County’s top caterers go all out for the annual Taste of Sonoma

Small bites and sips are the order of the day at the annual Taste of Sonoma, a showcase for Sonoma County's talented teams of vintners and chefs, who will decamp this Saturday to the manicured, green lawns and courtyards of the Green Music Center.

For tourists and locals alike, it's a great way to get a one-day preview of the county's diverse appellations and wines, from the cool varietals of the Sonoma Coast and the Petaluma Gap to the beloved Italian field blends and reds of the Dry Creek and Alexander valleys.

Those coming from out of town probably won't differentiate between restaurant chefs and caterers, but locals know that some of the most creative culinary folks are the caterers dedicated to creating memorable winery events and weddings.

As a sampling of these top-notch culinary talents, we chose three catering companies participating in the Taste of Sonoma that all have deep roots in the region.

Out to Lunch Fine Catering of Petaluma will be serving a savory prosciutto bite in The Library, a VIP access-only lounge featuring library wines. A La Heart Catering of Santa Rosa will serve an Asian-inspired salad in the Chef's Pavilion, with the 30-some chefs from all across Sonoma County. Peloton Catering of Healdsburg will be embedded with six other chefs in the Grand Tasting area, where more than 100 wineries arranged in alphabetical order will be pouring their best quaffs.

Here's a quick look at these experienced caterers, the bites they are planning to serve and the wines they would recommend sipping with them.

Peloton Culinary & Catering

A native of the Stockton area and graduate of the CIA at Hyde Park, Peloton founder Tim Vallery figures he's been doing the Taste of Sonoma for more than 16 years, starting back when he was executive chef at the Sonoma County Hilton (since destroyed by the 2017 fires).

“It was a great way to meet other cooks and chefs and see what other people are offering,” he said. “I always felt it was good exposure to bring people into your business.”

Vallery also worked at the Brasserie at the Hyatt in Railroad Square and at the Santa Rosa Golf and Country Club before opening Peloton more than a decade ago. A bicycle enthusiast, he named his catering company after the bike riding group that together, manage to ride faster.

With the help of his cooking team, Vallery likes to serve up cuisine that is “seasonal and fresh,” showcasing the simple flavors of locally grown ingredients.

“I try to keep it as true to the products that I'm using as possible,” he said. “We do mostly winery events, including winemaker dinners, pick-up parties and other events.”

For the Taste of Sonoma, Vallery will be serving a refreshing bite custom made for late summer: Compressed Watermelon Brochette with Cotija Cheese and Breakfast Radish.

“The Cotija cheese adds that nice saltiness and creamy texture,” he said. “And the radish adds color and an earthiness to balance out the sweetness.”

The chef infuses the ripe watermelon with a mixture of simple syrup, herbs and wine, then compresses it in a vacuum sealer and refrigerates it.

“When you vacuum seal fresh watermelon, it breaks down the cells of the watermelon and intensifies the flavor,” he said. “It's a little more dense and more appealing to the palate.”

Vallery likes to pair this appetizer with a very dry rosé, such as Trione Winery's Rosé of Pinot Noir or Kokomo Winery's Rosé of Grenache Pauline's Vineyard.

One of the things he enjoys about catering is that it exposes him to so many different wines from so many different wineries.

“I've done work for at least 20 wineries in both Dry Creek and Alexander Valleys,” he said. “It's not a bad place to work.”

A La Heart Catering

A La Heart Catering was started by Deborah Rodgers and a partner way back in 1982, when she was working as the kitchen manager of the Blue Heron restaurant in Duncans Mills.

After Rodgers retired in 2015, her daughter, Mariana Krambs Belew, took over as chief of operations of the catering company well known for its delicious vegetarian and upscale wedding fare.

“I worked for my mom my whole life, off and on,” Belew said. “And I have experience running companies, so that part of it is very comfortable.”

Although the Taste of Sonoma always falls at the peak of wedding season, the company participates in it whenever it can, as part of its support for the community.

“Being involved in such a big, fun event and being around other chefs is really fun for my executive chef ( Maureen Janakos),” Belew said. “We miss the old venue, but this venue makes a lot more sense now with how big the event has become.”

