Sonoma dinner raises money for protecting salmon

Wild Pacific salmon, for a couple of reasons, was not on the menu of a sold-out celebratory dinner Friday night in Sonoma.

The salmon-fishing season isn’t open yet. And many of the guests at Ramekins Culinary School, Events Center & Inn are expecting to have their fill from a robust catch of the favored fish, and for now are happy with something from the land.

This was the Sonoma Dinner of the Golden Gate Salmon Association, and it raised $30,000 for protecting and restoring California’s salmon-producing habitat.

It began with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and Benziger Family wines. From there, the festivities flowed to the dinner of wild arugula salad, roasted fingerling potatoes, Fifth Street kale, an entree of grilled filet or spring risotto, and almond financiers with lime curd and a coconut tuile.

Guests included both of the region’s representatives in Congress, Mike Thompson and Jared Huffman.

Key facets of the dinner program were a live auction, a fund-a-need appeal and a talk on water stewardship by vintner Mike Benziger, honored by the association for his family’s far-reaching efforts to conserve and reuse water at its renowned Sonoma Valley wineries.