Southern Sonoma Country Life

Toast Sonoma County Harvest Fair's 40th Anniversary — The Best of Food, Wine & Beer October 3, 4 & 5 2014

Sonoma County Harvest Fair is preparing to celebrate its 40th anniversary, October 3, 4, and 5 with a compelling line‐up of Wine Tasting Seminars, Harvest Mini Workshops, Cooking Demonstrations, in‐depth Farm to Table Seminars and more, all designed to customize the Harvest Fair experience for each guest, based on areas of interest.

Wine Tasting Seminars will introduce fairgoers to the ins and outs of tasting. Led by local experts David and Jennifer Hamelburg, these accessible sessions include an overview and tasting. Seminars are free with gate admission and open to guests 21 and over. (Schedule at end of post)

Chef Demonstrations throughout the weekend will feature some of Sonoma County’s finest chefs sharing tips and ideas suited to the home cook. Attendees will learn about using local ingredients and creating memorable wine country cuisine from local celebrity chefs Dirk Yeaton, Kendall Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens; Dustin Valette, Dry Creek Kitchen; Mark Kowalkowski, Oliver’s Markets; Thomas Schmidt, John Ash & Co.; and Christy Polley, Costeaux French Bakery. Chef Demonstrations include food and wine tasting, and are free with gate admission. (See schedule below for times and details.)

Harvest Mini Workshops are a series of 30 minute workshops dedicated to a wide array of “do it yourself” topics, including making your own beer, curing olives or planting a back‐yard vineyard. Examples of these short courses include Olive Curing with Don Landis and Beekeeping with the Sonoma County Beekeepers Association. (See schedule below for times and topics.)

Expanded Farm to Table Seminars will offer guests a more in‐depth experience and the chance to take their knowledge to the next level. These fun and educational seminars last approximately 60 minutes and are the perfect start to a day of tasting. (These programs require an additional fee and advance registration is required. See schedule for details.)

On Saturday, October 4, wine and food pairing seminar “Wine Pairing Flights” will be presented by Next Gen Sommeliers Nicole Bacigalupi Dericco of Bacigalupi Vineyards in Healdsburg and Giovanni Balistreri of Russian River Vineyards, with local celebrity chef Phil McGauley. Taste award‐winning wines and learn about food pairing from the pros with a stellar four‐course seasonal pairing menu.

On Sunday, October 5, “So You Want To Be a Wine Judge?” will be hosted by Ben Pearson and Larry Van Aalst, professional wine judges, who will share their insights and process for formally tasting and judging wines. The twelve wines to be judged during the session will be select Harvest Fair wines anonymously distributed to participants.

Cheesy Beer School rounds out the Harvest Fair Weekend programming, providing guests with a chance to experience beer and cheese pairing under the tutelage of Lagunitas Brewing Company. There is no charge, but advance registration is required at harvestfair.org. (See schedule for details.)

In addition to the robust list of educational offerings, Sonoma County Harvest Fair‐goers can shop for special and hard‐to‐find vintages and other unique creations in the “Go‐Local” marketplace, watch the World Wrapped Cooking competition, and roll up their pant legs for the World Championship Grape Stomp! Those seeking a full wine and food tasting experience can obtain tickets for the Tasting Pavilion, where ticket holders get first tastes of this year’s award‐winning wines, along with craft beers and ciders and Sonoma County culinary delights. For those seeking tasting “highlights”, the newly added “Taste the Golds” area provides samples of only the best‐of‐the‐best.

About Sonoma County Harvest Fair

Traditionally held with the arrival of autumn during the first weekend in October, the Harvest Fair celebrates Sonoma County’s abundant season of growing and the delectable outcomes inspired by the area’s hard working ranchers and farmers, acclaimed vintners and noted chefs.

Now in its fourth decade, the Harvest Fair brings local and Bay Area guests, and visitors from across the globe to the fairgrounds in Santa Rosa for the annual celebration of the wine and food that make Sonoma County one of the world’s favorite wine regions to visit.

