Cocktail nation

Cocktail Nation Signature drinks for a new generation When life hands Fred Johnson lemons, they better be of the Meyer variety, so he can make a Gimbal Smash. As the cocktail virtuoso of The Starling Bar in Sonoma, Johnson calls on a arsenal of house-infused... Continue

Austin and Missy Lely go back to the land, into the future

By Jonah Raskin At Bee-Well Farms on Highway 12, between Trinity and Nun’s Canyon, Austin and Melinda (Missy) Lely are taking stock of the year that’s ending and looking ahead to the year that’s about to begin. Winter is the only real season that allows... Continue

The wines we were – a 1970s flashback

By Windee Smith | From The Sun archives When regular people look at a picture from the past, the 1970s to be more specific, they blurt out the usual comments such as “bad hair,” “fashion victim,” or “did I really dress like that?” When a... Continue

30 food trends for 2020, at least 11 of which you’re already tired of

[caption id="attachment_99528" align="aligncenter" width="420"] Kelp: again, still not the 'new kale'[/caption] From cauliflower pizza crust and cheese tea to faux meat snacks and monster shakes, 2019 was packed with more than a few weird food trends — some of which might be here to stay,... Continue

Our favorite cookbook of 2018

In which the secret of Mary's meatballs and Italian salad dressing are revealed, along with the charming backstories of a Sonoma family's three-generation success. Dig in. Continue

Can you stomach the worst food trends of 2018?

The pizza wedding bouquet, ham-flavored ice cream, broccoli coffee and other things nobody asked for. More... Continue

Two Sonoma area wines make Wine Spectator’s Top 10 list

Only two California labels ranked on the Wine Spectator's Top 10 Wines of the Year, and both come from the immediate Sonoma area -- one from Carneros, the other a Sonoma Valley designate. Italy, with the top pick, and France dominated the list, released today. But #6, and... Continue

Sonoma’s newest restaurant: Mint and Liberty

Sonoma Valley also has its share of upscale restaurants, writes Jonah Raskin. What's been missing from the area since the closing of the Breakaway Cafe is a destination restaurant that's midway between the plaza and "up valley." Now there's a new eatery in the old Breakaway... Continue

Family Album, Italian Style

Family Album, Italian Style The story of Mary Fazio has a little of everything -- even her meatball recipe For over 60 years and four generations as a family business, Mary’s Pizza Shack has been a Sonoma Valley tradition, a wonderful homegrown (and homemade) success... Continue

Wine, Women and Rock and Roll

This all-female band doesn’t make music, but a beverage that’s as intoxicating as a great rock song. By Jonah Raskin Cyndi Lauper expressed the idea loudly and clearly in the dour days of the Reagan presidency when girls were supposed to say “No” to everything... Continue

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