Longtime fans of Primavera — Karen Waikiki’s mystically-delicious tamales — have been among the first to beat a path to her new Boyes Hot Springs restaurant, El Molino Central. Housed in the old Barking Dog roastery, it’s a chic-yet-totally-approachable taqueria/tortillaria serving up incredible regional Mexican classics including potato tacos (astounding!) enchiladas suizas, chilaquiles and daily tamales with authentic 18-ingredient Oaxacan red mole that’s the best I’ve had in Sonoma. In the morning, the cafe serves coveted Blue Bottle coffee and chilaquiles.
The key to everything, however, are her stone-ground tortillas. El Molino Central
A friend of Mexican cooking authority Diana Kennedy (who will be staying with her in October when she comes to promote her new book) and Alice Waters, Karen is renowned for revitalizing traditional methods of stone-grinding corn into masa, an art all but lost in Mexico. Each morning, around 11am, staff feed soaked corn — grown by a single farmer in Nebraska — into the specially made machine for the day’s tortillas and tamales. “No one is grinding corn anymore. People just stopped grinding corn and use instant ‘Maseca’ instead. But (grinding) is just the way it shouuld be,” Karen said, hustling through her kitchen.
Wind around back to sit on the patio and watch Karen and her staff hand-press tortillas and throw them on the grill. Fanatics can buy fresh masa for torillas for $1.25 or prepared tortillas for $3.50 a dozen.
Realizing that her demographic is both the tony spa-set of the nearby Sonoma Mission Inn as well as the heavily Latino working-class population, she aims to entice both. “We want the local community to buy and like these,” Karen says, pointing to the irregular edges on her tortillas — a sign that they’re handmade rather than machine-made. “Otherwise, all this is just pointless,” she added. El Molino Central, 11 Central Ave (along Hwy 12), Boyes Hot Springs. Open Mon-Sun 7 am – 7 pm La Michoacano Ice Cream in Sonoma
While you’re there, don’t miss la Michoacano, an amazing new(ish) ice cream/bionicos/paletas spot. Exotic flavors are made onsite, and are amazingly creamy and rich, often with fruit or other tidbits (nuts, candy) mixed in. Flavors are usually on the board, but its worth asking for a few samples just to, you know, make sure you’re making the right choice. Top bet: Pinenut and Mexican caramel. Don’t miss the paletas, frozen bars made with fresh fruit. 18495 Highway 12, Sonoma
Picture is bad because I started drooling and wiggled the lens. Really
Picture is bad because I started drooling and wiggled the lens. Really
Blink and you’ll miss the micro-storefront location of Yanni’s Sausage Grill in Penngrove— a bare bones walk-up eatery that takes its sausage seriously. Because sausage is the new hot dog. The fatter, sassier, more interesting cousin to the humble weiner, sausages have the added benefit of, well, flavor. Stuffed with pork, chicken, lamb or turkey and a variety of spices, herbs and add-ons like apple, mango, mint or peppers, they’re the total package.
For best results: Grill to within an inch of bursting from its snappy natural casing, plop onto a toasted sweet Italian roll, top with sweet peppers and grilled onions, and you’ve got a fingers-burning-through-the-foil street classic. On the menu, eight flavors of sausage — from Loukaniko, a rustic Greek sausage with citrus and spice; garlic mint, sweet and hot Italian, chicken limoncello; Olympic Flame (extra hot made with brandy); greek kalamata olive and feta; and lamb sausage served with tzatziki. All are under $6, most under $5. Buy a couple because you’ll likely want another after scarfing down the first. They’ll burn your tongue and scorch your fingers, but slowing down to savor these dogs just ain’t an option.
The tiny space (expect to eat sitting on the sidewalk or for takeout) also plans to serve up deep dish pizzas on Friday and Saturdays and a breakfast pizza on Sunday mornings. Hours are still fairly early, but sandwiched between two bars, it wouldn’t be difficult to do a brisk late night biz.
And by the way, if you’re going by can you bring me one? Yanni’s Sausage Grill, 10007 Main St., Penngrove, 795-7088. Open Wednesday through Friday, 11am to 6pm; Saturday 10am to 7pm, Sunday 10am to 3pm.
Well slap my patty, has it really been four years since we did the first Best Buns in Town? Seems like maybe it’s about time for another ground beef smackdown…
BiteClub annouces the 2010 edition of Best Buns & Burgers in Wine Country….
It’s a two-step process…you vote for your favorites. Then I weigh in with my votes for the final showdown.