It brings together in one weekend the bounty of more than 150 wineries, beer and cider makers, and culinary delights from the region’s finest food artisans, and an array of activities ranging from the World Championship Grape Stomp and the World Wrapped Cooking Competition, to workshops, cooking demonstrations, and Seminars focused on local food, wine, and agriculture.

This year’s Harvest Fair dates are October 3‐5, 2014.
Admission to the Sonoma County Harvest Fair is FREE with a donation of 4 non‐perishable food items for Redwood Empire Food Bank OR $5 without and includes entrance into the marketplace, cooking demonstrations, wine tasting seminars, DIY educational presentations and the World Championship Grape Stomp.

Entrance to the Tasting Pavilion is $55 per person; or $100 for two (pre‐sale only if purchased by October 2). This all‐inclusive tasting experience includes medal‐winning wine and food from this year’s professional competition, as well as local beer and ciders.
Gates open Friday, October 3 at 4:00 pm; Tasting Pavilion open 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
Gates open Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 5 at 10:30 am; Tasting Pavilion open 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

Tickets are available online, at the Box Office located at 1350 Bennett Valley Road in Santa Rosa, or at the gate. For more information, visit harvestfair.org or call (707) 545‐4200. 

Sonoma County Harvest Fair Program and Seminar Schedule

For more information or to reserve a seat or purchase tickets, visit harvestfair.org or call 707/545‐4200.

Friday, October 4 – Gates Open 4:00 pm

4:30 pm – Chef Demonstration: Chef Dirk Yeaton, Kendall Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens in Fulton

(Free with gate admission)
Chef Dirk Yeaton will share tips and techniques as he prepares BBQ Pulled Pork and BBQ Ribs and pairs them with a selected Sonoma County wine.

5:30 pm – Wine Tasting Seminar in Marketplace (Free with gate admission)
Learn the basics of wine tasting and appreciation at this seminar presented by David Hamelburg.

7:30 pm – Wine Tasting Seminar in Marketplace (Free with gate admission)
Learn the basics of wine tasting and appreciation at this seminar presented by David Hamelburg.

Saturday, October 4 – Gates Open 10:30 am

11:30 am ‐ Farm to Table Seminar: Wine Pairing Flights (60 min)
Note: Advance Registration Required. Tickets $30 or Tasting Pavilion + Seminar $70 (Save $15) An intimate wine and food exploration with local celebrity chef Phil McGauley and Next Gen Sommeliers Nicole Bacigalupi Dericco of Bacigalupi Vineyards and Giovanni Balistreri of Russian River Vineyards. Taste award‐winning wines and learn about food pairing with a stellar four‐ course seasonal pairing menu.

11:30 am ‐ Farm to Table Seminar: Sonoma County Winegrowers Sustainability Overview and Tasting

(60 min) (Free with gate admission)
Join Sonoma County Winegrowers to learn grape growing history and what makes this region ideal for producing world class wines. Learn about Sonoma County’s pledge to become 100% sustainable and taste sustainably grown and produced wines.

12:30 pm – Chef Demonstration: Dustin Valette Executive Chef, Dry Creek Kitchen of Healdsburg

(Free with gate admission)
Chef Dustin Valette will share tips and techniques as he prepares Pumpkin Pie Soup and pairs it with the perfect Sonoma County wine.

1:00 pm – Wine Tasting Seminar in Marketplace (Free with gate admission)
Learn the basics of wine tasting technique at this seminar presented by Jennifer Hamelburg.

1:00 pm ‐ Harvest Mini Workshop: Introduction to Home Brewing (30 min) (Free with gate admission) Join John Arends and Ron Slyh from the Sonoma Beerocrats Homebrew Club for an introduction to the art of homebrewing.

2:00 pm ‐ Harvest Mini Workshop: Curing Olives without Lye (30 min) (Free with gate admission) Don Landis will talk about olive production and curing using lye‐free methods to de‐bitter the olive. Recipes and Q&A sessions are included.

