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Posts from the ‘Drink’ Category

Jul 6

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A NIGHT AT THE MARKET

It’s been a while since I’ve been able to make the Wednesday night Petaluma Farmers Market. The stars aligned just right today (barely) and I was hightailing it downtown early this evening with the little man. The weather here has been gorgeous lately – a tad hot, but just right for this southern girl – so I loaded little man into his stroller and decided to make an evening of it, texting the boy on my way in hopes he might be able to meet us there for dinner. Our texts went like this:

{me} Farmers Market! Tonight! Meet us there?

{him} Indeed!

{me} Crepes!

{him} Sunshine!

{me} Cranky Baby!

Two of us were clearly excited to renew this weekly tradition now that our incessant travels have come to a standstill for the moment. The third was just along for the cranky ride.

And the market was lovely. Petaluma competes with Santa Rosa’s Wednesday night market – which draws a much larger crowd – so sometimes I am a little bummed at the lack of quantity and quality of vendors at P-Town’s market. But those vendors that do show up are passionate and wonderful and I’m so thankful to live somewhere that I even have access to something such as this. Whenever we entertain thoughts of moving somewhere where pizza doesn’t cost $8 (see below), I always remember evenings like this and come back to the ultimate realization that we are living our dream, right now, right here.

Our market night in photos:

1st up: wood-fired Margherita pizza from Pizza Politana. Absolutely finger-licking delicious.

The Amy Hogan Trio was on stage tonight and she was absolutely lovely. Little man and I even contributed to the tip jar after sitting and watching for a while. Loved them!

Market Schwag for the evening. Clockwise from left:

Lavendar Honey from Hector’s Honey of Fulton, CA. A bit of a splurge, I plan to drizzle this on fresh figs that have been dolloped with goat cheese. Nom nom nom nom…

Kale from Petaluma Bounty, picked fresh just this morning. Organic, of course. My favorite way to prepare Kale is a la Alice Waters: saute wet, chopped kale leaves in olive oil until wilted. Salt and cover to steam for a few minutes. Uncover and let excess water evaporate. Push kale to side of pan and drizzle a spot with olive oil. Add chopped garlic and pinch of red pepper flakes. Saute until fragrant. Toss all together with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, S&P. Devour.

Loaf of Daily Bread from Full Circle Baking Co. (Penngrove, CA). A favorite for the teething little man.

Organic mixed salad greens from Green String Farm.

Olive Oil Cake from Napa’s La Saison. Not a huge fan of olive oil cake, I LOVED this one after tasting a sample. I can’t wait to dollop it with some Bellweather’s Creme Fraiche, perhaps lightly toasted and paired with a morning coffee?

Mix of summer squash and zucchini from Petaluma Bounty – freshly picked this morning and organic. Destined to be little man’s next batch of squash-potato-cheese puree. Yum!

Dad and son reunite. Aren’t those little toes delicious? Not for sale ladies, sorry.

A flight of wine from La Dolce Vita Wine Bar. We opted for the Petaluma Gap flight which featured a 2007 Chardonnay from Stubbs Estate, a 2007 Pinot Noir from Ridgeway (Two Pisces) and a 2009 Pinot Noir from Cazar (second label for Chasseur). All were lovely, but the Ridgeway took the prize. Delightful.

And not pictured is the grand finale: 1 scoop of Laloo’s Goat Milk Chocolate ice cream for the walk home, where little man promptly passed out.

I love this county.

Guess we won’t be moving any time soon, pricey pizzas be damned.

xo, e

Jun 14

1973 BARBERA TASTING


So remember those old 1973 bottles of Windsor Vineyards Wine from John Brown’s ’73 Retirement party we picked up at a fetching bargain of $2/bottle? Well we finally gave one of them a taste and the results are in!

We decided to start with the Barbera, my thoughts being the higher alcohol and higher tannin inherent in this wine might have somewhat preserved it. And just to be on the safe side, we brought a bottle of Veuve Rose bubbly to wash it all down. But first, let me set the scene:

Summer Sunday BBQ with friends, one of whom is a Napa winemaker and whom we knew would get a kick out of this rare tasting. Ha! He took one look at the level of oxidation within the bottle (the fill line of the wine was well below where it should be) and laughed, probably assuming the same that I was – some red wine vinegar for cooking was in order. But he was game and after veeerrrry carefully extracting the old cork, he poured us a small taste of our vintage brown liquid.

