Hello Cello raspberry limoncello lemonade. Photo by Shana Ray.

“This is just another day in Sonoma,” quipped Carneros Bistro sommelier Christopher Sawyer, as he led a group past the steel drum band near the entranceway to Taste of Sonoma.

He pointed to booths serving grilled-to-order meats and fresh-blended Hello Cello raspberry-limoncello lemonade, parked next to a virtual city of tents packed with chef stations and tables brimming with thousands of wine bottles.

His entourage – some first-time visitors to the area, but others long-time residents – laughed.

Because indeed, even if North Bay types know a thing or two about culinary parties, Taste is thegranddaddy of all food festivals. The highlight of Wine Country Weekend, the three-day extravaganza of all things edible and drinkable that took over Sonoma Sept. 3-5, Taste played to a sold-out capacity of 2,500 guests sampling food and drink from more than 200 wineries and chefs.

Let’s get to the food.

If last year’s Taste seemed to go overboard on gazpacho (weak economy and all), in 2010, chefs were once again rolling out the stops. Just a few steps into the Gloria Ferrer Bubble Lounge, crispy pancake cones overflowed with shredded Liberty Duck mu shu moistened in Santa Rosa plum sauce, courtesy of Feast Catering.

Feast catering making their mu shu duck which paired perfectly with Gloria Ferrer Va de Vi.

Some restaurants celebrated the classics, like Santi’s fig-ricotta bruschetta, or Estate’s meatball on crusty bun. For traditional with a twist, the buzz was about Jack & Tony’s lacy-shaved roast beef and caramelized onions dotted with bleu cheese in a feather light phyllo cup. The line was long, too, for Relish Culinary Adventures’ earthy, tangy panzanella salad of cannellini beans, Quivira basil, heirloom tomato, DaVero olive oil and Costeaux ciabatta.

Others went international, such as Brasserie’s (Hyatt Santa Rosa) standout Korean short ribs with crunchy, not-too-fiery kimchi that cleansed the palate in between succulent bites. Maya in Sonoma had a runaway hit with spicy Yucatan-braised chicken over chips and salsa verde, and Girl & the Fig blended French with rustic California in its gruyere gougères stuffed in guanciale and fig jam.

Tomato BLT from Sante.

Even simple dishes got star treatment. Stark’s steak tartare came accented in truffled miso and shiso on toast, while Sante’s (Fairmont Sonoma) breadless BLT brought a cherry tomato stuffed in a rich salad of applewood smoked bacon, shredded romaine and spicy tomato remoulade. J Vineyards took a similar approach, offering simple but captivating bite-size BLTs layering foie gras mousse, heirloom tomato, applewood smoked bacon and frisee on toast points, paired with J Brut Rose and J Pinot Noir.

Nectar Restaurant had a pop-in-the-mouth attraction with smoked salmon on corn cake dotted in crème fraiche and fresh dill, while Zin proved a bit too popular: it ran out of its Eastside Farms honey-cured ham and pimento goat cheese on Zin biscuits.

In a nice new touch this year, each of the four appellation tents partnered select chefs and vintners, to

Chefs before the hungry crowd arrives at MacMurray Ranch.

show how wine and food can best be paired. For chef/owner Lucas Martin of K&L Bistro, that meant a rice dough bun stuffed with a slab of pork belly and drizzled in hoisin sauce, enjoyed alongside Mueller Winery’s Russian River Valley Zinfandel.

For many visitors, a big part of the excitement was seeing star chefs in action. Kendall Jackson should give chef Taki Laliotitis an endorsement contract for being such a charming hawker, as he lured folks in classy carny-style to try his cheese poppers. The hot, breaded nubbins exploded in the mouth as a decadent rush of creamy Delice de la Vallee and pimento cheese followed by the sharp vinegar crunch of peppadew pepper.

At The Sonoma Steel Chef Competition, meanwhile, with chefs warring recipes in multiple rounds of mystery ingredient cook-offs, Janine Falvo of Sonoma’s Carneros Bistro and Jack Mitchell of Jack & Tony’s in Santa Rosa tied for first place in a highly challenging all-vegetarian basket of beets, potatoes and rutabagas supplemented with local eggs.

Chef Duskie Estes cooking at La Follette Winery.

A Look at Just One of the Many Winemaker Dinners: Guests at the La Follette supper Friday night wanted two things – food to go with their wine, and to hear about host chef Duskie Estes’ experience as a competitor on season two of the Food Network’s Next Top Chef.

The Zazu owner certainly delivered on the food, starting with corn soup spiked in Backyard Anise Hyssop, an herb that tastes intriguingly like fennel and cinnamon. Next up was truffled cauliflower sformato; goose leg confit Shepherd’s pie all rich and steamy under pink peppercorn mashed potatoes; Liberty Duck two ways; and lemon crema Napoleon with Sebastopol blueberry sauce.

As for the inside scoops into the outcome of the show, Estes just grinned and shook her head. The Food Network has her in an ironclad contract to keep silent until the series starts airing Oct. 3.

“I was thrilled to be selected,” was all she could say, adding that talent in the line-up “was very East coast weighted,” and she felt a little at disadvantage since she doesn’t own a TV and thus had no idea what the show was about.

Attendees wearing their beach finest at the Sonoma Valley Harvest Auction.

But TV – who needed that for entertainment, when one was at the party in the delightful barn and garden setting in a Santa Rosa Willowside neighborhood vineyard? The evening started with a tour, as Greg La Follette described his grape cultivation process, the particular stresses of this year’s weather, and the unique clay, loamy soils of his property. It ended with La Follette doing charades of the pump-over process in wine fermentation, and playing bagpipe tunes.

Wine Country Auction: The theme of Endless Sonoma, the 18th Annual Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction, was beach. So guests arrived at Cline Cellars decked in surfer shorts, brilliantly colored sundresses, and in one case, a glittering green mermaid outfit complete with shell bustier.

First, the food.

Park Avenue Catering got things underway with playful hors d’oeuvres like miniature grilled cheese-

Crazy Benziger Boyz at the Sonoma Valley Wine Auction.

curried Gravenstein apple sandwiches. After multiple glasses of wine, guests sat down to a starter of oxtail pate and a tiny cup of truffled cappuccino.

A hint of the entrée was to be had as people arrived at the winery: right there in the parking lot, Syrah restaurant chefs grilled pomegranate-herb lamb that would be served next to Zin Restaurant’s pinenut studded lamb meatballs.

Guests happily sipped their Sauvignon Blanc and nibbled the delicate gravlax from Estate, but they guzzled their muscular Cabernet and pounded the table for more wine barrel stave-roasted steak in salsa verde. Chefs Mark Stark (Stark’s Steakhouse, Willi’s Wine Bar, Willi’s Seafood & Raw Bar and Monti’s Rotisserie & Bar) and Carlo Cavallo (Sonoma Meritage Martini Oyster Bar & Grill) happily complied, sending out platter after platter of crusty edged meat, ribboned in glorious fat.

Yet even as the luncheon stretched over eight courses and nearly six hours, most of the excitement focused on the auction lots, often presented by their sponsors in raucous skits.

The chefs from the Sonoma Valley Wine Auction.

Who could look away from the gut-busting laugh that was the Benziger Boyz, from Benziger’s Imagery Estate Winery? A parade of hairy men pranced about, dressed in atrocious drag that cannot be recounted for a family-oriented blog. But it worked: their lot raised $51,500.

To keep the bidding going strong, the auctioneer, dressed in a cheeky bikini model t-shirt, appealed to virile wallets. “You’re twice as old as that gentleman,” he teased one man in a bidding war against another. “Prove you can still keep it up.”

The prodding proved profitable. A collection of 58 magnums from top vintners throughout Sonoma County sold for $58,000 – twice. Two rival bidders found peace when each walked away with the prize, bringing the lot total to $116,000 – the highest single lot bid in the auction’s history.

In total, the Auction raised $511,000. And by the delicious finale of the festival, Wine Country Weekend had secured $1.3 million for its charities.

In such a beautiful, inspiring setting, you’ll find an appealing array of art styles. Artists invite you into their work settings to see oil and watercolor paintings, printmaking, metal and clay sculpture, wood turning, fiber arts, jewelry, glass and crystal.

A free catalog contains descriptions of each artist and directions to their studios as well as a detailed map. Call the Gualala Arts Center at 707-884-1138 to obtain a copy of the catalog by mail, or download it as a pdf on their website. Once you’re en route, you’ll see bright yellow signs to help guide you. You’ll need the map in The Sea Ranch, though, since signs aren’t permitted along that section of Highway 1.