3:00 pm – Wine Tasting Seminar in Marketplace (Free with gate admission)
Learn the basics of wine tasting technique at this seminar presented by Jennifer Hamelburg.

3:30 pm ‐ Chef Demonstration: Mark Kowalkowski, Executive Chef, Oliver’s Markets

(Free with gate admission)
Chef Mark Kowalkowski will share tips and techniques in his hands‐on demonstration preparing Farro Kale Cakes paired with a perfect Sonoma County wine.

4:00 pm ‐ Harvest Mini Workshop: All About Honeybees (30 min) (Free with gate admission)
Christine Kurtz and Thea Vierling, volunteers with Sonoma County Beekeepers Association, will offer an overview on beekeeping for those considering this rewarding hobby.

Sunday, October 5 – Gates Open 10:30 am

11:30 am ‐ Farm to Table Seminar: "So You Want To Be A Wine Judge" (60 min)
Note: Advance Registration Required. Tickets $30 or Tasting Pavilion + Seminar $70 (Save $15) This seminar, hosted by Ben Pearson of Bottle Barn and professional wine judge Larry Van Aalst, is designed to provide insights on how to officially taste and evaluate wines using twelve wines.

11:30 am ‐ Cheesy Beer School Sponsored by Lagunitas Brewing Company (60 min)
(Free with gate admission) Note: Advance Registration Required at harvestfair.org
Attendees will learn to match selected beers with farmstead Sonoma County cheeses during a fun and educational course on pairing.

12:30 pm – Chef Demonstration: Thomas Schmidt, Executive Chef, John Ash & Co.

(Free with gate admission)
Chef Thomas Schmidt will share tips and techniques as he prepares Watermelon Gazpacho with Bay Shrimp Salad and pairs it with the perfect Sonoma County wine.

1:00 pm ‐ Harvest Mini Workshop: All About Honeybees (30 min) (Free with gate admission)
Christine Kurtz and Thea Vierling, volunteers with Sonoma County Beekeepers Association, will offer an overview on beekeeping for those considering this rewarding hobby.

1:00 pm – Wine Tasting Seminar in Marketplace (Free with gate admission)
Learn the basics of wine tasting and appreciation at this seminar presented by David Hamelburg.

2:00 pm ‐ Farm to Table Seminar: Sustainable Winegrowing (30 min) (Free with gate admission)
Join Sonoma County Winegrowers to learn the history of grape growing in Sonoma County and our pledge to become the nation’s first 100% sustainable region by 2019. Explore the diverse soils, geography, microclimates, and multigenerational farming families that have helped shape Sonoma County’s reputation as a world class wine region.

3:00 pm – Wine Tasting Seminar in Marketplace (Free with gate admission)
Learn the basics of wine tasting and appreciation at this seminar presented by David Hamelburg.

3:30 pm – Chef Demonstration: Christy Polley, Pastry Chef, Costeaux Bakery (Free with gate admission) Pastry Chef Christy Polley will share tips and techniques in her hands‐on demonstration preparing Biscotti paired with a perfect Sonoma County wine. 

Are You a Size 8 Cinders Looking for the Perfect Pair of Crystal Slippers?

photo: Alphabet Soup Thrift Store

Calling all couture collectors, this wonderful post from Petaluma's fab Alphabet Soup Thrift Store on Western Avenue, downtown: "This could be your Cinderella moment... yesterday a very generous donor to Alphabet Soup brought us this pair of Christian Louboutin shoes covered in swavorski crystals (size 8)! They retail for $3,995.00 at Barney's and we are selling them for $1,200. We don't expect them to be here for long - stop in soon and take a peek!"

Buy these beauties and you'll be boosting Petaluma area schools big-time! Alphabet Soup Alphabet Soup is a benefit thrift store for Petaluma Educational Foundation (PEF), a privately funded, non-profit organization whose primary goal is to raise money in the community to benefit the education of all 13,000 students attending Petaluma's 36 public and not-for-profit private schools, from kindergarten through high school.

