April 8, 2010 | 
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Checking in with Sun Readers Poll winner Fiorini Bakery
Recently named by Sonoma Valley Sun readers as the Best Bakery in Sonoma, Fiorini’s Truly Italian Bakery & Café has been serving authentic Italian pastries for seven years. When asked about the accolade, founder Grazia Bianchi said, “I believed from the beginning that Max was the best baker in town, and it is gratifying to be acknowledged by this honor.”
Bianchi came to the United States at the age of 12 from a small village, Matraia, near Lucca, in Tuscany. Visiting many years later with her grown daughter Yvette, they met Massimo Fiorini, who had become a baker because it was the warmest place to be in the middle of a cold Italian winter. Massimo, known as Max, followed Yvette to San Francisco where they married and he continued making pastries.
Coming to Sonoma and opening the bakery side-by-side with the hair salon was Bianchi’s vision with Max creating the authentic pastries he learned in Lucca. Everything in the glass display cases is made on the premises with real ingredients and authentic Italian recipes.
When asked about his style, Max replied, “I keep the old Italian style – the same process I learned in Italy. Having a product so fresh, yes it has calories, yet they’re good calories because they’re made with fresh ingredients.”
One very satisfied customer is Pat Walicke who comes from Brisbane with her 84-year-old mother also named Pat, just to get her haircut from Gratzia and enjoy lunch at Fiorini’s. “Max makes the best tuna-artichoke sandwiches,” she says. “They’re phenomenal.”
The most popular item is St. Honore’s cake, an authentic Lucchese concoction with a white cake filled with custard crème, whipped crème and topped with cream puffs dipped in chocolate truffle filling. Besides bakery items, the menu at Fiorini’s includes daily specials, ravioli, gnocchi, ragu, sandwiches, and salads.
Fiorini Cakes & Cookies, 248 W. Napa St., 996.6119, fiorinisonoma.com
Up & Down the Valley
Whole Foods Market will be having an Earth Day Vendor Fair on Saturday, April 10 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Support the Sonoma Ecology Center and stop by to grab a bite of barbeque and try samples of earth-friendly vendors. 201 W. Napa St., 938-8500
Chef and Cheesemaker Sheana Davis of The Epicurean Connection is now offering fresh cheese-making classes. An introductory class will be held this Sunday, April 11, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Junipero & Co. Cost $10. 115 E. Napa St., 939.9065.
Future classes, once a month through September, will include the making of chèvre, fromage blanc, and crème fraîche. $45 per person including a demonstration, cheese tasting and a take-home cheese-making packet.
Cheese cultures are available for making crème fraîche, fromage blanc, chèvre, buttermilk, sour cream, and fromagia. Says Davis, “I invite the Sonoma community to create conversation on how simple fresh cheese making can be at home.” The Epicurean Connection, 18812 Sonoma Highway, Suite C, 935.7960
The monthly festive gathering of the Junipero & Co. cookbook club is next Tuesday, April 13 at 6 p.m. Pick a recipe from David Tanis’ cookbook “A Platter of Figs,” cook and bring for a spirited discussion with other like-minded foodies. Call Kristen Viguerie, 939.9065 for information.
As part of their efforts to cover costs of concert production and increasing rents, the Sonoma Valley Chorale is hosting its first pasta dinner fund-raiser, Friday, April 16 starting at 5:30 p.m. Robin Woods, president of the chorale said, “I want to stress this is a “fun-raiser” and an opportunity for the community to get to know the members of the chorale on a different level and see the fun side of them.”
There will be a silent auction including fine wine, art, home and garden items, and local gift certificates. Tickets are $15 for adults; $10 for children and are available at Pharmaca or at the door. Information: 935-1576. sonomavalleychorale.org Sonoma Veterans Memorial Building, 126 First St. W.
Local purveyor Green String Farm will be participating in the Sonoma County Farm Trails spring celebration on April 18. A behind-the-scenes peek at neighborhood farmers showcasing spring, this is a family outing to explore local farms with newborn animals, fields and orchards in bloom, and get a unique tasting experience from each farm. All day pass $25 per vehicle or $10 single admission. See all participating farms and buy tickets at farmtrails.org.
Chef Ed Metcalfe of Shiso is offering a premium sake class with accompanying appetizers, featuring four small Japanese artisan brewers. Learn how premium sake is made at the class at his new cooking school and café on Saturday April 24 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Cost is $35 per person. Tulocay’s building at the Napa Airport, 388 Devlin Road. RSVP to Shiso Catering, 933.9331 or info@shisorestaurant.com.
At the Farmers Markets
The cool weather of winter lingering through the beginning of spring has hampered the vegetable production usually associated with this time of year. Examples of spring produce include Oak Hill Farm with salad mix, snap peas, and green garlic and Ortiz Brothers with romaine and mustard greens.
New to the market is Weirauch Small Farm Project who will be at the market the first and third Friday bringing handmade sheep milk soap and Susanne and Dennis Robbins of Capay Gold Olive Oil who bring extra-virgin olive oil made exclusively from Spanish varietals.
Contact epi@pattiwilliams.com. For past columns and a complete listing of seasonal offerings at the local Farmers Markets visit pattiwilliams.com
