Join us for Easter Bubbles & Brunch

April 24th, 10:00 to 3:00

ANTIPASTI & APERITIVO

polenta rolls – honey butter & fig conserva
house cured salumi platter
laura chenel cabecou – roasted fruits
mimosa or bellini or juice

ENTREES

eggs benedict – dungeness crab benedict – brunch pizza -
baked eggs en cocotte – artichoke frittata – meatball sliders

DESSERT TRIO

strawberry pannacotta – chocolate budino – biscotti

Click for Full Menu

For reservations, call us at 707.933.3663 x19

Can’t make it for Easter?  There’s always Mother’s Day!
Keep an eye out for our Mother’s Day Brunch menu, coming soon!

◊

We’ll see you in Paso Robles, April 28th to 30th!
We love attending Hospice du Rhône every year and really can’t wait for the end of April when we’ll be heading down to Paso Robles to celebrate our favorite varietals with some of our greatest friends!

This year we’ll have the demonstration kitchen all to ourselves and plan to have you sample some great bites, including our cassoulet, duck salad, a variety of salumi, delicious fig kisses, and (of course) our Wine Country FIG FOOD.  We’ll also be giving some great cooking demonstrations, including our staple at the girl & the fig: duck confit!

Check out what else HDR has to offer, and be sure to stop by the demo kitchen to say hi to Sondra, John, Uriel, Ryan, and Justin!  We’d love to see you there!

◊

Featured Retailer: Bi-Rite Market and Monterey Market
by Julie Kantor, FIG FOOD Sales Manager

Generally we introduce you to small gourmet food shops, but this month we’d like to remind customers in the Bay Area of Northern California that our products can be found in two markets that have been family owned and focused on local, healthfully-produced products for many decades.  They have the friendly character and values that you’d expect to find in a small shop, but I guess that’s probably how they started and what helped them prosper.

Bi-Rite Market at 18^th & Guerrero in San Francisco has a long, sentimental history, having opened in 1940.  It has been owned and operated by the Mogannam family since 1964.  Sons Sam and Ralph took over from their father and uncle in 1997, and with Sam’s restaurant background, he expanded the market to include a wide selection of quality take-out food.  In order to appreciate all they do, including harvesting honey, making marshmallows, growing organic produce, and churning their famous ice cream, take a look at their website.  They plan to open a second location on Divisadero Street in 2011.

Monterey Market in Berkeley recently started carrying our products.  Founded in 1961 by Tom and Mary Fujimoto, the market was one in a long line of produce enterprises that Tom had been involved with.  They became known for the “exotic” produce desired by their multi-cultural community.  Today, sons Bill and Ken continue to run the business in the spirit and memory of their parents.  Their website  showcases other specialty vendors that share the Hopkins Street location with them and make it a very special shopping destination.

CORRECTION (address) – Please note that Cheese Central, mentioned in our last figbits, is now open for cooking classes and gourmet shopping.  The address is 11 North School Street in Lodi.

♦ Shop Now!  Or, if you want to bring FIG FOOD closer to home, let your favorite area specialty food store know about our products, or suggest a store to us!

◊

Small Bites
quick morsels of news

* Christopher Butler, the artist whose dramatic images adorn the walls at ESTATE, has partnered with author Bob Oré to produce Prophets & Assassins.  This collaborative piece will be published as a book and released this month, and we are thrilled to be hosting a launch party in the coming weeks.  We’ll keep you posted on the details!

* the girl & the fig CATERS! now has it’s own Facebook page!  Be sure to “like” us to get the latest news and updates on what’s happening with our special events!

* Are you looking to plan a trip to Wine Country soon?  Check out the Sonoma Valley Reserve Tours for some unique wine tasting adventures that will give you the opportunity to discover some “hidden gems” in the Sonoma Valley.  Tours are scheduled for May 14th and 15th, so be sure to make your reservation soon!  And it’s never too early to start planning for Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, coming up in September.

* Have we mentioned the Silversea cruise coming up in May?  Sondra has planned an exclusive winemakers lunch with our friends at Vini Biondi that will take place at the Modern Art Gallery in Palermo, which is located in a former monastery.  This is going to be a truly amazing experience!  If you haven’t booked your cabin yet, contact Millenium Travel for more details.

◊

A Sneak Peek into our New Cookbook:
Asparagus Soup with Chervil Crème Fraiche

Serves 6

2½ tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 leek, white only, cleaned, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 bunches green jumbo asparagus, peeled, cut in ¾” rounds, reserve tips for garnish
1½ quarts water
½ cup heavy cream
salt & white pepper

Chervil Crème Fraiche:

1 bunch chervil, picked, reserve 12 stems for garnish, chop the rest
½ cup crème fraîche
1 tablespoon heavy cream
salt & white pepper

For the soup: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, celery, leek, shallots and garlic and sauté until the vegetables are soft, (about 7 minutes). Stir the vegetables occasionally to prevent browning. Add the asparagus to the other vegetables and stir together. Add 1½ quarts of water and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook until the asparagus are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the heavy cream. Remove from the heat, and puree the mixture with a hand immersion blender, food processor or a blender. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a container over an ice bath.  Adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Mix the chopped chervil with the crème fraiche and the heavy cream. If it is too thick, adjust the consistency with a little more of the heavy cream (or water).

