By 707 correspondent Heather Irwin. Sign up for the BiteClub Newsletter.
If you haven’t gotten your tickets for Charlie Palmer’s annual PIGS & PINOT, time is running short. The event takes place Friday March 21st and Saturday March 22nd. A sellout each year, this year’s luxe event features chef Palmer and Dry Creek Kitchen’s Dustin Valette, Amanda Freitag (New York’s Empire Diner, multiple TV chef competitions), Bryan Voltaggio (Washington DC’s Volt, and Frederick, Maryland’s Range), Frank Crispo (New York’s Crispo), and Philippe Rispoli (of PB Boulangerie and Bistro on Cape Cod). Featured winemakers include CIRQ, Domaine Pierre Gelin, Roth, Rochioli, and Pyramid Valley Vineyards.
Events include:
- Taste of Pigs & Pinot, Friday March 21st, 6:30pm-9pm, $175
- Tournament of the Pig, Saturday March 22nd, 10:30am-12:30pm, $125
- Ultimate Pinot Smackdown, Saturday March 22nd, 1pm-3pm, $125
Of course, this isn’t just a ridiculous eat and drink fest; it’s a fundraiser for Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign, scholarships to the CIA and Sonoma State’s Wine Program, The Healdsburg Education Foundation, Children of Sonoma Vineyard Workers Scholarships, and a whole lot more (including sending a local cheerleading team to the national championships…aww).
DK Wings Shutter: There was buzz earlier this week that former Cyrus chef Douglas Keane’s DK WINGS at the Graton Resort & Casino had been boarded up. Keane confirmed to BiteClub that he had in fact closed the chicken wing concept in the casino’s marketplace just three months after opening. He’s not saying much about the details, but Yelpers were pretty vicious about the eatery, despite mostly positive reviews from foodies. Both Keane and partner Nick Peyton (who still have the successful HBG Bar in Healdsburg) were working the lines and hawking wings almost daily, leading BiteClub to wonder if the strain of churn-and-burn at such a high-traffic spot was ultimately too much.
So long, Cappy: Rockstar barman Daniel “Cappy” Sorentino has left Healdsburg’s SPOONBAR for LA. The popular mixmaster followed in the footsteps of the groundbreaking Cyrus mixologist, Scott Beattie, serving up handcrafted cocktails with true artisan flair. Replacing Cappy is Tara Heffernon, who’s been part of the Spoonbar cocktail program since the start. She plans to continue the farm-to-bar concept using an assortment of herbs, fruits, vegetables, and flowers from her home garden. 219 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg.
Congrats to Wine Country’s GOOD FOOD AWARD WINNERS. During last night’s ceremony in San Francisco, which honored 130 of the country’s best food and drink producers from 32 states, a number of locals got nods for their hard work. Culinary luminaries Alice Waters, Ruth Reichl, and Nell Newman honored the 2014 winners onstage. The Wine Country contingent included:
- Bear Republic Brewing Company, Café Racer 15
- Bellwether Farms, Whole Milk Ricotta & Carmody
- Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company, Toma
- Flying Goat Coffee, Ethiopia Wote Konga
- Wine Forest, Pickled Sea Beans
