Olive you Sonoma

As last week’s rains remind us of the many cold, grey days still to come this winter, I am strangely not at all sad. We have so many delicious reasons to love our Northern California winters! Besides the fact that it’s Dungeness crab season and that we have many cozy opportunities to hunker down in front of a fire, glass of red wine in hand…it’s also that time of year that we have the chance to celebrate Sonoma’s second most delicious crop. Say hello to the Eleventh Annual Sonoma Olive Season happening now! The Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau organizes the three-month celebration of all things olive with an abundance of festivities, seminars, tastings and events.
This past weekend was one of my favorite events held among the many festivities that make up our Olive Season. The “Feast of the Olive” dinner at Ramekins was a gorgeous bacchanalia of food and wine. Most of Sonoma was in attendance Saturday night, seated at long, beautifully decorated tables. Dinner was a multi-course, olive themed feast expertly and lovingly prepared by many of Sonoma Valley’s most talented chefs, all paired with lovely wines from a multitude of local wineries. Each table had the fun opportunity to dine on a different five-course meal, each dish – of course – featuring an olive component. From a pretty little crab cake topped with a black olive tapenade, a to-die-for cheese plate with a local oil drizzle, to a dessert of velvety chocolate budino finished with peppery oil. Each dish was not only creative, but also downright delicious! Sonoma’s favorite producers; Figone’s, the Olive Press and B.R. Cohn generously provided their olive oils. If you didn’t have the opportunity to attend this year’s dinner, be sure not to miss out next year or get your tickets soon for the grand finale of the Olive Season, the “Seventh Annual VinOlivo Grand Tasting” held at the Lodge at Sonoma on February 17, from 7 to 10 p.m. This rollicking evening is overflowing with local wines and creative bites from more than twenty-five area restaurants, caterers and artisans. Get to know the personalities behind many favorite Valley wineries while sipping, mingling and listening – possibly dancing! – to the sounds of one of the hottest DJs around. Visit the Bureau’s website for details and a complete listing of the remaining Olive Season events at sonomavalley.com/olivefestival.com.

Olio Nuovo is easily one of the most exciting parts of the annual olive harvest. This “new oil” is the freshest possible olive oil you can find…practically like drinking milk straight from the cow! It has a deep green color, is a bit cloudy and has a super peppery, pleasantly bitter burst of fresh olive taste. It is also potentially the healthiest of olive oils, delivering the highest level of polyphenols. This fresh oil is bottled immediately after the olives are pressed, unlike typical olive oil, which is allowed to settle so fruit particles, and other sediment is separated. Sadly, Olio Nuovo is a fleeting treat. The oil must be used within a short, few months because those delicious particles have the possibility of fermenting. Beginning this month, most of our local producers offer an Olio Nuovo on an extremely limited basis. This is not oil to cook with. It’s meant to be simply and generously drizzled and enjoyed for it’s outrageously fresh flavor. It’s pure heaven when drizzled in a white bean soup or over rustic, grilled and garlic-rubbed bread, also lovely over winter greens and absolute perfection on an avocado half, eaten straight from the skin with a spoon.

OnThe Menu
On Friday, February 10, join Ramekins for a very special celebration of the pairing of food and wine with a “Winemaker Dinner with the Bachelor, Ben Flajnik and Envolve Winery.” Contact Ramekin’s for more details and to make your reservation at 933.0450.

• More olive season celebrations at the new HKG Estate Tasting Room in Glen Ellen. On Saturday, February 18, join Chef Khambay and Chef Steven Snook, the new executive chef at Kenwood Inn and Spa, for a very special olive-themed dinner. The five-course, wine-paired menu sounds lovely and includes olive poached monkfish, braised lamb shoulder and an olive oil cake with olive oil gelato. The price is an extremely reasonable $55, or $45 for wine club members.

• McEvoy Ranch, the spectacular olive farm outside of Petaluma, is offering two olive related workshops presented by Samantha Dorsey, McEvoy’s Nursery and Vineyard Manager. On Saturday, February 25, from 9 a.m. until noon, is an “Olive Orchard Pruning Workshop.” This indoor lecture covers a variety of pruning topics, followed by an outdoor, hands-on pruning demonstration. On Saturday, March 17, from 9 a.m. until noon, is an “Olive Orchard Management Workshop.” This indoor lecture is most applicable to growers who do so for olive oil production. More details and information for registration can be found at mcevoyranch.com or by calling 707-769-4138.  Pre-registration is required.

Chocolate Budino Pudding with Sea Salt and Olive Oil
Recipe inspired by the Feast of the Olive Dinner
Serves 8

7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1½ ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
½ cup whole milk
6 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream 

For garnish:
Coarse sea salt
Extra virgin olive oil, preferably from Sonoma

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Combine the bittersweet and milk chocolates in a heatproof bowl, and place it over a pot of water that is just barely simmering. Be careful that the bowl isn’t actually touching the water, just resting directly over it. Leave it to melt. While the chocolate is melting, warm up the milk in a small pot over medium heat just until it’s about to simmer. Do not allow the milk to boil. Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl, and then gradually whisk in the milk. Once the chocolate has melted, remove the bowl from the heat and stir until smooth. Strain the egg yolk mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into the melted chocolate. Stir until everything is combined and is smooth. Heat 1 cup of the cream over medium heat in a small pot until it begins to simmer. Remove from the heat and slowly stir the warm cream into the chocolate mixture. Then stir in the remaining 1 cup of cream. Pour the mixture into 8 (1-cup) ramekins or other small vessels. Cover each dish tightly with aluminum foil and place in a baking pan at least two inches deep. Carefully pour hot water into the baking pan until it comes two-thirds up the sides of the dishes. Bake until the edges appear to be set but the middle is still loose, about 40 minutes. Remove them from the pan, let cool, and then pop them in the fridge for 4 hours. When they’re ready to serve, sprinkle on the salt and drizzle a liberal amount of olive oil on top to finish.

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.