Garnish each soup with the chervil crème fraiche, asparagus tips and chervil leaves.

*
We are busy at work on our new cookbook, and have enlisted the help of our friends and fans to help us test out our recipes!  Take a look at what they’ve been been busy cooking up, and keep an eye out for updates on our release date over the next few months.

◊

It’s Not too Late to Save the Date!

What:  The Art of Eating: A Tribute to MFK Fisher
When:  Saturday, May 14th

Where:  Bouverie Preserve, Glen Ellen

Details:  From the event website: “Please join us for sustainable food and wine tastings inspired by the writings of MFK Fisher, coupled with a lively auction. Mary Frances was a close friend of David Bouverie and spent the last two decades of her life at the Bouverie Preserve.”

the girl & the fig is very excited be a food vendor at this event, and we hope you’ll stop by to say hi!

◊

Upcoming Events

Hospice du Rhone
April 28th to 30th
Paso Robles, CA

Tailwags & Handbags
April 29th
ESTATE

Sonoma Valley Reserve
May 14th & 15th
Sonoma Valley

The Art of Eating: A Tribute to MFK Fisher
May 14th
Bouverie Preserve, Glen Ellen

◊

March Memories

♦
Captured Moments

fig patio construction

crushpad blending

signs of spring

♦
News Bites

SF Gate: Jack London Had it Right

Citys Best: Eat, Drink, Sleep

Palate Press: The Very Best Wine iApps

◊

Contact Us!

the girl & the fig / 110 W Spain St, Sonoma CA 95476 / 707-938-3634 / web

the fig cafe & winebar / 13690 Arnold Dr, Glen Ellen CA 95442 / 707-938-2130 / web

the girl & the fig CATERS! / 21800 Schellville Rd Ste C, Sonoma CA 95476 / 707-933-3667 / web

ESTATE / 400 W Spain St, Sonoma CA 95476 / 707-933-3663 / web

Facebook / Twitter / Kiva / iPhone App / Subscribe to our Mailing List

’tis the Season for Rhône!

March and April are the season of Rhône for us at the girl & the fig, and we are certainly in love with this season!  We hope that you’ll join us at some of our yearly favorite events in celebration of our favorite varietals.

♦14th Annual Rhone Rangers Grand Tasting
March 26th & 27th, San Francisco

Get ready for the largest American Rhône wine event in the country!  Rhone Rangers’ Grand Tasting provides a unique opportunity to taste over 500 of the best American-produced Rhône wines from over 100 wineries.  Saturday’s winemaker dinner will include wines from 15 wineries and will, of course, be catered by the girl & the fig!  We’ll also be sampling our Cassoulet at the Grand Tasting, along with 30 other purveyors and more Rhône producing wineries.

♦Hospice du Rhône
April 28th to 30th, Paso Robles

One of our favorite events of the year, Hospice du Rhône is a weekend long gathering of over 130 Rhône producers and importers from around the globe packed with educational seminars, excellent Rhône inspired meals, tastings, and other fun events!  This is HDR’s 19th year, and we are thrilled to be attending once again!  Join us, and get your passes soon!

◊

Découvertes en Vallée du Rhône

John and Sondra have been in France this past week attending Découvertes en Vallée du Rhône, a biennial event that this year included 15 wine fairs taking place at different Rhône Valley Terroirs with over 700 exhibitors and visitors from around the world.  If you’re not up to date on our Facebook page and Twitter feed, you’ve probably missed the play by play from this amazing Rhône experience.  Here are some highlights:

* Bonjour! Tues Mar 1

* 1st salon, Condrieu and Cote-Rotie, starting with white, St. Peray is delightful, looking at Marsanne in a new light.  Tues Mar 1

* New series by Yves Cuilleron, Condrieu, Cote-Rotie, St. Joseph.  Tues Mar 1

* Maxime et Mama Graillot - my favorite Crozes-Hermitage ever! Alain Graillot! Wed Mar 2

* Gigondas tasting.  Thur Mar 3

* Tavel & Lirac tasting.  Sat Mar 5

* Special dinner in Chateauneuf-du-Pape.  Sat Mar 5

* Chateauneuf tasting- magnifique!!  Sun Mar 6
And, don’t miss out on our photo albums:
Pt 1 / Pt 2 / Pt 3 / Truffles & Tavel / Chateauneuf-du-Pape Dinner

◊

Speaking of Exciting Vacations…

Have you heard yet about Sondra’s upcoming Silversea cruise to Italy, Malta and Greece?  It’s coming up soon, May 16th to 24th, and we can’t wait!

