressing: No matter what your style — moist, dry, stuffed-in, oyster-studded or baked, the basis of a great dressing is bread. Lots of local bakeries are selling bags of dry bread for stuffing this holiday, but two favorites are Full Circle and Costeaux. Instead of oysters, why not try some goat or lamb sausage? Check out Franco’s or Dreamcatcher at the Santa Rosa market.
Potatoes: Some of our favorite potatoes are from right here in Sonoma County. Denny Hunt is a maverick tuber farmer, dry farming his Blankity Blank butterballs, fingerlings and Viking Purples without pesticides or chemicals with the help of his trusty mule, Hail. Hunt cooperatively farms on a patch of land that used to belong to his dairy-farming family outside of Sebastopol. Consider them taters with temerity. Available at Fresh by Lisa Hemenway or at the Sonoma Market.
Live Crab: Dungeness crab season has finally opened, and there’s nothing more Northern California than a fresh crustacean at the Thanksgiving table. Santa Rosa Local & Exotic seafood, 946 Santa Rosa Avenue, Santa Rosa and at the Wednesday Veteran’s Hall Market.
Mushrooms: Wet weather means chanterelles, shittakes and all manner of other foraged fungus. Don’t go it alone. Instead, buddy up to the farm market mushroom purveyors who bring in their precious wares for just a few months each year. Just don’t ask them to share their secret foraging spots.
Pumpkin: Not just for Halloween, people actually used to use real pumpkin for their pies rather than that stuff in the cans. Break out of your comfort zone and roast up a tasty Cinderella or sugar pumpkin. Plenty are still left for the holidays.
Butternut Squash: Like most squash, butternuts are prolific little guys. But unlike their kin, these orange monsters roast up perfectly and make for a perfect fall soup. Redwood Empire Farm, a small, couple-run farm in Rincon Valley will have plenty to stock your stockpot.
Persimmons: Fear not the fuyu. Though many have had alarming run-ins with unripe persimmons (the astringency and tannins will give you a most-unpleasant pucker), this funky fruit is much-loved by its devotees. Use for sweet desserts or just as a centerpiece, if they’re not ripe.
Beets: Golden and ruby red beets are in the midst of their cool-weather season. Though they may look a bit earthy in the raw, a nice roast and peel brings out the jewel-toned colors. Pair with fresh Redwood Hill chevre.
Green Beans: Put down the can, and scoop up some local green beans. Though they’re at the tail end of the season, you can still find some fresh beans to throw into your casserole — preferably with some fresh local mushrooms and fresh onions.
Butter: With so many dairies in Sonoma County, it’s not hard to find a great stick of butter. Besides Clover, a small-producer favorite is McClelland’s Dairy, which makes rich, European style butters in Petaluma. Available at Oakville Grocery, Jimtown Store, Oliver’s Market.
Citrus: Winter citrus is just beginning to hit the markets, with limes and mandarin oranges leading the way. Look for the strange finger-like Buddah’s hand, whose fragrance lends itself to perfuming homes or salads with its zest.
What can’t you get?
There aren’t many foods you can’t find locally, though there are a few things that just don’t thrive in our climate. Like cranberries. This staple of the holiday table prefers the cold bogs of the northeast, so whether you like it jellied out of a can or fresh, you’ll have to break your locavore diet if you want these berries. Local sweet potatoes are also hard to find, mostly coming from the east coast and south.
Fake A Homemade Thanksgiving: Whole Foods
The look of shock and horror on my mother’s face when I suggested we buy our Thanksgiving dinner at a grocery store was, well, priceless. Though it’s not far from the look of exhaustion and financial incredulousness we all have after spending three days buying food and slaving over a hot stove.
I’m not saying it isn’t worth all the money and effort. I’m just saying maybe there’s another way.
Call it Fakesgiving: A homestyle spread that looks and tastes every bit as good as the one you make. Maybe better (sorry mom). Just call it your own, and no one has to be the wiser. Prices range from a thrifty $12.50 per person to $25 and up.