This benefit to local education comes primarily through the PEF Grant and Scholarship programs. In its first 30 years, the foundation has raised and distributed over $4,000,000 to local schools.

It's not every day a pair of crystal slippers show up, but all gently used/worn donations are welcomed at Alphabet Soup EVERYDAY in alley behind store, accessed off of Liberty until 4pm.

Alphabet Soup: 217 Western Ave. Petaluma, CA 94952 (707)776-4620
Alphabet Soup @ Home: 203 Western Ave Petaluma, CA (707)778-4818

 

 

What to Wear at Petaluma's Fall Antique Fair!

Union Jack leggings in black and tan — this chic shopper stopped me in my tracks at the Petaluma Fall Antique Fair. Though the treasures for hearth and home are considerable in downtown's historic district during this sprawling, friendly and eclectic fair each Spring and Fall, it was the fashion that caught my eye this time around!

I wonder what this colorful couple found to add to their beautiful, bohomenian wardrobe? 

This vintage demin jacket was originally sported by its vendor's cousin. 

A well dressed gentleman and his classic wheels. Guys, you don't have to deck yourself for the Tour de France for a bike ride downtown. I for one, prefer this collegiate look! 

I had to zoom in for this shot so pardon the cone and boxes. I loved the full vintage outfits these two ladies were wearing for their day of antiquing in downtown Petaluma. 

Flats, wheels and a giant tote bag. Best bets for shopping Petaluma's street fair. 

Refinished chests of drawers in black and brass. At $165 each I thought they were a steal of a deal. I hope they found a nice, stylish home.

  Captain Jack of Cavity Cove tests the metal of his swashbucking sword find! 

Buttoned-up Petaluma Pete and his better half, (French Hen) Brenda! 

Lotte's lap — Rosie the pup takes five from all the fun of the fair! 

Have You Been to the Library Lately?

“In a good bookroom you feel in some mysterious way that you are absorbing the wisdom contained in all the books through your skin, without even opening them.” 

Mark Twain

 

“A good library will never be too neat, or too dusty, because somebody will always be in it, taking books off the shelves and staying up late reading them.” 

Lemony Snicket

 

“Whatever the cost of our libraries, the price is cheap compared to that of an ignorant nation.” 

Walter Cronkite

 

“[D]on't ever apologize to an author for buying something in paperback, or taking it out from a library (that's what they're there for. Use your library). Don't apologize to this author for buying books second hand, or getting them from bookcrossing or borrowing a friend's copy. What's important to me is that people read the books and enjoy them, and that, at some point in there, the book was bought by someone. And that people who like things, tell other people. The most important thing is that people read... ” 

Neil Gamon

 

“Libraries were full of ideas–perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of all weapons.” 

Sarah J. Mass

 

“I don't believe in colleges and universities. I believe in libraries because most students don't have any money. When I graduated from high school, it was during the Depression and we had no money. I couldn't go to college, so I went to the library three days a week for 10 years.” 

Ray Bradbury

 

“Don't join the book burners. Don't think you're going to conceal faults by concealing evidence that they ever existed. Don't be afraid to go in your library and read every book...” 

Dwight E. Eisenhower

 

“Librarians are the coolest people out there doing the hardest job out there on the frontlines. And every time I get to encounter or work with librarians, I'm always impressed by their sheer awesomeness.” 

Neil Gamon

 

“A library is a good place to go when you feel unhappy, for there, in a book, you may find encouragement and comfort. A library is a good place to go when you feel bewildered or undecided, for there, in a book, you may have your question answered. Books are good company, in sad times and happy times, for books are people - people who have managed to stay alive by hiding between the covers of a book."

E.B. White

 

“What in the world would we do without our libraries?” 

Katherine Hepburn

 

I tend not to get into politics very often here on Southern Sonoma Country Life, but every once in a while. It would be inconceivable to lose our libraries. And as libraries focus their attentions on adapting to the future needs of readers, now it the time for us to get involved in the changing face of the public library system. 