Previews of participating artists’ works are on display at the southern end of the tour, The Sea Ranch Lodge Front Gallery, and northern end, Artist’s Collective in Elk, now and through to the end of September. Try starting your tour there for a glimpse of what you’ll find along your planned route. You could pick up an extra catalog with map if you need to at either location, as well as at the Gualala Arts Center, Mendocino Art Center and local galleries and businesses.

Due to the moderate climate in Freestone, my notes for Fogdog’s 2008 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay ($35) read much the same as for their 2007. Let’s hope the same for 2010. Lemon-custard yellow in appearance, it’s also redolent of the selfsame custard, with hard cider aromas integrated with dark toasty notes. Although lacking the salty sea breeze character of the 2007, mouth-filling apple tart, butterscotch and lemon zest flavors characterize the palate, finishing long and lingering with a honeyed golden apple, regal sweetness that’s never cloying. As I’ve said before and will say again, this is the kind of balanced, yet rich coastal Chardonnay that does credit to its varietal and the California style.

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Frittata with Mushrooms, Sweet Onion, and Gruyère Cheese Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

Recipe by Stephen Pavy

Each frittata will yield 12 appetizer-sized wedges. Freestone suggests that you plan on making two or more to serve 24 people (particularly if you expect any vegetarians at the party).

1/4 cup Chopped Walla Walla (or other sweet) onion

5 oz. Sliced button mushrooms

1 1/2 Tbsp. Butter

6 Large eggs

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Pepper

1/4 lb. Gruyère, coarsely grated

Preheat broiler

Cook onion and mushrooms in a 10 inch well-seasoned cast iron or other oven proof skillet over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until mushrooms have given up their liquid. Whisk together eggs, salt, and pepper until combined, then pour over mushrooms and cook, undisturbed until the edges are clearly setting. Sprinkle cheese evenly over top and place skillet under broiler (4-5 inches from heat) until eggs are set and cheese is melted. Surface will have begun to turn lightly brown in spots. Repeat the recipe for additional frittatas.

Frittatas can be served immediately or kept at room temperature for a couple of hours.

Leftover frittata can be refrigerated and served for lunches.

The name is a twist on “Tierra Firma,” which, of course, means firm ground. It also happens to be a veiled reference to Tara Smith, the woman who, along with her family, owns and operates the agricultural operation.

And what an operation it is. The farm cranks out thousands of pounds of healthy chemical-free, all-natural fruits and vegetables, and raises grass-fed, pasture-raised and humanely-treated pigs, cows, and chickens. On Sundays, the place also offers free hands-on educational tours about their all natural and environmentally friendly farming practices.

Of course Tara Firma sells some of its goodness, too. Visitors to the farm can buy it in person—most products sell for $1 or $2.

There’s also a community-supported agriculture program (though Smith calls it the “Farm Food Program”) through which farm workers deliver food directly to customers’ doors or predetermined pickup locations.

Our favorite Tara Firma goodie just might be the farm’s handcrafted sausage. Flavors vary but generally consist of: Thai Basil, Sweet Jamaican, Sweet Italian, Apricot Chipotle, Hot Italian, Maple Breakfast, Bratwurst, Spicy Maple Breakfast, Veal Stroganoff and Stroganoff. Packages sell for $8 a pop. Trust us: you won’t be able to just buy one.

Last but not least, Tara Firma sponsors lectures and other public-oriented events.

The next one is coming up next weekend: A talk and dinner with Lierre Keith, author of “The Vegetarian Myth.” Seating for this shindig is limited, and reservations are suggested. Tickets start at $95 for members, $110 for non-members. For more information call 707/765-1202.

The pork received many comments.  Tasters said, “Pork had subtle apple flavor.  The apple slaw was buttery and delicious.  It complemented the pork perfectly!” “Pork was juicy and tender, innovative use of apples.”

When heading out ingredient shopping, after drawing three names out of an apple box, I wasn’t sure what Apple Beer was.  A quick Google search told me that it was a type of apple soda.  Well, I improvised and we used a hard apple cider.  Let’s face it.  We are in wine country and a little booze with our food is always in order.

Just for fun, we also made some baked apples and used the Maple-Mascarpone apple recipe to top them.  Even though it wasn’t chosen as a contending dish, the topping was amazing.  I can’t wait to make some big, fluffy Belgian waffles and smother them with this sauce.

Thanks to everyone who submitted a recipe.  We will continue to add any that come in throughout the year.  Hopefully one inspires you to get in the kitchen & celebrate the long history of the Gravenstein Apple in Sonoma County!

We loved all the great recipes we received so much, that Inside-Sonoma will be holding more recipe contests throughout the fall and winter!  Let us know in the comments any themes you would love to see.

Click on any photo to start the slideshow.

Entrance to Boon Eat along Main Street in Guerneville. Photo by Andrew Collins.

Whether to kick off a day of biking, antiques-shopping, or wine-touring, or perhaps to recover from an evening of excessive revelry, partaking of a hearty weekend brunch ranks among society’s (well, at least California’s) most cherished social and culinary rituals. It’s also a remarkably popular rite of Saturday and Sunday mornings among GLBT bon vivants and gourmands. Brunching is a big deal throughout Sonoma – here are three venues especially notable for these festive meals.

Boon Eat + Drink, Guerneville – The restaurant affiliated with the hip Russian River Boon Hotel + Spa, which is a half-mile down the road, Boon Eat + Drink is an inviting storefront space along Guerneville’s downtown shopping strip. The gay-popular brunch here features a delicious array of contemporary California treats: truffle-baked eggs with spinach, leeks, and herbed-cheese; baguette French toast withfresh berries and lemon-zest whipped cream; and radicchio salad with chevre, strawberries, toasted hazelnuts, and a light champagne vinaigrette. Brunch is Sunday only.

Fig Cafe & Winebar, Glen Ellen – I’ve written about this dapper, casually romantic restaurant before, noting the amazing dinner fare. But the brunches here also merit plenty of accolade. Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday. First, you might toast the occasion with a Fig Royale (sparkling wine with just a touch of fig syrup). Among the heartier meals, consider classic Croque Madame with comte cheese, ham, poached eggs, and mornay sauce over a crusty brioche; or the lunch-ier grilled butchers steak with blue-cheese herb butter, frites, and the vegetable of the day. When in season, the heirloom tomato pizza with a simple accompaniment of fresh basil and mozzarella deserves consideration.

Breakfast gnocchi at Flavor Bistro. Photo by Andrew Collins.

Flavor Bistro, Santa Rosa – Airy and art-filled Flavor overlooks downtown Santa Rosa’s grassy Courthouse Square – on warm mornings it’s worth grabbing at one of the handful of patio seats. The kitchen here turns out rustic Italian food and hand-rolls its own pasta daily – and noodles can figure most deliciously in the morning if you sample the breakfast gnocchi, with wild mushrooms, spinach, eggs, and Parmesan (there’s also a delicious sweet-potato gnocchi at lunch). Flavor uses organic dairy and fair-trade coffee, and always emphasizes local produce and foods. Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday.

Warm Maple-Mascarpone Cream Gravenstein Apples  Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh Gravenstein apple juice

½ cup pure maple syrup

2 pounds Gravenstein apples, washed

8 ounces Mascarpone cheese (or cream cheese), softened

Warm maple-mascapone gravenstein apples pair with both sweet and savory dishes.

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

Directions:

Pour the apple juice and maple syrup into a large 12-inch skillet; set aside.

Using a paring knife cut each apple in quarters, remove the core and peel. Cut each quarter apple in 3 slices. Place apples slices into apple juice in the skillet. Over high heat, bring apples to a boil, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Turn heat to medium, cook apples for 5 more minutes. Remove lid, stir in Mascarpone cheese, stirring constantly, and cook until cheese has melted. (Be patient, the cheese will melt! If you wish you can turn the heat to high to help it along!) Keep apples warm on simmer until ready to serve. Add extra apple juice if sauce thickens too much. Serves 6. Pour into bowls as a dessert, or serve on pancakes, waffles or as a side dish for pork or chicken.

All ways lead to wine and food during Taste of Sonoma.

At last year’s Taste of Sonoma, my “most creative dish” prize went to A la Heart Catering of Santa Rosa, for their Shanghai duck sushi. It was a salty-sweet, chewy-soft bliss of a bird cooked in light and dark soy with brown sugar, star anise, ginger and scallions. The chefs married the meat with cranberries, cashews and cranberry-orange juice reduction, then tucked it into little rice rolls wrapped in nori.

The year before, I was smitten by chef Janine Falvo’s PBLT. The Carneros Bistro chef put together an exciting (and ok, weird) root beer braised pork belly with Oak Hill Farms tomatoes and brown butter hollandaise aioli on brioche.

