As you’ve probably figured out by now, BiteClub’s got a thing for being first.
Especially when it comes to food. Doubly so when it comes to snacks. So you can
imagine how freakishly jacked-up I get when five bags of not-yet-released-to-the-public
Fire & Spice potato chips land on the doorstep for my tasting pleasure.*

Not feeling it? Stick with me here. Each year Kettle Chips release five
yet-untested flavors–we’re talking cool, gourmet(ish) stuff here–in a party
pack. The idea is that you taste these
test batches–this year’s happen to be Wicked Hot Sauce, Mango Chili, Jalapeno
Salsa Fresca, Orange Ginger Wasabi and Death Valley Chipotle–and vote on which
one should become the next People’s Choice chip. The winner is eventually
released to the general public in a year or so.

You, however, live with the smug knowledge that you’ve contributed in some
small way to snack food democracy.

If you’re up to the challenge, the Fire & Spice box is available for $14.95
at Kettle Foods. Yes, it’s a little pricey, but think of the hours of fun you’ll
have. The kit comes with voting cards & stickers, along with five
full-sized bags of chips. Try it at Thanksgiving. You can combat the pre-dinner
blahs or spice up your leftover turkey sandwich later that night. (Plus it
keeps those pesky houseguests out of the kitchen!)

*So jacked up, in fact, that Fiesty McNibs can personally attest that he and I will be spending our Saturday evening locked in secrecy, tasting each of the flavors. Repeatedly. With milk shooters. Serious business.

A while back, a BiteClubber asked about local Russian restaurants or bakeries.
Well, I’ve been doing my homework, and the news wasn’t especially good. Despite
a growing population of Russian and Slavic folks in the area, they’re woefully
under-represented in the restaurant department. In fact, the only spot where
you could reliably buy piroshki in Sonoma
County, Moosetta’s,
closed recently.

Looking to my pals in the food community for any signs of borsch, the answer
was pretty much universal: The best Russian food you’ll find is in the home.
Not at a restaurant.

Well, this weekend, we’re all in luck as the home cooks of the Sisterhood of Sts.
Peter & Paul Russian Orthodox Church are holding their annual Christmas
Luncheon and Bazaar. Stop by Saturday, Nov. 3 (10am to 4pm) or Sunday, the 4th (11:30am to 4pm) to chow down on a whole mess of goodies, including borsch, piroshki, pelmeni, beef
stroganoff, cabbage rolls, homemade pastries and other specials. It doesn’t get
much better than this, if you’re missing a taste of Mother Russia. Stop by and
tell them BiteClub sent you. (850
St. Olga Court, Santa Rosa
(on Stony Pt. Road,
1/4 mile north of Todd. Look for the Golden Domes.) They’ll have food to go, if
you’re in a rush.

If you miss this weekend’s event, the kind folks over at St. Seraphim Orthodox
Church–you know, the folks that put on the Glendi Fair each year in
September–have offered up their own recipe for piroshki to BiteClub readers. (Recipe follows below)

Need a little piroshki in a hurry? We found some pre-made piroshki at Holy
Roast (490 Mendocino Ave.,
Santa Rosa. 707.523.3137). They’re distributed from a
San Francisco company called Paramount who claim their recipe hails from
an old family recipe handed down for generations.

PS: Wondering about piroshki? They’re essentially meat pies in a dough pocket. A
sort of Russian Hot Pocket, but way better. They can be filled with everything
from mushrooms to hamburger, but are usually savory in nature.

+++++

Piroshki Recipe (Alexandra Hrenoff, from the Our Daily Bread Cookbook)

Raised Dough
1 cup milk
1/4 c. margarine
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp salt
1 pkg. yeast
1/3 cup warm water
1/4 tsp. sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
4 1/2 – 5 1/2 cups flour
2 Tbsp. oil

Heat milk, margarine, the 2 tablespoons sugar and salt until margarine is
melted and sugar and salt are dissolved. Proof yeast in water with 1/4 teaspoon
sugar for 5-10 minutes or until foamy. Combine when heated mixture has cooled
to lukewarm. Beat in eggs and oil. Add flour gradually. Mix well, and then
knead until smooth and elastic. Dough should be easy to work with, not too hard
or too soft. This can be done by machine if you have a dough hook. Cover dough
and let it rise in a warm place bout 2 hours or until double in bulk. Dough can
be refrigerated up to 3 days at this point.