“With a great balance of time on shore and time on board, luxury service and exotic cities, we are off for a week of great food, wine, exploration and fun! We’ll have exclusive the girl & the fig receptions, unique food and wine pairings, cooking demonstrations, even photography sessions and walking tours. We’ll bask on the isle of Capri, along the warm Amalfi Coast while sampling our favorite Tuscan blends! This will be my first trip to Sicily, Malta, and some of the Greek islands, so we’ll explore together. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to invite you to join our fun-loving group, experience new locales, photograph the scenery, shop the trendy boutiques, and of course sample and savor the local food and wine.”

This is truly a once in a lifetime chance to experience great food and wine with new friends in the gorgeous, lush Mediterranean!  There are still some rooms available, so hurry to book yours and join us!

For more information and to reserve your suite:

Michael Mastrocola’s Millennium Travel
831.659.0151
www.mmtravel.net

◊

Under Construction!

The patio at the girl & the fig is under construction!  We are making some exciting and long-awaited changes that we’re hoping to unveil in mid-April, just in time for you to enjoy during your next summer visit with us.  We can’t wait to show you our new look, and will let you know when it’s finished!

If you’d like to keep up to date on the progress of our construction, be sure to “Like” us on Facebook and take a look at our ongoing construction photos.

◊

Featured Retailer: St. Kilian’s Cheese Shop
by Julie Kantor, FIG FOOD Sales Manager

Hugh O’Neill and Ionah DeFreitas have been purveyors of good eats in Denver for much of their lives together.   They were chefs and co-owners of two restaurants in Denver (Greens Café and Hugh’s New American Bistro) prior to opening St. Kilian’s Cheese Shop in 2001.  Now, they promote specialty goods and recently added those of the girl & the fig, we’re pleased to say.

At St. Kilian’s you can find European and American cheeses, cured meats, oils and vinegars and other gourmet pantry items.  Hugh, Ionah and their customers are especially fond of their inter-active retail neighborhood, which they share with Mondo Vino wine shop and The Denver Bread Company.  Hugh (whose wry humor makes a visit even more memorable) points out that St. Kilian was a cheese lover and is pictured with “the holy trinity of food – cheese, bread and wine.”  It appears that the corner of 32^nd and Lowell Boulevard has all one needs to feel blessed.

♦ New in California – please note two additional retailers carrying FIG FOOD:
Greens Market, 1508 Tenth Street in Modesto
Cheese Central (newly opened in March!), 416 West Locust in Lodi

♦ Shop Now! Or, if you want to bring FIG FOOD closer to home, let your favorite area specialty food store know about our products, or suggest a store to us!

◊

It’s Not too Late to Save the Date!

What: Sonoma International Film Festival

When: April 6th to 10th

Where: Sonoma

Details: We are always excited for the Sonoma International Film Festival and the motion picture magic it brings to town!  The festival, which is in its 14th year, welcomes both filmakers and film lovers to a long weekend filled with food, wine and over 64 new independent films from all over the globe presented at a variety of venues in the town of Sonoma.

If you’re in town for the festival, we hope to see you at the girl & the fig or ESTATE for a break between film screenings!

◊

Upcoming Events

Secrets of a Savvy Hostess
March 26th
ESTATE

Rhone Rangers
March 26th to 27th
Fort Mason, San Francisco

Sonoma International Film Festival
April 6th to 10th
Sonoma

Toast of the Town
April 7th
San Francisco

◊

February Memories

♦
Captured Moments

cheese tasting

♦
News Bites

Toque: A Proust Moment for Valentine’s Day

CBS SF: Bay Area Healthy Food Finds

Bohemian: the girl & the fig

Sonoma Tourist Guide: the girl & the fig

◊

Contact Us!

the girl & the fig / 110 W Spain St, Sonoma CA 95476 / 707-938-3634 / web

the fig cafe & winebar / 13690 Arnold Dr, Glen Ellen CA 95442 / 707-938-2130 / web

the girl & the fig CATERS! / 21800 Schellville Rd Ste C, Sonoma CA 95476 / 707-933-3667 / web

ESTATE / 400 W Spain St, Sonoma CA 95476 / 707-933-3663 / web

Facebook / Twitter / Kiva / iPhone App / Subscribe to our Mailing List

Be Our Valentine – Join us for Valentine’s Weekend!

♥
Valentine’s Weekend at the girl & the fig

February 11th to 14th

Plat du Jour
five course menu

$46 per person
does not include beverages,
tax or gratuity

110 w spain st, sonoma
707.938.3634 x10 for reservations
♥
Valentine’s Weekend at ESTATE

February 11th to 14th

Tasting Menu
family style for 2 or more

$41 per person
does not include beverages,
tax or gratuity

400 w spain st, sonoma
707.933.3663 x19 for reservations

♦

Introducing… FIGCELLO!
If you plan to visit us during Valentine’s Weekend, be sure to try out “The New Fig Cocktail” that we’ll be debuting, which is made with the newest product from our friends at Hello Cello, FIGCELLO!

