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Archive for October, 2009

Oct 29

WINE ROAD PHOTO CONTEST

The Boy & his PinotWine Road, Northern Sonoma County (a wine alliance group) is hosting a photo contest through their Facebook Fan Page. Sonoma County Line has entered – have you?

Photo entry deadline is this Saturday, Oct. 31. There is a public voting option which ends Oct. 31 (hint, hint), as well as a judging portion for those of us with fewer FB friends or more procrastinating natures than the guy who already has 200 votes. SCL is holding out for the judging portion. The prizes are pretty fun, including tickets to WRNS events next year, a wine weekend getaway and more.

Don’t forget to join Sonoma County Line Facebook Page if you have not already done so. And if you also enter the contest, let us know and we’ll share the voting love with you. Cheers!

Oct 26

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PLEASE DO NOT FEED THE HORSES

Horse 2

I drive by these guys every week.

I’m secretly in love with them.

They frolick in a large open field which is nestled between vineyards on Hwy 116, right outside of Sonoma (near E. Bonness Rd). In fact, I’ve been wanting to take their photos for 2 years now but could never quite coordinate it correctly.

Sometimes they’re there…sometimes they’re not. And when they are there (typically afternoons and late evenings), I’m usually sans camera, late for an appointment or another horse-loving-camera-toting person got to them first. Or take your pick combo of all the above.

But today was my day.

I think these guys might be part of the famed Sonoma Castagnasso Clydesdales, but I could be wrong. Regardless, they’re delightful and I had so much fun hanging out with this one. He (she? are there panties on this one?) came trotting up to me after I parked the car and quickly started nibbling my camera hand, which with my new macro lens (Happy Birthday to me!), had to be held ultra close to his face to capture the shot. Poor guy. Clearly he hadn’t read the sign.

So I snapped off a few shots, gave him/her a little rub and before he/she could start accidentally eating my camera, said au revoir.

I think we might be new besties.

(Thumbnails below can be clicked on for larger viewing)

Oct 19

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A WORTHY STOP: DRY CREEK GENERAL STORE

Dry Creek General Store‘Tis the season for work travel for me (hence the lack of posts and lack of personal Sonoma County time period), but a little later this week you will find me back in one of my favorite parts of Sonoma County: Dry Creek Valley.

Only 16 miles long and  2 miles wide, Dry Creek Valley is quite small for having its own AVA distinction. But take the Dry Creek Road exit off of Highway 101 and you’ll quickly see why, although small, Dry Creek Valley has all you’ll need for a full day of wine country rapture: acres of rolling vineyards, small and large wineries, gorgeous blue-gray mountains that hug the valley floor and a plethora of Sonoma County backroad lanes on which to get lost. Dry Creek’s wine reputation corners the market on California’s own, bold and spicy Zinfandel, but be sure to take time to explore their equally good Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc.

I particularly enjoy visiting Dry Creek Valley throughout the seasons because the enclosed valley floor can give you a distinct sense of the changing seasons – something we don’t always get here in Nor Cal: rolling fields of bright yellow mustard in the spring, vistas of green vines bursting with juicy black fruit in the summer, white fog tendrils over autumnal-colored vines in the fall and slumbering, quiet vines in the winter.

About 1/2 way down the valley strip, you’ll find one of my favorite stops: the Dry Creek General Store. Built in 1881, this quintessential general store has all your needs for lunch, a picnic to go, refreshments on the patio and even a locals-favorite dive bar for refreshing your wined-out palate with some cold cerveza.

Schedule some time here so you’re not rushed. Believe me, it’s time well spent.

A gourmet deli dominates the main portion of the store, whipping up made-to-order sandwiches, deviled eggs and more. Refrigerators are full of vintage sodas, shelves are stacked with Kettle chips and the cash register is surrounded by irresistible post-lunch treats (Chocolate covered grahams and freshly-made rice krispy treats to name a few. Yum!). You won’t leave hungry, to say the least.

Take some time to browse the rest of the store and you’ll find all things wine country affiliated: books, local wines, gourmet cheese, picnic essentials, local artisan housewares and even some tasteful chotchke souvenirs. If you’re camping in the area for the evening (Lake Sonoma has some great sites), you’ll also find everything you need for your night of campfire living.

But, attached to the General Store and just past the vintage leather seats (perfect for perusing your newly purchased wine books), you’ll find my favorite reason for stopping at the General Store: the dive bar whose name I do not know. In fact, I’m not even sure it has a name. It’s just…the bar. Attached to the DCGS. That one. Everyone will know which one you’re talking about when you ask.

With even creakier wooden floors, a country music-laden jukebox and so many dust covered bar ‘artifacts’ your eyes won’t be able to take it all in on one visit, this is a definite locals-favorite bar where you can refresh your palate with a Corona and meet some of the local winemaking talent. Or take your frosty brew outside to the sunshine-covered Adirondack chairs and rub elbows with the bike crowd, both leather-clad and spandex-clad. Sip your frosty brew, watch the valley’s traffic pass by and contemplate your next viniferous stop.

