I am always torn which season in Sonoma I like the most. I do love those cozy, wintery, wet days. Spring, there are the fresh peas, the asparagus, the roses, the first days in flip flops. Harvest consumes Wine Country in the fall and that is surely festive. I do love that time of year when the sky is golden, grapes hang heavy on the vine, reflecting the pretty light like little stained glass windows, the leaves all slowly turning brick and gold. If fall is the most fabulous for one reason, it could quite simply be the tomatoes. And then there is summer.
Summer in Sonoma could easily be the closest place to heaven on earth. Cool misty mornings are ideal for long walks and strong, milky lattes. Warm, endless days, cheese and wine fueled picnics in parks and amongst the lush green vines. The farmer’s markets are utterly bursting with the world’s most beautiful produce; crates of tender lettuces are works of art, tiny strawberries are as sweet as candy, the stone fruit will practically stop your heart. Ah, summer in Sonoma. Yes, that has to be my favorite season.
Visitors descend on us Sonomans at this time of year, friends and family all eager for a taste of the ‘real’ Wine Country from a local’s point of view. The inevitable questions of what to do and where to eat always pop up, experiences that might allow them to know what it is like to live here. If they wish to grasp the authentic, the real Sonoma, there are merely a few unwritten rules they must follow.
Most importantly, visitors, you must slow down. Allow the birds to wake you up. Drink coffee, but do it on the patio as the sun does its slow ascent over the distant straw-colored hills. We make amazing coffee at home (thank you, Big, for my fabulous Nespresso machine) but we truly love to drink perfect lattes on the gorgeous, flower-studded patio at the Sunflower. Maybe even the occasional Monster Mimosa, if we feel so inclined.
Start at that early hour thinking of lunch, of what yummy items might make the ideal picnic, of what perfect, pale pink rosé you might sip. We always exercise, breathe deeply, and get plenty of eucalyptus-scented air. Be sure to take a morning walk while it is still cool. Explore, ogle the roadside flowers, the wild grasses, the trees heavy with fruit, the olives. Or, even better, hike! The Overlook Trail is our favorite, especially if there is a latte on the Plaza, post-descent.
Do not embark on one gigantic trip to the grocery store, loading up your fridge for the week. We do our goodie gathering daily, choosing the gooiest cheese for lunch, that day’s prettiest piece of fruit for dessert. It is essential that you shop the farmer’s market for the most spectacular local produce, and on off days, we’ll pop by one of our farm stands.
Plan your winery visit, primarily, around their picnic spots, their views. Always buy a bottle, or three. Bring it to dinner. It is hardly necessary to drive your car. Summer in Sonoma finds locals leisurely pedaling their cruisers to the store, the market, just for fun.
Visitors, you won’t feel the need to leave town, even though you were positive you’d want to, except for the possibility of a slow, topless drive to the coast for a picnic of oysters from the very farm in which they’re grown. Yes, we’ll wander from our little island when the temperatures rise for oysters and chilly sea air, but not much else. Naps are a requirement. We require plenty of rest for the consumption of all that food, the wine, the beauty, having all this fun. Visitors, rest up from all of that relaxing.
Dinner for Sonomans is almost always out back, a table under the trees, on the deck, by the grill. We keep it easy with plenty of straight-from-the-market veggie salads, sliced heirloom tomatoes, possibly a simple steak, a quick Chimichurri with herbs from the garden spooned luxuriously on top. The wine flows freely, bubbles are as mandatory as the Mt. Tam. Dessert might be homemade ice cream if we’re feeling ambitious, but a bowl of figs from that old tree right there and a hunk of Point Reyes is preferred.
We do adore eating out, the bar at the fig is practically our living room. Meals out for us can last hours. Please share everything, order as much as your wallet allows. Bring wine if it’s special and share it with the staff. If it is Tuesday, every Sonoman will be at the Tuesday night market and you should be, too.
No matter what summer brings for a Sonoman, we all seem to be on the very same page. It is the prettiest time of year so why leave? We settle in for long, long, happy days simply appreciating the fact that we are blessed enough to call this place home.