SO here’s step one: Your votes. I’ve listed some of my top picks for Burgers, but I’m sure I’ve missed a few. Vote for as many as you want…and add any that you’re a fan of…
UPDATED: Added 15 new contenders… 2:44pm
Stay tuned for the winners…
[polldaddy poll=3436846]
A touch of Scandinavia in Wine Country. This mega-popular bakery has everything from dark rye smørrebrød, to coveted sourdoughs, hearty grain breads and baguettes. While you’re there, pick up a triple berry pie as well — they’re the best in Sonoma.
Not to mention European-style bread, marzipan-covered Princess cakes and buttery desserts and the world’s tastiest English muffins), this iconic bakery is a staple. Village Bakery, 1445 Town and Country Dr., Santa Rosa, (707) 527-7654.
Also at the Barlow in Sebastopol.
Although downtown Santa Rosa’s Flavor Bistro is often loud and crowded, it’s a local favorite for affordable Cal-Italian dishes like butternut squash ravioli, pizza, well-crafted salads and hearty sandwiches. This super popular eatery has a by-the-glass wine list makes for fun experimentation. Though lunchtime is usually filled with business-suits and lunch ladies, kids are always welcome, especially on the weekend when things get relaxed during breakfast and brunch. Patio dining is a hot commodity.
The restaurant now offers curb-side pickup and take-out and is available for private breakfast meetings.
* Monday – Thursday 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM
* Friday 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM
* Saturday & Sunday Breakfast Begins at 8:00 AM until 2:00 PM
* We’re Open All Day Saturday until 11:00 PM & Sunday until 10:00 PM
96 Old Courthouse Square
Santa Rosa, CA 95404-4921
(707) 573-9600
Humble Pie’s First Annual Strange Pie Challenge
Humble Pie’s First Annual Strange Pie Challenge took place on July 4, 2010. And you missed some crazy pies… Entries included:
BEST SAVORY: Club Sandwich with Fries Please! (included everything, yes Everything in a club sandwich…even the mayo! Topped with french fries)
BEST SWEET: Lunch Box Pie (kid sweet and potato chip friendly)
BEST FREAK: Cream of Freak Pie (hotsauce cream with cheetos, nescafe, and mango) A truly awful pie that i cannot believe people voted for *lol* which just goes to show you how much people are willing to be generous to freaks)
Honorable Mention: Candied Pepper Chocolate Pie. So good you can look for it at The Humble Pie dessert menu soon! This pie received the most votes, but the votes were split amongst the three catagories that it didnt win any of them! The winner did receive beer as a consolation prize.
– Cricket Pie (now, with actual crickets!)
– Kasey Pie: Rhubarb, M+M’s, Zucchini, peanut butter, macaroni, tater tots, sardines and Life Savors
– Jelly Bean Pie
– Strawberry Rhubarb Lifesaver Pie
– Blueberry, jalapeno, sausage, goat cheese pie
– Salmon salad pie
– Sweet and savory “man” pie
– Pickle, peanut butter and yogurt pie
– Chocolate Rose Pie
– Rhubarb Red Pear Pie
– Caramel apple, bacon and egg pie
And several others that I’d like to forget…
Congrats to all the entrants. And thanks for voting Lucy’s Lunchbox Pie the Sweet Winner!! I promise I didn’t twist any arms for this prize, but judges may have been swayed by my sous chef, Lucy. That, or that fact that I was threatening a recount if things didn’t go our way. Whatev. Lucy’s Lunchbox Pie
by BiteClub
This is a riff on a kids’ lunch — peanut butter, jelly, a Reese’s peanut butter cup and of course, potato chips. Mix ’em all together and you’ve got a killer pie inspired by a 7-year-old. It’s rich beyond belief, but the crunchy, salty crust is a great foil to the sweet peanut butter and chocolate. Yummmmm…. Crust
8 oz Lay’s Potato Chips (about 2/3 of an 11oz bag)
1 cup honey roast peanuts
4 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix ingredients in a food processor and pulse about 15 seconds or until mixture comes together loosely. You can also just put the mixture in a plastic bag and roll with rolling pin. Should be small crumbs. Pour into a pie pan and press very firmly to about 1/4 inch thickness along bottom. Don’t worry about the sides. You may have enough for two pies or just some delicious snacking (the uncooked crust is yummy on ice cream). Cook in oven for about 11 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool completely.
Fudge Layer
1 bottle fudge ice cream topping
5 Tbs raspberry preserves
Mix about 2/3 of the fudge and raspberry preserves (you can use any flavor, really). Spread on top of crust. Place in freezer.