Whole Foods has mastered the art of Fakesgiving with complete dinner packages, from a traditional turkey, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie dinner to a Latin feast with pork and pumpkin tamales and mole sauce. They’ve also got vegan and vegetarian options, organic, and mix-n-match options that include ham, New York strip roast, and sassy sides like Dungeness Crab and brie macaroni and cheese; broccoli cheddar potato gratin and oyster stuffing.
The pre-order lines are open until Tuesday (11/23) but the store will be open until 10pm Wedneday night and 2pm on Thanksgiving day to pick up whatever deliciousness they’ve got on hand (and they promise to have lots). Best bets: Broccoli cheddar gratin, crab and brie make, pumpkin pie and to pair: Romerhof Reisling ($9.99).
Whole Foods, 390 Coddingtown Mall, Santa Rosa, 542-7411. Call for individual store details in at 1181 Yulupa (575-7915) and Sebastopol (6910 McKinley St., Sebastopol, 829-9801).
Thanksgiving Favorites: Pie for Breakfast
First, the come-clean: This picture is of the pie that I ate, but is not my pie. I don’t really do sweets and, with the notable exception of pizza and its close derivatives, I rarely bake – suffice it to say that we may all have a place in the kitchen, but mine is most assuredly not at the pastry station. But when Thanksgiving – my favorite official holiday bar none, and the only US holiday implicitly engineered for the home cook – comes knocking, I start to anticipate pie like, well, like a crack-head anticipates crack.
But as much as I love to book-end the feast with a slice (or three) of pie, as much as I love the Day itself, it is the Day After that provides one of the greatest guilty pleasures: Pie, for breakfast. Because there is nothing, but nothing, on the whole of this great green earth of whichever god you happen to count in your corner, that is finer than a breakfast of fresh, hot coffee and a slice of last night’s pumpkin pie.
How exceedingly fortunate that, unbeknown to me at the time, I married a woman who can bake her butt off, because just saying the word “pie” makes me happy. Seriously, until you’ve had one of my wife’s pies, your gastronomic bucket list will remain at least partially incomplete. She has no weak suit of which I’m aware. My birthday happily coincides with our own lemon crop, so Lemon Meringue has always been a personal favorite, but they are all exceptional: Chocolate Pudding (filled with a rich, velvety dark chocolate custard), Apple (filled with a mixture of Autumn’s blushing apples and adorned by a delicate lattice of crust), and – one of the Himalayan peaks of the pie-baking landscape – Mixed Berry, defined by whatever local berries are currently at their peak, and which I was lucky enough to have for breakfast more than once this summer.
What makes a great pie? The trivially obvious to recognize, and the maddeningly difficult to obtain: A great crust (a great and mighty structure built on the three pedestrian pillars of flour, fat and salt), and a great filling (ranging from delicately cooked custards to barely-touched fresh fruits). It is this very simplicity which belies the difficulty in achieving pie-greatness:
My advice, as a non-participant in the pie kitchen, is this: First, buy the best fruit you possibly can. Almost any fruit can make a great pie, but no great pie can be made from fruit of poor quality. (Please don’t list for me the virtues of instant pudding mixes. They have their place, but not in homemade pie. If you are going to roll out your own crust, then by all means, cook your own custard.) Second, read up on pie crusts, paying particularly close attention to the technicalities of temperature and speed (see McGee or Corriher, for instance – and sorry for the inadvertent AMZN plug, I’m uncompensated and don’t care where you buy it, the link is just to get you to the titles).
And last, but most certainly not least, always save a slice for breakfast.
Sift becomes a dessert bar
In the good news department, Santa Rosa isn’t losing a cupcakery, it’s gaining a dessert bar!
According to a note from Sift Cupcakery, the local bakery was facing some legal implications if the didn’t change the “cupcakery” part of their name. So instead of fighting, they’re just evolving. Starting in December, they’ll add five new desserts to their current cupcake lineup (which are currently under wraps, but trust me, they’re worth waiting for), do some face lifting to their current shops and have a whole lot more exciting news to share with their fans.
