Kathleen Hill: Fig Cafe re-opens, Glen Ellen in Sunset, and more...

Late breaking:|

Late breaking:

Sondra Bernstein and John Toulze hosted a jubilant crowd Wednesday evening to introduce the new cheerful design of their fig café in Glen Ellen. And what fun it is!

Ryan Barr guided the remodel that features a row of comedic light fixtures crossing the ceiling, a new raised metal community table under the lights, and low showcase walls that divide work spaces.

Fig café features a “plat du jour” three-course dinner, Toulze’s chicken livers from Estate restaurant, his new Parker Rolls with fennel seed, refreshing fries with tarragon aioli (or smoked tomato catsup), pizzas, cauliflower soup, crispy-but-cooked Brussels sprouts, steamed mussels, Mt. Lassen trout, roasted half chicken, a pot roast just like my grandmother’s, steak and frites, and a top sirloin burger on a house-baked sesame bun with a “secret sauce” among many other specialties. No corkage still rules.

In the crowd feasting were Kate Eilertsen and Michael Muscardini, Gary Saperstein, Bill Blum, Manuel Merjil and Paul Curreri, Ray Snyder, Patti Britton who designed Bernstein’s figalicious graphics, Andrea Koweek and Moaya Scheiman of Crisp Bakeshop, Nicole Abaté-Ducarroz, sister Lynn Abaté Johnson and mother Rosemary, Craig Miller and Tim Farfan of Sonoma Hotel, Harvest Home and Fat Pilgrim, and other friends and guests from the wine and hospitality industries.

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G.I. Joe’s veterans lounge (bar) hosts its grand opening tonight, Jan. 23 at the Sonoma Valley Veterans Memorial Building on First Street West in Sonoma, sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Bear Flag Post 1943. Vice Commander John Gray says the lounge is decorated with historic artifacts and will be open Fridays from 4 to 10 p.m. for veterans and their guests, with proof of veteran status required. Shucks.

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The Last Wednesday Food Group meets next Wednesday, Jan. 28, at Readers’ Books. Steve Sando of Rancho Gordo beans will speak about his two books, “Supper at Rancho Gordo” and the popular “Heirloom Beans: Recipes from Rancho Gordo.” Guests are invited to bring tastes to share, but there are no requirements. Free. 7 p.m. 129 E. Napa St., Sonoma. 939-1779.

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Don’t miss Chef Linda Carucci’s culinary tribute to the late great Charlie Trotter and his famous Chicago restaurant Sunday, Feb. 1, at Ramekins Culinary School. Learn to make Trotter’s shaved fennel salad, braised beef short ribs, horseradish puree, parsleyed shallots, and chocolate pudding cake. Hands-on. $95. 3 to 6 p.m. 450 W. Napa St., Sonoma. Ramekins.com

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Chef Kelly McCown of Goose & Gander in Napa will teach you to find and cook wild and foraged ingredients on Thursday, Jan. 29, at Ramekins while you learn to make mushroom strudel with stinging nettles, Black Trumpet mushrooms with Dungeness crab gratin, persimmon and vineyard greens, and Candy Cap mushroom bread pudding. Hands-on. $95. 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. 450 W. Napa St., Sonoma. Ramekins.com

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The Graywood Ranch in Kenwood has been sold by Save Mart Supermarkets (Lucky’s) and its CEO and Chairman Robert Piccinini, a big supporter of Sonoma Raceway, to Oceanwide Holdings of Beijing. It will soon to be known as Tohigh Property Investment, according to Alec Peters of the Kenwood Press. Going price: about $40 million.

A 50-room hotel and spa and a 125-seat restaurant with 11 residential lots and a 10,000-case winery were approved in 2004 by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. Auberge Resorts, led by Claude Rouas and Bob Harmon (Auberge du Soleil and El Dorado Hotel & Kitchen locally), had toyed with the idea of developing the property on the east side of Highway 12 across from Lawndale Road in Kenwood.

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The February, 2015 issue of Sunset magazine includes a two-page feature on “Discover” Glen Ellen.

