Wine Country is utterly amazing. It is still mind boggling to me that in the middle of a tiny little town like Glen Ellen there is not one, but rather multiple fantastic restaurants. With the recent opening of Glen Ellen Star, that teeny town got a whole lot more delicious. Chef Ari Weiswasser and Erin Benziger-Weiswasser have created the perfect neighborhood spot in the space that once housed Saffron. The restaurant’s petite dining room is constantly packed with laughing locals, digging into expertly prepared vegetables – which arrive in the cutest little cast iron skillets – thin crust pizzas, and imaginative entrees, most of which were roasted for mere minutes in the blistering hot wood burning oven. Chef Weiswasser has a decorated resumé, which includes stints in some pretty prestigious kitchens such as Le Bec Fin, Daniel, and the French Laundry. The food here exudes comfort and simplicity, is prepared with obvious skill, but happily maintains a sense of fun. The duo have succeeded in creating the sort of spot where you can eagerly wow guests from out of town for a multi-course Saturday night dinner or simply pop in on a weeknight for a pizza and a few icy cold Pabst Blue Ribbons, sipped straight from the can. Visit Glenellenstar.com or call 343.1384 for more information or to make a reservation.
Kristin Jorgensen: What is your most vibrant food memory from childhood?
Ari Weiswasser: Fried clams on the Atlantic City boardwalk.
KJ: Was there one pivotal moment that made you want to be a chef?
AW: In 2001 while working at Le Bec Fin in Philly, guests came into the kitchen after dinner and were so happy that they sang a verse from an Italian opera. That sort of immediate gratification and making people happy solidified it for me.
KJ: The restaurant business is crazy stressful, what do you to blow off steam?
AW: Cigars poolside!
KJ: On death row….what’s your “Last Supper?”
AW: A falafel with tahini from Mamoun’s on Astor place in New York City, octopus, red wine and bone marrow pizza from Marea, and David Chang’s kim chee pork noodle soup…with a PBR, of course.
KJ: Dream foodie trip…what is it?
AW: Argentina/Patagonia, eating anything cooked in a wood fire
KJ: What was your most dramatic kitchen disaster?
AW: A kitchen brawl on a Saturday night at Daniel NYC in November of 2005, in the middle of doing 320 dinners.
KJ: Your most memorable meal?
AW: It was the first tasting menu I had at Jean George on Columbus circle in NYC paired with wines in 2001 and eating frutti di mare on a fishing dock in the Italian riviera with an unlabeled bottle of wine In 1998.
KJ: What foodie thing/spot does Sonoma most need?
AW: Good pizza.
KJ: I know you guys just had a baby…tell me about how you hope to positively influence her palate?
AW: Introduce her to local fresh organic food early on and keep cooking for her.
KJ: Tell us about your hopes and dreams for opening Glen Ellen Star.
AW: Glen Ellen Star is intended to be a warm and inviting place, giving guests more than just one reason to return. One of the main goals for our family is to meet the surrounding community, gain their trust and eventually grow the brand and open another restaurant in the near future.
Peanut Butter Ice Cream
Inspired by Glen Ellen Star
Makes 1 quart
1 cup chunky peanut butter
(I like Laura Scudder’s best!)
1/2 cup sugar
Big pinch of kosher or fine sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Using a handheld mixer, cream the peanut butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. Add 1 cup of half-and-half and beat on low speed until well mixed. Add the rest of the half-and-half and the cream and whisk by hand—if you try to use your mixer you will end up with it splattering all over the kitchen. Pour the mixture into ice cream maker and process for 25 to 30 minutes, or according to the manufacturer’s directions. The ice cream will be on the soft side but can be eaten right away or put into the freezer to “cure” or harden up for a couple hours. Stored in an airtight container, the ice cream will keep at least a week in the freezer.
On The Menu
Don’t forget Tuesdays are “Local’s Night” at Napa’s Oxbow Marketplace. It’s simply the best time to visit the sprawling food hall. Diners enjoy discounts from all the vendors, particularly exciting are the half-price oysters and wine specials at Hog Island Oyster Bar and the $1 mini cupcakes from Kara’s. Visit oxbowpublicmarket.com for more information.
Rosso Pizzeria and Mozzarella Bar in Petaluma, the extraordinarily tasty pizza spot and wine bar, has started a daily “Aperitivo Hour.” Everyday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. small plates are $2 to $6 and beer and wine are also on special. In addition, every Monday is “Meatball Monday” where a platter of homemade pasta, meatballs, and a carafe of Sangiovese is $13! Yum! Visit rossopizzeria.com for details.
Matanzas Creek Winery hosts a “Jazzy After Work: Concert and Happy Hour” on Thursday evening, September 6, from 5 to 8 p.m. Linger under the oaks sampling gourmet food, sipping fantastic wines, and listening to live jazz from the Gary Johnson Quintet. For reservations or for more information, call 800.668.5887.
The Epicurean Connection hosts an artist reception with New Orleanian artist Rex Dingler on Friday, September 7, beginning at 6 p.m. In addition, Sheana will be offering “Paint Parties” at the shop in partnership with Sonoma Valley Museum of Art during the week of September 4. For more information call the Epicurean Connection at 935.7960.
Kristin Jorgensen 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 at thecardiganandcook.com or via email at foodandwine@sonomasun.com.
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