Alas, the wine was actually surprising! Red wine vinegar it was not. Now to clarify – we never bought these bottles in hopes for having some well aged red wines to add to our collection. This was purely fun vintage experimentation at $2/bottle and to see what theories would hold true. So no flowery paragraphical tasting notes will accompany this tasting. Here is what we thought:

She Said (that would be me): Ooooh, looks scrumptious. Like unfiltered, cloudy brown cola. (Sniffs) Interesting! It’s doesn’t smell like vinegar at all! Smells like a dead ringer for the Bristol’s Cream Sherry my great-grandmother used to always drink, that I may or may not have sneaked sips of when no one was watching. Man I loved that sherry. (Takes extremely tentative sip) Mouth Puckering! Whoo! That is dry, dry dry. And oddly tastes like a Fino Sherry. How strange. (Offered second sip) Yea, no thanks.

He Said (that would be the boy): Smells like chocolate. And Kerosene. Actually, the smell hints at promises of a good experience. But alas, the kerosene-smell wins over the chocolate smell. Bad Sherry anyone? Gotta say – I’m disappointed as I had been led to believe we’d at least have some good cooking vinegar.

The Other He Said (that would be the winemaker): Not a scrap of residual sugar left. Bone dry. Interesting. Where’s the Veuve?

So there you have it! What your 1973 California Barbera might taste like. Indeed a fun experiment! It was rather interesting to find out the wine had actually evolved to something beyond vinegar. Not quite drinkable except to the most unique of palettes, but interesting nonetheless. If you’ve been holding on to your own bottles from John’s party, we recommend drinking now rather than later.

Next on the vintage tasting docket: will it be 1975 Pinot Noir, Grey Riesling or Petite Sirah? Stay tuned to see if any of these held up as ‘well’ as the Barbera. In the meantime, cheers!

May 16

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VINTAGE VINEGAR


One of my favorite ways to spend a Saturday morning is finding a good estate sale, preferably with oodles of mid-century items. Estate sales take dedication though – they typically start at 7 or 8 am and there is almost always a line at the front door at go-time (and even a sign up list for those that get there ultra early). Now with a little one that rarely sleeps past 6:30, we are motivated to make being up that early seem worth it, so our estate sale trolling has increased quite a bit the last 5 months. Santa Rosa seems to have a plethora of good mid-century estate sales, especially in the Oakmont neighborhood, and I’ve scored some great finds such as a pristine set of Julia Child’s French Cooking cookbooks, a 1960s light up globe and vintage kitchen gear galore.

A few weekends ago, the boys and I hit up another sale in Oakmont for lack of better things to be doing at 7am on a Saturday. I didn’t find any treasures for myself, but the boy happened upon these 1975 bottles of Windsor Vineyards wine. Windsor Vineyards still does custom labeled wine to this day and apparently back in 1975, John Brown of Santa Rosa ordered some wine for his retirement party. We hope he had a fabulous time. Now I’m pretty sure this wine is going to be vintage vinegar as I’m thinking Windsor Vineyards wine in 1975 wasn’t exactly made for aging and I’m pretty sure even if it was, these haven’t been stored in proper conditions for 36 years. But for a $2 donation to charity per bottle, the boy decided to bring these home for a fun tasting experiment.

What we ‘purchased’: California Petite Sirah, Barbera, Pinot Noir & Grey Riesling. All 1975. All Windsor Vineyards, custom labeled for John Brown’s 1975 retirement party.

Some interesting facts: Windsor Vineyards was started by Rodney Strong in 1959 in Tiburon (hence the Tiburon Vintners logo on these) and is one of the oldest wineries in the US, as well as the first winery to ever direct ship to consumers. The alcohol level on these wines is listed as 12%. Is it even possible to get that low alcohol of wine in California any more? I’m thinking no.

Stay tuned as we discover what our vintage vinegar has to offer. 36 year old Grey Riesling anyone?? Yummmmmm…..

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.