The story includes flattering remarks about the redone Olea Hotel, formerly Glenelly Inn, now owned by Ashish Patel. It specifically mentions executive chef Khambay Porterkhamsy’s “artfully plated eggs with seasonal fruit, paired with house granola and homemade chai,” Quarryhill Botanical Garden, “a 25-acre sanctuary for exotic and endangered plants from Asia,” the dynamic biodynamic Benziger Family Winery, Lasseter Family Winery (tastes by appointment only), and Jack London State Historic Park.

The only restaurant mentioned is the Veronese/Alioto family’s Aventine Glen Ellen, which is doing very well and has a fabulous sounding Masi wine pairing dinner coming up on Thursday, Feb. 5. There are several other good restaurants in Glen Ellen such as Glen Ellen Inn, fig cafe, Olive & Vine, Yeti, Jack London Saloon and Garden Court Cafe, the latter for breakfast and lunch. Glen Ellen Star also gets lots of attention but wasn’t in the Sunset story.

Congratulations to all and let’s remember to visit all of those trying to make a living in Glen Ellen.

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There are just eight tickets left for the Jan. 31 Feast of the Olive where you will enjoy food by some of 18 local chefs will be cooking dinner, each course involving olives from Sante, Glen Ellen Star, Cafe La Haye, Aventine, the girl & the fig, Burgers & Vine, Olive & Vine, Saddles, Crisp Bakeshop, Carneros Caves, Depot Hotel, El Dorado Kitchen, La Salette, Shiso, Ramekins and The Epicurean Connection. Abundant local wine is included, with many winemakers attending. $175. 6 p.m. 450 W. Spain St., Sonoma. Reservations at 996-1090, ext. 108.

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Frank Figone, owner of Figone Olive Oil, is closing his Kenwood store in the Smothers’ building and moving to Sonoma Plaza and the storefront that most recently housed Charles Creek Winery’s tasting room.

Tapping on his family’s olive groves, Figone previously milled and sold his olive oil in Jack London Village where he moved into the space originally occupied by Ed Stolman’s and Deborah Rogers’ The Olive Press, now long vacant. The Olive Press is now ensconced with Jacuzzi Family Winery south of Sonoma and is owned by Fred and Nancy Cline, whose family owns Cline Cellars and Jacuzzi. Deborah Rogers moved on to McEvoy Ranch.

Figone’s “sales room” on First Street West will offer olive oil tastes, ceramics and skin products, the latter part of his “Three Sisters Grove beauty line,” named for daughters Alexandra, Francesca and Sofia. Guests will be able to taste olive oils, marinated peppers, roasted tomatoes and a full olive bar.

Locals only (you have to show Marin or Sonoma I.D.) will be able to get and refill half liter for full liter bottles of four selections of olive oils. ($35 to $40.)

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Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) launches a new SRJC Wine Classic on Sunday, Feb. 8, in an effort to connect or re-connect SRJC with the community, alumnae, wine students and winemakers and introduce wine education.

The brainchild of St. Francis Winery president Chris Silva, who proposed it to JC president Frank Chong in December 2013, the idea developed into Silva becoming chair of the SRJC Wine Studies Advisory Board. This inaugural year’s Honorary co-chairs will be Richard Thomas and Joe Martin.

“All proceeds will benefit SRJC Wine, Culinary Arts and Hospitality students and student scholarships,” according to Silva.

Silva knows where he comes from: Sonoma County. He worked bagging groceries at Petrini’s Market in Santa Rosa all through high school, as a lawyer taught classes at SRJC, chaired the board of trustees of Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, and now serves as CEO of St. Francis Winery, which achieved national culinary honors under former chef David Bush, now chef/owner of OSO in downtown Sonoma.

The event will include a walk-around reception featuring 60 wines from 30 wineries with a waiting list of more wineries willing to fill in any cancellations, lots of food tastes, live music and free parking, all to help JC students. $55 must be over 21. 2 to 5 p.m. SRJC’s Bertolini Hall. Tickets online at srjcwineclassic.com.