It just goes to show that you never know what to expect when Wine Country Weekend rolls around, anchored by the Saturday food and wine showcase that is Taste of Sonoma. This year, the event runs Sept. 3-5.

One thing is certain, however. If you haven’t already gotten your tickets, you’d better act fast. This is one of the largest festivals of the year, with folks literally flying in from around the world to get in on the action.

Picnic tables under the old oak trees provide a great space to relax & enjoy the day.

The event kicks off on Sept. 3, with elaborate winemaker lunches at venues throughout the county. Just one example: Check out the circa-1880 Annadel Estate Winery in a meal of rustic Northern Italian fare paired with the inaugural vintages of the 2007 Estate Field Blend and the 2009 Sonoma Valley Rosé. It’s all served within the winery’s ancient stone walls under heritage oak trees, with local torch singer Sheila Whitney serenading, and ladies going home with a bouquet of heirloom roses grown on the Estate’s flower farm.

That evening, there are dinners, hosted by more winemakers at spectacular locations like Silver Oak Cellars, for a meal prepared by celebrity chef Douglas Keane of Cyrus. That meal is sold out, but several excellent suppers remain at other wineries.

In 2009, a record crowd of 2,500 guests converged on the sprawling grassy meadows at Healdsburg’s MacMurray Ranch for Taste of Sonoma. The draw? The marathon gala features tastings, demonstrations, tours and seminars showcasing more than 200 artisan wineries, growers, chefs and food purveyors. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 4, it’s a non-stop feast, brought to delicious life by more than 60 chefs and paired with the best from more than 150 wineries pouring a deep, fruity ocean of fine Sonoma wines.

Sommelier Christopher Sawyer says "cheers!"

From down-home Jimtown Store, to uptown Estate; from comfy-cozy Bruno’s on Fourth, to the haute Hana Japanese Restaurant; from high energy Jackson’s Bar & Oven, to laid-back Santi Restaurant. All the longtime favorites will be there, plus you’ll get a chance to look at some newer Sonoma places, like Jack & Tony’s Restaurant & Whiskey Bar and The Epicurean Connection.

Just don’t expect light nibbles. Last year, Bruno’s sent out a nearly meal-size plate of hoisin ribs, coleslaw and four-cheese macaroni studded with ham. Most other restaurants were right in there with the generous portions, too, and you can go back for seconds or thirds (I always end up camped at Hana’s booth, devouring sushi like a dolphin). It’s not uncommon to see guests lolled in happy comas under shade trees on the lawn.

In between eating, you can wander among wine seminars, cooking demonstrations and vineyard tours. New this year is increased AVA focus, with AVA-specific food and wine pairing in each of the four AVA tents as well as AVA-specific seminars in the White Barn. There’s also a new sustainable foods showcase, showing how delicious it can be to eat earth-friendly.

The General Admission ticket of $150 per person is a good deal. Think about five hours of eating great food and drinking fine wine. But even

The tents of Taste of Sonoma at MacMurray Ranch.

better is the Grand Reserve ticket are $195 per person, for special behind-the-scenes tours and tastings, like Club Reserve, where you can hob-nob with Sonoma County winery owners and winemakers. They will personally pour and discuss their limited production, reserve and award-winning wines from large format bottles paired with food by The Farmhouse Inn.

Things wrap up with another party of all parties: on Sunday Sept. 5, it’s the beach and surfing themed Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction at Cline Cellars. The $500 ticket price gives you a hint of the opulence to be had, including, as the event website notes, “renowned chefs preparing a multi-course meal that makes ‘eating it’ a totally awesome thing, dude.”

One thing to keep in mind about Taste: with 2,500 people trying to cram their cars into the vineyards that serve as parking lots, it can get pretty crazy on the road. A better option is to reserve shuttle service, new this year and available around Santa Rosa and Sonoma from Pure Luxury Transportation.

For just $15 or $20 per person round-trip, you’ll avoid parking delays, enjoy front-gate delivery to the Taste event, and you won’t need to worry about finding a designated driver.

Details: sonomawinecountryweekend.com. For shuttle reservations, contact SWCWshuttle@pureluxury.com.

Delightful Gravenstein Apple Dumplings Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

Pastry

2/3 cup shortening
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 to 5 tablespoons cold water

Cut shortening into flour and salt. Sprinkle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons water can be added if necessary).

APPLE DUMPLINGS

Pastry
6 Gravenstein apples, pared and cored
3 tablespoons raisins
3 tablespoons chopped pecans
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup water

Heat oven to 425°. Gather into pastry into ball once prepared. Roll 2/3 of the pastry into 14-inch square on lightly floured cloth-covered board with floured stockinet-covered rolling pin; cut into 4 squares. Roll remaining pastry into rectangle, 14×7 inches; cut into 2 squares. Place apple on each square.

Mix raisins, pecans, and cinnamon; fill each apple. Moisten corners of pastry squares; bring 2 opposite corners up over apple and pinch. Repeat with remaining corners; pinch edges of pastry to seal. Place dumplings in ungreased baking dish, 12×7 1/2 x 2 inches, or baking pan, 9x9x2 inches.

Heat brown sugar and water to boiling; carefully pour around dumplings. Bake, spooning syrup over dumplings 2 or 3 times, until crust is golden and apples are tender, about 40 minutes. Serve warm sweetened whipped cream if desired.

Makes 6 dumplings.

Think you have the best Gravenstein Apple recipe?  Then submit yours today!  Read all about our recipe contest in honor of Gravenstein Apple Month.

Apple Beer Brined Pork Tenderloin with Sauteed Gravenstein Apples Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

2 cups apple beer

1/2 cup water

3/4 cup kosher salt

5 tablespoons brown sugar

6 whole peppercorns

4 cloves garlic, smashed

2 pork tenderloins

2 tablespoons canola oil

4 Gravenstein apples, peeled, cored, and diced

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

Heat the water in a sauce pot until warm. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until dissolved. After the mixture has cooled down, submerge the pork tenderloins in the brine for 1 hour.

Heat a sauté pan over medium high heat and add the oil. Once the pan is smoking hot sear the pork until golden brown an all sides. Reduce the heat to medium and finish cooking the pork until done (170 degrees F on the meat thermometer). Allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

While the meat is resting, heat a saute pan to medium heat. Add the butter and apples. Saute for 5 minutes. Add the brown sugar and saute for another 2 -3 minutes. Serve with the sliced pork tenderloins.

Think you have the best Gravenstein Apple recipe?  Then submit yours today!  Read all about our recipe contest in honor of Gravenstein Apple Month.

Chef Duskie Estes, Sonoma Star, culinary warrior.

Update Aug. 27: Estes’s Gag Order Dropped – Food Network Allows the Chef to Speak. Sort-of.

It took some serious pressure over several days from my crack journalistic team, but Food Network bigwigs have decided that finally, Estes can answer a few questions about her upcoming TV appearance. Hey, the Next Iron Chef is a big deal, I know, and they need to keep tight control of their talent running amok. Right?

So here is the scoop, (almost) straight (edited and redacted by FN execs) from the chef’s mouth…

The spotlight will shine brightly on Sonoma this fall, when Zazu chef Duskie Estes competes to be the Next Iron Chef. Her series premieres Oct. 3, and let’s just get this fact out of the way right now: she is going to kick aspic.

Or should we say, since the specialty of her Santa Rosa restaurant is its hand-cured Black Pig meat, she’s going to kick (pork) butt?

Whatever, she’ll show her mettle against nine other chefs, including the celeb-icon Ming Tsai (who will not win, simply because he was mean to me once, although that’s another story entirely).

Due to Food Network rules, Estes is not allowed to talk to media. Not a peep, even for simple questions like how FN came to discover this lovely but charmingly low-key farm country star.

Update: “They called out of the blue,” Estes said, her voice muffled through the gag. “They flew me to Los Angeles for a casting call – I was nervous! When they asked me if I wanted to be The Next Iron Chef, I said ‘I don’t know,’ because I had never seen the show before. I thought I had blown the interview.”

She could not comment on whether there was friendly competition between her and her husband and partner at Zazu, Bovolo and Black Pig Meats, John Stewart, over her landing the star role (peace to all: I am sure he was “coaching” from the sidelines).

Update: “No competition,” Duskie mouthed, from beneath her cone of silence. “He likes to be behind the scenes and I like to be the center of attention, so it works. If I had had one wish, it would have been to have him there by my side. I spoke to him every day.”

She couldn’t spill if it was a ton of fun to appear, directing me back to the Network’s public relation team (a nice lady there told me she is finding out if she can confirm the fun factor, but it may be a while until I hear back).

Update: “I will get to Food Network exec early next week,” the FN spokesperson grandly promised again this afternoon. “May take a few days, lots of folks out of the office.”

