Glen Ellen, a small town on the outskirts of Sonoma, is so quaint that there are only a few choices of restaurants, but you’ll be hard pressed to find a bad meal in this wine country town. From Garden Court, to The Fig Café, and even the pub fare at The Jack London Lodge are all delish. A few weeks ago I finally had a chance to try The Glen Ellen Inn. I was excited to hear that the chef/owner was a Sonoma Valley native (like me!) and went to the same high school as I did (Sonoma Valley High).
Chef Christian Bertrand and his wife, Karen, opened the restaurant in 1993 in a 1940’s country cottage. The ambiance is very nice – a comfortable setting, with beautiful stained glass accents in the doorways and an open kitchen where you can watch the chefs preparing that evening’s food. This night’s dinner was shared with my Mom and Dad, and was the first time since I could remember that I had them both to myself. Between the restaurant, the friendly service and my two dining companions, the night definitely felt special.
Because I am becoming my mother more and more every day, it was not surprising to me that after reading the menu for about 30 seconds, the two of us picked the same entrée. Mussels and Garlic Fries with prosciutto, saffron, dried tomato, white wine sauce. We giggled to ourselves as we talked about how we can never pass up mussels on a menu, as I’ve mentioned on this blog before. Dad ordered the Sonoma Breast of Duck, foie grass stuffed, panko crust, cherry-port sauce and polenta. I must also mention the wine list – more than 160 labels to choose from, and I was happy to see that ALL of them were from California. Way to support local wine.
The food was delicious. The creamy saffron sauce that was served with the mussels was amazing. Yes, I kept slurping the leftover broth long after the fries and mussels were gone. After lots of good conversation, food and wine my parents and I decided to split “The Fabulous Glen Ellen Inn Sundae” which consisted of house made French vanilla ice cream rolled in toasted coconut in bittersweet caramel sauce. A perfect end to a fun evening. I can’t wait for the next time I get to steal my parents and have them all to myself again.
Glen Ellen Inn
13670 Arnold Drive
Glen Ellen, Ca 95442
707-996-6409
Wine Country Day Trippin'
One of the greatest things about living in the Sacramento area is our close proximity to everything that Northern California has to offer… a two hour drive east lands you in Lake Tahoe, two hours west and you’re in San Francisco. There are so many delicious day trips a Sacramento foodie can take; it’s nearly impossible to choose a favorite. But, during the summer, I’d have to say that my absolute favorite day trip is a drive to Napa or Sonoma wine country for wine tasting.
The beautiful scenery of a drive down Highway 12 immediately puts you at ease – there’s just something about hills of never ending grapevines that makes you feel completely transported…. Wait, where was I? Oh yeah – a day trip to wine country! Although I looove to go wine tasting, this past weekend I was lucky enough to be invited to a “bottling party” in Sonoma.
Two spinach quiches and I tagged along with my boyfriend’s family to their friend’s vineyard in Sonoma. Although they sell the majority of their grapes to big name labels, they save some grapes each year and throw a wine bottling party for friends and family to share in the winemaking experience.
After we added our side dishes to the five picnic benches full of food, I immediately went to check out the bottling process. The barrels of wine were lined up in a small barn and the wine was being pumped into a large plastic vat in the middle (see photo above). The wine was then siphoned into tubes that pump the wine into empty bottles. One of the coolest things was how they cork them – the full bottle is placed on a corking contraption (oh how I love alliteration!) and the cork is literally pushed into the neck of the bottle by force.
The finished bottles were then passed down a table of “labelers” – a line of eager volunteers with pens-in-hand ready to put their own mark on each bottle. My favorite label – certainly inspired by the writings in a bathroom stall – read: “For a good time – Drink this wine!” After much food, wine, dancing and fun, each family left the party with a case of the just-bottled wine – the perfect ending to a fabulous Sonoma day trip.
Side note: I just have to mention that I saw the CUTEST cupcakes at this party… chocolate and vanilla cupcakes topped with buttercream frosting and grape bunches drawn in icing. What a great idea… and one I’m certainly going to borrow for the next wine-themed party I go to!