Tom Samarati Sonoma County California Food Blog
March 14, 2008: The Sonoma County California Food Scene. Past and Present.

Sonoma County is a pivotal place in the northern California food scene. Here we grow, raise and produce highly touted organic fruits, vegetables, dairy products, lamb, beef, and make world class wine. Most of this food is exported to the gourmet buyers throughout the San Francisco bay area & the greater USA. Like any other food production region in the world, the current Sonoma food scene comes from many generations of tradition combined with recent innovation.

To know where we are today it helps to see where we came from....Read more:
March 21, 2008: OOoooh! Wonderful Sonoma County Meats!

As I grow older, I've noticed that I'm eating less & less meat. Not really by conscious thought or planning. It's as though I just lost interest. The thought of having steak for dinner doesn't fill me with hungry anticipation, even when dining out in our Sonoma Valley restaurants... Read more...
April 3, 2008: Sonoma County bakeries. A French bread taste test panel.

There are about 25 Sonoma County bakeries large & small that sell bread daily. Seven of my fellow foodies went out on a Tuesday morning to purchase loaves of fresh basked French style white bread. The game plan? We got together at 7:00pm to conduct a French bread Taste Test judging panel. 14 different bread loaves were on the table. ...Read more:
April 7, 2008: Santa Rosa Pizza Makers

Over the past several weeks I've been scurrying around Santa Rosa to the pizza places that are NOT chain franchise operations. Keep in mind that Americans spend $10 Billion (YES! Billion with a B) on pizza every year. The ubiquitous pizza chain franchises cover every retail strip mall. Pizza long ago replaced the hot dog as Americans favorite snack food. Even in Santa Rosa there are neighborhoods where a pizza joint can be found on every city block....Read More: Pizza makers in Santa Rosa
April 7, 2008: Sonoma Plaza Farmer's Market
Despite the calendar declaration that March 21 is the first day of spring, I don't buy into that notion. My Spring arrives on the first Tuesday in April. That's when the Sonoma Plaza Certified Farmer's Market re-opens after the winter hiatus Read More: Sonoma Plaza Farmer's Market
April 15, 2008: Sonoma Market fast food
Can FAST FOOD be good food? Are the food vendor tents at the weekly farmer's market any better than the oily crap that's sold at the county fair? Well, Yes and maybe not. To find out, Read more... Sonoma weekly farmer's market Fast Food
July 30, 2008. A Perfect day in Sonoma: A visitor's Primer
Sonoma CA. Bucolic, cute. A town small enough to be stress free, yet big enough to provide visitors with a full day of fun. Almost everybody comes here for the wine, but there’s more to do than just sip fermented grape juice. I live here. Yet I’m a tourist every time I go out. I meet new people almost every day. Businesses open and close, new owners take over established storefronts. It’s a dynamic small town. You’ll feel the energy during you visit... Read More: A Perfect day in Sonoma: A visitor's primer
April 23, 2008: Petaluma's 150th Birthday.
Petaluma has seen its share of economic ups & downs over the past 150 years. This week-end we celebrate the agricultural bounty with some old town whimsy, some food, a parade and a Antique street fair. Read more...The Petaluma Butter & Eggs Parade
September 11, 2008. Hey! Berkeley is not in Sonoma County.
A Love letter to Kermit Lunch wine merchant.
Kermit Lynch's shop is a humble wonder and paradise. A simple 1,000 square feet of wine cases stacked on the floor, enough room between the boxes for one person to amble up & down the rows. No shopping carts, no display racks, no extraneous bullshit. I love it! Read more.. Kermit Lynch Wine merchant, Berkeley, CA