Realizing Estes couldn’t give any details at all on the competition, I asked her anyway. “Can you at least say if your secret ingredient is ‘Sonoma friendly?’” As in, the local, Slow Food style she supports so lovingly at her farmhouse restaurant.

Her reply – a polite but firm zip.

Update: “I am an advocate for diversity of agriculture in Sonoma County and ‘knowing the face that feeds you,’” Estes replied, through a cryptic note passed to me in a dark alley. “Everything I do every day has that in mind, and I kept it up on the show.”

Here’s what we do know, on the record: In this third season of the popular show, NIC contestants will have to cook on a desert island and catch the secret ingredient in the wild; design recipes out of condiments such as ketchup, ranch dressing and mayonnaise; create an Iron Chef worthy meal out of corned-beef hash; and create a snack out of pickles.

Let’s just hope that the wild ingredient Estes catches is pig.

Details: Zazu

, 3535 Guerneville Road, Santa Rosa, 707-523-4814 or zazurestaurant.com.

Photos by Larry Levine

If you close your eyes while browsing produce at the Tierra Vegetables stand on Airport Road in Santa Rosa, you might just hear Cliff Clavin pontificating on random facts.

No, John Ratzenberger’s famous “Cheers” character doesn’t work the register, but the farm stand itself is such a haven for local lovers of fresh fruits and vegetables that it truly has become a place where everybody knows your name (after that first visit, of course).

There’s no pretense here. All of the produce is grown locally, either up at the farm on Chalk Hill Road in Healdsburg or in the modest fields behind the stand itself. Employees give out recipes, and free samples. There’s even a kid-sized garden for kids to explore while Mom and Dad stock up on supplies.

Oh, what supplies they are. As of Tuesday, Aug. 24, Tierra was selling everything from strawberries and Romano beans to tomatillos and basil.

Also on the list: Red onions, dill, walnuts and blue potatoes.

The farm stand updates its Web site daily with a list of what’s for sale. Don’t take our word for it, though; see for yourself.

Tierra farm stand is open Tuesday-Friday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. It is located on Airport Road between the 101 and Fulton Road, just to the east of the freeway.

If you’d rather nosh on apples in a deliciously more decadent form, drop by nearby Mom’s Apple Pie (also a Local Secret), a cheery cafe and deli that turns out beautiful baked “double-crust” apple pies. This favorite sweet-stop along Gravenstein Highway also sells fresh apricot, cherry, peach, pumpkin, coconut cream, and many other kinds of pie, and it’s a fine option for sandwiches, salads, and soups, too.

If you feel inspired to cook after your visit, check out the latest Gravenstein apple recipes.

Photo by Adrian Boyer

The classic, comic-strip inspired musical “Annie” has landed in Sonoma Wine Country and the little orphan is set to charm your socks off. The familiar characters and songs make for a comforting, foot-tapping, and fun play at Santa Rosa’s 6th Street Playhouse. Director Dwayne Stincelli has assembled a loving rendition of the musical that the whole family will enjoy.

You’ll find Annie in Ms. Hannigan’s orphanage, the only orphan who believes her parents are coming for her one day. Her adventures take her out into the streets of 1930s New York City to find her parents and lead her to a happy life with billionaire Oliver Warbucks.

Annie is played alternately by Natalie Rubin and Avonlea Martin. On opening night, we saw Natalie Rubin and she has a pleasant voice as well as the perfect cute-as-a-button look. Brenda Reed belts out her songs powerfully as Ms. Hannigan and you wouldn’t doubt her ire with little girls. Norman A. Hall has fun playing Oliver Warbucks and Bethany Neese’s Grace Farrell is clearly over the moon with both Annie and the billionaire. The ensemble of orphan girls was delightful and perfectly cheeky in their torment of Ms. Hannigan. Sandy, played by Casey the dog, isn’t quite a stage natural yet, but it was just opening night after all. It spread smiles through the audience to see Annie slipping her adopted pet treats for staying front and center with her.

The stage in the G.K. Hardt Theater evokes the simple, black and white comic strip background effectively and carries the

Photo by Adrian Boyer

scenes from the orphanage to the streets of New York City to Oliver Warbucks’ 5th Avenue mansion really well.

Musical Director Richard Riccardi leads a pleasing orchestra and was actually the Assistant Conductor on the Broadway show’s national tour in 1981-1982. With songs like “It’s the Hard Knock Life,” You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile,” “Easy Street,” and the classic “Tomorrow,” you’ll be humming for days.

Annie 
August 13 – September 12 
8 p.m.  Thursday, Friday, Saturday 
2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Matinees

6th Street Playhouse – GK Hardt Theatre 
52 West 6th Street, Santa Rosa 
707-523-4185  www.6thstreetplayhouse.com

Paella from Vineyards Inn.

Is it paella you prefer? Or, perchance, potstickers?

Either way, you now can get both at Vineyards Inn of Kenwood. Chef-owner Steve Rose has combined his love of the tapas served at his Spanish restaurant on Hwy. 12 with his appreciation of Chinese dim sum.

And why not? Both foods mean little bites, lots of flavors.

Actually, rather than real Chinese, it’s a new tapas tasting dinner, but served dim sum style. Called Tapas Tapas Tapas, it offers guests an array of small plates, in Spanish flavors like ceviche, lemon-garlic calamari, and grilled homemade Spanish chorizo on tomato baguette.

The specialty meal is presented on the fourth Thursday of each month; sign up now for the Aug. 26 feast. The next one takes place Sept. 23.

Servers walk the restaurant with trays and diners point at what they want. At meal’s end, tabs are calculated by the plates piled on the tables, with dishes priced at $4, $6 and $8. For a more dramatic Chinese touch, Rose said he hopes to add cart service at some point.

If you like Vineyards’ regular menu, you’ll like these favorites, presented in smaller portions. The “fish sticks” are actually skewered and flame-broiled fish in Spring Hill

Organic tomatoes from Rose Ranch.

butter, while fire-broiled artichoke comes with dipping sauce, and lamb-beef meatballs are slathered in sofrito.

Vineyards Inn owners Steve and Colleen Rose

The family-owned Rose Ranch gardens that supply much of the restaurant’s organic produce play a big role here, too. Chef Esteban Rose creates uncommon Cal-Spanish bites like kale rolls stuffed with ground lamb, rice, roasted garlic, fresh herbs and mushrooms in lemon-basil pesto sauce, or gnocchi made from organic sweet potato and Dungeness crab tossed in basil pesto.

There’s even a full vegan menu including paella, plus unique nibbles like pizzetta of whole wheat tortilla crust, basil pesto, roasted garlic, organic mushrooms and house made cheese.

If you simply still must have dim sum, chef Rose has you covered. Fill up on his homemade Chinese potstickers plump with organic chicken over roasted Rose Ranch organic tomatillo salsa.

Crowd at a recent Basque dinner.

It’s worth keeping the second Thursday of each month open, too, for the ever-popular Chef’s Basque Dinner series. Rose rolls out seven courses complete with wine for a remarkably low $40, and it’s a real party. Food is served family-style, on platters and in tureens for all to share at one long table.

Reservations are required, with limited seating promptly at 6:30 p.m. But plan ahead – in the year-and-a-half the Basque meal has been offered, it has sold out every time, with seats booked up a few months in advance.

Details: Vineyards Inn, 8445 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood, 707-833-4500, vineyardsinn.com.

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Victor Wyman, lover of Gravenstein Apples & creator of this recipe.

Gravenstein Bread Pudding Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

Ingredients
·    4 slices day-old bread
·    1-1/2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
·    2 cups Gravenstein apples, cut in wedges, slices about ¼ inch wide
·    3 eggs, beaten
·    1-1/3 cups milk
·    1/2 cup brown or raw sugar
·    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
·    1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
·    3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
The directions below refer to a yield of  8 servings
1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.    Break bread into small pieces into an 8 inch square baking pan. Drizzle melted butter or margarine over bread.
3.    Add cut Gravenstein wedges as new layer above bread.
4.    In a mixing bowl add remaining ingredients eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Pour over bread and apples. Bread  and apples should be covered to top surface of apples after bread has soaked up the egg mixture. You may need to increase or decrease the amount of egg mixture depending on the size of your baking pan or the amount of  egg mixture yeilded by the ingredients used.
5.    Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, until visible apple pieces are soft (but not crisp cooked, and the pudding is springy).
Submitted by: Victor Wyman

Think you have the best Gravenstein Apple recipe?  Then submit yours today!  Read all about our recipe contest in honor of Gravenstein Apple Month.

Lisa Speer, recipe developer & Sonoma County visitor.

