A la carte: A taste of Petaluma
NORTH BAY: Honors for North Bay cheeses
The American Cheese Society has announced the best of show winners of its 2014 Judging and Competition, awarding the Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co. second place for its Point Reyes Bay Blue.
Other North Bay cheeses taking home awards include:
Foggy Morning by Nicasio Valley Cheese Co., second place for fromage blanc made with cow’s milk
Triple Creme Brie from Marin French Cheese Co., second place for triple creme, all milks
Loma Alta from Nicasio Valley Cheese Co., second place for soft-ripened made from cow’s milk
Fat Bottom Girl from Bleating Heart Cheese, first place for an American original made from sheep’s milk.
Point Reyes Bay Blue from Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co., first place for blue-veined with a rind, cow’s milk
Moolicious Blue from Bleating Heart Cheese, third place for blue-veined with a rind, cow’s milk
Eyelicious Blue from Bleating Heart Cheese , first place for blue-veined with a rind, sheep’s or mixed milks
Pepato from Bellwether Farms, third place for fresh sheep cheese with flavor added
Nicasio Square from Nicasio Valley Cheese Co., third place for farmstead aged 60 days or more, cow’s milk
Atika from Tomales Farmstead Creamery, second place for farmstead aged 60 days or more, from sheep or mixed milk
Saint Rose from Weirauch Farm & Creamery, third place for farmstead aged 60 days or more from sheep or mixed milk
Redwood Hill Farm Bucheret, second place for goat’s milk aged 31 to 60 days
Redwood Hill Farm Kefir, second place for kefir and other drinkable culture products
Plain Sheep Yogurt from Bellwether Farms, third place for yogurts made from sheep’s milk
The results were announced in late July at the 31st annual ACS Conference in Sacramento. The ACS is the leading organization supporting the appreciation and promotion of farmstead, artisan and specialty cheeses produced in the Americas.
For a list of all the winners, go to cheesejudging.org.
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SONOMA: Oso nears opening
Chef David Bush is getting ready to open his new restaurant, Oso, on the Sonoma Plaza in early September.
Bush, who raised the profile of St. Francis Winery after it was recognized as the best restaurant in America in 2013 by Open Table, plans to serve small plates for sharing in the front and a five-course tasting menu in the rear.
“The place is going to be casual, fine dining,” he said. “I don’t like people to be intimidated by food and wine. Just relax and enjoy yourself.”
The former real estate office, which was the town livery in the 19th century, has been renovated from the ground up. The restaurant features a long bar and an open kitchen with bar stools in front of the kitchen.
Bush plans to offer some eclectic dishes that draw upon local produce and proteins and the flavors of Asia, Mexico, Spain and France.
“I call it ‘New California,’ because I think as Californians, we’re just as comfortable with a bowl of pho or sushi as we are with a cheeseburger,” he said. “We’ll do a lot of seafood and raw fish and oysters.”
Oso will open for dinner first, then add lunch and a Sunday brunch. The restaurant will be open until 11 p.m. on weekdays and midnight on the weekends.
Oso is located at 9 E. Napa St. on the south side of the plaza. ososonoma.com.
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PETALUMA: Taste of Petaluma
The 9th Taste of Petaluma will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at various downtown restaurants, wineries, breweries and food purveyors.
You can use a street map and menu to plan your dine-around menu.
Ticket packages are $40, to benefit the Cinnabar Theater. Tickets are available the day of the event at Putnam Plaza. Packages include 10 tickets, a street map, a menu and a plastic glass. tasteofpetaluma.org.
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BODEGA: Art, wine, seafood
The Bodega Seafood, Art & Wine Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary this Saturday and Sunday at Watts Ranch, 16855 Bodega Highway.
The festival includes all kinds of seafood, a wine and microbrew tasting, arts and crafts, and three stages of live entertainment.
This year, the festival will hold its first-ever night concert on Saturday evening, featuring blues legend Robben Ford and opener Eric Lindell.
Tickets are $12, to benefit Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods and the Bodega Volunteer Fire Department. bodegaseafoodfestival.com.
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KENWOOD: Mayo summer hours
The Mayo Family Winery’s Reserve Room in Kenwood has expanded its summer hours to 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. seven days a week, through October.
Under chef Clayton Lewis, the Reserve Room changes its menu seasonally. The tasting takes about an hour and includes seven food-and-wine pairings.
The Mayo Family Reserve Room is located at 9200 Sonoma Highway in Kenwood. mayofamilywinery.com.
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