Peanut Butter Silk
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 Tbs sugar
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup powdered sugar
Whip cream with sugar. In another bowl, mix softened cream cheese, peanut butter and powdered sugar. Gently fold in whipped cream. Pour peanut butter layer into pie. Chill for several hours before serving.
Garnish with whipped cream rosettes, crushed potato chips and a Reese’s Peanut butter cup.
“Our last day open at our current location will be July 24th. …We have been trying to find a new location for over a year, and finally have made a deal on a property near the JC on Mendocino Ave. With renovations it will be ready for us by Feb, 2011. It will be a bit larger, (not hard to do!) with seating at about 50.
Our catering services will continue to be available in the interim, (Schultz Museum’s Peanuts Naturally Exhibit Opening Aug 28th, etc), and we are planning some fundraisers as well. I’ll keep you updated.”
Oozing with eco-chic, Spoonbar is a sprawling fishbowl of a space with room for nearly 250 — meaning elbow-rubbing is purely optional and being seen is the scene. Scott Beattie gets a top-shelf bar space for his lineup of properly concocted cocktails. In the kitchen, toque Rudy Mihal aims his knives squarely at a seasonal Cal-Mediterranean menu of skewers, small plates and destination-worthy bricked chicken.
The dining room (as well as the hotel) makes heavy use of reclaimed materials — from a former gym floor to recycled cafeteria-style bar seats and sustainable woods setting standards for eco-chic. Setting its sights on younger travelers and locals, the dining room includes an oyster and raw bar and communal tables for large groups, with prices in line with its demographic. Meaning not exactly cheap, but not breaking the bank either. Those familiar with Beattie’s seasonally-inspired cocktails (first-inspired at nearby Cyrus) will feel right at home perusing his epic menus that read more like a J. Peterman catalog than a cocktail menu. Drinks range from a thrifty $6.50 for “classics” to around $9 for top-shelf specialty drinks. Compared with precious sips costing $14 and up around the square, his smaller sips seem like a bargain. The wine program includes several wines on tap. Chef Rudy Mihal reigns over a Cal-Mediterranean small plates menu that, like him, refuses to be pinned down. Don’t miss the brick chicken with its crispy skin and couscous.
Mere blocks from its luxe-sibling, the Hotel Healdsburg, the h2h hopes to attract urban-minded travelers who appreciate its minimalist decor and amenities. Comparatively, room prices for h2hotel range from around $215 to $415 and up during peak season where Hotel Healdsburg can range from $565 and up per night (though insiders say you can sometimes get cheaper deals), with 2-night minimums during high season.
A big plus: Spoonbar is frequently open on holidays. Spoonbar at the h2hotel: 219 Healdsburg Ave, Healdsburg, 707 922-5251
Bay Area breakfastery, Crepevine, has opened in Montgomery Village. The Northern California chain has locations in San Francisco and the South Bay (as well as San Rafael), and is a popular brunch and lunch spot for the Bloody Mary and stroller-set. The menu features hearty breakfast fare (scrambled eggs, omelettes, pancakes, etc.) plus sweet and savory crepes, salads and pasta on their all-day menu. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 740 Farmers Lane, Santa Rosa, 577.8822.
Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and blackberries are in season now Like me, you’ve been burned by bad berries. You know the ones — big, red, beautiful berries at the grocery store that lure you in with their good looks, but leave you with a disappointed pucker. Or worse.
There’s a season, after all, for everything. And when it comes to berries, it’s painfully short, but unbelievably sweet — hitting it’s pinnacle for just a few weeks each summer. Those weeks are right now. Like right now. Now!
“This is the perfect time to eat them and get a feel for each of them — the distinct flavors of each one of them,” said Gloria Vigil of Sebastopol Berry Farm. “This is what nature meant for you to have as a berry.” Vigil’s 10-acre family farm is one of the few dedicated exclusively to cultivating berries in the area. The best place to find them: Local farmer’s markets. Because ripe berries are extremely perishable — and only truly delicious when picked ripe — the only way to really enjoy them is straight off the truck, within a day or two. Berries that are transported for large distances have to be picked unripe, and though they may look good, just won’t have the flavor of a truly ripe berry.
With this year’s rains, the fruit crop is about two weeks behind its usual schedule, according to Vigil, meaning that you’ll still be able to take advantage of the bounty. But don’t blink, or you’ll miss it. Here are some of the best berries to look out for…
CONTEST
Congrats Julie! You’re the winner!
Your favorite way to eat berries?