Caramelized Gravenstein Apples and Sausage with Chevre, Applewood Smoked Bacon and Toasted Walnuts Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons toasted walnuts

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese

6 slices applewood smoked bacon

12 Italian sweet sausage links

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

3 large Gravenstein apples, peeled, cored, diced and sprinkled lightly with lemon juice

fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons apple cider

2 tablespoons dry white wine

Preheat a small skillet over medium heat; add walnuts. Toast lightly, shaking skillet frequently, until fragrant. Remove from heat; cool completely. Toss with goat cheese in a small bowl; set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat cook bacon, turning occasionally, until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain; remove all but 1 tablespoon drippings from skillet. Prick each sausage link several times with a fork; add to skillet. Brown sausages on all sides, turning frequently. Reduce heat to low, cover and continue to cook until cooked through.

Preheat a medium skillet over medium heat; add oil, butter and apples. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until apples are crisp-tender and golden. Add cider and wine; cook until liquid evaporates. Remove from heat, taste and adjust seasonings.

To serve, place 2 sausage links on each of 6 plates. Spoon an equal amount of caramelized apples on top of each pair of sausages. Crumble bacon and toss into reserved goat cheese mixture. Sprinkle over apples and serve. Yield: 6 servings.

Think you have the best Gravenstein Apple recipe?  Then submit yours today!  Read all about our recipe contest in honor of Gravenstein Apple Month.

Clos du Bois is all the French you need.

all the Italian you need to know. Sounds simple enough, so now let’s confuse us a little: Pinot Grigio is Italian for the French grape Pinot Gris, which is a mutation of Pinot Noir. In Germany, of course, it’s the lilting and poetic Grauburgunder. Quelle est la différence? Well, it’s a bit of a gray area. In California, it seems to be a matter of style. When made in rich, Alsatian style, perhaps barrel-fermented, some call it Pinot Gris. When made in a crisp, fresh and light Italian style, more often that not, Pinot Grigio.

Looking for a simple, yet lively summer white with a little pep at your next event (TGIF counts as an event, and during the summer, so does a long, hot Monday), perhaps, dare you say, the opposite of Chardonnay? Pale as limewater, the Clos du Bois 2009 Pinot Grigio ($12) has faint aromas of green apple, rosemary and thyme, while honeydew melon and cucumber water wash over the palate; yet it’s not too thin. There’s a hint sweet-bodied agave, but the finish is bone dry, done. I enjoyed this with some goat cheese brie–French–which helped the finish linger. Served chilled, it’s a good bet with a wide range of snack, salads, and entrées.

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Roast Chicken with Garlic Confit Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

From Clos du Bois Winery

12 garlic cloves (about 1 head), lightly smashed and peeled

3 fresh thyme sprigs

3/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp olive oil

1 (3-lb) chicken, quartered

1 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 500 degrees F. Cook garlic, thyme and 3/4 cup oil in a 1- to-1 1/2-qt heavy saucepan over low heat, uncovered, until garlic is very tender but not golden, about 25 minutes.

While garlic is cooking, pat chicken pieces dry and rub with butter and remaining Tbsp of oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange chicken, skin side up, in a shallow baking pan and roast 20 mins.

Transfer garlic to a small bowl along with 1 Tbsp garlic oil and mash with a fork. Spread mashed garlic over skin of roasted chicken, then return to oven and roast until just cooked through and skin is crisp, about 5 mins.

For $20 per person, visitors receive four 2-ounce glasses of wine, modest hunks of cheese from Bellwether Farms in Petaluma, and a variety of delicious condiments and other accompanying items. The cheese-and-accoutrement combinations have been specially prepared to bring out the very best in each wine. They do the job nicely; on a recent visit, pairings were out of this world.

First, the 2008 809 Clone Chardonnay was paired with a hard Crescenza cheese and sweet-and-sour Meyer lemon marmalade. The lemons in the marmalade hailed from McEvoy Ranch in Petaluma.

Next up: The 2008 Orsi Chardonnay, a full-bodied wine that was paired with a Gorgonzola-like Carmody cheese and fresh, raw honey.

The honey, which featured hints of eucalyptus and lavender, came from Donatiello’s Healdsburg estate. It also offered strong and sweet tones of caramel and butterscotch. It definitely was not your Supermarket variety.

Later in the afternoon, servers paired the 2007 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir with a raw sheep milk farmstead cheese and organic pomegranate jelly (from Kozlowski Farms in Sebastopol).

The final act was by far the best of all worlds: A heavy pour of the 2008 Floodgate Block 15 pinot noir, served with spicy Pepato cheese and organic Blackberry syrup and sauce (also from Kozlowski).

In a word, yum.

Interested visitors take note: The winery requires reservations for the pairings, and they ask that guests make them at least 24 hours in advance. It’s clear that pulling together such delectable menus takes time, especially when you’ve got to drive 30 miles south to pick up fresh cheese every day.

The Woods Resort is one of the main hosts of the Russian River's upcoming River Splash Weekend. Photo by Andrew Collins.

Bears, cubs, and their admirers are gearing up for a different kind of bear-nation celebration in the Russian River this year, as River Splash Weekend kicks off Thursday, August 26, and last through Monday, August 30. This is particularly good news for devotees of the Russian River’s wildly popular Lazy Bear Weekend, which after nearly 15 years took a hiatus in 2010. The organizers, Castrobear, decided to cancel the early August party and fundraiser this year in part out of deference to the many California’s who’d made plans to travel to Germany to attend the Gay Games in Cologne this year, but they’ve already announced that Lazy Bear Weekend will be back on, better than ever, in early August 2011 (from Aug. 3 through Aug. 8).

If you’ve attended any of the Lazy Bear events in the past, the parties and events surrounding River Splash should seem happily familiar: think splashy pool parties at the Triple R and Woods resorts, cruise-y socials at downtown Guerneville’s beloved Rainbow Cattle Company, entertainment from top DJs as well as the Golden Girls drag troupe, a late-night Bearaoke party, and a festive Sunday Furry Sunday fete. The finale is a Monday Night Movie at the Triple R. The Castrobear events are friendly, inclusive, and fun, although obviously catering primarily to guys who consider themselves to be bears to one degree or another.

Now, this isn’t shocking. Ume is owned by Debbie Shu, Debbie’s sister Kelly Shu and partner-chef Chang Liow, who also own the remarkable Chinois Asian Bistro across the highway off the Windsor Green.

Whereas Chinois dances all across Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Indian, Filipino, Hong Kong-style and Malaysian specialties, Ume is pure Japan. From the outside, it looks like a small house, accented with faux rock and on the edge of a residential neighborhood. Step inside, and it’s chic Asia, from the entry water sculpture wall, to the centerpiece sushi bar, to the textured gray concrete floor that shimmers like a river.

Sashimi artfully presented at Ume Bistro.

When Ume opened in the spring of 2005, Windsor was known more for its proximity to wineries than its abundance of sake. Yet with more than a dozen premium sakes in varietals of junmai, ginjo and daiginjo, Ume has put well-deserved emphasis on the polished rice spirit.

A good meal at the blond wood sushi bar starts with a sake flight, like the Sakura Sampler ($13.75), in mild, floral sips of Manamusume, Oka and Kura no Hana. You’ll also get a complimentary cup of fragrant green tea, served in lovely pottery cup.

Ume has some of the most creative sushi selections in its neighborhood, like the Ume Blossom ($12) of snow crab and organic mixed greens in soy bean paper, or the Snow White ($15.50), as a baked roll of yellowtail topped with scallop and spicy seafood sauce. Pay close attention to the specials chalkboard – that’s where you’ll find treats like my recent score of Aji (Spanish mackerel, $7.50), and

The Snow White & Ume Blossom rolls at Ume.

tempura uni in shiso leaf ($8.50).

If the chef is offering live scallop, get it. The sweet dish is doctored with shallots, ginger and garlic and is well worth the $18 price tag.

As soft acoustical jazz music played in the background, my server brought a beautiful plate of ankimo salad, the monkfish fois gras layered with tobiko, wakame and daikon in ponzu sauce ($8.75). It was a taste of the creativity of the kitchen.

I’ve had grilled tofu steak plenty of times, for example, but never served sizzling with eggs on a hot iron platter ($9), and now, I know what I’ve been missing.

The signature Ume Roll.

The cleverly named Dragon Eggs turned out to be quail egg tucked in crisp prawn and drizzled with sweet chili sauce ($9.50), while quail egg found another home in the shooter of briny fresh oyster bobbing in chilled sake with the tiny egg, tobiko and a zingy splash of ponzu sauce ($6.50).

