Kathleen Hill: Bakery dreams, and a doggie costume contest

Food news from around the Valley.|

Jen Demarest to open bakery – eventually

Have you had fabulous pastries or desserts at Harvest Moon Café? Or breakfast pastries, frittatas or strata at the Friday farmers market?

If you have, you can rest assured they came from the hands of pastry chef Jen Demarest, co-owner with husband Nick Demarest of Sonoma's Harvest Moon Café on First Street West and a volunteer firefighter with the Kenwood Fire Department.

Like her husband, Jen is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, where she and Nick met. They ventured off and worked on a biodynamic farm in upstate New York and then followed their culinary instincts to a private lodge in the Texas Hill Country, and then to private chef duties on the Island of Cyprus. Jen moved on to the now defunct Bay Wolf restaurant in Oakland and Le Toque in Rutherford.

After a few trips to Sonoma Jen and Nick decided to move to Sonoma and set up Harvest Moon Café in the previous location of Steiners and Sonoma Saveurs.

Now Jen is taking over the onetime Rocket and Sushinoma location to offer a full bakery and café with coffees and teas, breakfast and lunch.

But not so fast, kids. Jen Demarest said she has been waiting three months for a county building permit to remodel the interior of the space.

Let's just hope that eventually she also carries their daughter Annabelle's popsicles that we got to try a year ago at the Larson Park farmers market.

'Sourdough' at Readers' Books rescheduled to Nov. 9

Yes, there will be sourdough bread tastes, but this is about his novel called 'Sourdough' by Robin Sloan, who will read from and discuss his book 'Sourdough' on Friday, Nov. 9 at 5:30 p.m., rescheduled from tonight. This is a fun novel that brings together the San Francisco foodie scene with the tech industry. The protagonist is Lois, whose fellow techies need to leave the country because of visa problems and suffer from leaving her and their sourdough startup behind.

Sloan's first novel, 'Mr. Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore,' was a New York Times best seller and was translated to 20 languages. He and partner Kathryn Tomajian make extra virgin olive oil called Fat Gold. 5:30 p.m. for tastes, followed by Sloan reading. Free. 130 E. Napa St., Sonoma. 939-1779.

Pumpkin contest at Farmers Market

The Friday morning farmers market will hold a pumpkin decorating contest during the market on the last Friday before Halloween, Oct. 26. This is not a race like the zucchini races. This is a contest just for decorating, carved or not. Check out this morning's farmers market for any new instructions. Arnold Field/Depot Park parking lot. 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Beer and Brewing class at CVM store

Cook Vineyard Management will host John Arends and his class, 'Intro to Beer and Brewing,' on Saturday, Oct. 27. The free class will cover the history of beer, the rise of craft brewers, brewing processes, beer ingredients, an overview of beer styles and beer tasting as a reward.

According to CVM store manager Marta Springer, John Arends has been an avid homebrewer in Sonoma County for 25 years, mastering the art of home brewing after a few failed attempts, which led him to actually learn about the intricacies of brewing. Arends has won several regional and national competitions and enjoys sharing his knowledge with the others. Free. 1 to 3 p.m. 19626 Eighth St. E., Sonoma. Call 938-7917.

Larson Winery hosts Canine Costume Contest

Always welcoming dogs to their winery, the Larson family will hold a Canine Costume Contest on Sunday, Oct. 28.

Becky and Tom Larson have named wines for their dogs, such as their Three Lab Cab, and Becky always brings their dogs to Adele Harrison Middle School when her vineyard crew teaches science students how to prune and harvest grape vines at the front of the school. Plus, Larson Family Winery planted the Adele vineyard as well as the one at Valley of the Moon Children's Center, all for free.

Registration for contest entry begins at 10 a.m. (if you haven't registered, be sure to allow enough time to fill out paperwork) and the Paw Parade starts at 11 a.m. Local guest judges will crown Canine Costume Contest winners in three categories: Best Canine Costume (individual); Best Canine Group Costume (two or more dogs); Best Matching Pair (human and dog).

Two complimentary wine tastings per entry and prizes for the costume contest winners!

