Thistle Meats returns to Petaluma
Thistle Meats has re-opened after a brief hiatus in order for new owner Travis Day to reorganize the space, which I am told now allows customers access to the restroom. This means Thistle now has an official dining room, which will be quite cozy at just 13 seats.
Day is a seasoned Bay Area butcher and charcuterier, having worked at Central Kitchen and Commonwealth in San Francisco, and he looks forward to continuing what Molly Best started, which is bringing Petaluma the best ethically-raised and harvested whole-animal butchery possible.
Luau dinner
The Petaluma Auxiliary of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) will hold their yearly fundraiser Luau Dinner on Saturday, May 20 at the Petaluma Vets Hall. Cocktail hour starts at 4 p.m., with dinner from 5-6:30 p.m., and live music from 6:30- 8:30 p.m.
Mike Harris is the master of ceremonies, and there will be a silent auction, raffle prizes, and a 50/50 raffle. Local chef Richard Reynolds will serve Kailua Pork shoulder wrapped in banana leaves and slow cooked, Huli Huli Chicken (sweet soy glazed chicken), Lumpia (Filipino style spring rolls filled with meat and veggies), Chicken Long Rice (rice noodles stir fried with chicken and veggies), Sticky Rice, Cucumber and Cabbage Salad, Tropical Fruit Salad, and Hawaiian Sweet Rolls.
The Disabled American Veterans’ charitable trust has been awarded an excellent rating by Charity Navigator for putting 96 percent of its donations towards helping disabled vets. With the motto of “Fulfilling our promises to the men and women who served,” DAV has been helping disabled vets since 1920.
Part of the reason DAV spends so little of its donations on administration and fundraising costs is because of partnerships with local businesses like long-time sponsors of the Petaluma Auxiliary DAV event, which include Sonoma Raceway, Rex Hardware, Cinnabar Theater, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Sonoma Canopy Tours, Kastania Vineyards, Oil Stop, Bodega Bay Lodge and the Willowbrook.
Tickets are $15 and are available from DAV Auxiliary Commander Marilee Gatlin, 494-5867 or at the VFW bar located at the Petaluma Vets Hall.
Spicy fundraiser
Join F.A. Nino’s for an afternoon of great food, friends, music and prizes, all in support of Quinn’s Kids. The fundraiser will run from 1-5 p.m. on May 21 at F.A. Nino’s tasting room and warehouse, located at 1370 Industrial Ave., Suite D. They will have tacos, with a touch of F.A. Nino’s special hot sauces, as well as local craft beer and live music from the Mad Men Quartet.
There will also be crafts for the kids, raffle prizes, and a silent auction. Although it isn’t listed anywhere, it isn’t unusual for F.A. Nino’s to offer two-for-one deals on all their products at these types of events, so bring a few extra bucks so you can stock up on their great sauces and rubs. Whenever we run into these specials, we usually buy a couple of full sets so we can give them away as gifts. The door donation is $20, with free admission for kids under 12 years old.
The Quinn Boyer Memorial Foundation was established in 2013 to help less privileged Bay Area kids attend the CYO Summer Camp in Occidental. Quinn Boyer, was a Santa Clara County paramedic, Sonoma State University graduate, and former CYO Camp counselor, who was murdered by a group of teenagers that clearly could have benefited from the guidance gained through the friendships and mentoring opportunities afforded to attendees of CYO Camps. Visit www.quinnskids.org for more info.
Salmon season
May 18 marks the season opener for Copper River salmon, with fish arriving in the Bay Area a few days later, depending on weather, processing capacity, and available flights. Yes, this fish is so good that it gets first-class service.
Copper River salmon are considered the best tasting salmon in the world because of the extra fat and oil they store for the long and arduous trip up the fast flowing Copper River in Alaska. High-end restaurants and home chefs alike covet these fish because of their brilliant red color, remarkable quality and extraordinary flavor.
Alaska Airlines, which distributes the salmon nationwide, holds a Best Chef competition on the tarmac at Seattle-Tacoma Airport upon the arrival of the very first catch. Although the expected 1 million Copper River Salmon harvest may seem like a lot, the worldwide demand for these fish will make them pretty hard to find, so keep your eyes peeled at your local fish shop and pay attention to your favorite restaurants’ menus if you are a fan of salmon, because you have never tasted anything like this.
However, be warned, because once you taste Copper River Salmon, all other salmon pales in comparison.
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