Just be sure to allot your self time for another beer – you’ll probably be in no rush to leave.

Dry Creek General Store:  Intersection of Dry Creek Road & Lambert Bridge Rd. Mon-Sat 6am – 6:30pm; Sun 7am – 6:30 pm. Bar hours: Mon-Thur open at 3pm; Fri-Sun open at noon.

Oct 8

HIDDEN GEM: MAI VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT

Pho

Ok, I confess. It’s not just the pig with which I have a hang-up. Or true thin crust pizza. Or seductive wine. There’s actually another.

Surprising, right?*

Hangup #4 & #4.5: Vietnamese Pho and Spring Rolls.

My love for Vietnamese cuisine began in college when a Vietnamese friend of mine invited me to his family dinner. I barely noticed that no one spoke English to me as my friend (thankfully) directed me how to eat each delectable dish. My Vietnamese cuisine love affair quickly began with a plate of fresh spring rolls that was accompanied by peanut dipping sauce. Then came my lifelong obsession with Srichaha chili sauce, only quickly followed by the star of the show that night, Pho Ga (chicken noodle soup)**. An oversized, steaming bowl of noodle soup was brought to my table and like all pho lovers before and after me, one sip of the seductive broth and I was forever devoted to all that is Pho.

All this in one 45-minute meal.

Located in a newer (read: eerily clean) strip mall in Cotati, just off Highway 101, Mai Vietnamese Restaurant does an excellent job in furthering my pho devotion.

A dish of shelled and salted peanuts greets you when you sit down to peruse the menu and as you gaze around the 10-table room, you’ll notice antique Vietnamese guitars decorating the mustard-colored walls, white linen table cloths and pristinely cleaned condiment bottles. Sign #1 this isn’t your typical sticky strip mall Vietnamese diner. But never fear, the prices are on par with the rest.

An order of Pho Tai (beef noodle soup) and Shrimp Spring Rolls comes fully SCL recommended. The spring rolls feature plump shrimp, thin slices of pork, rice noodles and cilantro, all wrapped in fresh rice paper. These aren’t refrigerated-made-the-day-before spring rolls, a sad (and soggy) experience, all too common.

The pho comes in various sizes, from X-Small to X-Large, and showcases an excellently executed beef broth: rich and complex with hints of onion, cilantro and anise. Thinly sliced beef, rare, but quickly cooking, rests on top of a thick bed of rice noodles and a plate of exceedingly fresh accoutrements is served bowl-side (including lime, jalapenos, Vietnamese basil and crispy fresh bean sprouts).

Decorating your soup to your discretion is half the pho fun. SCL’s tried and true combo: one circle of Srichaha chili sauce, 2 circles of plum sauce, a fresh lime squeeze and liberally top with bean sprouts. Grab your chopsticks and dig into a restorative bowl of culinary goodness.

Don’t fight the love affair. It has a life of its own.

Mai Vietnamese Restaurant: 8492 Gravenstein Hwy., Cotati, Open Tuesday-Sunday, 11am-8pm. 707.665.9628.

*2nd confession time: I might have more than 4.5 gastronomic hang-ups. It’s true. I had to really reign that list in for the sake of (spectacular?) blogging flow. And you foodie reader, well, I trust you understand that there might be more food hang-up confessions down the road. Some might call that high maintenance. I like to think of it as wonderfully selective. And you should feel warm and fuzzy acting on my recommendations.

** And yes, I eventually graduated from Pho Ga. But only to Tai. And there was a close call with tendon involved somewhere in my NYC days. Not recommended. Baby steps, people. Baby steps.

Oct 2

Syrah Grapes
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HAPPY HARVEST SONOMA

If you have the time and the pleasure, do yourself a favor in the next week or two, and wake up a little earlier than perhaps is your usual. Grab a steaming latte (or other caffeinated beverage of your choice), jump in the car and head out to your favorite winding back road in Sonoma wine country. It’s now chilly these mornings, so wear a scarf or fleece, crank open the sunroof and of course, don’t forget to tune your radio to the KRSH.

You see, Sonoma is in the thick of harvest right now and it’s the absolute best time to drive through wine country in the early morning hours and watch the world of wine wake up.

Syrah Grapes

Thick white fog still hugs the vines of the valley floor early in the morning, allowing you to only see a few feet deep into the vineyard. The sun is rising, but obscured by the blanket fog, casting a rich, yet muted, golden glow on all you see. Vineyard workers are at the front of the rows, working feverishly to pick their grapes while the morning air is still cool. You’ll be amazed at how fast they move – as if someone forgot to let off the fast forward button. A large, open-top grape truck creeps alongside the pickers, while another worker stands above the open bins spreading out grapes and picking out debris. Up walks a picker with his fully loaded grape bin hoisted over his head. Up and over, he dumps his grapes into the truck, quickly rushing back to the next section of vine. On and on they’ll go, fast and furious, until all the grapes are picked and on their way to the winery, hopefully before the fog burns off and the temperature starts to creep up for the day.

