Cheese Week, Cheese Festivals offer pungent tasting opportunities
Meanwhile, the weekend of March 24-26 will also be the 17th Annual California Artisan Cheese Festival. While no longer held in Petaluma, the Artisan Cheese Festival marks its first return to being a full three-day weekend event since pre-pandemic times and showcases many of our Petaluma area producers.
The festivities include a myriad of tour options in Sonoma and Marin (and Sacramento) counties, as well as workshops and tastings at the Grace Pavilion at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa. Cheese lovers won’t want to miss the artisanal cheese tasting and market on Sunday 26 March. Visit www.artisancheesefestival.com for more information and to purchase tickets.
Here are some other items from this week’s “Tip of My Tongue” column…
Trevor Smith fundraiser
As always, Lombardi’s Deli & BBQ is providing the Trevor Smith Foundation BBQ Fundraising Dinners, pick up between 4-6pm Monday, March 20 at 1747 Northstar Drive. The three-tip dinner costs $65 and includes French bread and butter, salad, baked beans, and three tips—enough to feed a family of four. Venmo payments to @TS-Foundation-1 (please include name and number of meals in the notes area). Orders must be placed by Thursday, March 16 – however, if you’re reading this in the paper on Friday, March 17, it’s probably still worth trying to order by contacting Pam Smith at 415-608-9412.
“The Trevor Smith Memorial Foundation was formed in remembrance of the loss of Trevor Smith, a 13-year-old boy who disappeared after a tragic accident. Trevor has touched many lives in the Petaluma community with his vibrant personality, uncanny ability to make everyone feel included, his never-give-up attitude, and his infectious smile. The foundation’s primary mission is to support Petaluma’s youth by providing scholarships for athletics, theater, and education. For more information about the foundation, visit www.trevorsmithfoundation.com.
Girl Scout Cookie Exploration
Although Girl Scout cookie season has already begun and runs from March 8 to April 23, this Monday, March 20 marks the start of Girl Scout cookie booths throughout the city. For those who wish to place their orders online and have them delivered direct, www.gsnorcal.org can guide you to a local soldier who can help you. And if you’re looking for the newest flavor, according to their website, the Raspberry Rally is an online exclusive.
Girl Scout and Petaluma Foodie mom Clara Franco was kind enough to bring in boxes of all the flavors from our office a couple of weeks ago. But had we known that the Raspberry Rally was exclusive online, we might have savored them more, since they are definitely giving the best-selling Thin Mints a run for their money.
(Speaking of Thin Mints: Bert’s Desserts Mint Creamy Dark Chocolate Truffles are back by popular demand. Head to Petaluma Market to find these delectable treats, reminiscent of the Girl Scouts’ most famous cookie.)
St. Paddy’s delicacies
If you’re still thinking about St. Paddy’s Day, which is this Friday, March 17, don’t forget that this is the time of year when Petaluma Toffee Company releases its limited-edition Irish Cream Toffee. While it lasts, you’ll find it — along with all the other great flavors of the Petaluma Toffee Company toffee — at Petaluma Market, Charley’s Wine Country Deli, and LaLa’s Jams (www.lalasjams.com). Plus, there’s no better time to grab LaLa’s Irish Jam, made fresh in LaLa’s kitchen.
Happy urban gastronomy
Urban Deli (www.eaturbandeli.com) now offers a happy hour menu Monday through Friday, 4-6pm, featuring everything from Veggies with Hummus to their Mediterranean Sampler to meat choices like Chicken Shawerma Wraps and Shawerma Fries – all of which can be complemented with baklava and Turkish coffee.
Located at 151 Petaluma Blvd. South, Ste #109, between Sole Desire Shoes and Cravin’s Candy Emporium, Urban Deli is perfectly located for grab-and-go orders around the corner in Theater Square, where you can pair it with some great beers at the Adobe Creek Brewing. Adobe Creek does not offer its own food, so it gladly welcomes customers to bring and enjoy a lunch from elsewhere.
Memories of the Easter Bunny
Although a little early for the Easter announcements, I wanted to mention that Barn5400 will be holding their spring event on Saturday, April 1, titled Easter Bunny “Hop-up”. For those unfamiliar, “Barn5400 is an artisanal retail property with small producers, FEED Farmer’s Exchange, Harmony Farm Supply and so much more.” They host other small businesses from around the area whenever they have these seasonal pop-up events.
I’ll write more about the event as we get closer and learn more about what kind of food vendors will be on hand, but since Easter Bunny photo submissions are currently open and the list will fill up fast, I wanted to give parents a head to head. You can find more information at www.barn5400.com.
Please email [email protected] with any questions or comments.