Hungarian Sister City dinner Saturday, November 7
Sonoma’s Tokaj Sister Cities Committee is always thankful for the lives it has changed through its winery intern exchange program. This biennial dinner, featuring Hungarian dancing and performances, is not the stuffed Bell pepper that some elementary school cooks forced us to eat once a week, that I can still smell and taste to this day.
This is tasty and always interesting Hungarian food, all prepared and enjoyed to raise funds to bring Hungarian vineyard and wine students to Sonoma, and to help send Sonoma students to intern in our Sister City of Tokaj in the Hungarian wine country.
It all happens at Burlingame Hall on West Spain Street, is most enjoyable and includes both Sonoma wines and wines from Tokaj. On Saturday, November 7 you can expect small cheese biscuits and caraway sticks as passed hors d’oeuvres, followed by green bean soup, chicken paprikash or a vegetarian dish of onions, tomatoes and peppers, both served with egg drop noodles and cucumber salad.
And then there’s the dessert – a traditional cake with vanilla custard, chocolate, and sour cherries, raved about recently by organizers Joan Toth and Sylvia Toth (no relation). The evening also includes live music, a raffle, a live auction, Hungarian folk dancing and performance by the Eszterlanc Folk Ensemble. $80 Sister Cities members, $85 non-members. $20 children. 6 to 9 p.m. 252 West Spain Street, Sonoma. Call (707) 938-0224 for tickets.
Murphy’s restarts its Silver Moon Theatre
Not a performance of the old English “Seafarer” poem, but another re-write of an old tale, this one was written by Conor McPherson and will be directed by Philip Sales in Rose’s Snug, at Murphy’s Irish Pub. Lots of slightly inebriated humor and fun to be performed three weekends in November, starting last weekend.
Adding to the performance fun ($25) is the offering of a two-course prix-fixe dinner of green salad with choices of buttermilk chicken, shepherd’s pie, or mushroom risotto. Dinner and the show cost $55. Murphy’s regular menu is also available. Jeff Dreyer, Joe Henry, Craig Rekdahl, Bob Smith, and Chris Wall make up the all-male cast. Performance at 7 p.m. 464 First St. East, Sonoma. (707) 935-0660.
Wing Stop actually opened
Tucked around the corner of what is now a Big 5 Sporting Goods store and used to be part of our multi-screen movie theatre off Siesta Way, Wing Stop opened last Wednesday offering loads of fried chicken wings and strips, with a variety of dips, and actual calorie counts on naked carrot and celery sticks. Maybe this is a perfect location next to a sports store, to offer a “Watch Party Bundle” of 20 wings “tossed in up to four flavors, large fries, and large ranch” dressing for couch sports watching.
Their Grand Opening flier offered $50 gift cards to the first 50 customers in line, and “a portion of sales” during the opening to the Valley of the Moon Boys & Girls Clubs. 200 Siesta Way, Sonoma.
No local crab for holidays
California’s Dungeness crab season has been postponed until possibly January, this time to protect migrating whales, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Crab might be available from Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. Be sure to ask your vendor.
Thanksgiving already?
Yes, Thanksgiving is almost here again.
What are you thankful for? The election? Family? Our weather? Freedom from fires this year? Art and music? Having enough food – if you do? Having the chance to feed people who do not have enough food? Having a warm place to live, or helping those who lack comfort? People and pets in your life?
Whatever our circumstances, we can be thankful for our beautiful surroundings and a generous and giving community.
So if you know someone who is alone for Thanksgiving, you might consider visiting them, inviting them over, taking them a piece of pie or a plant, or whatever works for you.
Several restaurants offer Thanksgiving Day special menus with a range of prices. Here are those who sent me their menus so far, traveling north to south this time. Reservations are strongly recommended.
Suncraft Fine Foods
Before we get to the restaurants, independent chef and caterer Sunshine Radke offers pick-up or delivery of holiday meals by her Suncraft Foods on Nov. 25, the day before Thanksgiving. And the delivery is free.
Her “Traditional Turkey Dinner” includes Rosemary herb turkey breast with dark meat, sourdough stuffing or gluten free wild rice stuffing, mashed potatoes with herb turkey gravy, honey glaze roasted carrots, and potato dinner rolls. $65 pp.
