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Peanut caution; Murphy’s Mellow-Drama Dinner Theatre

HopMonk brewers dinner; Shiso closing for lunch; Depot Hotel ‘Fifth Quarter’ feast

 

Voter alert:  I will present our annual California ballot propositions analysis at Readers’ Books on Friday, Oct. 26, at 4 p.m. Bring your ballot pamphlets, paper and pen, or whatever you want. Readers’ will provide light refreshments.

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  Food caution: Avoid all Sunland or Trader Joe’s raw or roasted peanuts and Trader Joe’s peanut butter for now due to salmonella found in Sunland’s New Mexico plant.

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  Shiso Sushi & Grill in Maxwell Village will be closed for lunch from now until Friday, Nov. 9. When they reopen that day owner Ed Metcalfe will add pork belly ramen, duck ramen and some “fresh autumn salads.”

  Shiso continues to serve dinner Tuesday through Sunday from 4:30 to 9 p.m. They also offer family-style dinners (starting at $40 a person) on their patio, now equipped with heaters. 933-9331.

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  Murphy’s Irish Pub’s Mellow-Drama Dinner Theatre presents Old Time Radio’s Halloween Show bag of tricks full of mystery, vampires and baseball shorts. Laugh at Dracula, Abbott and Costello’s “Who’s on First,” detectives Nick and Nora Charles, a “Thin Man” episode – all with special guest Kate Kennedy.

  If you feel like it, wear a wacky weird hat and bring a noisemaker. This Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 21 and 22. $35 includes multiple course meal, glass of wine or beer and the show. 464 First St. E., Sonoma. Tickets via Sharry Simpson at 815-6159 or email hunt@sonomapub.com.

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  La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs of Napa and Sonoma counties invite interested gastronomes to join them on Sunday, Oct. 21, for a gourmet luncheon excursion on board the Napa Valley Wine Train. In the train’s Vista Dome Car while enjoy a lunch of grilled figs with Serrano ham, smoked goat cheese and baby greens salad; grilled pork ribs off the bone with Swiss chard in watercress purée; grilled lamb chops with fingerling potato chips; and a chocolate s’mores tart. $175. 11 a.m. departure, 2:30 p.m. return. Reserve by contacting Gene Daly at 996-8666 or gene@dalyge.com.

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  Sheana Davis’ Epicurean Connection made the Chronicle’s “Bargain Bites 2012” list of American cuisine in last Thursday’s pink “Ovation” section.

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  Holly Kyle heads off to Sarasota, Fla., soon to defend her national championship in senior synchronized swimming’s three classes of singles, duo and team events. Good luck, girlfriend.

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  The Sonoma Community Center’s seventh annual Muse fundraiser at the revitalized Buena Vista Winery Saturday night topped all fundraisers for style and elegance and beat the goal of raising $100,000 to equal Rotary’s matching grant to improve Andrews Hall. The community center’s former executive director Kathy Swett gave total credit for the décor and ambiance to Desiree Stinson.

  As guests walked down Buena Vista’s long driveway, they were mesmerized by about 15 musicians from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music standing on foot-high podia and playing their specialty instruments, from cello to flamenco guitar.

  Once seated at dining tables, guests enjoyed a song by Valley of the Moon Chamber Ensemble, led by Dr. Brian Sebastian. Then everyone faced the old winery’s restored rock wall and looked up to see a small chamber group playing in an opening and surrounded by elegant image lighting on the wall reflecting music and the Community Center.

  With the dinner completely underwritten by winery owner Jean-Charles Boisset’s, chef Michel Cornu somehow managed to serve a melt-in-your mouth smoked salmon salad, warm capon with vegetables, and an oh-no delicious chocolate dessert to more than 300 people. And Cornu had previously prepared brunch that morning for 150 guests at Boisset’s Raymond Vineyards in Napa.

  In the happy crowd were Peter and Diane Donnici, Tom and Mildred Ferrando, Susan and Norm Goldstein, Joe and Susan Gorin, Phyllis and John Gurney, community center President Brock Arner and Cathy Jeha, Henry Beaumont and Margaret Gokey, John and Laura Benward, Stephen and Diane Bieneman, John and Libby Brady, Suzanne Brangham and Jack Lundgren, Ethel and Gene Daly, Gayle and Tom Jenkins, Dr. Clinton Lane, Robert and Gretchen Gardner, Tony and Nancy Lilly, Deborah and Dr. John Emery, Nicki Naylor, Richard and Sharon Nevins, Bob and Carole Nicholas, Stephen and Holly Kyle, Maxine Maas, JaMel and Tom Perkins, Maggie Salenger and Peter Haywood, Claudia and Gary Sims, Dr. Dan and Janice Stites, David and Vicky Stollmeyer, Bob and Carolyn Stone, Joan Walsh and Mel Nashban, Les and Judy Vadasz, Peter White and Joan Geary; and Rosemary and Kevin McNeely, who left the party for a bash at Ann and Gordon Getty’s home in San Francisco, where their great friend, Chris Vietor, was

co-hosting.

