Petaluma Farmers Market/Eats on the street

Every Wednesday, the city of Petaluma hosts a Farmer's Market. Tonight was the first time I dropped by, and I was quickly overwhelmed by all of the available food. Fresh, organic produce notwithstanding, there were at least a dozen food and drink stands, more than I could handle in one visit. These sorts of unexpected treats are the essence of low-hanging fruit. Picking a main course was an obvious choice, but since it wouldn't be ready for 30 minutes I got to pass the time with other selections. Caught in the carefree atmosphere, I started with dessert and coffee:

Peanut butter sandwich cookie from Baker Girl. Two mouth-melting peanut butter cookies are held in concert with a sweet peanut butter creme filling; the elements of this cookie collide in a way that opens a tiny portal to a peanut butter dimension, both beautiful and frightening in its deliciousness. Now, I love and respect chocolate-dipping as a natural evolution of the peanut butter cookie medium, but this sandwich is a hardcore option for PB enthusiasts.

First Course:
Crepe with tomato, brie, and pesto from Brittany Crepes and Galettes. Their savory selections are served in a sturdy buckwheat crepe, free of dairy and gluten. The hot tomatoes and gooey brie took me back to Paris. I had a tough choice between this and a salmon crepe (but there's always next week.) The simplicity and unpretentious construction is really the best thing about a dish like this, and I put it in a category similar to sub sandwiches, pizza, or ramen: it's everything that you love to eat, wrapped in a pancake. I should have them cater my shooting-fish-in-a-barrel party next week.

Main Course:

Paella from Bro's Bar-B-Que. The gargantuan pan drew a crowd hungry for aromatic spices and saffron-infused rice. The shrimp and chicken each came out flavorful and juicy. Barbeque is a street market staple, but this was an especially welcome offering.

Had I the stomach, I would have happily stacked my plate higher with polish sausage, carnitas, brisket, and a pizza. There's always next week...

Pranqster beer isn't fooling around

Can I drop a bad line to start? Pranqster is no joke. While I wait for more permanent housing in California, I am currently shacked up in a low-rent hotel attached to a bar and pizza restaurant. As an occasional Dungeons & Dragons player, it's actually quite entertaining to tell people that I'm "staying at the inn." The advantage is that I'm mere yards away from an excellent selection of beer and liquor. Tonight's experiment is the aforementioned Belgian-style ale from the North Coast Brewing Company (bless their souls!)
I'll admit, I didn't exactly balance this beer well with my meal, as it completely outclassed the cold sausage-and-veggie pizza I had (which, to be fair, was pretty good hot.) I knew by the Pranqster's golden-brown color I was in for something good. It starts with a sweet, citrusy aroma. The beer is very smooth, with a mild bubble. It tastes like honey, and I pick up an aftertaste like wild blackberries. It's a beer to be enjoyed on the porch on a Summer afternoon, a refreshment before dinner with some fruits and cheese. Lovely.

Bourbon in Eureka's Old Town

A week ago, at the beginning of this visit to Humboldt, my stepmother notified me of a bourbon-tasting dinner in Eureka's Old Town district. Tonight was the big night, and I'm still reeling from it all. Considering the food and the booze served, this would have made for a damn good Saturday, if it weren't Monday. These two gentlemen were running the show and pouring the shots:


They made sure to mention at the beginning of the night that bourbon is officially classified as being made from at least fifty per cent corn (besides other grains such as rye or barley.) It was good info for the uninitiated such as myself. But the real education came in the eight-bottle taste test that followed. It's a good thing they served dinner:

Onion soup with a Parmesan crouton

Barbecued chicken and beans

Beef fajita with tomato, onion, and guacamole (well-seasoned with salt and lime, but the tortilla could use a little grilling)

Finishing with a flavorful peach pie and vanilla ice cream. You might have noticed that at each course there is a shot of rich, golden bourbon. Despite the photos, I don't want to under emphasize that as the main attraction at this dinner. We were allowed to sample each of the eight bottles in turn, giving due time and attention to their unique attributes. I'd especially like to point out a few outstanding examples:

• The Eagle Rare single barrel - spicy and aggressive, heavy on the rye and barley
• The Four Roses Small Batch - seventy per cent corn with a delightful sweetness, it had a rich and lasting fruity flavor, one of the night's best - I could have it on pancakes
• The Elmer T Lee - nice and smooth, creamy, it's gentle but not weak, sweet but not syrupy
• Blanton's -The first single-barrel made in the US, it starts with a mellow sweetness, and slowly builds into a surprisingly spicy finishing punch. They rye comes out well, and it lingers nicely on the tongue.

My father and I enjoyed it all quite well...

Bruises on The Fruit

I have a few treats that I like to stock up on whenever I'm in Humboldt County, and among them is the vinaigrette dressing from Roy's Club in Eureka. The balance of savory and tart is just perfect for salad or crusty bread, and I feel better just knowing that I have some in the fridge. I scooped up four bottles while out on a quick shopping run, and came back quite satisfied with my loot. While taking the bag out of the car, I must have over-twisted the bag...and...see for yourself. I must warn you that the following image may not be appropriate for young foodies:

Four bottles of Roy's vinaigrette, a bottle of Mazzotti's house Italian, and a nice-looking organic peanut butter all smashed to bits, their delicious herbs and oils oozing over the pavement. In times like this I remember advice from Mark Twain: When angry, count four; when very angry, swear.

Not like this...

Wrapping Up

I've just moved back to Northern California from...well...the outside world. After traveling for seven years it's comforting to get wrapped up again in the Redwood Curtain. I grew up in Arcata, and even as a teenager I can remember being surrounded by excellent food. The Arcata Plaza has never been lacking for restaurants, but today I encountered Renata's Creperie for the first time.

Not since my last trip to Albania have I been to a restaurant where crepes took a dominant position on the menu, and Renata's is getting everything right: a clear distinction between sweet and savory dishes, with necessary fillings like cheese, prosciutto, Nutella, bananas, and berries available, and all the espresso you need to finish it off. Of course the restaurant displays an Arcatan style with unique art and a menu that proudly declares a commitment to the best ingredients.

Lunch:

Swiss Delight (daily special):

• Swiss
• Jack
• Prosciutto
• Spinach
• Onion
• Garlic
• Tomato
• Creme Fraiche
• Green salad garnish

Swiss delight indeed. This was a rich, smooth, satisfying meal, wrapped in a hearty (whole wheat?) crepe. It should have been enough, but I had a free afternoon and another page on the menu to explore, so when I was asked if I wanted dessert, I felt it would be negligent of me to decline.

Dessert:

Sweet Sister:

• Nutella
• Banana
• Crushed almond and powdered sugar topping
• Rum flambe'

The flambe' is optional on the menu, but not in my heart's desires. It's a wonder they don't list decadence as one of the ingredients. This is a full-sized crepe, filled to the corners with rich, creamy Nutella. If you have any doubts about your capacity to finish dessert, bring a friend with you; there's a corner in Hell set aside for people who waste food this good.