Experimentation in the kitchen is not a welcome Thanksgiving tradition. Trust me, I’ve tried it and I have the electric knife scars to show for it. You don’t mess with turkey or gravy or mom’s sausage stuffing or cranberry sauce in a can. The mere whiff of something different sets folks into a frenzy of nostalgia for stuff they’d never think of eating any other time of year.

Consider the carrot Jell-O. Sometime in the mid-1990s, my mother sat us all down for a family discussion–I mean a serious sit-down and talk–about whether it was time to retire great-grandma’s carrot Jell-O salad from the menu.

Let me say first off that this was not a sad moment. The stuff was awful: Lemon gelatin, pineapples and grated carrots. For years, no one had eaten it. We sort of pushed it around the plate out of a misplaced sense of obligation to Thanksgivings past. Sheepishly, we all agreed it was time to move on, feeling wistful but relieved. But every year, the question still comes up: Are we having carrot Jell-O salad this year?

Sometimes it’s hard to move on. We’re creatures of habit. In fact, many of this year’s hottest recipes are so old school they’re new school, like a dry-brined heritage turkey draped with bacon. Buttermilk mashed potatoes. Bread pudding and root vegetable gratins. Pies still rule, from apple to pumpkin (but flan is a hot number this year, as well.) This does not extend, however to marshmallow yams, creamed corn, or clam dip. Consider a family discussion about moving on. And oh yeah. 1972 called and wants their green bean casserole back.

I follow a rule of one new dish for every three tried and true ones. I try to do a test run for new recipes if possible. And if things go horribly wrong with a dish, I add just add enough butter and cream to choke an elephant.

Whatever you serve, do it with flair and confidence. I plan to light sparklers on top of my bacon pumpkin pie topped with maple whipped cream and demand a moment of silence.

Point is, it’s just a meal. You’re supposed to sit down and give thanks for whatever it is steaming on a plate in front of you, along with the crazy, wonderful folks sitting next to you. Until someone inevitably asks where the carrot Jell-O salad is.

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BiteClub’s Overly Eager Old School New School Thanksgiving

(These recipes are my inspiration, but I can’t swear I’ll follow them exactly)

– Brined turkey draped with bacon

– Calvados gravy

– Molasses and ginger carrots
– Buttermilk mashed potatoes with fried shallots

– Mushroom and fennel bread pudding
– Mom’s sausage dressing (I’m not allowed to touch this one)

– Toni’s whipped sweet potatoes with pecan topping
– Bacon pumpkin pie

– Paula Deen’s Savannah High Apple Pie

– Copious amounts of wine

Revised for 2007, but with that same ’06 flavor you’ve come to love…

You could wake up at 4am and stick your hand into the backside of a frozen turkey. You could slave away in the kitchen all day just to have your mother tell you the potatoes are lumpy and the gravy lacks her special touch. And, you mostly likely will find yourself beneath a pile of dishes reaching to the ceiling as the last guest bids a fond farewell.

Or, you could make Thanksgiving reservations. And remain sane.

Now, I’m not knocking aprons and pumpkin pie and spending all day obsessing about whether the turkey is the exact right shade of brown. (Okay, I am.) But like most of you, I’ve been there, done that and got the dressing-stained t-shirt to prove it. This year, let someone else to the cooking.
Here are some of the North Bay’s best bets for Turkey Day, from restaurants to complete meals ready for pickup. Get ready to be thankful.

PICK IT UP

Order now. As in right now. Because most of these require advance notice.

Top pick: Pacific Market

Complete turkey dinner for 10-12, $129. Includes roasted turkey gravy, garlic taters, stuffing, sides, veggies and a pie. 1465 Town and Country Dr, Santa Rosa, 707.546.3663; 550 Gravenstein Hwy, Sebastopol, 823.4916 or 901 Golf Course Drive, Rohnert Park, 585.9643.

Top Pick: Della Fattoria

Breads and desserts so good, you’ll skip the turkey. Pumpkin tart, large Fatt Ho ($32), butterhorns, pumpkin seed bread and baguettes. Order in andvance 763.0161. The bakery is closed Thursday and Friday.

Top pick: Meats from the Fatted Calf
Deadline is Friday, Nov. 16 for Thanksgiving orders with a pick-up for pre-order in Napa on Wednesday. If you can’t commit to that, drop by the Berkeley Farmer’s Market on Tuesday the 22nd from 2 to 7pm. Come on, you know you want out of the house anyway.

Martindale’s Quality Meats & Deli

Haven’t tried a Turducken? Martindales does a solid job of this Southern favorite “a turkey stuffed with a duck, stuffed with a chicken. Guaranteed to make an impression. Order in advance. 5280 Aero Dr, Santa Rosa, 707.545.0531

JUST GET AWAY
Thanksgiving dinner and a goat butter massage? Sounds like a little bit of heaven. The Carneros Inn offers a traditional Thanksgiving feast, along with a two night cottage stay, a bottle of bubbly, the aforementioned goat butter rubdown, and two tasting passes at The Vintner’s Collective. Check out the menu.

