Butcher Crown opens softly, butchery classes at Thistle Meats, new bagel joint and more Petaluma food news

Tip of my Tongue: The regular round up of food and drink news and events|

Mark your calendar

Butcher Crown Roadhouse had an invite-only, pre-soft opening a few weeks ago and the feedback I received was overwhelmingly positive. In fact, several attendees stopped me on the street to let me know just how good the food tastes. I was lucky enough to get a super-secret, pre-soft opening invite to try some of owner Pete Schnell’s test recipes right when he started building out his restaurant, and was thoroughly impressed.

This weekend, Pete will open with limited hours, Friday, Nov. 16, thru Sunday, Nov. 18, but only for email subscribers. This allows the restaurant to continue to fine-tune everything before the grand opening. BCR will reopen Friday, Nov. 23, thru Sunday, Nov. 25, with limited hours, before launching into regular hours Tuesday, Nov. 27. Although reservations will not normally be needed, Pete is currently accepting reservations for the Nov. 23-25 weekend, and due to his excellent food, I recommend getting yourself on the list. Pete is planning a grand opening celebration for the weekend of Dec. 1. Visit butchercrown.com to get on their email list, which just might get you an invite to BCR’s upcoming events.

Barber Cellars Holiday Food and Fun Fair was so popular last year that they are bringing it back on Monday, Nov. 19, from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Hotel Petaluma ballroom and lobby. This is event is free and gives guests the opportunity to taste many of the foods available from local purveyors, as well stock up for the holidays, both in their own kitchens and for gifts. This event was originally created in order to help the local food businesses that were hurt by the economic downturn following last year’s fires. The event helped carry them through the winter and was such a success that Barbers plan to make this an annual event. Entertainment and music will be provided by Jeffrey Ventrella, Clementine the Amazing Face Painter and Hope Love and Magic - the Frozen Sisters.

The vendor list is growing by the day and currently includes Barber Cellars, Bert’s Desserts, Bitter Girl Bitters, Clover Dairy, Crocodile, F.A. Nino’s, Farm Chocolates, Golden State Pickle Works, Kiss The Flower Honey, Lala’s Urban Farmstand Jams, Marin French Cheese Co., Mariposa Ice Cream, Miyoko’s Kitchen, Moonside Creamery, O Olive Oils, Petaluma Coffee Co., Petaluma Toffee, Sherrivette’s Cookies, Simply Strudel, Sonoma Portworks, Spice Queen, Stella’s Table, Stockhome, The Drawing Board, Torn Ranch, Wines By The Slice, W.M. Cofield Creamery and Zoe’s Meats. Visit holidayfoodfair.com for more info.

Artful Arrangements will hold a Giving Thanks at the Gardens event on Sunday, Nov. 18, at 205 Orchard Lane, Penngrove. A guided tour of the grounds begins at 2 p.m., with plenty to follow for the whole family. There will be opportunities for attendees to feed the chickens, learn about farm animals and get some hands-on experience planting in the garden. There will also be a delicious spaghetti dinner served, with sauce provided by The Shuckery. Expect music, libations and a chance to walk through the “Portal of Time,” which is an interactive art installation meant to demonstrate how the past shapes our decisions today, and in turn impacts our futures. Always held the Sunday before Thanksgiving, this event is free to all (donations are appreciated). Visit Artful Arrangements’ Facebook page for info and to RSVP.

Mariposa Ice Cream announced a last-minute sale so we can all have the super creamy ice cream for next weekend’s Thanksgiving celebrations. They will open the 431 Payran St. warehouse doors Friday, Nov. 16, from 5 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. will lots of unique flavors, including seasonal favorites like Peppermint Swirl and Chocolate Covered Peppermint Bars. Visit their Facebook page for an updated flavor list.

Griffo Distillery will offer the best adult art class ever - a “Mixology and Bitters Class” with Monarch Bitters’ Phaedra Achor, on Friday, Nov. 30, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Guests will make “a classic cocktail, a personalized cocktail and a jar of bitters all while learning the history of mixology and the many uses for bitters.” Everything but your imagination will be provide for the ticket price of $45, which can be purchase at griffodistillery.com. Attendees must be 21 years of age.

