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Trick or Treat!
Kathleen Hill | Special to the Sun
Trick-or-treating seems to have its roots in the Middle Ages in Britain, when the poor would go door to door begging for food in exchange for prayers for the dead. Now we buy five-pound bags of tiny candy bars at Costco and hope we have enough.
My mother taught me to make cupcakes or popcorn, which she wrapped in baggies with colorful ribbon she tied with her vast artistic talent. Look to the end of today’s Epicurious for a handy dandy pagan Halloween pumpkin muffin recipe.
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Ben & Jerry’s on First Street East will, indeed, participate in the nationwide Ben & Jerry’s voter’s ice cream reward program by giving away free ice cream to voters from 5 to 8 p.m. next Tuesday. All you have to do to get yours is bring in your voter sticker, ballot receipt or a photo of you voting, or do the mysterious B&J voter dance, which no one quite knows. 408 First St. E., Sonoma. 707.996.0660.
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Rumor Department:
La Dee’s Diner on Arnold Drive is not for sale, is doing just fine, thank you very much, and is not moving downtown. Chocolate shakes are good and reasonable, as are burgers, fries and onion rings.
It appears another deli will go into the former Follini & Eichenbaum location at Arnold Drive and Grove.
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The Brown Baggers, who make sandwich lunches at St. Leo’s church and deliver them to homeless and others in need, have expanded their service for an additional day and could use all the help they can get. With the economy’s downturn, the need for food in our community is greater every day.
If you would like to help by making cookies, or making or delivering lunches to designated central locations, please contact Lisa Leeb at 707.343.1518 or e-mail her at jonleeb@comcast.net.
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Deuce restaurant has new fall menus, along with daily locals’ specials such as Tuesday pot roast, Wednesday free corkage, Jameson’s fried chicken on Thursday night and beer-battered fish and chips for lunch on Saturday. An always-reliable standby on the bar and lunch menus is the Deuce burger ($9.50). Watch for steamed mussels ($11.95), polenta cakes with truffled vegetables ($17.50), Dungeness crab cakes ($12.95), sweet breads and rock shrimp ($24.50) at dinner. Kids’ dishes are available. Full bar. 691 Broadway, Sonoma. 707.933.3823.
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This week and next Gramma’s Cal-Italia restaurant celebrates its 17th anniversary by introducing a daily “blue plate” lunch special with a pasta and garlic bread or sandwich for only $4.99 à la carte. According to co-owner Jim Cahoon, “Gramma’s take-out and delivery will roll back the price of a large cheese or pepperoni pizza to the 1991 price of only $9.99 – good through Nov. 5. This info is on a need-to-know basis – we feel everyone needs to know.”
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Gloria Ferrer executive vice president Eva Bertran hosted last week’s annual Harvest Moon Dinner at the winery, complete with hilarious Irish jokes from CK Lamb proprietor and barbecuer Bruce Campbell.
Guests enjoyed a full tour of the winery, an interesting caramelized butternut squash soup spiked with a little red curry; CK lamb with Gruyère potato grain and local green beans; and a trio of chocolate torte, warm crème brûlée, and cranberry orange cookies, all served by Kinyon Catering with exquisite Gloria Ferrer wines, including 2004 José Ferrer Pinot Noir and 2005 Brut Rosé.
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During the Sonoma Valley Film Society’s 2009 season warm-up party at the home of Mike and Therese Nugent, I had to admire Therese’s extensive collection of miniature kitchen implements and old food signs, especially a full wall of coffee advertisements. Elaine Bell’s tiny potatoes were the culinary hit of the evening.
Steve Kyle and Kurt Krauthamer, both generous patrons of the arts, are the dynamic new co-chairs of the Film Society’s board of directors. Kevin McNeely continues as chair emeritus. To donate, join the Sonoma Valley Film Society or get more information by calling 707.933.2600.
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MacRostie Winery & Vineyards is now open, without appointment, on Saturdays for tasting and tours. Visitors will taste four current-release wines and a rare library offering and take fun tours of the actual production facility. MacRostie is also open by appointment Monday through Friday. $10 tasting fee waived with wine purchase. 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 21481 Eighth St. E., Sonoma. 707.996.4480.
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Glen Ellen resident and world musician Stephanie Ozer and her trio will highlight a Sonoma Valley Jazz Society evening at The Lodge at Sonoma on Saturday, Nov. 1. Ozer will dazzle listeners by playing cutting-edge Brazilian jazz on her grand piano, with Scott Thompson on bass and Phil Thompson on drums. No cover charge. Food and drinks available for purchase. 7-10 p.m. 1325 Broadway, Sonoma. Call 707.935.6600 or visit www.sonomavallyjazzsociety.org for more information.
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Vintage House may hold its best-ever fundraiser on Saturday, Nov. 22. That’s because Julie Atwood is donating her talents, supplies and staff to stage the whole event.
Sage Catering of San Rafael and Cornerstone Place will cater with hors d’oeuvres including pan-seared prawns, wild mushroom and brie crostini, and crab cakes with tarragon aioli. Diners will then indulge in pumpkin and butternut squash soup; salad of County Line Farms baby arugula and endive with crimson pears and Pt. Reyes blue cheese; followed by filet of beef with gold and chioggia beets and chive mashed potatoes or a Provençal vegetable tian (tiny shallow casserole). Dessert consists of a Gravenstein apple crostata with caramel sauce and vanilla bean ice cream.
Charles Creek and Madrone Ridge have donated their wines to accompany the feast. Keep in mind, Vintage House provides loads of programs for seniors that greatly enhance their emotional and physical lives. $150. Call 707.996.0311 for reservations by Nov. 8. This event sells out.
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Gary Sapperstein of The Girl & the Fig, Estate, etc. relays that a new Rhône Rangers North Coast Chapter has formed and will hold its first event Sunday, Nov. 9 at Dutcher Crossing Winery in Healdsburg, complete with a wine seminar, luncheon and wine tasting. $75 for the whole day, $25 for wine tasting only. Call 866.431.2711 for more information or tickets.
Pumpkin Muffins
Adapted from “The Pagan Book of Halloween,” by Gerina Dunwich (Penguin, 2000)
Makes 12 muffins.
Ingredients
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 stick or 1/4 lb. butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup cooked pumpkin, mashed
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbs. molasses
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves or allspice
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375 F.
In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs and buttermilk until well blended. Add flour mixture and blend in to form a batter.
In a medium bowl, mix pumpkin, brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, ginger and cloves until well-blended. Stir into the batter.
Spoon or ladle batter into 12 2-½-inch greased muffin cups (or lined with paper muffin cups) and bake for 15 to 17 minutes. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then cool on a rack.
Kathleen Hill is co-author with Gerald Hill of guidebooks to wine regions of the West Coast and writes for several publications.
Join her Mondays on The Kathleen Hill Show, 4-5 p.m. on KSVY 91.3 Sonoma.
Contact Kathleen by visiting the Contact the Columnists Page at www.sonomasun.com.
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