This year, Janakos came up with a special dish for the Taste that is not on the menu: a Sonoma Bahn Mi Salad. The dish includes a refreshing cabbage and fresh spearmint slaw topped with Ginger-Mustard Dressing, pickled daikon and carrot and Teriyaki Pulled Pork.

“It's often very hot there, and we wanted something that would work for many people,” Belew said. “It was my idea to make it be a salad. More and more, there are a lot of gluten-free folks out there.”

The salad pairs nicely with a dry rosé from the Russian River appellation, such as J Blanc de Noir, Cartograph's Brut Rosé or Balletto Vineyards' Rosé of Pinot Noir.

Out to Lunch Catering

Bethany Barsman, founder of Out to Lunch in Petaluma, has been running her company for 26 years, working out of a kitchen in the basement of Copperfield's Books off American Alley.

With wedding and party season in full swing, she can't always participate in the Taste of Sonoma, but she insisted on making an appearance this year.

“I feel like it's the premier tasting, with so many amazing participants,” she said. “It's the best of the best.”

Barsman learned her craft while working with Lisa Hemenway in the 1980s at Hemenway's upscale deli, Tote Cuisine, in Montgomery Village.

“Still I crave her food,” Barsman said. “She is really amazing.”

For the Taste of Sonoma, Barsman was asked to create a bite to pair with big bottles of library wines in The Library area, so she decided to serve one of her all-time favorite appetizers: Prosciutto Cups with Goat Cheese Mousse and Sliced Figs, La Crema Pinot Sonoma Honey Reduction and Blackberry-Pinot Compote.

In this dish, Barsman loves the complexity of the goat cheese - the creaminess accompanied by tang - and when accented by the wine reduction and the herbs, it creates a whole that is greater than its parts.

Barsman. who works on a regular basis with Lynmar Estate in Sebastopol, likes to pair this bite with the Adam's Vineyard Pinot Noir from Lynmar, but said that a sparkling wine would also work well.

“It's cheese and prosciutto, and it's salty and sweet,” she said. “It's super popular, and it's hard to go wrong.”

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The following recipe is from Founder Bethany Barsman and General Manager George Panoski of Out to Lunch Fine Catering in Petaluma. This recipe requires a 12-cup mini-cupcake pan.

Prosciutto Cups with Laurel Chenel Goat Cheese Mousse, Sliced Figs, La Crema Pinot Sonoma Honey Reduction and Blackberry Pinot Compote

Serves 12

For prosciutto cups

6 ounces thinly sliced proscuitto, cut into 24 1-inch strips

- For Goat Cheese Mousse:

5 ounces Laura Chenel Goat Cheese

2 ounces heavy cream, whipped

- Pinch coarse ground black pepper

- For Pinot Honey Reduction:

1 bottle pinot noir

1 tablespoons honey

- For Blackberry Pinot Compote:

2 cups blackberries

3/4 cup pinot noir

¼ cup sugar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

4 small figs, sliced into 12 slices

For prosciutto cups: Spray the pan and line each cup with prosciutto.

Bake until crispy in a 350-375 degree convection oven (325-350 regular oven) for 5-10 minutes, checking after 5 minutes and every minute after. Take out and set aside.

For Goat Cheese Mousse: Mix ingredients together well. Set aside in refrigerator.

For Pinot Honey Reduction: Reduce pinot noir to less than half over medium heat, stirring consistently. Add honey, reduce to low, continue to stir and reduce until thick. Set aside to chill.

For Blackberry Pinot Compote: Over medium heat, combine 1 cup blackberries, wine, sugar and lemon juice in a small sauce pan, for about 10 minutes. Add the rest of the blackberries and cook 10 more minutes, stirring frequently. Set aside to chill.

For assembly: Line up the cooled prosciutto cups. Fill a piping bag with the cheese mousse and pipe into the prosciutto cups. Drizzle with pinot reduction and top with a slice of fig, then a dollop of blackberry compote. Put on a tray and serve.

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The following recipe is from Executive Chef Maureen Janakos of A La Heart Catering in Santa Rosa. You can substitute Soyaki from Trader Joe's or Soy Vay's Veri Very Teriyaki.