Onward to the winery, which you’ll sometimes smell before you see. An olfactory haze permeates the air around the winery, equally as thick as the fog still burning off in the vineyards: thick, sweet, fermenting grapes. The winery is already bustling with energy and life, the winemaker and cellar workers probably having been there before the sun was up. Loud music plays full blast over the cellar speakers – a welcome addition, as the morning caffeine still works its magic on what was probably a late night before of filling tanks and barrels, washing grape bins, hosing down equipment, getting ready for the next morning’s grape deliveries. Crusher/destemmers move fast, grapes are sorted, presses hum in the background and tanks are filled. Sweet, sticky, fermenting grapes.

It’s harvest time. You can feel the energy.  My favorite time of year.

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This weekend is the Sonoma Harvest Fair, actually starting today. I haven’t ever been, but it seems like a great time for those wanting to get into the harvest state of mind. Wine tastings, art receptions, live music, grape stomping, barnyard scrambles. What more could you ask for?! Plenty of fun activities for both adults and the little ones. Oct. 2-4 and you can find the full schedule *here*. Have fun!

Oct 1

SLOW COOKED GOODNESS: CENTRAL MARKET RESTAURANT

Central Market

Words such as ‘sustainable’, ‘locally-sourced’ and ‘slow food’ might be buzz words du jour for all that is wonderful in the food world right now (and we hope they stay around longer than du jour), but Tony Najiola was already ahead of the pack when he opened his restaurant Central Market in 2003.

Upon moving here, it didn’t take long to find out this was THE local’s preferred dining spot and after the first bite of braised short ribs, it took even less time to find out why.

Set in bucolic downtown Petaluma, Tony transformed the 1920 MacLay brick building into a wonderfully intimate loft-like space with exposed brick walls, soaring ceilings, an open kitchen complete with wood fired stove, candlelit tables and large windows looking out onto Petaluma Boulevard.

It’s a romantic spot that bustles with energy à la big city dining and with Chef Tony’s experience at some of the top restaurants in New York City and San Francisco, this makes sense. Central Market impeccably blends these two culinary worlds with slower-paced Petaluma.

Partnering with local purveyors, Central Market’s menu changes often depending on market seasonality and local growers are the highlight of the menu: Greenstring Farms (Petaluma), Liberty Ducks (Penngrove) and Sonoma Direct (Sebastapol) are just a few of Central Market’s partners. The cuisine is fresh, yet rustic, and wonderfully deceptive in its slow-cooked simplicity.

Start your meal off with some local Hog Island oysters, but if you pair them with bubbles, don’t be surprised when Tony (who roams the room regularly to chat with diners) proceeds to bring out a complimentary taste of late-harvest Chardonnay in order to ‘enlighten your palate’. This comes from a guy who spends every birthday morning out at Hog Island Oyster Co. doing that exact thing, so come prepared to be amazed at the interplay of salty sea and luscious fruit on your palate.

After that lesson, I’d pretty much follow Tony anywhere on the proverbial culinary cliff.

Move on to one (or three) of his delicious starters, such as the House Smoked Salmon over Crispy Potato Latke (pictured above) or my favorite, Fried Liberty Farms Duck Liver over Watercress Salad and Persimmons.

His wood fired stove creates delectable entreé delights such as Baked Cannelloni or White Pizzettas, but the dish that always has me unabashedly licking my plate for more is his Red Wine Braised Black Angus Short Ribs with Horseradish Potatoes and Root Vegetables. Pair it with a Cabernet Franc from his equally seasonal (and highly affordable) wine list and settle back for a delight of a culinary evening.

Oh. And don’t forget to save room at the end for one of the seasonal desserts, such as Hazlenut Parisian Macaroons (photographed above). Perhaps paired with a 10-year Tawny Port?

Don’t worry. You’ll make room.

A couple of SCL insider tips for you: Party of 2? Snag one of the high tables along the front windows and pretend you’re back in the big city. (Reservations in advance will help your mission because apparently there are many of us in Petaluma fighting for that experience.)

Party of 4? Reserve the cozy booth along the front windows, nestled in its own private corner. I’ll admit. I lust after this seat every time I go, but have yet to snag it. Please invite me over if you get there first.

Thursday Night? Get there early for oyster happy hour which gifts your culinary world with $1 oysters. Remember the aforementioned wine pairing? Bring your own Sauternes and pay the $14 corkage fee. You won’t want to leave.

Central Market: 42 Petaluma Blvd North, Petaluma; 707-778-9900; Open 7 days a week 5:30-9 and 5:30-10 Friday/Saturday.

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