Sonoma: February 2010 Archives

By Deirdre Bourdet

I'm sure my girlfriend and I are not the only ones who loved that guy on American Idol who auditioned in Atlanta with his original one-man duet lovesong, beginning "La-ty, I know you," in falsetto.  Now I hear that guy every time I hear a word that starts with "lay" or ends with "tee"... or anything remotely similar.  As we strolled under the large Yeti Restaurant sign into the historic sawmill building of the Jack London Village Shops in Glen Ellen, the Atlanta guy was with us.  But the delectable smells wafting up from the open kitchen into the restaurant quickly put to rest any fears of further comparisons to that performance.  Warm spices, creamy curries, and blistering tandoor breads filled the air with their enticing aromas and made it clear that we needed to get to know Yeti, stat.

By Deirdre Bourdet

The tradition of local "restaurant week" promotions dates from the last recession, post dotcom crash, when the nouveaux poor's continued need for high end dining and the high end dining establishments' need for continued business found common ground in a beautiful, prix-fixed way.  New York and San Francisco restaurants enjoyed such success with their Restaurant Week programs that they kept them in place even after fortunes were again flying high.

Submitted by Gloria Ferrer

The clean flavors of "maguro" sushi come together in this dazzling appetizer. A sesame-soy marinade lifts the tuna flavors, and the wasabi and pickled ginger give these delectable rollups a real punch. Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut sparkling wine provides a vivacious accompaniment to the spicy, exotic nature of the dish while balancing the salty flavor of the marinade.

Yield: 24 pieces

INGREDIENTS

• ½ lb Ahi tuna - absolutely fresh, dark red, high quality "sushi grade" is essential here

Marinade

• 2 T Green onion - chives will work as a substitute
• 1 T Fresh ginger - if you can't find the fresh root, skip it. Don't use powder!
• 2 T soy sauce - good quality "shoyu" works best
• 2 t Rice wine vinegar - substitute any light wine vinegar if necessary
• 1 T Toasted sesame oil - toasted sesame oil has more flavor than untoasted
• Pinch Black pepper--several turns from the peppermill works best