Meat Filling
2 lb. hamburger
2 small onions
4-6 Tbsp. oil
2 tsp. chopped parsley
1 tsp. dry dill weed
2Tbsp flour
1 cup boiling water
2 beef bouillon cubes or 2 tsp
beef bouillon cubes or 2 tsp. beef bouillon granules
8 hard boiled eggs, chopped

Dissolve bouillon cube in water;
set aside. Chop onion and sauté in oil until golden. Add hamburger (ground
chuck is best) and cook until meat is browned but not dry. Sprinkle flour over
the meat and work it in with a fork. Add bouillon, parsley and dill. Heat until
it is bubbling, then remove from heat and cool. Add eggs. Adjust seasoning to
taste.

Assembly: Divide risen dough in 24 equal pieces (or more if you want smaller
piroshki). For each piroshki, form piece of dough into a ball; then, roll it
into a circle 3 to 4 inches in diameter, about 1/2 inch thick. Put 1 1/2 tablespoon
meat mixture on dough; fold dough in half and crimp the edges tightly. Fry
piroshki, a few at a time, in skillet with about an inch of oil heated to 350 degrees
to 375 degrees. The depth of oil should be such that the piroshki cannot turn
over by themselves but still float. Place them in oil seam down or seams will
open no matter how tightly they have been crimped. Don’t let the oil get too
hot or they will brown on the outside before the center is done. There are many
different fillings for piroshki: Cabbage, mushroom, fish, potato, carrots, etc.
This dough will keep well in the refrigerator about 3-4 days.

Yield: 24-30 piroshki. There might
be some leftover dough. With this you can make circles, as for piroshki, and
make a hole in the middle. Let rise about 10 minutes and deep fry on both
sides. When ready, sprinkle with sugar. In Russian it is called “lepioshki”.
Serve with jam at breakfast.

Is there a Brit-pub brouhaha brewing in Santa
Rosa? Just months after Toad in the Hole opened its
doors in Railroad Square;
Stout Brothers Pub has finally opened on Fourth Street with a similar fish and chips,
bangers and Guinness focus.

But that’s about where the similarities end. Stout Bros. owners have
transformed the former Anatolia space into a
cozy faux-tiqued public house with a decidedly Irish bent. The spot is a maze of cozy nooks and crannies,
tweedy knick-knacks and a snug upstairs balcony perfect for tucking into a
pint–or six. A large wooden bar
dominates the downstairs, just waiting to be scarred and marred by whisky shot
glasses and rings of stout.

Sure the whole thing is a little predictable. But since the demise of the Old
Vic, Santa Rosa
has been crying out for a clubby, old school spot where ‘Danny Boy’ belts out
over the sound system, rather than an endless loop of down-tempo electronica.
I’m over Zen and apple-tinis. Bring on the whiskey-fueled Riverdancing.

The pub is launching its kitchen with a limited menu. Classics like corned
beef sandwiches, shepherd’s pie, potato leek soup, burgers, bangers and mash are well-represented and well priced at under $8 for lunch. But you’re here for the fish and chips Already, they’ve got my vote for some of the
best in the county. And you know that’s a tall order.

Despite some kitchen-timing issues that need to be worked
out the batter-dipped fish was piping hot, crispy, flakey, and ever so slightly
sweet. The tartar sauce wrapped the whole thing up with a bow–tangy, garlicky
and creamy–along with a dribble of vinegar. Mushy fries still need work, as
does the absolutely tasteless coleslaw. My
Irish onion soup never arrived and the sticky toffee pudding I had my heart set
on wasn’t available. Apologetic staff promise that these mishaps will be ironed
out soon. The sooner the better. This wild Irish rose is hungry for more. Failte!