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  According to Lettie Teague in the Wall Street Journal, Bill Foley recently paid $25 million for Napa’s Sawyer Cellars, which he will soon rename Sawyer-Johnson to honor his wife, Carol Johnson Foley. According to Teague, Mrs. Foley will actually work in the tasting room. Among several other wineries in the U.S. and New Zealand, Foley owns Sebastiani Vineyards and Winery in Sonoma.

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  Sonoma Valley Museum of Art’s opening Friday night of its Larry Thomas show, curated by museum Executive Director Kate Eilertsen, and Simon Blattner’s paper making exhibit drew more than 400 guests, a record for the museum. Congratulations and let’s support our art museum.

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  Sonoma Valley Fund donors, many of its nonprofit partners’ executive directors, and lots of curious people interested in possibly leaving money to one of our local organizations, attended the fund’s information event at Vintage House last week.

  Bob Rice of Breakaway Café catered the event with many of his typically tasty morsels, passed by members of Sonoma Valley High School’s Key Club, a teen club affiliated with Sonoma Plaza Kiwanis.

  Among the always generous givers, led by fund president and former Superintendent of Schools Barbara Young, were Harriet and Randy Derwingson, Joyce Miller, Whitney and Jeanette Evans, Joe and Beth Aaron, Susan and Jan Hoeffel, Joshua Rymer and Timothy Frazer, Simon Blattner, Jack and Hope Nisson, Valerie Pistole and Jeff Walter, and Peggy and Russ Bair.

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  HopMonk Tavern Sonoma will host a brewer’s dinner featuring Greg Koch of Stone Brewing Co. (of Escondido) and his beers on Sunday, Oct. 28. Expect Stone’s Levitation Ale on arrival, an IPA flight with selected cheeses, quiche, ravioli and sauces; an Arrogant Bastard flight with housemade sausages, cured meats, bitter greens and olives; and Smoked Porter with braised pot roast with pumpkin, squash and root vegetable ragu. Dessert will be a vanilla tart with vanilla ice cream served with Imperial Russian Stout. $65 plus tax and gratuity. 6 p.m. 691 Broadway, Sonoma. Reserve at 935-9100,

  With such a successful formula, HopMonk owner Dean Biersch plans to open HopMonk Novato near Costco around Thanksgiving.

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Reminders:

  Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers present its annual Sonoma Valley Reserve tasting and tour Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 20 and 21, for guests to visit local wineries, well-known and hidden, and enjoy the fruits of one of the best crops ever.

  Annadel will pair its 2010 Chardonnay, 2009 Annadel Anni’s Blend, and its 2009 Monte Rosso Zinfandel with whatever winemaker and proprietor and “damn good cook” Dean Bordigioni prepares.

  Gloria Ferrer will serve tapas with sparkling and still wines such as crottin cheese, a pâté spread on crostini, lavender shortbread and short rib ragu with polenta. Viansa will pair its reserve wines with five food tastes, while Anaba will serve Caprese skewers, black olive tapenade crostini and prosciutto-wrapped melon with pinot noir, a Rhône blend and Late Harvest Viognier. $95 for one day, $150 for two days. $30 offers round-trip bus transportation from San Francisco and Mill Valley. For lots more info on all of the Reserve Wine tours and tickets call 935-0803 or visit reservesonomavalley.com.

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  Sheana Davis and Tony Ghilarducci of Depot Restaurant present a Harvest Dinner with wines from Hamel Family Vineyards and Idell Family Vineyards on Thursday, Oct. 25, at The Epicurean Connection. Dinner begins with a tart of Davis’ Delice de la Vallee and harvest vegetables served with Hamel Rosé; a salad of local butter-leaf greens with persimmons and pomegranate with Idell 2010 Chardonnay; breast of Sonoma duck with brown butter pumpkin and turnips with sour cherry sauce served with Idell’s 2009 Syrah; and chocolate pumpkin cheesecake with chocolate cherries and Hamel’s 2008 Cabernet. $65 includes meal, four flights of wine and gratuity. Additional wine available. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. 122 W. Napa St., Sonoma. RSVP quickly to 935-7960.

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  Ty Caton invites everyone to taste from the barrel and buy wine futures and current releases on Saturday, Oct. 20, along with light appetizers at his Eighth Street East winery. Caton is offering 50 percent discounts on cases during this event only. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 21684 Eighth St. E., suite 460, Sonoma. 938-3224, ext. 2, or info@tycaton.com.

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  Executive Chef Antonio Ghilarducci of Depot Hotel will offer a “Fifth Quarter Dinner” (not a football term) on Sunday, Nov. 4, featuring the European practice of using some cuts of meats that Americans either ignore or snub. People in other countries use every bit of an animal, not wanting to waste anything.

  Ghilarducci offers a chance to enjoy northern Italian-style chicken livers on grilled bread, salt cod mousse and fried pork sausage for appetizers. Your first course will bring braised tripe with tomatoes and Maine lobster ragout with roe and spaghetti. The second course offers seared calves liver and crisp veal sweetbreads with wild mushrooms, followed by aged Tallegio cheese with pears. $75 includes all of this food, all wines, and tax and tip. Call Gia at 938-2980 or gia@depotsonoma.com.

Enjoy!