Tell me your favorite way to eat local berries — whether you have a great recipe for cobbler, muffins or ice cream; a favorite spot to enjoy them or maybe just your favorite berry topping (mine’s creme fraiche!). One lucky winner will receive a bounty of berries from Sebastopol Berry Farm and the River Cottage Preserves Handbook.
Share your berry favorites in the comments below and
you could win!
See full rules.
Blueberries are the workhorse of the summer berries, the least temperamental of the bunch. They pop their little blue faces onto the scene in early June and will last through mid-August. Fresh blueberries should always retain their powdery white “bloom”, a natural preservative on the berries. If that’s gone, they’ve been over-handled, according to Vigil. They’ll stay fresh in the fridge for a week or so, freeze well and are amenable to both sweet and savory dishes. Plus, their health-properties are lauded by scientists and nutritionists. Vigil’s blueberry ice cream is legendary among local foodies and is available at her family farm stand (call ahead for hours, 694.2301) Blackberries (the most popular of which is the “Marion”, named for Marion County, Oregon where it was developed) have a ridiculously short peak season, and will be hitting their peak this week. Marions, according to The Berry Bible’s Janie Hibler (AmazonEncore, $17.95), have an intense blackberry flavor. Also watch for Olallies, which are another type of blackberry that ripens early in the season and has a sweet-tart character. Vigil said that Marion, Ollalie and Cherokee are always “crowd favorites” at her stand.
Although the parentage of Boysenberries may be obscure, they’re unmistakably Californian in nature. Thought to be a cross between a logan and Eastern dewberry, some credit its discovery to horticulture-legend Luther Burbank, though it was popularized by southern California farmer, Walter Knott of Knott’s Berry Farm. Perishable to a fault, they’ve lost favor with most commercial growers because of their short shelf life — just a day or two. Local boysenberries will be in season only until the first weeks of July, so snap them up if you can find them. “They make the best jam and pies,” said Vigil. Black Raspberries: Mysterious and elusive, the mere whisper of fresh black raspberries whips berry lovers into a frenzy. Another highly delicate, quick-to-perish berry, they’re best enjoyed right from the farmstand — if you can find them during their brief season, which is only through the next week or so. At their peak, they’ll have a deeper, darker flavor than the pert red raspberry. And of all the berries, they’re the king of nutrition, packed with the most anti-oxidants of any berry. Red Raspberries: The darling of the berry world, raspberries are perennial favorites both as fruit and historically, as a medicinal herb. A vigorous plant, they’re often found wild and easily cultivated in the backyard. Yellow (or golden) raspberries have a similar taste to the red version, but are gaining popularity as a gourmet fruit. Strawberries: Sold year-round and bred commercially for size and color rather than taste, strawberries are a kitchen staple — but only rarely at their very best. Due to a late start, they’re at their zenith right now and you’ll be lucky to make it home with a pint or two from the local farmers market. Strawberries are always best fresh from the patch, and like tomatoes, suffer a bit after they’ve been refrigerated. Keep in mind that size doesn’t always matter: Those giants you see at the supermarket are sometimes harvested long before they’re actually ripe, making for a pretty, but ultimately unsatisfying experience. Smaller berries, like the coveted alpine strawberries, often pack the biggest punch. How to keep them: Delicate by nature, berries don’t appreciate a lot of handling. It’s recommended that you refrigerate most berries (strawberries are the exception), then leave them out to warm up on the counter for a few minutes before serving. If you’re going to freeze them, Gloria suggests that you not give hers a power-wash, but just a light rinse. “We pick ’em and put them in the containers that day and cold storage them overnight. There isn’t a lot of handling. We are certified organic, so we know there’s nothing on them but some dust, Where to find them: Blueberries, blackberries and raspberries are available at the Sebastopol Berry Farm (9201 Ross Station Rd in Sebastopol (heading towards Forestville) or at many local farm markets. Call ahead to see if their farm stand is open 694.2301, or find them at Tuesday evening and Saturday markets in Healdsburg, Wednesday and Saturday market in Santa Rosa and Petaluma market on Saturday evening during peak season. Strawberries are available at most local farm markets for the next few weeks.
Longtime fans of Primavera — Karen Waikiki’s mystically-delicious tamales — have been among the first to beat a path to her new Boyes Hot Springs restaurant, El Molino Central. Housed in the old Barking Dog roastery, it’s a chic-yet-totally-approachable taqueria/tortillaria serving up incredible regional Mexican classics including potato tacos (astounding!) enchiladas suizas, chilaquiles and daily tamales with authentic 18-ingredient Oaxacan red mole that’s the best I’ve had in Sonoma. In the morning, the cafe serves coveted Blue Bottle coffee and chilaquiles.
