Friday Farmers Market turns 20; Nepal fundraisers update; ?Carniceria tours; ‘Just Eat It’ at Shiso; Fresh Paint next Sunday

Sonoma’s Friday Farmers Market, more formally known as the Sonoma Valley Certified Farmers’ Market, will celebrate its first 20 years this morning, May 22, at the Arnold Field parking lot. Be there at 10 a.m. for cake, music and friendly farmers, many local.

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The huge Nepal earthquake relief fundraiser at Ramekins last week raised more than $80,000, with checks still coming in. Carlo Cavallo of B&V Whiskey Bar had the idea, rounded up chefs, and Victoria Campbell of Ramekins coordinated, with each of three long tables enjoying its own menu. Our local chefs produced amazingly great food with little notice and lots of shared passion for our local Sherpa community.

Last night, Saddles Steakhouse at MacArthur Place held another sold-out event to benefit Himalayan Sherpa Club Sonoma, with receipts too late for my deadline.

Rotary of Sonoma Valley has added another community fundraiser for with funds going to the Rotary Foundation’s substantial tangible relief efforts in Nepal. Rotarian Margie Brooke will host a dinner of New York prime steak, potatoes au gratin, salad, and garlic bread at her Annex Wine Bar and Community Café on Wednesday, May 27. Live music by Calvin Ross at 7:30 p.m. $50 includes wine. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

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As the devastation in Nepal fades from the news, we must not forget the suffering. I hope shops and tasting rooms around Sonoma will put out jars or cans by their cash registers, or whatever you call them now – that people who want to give just a little money, or whatever they can afford, could do so. Not everyone can buy tickets to fundraisers for $50 to $200.

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The GI Joe’s Veterans Lounge bar at Sonoma Valley Veterans Memorial Building will celebrate Friday, May 22, with one free drink for all veterans who were born in May. A great place to tell old war stories – or not – with fellow vets from all wars. Doors open at 4 p.m. 126 First St. W., Sonoma.

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Chateau Sonoma hosts its fabulous French Flea Market this Saturday and Sunday, May 23 and 24, with some of your favorite importers and vendors plus some new ones, while Ramekins Culinary School will offer authentic French baguette sandwiches, barbecued sausages just like at a flea market in France, and beverages in the back courtyard. Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 153 W. Napa St., Sonoma. 935-8553. Chateausonoma.com.

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Culinary romps:

Join me on Saturday, May 23, at Williams-?Sonoma for a talk about and demonstration of historic kitchen utensils from my Kathleen Hill Culinary Collection. Elizabeth Payne will make carrot soup and madeleines from Chuck Williams’ book, “Merchant of Sonoma,” and I will demonstrate the old implements that we can still use to make these goodies. If you would like to, bring an old utensil to share with your “Kitchen Memories.” Free. 3 p.m.

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Shiso Modern Asian Kitchen will show the movie, “Just Eat It,” along with a dinner buffet on Saturday, May 23, in its garden patio. The film, made by a fun and creative couple from Vancouver, British Columbia, was shown on MSNBC recently, and it actually has some humor mixed in with the information.

Shiso’s buffet menu will include grilled Korean short ribs, cold noodle salad, steamed rice and chili lime edamame. Dinner and movie $35. Dinner served at 7:45 p.m. Reserve your place via kim@shisorestaurant.com.

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There are a few places left on my three Carniceria Tours, presented this year by Ramekins Culinary School. The first is Friday, May 29, with others scheduled Saturday, June 13 and Friday, July 17. Exactly three spots are open for the May 29 tour, so register right away. These tours of Sonoma’s fabulous and varied Mexican markets are limited to 12 guests and they are filling up fast.