The “Non-Traditional Holiday Feast” features a “Frenched” rack of lamb (½ rack or four bones) with fresh herb gremolata, rosemary Béchamel au gratin potatoes, and honey glazed roasted carrots. $85 pp.
The Vegetarian Dinner brings acorn squash stuffed with wild rice pilaf, sautéed vegetables and Parmesan and truffle honey drizzle, mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy, roasted carrots, and potato dinner rolls. ($55 pp). A vegan option is as well.
To order any or all of this, call or text (707) 343-9016 by 5 p.m. Tuesday, November 17 for pickup or delivery on Wednesday, November 25. Delivery in Sonoma Valley, Oakmont and Spring Lake area.
Stella
Glen Ellen Star’s not-so-little sister, Stella, in Kenwood. suggests their four-course dinner that starts with a mixed chicory salad with apple-Dijon vinaigrette, persimmons, candied pumpkin seeds and craisins, followed by wood-grilled turkey with sourdough focaccia stuffing, Campari cranberry compote and gravy.
Next comes turkey and green bean casserole with mushrooms, turnips and whipped butter mashed potatoes. For vegetarian and pescatarian guests, Chef Miller offers a porcini, lentil and chestnut cottage pie with pearl onions, winter root vegetables and mushroom gravy with olive oil potato crust.
Dessert choices include pumpkin pie or brown butter cake with apple compote and vanilla Chantilly. $79 pp, kids 10 and under $45. Fee of 3% charged for non-cash payments. 9049 Hwy. 12, Kenwood. (707) 801-8043.
Glen Ellen Star
Ari Weiswasser prepares complete dinners and separates for customers for pick up on Thanksgiving Day, November 26. Packages are available for four or eight people only.
Full dinner package: whole or half spatchcocked roast turkey with housemade gravy, County Line chicory Caesar salad, sourdough mushroom dressing, buttermilk mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts with bacon marmalade, cranberry and citrus sauces, Parker House rolls and pumpkin pie. $72 pp.
Alternative offerings: roast turkey and gravy only $45 pp; all of the sides $49 pp, or porcini, lentil and chestnut cottage pie with pearl onions, winter root vegetables, mushroom gravy and olive oil potato crust, the latter prepared vegan and gluten free for two people, $48 total, with three percent added to checks paid with credit cards. Pick up between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. at 13648 Arnold Dr., Glen Ellen. (707) 343-1384.
Poppy
At this Glen Ellen hot spot with a French emphasis from Sondra Bernstein, John Toulze and Executive Chef Bryan Zimmerman, everyone gets Acme bread with house-cultured butter, then choices between roasted pumpkin soup, shaved fennel and apple salad, or persimmon and burrata with endive and toasted hazelnuts.
Plats (main courses) included roasted turkey breast with cornbread stuffing, parsnips, gravy, and cranberry-orange compote; short rib confit with sweet potato purée, roasted baby carrots, and cipollini onions; wild flounder meunière with Yukon potato purée, spinach and lemon caper brown butter, or Parisian gnocchi with wild mushrooms, roasted squash, aged comté, and crispy sage. Pumpkin profiterole with pumpkin ice cream and apple or pomegranate Pavlova with pistachio meringue and Chantilly complete the menu. $70 pp. Served 1 to 6 p.m. 13690 Arnold Dr., Glen Ellen. (707) 938-2130.
Santé
Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn’s Chef de Cuisine Jennifer Venezio presents their always elegant enormous buffet of specialties, starting this year with a Seafood Tower of jumbo shrimp, oysters, and Salt Spring Island mussels. You will find fine charcuterie, cheeses, and pâtés and pickled vegetables, sugar pie pumpkin soup, chicories and salads including Brussels sprouts with Little Gem lettuces.
The carving station offers Diestel turkey breast, prime New York strip steak and cornbread stuffing, as well as other entrées, such as Skuna Bay salmon, kale and mushroom ravioli, more Brussels sprouts, potato gratin, grilled cabbage, root vegetables and buttermilk mashed potatoes.
Save room for the dessert buffet of pumpkin pie, almond croissant bread pudding with bourbon sauce, Granny apple hand pies, a dirty chai tartlet, apple cider Bundt cake. $149 adults, $39 children. 100 Boyes Blvd, Boyes Hot Springs. (707) 939-2415.