You know I had to order tonkatsu (see my previous review on Senju to see why http://inside-sonoma.com/senju-sushi-in-windsor-offers-a-taste-of-japan/). While Ume’s version isn’t the best I’ve had (blame it on smallish portions and a bit of overcooking), the Fuji apple-studded potato salad was a nice, Hawaii-centric touch. And here is where I will go from now on for my Nabeyaki fix: the udon soup brims with chicken, vegetables, prawn tempura and egg ($15.50).

I’ll say it: I don’t like dining with kids. They interrupt the food. But if you’re going to take the little ones out of their cages, Ume is a good choice. Their children’s menu

The sushi bar at Ume offers a perfect view of the unique sushi creations.

appeals to contemporary tykes’ tastes, such as the Bento A ($8.95), bringing a combo of miso soup, crab cheese puff, grilled teriyaki chicken, steamed rice and green tea ice cream.

And where else but in Sonoma will a Japanese restaurant proudly plant its flag to proclaim it has vegetarian sushi? Yet indeed, there is a whole menu section devoted to the stuff: Japanese pickled radish ($4.50), sweet yam, onion and zucchini tempura ($6), and even an oh-so-Wine Country creation called Lo-Carb California, of surimi and avocado wrapped in cucumber ($6).

For the signature Ume dish, though, it has to be this: the Ume Shiso ($5), of cucumber, shiso leaf, and yes, pickled plum.

Details: Ume Japanese Bistro, 8710 Old Redwood Highway, Windsor, 707-838-6700, umebistro.com.

Beginning this year’s festival and running the course is a reprisal of “Ella: The American Dream” at Cinnabar Theater itself. Jazz singer Kim Nalley is back with her musical about Ella Fitzgerald’s rise to stardom. See it at 8 p.m. Aug. 19, 20, 21, 27, 28; Sept. 2, 4, 9, 10, 11. Matinee performances will play at 2 p.m. on Aug. 29; Sept. 5, 12.

There’s family fun to be had during the 2nd Annual Petaluma Treasure Hunt on Saturday, August 21, starting at the Petaluma Art Center. Here’s a chance to use your brainpower on vacation, since knowledge of the area may be helpful but isn’t necessary – it’s all about working together on this scavenger hunt. Following the hunt, there is a free rockabilly dance party with Miss Kitty and the Big Dogs at 6 p.m. at the Petaluma Art Center.

Turkish-born guitar virtuoso Cem Duruöz will play Turkish and Tango music on Sunday, August 22 at a home with spectacular views overlooking the scenery of Southwestern Petaluma. Arrive early to enjoy an evening of Turkish cuisine while you take in the views and immerse yourself in the music.

The duo Men of Worth will play folk music from Ireland and Scotland at the Keller Estate Winery on Wednesday, August 25. The winery has stunning views and you can arrive early to eat a picnic dinner and even take a tour.

The H Concert, at Cinnabar Theater on Thursday, August 26, is part of an “A to Zed” series presented by Cinnabar cellist Gwyneth Davis and her friends. Hear music from composers ranging from Handel to Harrison.

On Saturday, August 28, three Petaluma art galleries are joining forces to present a culinary, musical, and visual art adventure in Gallery Walk Around the World. Each gallery will feature the art, music and food of a specific region. Pelican Art Gallery goes Russian with the San Francisco Balalaikas, the Barry Singer Gallery features the Nigerian Brothers, and the Riverfront Gallery will have the East Bay Hawaiian Duet. Wine will be paired with the food and each will end with Port, coffee, and chocolate.

Felonious will put on more than just a hip-hop concert on Wednesday, September 1, at Cinnabar Theater. The San Francisco hip-hop music and theater collective deliver their beatbox a capella rap and witty lyrics with elevated theatrics to make for a really entertaining show.

Step inside St. Vincent’s Church for a screening of the 1923 silent classic, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, on Friday, September 3. Grab a hotdog and soda out in the courtyard before heading in to view the movie. Dallas composer Paul Slavens and a live band will lend the musical backdrop and the church bells will ring.

Pianist Lara Downes will play at the Petaluma Historical Museum on Wednesday, September 8. Downes has played prestigious concert venues around the world and lives in Northern California. This is a great opportunity to enjoy amazing talent in the intimate surrounds of the 1904-built museum.

The final event in the eclectic music festival is Cinnabar in the Garden, Saturday, September 11. Nina Shuman, the Cinnabar Music Director, will conduct the Cinnabar Orchestra in a private garden. The program includes Grieg’s Holdberg Suite, Copeland’s Clarinet Concerto, and Wagner’s Siegfried’s Idyll. Soprano Carrie Hennessey, who just performed the title role in Tobias Picker’s opera “Emmeline” at Cinnabar, will make a special appearance for Barber’s Knoxville, Summer of 1915.

Cinnabar Theater

3333 Petaluma Blvd. North, Petaluma

707-763-8920

This Fume Blanc is a perfect summer wine.

The sugar crew had just finished filling their Ziplocks with grapes under a threatening gray sky. The vineyard-winery liaison squished the berries and “shot the sugar” on a handheld refractometer, then called the results in to winery founder Don Carano as the first drops of rain tickled our brows. Go ahead, replied Carano, I’m right here–at which point his private plane broke out of the clouds directly above us, ATVs popped off of Dry Creek Road behind us, and then a roaring column of pickups, truckloads of workers, and machine harvesters spilled into the vineyard. All that the scene lacked was an amphibious landing from nearby Dry Creek.

The 2009 Sonoma County Fumé Blanc ($15), recently judged the clear favorite in a North Bay Bohemian tasting, is a great summer sipper–for such areas as are currently experiencing summer (August and we’re still waiting in Sonoma County). Assembled from both stainless-steel and barrel-fermented lots of Sauvignon Blanc, this pale, platinum gold fumé gives up just the slightest hint of its days amongst oak and lees, the cool, sea-breeze aroma reminiscent of Brut champagne. Austere lemon and pear cider flavors meet on a palate that’s got the body and weight to linger just long enough, with a lagered tone to the finish. A classy, all-purpose party and event wine, with none of the Chardonnay vs. Sauvignon Blanc drama.

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Ratatouille Tartlet topped with Laura Chenel Goat Cheese Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

served with Baked Olives and Baby Arugula Salad

Quantity: 8 quarts

Recipe for Ratatouille:

10 each medium eggplants, firm and fresh, cut into 1/2” dice

8 red bell peppers, washed and cut into 1/4” dice

8 yellow bell peppers, washed and cut into 1/4” dice

8 yellow onions, diced 1/2” thick

8 medium green zucchini

8 medium yellow squash

1-1/2 cups chopped fresh basil

1/2 cup chopped fresh lemon thyme

1/4 cup chopped rosemary

1 cup roasted garlic purée

4 cups canned tomato purée

5 cups white wine

4 cups olive oil

1/3 cup Kosher or sea salt (or to taste)

4 lbs. crumbled Laura Chenel goat cheese

Wash eggplants well. Trim off stems and bottom and cut into 1/2” dice. Place in a non-reactive bowl and sprinkle with kosher salt. Toss well and set aside for 30 minutes.

Heat some of the oil in the large dutch oven and sauté over medium heat. Add the mixed vegetables, a small amount at a time and sauté. Then take eggplant and place into a towel and squeeze out excess water and bitterness. Repeat cooking process with eggplant.

Add vegetables back to pan and add roasted garlic, tomato purée, herbs and cook for 5 to 10 minutes more until vegetables are left with little texture.

Stain vegetables and save liquid from ratatouille for a vinaigrette. Let cool on sheet pans with parchment and place into plastic containers.

Recipe for Lemon Garlic Cream Dressing:

2 Tbsp roasted garlic purée

1/2 cup lemon juice

1-1/2 Tbsp anchovy paste (or to taste)

1 cup olive oil

1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese or Sonoma dry jack cheese

In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine the garlic purée, lemon juice, anchovy paste, balsamic vinegar and pepper and process until emulsified. Whisk in the parmesan or dry jack cheese. Taste for seasoning. Toss baby arugula with dressing until lightly coated.

The Web site, SonomaBirding.org, debuted earlier this summer. Its founders, Tom Rusert and Darren Peterle, launched the site with a list of 18 places to watch birds in the Sonoma Valley.

The hotspots actually comprise a number of hiking trails that cover most of the Sonoma Valley, including Bartholomew Park Winery, the Sonoma Baylands, Tolay Regional Park, Sonoma State Historic Parks and the wetlands beyond Viansa.

“Everything is within 30 minutes of the historic Plaza” in downtown Sonoma, Rusert told the Sonoma Index-Tribune. He added that all of the trails are safe places to hike and admire without fear of crossing paths with area hunters (apparently this is a common fear among birdwatchers across the nation).

