Where there’s smoke. This weekend’s Memorial Day holiday typically kicks off the summer barbecue and grilling season. The Southern gal in me looks forward to this time of year when we West Coasters get to enjoy the delicious joy a little wood, a bit of smoke and that delectable char will bring to a meal. The sweet, salty, spicy, vinegary tang of a really great sauce mingling with an unctuous, smoky cut of pork is unquestionably one of the finer things in life.
To grill? For the home griller, there are a handful of fabulous options in our area for picking up that perfect thing to throw on the bar-bee. Visit the Fatted Calf Charcuterie, in Napa’s Oxbow Marketplace, and ogle at what I call the “food porn,” a sparkling, pristine case stuffed with an immense selection of products so extremely beautiful it will simply take your breath away. Richly marbled, heritage, pastured pork, massive fresh Liberty ducks, Hudson ranch chicken and game birds: locally raised with obvious love, and their perfect house-made sausages that all practically scream, “Toss me on the grill!” The gracious, obliging – and cute – fellows over at Sonoma Market’s king-sized meat department are always immensely helpful when I show up with a random recipe in hand needing some obscure meaty ingredient. They’ll happily order you something special, customize a cut and offer valuable cooking advice. Local institution, Broadway Market was a favorite of longtime resident of Sonoma Chuck Williams, where he and other savvy locals retained freezers to keep their personal sides of beef cold before the days of mass refrigeration. The at-times-chaotic market carries a small, but nice selection of Harris Ranch beef, among other grilling favorites. The cut to order ribeye steaks are definitely a must and on weekends, when they fire up their grills, pick up the smoky-salty Bloody Mary marinated tri-tip…yum! La Carniceria Chapala is a Boyes Hot Springs gem located in the Fiesta Plaza on Highway 12. The immaculate little Mexican meat market and bodega stocks an uncommon selection of authentic and affordable cuts that are perfect for summer grilling. An entire party can be deliciously assembled here. Start with the house made salsas or the super fresh ceviche, simply grill a plentiful portion of carne asada, serve with fresh tortillas and finish with individual, decadent ramekins of flan. Just don’t forget the limes for your margaritas! The Epicurean Connection, Sheana Davis’ teeny Springs storefront, is overflowing with heaps of delicious goodies for every time of year, but for an exceptional grilling experience, choose fabulous fresh, Gleason Ranch chicken, lamb and sausages. All summer, find a special selection of barbecue sauces, Davis’ house made dry rub and cookbooks for inspiration. theepicureanconnection.com
Or not to grill? Less inclined to muss up that $10,000 stainless steel Viking grill with pork grease and sticky sauce? Well, never fear. Even thousands of miles from the “epicenters” of great, real pit barbecue, Sonoma has much to offer in the way of smoked goodness. Cochon Volant, Flying Pig BBQ is the brainchild of local chef and restauranteur Rob Lamar, best known for his now-shuttered Rob’s Rib Shack, which featured authentic slow-cooked barbecue and was located in the space that now houses LaDee’s Diner on Arnold Drive. Even though Lamar’s spectacular mobile smoker is a custom built masterpiece of shiny stainless steel topped with a stunning steel sculpture of a flying pig by local artist, Bryan Tedrick, the lovingly prepared, high-quality barbecue is the real show stopper. His credo: to painstakingly source only the highest quality, naturally raised pork shoulder and beef brisket which are then slowly smoked over oak and almond woods, finished with a tasty homemade sauce and generously mounded on the absolute best bun around … a potato roll from Alexis Baking Company in Napa. A delightful selection of side dishes and pickles are homemade from locally sourced produce. Look for Lamar at B.R. Cohn on the Fourth of July and possibly at the Tuesday Night Farmers Market – keep your fingers crossed that he’s accepted – or even better, book the finger lickin’ goodness of Cochon Volant for your next party or event. cochonvolantbbq.com You may fall into a state of bliss between the hypnotic spinning of the old mill’s water wheel, the sweet smell of smoke, the generous portions, and the high-quality, extensive list of small batch bourbon at Jack London Village’s Bluegrass Bar and Grill. Here, meats are dry rubbed, slow smoked over oak and served in traditional and unique ways. The charming service and cozy, creek-side setting are alone reasons to venture “all the way” to Glen Ellen, but go for the scrumptious pulled pork sandwich topped with the lovely crunch of an apple-mint coleslaw or the 10 hour brisket. Owners Christopher and Jennifer Kennedy offer many little extra bits of love – squeezed to order juices in your cocktail! – and they prove Southern hospitality is alive and well in Wine Country. bluegrassbarandgrill.com I would be remiss if I left out BarBersQ, the modern American restaurant in Napa specializing in Memphis style barbecue and seasonal Southern cooking. While cranking out an awesome, soulful musical soundtrack, Chef Stephen Barber wows diners with a killer selection of slow smoked meat dishes, fried chicken to die for, gorgeous side dishes, along with flawless, local seafood. An overwhelming passion for superlative ingredients is obvious here. barbersq.com
Small Bites: If you’re in the market for a fancy grill, innovative Sonoma retailer Outdora pays homage to the ancient art of fire. Stuart and Marni Sager’s handsome Plaza showroom offers a tantalizing selection of built-in and stand alone models, the famous Green Egg, wood-fired pit rotisseries, smokers and so much more they’ll leave most men yearning for more than ribs! Father’s Day is coming, hint, hint. 128 W. Napa St., outdora.com Sonoma Rotarian and meat maestro, Howie Ehret, grills up a seriously mean piece of beef. During last week’s luncheon to thank the City’s Public Works Department, in honor of Public Works Appreciation Week, the Rotary whipped up some impressive tri-tip. The steaks were given a generous rub with salt, pepper and garlic, and grilled to an ideal juicy and tender medium rare. The ultimate accompaniment was a spicy homemade horseradish sauce. I’m already counting the days until June 6 for the Sonoma Community Center’s annual Ox Roast on the Plaza from 10:30 a.m. until 5 p.m., where more than 1,000 pounds of beef will be served and a new Beer Garden will feature some really great local breweries. 938.4626 ext. 1 or sonomacommunitycenter.org The Valley of the Moon Petanque Club’s annual Picnic & Petanque, Big Feast and Mini Tournament is Sunday, May 30. The French feast will consist of leg of lamb, expertly grilled by Chef Owen Tuttle and the rest of the petanque club’s crew, haricot vert, potatoes Anna and more! Lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m., while casual petanque play begins at 11 a.m. Nonmembers pay $25, with wine from Wellington Vineyards. More culinary excitement coming soon to the Springs: wood is good in the form of local chef Norman Owens’ Hot Box Grill, where most items from the exciting sounding menu – I mean, pig’s feet and duck fat fries! – will come from either the new wood-burning oven or the wood-fired grill. Shooting for an August opening. hotboxgrill.com