Sonoma Farmhouse
Pemba Sherpa presents starter choices of butternut squash soup, crab cake, a colorful chicory salad, or green bean casserole. Entrées include roast turkey with sage stuffing and gravy; pork loin with butternut squash and vegetables; smoked cod with root vegetables and beurre blanc; or truffle gnocchi with roasted squash, English peas and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Desserts tempt with pumpkin cheesecake with graham cracker crust, a pecan tart with whipped cream, or passion fruit sorbet. Open Thanksgiving for brunch 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., dinner 3 to 8 p.m. $88 pp. 18999 Hwy. 12, Sonoma. (707) 940-8237.
the girl & the fig
Sondra Bernstein and John Toulze offer Thanksgiving dinner at their three restaurants and Suite D popup. Unfortunately, the Suite D dinner sold out as soon as it was announced. Their Black Card VIP members ($450) always get advance notice, 25 percent discounts, and free corkage at all of their restaurants.
The girl &the fig will serve a four-course dinner with Acme bread and house-cultured butter for the table and starter choices of sugar pie pumpkin soup or butter lettuce with shallots, candied walnuts and Pt. Reyes blue cheese. Entrée choices include roast turkey breast with garlic bread pudding au pain; red wine-braised brisket with green beans and potatoes Dauphinoise; wild flounder meunière with Yukon potato purée, and spinach and lemon caper butter; or maple glazed cauliflower with whipped yams, roasted mushrooms.
Save room for a profiterole with pumpkin ice cream and caramel, an apple pie bar with vanilla bean ice cream, or a bourbon pecan tart with chocolate sauce. $72 pp. Served 12 noon to 8 p.m. 110 W. Spain St., Sonoma. (707) 938-3634.
Sonoma Grille
Nima Sherpa and Executive Chef Saul Razo charm with starter choices of butternut squash bisque, watercress and red chicory salad, seared scallops with potato purée and fennel slaw, or salmon carpaccio. Entrée suggestions include roast turkey breast with stuffing, winter vegetables, butternut squash, garlic mashed potatoes, and house gravy; pan seared sea bass over fava beans; Angus New York steak with mashed potatoes and Swiss chard; or wild mushroom ravioli with fried leeks and Pecorino Romano cheese.
Bringing up the rear, so to speak, will be pumpkin cake with pecan caramel sauce, profiterole with vanilla bean gelato, or panna cotta lemon curd with candied lemon peel. $85 pp. Kids menu available for those under 10.
Dead Letter
Bernstein and Toulze’s second restaurant on Sonoma Plaza entertains with Sondra and friends’ digital art, lighting, and of course food. Thanksgiving dinner starts with a toasted sesame seed loaf with ash salt and butter. Then you select sugar pie pumpkin soup; radicchio with French fourme d’ambert blue cheese, pine nuts and garlic strips; or poached pear salad with walnuts, blue cheese, and Pedro Ximenez sherry vinaigrette.
Entrées include turkey breast with baby carrots, garlic bread pudding and cranberry mostarda; grilled brisket with haricots vert and potatoes; butterflied trout with cucumber labne and curry sauce; or mixed California rice. Choose their profiterole with pumpkin ice cream with caramel, lemon curd, or chocolate budino for dessert. $77 pp. Served 1 to 6 p.m. 101 East Napa St., Sonoma. Reserve at deadlettersonoma.com or (707) 933-3665.
Supermarkets
Of the supermarket prepared Thanksgiving dinners, I hear the most compliments of those from Whole Foods, which this year range from all sides at $59.95 to a giant spread at $549.99 with selections to include turkey, ham, or vegetarian combos. Sonoma Market offers combo dinners with a small or large turkey from $189.99 to $269.99. They all offer “sides only” options. All should be ordered days ahead of pickup.
And then there’s Costco, which promises 30 pounds of food for $199.99, including five pounds of free range turkey breast, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, sweet corn, green bean casserole, cornbread stuffing, candied yams, 24 oz. turkey gravy, 20 oz. cranberry relish, 12 dinner rolls, two pounds apple cobbler, and a two-pound pumpkin pie – designed to serve eight people.
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