Kathleen Hill: Martini Madness moves, gift ideas and Stone Edge cookbook

Food news from around the Valley.|

Martini Madness's big changes

The always sold-out Martini Madness event, approaching its 19th year, will move to Friday, Feb. 1 at the Lodge at Sonoma. For years it has been held at Saddles Steakhouse, which will be closed during that period.

Gary Saperstein and Bill Blum will again organize the event, which guarantees a good time. Saperstein said this week, 'The very first Martini Madness was held at Marioni's right after it closed. They let us use the space. After we saw the success of it that very first year we then moved it to the Lodge at Sonoma for a few years, where the event really grew and started to take off. Then we did one year at Ramekins before the event found its home at MacArthur Place, taking over the entire barn. Now that they are under a major renovation the Lodge at Sonoma is excited to be bringing the event back to its resort!'

Hanson Vodka, Prohibition Spirits and Spirit Works Distillery are this year's liquor sponsors, and the Lodge will prepare the food, which was always substantial at Saddles to keep everyone sober, among other things. Restaurants and bartender competitors will be announced soon.

The event kicks off the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau's new 'Craft Cocktail Month' in February, which seems like a new and innovative idea to attract visitors to Sonoma in the winter.

Martini Madness used to require an olive in every martini entry as part of Sonoma's now-defunct olive festival that was, in itself, an innovative idea at the time to celebrate Sonoma's second largest crop, the olive, during off-season months. 5 to 7 p.m. 1325 Broadway, Sonoma. Tickets will be $45 and available at Eventbrite.com/e/martini-madness-tickets-53070921555.

Sunee Petprasert to open new Thai restaurant

Sunee Petprasert, who sold her Bangkok 9 restaurant to her brother, Terapot Petprasert, stayed home in 'retirement' for a while and couldn't stand it. 'I got bored and went shopping too much.'

So what does a bored restaurant owner and Thai chef do? Open a new restaurant, of course.

Sunee's new endeavor will be called Khum Koon Thai Café and will open Jan. 1 at 186 Windsor River Road in Windsor. Great to try if we find ourselves in Windsor. Terapot's daughter, Sai (pronounced Sigh), has joined him at Bangkok 9.

Last minute dessert pickups

The Basque Boulangerie & Café has an abundance of pies and desserts including both chocolate and vanilla Boûche de Noël and apple, cherry, and pumpkin pies, most of those in custard form as well. The Basque is loaded with seasonal German-style stöllen (fruit and nut bread) now, but could run out. Special orders work. 460 First St. E., Sonoma. 935-7687.

Thoughtful holiday presents

We are all still affected by the trauma of last October's fires, having been reminded so recently by the smoke we inhaled while 14,000 homes burned and 89 lives ended in this year's fires in Paradise and Butte County.

We still talk about our fire experiences every time we gather in groups of more than one, because we need to.

If your friend or family member actually lost their home and all of their stuff, think about and even ask what they might like help to replace. It could be a precious well-used cookbook from your kitchen, a small tree or perennial flower to plant at their new home, a book to distract them from some of their realities, or a trip to the beach to get in touch with the ebb and flow beauty of life.

But maybe best of all might be a gift certificate to get out of the house and do something they wouldn't do otherwise. Maybe to a restaurant they might like, or coupons to go to movies. Make up a gift certificate saying you will come over and cook dinner for them, or have them to your house.

Or maybe treat them to a cooking class at Ramekins, Cornerstone or Epicurean Connection or a brewmasters classes at the Sonoma Community Center or Cook Vineyard Management. Or think about art and ceramics classes at the Community Center.

In fact, Ramekins offers a great sounding Kitchen Bootcamp, a two-day hands-on cooking and learning session with charming chef Kyle Kuklewski, who will teach everything from knife skills and butchery, how to make stocks and sauces from scratch, various forms of cookery, and how to make pasta and bread, designed at your pace, whether you're a home cook or professional. All this over two easy days, Saturday and Sunday March 16 and 17, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. so check it out at ramekins.com.

Sonoma Mission Gardens offers several classes, from chasing gophers to arranging hanging baskets of flowers. Or maybe get recommendations for someone's favorite tools that might have been melted down to a heap by the fire.

Stone Edge Farm Kitchen Larder Cookbook

One possible food-related gift is John McReynolds and crew's upcoming 'Stone Edge Farm Kitchen Larder Cookbook: Regional Recipes for Pantry and Table,' not quite out yet but you can order it for spring delivery if you order by Dec. 31.

McReynolds shares credit with his co-testers and co-authors Mike Emanuel and Fiorella Butron, who are also his Stone Edge kitchen comrades.

This writer has had the pleasure of occasionally watching this team cooking and drying to create their larder by preserving the seasonal bounty from Sonoma gardens, wild plants, orchards and vineyards. As the planet becomes more populated and polluted, we need to grow and eat locally, and learn to preserve the foods we have. Garden essays lend great advice by Stone Edge gardener and Sonoma Valley High School farm garden advisor Colby Eierman. $35 if pre-ordered by Dec. 31. Free shipping. Available later at Readers' Books. To order contact concierge@stoneedgefarm.com or call 935-6520.

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