Sep 22

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FLOWERS WINERY LUNCHEON

9-20-09 Flowers Winery Lunch

This weekend I had the distinct pleasure of visiting Flowers Winery out on the Sonoma coast for a tasting, tour and afternoon luncheon. The invite came through some friends and we gathered up a group of 5 for a most excellent day. Warm, sunny weather (a bonus out on the NorCal coast), great Pinot Noir & Chardonnay and absolutely stunning food (courtesy the chef from Restaurant Eloise in Sebastapol).

I’d be hard pressed to think of a better way to spend my Sunday.

Flowers Vineyards & Winery is located about 2 hours north of San Francisco, off of winding Highway 1, just north of Jenner (google map can be found here). It’s quite remote and they do not have a tasting room at the winery or elsewhere in the county (although we hear the search continues for that unique space they know is out there). I’ve enjoyed their wines before while dining out, so when I received the invite to visit the winery for the day, I jumped at the chance. Plus, how could I pass up such a great SCL post? (more after the jump – both literally and figuratively…)

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Sep 21

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TAPS: A CRAFT BEER BAR ARRIVES

Taps Petaluma

Ponder the following words: Abita. Deschutes. Bison Brewing.

Or perhaps try these: Chocolate Stout. XXXX IPA. Karmeliet.

Ok, how about these: Chicago Dog, Bratwurst, Garlic Fries.

Sold yet? If you’re a beer fan, I probably had you at Abita.

Petaluma has new bar in town and SCL’s vote is in: Bravo. Focusing on craft beers (both tap and bottle) and the food that goes best with such libations, TAPS is welcome addition to Petaluma’s (lacking of quality, not quantity) bar scene.

My curiosity was piqued last week when I swung by Bank of America to make a little financial transaction (which usually consists of more take than give, unfortunately). Across the street I spied a sign hanging  below the Petaluma Hotel that read something to the effect of: ‘Coming Soon – TAPS! 30+ Craft Beers on tap!‘; subtext: ‘Serving gourmet dogs, brats and more!‘.

A bar with mostly craft beers? On tap? And gourmet brats? In Petaluma? I could barely wait for the weekend to find out more.

Eric Lafanchi is the face behind Taps, along with his wife, Wendy and his brother. Together, they’ve managed to take what used to be the old outdoor courtyard for Petaluma Hotel (now enclosed) and transform it into a classy atmosphere, with even classier beer and most excellently executed gourmet dogs.

With 30+ craft beers on tap, 30+ more in bottle, 6 flat screen televisions and a streamlined – yet not lacking in the least – menu, TAPS should become a local favorite in no time. It’s the kind of place you might stop in for just one and find yourself still there 4 hours later. Knock back a few microbrews (served in properly corresponding glassware), see what they have on cask for the week (unveiled on Wednesdays), order a BLT dog (deep-fried dog with bacon, lettuce, tomato) and watch your day of Saturday sports unfold.

TAPS is located on Kentucky street across from the Bank of America, so it’s easily accessible to downtowners and a perfect hideaway for men with downtown shopping wives – at least, I’ll know where to find my beer-loving father next visit.

Cheers.

TAPS Petaluma: 205 Kentucky Street Petaluma; 707-763-6700; 11:30-10pm (Mon-Sat) and 9:30-10pm (Sun).

SCL Insider Tip: Join TAPS Facebook page and be in-the-know for their daily secret passwords which will score you specials on beer. Words such as ‘Jimmy’ might get you $3 pint of Abita Purple Haze. Don’t you just love being part of the cool crowd?

Sep 8

MICROBREWS & MUSIC: HOPMONK TAVERN SEBASTOPOL

Hopmonk Tavern

Give me a lazy sunny Saturday afternoon with no real plans and there’s almost nothing better I’d like to do than sip it away at Hopmonk Tavern’s outdoor beer garden in Sebastapol.

Bypass the usual need for reservations by cozying up to the bar and ordering from a fine selection of craft brews that are ‘seasonally correct’. Hopmonk brews up a few of their own beers (the unfiltered Kellerbier comes SCL recommended) and offers them on draft alongside other area selections like Lagunitas, Humbolt Brewery & Russian River Brewing. There’s also a full bar with spirits and wine if you’re so inclined.