Stockhome will hold a special beer-paired dinner, “Caviar Lives and Champagne Dreams,” on Thursday, Nov. 28, starting at 5 p.m. This is the launch party for HenHouse Brewery’s newest offering, The Third Volume, an extra brut IPA. It is a collaboration between HenHouse and Kim Sturdavant of San Francisco’s Social Kitchen and Brewery, who is credited with creating the brut IPA. Contrary to its name, it is not a mash up of beer and wine. Brut IPA’s are designed to have zero residual sugar through the use of enzymes that break down starches and sugars into glucose which the yeast can easily consume. The result is a bone-dry beer that allows the hops to pop through hyper effectively. Although the menu has not been finalized, Stockhome’s co-owner/chef Sundell will pair the Third Volume with Swedish specialties such as salted-cod caviar. Sign up at stockhomerestaurant.com for updates and for future brewers’ dinners and other special events.

Thistle Meats rolls out their new butcher class schedule, starting with “Whole Hog Breakdown” on Saturday, Nov. 17, with future classes planned for Dec. 22 and Feb. 23. I was lucky enough to attend this class last year and found it enlightening. Having grown up around pigs, I’m not unfamiliar with the process of growing and harvest them, and am quite familiar with consuming them. But to receive hands-on tutelage on how to go from whole hog to butcher-wrapped official cuts of pork really helped connect the farm animal to the plate. It was not only educational, but gave me a greater appreciation for the animals but the butchers who go out of their way to make sure they are working with the best local farmers, so they can offer the healthiest and most ethically sourced meats. Thistle Meats also offers a sausage making class Dec. 18 and Feb. 9. Visit thistlemeats.com to book either a private or semi-private three-hour evening class for any of the listed dates. Classes are 7-10 p.m. and must have at least four students. Whole Hog is $250 per person and the sausage class is $225. Both include refreshments and charcuterie, expert tutelage and plenty of take-home items for your fridge.

Changes coming

The Bagel Mill will take over the space currently occupied by Izakaya Kitaru. Kitaru is the Japanese restaurant that sits on Western Avenue, between Stockhome and the Petaluma Market parking lot. After our first dining experience at Kitaru on their opening night, we were disappointed in the food, the service and the bill, so I am not surprised that the out-of-town owners decided to sell. No word on when they will transform the space, so stay tuned.

Everest Indian has also change owners, and was sold to family friends who currently own Yak & Yeti Himalayan restaurant in Napa and La Casa Mexican restaurant in Sonoma. They will keep the name Everest, but will drop “Indian” because they will offer cuisine from all over the Himalayan area, although regulars know that Everest Indian specialized in authentic cuisine from Nepal, Tibet and India, too.

The Sweet Zone has sold but will remain a candy and chocolate store. Former owners Will and Monika brought Powell’s Sweet Shoppe to Petaluma’s Theater District over 10 years ago, eventually dropping the franchise and going it alone as the Sweet Zone. Always a big part of the Petaluma community, the Sweet Zone has been a lot of youths’ first job and has always been a big local donor, giving over $100,000 throughout the years to many local charities. The new owners are Heidi and Brian and I look forward to meeting them and reporting back on their story and what their plans are for the Sweet Zone.

One of Petaluma’s most iconic bartenders, Helga, has moved from Andresen’s to Gale’s Central Club. I have not yet gotten the official word on why Helga left Andresen’s, but rumors have it that the owner may be planning some changes to the bar. Certainly a character in her own right, my favorite experience with Helga came around the time the law changed to ban smoking in bars. Helga, in her thick Eastern European accent, said, “What do they think we are serving here, health food?”

Small bites

Petaluma Pie Company offers holiday pie tasting on just about every Saturday, from noon to 3 p.m. throughout November and December. They usually pick one of the flavors from their holiday selection, which range from classic apple and pecan pies to “exotics” such as chocolate bourbon pecan and pear ginger cardamom. You can order in person, or through their revamped website, and now can even have pies shipped. Holiday orders should be placed at least five days prior to pick up. petalumapiecompany.com.

Petaluma Toffee Company, after much tasty research, is now sourcing their chocolate from Guittard Chocolate Company, which is a name that chocolate lovers know too well. Currently headquartered in Burlingame, Guittard was started in San Francisco in 1868 by French immigrant Etienne Guittard, and is the oldest family-owned chocolate company anywhere in the United States. PTC’s toffee comes in several flavors, all of which offer a perfect balance of sweet and salty. They are the perfect holiday gift and treat. Petaluma Toffee is available throughout the Petaluma area at shops such as Petaluma Market, Penngrove Market and Charley’s Wine Country Deli.

Ethic Cider announced that Scarlett is again available and just in time to complement your holiday meals. This heirloom apple cider is infused with whole local raspberries and blackberries. Scarlett is a balance of sweet and tart, with big fresh berry aromatics. Only 86 cases were produced and can either be picked up at their Petaluma cidery by appointment, or can be ordered and shipped through the website - ethicciders.com.

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