We loved Hello Cello’s Limoncello so much that we asked them to make a fig version of their liqueur, which they produced with fresh figs grown right here in the Sonoma Valley.  This new product will be debuting alongside our new cocktail on Valentine’s Weekend, and we are super excited to have this as a new cocktail staple at the girl & the fig.

We can’t wait for you to taste it for yourself!

♦

Have you heard about Celebrated Chefs?  This absolutely free program supports hundreds of non-profit organizations in the Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago, and Washington DC areas.  Once you’re registered, you’ll receive a complimentary cookbook with recipes from participating restaurants, and 5% of your total bill will be donated to your designated cause by these restaurants every time you dine.  We are proud to be a part of this unique dining program!

We’d love for you to visit ESTATE from February 21st to 27th to register with us for the Celebrated Chefs program. You’ll receive your free cookbook and enroll to have the Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance as your beneficiary every time you dine!

For reservations at ESTATE: web or phone: 707.933.3663

♦

 
Chef John Toulze at the Good Food Awards and Marketplace with Alice Waters.
Award Winning Coppa!

Congratulations to Chef John, whose Coppa was a Charcuterie winner at the Good Food Awards last month!  We also had a blast sharing our Coppa at the Good Food Marketplace alongside so many other great vendors of “good food.”

Here’s some of what people have been saying:

Press Democrat: Sonoma Artisan Food Wins Awards

Bite Club Eats: Top Honors at the Good Food Awards

SF Eater: Good Food Seal 2011 Awarded

MANO FORMATE Artisan Cured Meat Workshops

Curious about Coppa?  the girl & the fig is offering hands-on small batch salumi production workshops that are tailored for those seriously interested in the craft. Student work side by side with the chefs, learning the fine details of this artisanal craft and helping to complete production for the restaurants.  For more information, call us at 707.933.3667 x16.

If you can’t make it to a workshop in person, check out our MANO FORMATE Workshop Handbook for recipes and other charcuterie resources.

♦

Black Mission Fig Jam in Sunset Magazine

We are thrilled that the girl & the fig’s Black Mission Fig Jam was included as part of Sunset Magazine’s “Jam Explosion” in their Top 100 Cultural Trends Shaping the West.  Check out the article and then stop by our figstore to pick up some of our “to-die-for” fig jam to try out at home!

What’s New at the figstore:

E ESTATE extra virgin olive oil
Limited edition ESTATE extra virgin olive oil that was hand harvested on December 16th and crushed on December 18, 2010.  This luscious liquid came from 1,100 pounds and resulted in 12 gallons.  Only 50 bottles for sale this year.  Unfiltered, green, fresh, golden hue with a minerally smooth taste.  250 ml  $20.00

V red wine vinegar
Aged in an oak barrel for eight months, this vinegar is so lovely you can almost drink it.  Great for salads, vegetables and marinades.  750 ml  $18.00

SHOP NOW

♦

Save the Date!

What: 14th Annual San Francisco Grand Tasting

When: March 26th to 27th

Where: Fort Mason’s Festival Pavilion

Details: A celebration of the finest Rhone wine producers in America, the Rhone Rangers Grand Tasting is your opportunity to taste over 500 of the best Rhone wines from at least 100 wineries and enjoy a weekend of educational seminars, winemaker dinner (catered by the girl & the fig, of course!) and live auction.

♦

◊
Upcoming Events

Valentine’s Weekend
February 11th to February 14th
the girl & the fig / ESTATE

VinOlivo
Friday, February 18th
The Lodge at Sonoma

Celebrated Chefs
February 21st to February 27th
ESTATE

Sonoma County Restaurant Week
February 21st to February 27th
the girl & the fig / ESTATE

◊
January Memories

♦
Captured Moments

cookbook recipe testing

good food awards
♦
News Bites

Sunset Magazine: Cultural Trends

The Wine Riff: Pairing Pt 1 / Pt 2

Sonoma Patch: Rethink ESTATE Restaurant

♦

Contact Us!

the girl & the fig / 110 W Spain St, Sonoma CA 95476 / 707-938-3634 / web

the fig cafe & winebar / 13690 Arnold Dr, Glen Ellen CA 95442 / 707-938-2130 / web

the girl & the fig CATERS! / 21800 Schellville Rd Ste C, Sonoma CA 95476 / 707-933-3667 / web

ESTATE / 400 W Spain St, Sonoma CA 95476 / 707-933-3663 / web

Facebook / Twitter / Kiva / iPhone App / Subscribe to our Mailing List

VALENTINE’S WEEKEND AT ESTATE

february 11 – 14th
TASTING MENU at ESTATE - family style for 2 or more

VALENTINE MENU – ESTATE

(regular menu will also be available)
market antipasti, an assortment of seasonal Italian antipasti for the table,  wood-fired house-baked bread

curly endive & winter citrus salad, shaved fennel, grana padana, black pepper, citrus vinaigrette

goat cheese terrine, candy stripe beets, baby fennel & beet crema

atlantic diver scallops, truffled cauliflower puree, chanterelle mushrooms

beef ribeye fiorentina, rosemary & olive oil, soft polenta

broccoli rabe, garlic & chile

strawberry semi-freddo, chocolate dipped almond biscotti

$41 per person for Family Menu
(does not include beverages, tax or gratuity)

Menus subject to change based on availability

400 west spain street, sonoma

933.3663 x19 for reservations

Come try it out!  A new cocktail called “The New Fig Cocktail” will be released!

