Welcome back to my column, friends and readers, and I consider you to be both.
It’s great to be back where Jerry and I started our Sonoma journalism careers, he writing history and I writing food and wine gossip, and many of us love both. Unfortunately for our family and our community we lost Jerry 12 years ago. But as David Bolling said, eventually he “lured” us away from the Sun to the Index-Tribune where he was editor, and now has brought me back to the Sun – sort of a homecoming.
So let’s join in the fun of keeping up with our food and wine events, industry ups and downs, newcomers and oldgoers, and even how to grow your own food and keep up with food politics and food recalls if they pertain to us.
Questions most asked of me
What is going on with the Palms Grill space?
Justin Altamura and his family recently purchased the whole shopping center. The Pemba Sherpa who owns Taste of Himalayas restaurant across from Murphy’s Irish Pub, and is president of the Sonoma Sherpa Club, is working with Justin to remodel the previously cavernous interior, side room, and exterior.
What’s taking so long? Pemba says, “It’s a very big space and things are taking longer than expected. We are finishing up the private dining room, cleaning the kitchen, and waiting on the ABC and Department of Health licenses. Still a few months away it seems. Watch this space.
Second most asked question: When is the girl & the fig’s Suite D going to start dinners again?
First up is their Pizza & Grenache dinner on November 13, featuring salads, three vegetarian or meat pizza options, chocolate chip cookies, and two glasses of wine per person. 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. $35. At the Warehouse of Prime Rib dinner on November 22, you select your cut at the carving station and enjoy wedge salad with blue cheese vinaigrette, creamed spinach, mashed potatoes, garlic rolls, chocolate cake, with wines included and free corkage. $85. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Managing partner John Toulze has added another Fried Chicken dinner December 5 and a second Provençe dinner Dec. 12, plus Beef Wellington December 14 and Cioppino, December 18. All dinners at 21800 Schellville Rd., Sonoma. Reserve at www.figcaters.com/store/event
No Dungeness crab for Thanksgiving
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife has delayed the commercial Dungeness crab fishing along the California coast indefinitely beyond its traditional Nov. 15 opening date. Again the reason given is to protect humpback whales.
Wineries scooped up
Billionaire Jeff Adair, executive chair of an auto auction company called Gopart, has scooped up Clos Pegase, Girard, Kunde, Viansa, and B.R. Cohn out of the Vintage Wine Estates bankruptcy. Adair admits to having guzzled a bit of wine by sneaking into V. Sattui at a young age. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Adair paid $85 million for the lot, which together employ about 150 people and make approximately 100,000 cases of wine a year. Adair claims he will try to keep everyone in their jobs.
Upcoming yummy food opportunities, chronologically:
Gala Masquerade Ball will benefit the Sonoma Conservatory of Dance, founded by Beth Marie Deenihan in 1970 and updated by Patty O’Reilly, to offer dancing to people of all income levels, dance disciplines, and abilities. On November 14, the evening at Jacuzzi Family Vineyards includes a wine and cocktail reception, a string quartet performance, silent and live auctions, dancing with Funk Fatale, and Elaine Bell’s last dinner event before she retires.
The menu includes appetizers of Chioggia beet poke, Asiago stuffed baby red potatoes, and roasted Acorn squash arancini. Entrée choices include pork tenderloin with snap peas, celery root purée; salmon filet with cauliflower, Swiss chard, and fried leeks; or porcini and Toy Box risotto with grilled asparagus; then chocolate hazelnut ganache with raspberry coulis. Tickets are $250. 5:30 to 10 p.m. Tickets at gala@sonomaconservatoryofdance.org or (707) 938-1424.
Sonoma’s Soroptimist International holds their annual Lobster Sale where you order now and pick up live or cooked 1.25-lb. lobsters flown in fresh from Maine. Pick up November 16 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. $35. All funds go to Sonoma women and girls as part of the “Live Your Dreams” project to learn new skills or return to school. Order by calling Juliette Andrews at (707) 338-1874. Pick up at 670 W. Napa, Suite C, Sonoma.
FFA Pasta Feed benefits Future Farmers of America activities at Sonoma Valley High School on November 16 at 6 p.m. These students are serious about becoming farmers in our community, and we’re going to need them. Great food, dessert, games, auction, and a no-host bar, all for $30 at the Moose Lodge. Pre-sale only. More info: sonomavalleyFFA@gmail.com.
Congregation Shir Shalom offers “The Best of A Culinary Tour of the Jewish Diaspora,” a four-course dinner and wine pairing with recipes from their year-long cooking classes on November 17 at Burlingame Hall. Winemaker Ken Wornick will lead guests through his Sonocaia Estate red wines, joined by Faith Armstrong, winemaker from Napa’s Onward Wines, who will explain the white wines. Dinner limited to 50 guests. $72, Tickets at https://tinyur.com/3rpz5ey5. 5 p.m. 252 West Spain Street, Sonoma.
Il Fuoco donates food, bigly
Recently Rob Larman of Il Fuoco pizza on Highway 12 in Boyes Hot Springs gave loads of food to our hungry neighbors who rely on SOS (Sonoma Overnight Support) for nourishment. During one of the intense heat waves, Larman found himself with an extra 17 beef briskets, 10 cases of coleslaw, huge bags of mixed greens, 15 gallons of salad dressing, and more than 100 hot dog buns. All of this delighted some lucky folks who got the great lunches.
Il Fuoco makes wood-fired thin crust pizzas, salads, Guy Fieri’s favorite WTF burger, and sumptuous desserts. ilfuoco.com. 18350 Highway 12, (707) 522-7778.
Farewell Folktable
And, finally, late word that the Mattson-owned Folktable restaurant, led by chef Casey Thompson, closes November 10, and is one of the last tenants at Mattson’s Cornerstone center.
By Kathleen Thompson Hill
Be First to Comment