Generally speaking, Rusert’s timing couldn’t have been better; many birds recently have started their fall migrations, meaning the next few months are prime time to get out and glimpse some of the 400 different species that have been identified around these parts.

In particular, bird fans might spot willets, dowitchers, plovers and sandpipers in coming months. Get out there and start looking!

Hayley Yount Severe

My extended family originally came from the Yountville area at the turn of the century. My Granny Effie was raised in Oklahoma on the prairie, but when they came in season, she always sought out Gravensteins to make her Apple Crisp recipe. Someone from the family would actually make a trip across country just to retrieve Gravs for Granny’s recipe! It is a favorite amongst all the Yount Clan. We introduced the Gravenstein’s unique flavor to Okie’s and Texans alike. Love at first bite!!! – Hayley Yount Severe

Granny Effie’s Apple Crisp Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

Pre-Heat oven to 350 degrees

You will need:

2 – Mixing bowls, medium size

1 – 9″x13″ baking pan (glass or metal)

A cube of butter for the dessert, plus some extra for the baking pan.

Directions:

Core and cut 5 or 6 apples into bit size chunks. Place cut apples in bowl with cold water with lemon juice to prevent browning. You do not have to peel the apples if you do not want to.

In the other mixing bowl, mix the following ingredients for the “Crumbly Mixture”:

1 cup Flour

1 Cup White Sugar

3/4 tsp salt 1 tsp Baking Soda

1 egg

3/4 cup Brown Sugar

Cinnamon to taste

Mix until crumbly, set aside. Can add Nuts or coconut if desired. Reserve 1/3 of the crumbly mixture for the topping.

Dry apples with paper towels before use. Use only 2/3 of the Crumbly Mixture for the following:

In a 9″ x 13″ generously buttered baking pan, line with apples on the bottom of the pan.

Sprinkle with Crumbly Mixture and pats of butter, layer again (apples, Crumbly Mixture, butter) and repeat steps until the last row of apples lay on top. Cover the apples with any remaining Crumbly Mixture, including the 1/3 reserved portion. Top with 10-12 pats of butter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly and golden brown. Let cool and serve warm.

Serve with Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. WOWZA!!!

Think you have the best Gravenstein Apple recipe?  Then submit yours today!  Read all about our recipe contest in honor of Gravenstein Apple Month.

Gravenstein Apple Cobbler Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 box pound cake mix (do not use a moist cake mix, it

won’t work)

1 cube unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

8 Gravensteins, cored, pared and sliced as for apple pie

2 tsp ground cinnnamon, divided

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp salt

2 tblsp cornstarch

1/2 c. sugar

1. Combine cake mix, 1 tsp cinnamon, pecans and butter and mix with either finger tips or a fork until blended and crumbly.

2. Combine cornstarch, remaining 1 tsp cinnamon, cloves, salt and 1/2 cup sugar.

3. Toss cornstarch mixture with sliced apples until apples are well coated. Let stand for 5 minutes.

4. Butter a 9″ x 13″ glass baking dish.

5. Place apple mixture into glass baking dish.

6. Sprinkle cake mixture over apples. It will appear lumpy.

7. Bake for 45 minutes or until cake topping is golden brown

and apples are bubbling and tender.

8. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Refrigerate leftovers.

9. Serves 9 – 12.

Think you have the best Gravenstein Apple recipe?  Then submit yours today!  Read all about our recipe contest in honor of Gravenstein Apple Month.

Rio Villa Resort in the beach community of Monte Rio. Photo by Andrew Collins.

August is a busy season in Sonoma County, and with the region’s popularity come higher rates at hotels than other times of year. There are a few good deals to be had, however. Along a tranquil section of the Sonoma coast, the small and elegant Bodega Bay Inn presents guests with a “Passport to Fun.” This card comes with a variety of discounts on local activities, including bike and kayak rentals and purchases at area shops, and there’s also a two-for-one-entrée deal with a local restaurant. Bring your passport back to Bodega Bay Inn within 60 days of your visit, and you’ll receive 10% off your first night’s stay. Rates begin around $100 per night this time of year, depending on the day of the week.

Up in the Russian River area, the comfy Rio Villa Beach Resort, with its beautifully kept grounds and direct river access (including a private beach), offers two great ways to save on rooms and suites. Log on to this gay-popular resort’s webpage, and click on “Specials”, and then “Last Minute Specials”, and you’ll be shown a list of rooms with availability during the coming days. Depending on the room and the day, the price has been dropped by 10% to 20%. The other great deal available from Rio Villa Resort is a “Romance Package,” with prices starting at $529 (depending on the room) – this deal includes a room overlooking the river for two nights, a welcome wine-and-cheese basket, a bouquet of flowers, and massages for both guests in the resort’s on-site massage room.

Gravenstein Apples ripe for the sampling.

How ’bout them apples? You’d think you’d find a few at this weekend’s Gravenstein Apple Fair, since the annual event is all about the juicy, crunchy orbs.

Certainly the beautiful fruit is front and center at the celebration being held Aug. 14 and 15 at Ragle Ranch Park in Sebastopol. You can bite into the best, presented in the raw by Dutton Ranch and Walker Apples. You can sip the stuff, from Farm Trails Apple Juice and Mae’s Organics.

But there’s more, from Sonoma’s talented troops of all things apple.

As you wander the agricultural and entertainment displays, you can sample apple cider syrup and apple butter from Ciderhouse Foods; plus jams, sauces and baked goods

Gravenstein pie from Kozlowski Farms.

by Kozlowski Farms. There will be dried and fresh fruits harvested by Neufeld Farms; and caramel apples crafted in all their sticky-sweet goodness by Redwood Christian Fellowship. For folks who prefer to slurp instead of chew, Mae’s will also be offering classic applesauce.

All ages enjoy the taste of Gravenstein Apples.

And you’ll find pie, oh yes, plenty of pie. The tasty rounds and slices (served hot and cold) will come courtesy of the Community Church of Sebastopol; and from Pacific Christian Academy, which will also turn out apple turnovers. If it’s apple cobbler that you crave, Gourmet Faire will fill your plate, topping it off with whipped cream. You can guess what will come out the kitchen of Grandma’s Apple Fritters, while Mirella’s is thinking outside the apple crate, with Italian-style apple cakes and pastries.

If it all sounds pretty ambitious for a community event, keep this in mind: this is the 100th anniversary of the Gravenstein Apple Fair, and it’s the 199th birthday of the first Gravenstein tree to be planted in Sonoma County. Gravenstein apples used to be the backbone of Sebastopol’s economy, and to this day, the fruit doesn’t fall too far from the trees that still blossom across the western Sonoma County landscape.

Most importantly, the Gravenstein apple is one of the most delicious varietals you’ll ever munch (in stunning sweet-tart flavor and aroma,

Gravenstein Apple pie eating contest at the Gravenstein Apple Fair.

with texture that’s as gorgeous raw as it is baked in a pie). It’s a favorite summer treat as North America’s earliest ripening apple (the season starts late July). And what’s not to love about its character-actor personality (the charmingly squat, irregularly shaped apple usually sports an eccentric greenish yellow body covered with broad red stripes)?

Yet sadly, for some of these same endearing properties, Gravensteins are now an endangered produce. They are difficult to harvest (blame it on short stems and different ripening times even on the same trees). The fruit is also extremely delicate and perishable, so they don’t take to shipping long distances, or sitting too long unloved in a grocery bin. Some truly foolish customers think the fruits are funny looking, and won’t even taste them.

There’s increasing hope, however. Such is the appeal of the fruit that it has been adopted by Ark of Taste, an organization dedicated to preserving heirloom food products.

So go to the fair. Eat the pie. And then sign up for the Slow Food Sebastopol Gravenstein Apple Presidium that’s been formed to promote and protect the farmers who grow these delicious jewels.

Now them’s some real important apples.

Details: The Gravenstein Apple Fair, Saturday August 14 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday August 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Ragle Ranch Park, 500 Ragle Road, Sebastopol. Tickets are (Adults) $12, (Seniors) $10, (Youths 6-12) $5, and kids under 6 are free. Purchase in advance at Travel.SonomaCounty.Com or 1-888-255-1223.

The sign of good Italian food. Photo by Carey Sweet.

For all the sophisticated restaurant cuisine that Sonoma boasts, it’s an old-fashioned favorite that’s the new trend.

Italian food.

And not fancy Italian food, but simple, delicious, stick-to-your-ribs eats like your mother (if your mother was a good cook) might have made.

Catelli’s opened in Geyserville in March. Baci Café & Wine Bar opened in Healdsburg in April. And Franco’s Ristorante & Wine Bar opened in Santa Rosa in June.