Stout Brothers Irish Pub and Restaurant, 527 Fourth St., Santa Rosa

The Sebastopol spot that’s seen as many reincarnations as Shirley MacLaine is closing again. But fear not. It will reopen.

According to the owners of the Sebastopol Brewing Company, they’ll be throwing in the towel on November 1 after two years at the downtown location. Going out with a bang, however, the Brewing Company will throw a monster bash tonight called “Afterlife”.

The event features three themed areas and showcases the live funky break beats of San Francisco’s J. Boogie’s Dubtronic Science, the soulful wisdom of Goddess Alchemy Project, dance grooves of DJ’s Dragonfly, Malarkey, Guacamole and Zack Darling, plus the whimsical bluegrass of Jug Dealers. Additional acts include, fire show on the patio with Pyro-A-Go-Go, circus freaks plus a free raffle for 2008 Burning Man ticket.

According to owners, the location will rise from the ashes in late winter or spring as a restaurant and music venue under the name Hop Monk Tavern, by restaurant entrepreneur Dean Biersch of Gordon Biersch fame.

Sebastopol Brewing Co., 230 Petaluma Avenue, Sebastopol , 707-823-SUDS

Big openings
Windsor’s new Pacific Rim restaurant, Chinois Asian Bistro (186 Windsor River, Windsor), has opened for dinner-only. The second restaurant for Ume’s Kelly Shu the menu pulls from Chinese, Japanese and other Asian influences. Also opening this week to a power outage, Mary’s Pizza Shack on Fourth St. in downtown Santa Rosa. The popular chain is weilding some serious muscle, space-wise, giving shack-ers plenty of space to nibble their crusts and rub elbows. It’s a nice family-friendly addition to downtown. Meanwhile, Santa Rosa’s much-awaited new Irish pub, Stout Bros. (also on Fourth St.), plans to finally open their doors on Tuesday. Owners are putting the finishing touches on the bar this week. The big question: How will the fish and chips rate?

PS: Wondering what the heck’s been up with BiteClub the last couple weeks? I’m working on an exciting new food and wine project that’s been keeping my dance card full, full, full! Stay tuned for more details BiteClubbers. There’s lots more to come.

I like a good Tootsie Roll as much as the next ghoul. I pilfer mini Twix bars and Halloween peanut butter cups from my kids (it’s really for their own good). But I’d consider selling my soul for wicked treats like these…

Death Becomes Her
Take, for example, Mori Ex Cacao from Valerie Confections. These ultra-luxe plum-sized chocolate skills are flavored with scorched caramel, bitter brandied cherry and ‘curious chili’ “a devilish mixture of chilies and spices. All wrapped up in black silk. Ridiculously expensive at $95 for the set, this isn’t for every pocketbook. But think how lovely it would feel to send one to your ex-girlfriend. Pair with Modern Alchemy’s Salem candle, scented with New England maple, hickory and walnut. Then burn, baby, burn.

But can you live in it?
Dean and Deluca’s Pumpkin Cake: Six layers of vanilla spiced cake with praline butter cream and a center layer of chocolate fudge. Looks like a pumpkin. Tastes like heaven. Costs a small fortune. $110, Dean and Deluca.

Pumpkin spice goat milk ice cream: Laloo’s rich and creamy ice cream embodies fall. Insanely good and not a hint of goaty-ness.

Norman Love white chocolate pumpkin pie truffle: Almost to pretty to eat. Almost.

Chocolate Horror Pizza: A slice of milk chocolate pizza topped with an array of ghoulish goodies, including an eyeball truffle & Gummi worms. Moonstruck Chocolate, $7.

Bobbing for caramel apples: Chocolate apples are filled with caramel and milk chocolate ganache. Just don’t tell your dentist. Moonstruck Chocolate, $28.

Cinnamon malt chocolate pieces from Recchiuti are decorated with ghosts, black cats, bats and Jack ‘O Lanterns. $18.

You still willing to choke down that linty lollipop? Tell me your favorite Halloween treats.