 

Super Girl Facilitator Trisha Almond's 10 Week Super Girl Program

 

#LikeAGirl                         What does it mean to do things "like a girl"

And how does it impact their confidence?  What does it mean when we, as a society, say "you hit like a girl", "you run like a girl"?  How many of us have stopped to consider this as an insult to girls?  To women?   Don't we want girls in our families to grow up to be strong, confident, and independent?  To be authentic and to value themselves?  How about providing them the skills to be compassionate leaders, if they so choose?  As a Super Girl Facilitator, my friend Trisha Almond strives to inspire girls to live their life as their authentic, awesome, super self! She provides girls with self-esteem enhancing tools, tips on how to develop and maintain healthy relationships with their peers and action plans for handling bullying situations in life that match their personality via the Severson Sisters Super Girl program. Trisha is  about to launch another 10-week Super Girl program on RESPECT beginning October 21 for 2nd thru 6th graders.  In it, your Super Girl will learn: What can girls do to practice respect in their daily lives? How can they show their peers respect? Why is respect important in life and in relationships? What are words we can incorporate into our daily lives that help us create a more positive self-image? Trisha is a facilitator for the United States Postal Service.  She has also been a volunteer facilitator for Girl Scouts, as well as a Leader and Mentor for 18 years.  As Founder and President of Guided To Safety, a nonprofit providing resources and education for the awareness of domestic violence, teen dating abuse, and sexual assault, Trisha facilitates teen dating abuse awareness workshops for local youth. Take a gander at the upcoming program and feel free to contact  Trisha@SeversonSisters.org, with any questions or concerns you may have.

Sonoma County's Weekend Along the Farm Trails Sept 27th and 28th

Click Here for FREE Tickets to Meet your farmers: 

Participating Farms & Businesses:
Artful Arrangements
Backyard
Beekind
Bloomfield Organics - Saturday Only
Bud's Custom Meats - Saturday Only
Burnt House Farms
Cottage Gardens of Petaluma
Double 8 Dairy - Saturday Only
Green Goose - Sunday Only
Green Star Farm - Sunday Only
Gypsy Cheese Co.
Happy Hens Farm
Harmony Farm Supply & Nursery
Kozlowski Farms
Laguna Farm
Larson Family Winery
Lavender Bee Farm - Saturday Only
Momiji Nursery
Oak Hill Farm
Petaluma Pie Company
Preston of Dry Creek
Santa Rosa Vets Farmers Market - Saturday Only
Tara Firma Farms
The Great Peter Pumpkin Patch at Spring Hill Jersey Cheese
Truett Hurst
Valley Ford Cheese
Valley Ford Mercantile & Wool Mill

Thoughts from a Harvest Home

"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world."

J.R.R Tolkien

"After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one's own relations."

Oscar Wilde 

"Cookery is not chemistry. It is an art. It requires instinct and taste rather than exact measurements."

Marcel Boulestin

 “Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.” 

Mark Twain

“Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the 'Titanic' who waved off the dessert cart.” 

Erma Bombeck

"From the proprietor of the “littlest cheese factory in California” — a utilitarian cheese-making facility, consisting of several carefully converted shipping containers, positioned between a farmhouse house and milking shed, to sophisticated former executives-turned biodynamic farmers, the real people of Petaluma and its farm-to-coast neighboring communities make a compelling case for a more sustainable life.

Featuring United States artisan food industry leaders such as McEvoy Ranch Olive Oil, Cowgirl Creamery, Lagunitas Brewing Company, Straus Family Creamery and Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company — each anchored in the Petaluma area, this is a region shaped not just by its agricultural past, but, I believe, by its potential as an international role model for the future".  

– excerpt from Fog Valley Crush by yours truly! 

Foodies, farmers, friends and neighbors, you will find lots more delicious tidbits from Petaluma and surrounding countryside inside the pages of Fog Valley Crush. Make my day and pre-order a copy through my Kickstarter campaign today! Click here to pre-order in time for the holidays. 