VALENTINE’S WEEKEND Special Menu

Regular menu will also be available!

February 11 – February 14

PLAT DU JOUR MENU

VALENTINE MENU – the girl & the fig 2011

Chanterelle Mushroom Soup white truffle foam.

Roasted Baby Beet Salad laura chenel goat cheese, cara-cara oranges, upland cress & kumquat vinaigrette.

Crispy Pork Belly toasted chestnuts, celery root batons, black trumpet mushrooms, pork reduction.

Atlantic Diver Scallops baby carrots, red pearl onions, brussels sprouts, cauliflower puree, brown butter.

Strawberry-Vanilla Panna Cotta chocolate dipped shortbread.

$46 pp – five course menu

(does not include beverages, tax or gratuity)

Menus subject to change based on availability

110 west spain street. sonoma

938-3634

Good Food Month & Awards

We are very excited to have been nominated for the Good Food Awards for our MANO FORMATE Coppa and Pimenton Salami as well as our Sonoma Valley Sharecropper Sweet & Sour Squash.  The winners will be announced on January 14th, followed by the Good Food Marketplace on January 15th and Good Food Month from January 16th to February 20th.

In celebration of Good Food Month, be sure to stop by the girl & the fig and ESTATE from January 31st to February 6th to treat yourself to our award nominated Coppa!

*

Pictured above are Chefs John Toulze and Dustin Villa talking about our Coppa during one of our MANO FORMATE Workshops.

For more information about signing up for a Workshop, call us at 707.933.3667, and be sure to check out our recently released MANO FORMATE Workshop Handbook with recipes and resources from the girl & the fig.

♦

Speaking of Good Food…

We have been very busy with working on the girl & the fig’s next cookbook, and have enlisted the help of our Facebook friends to test out our recipes.  We have received an overwhelming interest from fans wanting to volunteer and have already gotten some really great feedback!

How can you get in on the action?  You’ll have to ‘Like’ us on Facebook in order to keep up with us and check for the next call for volunteers.  We will have over 300 recipes to test and would definitely love your help!

Find us on Facebook

♦

Featured Cocktail: The Chocolate Pig
Makes one drink with extra cream

½ cup cream
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon bacon fat
Pinch salt

1½ ounces Grappi chocolate Liqueur
½ ounce Tuaca
½ ounce Firelit Coffee Liqueur

Place the cream, sugar, bacon fat and salt in bowl and whisk to soft peaks.  Set aside.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add all of the liquor.  Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled martini glass.  Place a spoonful of cream on top and garnish with bacon & black olive toffee or chocolate espresso nibs.

*

The Chocolate Pig was ESTATE’s entry in Martini Madness, along with the girl & the fig’s The FigOlive, which was made with an as-yet-to-be-released secret ingredient you should be able to get a taste of this Valentine’s Day weekend.

We still have a lot of the olive season left in the Sonoma Valley.  Here are other upcoming olive events that you’ll find us at:

Feast of the Olive
Friday, February 18th
The Lodge at Sonoma

VinOlivo
Friday, February 18th
The Lodge at Sonoma

♦

Trés Bonnes Annèes
Blanc

We have been keeping busy with a lot of new projects this year, including being involved in making our next release of Trés Bonnes Annèes. The Blanc version of our signature wine from the girl & the fig is being made through CrushPad in Napa, and staff at our restaurants are welcome and encouraged to attend ’field trips’ to the site to learn about the wine and have a hand in its production.  Pictured above is Manager Ryan Callahan of the girl & the fig checking out part of the crush process last Fall.

Trés Bonnes Annèes, Blanc, is a White Blend of Roussanne and Marsanne grapes from Saralee’s Vineyard in Sonoma County. It’s currently in the aging process, but we are planning to release it in late Spring or early Summer of this year.  Of course, you can expect to see another beautiful label by our resident artist, Julie Higgins.

We’ll keep you updated on the release date as we get closer.  We can’t wait to have you try it!

♦

Featured Retailer
by Julie Kantor, Fig Food Sales Manager

We are very happy that a number of retail shops in states where we’ve never had an opportunity to sell our products joined our list of “retailers near you” in 2010.  We enjoy featuring the success stories of our individual customer-partners in figbits, and we look forward to bringing you more personal stories this year.  However, since there are only 12 months in the year and many more stories than that, we thought we’d use January to mention some of our newest customers so you can hopefully find a shop near your home and enjoy the girl & the fig products throughout the year!