We gather at Ramekins for coffee and to go over the itinerary, then carpool from there to a Mexican bakery for pastries. We then visit several carnicerias (Mexican butcher shops and markets) to learn about cuts of meats you may not have seen before, walls of spices and bargain citrus, all in English. We will have lunch at a favorite local Mexican restaurant, visit the Jalisco Tortilla “factory” run by local women, then visit more carnicerias and the beautiful Flowery School garden. We will even have the opportunity to buy chicken barbecued before your eyes in front of El Brinquito Market. We finish the day with ice cream at La Michoacana Natural Ice Cream. $65 inclusive. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sign up at ramekins.com or call 933-0450.

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Well-known author and cheese expert Janet Fletcher will bring her newest book, “Yogurt: Sweet and Savory Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner,” and possibly some tasty samples to our Last Wednesday Food Group gathering at Readers’ Books, Wednesday, May 27. She’s a great story-teller, lives with her winemaker husband just over the hill in Napa, and we all have a lot to learn about this powerful food. Remember, Readers’ Books gives a 15 percent discount on all of LWFG book selections. Free. 7 p.m. 130 E. Napa St., Sonoma. 939-1779.

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Buena Vista Winery’s Historic Tool Museum & Show will host a VIP official grand opening Saturday, May 30, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with ribbon cutting and speeches from 1 to 3 p.m.

On Sunday, May 31, Buena Vista welcomes the entire Sonoma community to visit the museum free of charge. After next Sunday, admission will be $25 with wine tasting and tour, or just $10 per person without wine tasting. Children with paying adult will be free.

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Ramekins Culinary School is offering a 15 percent discount on a great class by David Bush, owner/chef of Oso, recently named to Michael Bauer’s San Francisco Chronicle Top 100 Bay Area Restaurants.

Along with his craft cocktails, many of the dishes he will prepare on Thursday, May 28, are favorites on his restaurant menu, such as grilled bread with burrata, pea shoots and English peas; ceviche over avocado; Little Gem lettuce with baby vegetables, with Green Goddess dressing and ricotta salata; braised short ribs with smoked Gouda polenta; and butterscotch pôt de crème. $95. 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. 450 W. Spain St., Sonoma. Register at ramekins.com.

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Only 30 tickets remain for Fresh Paint, this year’s refreshed and exciting version of Sonoma Valley Museum of Art’s annual successful Wet Paint fundraiser. The one and only Lexy Fridell will perform on Sunday, May 31. The theme is “Shades of Blue,” so try to wear blue.

It is most important to support our nationally recognized museum of art, which shows many world-renowned artists while providing creative arts opportunities for thousands of young students. Producing this event to show their commitment to SVMA will be Suzanne Brangham, Bob Gardner, Yvonne Hall, Kathe Hodgson, Kristina Hoffman, Cherie Hughes, Nancy Kivelson, Marcia Levy, Jane Milotich, Barbara Pascoe, Susan Walker and SVMA executive director and chief curator Kate Eilertson.

The daughter of two other great performers, Suzie and Squire Fridell, who give endlessly to our community, and a star of Transcendence Theatre and Broadway (that is New York), Lexy will entertain amid generous cocktails, hors d’oeuvre and dinner at Mark and Linda Brewer’s Round Barn on Warm Springs Road. Expect portraitures by Pamela Davis Kivelson, music by the Ab Menon Jazz Sextet, a silent auction, and dinner on the lawn by Catherine Venturini of Olive & Vine. Lexy will perform at 8 p.m.

Olive & Vine’s menu, to be served at three varied stations to afford everyone choices, will include loads of appetizers such as Niman Ranch pork belly on a sea salt cracker, herbed goat cheese and cherry tomato tartlets, chilled shrimp with celery root salad, and open-faced Kobe sirloin sliders.

Dinner itself will feature Laura Chenel cheeses, roast Sonoma County pig, farro salad, Waldorf salad with pink lady apples, grilled lamb chops, Provençal eggplant, heirloom tomatoes, grilled local salmon, lots of grilled and raw veggies, such as asparagus, artichokes and radishes and fresh fruits with biscotti, cookies, shortcakes and mini chocolate soufflé cakes.