 

Free Cooperage Demonstration with French Master Cooper, Yann Guigen — Oct 4th

Upstairs Art Gallery, Healdsburg Features Artist Jim Richard's Luminous "The Nature of the Dance" Works

The first in a series of paintings and drawings that expands upon artist Jim Richard’s more typical portrait and figurative work, “The Nature of the Dance” includes works from nature that explore movement as expressed in dance. Jim is inspired by the simple beauty seen in life – ranging from simple movement and line, to physical embodiment. Recognizing and recording that representation (as opposed to the idealization) of that natural beauty is his desire and challenge. 

Showing through October 26^. The artist’s reception is October 11, 2-4 PM. Upstairs Art Gallery, 306 Center St., Healdsburg. 707-431-4214. Upstairsartgallerysite.com. 

First Day of Fall 2014 — An Apple Pie Workshop Excerpt from "Fog Valley Crush"

Autumn has caught us in our summer wear. - Philip Larkin, British poet (1922-1986)

On this first day of the Autumnal equinox, enjoy a fall-themed excerpt from my soon to be published book "Fog Valley Crush".  I'm over half way to goal on my Kickstarter campaign for pre-sales. Please do take a few minutes to order your copy, a holiday four-pack or even a 10 pack, today. Click here for pre-ordering.   

"I first met Kathy Tresch, matriarch of the Straus partner farm during an Apple Pie Orchard-to-Oven fall workshop produced by dynamic duo Mel and Free Range Provisions and Eats and collaborative dinner party host, Suzanne a few weeks before Thanksgiving. A little slice of heaven on earth transformed a misty November Sunday morning, out at the family’s rustic Two Rock Ranch, a few miles west of Petaluma, where Olympia’s Apple Orchard is tucked away on the farthest reach of rolling Tresch Dairy land.

 

I couldn’t help but feel that Kathy’s enthusiasm coupled with Mel and Suzanne’s sumptuously crafted workshop evoked the spirit of the area’s early pioneer energy and resourcefulness. This was one of a series of meticulously envisioned Orchard-to-Oven workshops taking place out at the ranch, expertly blended with a modern sensibility for celebrating the land and its seasonal offerings, in one its tastiest of traditional American dishes, the apple pie.

Husband and wife team, Joe and Kathy typically work side by side along with their own adult children in the style of the staunchest homesteaders of this historic farming region, but it was Kathy who led the workshop series’ apple picking expeditions off road, by tractor and trailer, into the enchanting realm of an heirloom orchard at harvest.

Olympia’s apple orchard grows more than 50 heirloom varietals of apples including old favorites such as Jonathon (used in the workshops), Wickson, Kidds Orange Red, Cinnamon Spice, Fuji, Honeycrisp and Gravenstein. The orchard was named after the farm’s first homesteader, Olympia Tresch, Kathy’s husband Joe’s grandmother.

Her maiden name was Olympia Nonella and Olympia’s parents were part of the mass Swiss-Italian immigration at the turn of the twentieth-century. Their homeland had been Canton Ticino in Switzerland. “They first lived in Cayucas (a sleepy little California seaside town), then came to this ranch in 1905,” said Kathy.

Olympia loved the land on which she was raised. She had often spoken to the family of her memories of the great 1906 earthquake, first thought to be epicentered in nearby Point Reyes that struck the Bay Area when she was a small girl. “Agriculture and her work ethic were very influential to her grandson, Joe, my husband,” said Kathy, as we moved around the orchard, selecting apples for our pies. Olympia passed away on the ranch in her little house in her 90s, as it seems, has been the fortuitous trend amongst her contemporaries. “Our children are the fifth generation to live and farm here,” said Kathy. The home ranch was originally 320 acres, nowadays spanning over 2,000 acres.

Kathy continues to plant more apples. Most recently she introduced Crown Prince Rudolph and several other rare, heirloom varieties that she sells at Sebastopol and Occidental farmers markets and at an honor stand at the gate to the farm. "