EAT IT OUT

El Dorado Kitchen

High-end dining on the Sonoma square, serving an a la carte menu from 3 to 8pm. Chef Ryan Fancher is a French Laundry alum, and his meticulous dishes show it. Finish off dinner with pumpkin pie or Guittard chocolate s’mores. 405 First St. West, Sonoma, 707.996.3030. Check out the menu

The Lodge at Sonoma

Three-course prix fixe dinner from 2 to pm featuring roast Sonoma Willie Bird turkey, sugar pumpkin and Gruyere soup. Reservations required, $55 per person See the menu 1325 Broadway, Sonoma, 707.931.2042

Hurley’s Restaurant and Bar

Thanksgiving feast with all the trimmings, plus regular menu items. A favorite with locals, Hurley’s has a Mediterranean flair and is one of the few spots in town open past nine (they have a 9pm to midnight menu). 6518 Washington St, Yountville, 707.944.2345

John Ash
4350 Barnes Road, Santa Rosa, 707.575.7350
Luxurious setting at a restaurant that has become a SoCo institution.
Siena at the Meritage Hotel
Dungeness crab cakes, lamb osso-buco and of course, turkey. 75 Bordeaux Way, Napa, California, 94558 Phone: (707) 251-1900

Napa Valley Grille
Heritage turkey, wild boar prosciutto and pheasant? Count me in. This upscale chain restaurant feels right at home in Yountville. 6795 Washington St., Washington Square, Yountville, 707.944.8686 See the menu

Willie Bird’s Restaurant

Family-favorite serving up delightful Willie Birds. Full holiday turkey dinner along with other menu items. Reservations required.
1150 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707.542.0861

Popeye’s Ragin’ Cajun Turkey
Forgot about this one! Thanks for reminding me. Yep, Popeye’s is doin’ it again this year. $37 for the ragin’ turkey. Read more about it here.

Closed on Thanksgiving: Syrah Bistro, Flavor Bistro, Cyrus, Zazu.

Ready for a little exotic eating? Braised antelope, buffalo rib eye, venison carpaccio , wild boar spare ribs and elk loin are on the menu all week at two area restaurants–John Ash & Co and Hurley’s in Napa.

The dinners have become an annual event at Hurley’s, coinciding with the beginning of the hunting season, the end of harvest and well, a ravenous hunger for off-beat critters not usually featured on the restaurant’s menu.

At John Ash and Co., at the Vintners Inn in Santa Rosa, Chef Jeffrey Madura’s evening menu starts with dishes including smoked sturgeon salad, and venison meatloaf shooters. A bit tamer than Hurley’s, the wild game entrees range from pan-seared ostrich to local rabbit and braised wild boar spareribs with wasabi mashed potatoes and mango-chipotle barbeque sauce.

Chef Hurley, who’s known for his wild ways, goes a step further, offering up both lunch and dinner menus that include venison pot pie and goulash, grilled barracuda, grilled octopus, roasted leg of antelope, and pancetta wrapped quail among other delicacies.

Reservations are strongly recommended for both restaurants, serving the rustled-up game through Saturday, Nov. 17.

John Ash and Co., 4350 Barnes Road, Santa Rosa, 707.575.7350
Hurley’s Restaurant and Bar, 6518 Washington Street, Yountville, 707.944.2345.

If you’ve ever had a close friend eat at the French Laundry, you’ve probably ended up on the receiving end of the Conciliatory Cookies and Too Bad Truffles, AKA Pastry Chef Claire Clark’s shortbread and chocolates.

It works something like this. Your pal gets the meal of a lifetime. Busting to tell you about it in exhaustive detail (and feeling both ridiculously full and a little guilty for not taking you), they magnanimously hand you the cellophane wrapped cookies and truffles all guests receive at the end of a French Laundry meal.

It’s a win-win, really. Because how bitter can you be with all that sugar?

Thing is, I’ve always wanted that shortbread recipe. They’re the absolute best cookies–buttery and crisp with a little crunch of sugar on top. Nothing elaborate or fussy. No exotic chocolate or precious decoration. Just a cookie.

And on Friday, I got it. Claire, along with her bud Thomas Keller celebrated the release of Clark’s new dessert book, Indulge, 100 Perfect Desserts with a dessert sampling at Ad Hoc in Yountville. So, okay, I snuck in with a very large purse. But I also picked up a book because, well lemon posset doesn’t travel well at the bottom of a satchel. And it also happens to have one hundred of Claire’s favorite dessert recipes including crème brulee, wigglyjellies, raspberry tarts, champagne truffles and uh huh, the shortbread recipe.

What makes them even more endearing is an anecdote Claire tells about how they made it on the menu. Having recently hired Clark (a Brit), Keller asked her to make some shortbread for the restaurant. You know, something from her homeland (she didn’t have the heart to tell him it was actually Scottish). Clark made several complicated shortbread recipes to wow him, throwing in her mom’s dead-simple recipe just as a lark. Guess which won? Mom’s. Yep, the recipe calling for nothing flour, sugar, vanilla and butter.

Call it French Laundry for the proletariat. Let them eat shortbread.

Indulge, 100 Perfect Desserts by Claire Clark, Head Pastry Chef at the French Laundry, $40, Absolute Press.

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.

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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.