Cheese Cave – Claremont, California
Comforts – San Anselmo, California
Cowgirl Creamery – Pt. Reyes Station, California
Dry Creek General Store – Healdsburg, California
Taste of Heaven – Lodi, California
The Market – Fresno, California
St. Kilian’s Cheese Shop – Denver, Colorado
Fairfield Cheese Company – Fairfield, Connecticut
Fromage Fine Foods – Old Saybrook, Connecticut
Bon! Gourmet – Ormond Beach, Florida
Worthy Florals and Gifts – Hammond, Indiana
The Vin Bin – Marlborough,Massachusetts
Art of the Table – Grand Rapids, Michigan
European Food Emporium – Reno, Nevada
Napa Sonoma Grocery – Reno, Nevada
Lucy’s Ravioli Kitchen – Princeton, New Jersey
Hurley Ridge Market – West Hurley, New York

*
Shop Now!

Want to bring FIG FOOD closer to home?  Let your favorite area specialty food store know about our products, or suggest a store to us!

♦

Save the Date(s) for Sonoma County Restaurant Week!

What: Sonoma County Restaurant Week

Where: the girl & the fig, the fig café, ESTATE, and other participating restaurants in Sonoma County

When: February 21st to 27th

Details: The 2nd Annual Sonoma County Restaurant Week is a celebration of the county’s finest food and wine with over 50 area restaurants offering a special prix fixe menu at some amazing prices.  Stop in to the girl & the fig, the fig café or ESTATE during Restaurant Week for some amazing menus you won’t want to miss!

♦

Upcoming Events

Good Food Marketplace
Saturday, January 15th
Ferry Building, San Francisco

Feast of the Olive
Saturday, January 22nd
Ramekins

Good Eats & Zinfandel Pairing
Thursday, January 27th
Fort Mason Center, San Francisco

EAT COPPA! / EAT MORE COPPA!
Monday, January 31st to Sunday, February 6th
the girl & the fig / ESTATE

Wine & Wishes
Saturday, February 5th
San Francisco

December’s Fig Memories

*
News Bites

Style Me Pretty Real Wedding: Lynne & Tammy

Style Me Pretty Real Wedding: Emily & Morgan

7×7 Magazine: Good Food Award Winners…

Calgary Herald: Sunshine on a Plate

♦

Contact Us!

the girl & the fig / 110 W Spain St, Sonoma CA 95476 / 707-938-3634 / web

the fig cafe & winebar / 13690 Arnold Dr, Glen Ellen CA 95442 / 707-938-2130 / web

the girl & the fig CATERS! / 21800 Schellville Rd Ste C, Sonoma CA 95476 / 707-933-3667 / web

ESTATE / 400 W Spain St, Sonoma CA 95476 / 707-933-3663 / web

Facebook / Twitter / Kiva / iPhone App / Subscribe to our Mailing List

It’s easy to see why guests of this wedding traveled all over the world to be part of the elegant, week-long Californian affair captured by Wildflowers Photography. I would happily do the same for an event with scrumptious food by the girl & the fig CATERS! and to die for floral design by Atelier Joya. It’s a tease just looking at the gorgeous images, but at least it allows us to dream of such a splendid week-long affair – and hey, it’s Friday, so we have that going for us. To keep the dream alive, be sure to check out the gallery for more.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (November 15, 2010) – The Good Food Awards is proud to announce the 130 outstanding American food producers nominated to receive a Good Food Awards Winner Seal – assuring consumers they have found something exceptionally delicious that also supports sustainability and social good. As the first awards platform to celebrate the kind of food we all want to eat – tasty, authentic, and responsible – the Good Food Awards received over 780 products from 41 states, all vying for a chance to be among the 80 winners recognized at an awards ceremony hosted by Alice Waters on January 14, 2011.

The official judging took place at Hub-SOMA, a LEED designed co-working space and art gallery, where judges blind tasted their way through America’s foodscape. Among the 80 judges, were a veritable who’s who of food industry visionaries including venerated coffee roasters Andrew Barnett (Ecco Caffe) and President of the Specialty Coffee Association of America Peter Guliano, cheesemonger Sarah Dvorak (Mission Cheese) and cheese expert Laura Werlin (The New American Cheese), chocolate icons John Scharffenberger and Alice Medrich, in addition to veteran journalist Michael Bauer, San Francisco Chronicle, and industry leaders Nell Newman of Newman’s Own Organics and Bruce Aidells (Bruce Aidells’s Complete Book of Pork).

“The hunger to celebrate our peers who are raising the bar for craft food production was vividly apparent this last month,” said Sarah Weiner, Director of the Good Food Awards. “With hundreds more entries than we could have imagined, and dozens of judges flying in from across the country — even from Guatemala in the case of one coffee grower — we knew we had touched on something needed. We are both humbled and thrilled to be a part of an American food renaissance, and are looking forward to seeing this dynamic community grow.”

