Kathleen Hill: Bakery on the move, Martina McBride gets cooking and more
Honey & Moon moving to Mint & Liberty
Got that?
James and Mila Chaname-Hahn expect to open Mint & Liberty on Nov. 7 and will shut their Honey & Moon bakery to move it to Mint & Liberty next week in the space formerly occupied by the Breakaway Cafe in Maxwell Village shopping center.
While everyone adjusts to these new names, Honey & Moon is the name the Hahns have used since they bought Crisp Bakeshop, retaining some of the pastry chefs, but not founder Andrea Koweek who moved on to became chef ambassador at the Girl & the Fig Caters.
According to Mila, they will 'Move HATM operations to the Mint & Liberty Diner, initially focusing on production for both restaurants,' meaning Sunflower Caffé and Mint & Liberty Diner.
Honey & Moon will close Monday, Oct. 29 to move everything to Mint & Liberty, and will be taking orders soon at the new diner.
On Thursday, Nov. 1, Sweet Pea Bakery from Napa will take over the bakeshop location. (Not to be confused with Sweetie Pies from Napa.)
To many Sonomans, the former Breakaway Cafe was a community café with character and personality (former owner Bob Rice's), good food, and reasonable and fair prices. Hopefully the new 'modern diner' will engender the same spirit.
Passagio Wines release party
Cindy Cosco, fun former cop turned owner of Passagio Wines, will release nine new 2016 red wines including her first bottling of cabernet franc and teroldego. Also grab a taste of her grenache, mourvèdre, syrah, GSM, merlot from Thomson Vineyards, her Bordeaux blend, and a petite verdot.
Cosco says she will also have 10 of her white wines on her tasting menu as well at the celebration this Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 27 and 28. Run, don't walk, because Cindy only makes a total of 1,700 cases.
Adam Traum will play his melodies while guests enjoy Sonoma private chef Bruce Yelner's hors d'oeuvres. $30 public, free to wine club members. Tasting fee waived with $50 wine purchase. 25 E. Napa St., Sonoma, Suite C. Noon to 6 p.m.
Beltane zin release party with 'calf' roping
As a California cowgirl, at least in my own mind, one of my favorite parts of the Beltane Ranch annual Zin Release Dinner & Barn Party is the chance to re-learn and try my nonexistent skills at calf roping. That means a wooden 'calf' and a very stiff and heavy rope. Doesn't matter, you have to go and give it a try. On Saturday, Nov. 3.
Thrown in are lots of Beltane winemaker Kevin Holt's excellent estate-grown wines, dancing (or not) to Twang Ditty's hot music, hors d'oeuvres, and a three-course dinner of estate grown everything prepared by chef Greg Markey. Then you get to make s'mores by the fire.
Last year's event raised more than $50,000 for Glen Ellen and Kenwood fire relief. $185 public, $130 wine club. 5 to 10 p.m. 11775 Sonoma Highway, Glen Ellen. Tickets at Beltaneranch.com.
Mentoring Alliance goes Cuban
Stand by Me Mentoring Alliance takes everyone to Cuba for one night, Saturday, Nov. 10 via Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery. Bill Foley now owns Sebastiani and several other wineries and has hired chef Larry Forgione as culinary director and executive chef for his Foley Food & Wine Society.
The Mentoring Alliance has already connected 450 children with adults who are ready and willing to help them enjoy broadening life experiences. The alliance is seeking adults to work with 100 more children.
Hopefully Forgione will help with the Mentoring Alliance's Cuban menu of Cubano sliders of snapper and banana peppers, turkey and cheese, and chorizo and beef; Ropa Vieja with shredded beef, seared snapper and chicken; Cuban style empanadas with beef picadillo, shredded chicken, caramelized onion and Jack cheese; Havana salads, Cuban sweets and Sebastiani wines. Enjoy the rhythms of the Carlitos Medesno Quartet.
Forgione's Upper East Side restaurant, An American Place, and his River Café both garnered three stars from the New York Times. He was named Chef of the Year by the Culinary Institute of America and America's Best Chef by the James Beard Foundation. $150. 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets at 938-1990 or celebratingmentoring.eventbrite.com.
Tips Roadside updates
Tips Tri-Tips Trolley and Tips Roadside helped provide food for the first screening of chef Tyler Florence's documentary, 'Uncrushable,' about the wildfires of last October. Zazu and Park 121 Catering also prepared specials to nourish the crowd at Sonoma Country Day School in Santa Rosa.
Tips Roadside will open for breakfast and brunch starting at 9 a.m. this Saturday and Sunday, and every weekend, which is good news for breakfast and brunch fans. No one will leave hungry. They will still open for brunch and lunch on weekdays at 11 a.m.
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