Harvest dinners, books and brews on tap for early September

WINDSOR

Bricoleur hosts annual Paulée Dinner

The Russian River Valley Winegrowers will hold its annual Paulée Dinner at 5 p.m. Sept. 3 at Bricoleur Vineyards, which opened in May 2020.

The tradition, which originated in Burgundy, brings wine enthusiasts together with winemakers and growers of 25 premier Russian River Valley wineries to enjoy a multicourse feast served with selections from winemakers’ personal cellars, including special rare vintages.

“The Paulée is truly an engaging dining experience that celebrates all things local: wine, food and our vibrant community,” said Jesslyn Jackson, executive director of Russian River Valley Winegrowers. “Guests will not only dine with vintners and growers but will leave with new friends.”

The culinary team at Bricoleur Vineyards, led by Chef Evan Castro, will join renowned chef and restaurateur Mark Stark to create a sumptuous menu for the event, highlighting the best of the season’s local flavors. The feast will feature such local purveyors as Journeyman Meat Co., Bohemian Creamery and Costeaux French Bakery.

Tickets are $250, including reception, dinner and valet parking. To reserve: russianrivervalley.org/events/paulee-dinner

SONOMA

Meadowcroft and Folktable team up for harvest dinner

Folktable Restaurant and Meadowcroft Wines will host a harvest dinner sourced from the food of the Sonoma Valley at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 17 at the restaurant, located at Cornerstone Sonoma.

The hosts for the evening include Food Network star and Folktable Executive Chef Casey Thompson, farmer Christopher Landy and Tom Meadowcroft, owner, executive winemaker and grower for Meadowcroft Wines.

Tickets are $125. To reserve, go to meadowcroftwines.com or call 707-934-4090.

ONLINE

Author to talk about “The Secret History of Food”

Is Italian olive oil really Italian, or are we dipping our bread in lamp oil? Why are we masochistically drawn to foods that can hurt us, like hot peppers? Is classic American apple pie actually … English?

Matt Siegel, author of “The Secret History of Food,” will talk about these subjects and more at 7 p.m. Sept. 8 as part of Copperfield’s Books’ events series.

“As a species, we’re hardwired to obsess over food,” said Siegel, who in the process of writing the book set out to “uncover the hidden side of everything we put in our mouths.”

Siegel also probes subjects ranging from the myths — and realities — of food as aphrodisiacs to the role of food in fairy- and morality tales. He even makes a well-argued case for how ice cream helped defeat the Nazis.

Siegel has written about food and culture for publications including The Atlantic, Fast Company and The Paris Review.

The talk is free. To reserve: copperfieldsbooks.com and click on Events.

NAPA

Fieldwork brewing opens new location at Oxbow

Fieldwork Brewing Company has opened its new location at the Oxbow Public Market Annex featuring a large, European-style beer garden outdoors and expansive indoor taproom. Fieldwork Brewing first opened a taproom inside the Oxbow Public Market in 2016.

“We are excited to have a much bigger indoor/outdoor space to present a Fieldwork environment that is more akin to our other Bay Area locations,” said Barry Braden, CEO and co-founder of Fieldwork Brewing Company.

Brewing well over 500 unique beers since opening its West Berkeley brewery in February 2015, Fieldwork focuses on innovation for its ever-evolving roster of highly aromatic and balanced beers based on seasonality and consistency.

The Fieldwork Taproom and Beer Garden at Oxbow Public Market Annex now features upward of 18 beers on the menu and will present live music and other programs.

For more information, go to fieldworkbrewing.com. 1046 McKinstry St.

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