Kathleen Hill: Super Bowl foods, Indian restaurant changes hands, and more

Food news from around the Valley.|

Super Bowl food super?

Here comes the Super Bowl again. Whether you care or not.

Just in case it's news to you, the teams playing on Sunday, Feb. 3, will be the Los Angeles Rams and the New England Patriots from the Boston area, playing their hearts and bodies out at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

Believe it or not, some ticket holders go for the food, just as do fans of car races and county fairs.

We are not suggesting these foods are either super or come in bowls, but they are real Super Bowl foods.

To those who attend games or performances at Oracle Arena in Oakland or AT&T Park in San Francisco, soon to be called Oracle, the 2019 Super Bowl food concession prices will downright shock you and have you weeping.

Regular refillable sodas, bottles of water, pretzels and hot dogs cost only $2; nachos with cheese, waffle fries and slices of pizza are just $3. A souvenir soda cup with refills is just $4, and draft beer and cheeseburgers only cost $5, while a basket of chicken tenders with fries goes for $6.

Rams and Patriots regional specialties

In case you are planning a Super Bowl party for one or more, here are some regional specialties from USA Today that you might want to emulate.

Los Angeles French dip vs. New England lobster rolls; L.A. chicken and waffles vs. New England Dunkin' donuts; L.A. ramen vs. Boston creamy clam chowder; L.A. specialty donuts vs. Boston Cream Pie; and L..A. In-N-Out Burger vs. Papa Gino's in Boston area.

At home: You might stick to a big bowl of popcorn you can flavor variously from garlic to truffle salt or chili powder and butter (or not); sliders with slices of meat or vegetables in soft two-bite size 'Hawaiian' rolls, garlic bread with pizza toppings, nachos, dips from old fashioned Lipton onion soup to clams; and guacamole and chips or celery sticks. Lots of raw veggies are always good.

'History of See's Candies' exposed

Ever wonder if the See's candies ladies can still smell or taste See's candies?

Get the whole sweet story today, Feb. 1 at 10:30 a.m. at Vintage House. See's Candy Field Sales Representative Stephanie Edgerton will tell the whole story, the founding of the company in 1921 by Canadians Charles See and his mother in Pasadena and Los Angeles, and how it made it through the Great Depression and World War II, all accompanied by lots of free candy samples.

Vintage House will be selling See's candy to raise funds for its free transportation program for seniors at 264 First St. E., Sonoma.

Sonoma Market offers boxes of See's candies to benefit Stand By Me Mentoring Alliance.

Sheana Davis popup store

Sheana Davis will have a pop-up store at Cook Vineyard Management, Friday, Feb. 1. She will sell quarts of chorizo black bean chili ($12 a quart), goat milk brie and Delice de la Vallee cheeses from noon to 3 p.m.

Super Bowl Sunday breakfasts

Check out the Springs Community Hall pancake breakfast Sunday, Feb. 3.

Chef Sean Paxton, aka homebrewchef.com, will create the breakfast menu for the second time.

Seasonal frittata with local eggs, Paul's Produce leeks, onions, potatoes, Oak Hill Farms Delicata squash, kale pesto and Straus milk; and Bloody Mary infused sausage made from ground pork shoulder, caramelized onions, mole and roasted garlic.

Try Paxton's buttermilk pancakes with freshly milled flour (a tradition at this breakfast), buttermilk, local eggs and vanilla, served with mulling spiced honey infused maple syrup and orange bourbon butter. Paxton might also throw in a pancake inspired by the Rams' and Patriots' regional flavors. Bloody Mary mix available. BYOB. $12 adults, $6 children, coffee and juice included. 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. 18627 Highway 12, Boyes Hot Springs. 935-1322.

And catch the Knights of Columbus monthly community breakfast in Father Robert's Hall this Sunday, Feb. 3 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Aunt Momo's Catering will offer fresh ricotta doughnuts, which are included in the price.

Check out their scrambled eggs, sausages, pancakes and French toast, country potatoes, fresh fruit, coffee, tea, juice and hot chocolate. $10 adults, $5 kids 12 and under, $25 family of two adults and kids. Breakfast to go as well. 469 Third St. W., Sonoma. 996-6759.

Don Landis' Olive Odyssey is back

Don Landis, 'The Olive Guy,' hosts his annual olive celebration on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 9 and 10 at Jacuzzi Family Winery and the Olive Press. Enjoy olives, olive oil tastes, food tastes, talk to growers and experts, listen to Italian music, and get a 15 percent discount on Jacuzzi Family wines.

If you have questions or want to display your olives and products, contact Landis at 829-0497. Free, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. anoliveodyssey.com.

Chinese Sister Cities luncheon

Tickets for Sonoma's elegant Chinese Sister Cities Penglai committee luncheon at Jacuzzi Family winery on Sunday, Feb. 16 are still for sale at the Sonoma Community Center at 276 E. Napa St., Sonoma, or by calling 938-4626, ext. 1, or at sonomacommunitycenter.org. $88 for several courses to benefit the construction of a 'ting' in Depot Park to recognize the role of Chinese labor in building some Sonoma County wineries.

Holy guacamole – avocado shortage?

Looking forward to that guacamole?

Most of the avocados we get at this time of year are from Michoacán in Mexico.

It turns out there might be an avocado shortage because of a gasoline shortage in Mexico, possibly threatening farmers' ability to transport avocados to the U.S. Part of this shortage could be attributed to gasoline line breaks and thefts of petroleum by gangs and desperate locals.

And then there was an avocado growers' strike in Mexico, as well as a drought in the areas where avocados are grown.

Add it all up, and we found small avocados last weekend at $1.49 each at Sonoma Market and Whole Foods Sonoma, and medium to larger ones approaching $3.

More avocados

Some locals complain that avocados in grocery stores feel right but are spoiled when they cut into them, even the same day of purchase.

Many of us touch avocados to judge for ourselves whether they will be ripe the day we want them to be. Because everyone squeezes them, hopefully softly, I always recommend washing them before cutting into them.

The trouble for many of us is that they might feel hard, and therefore not ready, and never actually soften, or are brownish inside however they feel.

The California Avocado Association has some concrete suggestions of how to select an avocado. Of course they recommend we buy California avocados. But they are not always available and many are coming from Mexico and Peru.

The association also advises to 'squeeze the avocado with the palm of your hand instead of with your fingers.' How do you do that?

Karen Waikiki of El Molino Central, which makes some of the best guacamole on earth, says she keeps avocados in the refrigerator. Of course she always knows where her avocados have come from and how to handle them. So I tried her technique and it works.

Valentine dessert pop up

Suite D will offer a special pop-up to offer lots of Valentine's goodies such as heart-shaped chocolate sandwiches, chocolate chunk cookies with sea salt, strawberry or 'funfetti' petite cupcakes, sweetheart macarons in either raspberry rose or salted caramel chocolate, and a duet cake for two of chocolate/raspberry or almond/strawberry flavors.

All of these should be ordered ahead and can be picked up at Suite D on Feb. 13 or 14 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Order at figcaters.com/valentines and get more info at 933-3000, ext. 10. 21800 Schellville Road., Sonoma.

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