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Speaking of St. Francis Winery, its annual “Sonoma Tastemakers” series starts on Saturday, Jan. 31, to celebrate ”the best of Made in Sonoma products” paired with the winery’s artisan wines.

Bloomfield Organics will launch the first tasting next Saturday with samples of their organic vegetables, pasture-raised eggs, and herbs from western Sonoma County, where you can “U-Pick” or get their veggies via their CSA. Costeaux French Bakery of Healdsburg comes on Saturday, Feb. 28, and Laura Chenel’s Chevre on March 28. All events free. 1 to 3 p.m. stfranciswinery.com.

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Tom and Julie Atwood hosted a delightful Barn Party at their Atwood Ranch on a recent Sunday with loads of local food and wine producers, professionals with whom she deals in her events and charitable activities, and several proud members of the Cha Chas (Children’s Home Auxiliary). Adam Traum and friends played foot-lifting ranch music all afternoon.

Guests brought either non-perishable foods for Food for Thought or socks and mittens for Valley of the Moon Children’s Home. Wine flowed freely and Firefly, the catering arm of Rocker Oysterfeller’s in Valley Ford did a spectacular job of catering casual food.

Maureen Cottingham and nearly born baby, Lori McGovern, Alis Arrowood, Marchelle and Curt Carleton, Manuel Merjil and Paul Curreri, Paula Parks, Barbara Adams, Nancy Lang and many others all were greeted at the door by Tomales Bay Oysters on the half shell, butternut squash and apple soup or cauliflower and Mt. Tam Triple Cream Bisque with dungeness crab and bacon, flat iron steak sliders, mini fried chicken filets on buttermilk biscuits, Marin French Cheese Brie with Pink Lady Apples griddled on raisin pecan bread, Hands Full Farm deviled eggs, and sweet potato chips with rosemary and sea salt. The sugar and pumpkin donuts and warm caramel corn with cashews and Marcona almonds were divine. Can hardly wait for the next one.

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Harvest Moon Cafe celebrated its ninth anniversary on First Street West this month, as relayed by loyal customer and fan, Carl MacPetrie.

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Cody Williams, Sonoma Valley Unified School District’s food service program manager and fireball, was just named to the Child Nutrition Advisory Council (CNAC), which he says “supports the State Board of Education by providing proactive leadership in health and nutrition for California’s youth including guidelines for school and child car meal service and nutrition education programs.”

As the only “civilian” on the hiring committee for our food services program manager, I am proud of Williams, all he has done to work with our school gardens and local farmers, and how he has changed our school food programs and got students to like new nutritious food. Congratulations, Cody.

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Since I don’t memorize television schedules, I was delightfully surprised to find a very pleasant and hilarious “British Baking” show on KQED at 8 p.m. Sunday, just before “Downton Abby.” The British Bakers and their judges are much more genteel and sensitive to others than are their equivalents on American competitive cooking shows. Do watch. Lots to learn.

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Chef Andrew Wilson has left Carneros Bistro at The Lodge at Sonoma for Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen on Healdsburg Avenue in Healdsburg. The job was open since chef Dustin Valette took over the closed Zin restaurant space in the same town. Musical kitchen stools, eh? Hopefully every move is a step up for each person.

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Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers are shuffling chairs slightly while Executive Director Maureen Cottingham is on maternity leave. Taylor Serres moves to work on Winery Relations Manager for Sonoma Wine Country Weekend. Kelsea Albrecht is the new SVVGA Marketing & Events Coordinator, having worked most recently at Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards and Michael Mina Restaurant after graduating in communications from San Francisco State. Great for both and for Sonoma Valley.

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Juicy Fruit gum will soon advertise again on television for the first time in 10 years. To re-introduce its original gum flavor and brand, Wrigley’s really reaches for the dignity stars with two guys in a gym locker room chewing so hard to suck out the Juicy Fruit flavor that they have to communicate via “arm farts” and “zippers,” according to the Chicago Tribune.

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Ran out of room again and will save Le Guilde des Fromagers luncheon for next week.

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