On January 14, 2011, winners will be announced at the Good Food Awards Ceremony hosted by Alice Waters at the San Francisco Ferry Building, followed by a Marketplace event on January 15, 2011 where food lovers will be able to talk shop with producers, plus taste and purchase the award-winning products.Both events will kick off Good Food Month (January 14 – February 20, 2011), a celebration of responsibly produced, delicious food that will consist of over 500 independently organized events throughout the Bay Area – from special farm tours of local dairies and salsa tastings at Community Kitchen, to a panel discussion of gender in the chocolate industry, food crafting demos, and a special pop up general store. Event logistics (including special farmers market events free of charge) and ticket pricing for Good Food Month will be released by December 15 2010, at whichtime tickets can be purchased online at www.goodfoodawards.org.

CHARCUTERIE:

Alexian Pate – Duck Mousse With Cognac (East: Neptune, NJ)Café Rouge – Smoked Beef Tongue (West: Berkeley, CA)Col. Bill Newsoms Aged Hams – Col. Newsoms Free Range Aged Ham (Central: Princeton, KY)Creminelli Fine Meats – Barolo Handcrafted Italian Salami (West: Salt Lake City, UT)Creminelli Fine Meats – Wild Boar Handcrafted Italian Salami (West: Salt Lake City, UT)Cypress – Cypressata (South: Charleston, SC)Formaggio Kitchen – Pancetta (East: Cambridge, MA)Gary West Meats – Natural Buffalo Strips (North: Jacksonville, OR)La Quercia – La Quercia Prosciutto Green Label (Central: Norwalk, IA)North Park Meat Co. / The Linkery – Country Ham (West: San Diego, CA)OLLI Salumeria Americana – Culatello (East: Richmond, VA)OLLI Salumeria Americana – Lomo (East: Richmond, VA)Olympic Provisions – Loukanika (North: Portland, OR)Olympic Provisions – Saucisson d’Arles (North: Portland, OR)Olympic Provisions – Rioja Style Chorizo (North: Portland, OR)Olympic Provisions Restaurant – Pork Liver Mousse (North: Portland, OR)Pine Street Market – Dry Cured Coppa (South: Atlanta, GA)S Wallace Edwards & Sons – Surryano Ham (East: Surry, VA)Salame Beddu – Coppa Rossa (Central: St. Louis, MO)Tender Greens – Smoked Prosciutto (West: San Diego, CA)The Chameleon Café – Free Range Chicken Liver Pate (East: Baltimore, MD) The Girl and the Fig – Coppa (West: Sonoma, CA)The Girl and the Fig – Pimenton Salami (West: Sonoma, CA) Vande Rose Farms – Applewood Smoked Artisan Cured Ham (Central: Oskaloosa, IA)Weeping Radish Farm Brewery – Liverwurst (South: Grandy, NC)

PICKLES:Ann’s Raspberry Farm – Savory Brussels Sprout Relish (Central: Fredericktown, OH)Artisanal Soy – Kimchi (East: Washington DC)Ceres Community Project – Arame & Ginger Sauerkraut Salad (West: Sebastopol, CA)Cultured – Spicy Oregano Purple Carrots (West: Berkeley, CA)Farmer’s Daughter – Spicy Green Tomato (South: Carborro, NC)Firefly Kitchens – Yin Yang Carrots (North: Seattle, WA)FoodMatch Inc. – Hot Pickled Okra (East: New York, NY)FoodMatch Inc. – Essie’s Sweet and Sour Green Tomato Relish (East: New York, NY)FoodMatch Inc. – Pickled Watermelon Rind (East: New York, NY)McClure’s Pickles – McClure’s Brine (Central: Detroit, MI)Metzger Specialty Brands – Tillen Farms Pickled Crispy Asparagus (East: New York, NY)Olympic Provisions – Pickled Corno di Toro Peppers (North: Portland, OR)Real Pickles – Organic Garlic Dill (East: Greenfield, MA)Rick’s Picks – Phat Beets (East: New York, NY) Sonoma Valley Sharecropper – Sweet & Sour Squash (West: Sonoma, CA) Sour Puss Pickles – Peppered Okra (East: Brooklyn, NY)Spirit Creek Farm – Purple Sauerkraut (Central: Bayfield, WI)Tender Greens – Spiced Baby Carrots (West: San Diego, CA)We Love Jam – Bread and Butter Pickles (West: Santa Clara, CA)

Wishing you good times, good cheer, and a happy new year.

Happy Holidays!

from all of us at the girl & the fig, the fig café,
the girl & the fig CATERS!, and ESTATE

◊

You’re Invited to New Year’s Eve at the fig café & winebar

What: New Year’s Eve Dinner

When: Friday, December 31st

Where: the fig café & winebar

Details: Help us ring in the New Year at the fig café!  Chef Bryan Jones has come up with a delicious menu as the perfect start of 2011, and we can’t think of a better place to be at midnight than our quaint little spot in Glen Ellen.