Take your drinks to go and mozy out to the fantastic beer garden Hopmonk has managed to create in the middle of town. Historic buildings, stone walls, a central fountain, rustic wooden tables and benches – there’s even an acoustic stage where talented local artists will serenade you while you soak up the sun and sip the ale.

If you’re spending a little more time there and need some bites to go with your beer, Hopmonk has a great menu that pairs well with the local beer offerings – tandoori chicken skewers, pulled pork sandwiches, beer braised bratwurst and more. You can eat outside at the aforementioned rustic tables or inside, there are cozy booths scattered across the 100-yr old Douglas Fir wooden floors. When they say it’s like eating in a cozy bar rather than a restaurant, I have to agree. I’ll take another Kellerbier please. Cheers.

SCL insider tip: Hopmonk Tavern has a fantastic live music scene on evenings throughout the week and weekend (late night menu included) and there’s also a weekly open mic night for your budding artist within.

Aug 17

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LAGUNITAS TAPROOM

lagunitas

For all you Lagunitas Maximus fans, your day has finally arrived. The famed 16-year old Lagunitas Brewery has finally opened their doors for the general public in the version of an outdoor tap room. They call it their beer sanctuary. Others call it a TapRoom (no space). Whatever its name, it’s SCL approved.

Lagunitas Brewery, producer of 80,000+ barrels of beer per year, is located in Petaluma (it moved from its original Lagunitas location in 2004) and up until this last month, you were limited to taking a 3pm tour of the brewery to get an inside taste of the biz. That would be weekdays only. Hard to make, isn’t it? I could never figure out why such a cool and hip microbrewery didn’t have its own place to imbibe on its wares. And talk about disappointment when my home-brewing/huge Lagunitas fan of a father came to town on a weekend…they must have finally gotten the message.

Freshly opened, (they don’t even have tap room information up on their website yet), this 3,500 square foot biergarten meets tap room is a Sonoman good time that boasts large communal wooden tables, bright red Adirondack chairs, an outdoor music stage for acoustic tunes & numerous beers on tap and in bottle.

A pretty fun spot that exhibits Tony the Owner’s eclectic creativity (as he was affectionately called by a Lagunitas worker having a post-shift brew while I was there), the Lagunitas Beer Sanctuary feels like hanging out at a friend’s super-cool backyard to drink some frosty brews -  be sure to take note of the steel screw & lug nut pillars that decorate the surrounding fence. Both dogs and children are welcome and although there is no food service yet (paninis, soups & small dishes to come in 3-4 weeks), you’re welcome to bring your own bite to eat outdoors.

The economy is harsh right now; this we know. But now at Lagunitas, you can drink a few tasty microbrews on tap, bring a burrito to go, listen to some acoustic tunes and watch the sun set on the horizon for less than $10. Now that’s a smashing (and economic) SCL good time.

Say “LAH-GOO-KNEE-TUSS”.

Lagunitas TapRoom: 1280 North McDowell Blvd Petaluma, CA; open Wed-Fri 3-9 pm; Weekends 1-7 p.m.; live music every evening.

SCL tip: Google map the directions before driving. The signs aren’t too prominent and don’t let the industrial warehouse driveway and parking deter you. There’s a beer oasis at the end of the yellow brick road. Bonus tip: you’ll probably run into Tony the Owner and his dogs while there – his fascinating story consists not only of a great reputation in beer brewing, but also acoustic bluesgrass and being a widely read author. Check it out here. Or follow his cryptic, yet always intriguing, Twitter. Cheers!

Aug 9

ERNIE’S TIN BAR

“Use a cell phone, buy a round.”

That’s one of a few house rules at Ernie’s Tin Bar, a local hide-away of a dive bar in Sonoma county. Technically a Petaluma address, this little gem resides just outside of Petaluma as you make your way on Lakeville highway…

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Jul 13

ANOTHER GOOD ONE GONE…

While flipping through the most recent issue of The Bohemian this weekend (while enjoying some ice cream at Petaluma’s newest creamery, Lala’s – review to come soon), we read some sad, sad news: Red’s Recovery Room in Cotati is set to close this month – something about losing its lease. Sigh.

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