A la Carte: Meatball mania

SEBASTOPOL: Not your momma’s meatballs

“More Than Meatballs,” a new cookbook by food writer Michele Anna Jordan of Sebastopol, provides a flavorful array of recipes for everyone’s favorite comfort food.

From Greek Meatballs to Eggplant Polpettini, the cookbook circles the globe to offer up flavor twists from Italy, Greece, Spain, Morocco and more.

If you’re fond of vegetables, you’ll also find lots of meatless choices, such as Spaghetti Squash Fritters and Carrot Fritters. But the heart of the book revolves around those hearty and satisfying balls of meat - lamb, beef, turkey, chicken duck and even venison - that are served up by nearly every culture.

The hardback book is illustrated by Liza Gershman’s color photographs and provides inspiration for all kinds of dishes for your holiday smorgasbord table, from salads and soups to sandwiches and sides.

Along with Jordan’s recipes, there are contributions by such Wine Country chefs as John Ash (Chicken & Shrimp Meatball Soup), Karen and Lucas Martin of K & L Bistro (Salt Cod Fritters) and DaVero Farm & Winery’s Colleen McGlynn (Pearl Balls, made with sticky rice and pork).

Jordan, who writes for The Press Democrat and Sonoma magazine, has written nearly 20 cookbooks and received a James Beard Award for magazine feature writing.

“More than Meatballs” ($19.95, Skyhorse Publishing ) was released in November and is available at skyhorsepublishing.com and at various bookstores in Sonoma County.

SEBASTOPOL: “Farmers Guild Cookbook” release party

The Farmers Guild will hold a release party for its new cookbook from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday at the Sebastopol Grange Hall.

“The Farmers Guild Cookbook” features recipes from young farmers across California who farm sustainably and cook up everything from lamb chops to pesto.

The party at the grange will feature an organic dinner by Northwest Catering Co., beer from Lagunitas Brewing Co. and live music by The Bad Apple String Band.

Admission is free, and food and drink are by donation. 6000 Sebastopol Ave.

SANTA ROSA: Get steak savvy with Mark Stark

Looking for a stocking stuffer? Just in time for holiday giving, Santa Rosa chef and restaurateur Mark Stark has scheduled a class on cooking steak at noon Feb. 8 at Stark’s Steak and Seafood in Railroad Square.

“Mastering the Art of the Perfect Steak” includes cocktails, appetizers, lunch, wine and instruction in preparing the perfect, grain-fed, grass-fed beef, American “Kobe” cuts,” and ideal side dishes. Tuition is $135. To reserve, go to starkrestaurants.com.

Meanwhile, the busy chef and his wife, Terri, are getting ready to open their sixth, Sonoma County restaurant, The Bird & The Bottle, this spring in the former Italian Affair at 1055 Fourth St. in Santa Rosa.

The new restaurant will be a modern tavern serving up classic cocktails and beer plus updated American cooking highlighting local ducks and chickens, plus beef, pork and seafood prepared on a wood-fired grill or in slow smokers.

Plans call for a curing room to produce country-style hams, bacon and sausages to serve alongside the housemade pickles, pickled vegetables and bourbon barrel-aged hot sauce.

“The flavor direction of the menu will have a definite Southern twist with a sprinkling of Asian, as seen through the eyes of a redneck from southern Maryland,” Stark wrote in his restaurant newsletter. “Maybe even some dishes influenced by my mother and her old Junior League Cookbooks!”

Also in the works is a January makeover for Monti’s Rotisserie & Bar in Montgomery Village to celebrate the Santa Rosa restaurant’s 10th anniversary.

Up in Healdsburg, Bravas Bar de Tapas has debuted a new “Locals 420” happy hour from 3 to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Everything on the special menu, from the sangria and signature cocktails to the Spanish-style tapas, is $4.20. The restaurant is located at 420 Center St.

NAPA: Classes for home cooks

Owner /chef Malcolm de Sieyes of the Silverado Cooking School in Napa offers hands-on, interactive cooking classes geared toward the home cook.

The school, located at 1552 Silverado Trail, uses organic, fresh produce from de Sieyes’ Stone Tree Farm and boasts state-of-the-art kitchen equipment.

Along with the owner, chefs Malcolm Jessop and Frances Wilson help teach classes that range from basic technique to more challenging, specialty regional cuisines.

Silverado Cooking School is available for cooking parties and corporate team-building events as well. For a complete schedule of classes, go to silveradocookingschoool.com.

SONOMA: How to de-bitter olives

Don Landis will give a free workshop on how to de-bitter olives without lye at 11 a.m. Sunday at Cline Cellars.

The workshop will also discuss the history of the olive, olive varieties and three techniques to de-bitter olives: with brine, water and dry salt. There will be a tasting of olives with cheese and crackers.

A discount will be offered for attendees for the Cline Cellars tasting room.

To attend, RSVP to 940-4025. 24737 Arnold Drive.

HEALDSBURG: Online store for Shed

Healdsburg Shed has launched a Web store, just in time for holiday shopping, with all kinds of pantry items, housewares, plus farm & garden tools.

Examples of the Holiday Gifts Collection include a Japanese Pantry Starter Set ($69), Chai Mix ($16.95) and a Pie Set with ceramic pie plate, dough scraper and dishcloth ($99).

To check out the store, go to shop.healdsburgshed.com.

GLEN ELLEN: New Year’s Eve prix-fixe

With an eye to New Year’s Eve, Aventine Glen Ellen is cooking up something special – a prix-fixe, five-course meal with a flight of wines. There are two seatings available, the first at 5 p.m., priced at $100, and the second at 8 p.m., priced at $150 including the midnight champagne toast. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 934-8911. There will also be dancing and a DJ starting at 10 p.m..

The restaurant has farm-to-table modern Italian dishes, a full bar, an on-premise brewery, and inside and outside dining. Aventine Glen Ellen is at 14301 Arnold Drive.

SANTA ROSA: Gotta craving for chocolate?

St. Francis Winery & Vineyards is offering free tastes of wine paired with samples from Sonoma Chocolatiers on Saturday. The event, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., will allow guests to size up the producer’s full range of treats. Sonoma Chocolatiers is known for its award-winning chocolates and caramels.

St. Francis hosts a different Sonoma artisan producer each month at its Santa Rosa winery, 100 N. Pythian Road, Santa Rosa. For more information, call 833-0242.

Compiled by Staff Writer Diane Peterson, who can be reached at 521-5287 or diane.peterson@pressdemocrat.com, and Peg Melnik, who can be reached at 521-5310 or peg.melnik@pressdemocrat.com.