BiteClub’s got the inside scoop on what’s coming, but owners say the final news still has a little bit of cooking to do…
Meanwhile, check out their new Facebook page. Membership has its privileges.
Hopmonk Sonoma opening
Just in time for the holidays, Dean Biersch will open the second HopMonk Tavern in the town of Sonoma on November 24. The new location will feature 16 beers on tap focusing on seasonal domestic and international specialty beers and feature many of Biersch’s signature amenities: dog friendly, bike friendly including off-street bicycle parking, an open beer garden, fire pit and communal beer garden tables.
Chef Billy Reid, lately of the Sebastopol location, will serve as chef.
The Accidental Vegetarian: Cooking Green
I’ve been thinking about cooking green. And no, I’m not pandering to my more aggressively environmentalist brethren, I’m talking about the color green, the shades of which the human eye is more sensitive to than any other part of the visible spectrum: The haughty, peacock green of my grandmother’s emerald broach; the brooding, mossy green of the Russian River pooling under Wohler Bridge; the wicked, tempting greens of jalapeno peppers and the Witch of the West, the quiet greens of my wife’s eyes or pine boughs in snowy relief, and the cool greens of Key lime pie and margaritas by the pool. Green. It’s the new black, or whatever.
And yet, despite the remarkable human capacity to perceive green in all its rich and verdant glory, it’s hard for me to think of either a more nondescript or vaguely depressing menu billing as the ubiquitous “green salad”. Every time I read that line, I am transported, as if by some strip-mall perversion of Monsieur Proust’s cookie, to the nearest Sizzler-Olive Garden-Applebee’s-Chili’s, or my college cafeteria, with its dubious cornucopia of flaccid, tired “greens”, really more beige than green, the browning leaves marked, perhaps, by a disturbing pinkish edge, were I to look closely enough…
This all comes to mind because my wife, who vastly prefers to think about animals as pets rather than ingredients, and who happens to count green as her very favorite color, occasionally likes our otherwise steady diet of carbs and protein interspersed with fresh vegetables, and so I decided to make a green salad that would actually be green, entirely of its own natural accord: Brilliant, emerald-green arugula from Bernier Farms; chartreuse Green Zebra heirloom tomatoes from Soda Rock; and a simple vinaigrette, studded with mossy-green peppercorns.
(As an aside, master the home-made vinaigrette – what Thomas Keller called “a perfect sauce” – and you’ll never buy salad dressing again. The basic technique is a simple emulsion – check out the Foodista widget below for a quick tutorial – from which, with the right proportions of acid, fat, and seasoning, and a whisk, all dressings are possible.)
Emulsify
Use Those Leftovers: Wild Salmon, Two Ways.
Leftovers, I often think, represent one of the home cook’s closest friends and greatest motivators, because respect for the limited resources from which our meals derive is a core moral imperatives for all cooks, and inefficiency and waste are its very antithesis. Of course efficiency in the kitchen saves us time and money, but it’s much more than that: By avoiding waste, we honor the source of our food, we appreciate the simple fact of its presence on our table, and – provided we do so effectively – we get to eat better, more of the time, as a result.
Leftovers also force the cook to think: Like the sonnet or haiku, the inherently limited structure of working with what’s already to hand provides discipline with which to make something new out of something old. A well-designed recipe, supported by a shopping spree, is an exercise in execution; the construction of an entirely new and tasty dish, out of stuff that didn’t get used up last night, depends as much on our creative capacity and our dedication to the implicit compact with the food that we buy than it does on our skill with a pan, knife, or whisk.