I didn’t mean to do it. Eat the entire pizza, that is. All twelve delightful inches.

In my ongoing search for a killer pie, Sonoma’s Red Grape came onto my radar after several BiteClubbers mentioned it. Sadly I’ve always shied away from this off-square eatery in favor of the siren songs of slightly haute-er cuisine. Who wants pizza when you can have foie gras?

Turns out, I was missing what locals have known for quite some time. Red Grape turns out some of the best ‘za east of New Haven. The style is straight up east coast, an impossibly thin cracker crust that’s just sturdy enough for a few toppings, but shatters and crackles as soon as you stuff it into your mouth.

Toppings range from classic clam, margherita and cheese to California-influences like pear, gorgonzola, hazelnut and smoked bacon; shrimp and artichoke or chipotle chicken with caramelized onions and cilantro.

Fired in a gas oven, the pizzas cook in just minutes and come out smoking hot and bubbly. Less chewy and dense than other crusts, it’s all about the toppings, rather than a mouthful of dough. But the magic is fleeting. Once the pizza starts to cool and the crust starts to get soggy, you’re done for. Which is why I strongly recommend eating it in your car, straight from the box, with a lap full of napkins and the windows rolled up. (Keeps in the garlicky essence and drowns out your moans of delight.)

So now you know my shame. But after eating eight slices in a single sitting, I feel that I’ve earned the right to be called (among other things) a happy connoisseur of the Grape’s pear and gorgonzola pie. A czar of their cracker crust. An affectionado of apizza. And very, very full.

The pizza party continues. Check out the original pizza post, if you want to add your. 02.
Red Grape, 529 First St. West, Sonoma, 707.966.4103. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

There aren’t many seasonings who can claim to have changed the course of human history, built empires and motivated entire economies. In fact, there is only one: Salt.

With its ability to preserve food almost indefinitely (a nice thing to have before the advent of refrigeration), salt has long been a commodity worth fighting and even dying for. Reaching back to the earliest humans until the early 1900’s salt was highly valued and often exorbitantly taxed, putting it out of the reach of most. Slaves were bought and sold with it, cakes of it were used as money, and rich folks would often put it in small silver cellars to impress their dinner guests.

With mechanization of the harvesting process (both from the sea and from salt mines) salt became pretty ubiquitous. And pretty boring. That iodized stuff in the shaker is light years away in flavor and texture to the hundreds of native salts from around the world–from red Hawaiian salts colored with volcanic clay to smoked and infused salts.

With more than a pinch of admiration for this historic seasoning, Chef Janine Falvo of Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar will host the first ever (as far as she knows) Salt Dinner on Oct. 18. Using different flavored and textured salts, as well as salt-centric preparations, she plans to create a unique meal that showcases the seasoning. Among her favorite salts: olive salt infused with local olive oil and smoked salt from Brittany.

“We’re building salt awareness,” she says with a grin. “I just love salt.”

The evening’s menu includes live scallops prepared three ways (truffle, chili and olive salt); a house-made gravlax (a salt-fermented salmon) with potato latkes; Duck Duck Goose, spice-infused duck confit, duck prosciutto and goose torchon; pork loin and belly with apple cider demi-glace and for dessert, a flourless chocolate cake with salted popcorn and chocolate soup. Sommelier Chris Sawyer will pair wines with the dishes.

Sound like sodium overload? Falvo says the dishes are meant to highlight different flavors and uses of salt, but won’t leave you reaching for the water pitcher. But, you know, you may want to take that with a grain of salt.

The deal: The dinner will be on October 18, 2007 from 6:30 to 9:30pm at The Lodge at Sonoma. The cost is $50, $70 with wine pairings. Call 707.282.1531 for reservations.

Feeling salty? Whole Foods now offers an array of gourmet salts, including Hawaiian, Fleur de Sel (a fancy French sea salt), smoked salts and a variety of other tasty seasonings in the cheese department. Check out wacky salts like Oregon Pinot, pomegranate and mint at LordsofSalt.com. Cool artisan salts are available at Saltworks. Want more history on salt? Check out Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky.