A la carte: Seafood, wine, beer and cheese

BODEGA

Seafood and wine

The Bodega Seafood, Art and Wine Festival gets cooking from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Watts Ranch in Bodega.

The family-friendly festival includes all kinds of vegetable and seafood dishes, from calamari to oysters, plus local, craft beer, cider and wine.

There are arts and crafts for sale, kids' activities and three stages for music and magic. Headliners this year include The Highway Poets and Pride & Joy.

Admission is $20 at the gate, kids under 12 free, with a portion of the proceeds going to benefit Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods and the Bodega Volunteer Fire Department.

Tasting fee for wine, beer and cider is $20 for a glass and six tastes. Additional tastes are $3. 16855 Bodega Highway. bodegaseafoodfestival.com.

NORTH COAST

Cheese awards

North Coast cheesemakers took home several top awards in the 2018 American Cheese Society Competition earlier this summer, with Bellwether Farms of Petaluma rising to the top with five awards, followed by Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese with four awards.

Bellwether Farms won a third-place award in cultured milk and cream products with their Creme Fraiche, a first place in yogurts made from sheep's milk for their Plain Sheep Yogurt and first place in the sheep cheese with flavor added category for their Pepato.

It also took third place in the open category made from all milks with flavor added for their Blackstone and third place in the sheep's milk aged over 60 days category for their San Andreas.

CHEVOO of Healdsburg won third place in the marinated cheeses from goat's milk for their CHEVOO Tupelo Honey & Lime.

Cypress Grove of Arcata won first place in the fromage blanc category for their Fromage Blanc, second place in the American Originals made from goat's milk for Humboldt Fog Grande and third place in the fresh goat cheese with flavor added category for PsycheDillic.

Laura Chenel's Chèvre of Sonoma won a third place in the plain yogurt made with cow's milk for their Organic Original Yogurt; Marin French Cheese Co. won a second place in the triple crème, soft-ripened, cream-added category for their Triple Crème Brie, a third place for their Triple Crème Brie 1 pound and second place in the American originals, cow's milk category for Petite Breakfast.

Nicasio Valley Cheese Co. of Nicasio won third place in the farmstead cheese with flavor added category for their Foggy Morning with Garlic and Basil.

Pennyroyal Farm of Boonville won a third place in the blue-veined with a rind made from goat's milk for their Boonter's Blue and second place in the farmstead from any milk aged more than 60 days for Boont Corners (aged 2 months).

Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co. of Point Reyes won third place in the blue mold cheeses for their California Coastal Blue, third place in the fresh mozzarella category for Point Reyes Fresh Mozzarella, second place in the American Original made from cow's milk for Point Reyes Toma and third place in the cold pack cheese and spreads with flavor added for The Fork Pimento Cheese.

For a complete list of winners, click here.

HEALDSBURG

Madrona Burger

It's not too late to get a bite of some decadent black truffles this month at Madrona Manor, where Chef Jesse Mallgren is serving a special Madrona Burger on Wednesdays through Sunday through August.

The burger is made with dry aged chuck, grilled onion, Australian black truffles and white Cheddar on a housemade ciabatta-brioche bun for $39, including a side of french fries.

Madrona Manor is at 1001 Westside Road. 707-433-4231.

ST. HELENA

Heritage Fire

As part of the Cochon555 U.S. Tour, Heritage Fire will return to Charles Krug Winery at 4 p.m. Sunday, with more than 50 chefs and butchers from Napa and Sonoma and beyond, all grilling whole, heritage-breed animals outdoors.

The globally inspired barbecue food will be paired with wines, craft beers and ciders.

General admission is $150, VIP access at 3 p.m. is $200. To reserve: go to cochon555.com. 2798 Main St.

Staff Writer Diane Peterson can be reached at 707-521-5287 or diane.peterson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @dianepete56.