Kathleen Hill: José Andrés feeding Ukraine refugees

As we had forecast and hoped, José Andrés has shown up suddenly in Poland on its border with Ukraine to help feed refugees escaping Vladimir Putin’s invasion, bombing, killing, and destruction.

This is the same José Andrés who showed up in the North Bay to cook for those of us who lost homes in fires. At that time, Rob Larman, Duskie Estes and Heather Irwin joined him at the stoves.

On an extended Andrea Mitchell show on MSNBC on Monday morning, Andrés said that he had been joined by Polish restaurant owners, police and firefighters, all cooking to feed the human beings trying to save themselves and each other from the Russian invasion of their hard-fought country.

That same Monday he and his professional and volunteer crew fed 10,000 refugees on the Polish side of the border, a number that increased to 25,000 by this past Tuesday.

Among the 500,000 fleeing on foot, by car, or by train to countries bordering Ukraine, Andrés mentioned feeding a group of “10 young men.” Nine of them were Polish, and one was American, all going the other way – from Poland into Ukraine – to fight to protect Ukrainians and their form of democracy from Mr. Putin.

An immigrant from Spain, Andrés has had several successful restaurants in the Washington, D.C. area. He became known worldwide when he withdrew his proposed restaurant from Donald Trump’s hotel in the old Post Office building, because of Trump’s attitudes toward certain immigrants.

G.I. Joe’s reopens Friday night

G.I. Joe’s, a gathering place (and bar) for veterans, spouses of veterans, family of veterans, and guests of veterans reopens tonight, Friday, March 4, at the Sonoma Veterans Memorial Building on First Street West.

Closed for a couple of years by COVID-19, this group and its bar offer good, basic drinks, popcorn, and a few nibbles brought by attendees.

According to veteran Craig Adryan, “There certainly is a story swap among many of the vets, with not many now from World War II, but Korea, Southeast Asia, Vietnam (like Adryan) and some of the younger generations from Afghanistan and Bosnia.”

Adryan adds that “new” memorabilia have been added to the display case, an interesting lesson in history. Free admission. Pay for drinks. 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. every Friday. 126 First St. W. Sonoma.

Community Breakfast Sunday

Pancakes are a huge tradition on Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday in New England as well as in old England.

So for the Community Breakfast this Sunday at Father Robert’s Hall on Third Street West, Aunt Momo has made a special “Irish Whiskey Caramel Sauce” to drizzle on either or both your monthly French toast or pancakes fixes. Just in case you need a little extra sugar boost.

All of that comes with the usual freshly scrambled eggs, link sausages, fruit salad, sautéed vegetables and potatoes, beignets, juices, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. Sit down or to go. $10 adults, $5 kids, $25 family with all money going to Valley of the Moon Knights of Columbus scholarships. 8 to 10:30 a.m.

Sy Lenz tribute dinner coming up

Sy Lenz, longtime community organizer and contributor, is very much alive.

Congregation Shir Shalom, of which Lenz is a founding member, will honor him with a dinner catered by Park Avenue Catering at Burlingame Hall on Saturday, March 19.

A former Alcalde of Sonoma, Lenz also helped Ligia Booker start La Luz Bilingual Center, as it was first named, and worked with both Sonoma Overnight Support (SOS) and Kiwanis of Sonoma Plaza when the latter spun off to form a lunch group instead of a cocktails and dinner club.

Park Avenue’s Chefs Bruce Riezenman and Ari Weisswasser will offer entrées of brick chicken with spicy tomato jam or a Chanterelle and fava bean tart, both of which will be accompanied by a fattoush salad with sumac vinaigrette, sugar snap peas with lemon aioli, crushed new potatoes with caper berries, pink peppercorns and roasted garlic, with a blondie bar for dessert.

Complimentary wine will be served by the Shir Shalom Men’s Club. $36. 5 p.m. 252 W. Spain St., Sonoma. For tickets visit shir-shalom.org or call Judy Miller at 978-660-3080. Proof of vaccination and booster required.

Yes, Watmaugh strawberries

People want to know…

Yes, the Watmaugh strawberries are coming back to Watmaugh and Arnold Drive.

Jane Schneider of La Chertosa Wines says they signed the lease with the Tern family back in August, and that the strawberries are planted and growing.

With no job too big or too small, La Chertosa General Manager Schneider also weed whacked the area around Arnold the Tree and proclaimed him “Standing with Ukraine,” adorned by rocks she painted blue and yellow for Ukraine and sunflowers, Ukraine’s national flower.

Serres Ranch launches new wine club

We can certainly say that no moss gathers under the Serres family. They are constantly thinking things up and making them happen.

This week they launched their first ever Serres Ranch Wine Club at a lower selection and price than many other wine clubs. Their first shipment goes out this week from the Sonoma Highway ranch.