Summer on the mind
A few Sonoma tastemakers share their favorite summer experiences.
Norman Owens, Chef/Owner of the Hot Box Grill
When I’m not working, I just like to relax and try to spend time with my family. If we don’t have some sort of gathering, than the Tuesday night farmers market is always fun. This summer, I am thinking of hosting private classes on Tuesdays that would start at the farmer’s market gathering produce, and eventually end up at the restaurant where we would cook the product we just picked up!
Amy and Fred Groth, Owners of Hello Cello/Prohibition Spirits
The way we like to spend days here in Sonoma is with our family and friends, enjoying an amazing meal. I would start off with a Goombay Smash cocktail made from our Sugar Daddy Rum. It reminds me of the perfect summer day. For dinner the theme would be Caribbean, starting with conch fritters… slowing moving onto Macadamia crusted Grouper with Mango Papaya Salsa and grilled vegetables. The dessert? Key lime pie, of course, while sitting on our front porch enjoying the view and plenty of laughs. Right now we have a lot of exciting things happening with our company/s. We just launched our Solano Vodka. You can imbibe intelligently with it being Non GMO, Gluten Free, Allergen Free and Kosher, all while being philanthropic. For every bottle sold we donate $1 to the Sonoma Petaluma State Historic Park Association to support continued education of our local historic treasures. We appreciate what Sonoma has done for our family and our company and this is a way that we can give back and say thank you.
Ari Weiswasser, Chef/Owner of Glenn Ellen Star
My perfect summer day would involve some homemade Glen Ellen Star ice cream from our new ice cream truck! Find it locally at the Transcendance Theater in Jack London State Park all through the summer. At the restaurant, guests can experience a true New England Clam Bake for parties of eight or more. It is the real deal, with lobster, shrimp, clams, mussels, corn, and potatoes served on newspaper-topped tables! Our garden is producing some terrific fruits and veggies, including Romano Beans, peaches, eggplant, and Padrone peppers, all on the menu now.
Andrea Davis, Owner/Farmer of Quarter Acre Farm
My favorite way to spend a summer evening, after a long day spent out in the field, is to sit in the shade with a mojito made with my homegrown mint. It is so relaxing to end the day with the breeze blowing and my favorite refreshing rum beverage in hand. This summer I’ll be busy growing and selling vegetables. You can now find my tasty certified organic vegetables at the Friday morning farmers market. You can also catch me on my new radio show, ‘Sustainable Growing with Quarter Acre Farm,’ on SunFM 91.3 at Fridays from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. The show is about living a local lifestyle with advice for gardeners and farmers alike. It is also available later as a podcast at quarteracrefarmsonoma.com.
Candi Edmondson and Paul Wirtz, Owners/Farmers of Paul’s Produce
I have no particularly special, food related, summer highlights in my consciousness. We eat and go to bed. Then we get up and do it again. That’s our life — the life of farmers — and we love it. Even without anything special, secret or embellished in any way. Right now, we are busy with the Friday and Tuesday markets, and the Saturday stand at the farm. Some favorites are the tender Blue Lake beans and some awfully delicious German Butterball potatoes. I have been making an amazing salad with the green beans, dried tomatoes, and pine nuts.
James Hahn, Owner of the Sunflower Caffé
We love to go to Drakes Bay Oyster Farm on the coast where we grill up some delectable goodies to enjoy along with our Drakes Bay oysters. A simple, but fun affair with the family and great weather to boot! At the Sunflower we have an amazing Happy Hour this year. Tons of wines by the glass on our regular bar menu (yes the wine bar is open!) and every one of them is on Happy Hour, as well as all of our beer and ‘Bubbletails.’ champagne and wine-based cocktails, like our ‘Strawberry Fields,’ a dry rosé with fresh strawberries, fresh mint, and simple syrup over ice. It is a refreshing adult beverage that’s not overly sweet!
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. Email her with comments, questions, or your food related events at foodandwine@sonomasun.com.
