Kathleen Hill: Glen Ellen Village Fair, and other foodie news from around Sonoma

The annual Glen Ellen Village Fair rolls through, you guessed it, Glen Ellen this Sunday, Oct. 11 with the procession dubbed the “Glen Aliens” parade. Wear your worst alien costume or mask, or don’t.

The fabulous one-block parade starts at noon, so get there early.

There will be plenty of food from Aunt Betty’s Corn Dogs, Glen Ellen Fire Department, Montello Fine Foods, Got Balls Meatballs, Bloomfield Bees Honey, Pinky’s Old fashioned Cotton Candy and its brother Java Wagon, Mommy Yammy’s, Rancho Viejo, Yeti and Wolf House. Enjoy lots of other booths featuring locally handmade crafts of all kinds, tons of kids games, and a generally robust and funky small town event. I hope the VW Bug folks are there again. Theirs were way pre-cheating-on-emissions-tests VWs.

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Phew! What a couple of weekends here in little Sonoma.

Two weeks ago we had the Valley of the Moon Vintage Festival, which kicked off with its Friday night party behind the barracks, where wine flowed and food got gobbled. Most food purveyors supplied sobering substantive tastes that included the Basque Boulangerie’s pancetta with avocado and cream cheese mousse or ratatouille on crostini; Saddles Steakhouse’s prime rib and onion confit club; Murphy’s British bangers, Maya’s tasty pollo pibil; Supreme Sweets’ (formerly Occasional Cakes) cookies and chocolate mousse; Mary’s pesto penne pasta; Palms Grill’s sliders on old fashioned spongy white buns; and Vineburg Deli’s tri-tip sliders.

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Sonoma Music Festival, the reborn creation of Bruce Cohn’s fundraising charity music weekend, which he organized along with Michael Coats, was a blast that brought slightly aging big-name stars to play music on the Field of Dreams off First Street West. Folks at SOS’s The Haven found themselves right in the middle of the stars’ trucks and trailers and a whole musical weekend. Michael Coats emceed the event, which brought in thousands for Bruce Cohn’s favorite charities.

Since most of the crowd was “slightly aging” as well, we all had a great time. Ringo Starr came on stage initially in a loose-fitting open red blazer, black T-shirt and black pants. The members of his All-Starr Band were fabulous, including Toto’s Steve Lukather, Mr. Mister’s Richard Page, original Santana singer Gregg Rolie, Todd Rundgren, and nearly unbelievable drummer Gregg Bissonette.

Local vendors stole the food show with Rocket’s sensational wonton soup loaded with wonton, cabbage, green onions, carrots, and (Chef Rob Larman says) ginger, Tips Tri-Tips Trolley chili with homemade cornbread, and ever-popular Mary’s Pizza with Caesar salad.

Congratulations to all. I don’t know how Bruce Cohn and Michael Coats will top this one for the music festival’s 30th anniversary next year, but some attendees have suggested adding a female band. Heard “Joan Jett” several times as a suggestion.

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Sonoma Overnight Support presents its annual Tea on Saturday, Oct. 10 at Burlingame Hall to raise funds for SOS and its future crisis home for women and children. Obviously, women and children suddenly without a safe home can encounter difficulties sharing space with men at the SOS shelter. Since I am on the committee, I can say “we” are trying to find a suitable location to house women and children in extreme need.

Bring your favorite teapot and wear your most outrageous hat (if you want to) for contests and prizes. $25. Tables and sponsorships welcomed. 1 to 3 p.am. 252 W. Spain St. RSVP by Oct. 3 to 939-6777.

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Calling all chocolate fans: Alice Medrich, queen of chocolate cuisine in the United States, will give a demonstration class Saturday, Oct. 10 at Ramekins Culinary School. From her newest book, the “Guittard Chocolate Cookbook,” Medrich will show us how to make chocolate truffles with extra virgin olive oil, a chocolate twig basket, a hazelnut and chocolate tweed tort, chocolate budino sundaes and double decadence cookies.

Attendees will taste various chocolates while Medrich discusses styles of chocolate, what the percentages mean and how they impact dessert recipes, what’s happening in the world of fine chocolate, and choosing and using chocolate and cocoa. $125 includes book and all tastes. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 450 W. Napa St., Sonoma. Reserve quickly at 933-0450 or ramekins.com.

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If you are seeing Sivas-Sonoma banners around, apparently Don Sebastiani discovered that, way back, Sivas was the original word for the Sebastiani name. According to the Sebastiani website, “the name Sivas (SEA-vis) is the modern-day Turkish derivation of ‘Sebasteia,’ the city named for Emperor Augustus 2,000 years ago, and the historical origin of our surname.”

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Nibs & Sips:

Nima Sherpa is making real progress with his Sonoma Grille fish and steak house where Meritage used to be. He really gutted the place, which it needed, and has brought in all new professional tile and lots more to upgrade the building. He’s hoping to open by Nov. 1, but restaurant openings never happen when planned. Lots of inspections and inspectors … Apparently, Fort Bragg is reconsidering its proposal to ban real plates, glasses and silverware – in favor of paper and plastics as a drought-tolerant alternative – after protests from restaurants … Chow Fun fans will rejoice in knowing that Sam Wo, the fabled Chinatown dive known for its testy waiter, the late Edsel Ford Fung – not to mention its dumbwaiter that shuttles food and dishes from floor to floor, and for being closed down in 2012 by the San Francisco Health Department at its previous (100 years) location – will rise again at 713 Clay St. in the former Anna Bakery. Owners Sam Ho, his daughter Julie, and Steven Lee will reopen the joint on Oct. 19. Yay.

The Olive Press just won three more double-gold medals, two golds and three silvers at the 2015 Sonoma County Harvest Fair. The double-golds went to their Sevillano, Clementine and Line, while the Blood Orange and Jalapeno won silver.

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Catch Japanese food expert Nancy Singleton Hashisu and “Top Chef” Brooke Williamson on “The Kathleen Hill Show” this morning, Friday, Oct. 9 at 10 to 11 a.m. on KSVY-91.3 FM or ksvy.org.

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Sonoma Mission Gardens has again gifted all 11 of our public school gardens with flats of fall vegetables. They have loads of saffron crocus available if you would like to raise your own good fortune with beautiful saffron, known as “King of the Spices.”

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Flapjacks will flip at the Al Mazza Fire Station next Sunday, Oct. 18. The Spanish translation for the open house and pancake feast makes total sense as well: Puertas Abiertas and Desayuno de Hotcakes, all to raise funds to support our local fire departments.

There will be a Halloween costume contest (kids under 12 at 11 a.m.), lots of demonstrations, fire engine rides, face painting, balloons, jumpy houses, coloring contests, child safety info, and loads of pancakes, eggs and meats. A bargain and fun at $6 adults, $5 seniors, $4 children 5 to 12, and free for ages 4 and under. 630 Second St. W., Sonoma. More info at 996-2102.

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Sondra Bernstein has added an “All Saints Eve Pop-up Dinner” at her Suite D on Friday, Oct. 30 since the Halloween dinner sold out. Expect scary treats from the kitchen, roasted carrot and parsnip salad with gnocchi, butternut squash and brown butter sauce, cider-braised short ribs with scalloped potato gratin and Brussels sprouts and bacon (vegetarian option if pre-ordered), and “Sweet Bones,” Halloween candy ice cream sandwiches, and caramel apples. $50. No corkage. 6:30 p.m. 21800 Schellville Road. 933-3667.

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Bon appétit !