Check in at 10 a.m., parade at 11 a.m. Contact Kayla Berthoud at kayla@larsonfamilywinery.com for rules and entry forms.

Dress up your dog, or yourself, or neither and go. Ten percent of all wine sales will go to Pets Lifeline. 23355 Millerick Road, Sonoma. 938-3031.

Heritage Turkey Sunday Supper at Atwood Ranch

Tom and Julie Atwood, longtime supporters of the 4-H Heritage Turkey program and Slow Food Russian River, have rescued their lapsed fundraiser and will host a Heritage Turkey Sunday Supper at their Atwood Ranch in Glen Ellen on Sunday, Nov. 4.

Guests will enjoy appetizer tasting stations, a full dinner, and an auction of student-raised heritage turkeys, silent auction shopping to benefit Slow Food Russian River and Worth Our Weight, and enjoy bluegrass music by the Adam Traum Quartet and meet women in agriculture featured in Edible Marin & Wine Country.

Dinner will be in the Atwood's immaculate barn with music by jazz pianist and Glen Ellen resident Stephanie Ozer and service by A la Heart Catering with help from Maria Carillo High School culinary students.

$100 to $250. 3 to 4:30 p.m. Farmyard Reception, 5 to 7:30 p.m. Tickets at heritageturkeysupper.eventbrite.com or call 318-7526.

Glen Ellen Star pickup Thanksgiving orders

Ari Weisswasser of Glen Ellen Star offers an innovative menu for special pickup take-home Thanksgiving dinner for those who don't want to cook. Mixed chicories salad with candied pecans and shaved persimmon with Roquefort dressing; wood oven roasted Brussels sprouts; spatchcocked Willie Bird turkey with fingerling potatoes, chestnuts and gravy; sourdough stuffing with mushrooms, and mire poix; cranberry compote, maple syrup and orange zest; and apple pie and housemade vanilla maple bourbon ice cream are all in the menu package. $50 per person, minimum of eight people (minimum $400). But think about what it would cost to shop and prepare (and clean up) that dinner at home. Email reservations@glenellenstar.com before Saturday, Nov. 17. Pick up Nov. 22, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 13648 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen.

Sonoma scores in Sunday Chronicle coverage

A recent Sunday San Francisco Chronicle travel section focused on the Napa Valley and Sonoma County a year after the fires.

Janet Fletcher, former cheese columnist for the Chronicle, mentioned Sheana Davis for creating the No Pay Café and Heather Irwin of the Press Democrat and Family Meal in Santa Rosa. Morgan Twain-Peterson and his new Bedrock tasting room at Hooker House and Katie Bundschu's Abbot's Passage new enterprise were mentioned under new 'tasting.' Both are from established wine families. Beltane Ranch was included for its setting, ambiance and assistance with complicated wedding planning.

The city of Sonoma appears for bike tours around town, Anne Moller-Racke's Donum Estate for its sculpture collection, as does Hanson of Sonoma Distillery, especially for its vodkas and its new tasting room at the former site of Carneros Brewing Co.

Fire reflection from Susie Pryfogle of Tips Tri-Tips Trolleys

During last year's fires, Tips Tri-Tips Trolleys moved its two food truck trolleys from hot spot to hot spit, feeding first responders up on the fire lines, at the Cal Fire station and at the Glen Ellen fire house, and made hundreds of burritos for first responders overnight. Owner Susie Pryfogle looks back:

'As I look back one year later, my heart fills with gratitude. Going through that experience, being 'inside the barriers' and watching our first responders repeatedly put their lives on the lines for us, gave me a new appreciation of what 'first responder' really means.

'One fire chief I spoke to recently said he could have died several times during this fire. Hearing that made my heart sink. I think of the families of the first responders that are generous enough to share and sacrifice their loved ones for the greater cause.

'The devastation of homes and lives lost. Those that are now homeless and how this is all being handled, the emotional and mental issues that have risen.

'We can't carry it all so, as Mr. Rogers said, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.

'That's where we were, right on the front lines to see all those that were helping.

'I'm grateful when I look out on our mountains, and our vineyards, and at our restaurant and see healed land and I find solace in new growth and fresh beginnings.'

Amen.

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