Food Writer Kathleen Hill Returns to The Sonoma Valley Sun

Kathleen Hill, Sonoma’s Grand Dame of food, wine and culinary contraptions beyond measure, former food and wine editor for the Sonoma Index Tribune, and before that food and wine columnist for the Sonoma Valley Sun, is returning to her weekly journalism roots. She’s coming home to the Sun.

It is, in some respects, she says, a perfect circle. She and her late husband, Jerry Hill, were both Sun contributors when David Bolling, then editor of the Index-Tribune, lured her away. Now editor of the Sun, Bolling lured her back. She had been more or less retired for close to two years and barely a day has gone by, says Hill, “when somebody tells me they miss my column. So, let’s give it to them.”

Hill’s career has been wide and deep. She and Jerry, a noted attorney, authored some 30 books, from travel guides to political tomes, law dictionaries and even a book on the assassination of Philippine politician Ninoy Aquino, which resulted in FBI protection when the Hills received death threats.

Kathleen was a celebrated competitive swimmer in high school, setting two national records in the breaststroke.

She has been friends with some of food writing’s most notable voices, including M.F.K. Fisher and Julia Child, and over the years she amassed one of the largest collections of kitchen tools in the known universe, now on display at the Elizabeth Spencer Winery in Rutherford. Hill has not been entirely invisible since leaving the Index Tribune, hosting a weekly radio show each Friday morning on KSVY.

Her column will appear in the Sun beginning in November, and Hill fans with questions, suggestions or pre-heated tips will be able to reach her through emails to editor@sonomasun.com.