$35 per person – does not include tax or gratuity.

Click here to view our full menu.

RSVP: For reservations, please call 707.933.3000 ext 13

◊

Happy New Year from the girl & the fig CATERS!

We love the New Year!  We’re already getting excited about the events coming up in 2011 and are looking forward to another gorgeous wedding season in the Sonoma Valley.

In case you missed it, here are some of our favorite mentions in 2010:

* ESTATE is now listed on Here Comes the Guide

* the girl & the fig CATERS! on Style Me Pretty’s Little Black Book

* An ESTATE wedding on Style Me Pretty’s Bridal Inspiration

* A wedding with the girl &the fig CATERS! on Martha Stewart Real Weddings

* the girl & the fig CATERS! on Bridebound’s Vendor Spotlight

♦
We’d love to have you be a part of our new year!
Contact us for information on planning your special event:

the girl & the fig CATERS!
707.933.3667
email

◊

Last Minute Holiday Deals

Gift Card Holiday Promotion

From now until December 31st, purchase a gift card valued at $50 or more through our online fig store and receive a bonus gift card worth 20% of your purchase! Gift cards can be purchased in many different denominations and are available for ESTATE as well the girl & the fig and the fig café.

Terms & Conditions: Offer is available December 8 – December 31, 2010 for gift cards purchased through our online figstore only.  Please indicate at the time of purchase where the bonus gift card should be mailed.  Bonus gift cards are not redeemable for cash, may not be used for gratuities and are valid any time.

fig leaflet: words & images

Have we mentioned how much we loved putting our leaflet together and seeing all of the amazing creativity that you submitted?  Our first volume of fig leaflet is a collection of fig-inspired art and writing, and all profits are donated to the Sonoma Valley School Garden Project. This is a perfect stocking stuffer for the fig-lover or art-appreciator on your list.  Click here to purchase.

New Fig Gift Boxes

Just in time for the holidays, we have put together some of our favorite fig products, and have them pre-packaged and ready to give.  These are the perfect solution for the hard to shop for, a great value and a time saver!  Shop gifts in our online fig store to see all of our gift boxes.

◊

Small Bites: quick morsels of news

* We are thrilled to be named as a finalist in the Good Food Awards for our MANO FORMATE Coppa and Pimenton Salami as well as our Sonoma Valley Sharecropper Sweet & Sour Squash.  Check out the complete list of finalists!

* It’s time again to vote for your favorite Sonoma County restaurants in BiteClub Eats Top 25 SoCo Restaurants of 2010.  Check out who made it on the list, and be sure to vote for the girl & the fig and ESTATE to be two of your favorites!

* Have you heard that Pizza & Pinot has returned to ESTATE?  Join us for our kind of Happy Hour with one of our special Wood-Fired Pizzas paired with a different premium Pinot Noir each week for just $15.  Fri & Sat from 5:00 to 6:15 pm and Sun – Thurs from 5:00 to 6:30 pm.

◊

It’s the Season of the Olive in the Sonoma Valley

December through February is all about the olive here in Sonoma and one of our favorite seasons of the year!  We hope you’ll join us this year at our favorite Olive Fest events, and don’t forget to check out all of the other special event and promotions throughout the Valley.

Martini Madness (Tickets)
Friday, January 7th from 5pm to 7pm
Saddles Restaurant at MacArthur Place

Feast of the Olive Dinner (More Info)
Saturday, January 22nd from 5:30pm to 10pm
Ramekins Culinary School

VinOlivo (More Info)
Friday, February 18th from 7pm to 10pm
The Lodge at Sonoma

◊

upcoming events

An Electrifying Afternoon in Sonoma
Saturday, December 18th
ESTATE

New Year’s Eve
Friday, December 31st
the fig café & winebar

Martini Madness
Friday, January 7th
Saddles Restaurant at MacArthur Place

Good Eats & Zinfandel Pairing
Thursday, January 27th
Fort Mason Center, San Francisco

◊

November’s Fig Memories

♦
News Bites

Style Me Pretty: Sonoma Wedding

Dave the Wine Merchant: Braised Pork Shank

The Urban Grocer: the girl & the fig

SF Gate: ESTATE in Sonoma

Bride Bound: the girl & the fig CATERS!

Grub Street: Good Food Awards

◊

Contact Us!

the girl & the fig / 110 W Spain St, Sonoma CA 95476 / 707-938-3634 / web

the fig cafe & winebar / 13690 Arnold Dr, Glen Ellen CA 95442 / 707-938-2130 / web

the girl & the fig CATERS! / 21800 Schellville Rd Ste C, Sonoma CA 95476 / 707-933-3667 / web

ESTATE / 400 W Spain St, Sonoma CA 95476 / 707-933-3663 / web

Facebook / Twitter / Kiva / iPhone App

November 26, 2010

Estate in Sonoma

Carey Sweet
Photographs by John Srory