Between the three spots, there is plenty of spaghetti. You can get calamari, Italian-style chicken, piping hot minestrone, steak, lamb, and clams. Except for when the chefs get inspired with daily specials, the fanciest things on these menus is polenta (which, in fact, originated as peasant food).

And diners are eating it up. Catelli’s, in particular, is often packed, especially for its newly introduced Italian barbecue, done on

Spaghetti at Catelli's in Geyserville. Photo by Carey Sweet.

Wednesdays and Saturdays over an outdoor oak- and mesquite-fired grill. Franco’s, meanwhile, fills up for weekday happy hour on the patio, late night on Fridays and Saturdays for pizza by the slice served until 3 a.m. (yes, 3 a.m.), plus lunch and dinner all days in between.

Call it a craving for comfort. But also call it a sign of these rocky economic times, and a return to more casual dining. One-third of U.S. adults haven’t visited a fine-dining restaurant in the past year, according to a March survey by consumer-research firm Mintel. Instead, they’re looking for food that is familiar and affordable, and if they can enjoy it wearing jeans and flip-flops, all the better.

Fortunately for North Bay diners, familiar doesn’t mean flavorless.  In fact, the result of this downtrend is often great eating at lower prices. With even the most limited budget, a talented chef can use the premium, locally grown ingredients that are the mainstay of the Sonoma landscape, and put out a meal fit for a special occasion.

At Catelli’s, chef-owner Domenica Catelli favors Geyserville-area ingredients, including wines she sources from within a 20-mile radius of the restaurant. With her specials in particular, she showcases fresh-harvested boutique items, such as one recent appetizer of Bernier Farms figs wrapped in prosciutto di Parma then pan seared to melt the Pt. Reyes Blue cheese within, nested on a bed of peppery arugula drizzled in a reduction of balsamic, honey and Dry Creek olive oil. That same evening, she presented a stunning rabbit entrée of Jones Farm rabbit liver pate- and mushroom-stuffed loin alongside a pair of shanks set atop polenta and dressed in red wine reduction sauce dotted with pancetta and onion. The crown of pickled red cabbage came from the garden that frames Catelli’s back patio.

Franco Fabiano, center, with staff at Franco's. Photo by Carey Sweet.

For Franco’s owner Franco Fabiani, it’s all about authenticity. His sister Maria came from Rome to coordinate the menu, and the heart of his kitchen is a classic Italian wood-fired oven. The cooks take some liberties – when the menu promised calamari “served with spicy marinara,” the breaded seafood arrived actually coated in sauce. But one thing is predictable: meals are tasty and soul warming, like an enormous chicken parmigiana draped in gooey mozzarella and decorated with bright, pungent basil, paired with prosciutto-wrapped asparagus.

When you go to Catelli’s, don’t miss the meat ravioli, which is a recipe from Domenica and her brother/restaurant co-owner Nicholas

Domenica & Nick Catelli of Catelli's in Geyserville.

Catelli’s grandmother. The dozen pasta pockets are lacy-thin, yet gutsy when ladled with “Domenica’s sauce,” blooming with tomato, fresh herbs and a walloping load of garlic. You”ll also love the satisfying chicken sauté sec, bringing bone-in Rocky chicken browned with rosemary, garlic, mushrooms and white wine over soft pesto polenta and chard.

If you’re really hungry, you can tackle Franco’s enormous portion of lasagna bolognese (it reheats wonderfully later, too). A moist, baked chicken breast is another good choice, stuffed with spinach, feta and sundried tomatoes then finished in D’Argenzio Pinot Noir sauce.

For this new bent for old-style Italian, bring your appetite. Just leave pretense – and expectations of high prices – at home.

Details: Catelli’s, 21047 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville, 707-857-3471, mycatellis.com. Baci Cafe & Wine Bar, 336 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-433-8111, bacicafeandwinebar.com. Franco’s Ristorante, 505 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-523-4800, francosristorante.com.

Looking for more travel tips?  Here are a few about Geyserville.

Janet Rudolph, writer of Dying for Chocolate blog.

Gravensteins make the best pies! I have a Chocolate Blog-and what a better marriage than chocolate and Gravensteins. Here’s a link to the blog, and a photo of one of my Gravenstein trees (alas not in Sonoma County..but I bought it there).

Chocolate Gravenstein Apple Pie Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

Ingredients

Pastry for a double-crust 9-inch pie, unbaked

8-10 tart Gravenstein apples (peeled, cored and sliced thinly)

1/3 cup sugar

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 cup 70-85% dark chocolate fair-trade organic, broken into smallish pieces

Directions

1. Apples: peel, core, and slice thinly.

2. Combine the cinnamon & sugar = cinnamon sugar. (you may need a tiny bit more).

2. Place 1 layer of apple slices on the bottom crust. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar. Repeat twice.

3 Spread broken chocolate pieces over top.

4. Using remaining apples, make 3 more apple/cinnamon sugar layers.

5. Top with 2nd crust and seal edges. Make a cut on the top–or prick with fork in a few places.

6. Bake in preheated 450 F oven for 15 minutes (until golden).

7. Lower heat to 350F and continue baking for another 25-30 minutes, or until apples are tender.

Think you have the best Gravenstein Apple recipe?  Then submit yours today!  Read all about our recipe contest in honor of Gravenstein Apple Month.

Cold Apple Ginger Soup

5 ea Gravenstien Apples core removed and diced into 1 in pieces

1 1/2 in piece of ginger peeled and sliced

1 white onion sliced

1 garlic clove sliced

2 bay leaf

2 cups Rose Wine

3 cups Vegetable Stock

1 cup Extra virgin Olive Oil

- Saute onion, ginger and garlic until translucent with no color on them

- Deglaze with wine and add bay leaf

- Reduce wine down to about 1/2 cup and remove bay leaf

-  Add apples and stock and bring up to a boil and down to a simmer

-  Let simmer for 30 min then puree till smooth

- Pour into desired container and chill completely

- With a whisk emulsify in olive oil

- Adjust consistency with stock to thin or oil to thicken

- Season with salt to taste

ENJOY

Think you have the best Gravenstein Apple recipe?  Then submit yours today!  Read all about our recipe contest in honor of Gravenstein Apple Month.

Simply Gravenstein

Select your piece of fruit, take it inside, rinse it off, and slice it up, then take down the jar of peanut butter, and spread each slice with peanut butter to taste. Enjoy!

Think you have the best Gravenstein Apple recipe?  Then submit yours today!  Read all about our recipe contest in honor of Gravenstein Apple Month.

Chef Neil Peaty

The smell in the air is what brought me to making this fine mead.

To read more about Chef Neil and his unique brews (or just to get more information on making the particular mead) visit his website which is full of unique and helpful drink recipes.

A note that this recipe does take a year before it is ready for consumption so get started today so you can be enjoying this next year!

Apple Mead Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

Apple Mead

2 gallons apple juice

7# apples

12 oz. zante currant raisins

1 teabag- made 1/2 gal tea

1 lemon

3 star anise

4 whole cloves

6 all spice

1/4 nutmeg

6 pound honey

1/4 banana

1/4 papaya

9 oz. karo syrup

2 # sugar

1 tsp of yeast – I use EC 118

Combine the tea, juice and honey, stirring until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed.  Core and cut the apples, adding them to the mixture.  Add remaining ingredients, stir well and then let nature take its course.  Mead will take about one year.

Think you have the best Gravenstein Apple recipe?  Then submit yours today!  Read all about our recipe contest in honor of Gravenstein Apple Month.

The Web-based calculation schema essentially helps users determine their “water footprint.” By asking users a series of questions, the questionnaire estimates precisely how many gallons of water you’re using every day. It also puts these figures into a national context, telling you how your usage habits measure up against national averages.

Anyone can take the test. Yours truly took it earlier this week. According to WeCalc, my household (in Healdsburg) uses about 200 gallons of water per day; 61 of them for outdoor use (which, by the way, is 74 percent less than the natural average) and right around 140 gallons for indoor use (which is 33 percent of the national average, in case you’re scoring and/or judging from home).

We use 49 gallons of hot water per day, which requires 200 therms of natural gas per year. Based on natural gas costs for our county, the calculator determined that our annual water heating cost is about $230, which is more or less right on the mark.

Where the WeCalc truly blew me away was in its assessment of how water usage impacts our carbon footprint. According to the algorithms, the footprint associated with our water use is 2,600 pounds of CO2 emissions per year.

This number is equivalent to 1.2 metric tons; and to driving a passenger car for 77 days.

Believe it or not, these figures are essentially one-third the national average. Still, to call them eye-opening would be an understatement. Take the test and see for yourself: http://www.wecalc.org.