New restaurant chefs, takeout meals and cooking classes this February

WINDSOR

Bricoleur offers cook-at-home food, wine packages

Bricoleur Vineyards is making it easy to cook at home with a new menu of Wine & Food To-Go entrees for pickup or delivery to neighboring areas in Sonoma County.

The cook-at-home dinners include savory handmade pastas and pizzas paired with specific wines, such as Gnocchi Bolognese paired with the Bricoleur Vineyards 2018 Pinot Noir or two Frozen Pizzas and Salad paired with the Bricoleur Vineyards 2018 Zinfandel.

Some of the dinners feed two people while others feed two to four. Prices vary from $62 for two to $97 for two to four people. For more information or to purchase, go to bricoleurvineyards.com and click on Wine & Food To-Go. For delivery, call 707-857-5700.

HEALDSBURG

Palmer names new chef at Dry Creek Kitchen

Charlie Palmer has appointed Michael Lewis to the position of executive chef at the Dry Creek Kitchen, which has reopened for both takeout and outdoor dining on the spacious patio.

Lewis, who graduated from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, most recently worked at The Lakehouse at Calistoga Ranch. The Pasadena native also has worked extensively on the Los Angeles food scene, with turns at Bestia, Herringbone and Cento Pasta Bar as well as at San Francisco’s Boulevard.

“Michael has absolute respect for the quality of ingredients we have access to here and brings with him the great partnerships he’s developed with our providers,” Palmer said. “We’ve worked together on a menu that reflects the best of the season and continues Dry Creek Kitchen’s tradition of exceptional dining.”

The new menu features regional specialties such as Bodega Bay mussels, seared wild-caught Glory Bay salmon and glazed Liberty duck for two.

Dry Creek Kitchen is offering a seasonal Dinner for Two to-go menu featuring dishes such as the 48-hour Angus Short Rib and the Herb Crusted King Salmon, both served with family-style salad and dessert, for $90.

Dry Creek Kitchen is open for dinner and takeout from 5:30 - 9 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday and 5 - 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The Spirit Bar is open for wine, cocktails and bites from 5:30 - 9 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday and 5 - 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with happy hour from opening until 7 p.m.

For reservations: 707-431-0330 or drycreekkitchen.com

Relish Culinary returns for mushroom season

Since the stay-home orders began last March, Relish Culinary Adventures in Healdsburg has put its cooking classes and outdoor trips on hiatus.

Now, in a partnership with Notre Vue Estate Winery & Vineyards, Relish is easing back into events with a series of Wild Mushroom Forays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 20 and March 7.

Foraging expert David Campbell will lead the foray with a focus on finding, handling and storing mushrooms. Chef Julie Schreiber will prepare an outdoor lunch and discuss how to cook with edible mushrooms.

To reserve, go to relishculinary.com. Call 707-431-9999 to get on a wait list if the class is full or if you have questions.

GEYSERVILLE

Diavola Pizzeria is now open for outside dining from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, with dinner reservations starting at 5 p.m.

Lunch is served counter-service style, and there are plenty of heaters on the outdoor patio to keep diners warm.

The winter Supper Club takeout menu features includes Diavola Frozen Pizzas, including gluten-free and dairy-free choices; Take & Bake Pot Pies in both chicken and vegetable flavors and a Take & Bake Rigatoni pasta.

The Supper Club provides enough food for two people for a perfect date night in. You also can order cocktails to go, wine, beer, sake and an assortment of Italian pantry items, from pastas and tomato sauce to tinned fish and housemade salami.

To order online, go to diavolapizzeria.com or call 707-814-0111. 21021 Geyserville Ave.

FORESTVILLE

Valentine’s Day Zoom cooking class at Backyard

Chef/owner Daniel Kedan of Backyard Forestville will host a Valentine’s Day Zoom Extravaganza at 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14, featuring a cooking class that highlights wild mushrooms and chocolate.

Kedan will be joined by winemaker Jeff Stewart of Hartford Family Wines and emcee Clark Wolf during the class, which features Wild Foraged Mushrooms, Mushroom and Dungeness Crab Paella and his legendary Chocolate Budino with Candy Cap Mushroom Shortbread Cookies.

Cost of the Zoom class is $100; locals can pre-order a dinner for two for an additional $150. The chef will donate 20% of proceeds to support Sonoma Family Meal.

To reserve, go to backyardforestville.com and click on Valentine’s Day Zoom Extravaganza.

SONOMA

Epicurean Connection will give a virtual cheesemaking class on Creme de Ricotta from 4:30 - 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13.

The virtual cheesemaking classes are offered on the second Saturday of each month and cover how to make fresh cheeses such as chevre, mozzarella and burrata. Nonperishable supplies for the class will be shipped to students.

Cost is $125 for each class. To reserve, go to theepicureanconnection.com, scroll down to Cheese Classes and click on Feb. 13. For more information: 707-235-9530.

The Epicurean Connection is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each Friday and Saturday, offering an array of prepared food such as soups, salads, macaroni and cheese, vegan and vegetarian fare and a wide assortment of pantry items. 19670 Eighth St. E., Ste. A.

NORTH BAY

2021 Good Food Award winners

The 11th annual Good Food Awards has named its award winners in 17 different categories after tasting through the 475 finalists chosen in November from nearly 2,000 entries from across the country.

Here are some of the North Bay winners you might like to check out:

Beer

• Alluvium California Pilsner from Seismic Brewing Co. of Santa Rosa

Cheese

• Mt. Tam from Cowgirl Creamery of Petaluma

• Creamy Brie from Laura Chenel of Sonoma

• Atika from Tomales Farmstead Creamery of Petaluma

Cider

• Warren Pear from Ethic Ciders of Petaluma

Fish

• Classic White Surgeon and Royal White Sturgeon from California Caviar of Sausalito

• Wild Pink Salmon from Patagonia Provisions of Sausalito

Grains

• True Wild Rice from Wine Forest of Napa

Honey

• Solar Grown Raw Honey from Clif Family Napa Valley plus Bare Honey of St. Helena

Pantry

• Apple Balsamic Vinegar from Little Apple Treats of Sebastopol

Spirits

• Mommenpop d’Pampe (grapefruit aperitif) from Mommenpop of Napa

• Four Grain Straight Bourbon from Spirit Works Distillery of Sebastopol

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