Some of the benefits of membership in their “family” wine club include “exclusive offers and access to limited production wines; flat rate shipping with the option to pick it up, and invitations to private events and experiences at the ranch.”

Check out their Bleusé Grape & Blueberry Wine that combines two crops from Serres ranches – wine grapes and blueberries. In this case, or can, it’s a blend of Aleatico wine grapes and Duke Blueberries, of course the latter grown on a Serres Ranch near Laytonville.

And then there is Serres 2018 Buchanan, named for Buchanan “Buck” Series, which is a merlot blend that earned 92 points from James Suckling and 91 from Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

Serres has two levels of wine club memberships, so check them out at serresranchwine.com.

Larson Family Winery Limerick Contest

Larson Family Winery just launched its annual St. Patrick’s Day Limerick Contest, bringing a little normalcy back to Sonoma life.

The contest is now open. Entries must be received by Monday, March 7, to qualify for judging. Winners will be announced Friday, March 11, and awarded a prize of $150 in gift certificates available to use online or in the Larson Family Winery Tasting Room.

Two winners will be announced: one from the “Larson Limerick” category and one from the “Sonoma Wine or Sonoma Grape Limerick” category. Winning Limericks will be displayed at Larson Family Winery in Sonoma March 14 through 19 as part of the winery’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

Becky and Tom Larson and family and crew encourage locals as well as fans nationwide to enter. “Don’t rely on luck this St. Patrick’s, but rather your wit, humor and love of Larson,” suggested the Larsons.

Find the easy rules and entry form at larsonfamilywinery.com/larson-family-winery-limerick-contest/.

For more info email jphanna@larsonfamilywinery.com.

Here are the 2021 winners just for inspiration:

If only the grapes were vaccines,

We'd eradicate COVID-19

After drinking our cure

we could all rest assured

That at Larson we're living the dream

--by Daniel Duffy

There once was an inmate named Carson

Released from San Quentin for arson

He said “I did time

Where I sure missed good wine

So the first place I’m headed is Larson.”

--by Cari Pace

Prohibition Spirits introduces absinthe

Prohibition Spirits, a Sonoma distillery, is releasing Absentia, Absinthe Verte in time for National Absinthe Day this Saturday, March 5.

According to Prohibition Spirits owners Amy and Fred Groth, absinthe was originally a Swiss spirt that became popular in the 19th century when it was used by French soldiers to fight malaria and later became a fashionable spirit in Paris.

Absinthe gets its name from its primary and mysterious ingredient Wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium). In 1912, before Prohibition, the U.S. banned absinthe imports and production because of its perceived hallucinogenic effects known as the “Green Fairy.”

The ban continued until 2019 when distillers were allowed to produce absinthe legally in the U.S.

The Groths use a combination of Swiss recipes found in the 1855 book "Trait de la Fabrication des Liqueurs et de la Distillation des Alcools."

Absentia is “wildcrafted” and follows the Swiss protocol of using local ingredients. Wild roadside fennel was harvested in the summer of 2021 and distilled with Wormwood and other botanicals and then laid to rest.

Before bottling at 140 proof (70% ABV), Hyssop is used to produce an intense emerald green color. Because of the high proof, absinthe is diluted in a ceremonial process with cold water and a sugar cube before drinking. The water causes a reaction in which the absinthe changes color and turns cloudy. Absinthe tastes a bit like licorice, leading to an unusual drinking experience.

Absentia or Absinthe Verte can be explored, sampled, and purchased at Prohibition Spirits’ tasting room in the Mercato, 452 First St. E., Sonoma. Open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday. 707-933-7507.

Friday Fish Fry

Growing up Catholic, we always had fish for dinner on Fridays, but some people follow that pattern during Lent.

In deference to that custom I will never forget the slightly sickening smell of “Salmon Wiggle,” a Friday cafeteria specialty at Kensington School, a public elementary school in the hills north of Berkeley.

Not so here in Sonoma.

The Knights of Columbus are at it again, this time offering Lenten Fish-Fry Fridays on March 11 and April 8 in Father Robert’s Hall. You do not have to be Catholic or anything else to join in.

The deal is fish and chips consisting of two fried Alaskan Cod filets with French fries and coleslaw or fish tacos of fried Alaskan cod, corn tortillas, coleslaw, pico de gallo, chipotle mayo, and taco sauce. Each dish costs $15, with sides of fries for $5. Bottled beer, wine and other beverages will be available for sale. Again all funds go to Knights of Columbus scholarships. Indoor and outdoor dining available, with table reservations for eight maximum. 469 Third St. W., Sonoma. Both Fish Fries are from 5 to 7 p.m. Get tickets at the St. Francis office or at vomknights.com/events.