St. Paddy's Options: Monday is St. Patrick's Day but corned beef and cabbage is already being offered throughout the county.
We've always thought the best way to enjoy the day is to eat close to home, either at your favorite cafe, bar or restaurant that is serving a traditional meal or at home. It is easy to make delicious corned beef and cabbage and markets such as Oliver's in Santa Rosa and Cotati have specials on all the fixins, including corned beef, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, Irish whisky and beer.
On Saturday, Tara Firma Farms (3796 I St. Extension, Petalulma) hosts a St. Patrick's Day Fest from 4 to 9 p.m. The celebration includes fun for the whole family, live music, dancing and more, with a barbecue that offers a choice of corned beef, burgers or sausage, with green salad and fresh fruit.
Cost is $20 for farm members and $25 for the general public. Children under 12 are admitted free. For more information, visit tarafirmafarms.com.
On Sunday, Windsor Community Center (901 Adele Dr.) hosts an all-you-can-eat dinner for $15, served from 6 to 8 p.m. There will be a no-host bar, too, and all proceeds benefit local community projects by the event's sponsors, Windsor Lions Club and Windsor Firefighters Association.
In east Santa Rosa, Cafe Europe (104 Calistoga Rd., Santa Rosa) is serving a corned beef and cabbage dinner with mint chocolate cake from 5 to 8 p.m. on Monday. Cost is $20 per person.
Calabi Gallery Celebrates Move: On Saturday from 3 to 7 p.m., Calabi Gallery hosts a grand (re)opening fete celebrating its recent move from Petaluma to new, expanded digs at 456 Tenth St. in Santa Rosa.
The gallery features art from the 19th through the 21st century, with several local artists, including painter Mary Jarvis and sculptor Genevieve Barnhart. Its primary focus is on 20th century art.
Refreshments, including yummy finger foods, will be served throughout the party.
There is no admission charge. All you need to do is stop by, soak up some wonderful visual art and enjoy yourself.
Spring Lamb Class: March classes at Kay Baumhefner's Come Home To Cooking in Petaluma focus on local spring lamb and baby vegetables. Class 95 will be offered twice, on Wednesday, March 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday, March 29, from 4 to 8 p.m.
Cost is $95 per person, which includes a review session.
For a complete spring schedule, descriptions of classes and more, visit comehometocooking.com.
Third Thursday Dinners: Last year's series of Third Thursday dinners at Worth Our Weight Culinary Apprenticeship program (1021 Hahman Dr., Santa Rosa) were a tremendous success. A second series began last month continue through fall.
On the menu next Thursday, March 20, are executive chef Thomas Schmidt and sous chef Devin Kellogg of John Ash & Co.
The menu is a celebration of spring's bounty, with fave puree paired with Achadinha's Capricious cheese, Dungeness crab poached in butter snf lamb sausage with polenta and pequillo pepper relish kicking things off. Next comes ravioli with sunchokes and Bellwether ricotta and Bohemian Creamery Capriago, followed by roasted and stuffed heritage turkey with dumplings, braised greens and Meyer lemon roasted carrots. Dessert is upside down pear pecan cake.
Cost is $75 per person and all proceeds benefit Worth Our Weight.
Dinner starts at 6 p.m.
For reservations, call 544-1200. For more information about this award-winning program, visit worthourweight.org.
Winemaker Dinner at La Gare: On Monday, March 24, La Gare French Restaurant (208 Wilson St., Santa Rosa) welcomes Elizabeth Grant Douglas of La Crema for a dinner paired with La Crema wines.
The evening begins with appetizers al fresco, calamari, pate and smoked salmon pared with 2012 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Rose. Next comes hearts of Romaine with Point Reyes Farmstead Toma paired with 2012 Pinot Gris, which is followed by a salmon cake with Dungeness crab and a citrus beurre blanc accompanied by 2012 Bennet Valley Viognier.
Don't eat too much as there is plenty more to come, including chicken breast with a brandy, cream and mushroom sauce in puff pastry with 2012 Russian River Valley Chardonnay alongside and beef tenderloin with a special sauce and 2012 Los Carneros Pinot Noir.
For dessert, you'll enjoy apricot panna cotta with 2012 Gewurztraminer.
Cost per person is $85 plus tax and gratuity. A portion of the proceeds benefit the Redwood Empire Food Bank.
For reservations, which are required, call 528-4355.
Central Market in Petaluma: If you live outside of Petaluma, the news that Central Market restaurant has opened after a serious fire may have traveled a tad slowly. But the popular downtown restaurant reopened a few months ago and is doing well.
Chef and owner Tony Najiola now has a companion farm, where pork, chicken and produce is raised for the restaurant.
If you haven't visit in a while, spring is a great time. You'll find all of the season's delicacies - Little Gem lettuces, farm eggs, asparagus, nettles, wild mushrooms, favas, fresh peas, green garlic and more on the menu, which evolves daily.
Central Market (42 Petaluma Blvd. North) opens daily at 5 p.m. It closes at 9 p.m. on Sunday and Monday, at 9:30 on Tuesday through Thursday and at 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
For more information, visit centralmarketpetaluma.com.
Michele Anna Jordan hosts "Mouthful" each Sunday at 7 p.m. on KRCB 90.9 & 91.1 FM. E-mail Jordan at michele@micheleannajordan.com. You'll find her blog, "Eat This Now," at pantry.blogs.pressdemocrat.com.
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