Kathleen Hill: Glen Ellen food scene and news from coronavirus-plagued Italy

Matthew Nagan reports from Lucca, Italy

As many of you know, Matthew Nagan sold his Schellville Grill a month ago or so to Jordan Kivelstadt and moved to his home and inn near Lucca, Italy. Many Sonomans have rented his house there for vacations.

A week ago, he was posting photos of inexpensive and delicious sounding menus of small restaurants in Lucca and partying in Milan and back 'home' near Lucca. Here are some of his posts from this week, barely edited. Those of you who know Matt recognize his language and also have known him not to be scared by anything.

Sunday:

'Now they are shutting down towns and people cannot go outside till they can get things contained. Ten towns in the north crazy. Restaurants and hotels shutting down in Milan so many you can't count. I went to Chianti no one on the roads.

'My friend Giuseppe, 75, that lives a mile away just got the virus at his house. He hosted a dinner party and a guy from Norway gave it to him. Everything here is closed today; so scary no one on the roads. Look at the fotos I sent ya it's really bad here.'

Monday morning:

'My friend Giuseppe is now in intensive care in the hospital in Lucca.'

'We just heard that we will know by Friday if Lucca is in a Red Zone. I'm planning on getting out of here now.'

'I am leaving for a week, two weeks in Portugal now.'

Marlena Spieler reports from England

Marlena Spieler, a 25-year food columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle and prolific cookbook author who now lives in England, emailed: 'The only thing in the world that I am sure of is this: delicious tomatoes will get us through the pandemic. And good pasta. And good beans. I self-isolated when I got back from Italy for two weeks... if we get quarantined I will be ready. Our Brexit stash is now our pandemic stash. We will be OK unless we get seriously ill with the virus. Otherwise we will just become well-fed hermits.'

Spieler, Chinese food expert Carolyn Phillips of Oakland, and photographer Diane Leach of Berkeley all appeared on my KSVY radio show and made turkey meatballs and tomato sauce in my Sonoma kitchen a few months ago.

MFK Fisher 'Last House' event postponed

Last House executive director Susie Allen sent out the following notice on Monday to the chefs who had agreed to prepare delectables from MFK Fisher's book, 'With Bold Knife and Fork,' for their Audubon Canyon Ranch April 4 fundraiser.

'We have been thrilled with the amazing response and support from the community for our upcoming Last House event. However, with information continuing to come out about the spread of Covid-19, and out of an abundance of caution, Audubon Canyon Ranch has made the decision to postpone the April 4 event at Bouverie Preserve to a later date yet to be determined.

'We are very disappointed to do this, particularly given the continuing work on improvements to the house in preparation for events honoring MFK Fisher, community building, good food, conservation and literature.'

Ramekins Easter Brunch canceled

Ramekins Culinary School has cancelled its annual Easter Brunch due to registration and logistics considerations, according to the culinary school.

Good news for restaurants

In my second survey of restaurants within two weeks regarding the effect of coronavirus on their business, those restaurant owners who responded seemed to be doing well and are grateful for all of the locals coming in to dine. Those that have inns or rooms attached have noticed room reservations canceled, particularly for corporate meetings that have either curbed or cut out staff travel. Williams-Sonoma and Costco have both had to eliminate free samples, and Williams-Sonoma has eliminated staff travel.

With most large events canceled this month and maybe next due to the coronavirus, we are trying to give you some food events to look forward to when this crisis is over.

Terroir to Table at Ram's Gate

Ram's Gate Winery will host an unusual Terroir to Table four-course feast based on local farmers' and purveyors' products, all matched with Ram's Gate wines on Sunday, March 29.

First will come a rhubarb, shaved kohlrabi, mixed baby lettuces, buffalo Mozzarella, pistachio salad and shiso vinaigrette, served with their 2017 chardonnays from their estate vineyard and from Hyde vineyard. Next look forward to miso-cured salmon, English pea broth, Dorati tomatoes, Tokyo turnips and squid ink matzo balls, paired with their 2017 pinot noir from Bush Crispo Vineyard.

The main course will be grilled lamb loin, smoked lamb belly, morel mushrooms, radicchio, green garlic, Amarosa potatoes, nori crisps and caraway mustard cream with 2017 syrah from Hyde Vineyard, all capped off with cardamom coconut cake, caramelized pineapple mousse, pineapple gelée, chamomile, a sugar cookie and green almonds with their 2018 Estate Sauvi-gnon Blanc. $165 members, $185 guests. 5 to 8 p.m. RSVP by March 20. Call 721-8700.

Pink Saturday

Wearing his 'Out in the Vineyard' hat, Gary Saperstein just announced that his annual hilarious Pink Saturday gay afternoon, will move to Viansa Sonoma winery on Saturday, May 2. Once again the event will benefit Positive Images, a group that supports LGBTQ youth in Sonoma County.

Guests of all persuasions dress up in pink, some subtle and some outrageous, for the occasion. This year will bring a hot DJ spinning tunes, light bites, and lots of pink Viansa wines as you walk up the pink carpet.

Jon Sebastiani's Sonoma Brands bought a minority stake in Vintage Wine Estates to bring Viansa back into the family fold. His parents, Vicki and Sam Sebastiani, founded the winery in 1989. Eventually Jon became president of Viansa at age 23. Since then it has been through three owners, culminating in Pat Roney's Vintage Wine Estates and Jon Sebastiani's Sonoma Brands. Chris Sebastiani is general manager. Vintage Wine Estates now owns about 40 wineries and keeps Viansa's original commitment to environmental preservation.

Saperstein told me, 'I am very excited to find a beautiful space for this event. It was such a success last year and it can be even bigger and better in this space with the stunning vistas up at Viansa!' $75. Tickets at outinthevineyard.com.

Bodega Bay Fisherman's Festival

This is an ultimate food festival on the west coast honoring our local fishing industry featuring all sorts of seafood, food trucks, beer and wine, craft booths, art show and sale, spareribs, a Kids Zone and pet parade, rescue demonstrations, wooden boat building, and a Sunday Blessing of the Fleet. All on the weekend of May 2 and 3.

$13 to $32, Kids free. Two-day pass $25. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Westside Regional Park, 2400 Westshore Road, Bodeda Bay. bbfishfest.org.

José Andrés to feed travelers on cruise ship

José Andrés, the Nobel Peace prize nominated restaurateur and humanitarian who has fed the hungry after disasters all over the world include victims of the 2017 wildfires, is rushing to feed the travelers stuck for a few more days on the Princess cruise ship landed in Oakland. Here is his observation and suggestion by Twitter:

'The USNS Mercy and the USNS Comfort the hospital ships should be used on both coasts to transfer the sick from the cruise ships. Healthy individuals can come to shore. Also food should only be prepared outside the Ships... I cannot believe we still don't have a protocol in place.'

P.S. Happy Friday the 13th.

Be well.