$250 single tickets, $500 patron tickets, the latter includes reserved seating for performance. 5:30 p.m. 3443 Warm Springs Road, Glen Ellen. Reservations at svma.org/freshpaint.

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Sondra Bernstein’s Suite D on Schellville Road off Eighth Street East will offer buffet brunches on May 31, June 7, Father’s Day on June 21, with morning mimosas, Balsamic bloody Marys and Bellini cocktails available ($5).

Watch for morning buns, croissants, Kouign-amann, and biscuits; fruit salad, hard boiled eggs, house-cured charcuteries and artisan cheeses; duck confit hash, quiche Lorraine, spinach frittata, spiced apple pancakes, stuffed French toast, potatoes, house-cured bacon and ham and chicken sausage patties; fresh juices; coffee and tea included. Cannot wait to try this. $35. Seatings start at 10 a.m. 21800 Schellville Road, Sonoma. Tickets at figsuited.com.

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Next week, Bernstein will host an interesting seven-course “Friends that Roam” winemaker dinner on Saturday, May 30, at Suite D featuring the fine food of executive chef John Toulze and the elegant fine wines of France’s Rhône region including those of Cote Rotie, Saint-Joseph, and Condrieu. Several of Bernstein’s French friends will mingle and guests can get a vicarious total Rhône experience.

Bernstein calls these friends, whom she visits annually, “Rhône Rockstars,” aka François Villard and Yves Vuilleron, who will serve wines on Suite D’s patio to accompany passed hors d’oeuvres and music by Amber Snider.

Dinner will include roasted carrot salad, pan-seared day boat scallops, various pork charcuteries, pancetta-wrapped rabbit confit, medallions of elk, and grilled pineapple with brown butter cake and lemon semifreddo. $130 inclusive. 6:30 p.m. 21800 Schellville Rd., Sonoma. Tickets at figsuited.com.

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Beltane Ranch welcomes guests to celebrate their 123rd year on Saturday, June 6, with the release of its sixth annual sauvignon blanc, accompanied by elegant and rustic surroundings, great food, and interesting people.

In fact, Forbes Magazine rated Beltane Ranch as one of its top four farm stays in the United States, so this is a rare chance for locals to experience life at Beltane where everything is grown organically. Occasionally we can purchase their fabulous beef at Sonoma Market or eat their hamburgers at Breakaway Café.

According to Lauren Benward Krause, house chef Lauren Kershner will prepare crab salad in wonton cups, barbecued pork sliders with aged goat cheese, and truffled white bean puree on crostini with fried rosemary. The Glen Elle Fire Department will barbecue oysters until they and we all drop.

Speaking of rosemary, Beltane grande dame Rosemary Wood, bright, blue-eyed (and bright-blue-eyed) matriarch of the Wood-Benward-Krause family, created a lovely block and block print of the home in the 1970s and still attends these events.

Her late good friend and neighbor, M.F.K. Fisher, introduced us several times in the 1980s and Rosemary is just as sharp as she was then. $45 public, free to wine club members. 4 to 7 p.m. Advance purchase required at 833-4233, Ext. 102, wine@beltaneranch.com or at brownpapertickers.com.

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Mayo Family Winery celebrates 10 years of serving food and wine pairings, purportedly the first winery in Sonoma Valley to do so. Winery president Jeff Mayo and chef Clayton Lewis just introduced a new menu pairing seven food tastes with seven wines, including “ceviche, Salsiccia, a spring bouquet, Basant Chatpati, lamb coronet, teas’d duck, and butternut cream” dessert, all paired with various wines from neighbors and friends and presented at its Reserve Room.

Mayo Family wines are sold exclusively at its tasting room, one of founder Henry Mayo’s original innovative moves. $40. 9200 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood. Make reservations at 833-5504 or at mayofamilywinery.com/Reserve-Room.

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This just in:

Hot Box Grill in Boyes Hot Springs has been sold and will become Sonoma Seafood soon. Hot Box is offering 25 to 30 percent discounts on the food that is still on the menu. Paula Vella says she will miss the duck fat fries.