A la carte: Holidays bring tamales, crab and an elevated dining experience

calistoga

Passport season begins for Winter in the Wineries

Calistoga ushers in the “cabernet season” this month with its 10th annual Winter in the Wineries Passport, an opportunity to taste at 16 area wineries, from a hillside castle to a downtown tasting room.

The passports also feature discounts on lodging, dining, shopping and spa experiences. Cost is $60 for the passport.

To reserve: visitcalistoga.com or in person at the Calistoga Welcome Center, participating wineries and lodging partners. The passport is good through Feb. 9.

SANTA ROSA

Tickets now on sale for ?annual crab & wine fest

The Sonoma County Farm Bureau has put tickets on sale for its 31st annual Great Sonoma Crab and Wine Fest on Feb. 1 at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds.

The event, which sells out every year, includes a 4 p.m. wine-and-food reception with silent auction, followed by a classic crab feed dinner and live auction.

Tickets are $125. To reserve: sonomafb.org/crab-feed

sonoma county

Learn how to make tamales at your local library

Experienced Mexican cook Salome Arenas Ramirez will teach a series of Holiday Tamale Making workshops at various local library branches through Jan. 25.

The hands-on classes will lead families through the process, provide tamales to take home and cook and give ideas for other creations.

The free classes will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday at the Healdsburg Library; 6:30 p.m. Dec. 18 at the Northwest Library; 4 p.m. Dec. 21 at the Petaluma Library; 4 p.m. ?Dec. 23 at the Central Library and 4 p.m. Jan. 25 at the Guerneville Library. To register, go to sonomalibrary.org.

petaluma

New tasting room ?at Bodega Bay Oyster

Bodega Bay Oyster Company, a family business that sells shellfish from Point Reyes Oyster Company in Tomales Bay, has opened a new tasting room at its storefront at 12830 Valley Ford Road.

Bodega Cellars focuses on local, small producers of craft wine, beer and cider. The tasting room hours are currently noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday or by appointment by emailing lindsey@bodegacellars.net. bodegabayoyster.com

HEALDSBURG

Japanese curry ?workshop at Shed Studio

To celebrate the publication of Sonoko Sakai’s new book, “Japanese Home Cooking: Simple Meals, Authentic flavors,” the Healdsburg Shed will host a special Curry Brick Workshop at 11 a.m. Sunday at Russian River Flowers, next to the Shed Studio.

Sonoko will instruct students on how to blend, toast and grind their own spices to create a homemade curry brick, avoiding the palm oil and chemical additives in many store-bought cubes.

The workshop, which costs $60, includes a curry tasting and a copy of Sonoko’s new book. To reserve: be@healdsburgshed.com. 105 West North St.

HEALDSBURG

Winter TSOlstice elevated dining experience

TSO Sonoma, a luxury cannabis lifestyle company, will host Winter TSOlstice: A Mindful Elevated Dining Experience at 5 p.m. Dec. 21 at a private home in Healdsburg.

The sensory evening of fine dining and conversation includes a meditation experience exploring sound, breath and movement; optional balanced cannabis pairings from Tina Gordon of Moon Made Farms and a four-course, non-infused menu of locally-sourced, foraged dishes from Chef Aaron Koseba, head chef of SingleThread Restaurant in Healdsburg.

Each guest will receive an Omura Flower “heat not burn” vaporization device. Tickets cost $230, with a percentage of proceeds going to a relief fund assisting those affected by the Kincade Fire.

To reserve: tso-sonoma.ticketleap.com.

OAKVILLE

Holiday open house ?at Oakville Grocery

The Oakville Grocery will welcome Santa Claus from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday at the historic Napa Valley grocery store.

The celebration will also conclude a tree lighting at 5 p.m., cookie decorating and Christmas ornament-making stations, plus appetizers, hot chocolate and hot apple cider for the little ones and wine tasting for mom and dad.

The event is free but RSVPs encouraged at: customerservice@1881napa.com.

For every donated, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots, guests will receive a raffle ticket. 7856 St. Helena Highway.

You can reach Staff Writer Diane Peterson at 707-521-5287 or diane.peterson@pressdemocrat.com.