At least, that’s what I’m told myself as I inventoried the remains of last night’s dinner: Salmon, pistou (recipe here), and polenta. I had some arugula, too, but I have strict limits on eating raw greens – our table typically sports some sort of inverted Aitkens diet – so no salad tonight. But the point is, I had a couple of nice chunks of salmon, some polenta, and a boatload of the pistou, and needed a way to put it all together without rehashing yesterday. On cue, my middle child, who – bless her culinary soul – believes that few foods are better cooked than raw, sagely observed that, “Hey Dad, it’s all well that you cooked it nicely, but can I have some of that salmon raw?” So we tasted it (this being one of the principle advantages of buying food locally, at the peak of freshness, from people you trust – raw proteins need not be anathema), and sure enough, the kid nailed it – if anything, better raw than cooked (I suppose that’s the nickel version of why sushi is one of the finest cuisines in the history of human civilization; but I digress).
I rummaged around the fridge, found a pack of still-good-but-ought-to-be-used prosciutto, and kids – being in possession of functioning taste buds – love bacon. They don’t, however, appreciate a crispy salmon skin, tragic as that may be, so I figured replace the skin with the prosciutto. (If you’ve not done so already, then please add seafood to the seemingly limitless list of foods that can be immeasurably improved by the addition of cured pork products.) Thus, the genesis of a meal of leftovers: Wrap the salmon in prosciutto before cooking it rare, serve it on top of some creamy polenta, and pair it with a hopelessly naive sashimi cut of the odds and ends of the raw salmon, with just a touch of the pistou for color and contrast.
Wild Salmon Two Ways
- Trim off a few nice sashimi-like slices of the raw salmon using a very sharp knife (wipe the blade with a damp cloth between cuts – and if your knives aren’t sharp, and you don’t know what to do about, we have to talk). You want to end up with a nice, almost cube-like chunk of salmon. I’ve farted on about the pistou for two days now, so I won’t bother again; grab it from the fridge. Put the polenta in a pot to warm, or what the hell, just nuke it before plating.
- Take two slices of prosciutto, and wrap the salmon, first in one direction, then – after rotating it 90 degrees – in the perpendicular direction. Tuck and fold the prosciutto so that it’s all wrapped up snugly, basically a birthday present of wild salmon in a wrapper of pig fat, what more could you one ask for? Except that I suck at wrapping presents. But less so, food.
- The whole key to this is cooking the salmon such that (a) the prosciutto forms a nice crust, and (b) the salmon is cooked uniformly around the edges and rare to the center. On my stove, that means medium-medium-low heat, a few minutes on each side, just enough to brown the pork; but it took me a trial batch, which I overcooked, and asymmetrically at that. The hard truth is, you have to cook it by touch – feel it raw, and keep feeling as it cooks, because once it’s firm in the middle, it’s over done. And you know we feel about overcooking fish.
- Season the sashimi with fleur de sel, plate over a bit of the pistou, and garnish with a basil leave. Slice the cooked salmon and plate over the polenta.
The Turkey Cake?
This is too incredible not to share: Thanksgiving Dinner in cake form.
The folks at Chow.com have put every little bit of the wonders of your favorite eating holiday into a layered cake, complete with layers of ground turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and even a tasty topping of marshmallows. Even better, it looks like a wonderful dessert.
Not sure how much fun it would be to eat, but come on…brilliant.
One question though: Where are the green beans?
Sushiko, Sushi in Rohnert Park
With one of Northern California’s top sushi spots just a mile away from this Rohnert Park sleeper, Sushiko has a lot to live up to. But this simple little sushi bar tucked quietly inside a floundering strip mall is getting lots of thumbs up from BiteClubbers who say it’s tops for everyday sushi cravings.
Having shrugged off the failure of two previous lackluster tenants, the space has been transformed into a sleek Asian oasis. The itamae has some of the most impressive knife and rice-making skills on the 101-corridor, and is churning out both straightforward nigiri and sashimi, along with Americanized rolls (Sex on the beach, tuna gone wild, Titanic) that look as good as they taste.
Along with sushi, expect to find luncheon bentos ($9.95 and up with great mix-n-match options) and all the usual suspects (teriyaki, donburi, katsu, yaktiori, tempura) at mid-range prices. Not quite Hana, but a top contender for our Tuesday night sushi yen.
6285 Commerce Blvd., #302 (next to Del Secco’s gelato), Rohnert Park, 585-2774. Open daily for lunch and dinner.