Crab “Steusday” at LaSalette
LaSalette, just so happens to be one of my most favored winter dining spots, a perfect place to while away a cold, rainy evening in front of the wood-burning oven or snuggled into a cozy table for two. Throw in a warming bowl of spiced, crab-filled Portuguese stew and it sounds like heaven. Every Tuesday during this year’s crab season, Chef Manuel Azevedo will be preparing his mother’s amazing Dungeness crab stew. The stew is accompanied by a hearts of romaine salad, buttered pasta, garlic bread and an order of house made ice cream or sorbet all for $33.95. This menu is offered in limited quantities, please call 938.1927 to reserve yours. The chef’s to-die-for dinner rolls, beloved by regular diners, are available for your holiday meals by special order, too. Visit lasalette-restaurant.com to see the restaurant’s full menu or for more information.
Holiday pairings at the Epicurean Connection
Sheana Davis has relocated her Epicurean Connection shop just off the Square and it is the perfect spot to pick up delicious, locally produced gourmet items for the foodie on your gift list as well as to purchase tasty nibbles for all of your holiday entertaining. A particularly lovely time to visit the Epicurean Connection is during Sheana’s “Mulled Wine Nights,” each Tuesday evening, and during “Craft Beer Nights,” every Thursday. From 4 until 8 p.m. sip these festive libations while browsing, or sit and enjoy them with a hand-selected cheese pairing. In addition, on Saturday, December 17, join Santa Claus at the Epicurean Connection for hot cocoa and photo opportunities from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. The Epicurean Connection’s new Plaza location is at 122 West Napa Street or visit them online at sheanadavis.com.
Perfect holiday provisions
Whether you’re browsing through their unique selection of local, artisan-produced provisions or dining on the diverse selection of scrumptious food and wine offerings – can anyone say, “Oysters!” – downtown Napa’s Oxbow Public Marketplace is the absolute ideal spot for deliciousness this winter season. The main hall is beautifully bedecked in a plethora of sparkly holiday decor and many of the vendors are offering festive specials. The Kitchen Door has a gorgeous menu of items that you can special order for your holiday gatherings so you won’t have to lift a finger. Choose from a whole roasted duck a l’orange, lovely sounding soups, a fancy duck liver mousse garnished with a white port gelée, strawberry and blood orange jams, homemade pickles and much more. If you need a ridiculously beautiful stuffed quail, crown roast or juicy leg of lamb, The Fatted Calf will most certainly be able to assist. In addition, browse the gourmet butcher’s amazing selection of meat-centric cookbooks, bacon-filled sweets and other meaty goods, the ultimate gift for the dad or grilling enthusiast on your list. For me? A certificate to attend one of their hands-on classes would be beyond awesome! Looking for a festive Christmas dessert? Sweeten your season with the December flavor of the month at Kara’s Cupcakes! The bakery’s “Peppermint Twist” cupcake is soft white cake, finished with a decadent white chocolate ganache and candy cane sprinkles. Find many more yummy gifts at the always entertaining and always delicious food hall located at 644 First Street, in downtown Napa. Visit oxbowpublicmarket.com or call 226.6529 for more information.
On the Menu
The “Sixth Annual Gingerbread Contest” takes place at wineries throughout the Valley now through Saturday, December 24, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Each winery has created a gingerbread house, which is displayed in their tasting rooms. Guests are invited to vote for their favorite gingerbread creation. Ballots are available at each winery and each time you vote, you are entered to win a case of fabulous Sonoma Valley wine! It’s a wonderful holiday outing for the whole family. Visit the wineries, sample some of Sonoma Valley’s finest wines, do a little holiday shopping and, of course, vote for your favorite Gingerbread creation. Participating wineries include: B. R. Cohn, Chateau St. Jean, Gundlach Bundschu, Imagery, Kenwood, Larson Family, Nicholson Ranch, Paradise Ridge and Roessler Cellars. For more information visit sonomavalleywine.com.
• Ramekins Culinary School has several festive opportunities for children this holiday season. A “Holiday Cookie Party with Annie Simmons” is this evening, Thursday, December 15, from 4 to 6 p.m. where students will have fun baking a delicious variety of holiday cookies to give as gifts or bring to holiday parties. Chef and mom Annie Simmons will assist students in baking an assortment of cookies, then packing them up to take home. This class is designed for kids ages 7 to12, but teens and parents may enroll as students too, if they wish to participate. Hot cocoa and spiced cider will be served. The cost is $55. A “Kids Gingerbread House Workshop with Christa Resing Colardo” will be held on Tuesday, December 20, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Gingerbread houses are not only a wonderful way to get kids involved in holiday decorating festivities but they also make impressive centerpieces for holiday parties. In this interactive family workshop, kids will build a gingerbread house from top-to-bottom and take it home. The variety of candy and decorations will be plentiful so there will be room for creativity. Parents and guardians are welcome to accompany their child. The cost is $60. Reservations required. Call 933.0450 or visit ramekins.com for details.
• Celebrate Christmas Eve during a “Brunch with Santa” at the Community Café on Saturday, December 24, from 9 a.m. to noon. This will be a festive way to start the holiday, while enjoying great food. Children can take their pictures with Santa while adults can sip mimosas. The special brunch items will include a crab and artichoke Benedict, stuffed brioche French toast, a truffled mushroom omelet, cherry-ricotta blintzes and more. $24.95 adults, $14.95 for children under 10 years of age. Includes a Mimosa or Sparkling Apple Cider, Mini Scones and Special Gift. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 938.7779. 875 West Napa Street, ccsonoma.com.
Kristin Viguerie is one of Sonoma’s most passionate, food obsessed residents. In this weekly column, she covers all the delicious happenings, foodie events and restaurants in Sonoma, the rest of Wine Country and beyond. Find her blogging daily as the Cook (thecardiganandcook.com) or via email at foodandwine@sonomasun.com.
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