Banh Mi Salad with Ginger-Mustard Dressed Slaw, Pickled Carrot and Daikon and Teriyaki Pulled Pork

Serves 8 as entree and 24 as appetizer

For Pork:

2 pounds pork shoulder

- For Teriyiaki Marinade:

1¼ cup tamari

1 cup sherry

½ bunch cilantro, minced

2 tablespoons chile garlic paste

3 tablespoons garlic, minced

5 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons ginger, grated

½ cup water

For Ginger-Mustard dressing (makes 3½ cups):

8 ounces fresh ginger root, grated and juiced

3/4 cup Dijon mustard

½ cup mayonnaise (can be vegan)

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup sesame oil

2 cups canola oil

For pickled carrots and daikon:

2 large carrots

3/4 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar

1/3 cup sweet chile sauce

2 tablespoons ginger, minced

2 teaspoon garlic, minced

1/4 pound daikon, sliced thinly

1/4 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

2 slices of red beet (for color, optional)

For slaw:

1 pound red cabbage

2 pounds green cabbage

1 bunch green onion

½ cup cilantro

3/4 cup mint

- For garnish :

- Jalapeño

- Quick pickled cucumber

- Chopped scallions

- Chopped cilantro

For pork and marinade: Cut pork into 4-inch cubes. Mix marinade ingredients together and marinate pork overnight, using only half of the marinade. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sear the pork and place in a roasting pan. Cover with remaining teriyaki and then cover pan with parchment paper and aluminum foil. Braise in a 350-degree oven for 3.5 to 4 hours or until tender, turning every hour. Remove pork, cool and pull with two forks. Reserve juices, pour off fat, and then add the juice back to the pork.

For Ginger Mustard Dressing: With skin on, grate and then juice the ginger by squeezing it (can be done through a cheesecloth.) Mix ginger juice, mustard, mayonnaise, garlic, white wine vinegar and sesame oil in a blender or food processor. With the blender running, slowly add the canola oil until emulsified. It should be creamy. Reserve extra dressing for future use.

For Pickled Carrots and Daikon: Julienne and blanch the carrots for 15 seconds in boiling water, then plunge into ice bath. Marinate in vinegar, sweet chile sauce, ginger and garlic for at least two hours or overnight in fridge. Mandoline (or slice thinly) the daikon and marinate in vinegar, sugar and beets (optional) for at least eight hours or overnight in the fridge.

For slaw: Chop red and green cabbage, green onion, mint and cilantro and toss in about 2 cups Ginger-Mustard dressing.

To assemble: Place the slaw in individual bowls, top with the pickled carrots and pulled pork, then garnish with the daikon and your choice of sliced jalapeno, quick-pickled cucumber, chopped scallions and/or chopped cilantro.

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The following recipe is from Chef Tim Vallery at Peloton Culinary & Catering in Healdsburg. This recipe requires a vacuum sealer and bags.

Compressed Watermelon Brochette with Cotija Cheese and Breakfast Radish

Serves 24 as appetizers

- For Mint & Rosé Simple Syrup:

2 cups granulated sugar

2 cups water

2 cups dry rosé, such as Trione Vineyards Rosé of Pinot Noir

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

2 bay leaves

3 bunches mint

- For brochette:

1 watermelon, small, seedless

2 cups Mint 7 Rosé Simple Syrup (recipe below)

1 cup Cotija cheese, grated

6 breakfast radishes, sliced paper thin

3 bunches mint

For simple syrup: Bring all ingredients to a boil except for the mint. Let the syrup simmer for about 10 minutes, making sure the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the mint. Let the mixture steep for about an hour, then strain and cool. This can be held in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

For brochette: Remove the rind from the watermelon and cut into 1¼-inch thick slices. Prepare vacuum seal bag that will fit slices of watermelon.

Place one slice of the melon, a couple of sprigs of mint and 2 tablespoons of the syrup into the bag. Seal at the strongest setting of the vacuum sealer. Let the watermelon chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

To serve: Remove the watermelon from the bag and reserve the juice. Dice the watermelon into bite-size squares, skewer onto bamboo skewers (or you can serve in a spoon or other small vessel), add the thinly sliced radish on top of the melon.

Drizzle with a little of the liquid from the vacuum seal bag and finish with a sprinkle of cheese.